Round Two in the “Fave Finds” series!

A few weeks ago we took Scott’s mother to San Francisco as a surprise trip for her birthday. The trip was planned beautifully by Scott’s sister Lauren and her fiance Josh (who will be getting married at the spectacular Firestone Vineyard this fall – where I’ll get to be a real-live guest, A GUEST! Dancing and hors d’oeuvres WATCH OUT!!) I have been to San Francisco numerous times from my first visit at age 3, to my last one in 2006 (when I wore flip flops and cursed my bad judgment and frozen toes the entire trip). We always visited the same places. Pier 39. Ghirardelli Square. Ride the cable car, eat the clam chowder, rinse and repeat.

But never to the Ferry Building. It was the first place Lauren and Josh took us and it is now on the top of my list of favorite places in the city. Rows upon rows of the cutest shops selling cheeses, teas, herbs, home decor. A vibrant bustling Farmer’s Market surrounded the outside, where we picked up a delicious breakfast & steaming cups of coffee. I was most enamored with the flowers. How I wished I could bring home a bunch of colorful ranunculus or branch of peach blossoms. (Where can you buy a whole branch from a tree here? Anyone?)

Here’s a bit of what I captured (all taken with the point-and-shoot) in between my shrieks of joy and lamenting of “why don’t we have this in LA?” Can’t wait to return! What are your favorite places in SF?

I returned home from WPPI last month equipped with a few different things that I felt would really help my business grow. Fresh new ideas. A big dose of inspiration. A huge bag filled with tradeshow brochures galore (which has since sat untouched by my desk – fail!) And then there was the grand prize. The cherry on top. The colorful little toothpick in my proverbial chicken salad sandwich.

Say hello to the new star of my photo-making collection!

I had been eying the 5D Mark II for some time and was planning on hunting one down upon my return to LA. But when B&H lured me to their booth at WPPI and informed me that they had one ready to ship, I was sold. SOLD. Before I knew it, I was signing and smiling away. I’ve used it for a couple of shoots already and I can hereby declare that I’ve fallen madly in love. I might as well be scribbling “Adrienne hearts 5DMkII <3 <3 <3” all over my notebooks. The full frame is perfect. The ISO capabilities are just dreamy. The click of the shutter makes my heart skip a beat. LOVE!

A few of the first shots this bad boy captured upon exiting the box:

This last one is of some herbs we picked up at the Farmer’s Market a couple weeks ago. As much as I ADORE herbs, I try not to get too close to them as to not immediately destroy them with the wrath of my brown thumb. I think I seriously cause them to shrivel with a single glance. It’s a dangerous place for vegetation in here!

I’ll be writing up a full WPPI-recap soon (including pics from the awesome desert shoot!), but I wanted to take a quick moment to give a shoutout to the fabulous girls at Fresh Events Company and the equally fabulous event they’re putting on. I had the opportunity to photograph Pamper Me Fabulous last year and to be honest, I felt pampered just walking around shooting the event :) I can just imagine how relaxing and invigorating it must have been to be a lucky guest, getting massages, sipping on Izzes (hands down my favorite carbonated drink!), and getting to chat with lots of amazing girls from all over the city.

This year it’s going to be at the Vibiana (could there BE a cooler venue?) and will be even more chock-full of spa treatments, snacks, and samples that will be sure to melt away even the most stubborn of stresses. You can see more info on the slick flyer below or on their website here!

And in one last bit of exciting news – last year’s event has been published in the latest issue of Your Wedding Day magazine!! It’s my first time having my images published and I was definitely giddy upon receiving the copy they sent me! YWD is really an amazing wedding resource and I was so impressed by their gorgeous spreads, stylish design, and great ideas!

And some more info on this year’s event!