Frida Kahlo's Mexico City

I have wanderlust. I've been caring for my baby in Santa Cruz for over a year, and I want to travel internationally so bad it hurts. Thats not going to happen, so I am revisiting an adventure I had years ago, imagining myself in Frida Kahlo's Mexico City. 

I was inspired to write this post by a New York Times Article here, about Frida's current popularity, 60 years after her death. What most caught my attention in the article is the show about Frida at the New York Botanical Garden. Oh how I wish I could go!

Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, which translates to: Museum House Studio. Juan O'Gorman designed and built the twin home studios for Frida and Diego, who lived and worked
"next door" to each other for 7 years here. Frida moved back to her parents' home in 1941, when her father passed away, but Diego stayed in the twin houses until his death in 1981.

Exhibits like this make me miss New York so much! The New York Botanical Garden opened the show "Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life" on May 16th. The exhibit features Kahlo's art work, plus a reimagining of Frida's garden at her parent's home in Coyocan, Mexico City. Special events will feature dance, music, food and film inspired by Frida's artistic influences.

Point Lobos - Photo Essay

I took Wilder and Kimo to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, just south of Carmel, for the first time this summer. Kimo fell head over heels and we ended up visiting the park three times in one month. 

End of Summer Recap (including August Photo A Days 15 - 31)

I started August with daily blog posts of my “photo a day” pics. I’m ending August with a 2 week recap of more than 14 photos. Life really got in the way these past two weeks. Wilder has had lots of appointments, including a new addition to his care team - a Doctor of Osteopathy - who adjusted his bones. I’m not sure if it was coincidental or not, but Wilder seems to have taken off running since the day of his first adjustment last week. 

That very night Wilder lifted his head off the ground while on his tummy for the first time ever. Soon, he was flipping over completely on his own. He seems eager to crawl and sit up. It will be exciting to see which he does first!

Day 15 - Clouds - none to be photographed that day!

Garrapata Beach (and August Photo A Day - Days 11, 12, 13, 14)

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

Day 11 - Mirror - I picked up the art deco compact mirror at a stoop sale in Brooklyn years ago. The mirrored glass pot holds a homemade candle from my sister Melissa. She also gave me the vintage souvenir compact with the lady scarf inside. The cover says, "Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk."

August Photo A Day - Days 7,8,9,10

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

Day 7 - Spot - Rockview, Santa Cruz

August Photo A Day - Day 6 - Grateful For

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

Wilder can sit when he's propped up. I'm most grateful for Wilder and his health. Today we did mama baby yoga and Wilder made his first friend - the adorable Anna. He grabbed her arm and sucked on her hand.

August Photo a Day Day 5 - Pile

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

Today's prompt - Pile. I found this pile of seaglass, stones, and prayer beads blessed by a monk (given to us by his grandma for Wilder's isolette when he was in the hospital) on my vanity.

Wilder and I took a hike in Henry Cowell Redwoods this afternoon.
The trail was dusty from the drought. This tree fell over and created its very own pile that looked like a fort.

August Photo a Day Day 4 - In the Middle

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

Theme for today is "In the Middle." Mornings like this are rare since daddy wakes up at 4am for work most days. Yay for days off!

Later we went to the San Lorenzo River for a swim. Wilder was entranced by the trees and sky up above.

The trail to the river is gorgeous. 

August Photo A Day - Day 3 - "S" is for - Sister!

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

"S" is for Sister! My little sister Melissa came to visit from San Francisco today. 

August Photo A Day - Day 2 - Lunch

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

I ran out to buy a birthday gift for my dear friend Zulhay while my mom watched Wilder. Mom had to go to work as soon as I came home and I thought, "Oh no, I've missed my chance to eat lunch! Wilder will demand my attention as  soon as she leaves." But that was not the case. He is practically a new baby these days - one who can entertain himself sometimes. So. he happily babbled at his bug mobile while I made a quick grilled cheese.

Wilder is happy today, aside from a teething (screaming in pain) episode.
Here he is with grandma, his best buddy.

Tummy time is finally paying off! Wilder happily lifts his head up!

August Photo a Day - Day 1 - Landscape

In order to inspire more daily photography, I'm participating in Fat Mum Slim blog's Photo A Day in August. There is a theme each day and photos are shared with the hashtag #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.

Day One Theme - Landscape - Pleasure Point - on a walk with Wilder to soothe his teething cries

We walked the long way home from the point so I could find an inspiration for a landscape photo. Oddly enough, the ocean just didn't look pretty today. For one, a fog bank loomed grey in the distance. There were no good waves, lots of kelp, and "billions" of sooty shearwaters (as a guy on a bike said to me) flying just past the breakers. With a pitiful looking sea, I found inspiration in a neighborhood scene.

We saw velella  (related to jellyfish) on the beach.
There's hundreds amongst the seaweed in the sand on 26th Avenue Beach right now.

The Getty Center - Photo Essay

Please enjoy these photos I took about a year ago of the stunning Getty Center Gardens in Los Angeles. Amazingly, this museum is free!

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

Photo by Madeline Horn

The Getty Website - http://www.getty.edu

American Gypsies

Photo by Mike Brodie http://mikebrodie.net

Photo by Mike Brodie http://mikebrodie.net

Photo by Mike Brodie http://mikebrodie.net

Photo by Mike Brodie http://mikebrodie.net

Images of train-hopping kids - impossibly fashionable, totally filthy, piercing eyes staring directly at the camera - Mike Brodie's photos spoke to me immediately. The photos are beautiful and truly artful, yet the subject matter makes me squirm.

The images remind me of my youthful days as a punk rocker, hanging out with squatters and train hoppers. I was a runaway for a summer, sleeping in my 1972 Gremlin, at punk houses, by the train tracks, and on riverbanks. It scares me to think how vulnerable I was at 17 years old. I felt safe with my friends, and thank god my instincts were right. I escaped the lifestyle unscathed, but many of my friends were not so lucky. I knew homeless boys who were raped under bridges and teenage girls who overdosed in vacant lots. At least four of my friends from that era are dead - victims of the streets and/or drugs.

Mike Brodie (a.k.a. the Polaroid Kidd) train hopped for years in the mid 2000s, capturing his friends on film. The subjects of his photos have very few opportunities, yet live a life of total freedom. Like the dichotomy that is their lives, dueling emotions surface when I look at Brodie's work. Part of me wants to hop on the next train. Then I focus on the kids' dirty hands and remember the smell, and the emotional instability of life with squatter kids. Its impossible to not be affected by these photos.

Check out his website here: http://mikebrodie.net

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