Fall is full on on in Anchorage, Alaska and it is gorgeous! I love this time of year and it is my favorite season. I have been playing in the leaves a lot lately shooting engagements, families and the little ones. Super fun and I am as giddy as a little girl.
I have a wedding to photograph today, on Columbus Day Holiday. It will be at a gorgeous home on the lake front and with the colours we have right now it shall be very romantic. I am hoping for a bit more of our misty rainy scene to add to the romance of the day . . . I cannot wait!
This is a bridal shoot we lined up recently and I loved what we captured together! What do you think, is it fun stuff? You summer brides cannot get these delish colours and dark, curley tree trunks. Time for java. Enjoy.
So even though my model is stunning, this is my favorite image of the day.
And just one more because we can.
Once again, I headed to one of my favorite towns in Alaska – Talkeetna, for the annual Moose Dropping Festival. Great fun, as always, eating all day long, drinking, eating, and of course, enjoying the many artisans displays . . . and drinking. Talkeetna has this incredibly magical charm. Laid back, rustic and everyone just hangs loose. I invited my cousin, Katie and a very dear friend, Sandy. Sandy and I have been friends since the early 80’s so that makes about 22+ years long friendship. Kaye is, of course, my favorite cousin.
On our way up, we always stop at Sheep Creek lodge. Usually we have bloody mary’s at the rustic bar but this time, the weather was so incredibly gorgeous, we opted for the deck and enjoyed lemon drops rimmed in raspberry sugars and some delish ahi tuna and it was perfect snack to tie us over until we reached Cafe Michele in Talkeetna.
These are all the mail boxes just outside of Sheep Creek Lodge. A fun photograph with all the boxes lined up and the fun part is they are not lined up in a straight and perfect line but all on a curve. Seems everyone in Alaska has a bit of creativity. We need something fun to break up the winter months. Curves just make life more interesting. Don’t ‘cha think?
Only in Alaska – do we shut down main thorough fares to plan a street party. We love our summer festivals, let me tell you. What you see here is Main Street. It’s actually only been paved for about 10 years. It was a perfectly charming road when it was all dirt! And I miss that dirt road!
As soon as we arrived in Talkeetna, on Friday night, we checked into our cabin, got acclimated and headed to Cafe Michele for a dinner with wine then early to bed. Below is our cabin for 3 days of fun. Denali Fireside Cabins. They were really quite large and very comfortable.
This is the little trail to and from our cabin.
Of course, we made it to the outside courtyard of Cafe Michele’s. Our personal fav. Exquisite cuisine and remarkable salads.
Every year, people paint and create these moose. Most are so very special. Then they are auctioned off for charity. I heard that $4,000 was raised this year. Moose on the Loose.
Last winter, Katie and I met a server at the local Cattle Company who told us to come see him Talkeetna, as he was opening a brew pub! So we looked up his new place – it was THE happening place in little Talkeetna. Denali Brewing Company. They just completed their outdoor deck two weeks before the festival and have unveiled their 1st brew. They are serving other local Alaskan brews as well. Great place. Open all year round and he’s hoping to draw Anchorage clientele. So check it out. Nice to eat breakfast out of the deck under one of the many colorful umbrellas but you can eat inside, if you prefer. Good luck with your venture. We certainly need your fabulous establishment. I found an article below from the ADN. Take a look at the links below about the new pub.
Beer advocate – Denali Brewing Company/Twister Creek Restaurant
Brew pub looks for May debut in Talkeetna
Katie, making her purchase of painted moose ‘nuggets’ for the dropping game. Hey!! Big cash prizes are at stake. $150 is good food money!
I liked Lora’s Namaste tattoo. She is sooo cool. Man can this girl sing and play guitar.
Now Lora’s boy, David, is lead singer in his own band of super cool guys in Talkeetna. Their band name: 4th and Main . . . sounds a bit familiar . . .
We caught them over pizza and beer at Mountain High Pizza Pie. One of the boys hand-painted his guitar. I just loved it! They were fantastic to listen to and after their set we got to hear them play again at the town stage next day. David was also performing in a local stage production of Glass Menagerie at 7pm each night. Talent runs in that family vein.
One of the boys hand painted his guitar! How cool is that?
Time for beers and more food at West Rib. Fab food and of course, a perfect outdoor eatery.
And only in Alaska will you find such a rig. This was West Rib beer on tap. I find Alaskans quite resourceful and clever. Hey, whatever works, man.
We always run into so many friends we know from across the state. Ran into an old pal, Sean at the ball fields then again at my favorite hang out, the bar – formerly known as the Tipi Lounge, and is now called the Tipi Oasis . . . the straw umbrellas and floral decor really make it a much more happening place. Oh! and the pink neon flamingo is a class act!
Then we stopped by the WildFlower Cafe and checked out the super fun bar out back. How awesome is that. We had caesar salads with either grilled shrimp or chicken. Cooked to perfection. Ran into pals, Yvonne and Neal and their kids there, they had halibut sandwiches and we planned to go back for pizza later. Funny thing is, we just ran into them at breakfast an hour before that. Guess they ate their way through Talkeetna too. Neal umpires the ball games all day long – 14 games on Saturday! And it was hot but the air a bit more pleasant and clear. Wild fires have filled Anchorage with smoke for over a week.
The fireweed is immense and looks so pretty along the highway. It makes the most gorgeous jelly.
Just one of the many charming scenes in Talkeetna.
E-gads, more kettle corn, a chocolate milkshake and the food list goes on and on. Hope to see you there next year! We are already reserved in our little cabin. Cheers!
Posted in
Alaska,
Personal,
Travel on July 14th, 2009 |
6 Comments »
Pal Sandy and I took a road trip to Tok, Alaska. She wanted to visit her father and I wanted to keep her company. What a great weekend road trip for relaxation, fun, chit-chat and chasing wild life . . . we even managed an impromptu caribou-seeking journey for Sandy’s sister, Lisa, who is visiting Tok from Seattle . . . more on that later. These were taken with my sony tourist camera. I may upload more later, have not looked at the other cameras images.
Started with hard rain down pour most of the trip from Anchorage then we hit snowfall in entire area from about Eklutna until . . . very surprised by that! But by the time we hit Tok about 6 hours later, had a nice sunset then gorgeous sun for next two days though cooler than we thought it would be. We stayed at a very nice B&B run by Maggie and Damon. Maggie’s German so I practiced my teeny bit of German. Great hosts! The link is here: Mooseberry Inn, Tok, Alaska.
Sandy and I saw plenty of wildlife. From dozens of moose sightings, jack rabbits, caribou (running through Tok) porcupines, gorgeous ducks -most likely eider, swans, loons, and even sand pipers at Moon Lake! The night that Sandy and I saw 4 caribou running across our road we were thrilled (yes there are plenty of caribou up here but not really running down the town highway) we told Lisa and she wanted to see some so we jumped in the car in search of caribou. Drove up to Moon Lake – the sun was setting and it was beautiful at the lake but Lisa did not get to see caribou.
Saturday night, Sandy and I spotted this tremendous coach style bus then found out after returning home Sunday, that it was pals, Gabe and Sarah. They were enroute to Anchorage on their annual journey from winter in California! Missed out on margaritas in the rock star bus.
So this was our B&B . . . just kidding! . . .
I just love old vehicles and there are plenty of those along the highway. Mostly abandoned. They make for really fun photographs.
hmmm . . . no comment.
Posted in
Alaska,
Personal on May 24th, 2009 |
No Comments »
