That Church Conference || Atlanta
I've spent the better part of this week in Atlanta on my very first "work trip".
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(Does this make me an official adult?)
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I got to meet our community.
Put faces and voices to digital names.
The people who share our space.
Who challenge is.
Inspire us.
Who love us.
The people we work for and with.
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And in the midst of this I got to do what I think I'm best at.
The thing I enjoy the most....
Talk.
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I got the insane privilege of spending the last three days sitting with pastors, leaders, entrepreneurs, volunteers, walking miracles . . . and hearing their stories.
The pieces of their lives that have shaped them.
Created them.
Shifted them.
I've heard about miracle meetings.
Rock bottom ultimatums.
The good and bad moments that changed everything.
I became the confidant to people's business plans, ministry hopes, and everyday struggles.
I listened to people's passions and callings and observed how beautiful being human is, and how these things bring us together.
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I love traveling.
I love meeting people.
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California - it's looking like you're next!
(and I can't wait!!)
My friend Alex was the one who went to That Church Conference with my boss, Brady, last year. So when we got back he asked me what I thought, and I had to admit I had only attended one of the actual sessions. Most of my time was spent in the coffee shop inside the Atlanta Tech Village - Octane.
My boss was working on his keynote, as well as an upcoming product launch (stayed tuned in November!!), and needed the wifi and working space. I used the opportunity to read (currently on book 23 of 2018!) and talk with anyone willing to sit close enough.
I love that this trip, and the notoriety of my boss and the company I work for, give me such a beautiful opportunity to speak with people from all over the world. It’s so interesting hearing people’s stories and listening to their dreams.
I hope my life gives me so many more of these types of opportunities.
PS - my boss is a complete legend. I’m so thankful that he took me along on this trip.
Wedding | Blake & Jenn | Sneak Peek
A few weeks ago I had the incredible privilege of photographing my childhood friend, Jenn's wedding. Although the day was beyond warm, it was also beyond beautiful.
I'll be sharing more details and photos next month, but for now here's a brief snapshot of the day.
I love photography because . . .
Photography is a love affair with life.
-Burk Uzzle
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I got into photography because life is short and beautiful moments are worth remembering.
I've always been an old soul.
Even from a young age, I could feel the brevity of life in the way that the sun rises and sets with the day passing quickly before your eyes, and people come and go, with the ones you love never seeming like they had enough time.
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Photography became my solace.
My assurance that beautiful moments are still beautiful after they've passed.
And people are still important when they're no longer present.
And there's something lovely about pulling out old, yellowed photographs - reading the scribbled date, places and names on the back - and noting that our lives have been well lived.
Filled to the brim with moments and places and names and faces worth remembering and loving and doing our best to capture.
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I photograph for feelings.
To transport me back to the way the lake at the cottage, or golden hour on my balcony, Thanksgiving with my family, the beach with friends makes me feel.
Full.
Alive.
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I photograph for the future.
A shoebox filled with prints and stories to share with nieces and nephews and friends and hopefully children, of when their parents and I were young and learning. Our exploits and calamities. The times we triumphed and the times we tried our best but only won scraps of wisdom and scraped hearts.
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I photograph because I am dead center in the middle of a life that is so worth living.
Every painful/perfect, glorious moment of it.
Photograph by my insanely talented sister - Allysin. Find her on Instagram here.
What is your favourite photograph? Tell me about it!
Coffee | Crafted | Toronto
Crafted (135 Ossington Ave.)
Of the 3 coffee shops that I visited during our day trip to Toronto - I think Crafted may have been my favourite space. Everything was cute and rustic and somehow welcoming in a homey kind of way. It made me want to bring a book, or a notebook and study; letting Toronto hurry by.
I picked up an iced almond milk latte (I know shocking! haha). And being one of Pilot's location, the quality was of course beautiful.
Bellwoods Brewery (124 Ossington Ave.)
The last brewery we stopped at was Bellwoods. Which had some really sweet hipster vibes.
Their space flowed seamlessly from inside to outside.
There were strings of lights. And it was just a beautiful space.
Bonus: Peace Collective (131 Ossington Ave.)
Across from Bellwoods, and literally right next door to Crafted was Peace Collective AKA Peace Treats Co.
Last year for Allysin's birthday we visited Toronto and wanted to go to Peace Treats Co. At that time they had just opened a new location at Yorkdale mall, and the line up was so long that we gave up. (You can watch the vlog here.)
So when I saw one right there, I knew I had to seize the opportunity!
I ordered the "Nutty By Nature" which is all peanut butter & chocolate, and all delicious. I believe it's part of their summer menu, so it might only be available for a limited time.
Coffee | Dark Horse Espresso Bar | Toronto
Dark Horse Espresso Bar (120 Geary Ave.)
I've been to Dark Horse before, but not this location.
Again I found myself in a different area of Toronto than I was used to.
More warehouse/residential than downtown.
Following my Google Map's instructions I actually walked past the shop at first until my friend, Brandon, pointed out the red star design inside an open warehouse door. Outside a small patio space had been set up, expanding the small shop space.
I loved the distressed, almost garage like feel of this stop.
I ordered an iced almond milk latte, and one of my friends ordered iced mocha.
Out of the 3 (yes 3) lattes I drank this day, this one as both the strongest taste and is the one that made me the most jittery. (Oh hey there caffeine!)
An added perk I discovered at Dark Horse is that they use paper straws. (Wondering why this matters? Click here.)
Recently I've become more and more concerned with how my life affects other people and the planet, so I've taken to carrying a metal straw in my purse to avoid plastic straws, which are mostly non-recyclable.
But my friend was pleasantly surprised when he grabbed a straw to find that it was the more easily recyclable paper version.
As part of our day trip to Toronto, this stop also included:
Blood Brothers (165 Geary Ave.)
Blood Brothers also featured a garage style door, and used picnic tables to create an outdoor space.
Like I've mentioned before - I can't drink beer for health reasons, but something I find fascinating is the variety of colours beer can create. The flight one of the guys ordered at Blood Brothers so perfectly reflects this variety.
