Recently, I was asked to photograph the many delicious dishes offered at Sufi's, the premiere Persian restaurant in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. I've gotten to know the owner, Mohsen, over the years, as well as his wonderful family, so it was a great pleasure to be able to document and tell the community about his restaurant. Though there may be Persian restaurants in neighboring suburbs, Sufi's is the only one in Atlanta proper, conveniently located on Peachtree Street NE. Below is a gallery of just a few of the dishes I sampled and photographed during my visit. Sufi's will be participating in Taste of Atlanta for the second time this year! Taste of Atlanta will be held this weekend, October 24-26th, and the restaurant will have a booth on the 25th & 26th, where visitors can stop by and have a preview of the aromatic, flavorful Persian dishes offered in the restaurant. I sat down with Mohsen to ask him a few questions about Sufi's and his experience navigating the competitive Atlanta restaurant scene. Nicole: Mohsen, tell me about your background. When did you come to the United States? Mohsen: I came here [from Shiraz, Iran] in July of 1977. We were supposed to finish school and then go back home, but then of course, the war happened and the revolution; that was in 1979. So we couldn't even go back anymore because of the situation. After seventeen years, I went back there for the first time. In the end, we just stayed here and this became home. Nicole: Wow. Now that you're here and have a new life, you've started a restaurant with your family. What do you love most about having this business with your family? Mohsen: I think, overall, it's much better to run the business as a family because we take extra care of it, we can trust each other and be together. Nicole: What would you say sets Sufi's apart from other Persian restaurants in the area? What makes Sufi's special? Mohsen: Atlanta has a lot of restaurants and people have so many choices, but our food is really new to people, so when people try it and they like it, they become our customers. We concentrate on food. Of course, atmosphere and service too, but my concentration is on the food. I worked with eight chefs to get my recipes; we've put a lot of time into perfecting the quality of our product. We always have the freshest, best products and we're always consistent. I would say we're the best when it comes to the food Nicole: I have to agree. What would you say is the most traditional Persian dish? Mohsen: Traditional Persian food is the gormeh sabzi, gemeh bademjoon, fesenjoon. Those are our traditional Persian dishes. Nicole: So, the stews. Mohsen: Yes, kabobs really come after that. Stews, back home, when your mom would cook, she would make a lot of the different stews. Kabobs, you wouldn't cook at home, those, you go to restaurants and weddings, they bring the kabobs. Nicole: Ah, so the stews are the home-cooked feel. Mohsen: Not everyone knows how to make the kabob, the kabob is very special. There are many different marinations and the grilling... the grilling is an art. I can't give a higher recommendation for Sufi's. Everything I've tasted and experienced, from the mind-blowing hummus (you'll never be able to eat store bought again), to the refreshing cucumber cooler martini that paired perfectly with my food, to the succulent salmon, served with a flavorful baghala polo (dill and fava bean rice) and finally, the baklava and Persian ice cream (you absolutely must try both), I was in food heaven. Psst-- everything I just mentioned, except for the cucumber cooler, is photographed in the slideshow above. Swing by the restaurant and relax on their beautiful Mediterranean inspired patio sometime soon! They're located at 1814 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta. Make sure to stop by their Taste of Atlanta booth this weekend as well! Hope to see you there! Right: The wood stone oven used to bake all of the pita bread fresh to order... I've gotta say, it's irresistible. They serve it with a sabzi plate, which includes fresh mint leaves, tarragon and basil, along with feta cheese, kalamata olives and all kinds of other goodies! Follow Sufi's on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SufisAtlanta
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I love how every wedding I have the opportunity to shoot is so different, always representing the couple in a special way. The wedding of Tania and Paul was so "them". Tania has a chic, simple, timeless style and the wedding was just that. Instead of lots of formal photos as most couples choose, Tania and Paul wanted to keep the photos very photojournalistic, telling the story of their day with lots of candid black and white photos. Their nuptials were an intimate event, with only 20 to 25 guests in the beautiful Bistro VG in Roswell, Georgia. The bistro's clean white decor, natural textures and huge windows, allowing light to pour in, were a perfect fit for Tania and Paul... and made me very happy as a photographer! And on to the delicious dinner, filled with music performed by various family members! To see Tania and Paul's engagement photos, click HERE.
I'd known for a good month that I was well overdue for a real vacation. So, this past weekend, I made a little time for a quick cruise to Cozumel. I only got to spend about 6 hours on the island, but I certainly made the most of it. We rented a Jeep, unsnapped the top, and drove all around the island, marveling at the coastline, talking to locals and sipping the world's best margaritas. Pictured above is a young man that was dressed up and hanging out at the port where the ships dock. He couldn't have been more than 16 or 17 years old and was all smiles... until I pointed the camera at him, and then he posed. He seriously would not let me snap a shot of him laughing, but I like this one because he gave me the intensity in his eyes, but couldn't completely hide his smile. Our first stop was the village of El Cedral. We were drawn there because it boasted some Mayan ruins. The ruins were interesting to see once, though less than exciting. What WAS exciting was the beautifully colored little homes and incredibly kind (and some pushy) people who lived there.
Crosses, crosses everywhere. Before leaving El Cedral, we were lured into a quick tequila tour and tasting. The tour guide is a member of the family who started this particular tequila distillery (Is it considered a distillery when it's tequila? I don't know... but you know what I mean.) and he was so cool... funny, knowledgable... and he fed me the most amazing tequila I'd ever had. Ever. We drove along the coastline, looking for a lighthouse, which we never found. Sometimes that works out in your favor, though, because we found this beautiful beach with a pretty great little tiki hut. Perfect time for a beer, some guacamole and a hammock. We were the only Gringos around, so it kind of felt like we were part of the community, which is always a nice feeling when traveling.
We decided, since we had a little time left before we had to report back to the ship, that we'd swing back to the other side of the island. Earlier, we'd passed by this beach bar called Coconuts... it was positioned on a cliff with crashing waves. I'm so glad we went back. Not only were the people so much fun to hang out with, but this is where our bartender made the world's best margarita. Go ahead, test it... I dare you. Just before I left, the man below came to me with this grasshopper he made me from leaves. He was so excited to give it to me and I happily accepted. What a cool little souvenir! I need to go back... for longer next time. *sigh*
Have you ever seen one of those couples and just known that God put those two people here with a plan that one day their paths would cross? Well, if not, take a look at these two and your belief in true love will be renewed. Tracy and Ford have an amazing story that stretches back... well, I won't tell you how many years... but let's just say it stretches back to grade school. Tracy and Ford grew up down the street from each other and Ford, having been a friend of Tracy's big brother when they were younger, can recall seeing her scampering through the house as a child. Now, a number of years later, in a new phase of life, these two were reunited at church and have been inseparable ever since. Enjoy browsing a little piece of these two's love story! OH, didn't I tell you? It's all about the shoes. Shoes and PURPLE. I caught up with the groom just before go-time. Tracy had me bring him a card she made for him so that he could read it before making his way to the altar. The two got married at Sugar Hill Church, where their love story began, and Tracy walked down the aisle to "I Could Not Ask For More" by Sara Evans. Thank you both for choosing me to document your special day! XO
Yesterday, I needed a day of being a bum in the park... so I called up my friend, Bethany. I really had no intention of taking so many photos or writing a blog, but once I brought the camera out, I couldn't stop hitting that shutter button. Between making flower crowns for us to wear, trying to fly $1.37 Hello Kitty kites and relaxing, I realized we had way more "keepers" than I had planned. Then came the blog. So enjoy the shots from our spontaneous photo session on a truly beautiful day in Atlanta's Piedmont Park.
Recently, my friend, Michael, asked me if I'd photograph him. He wanted to document the way he has been feeling lately, in an effort to let it all out, move on and have something to look back on and say, "this is where I was and look how far I've come." The shoot was inspired by a very moving photo blog by Jeremy Cowart, in which he photographed John Schneider in a moment of deep pain. After a few minutes of shooting, I knew we had the photos he needed in order to put this behind him, so I put the camera down and hugged him for a long time. I am so proud of Michael. This takes an enormous amount of bravery and vulnerability. The things he is going through aren't mine to tell, so I asked Michael if he'd like to say anything to those who may be in a dark place, searching for the light... and below is the message he wants to share: There are many types of pain and they come from many different things in life. Physical pain from cuts, scrapes, bruises and broken bones are obvious. Our emotional pain can be created from things that have happened in our lives and even things that have happened in the lives of others. Sometimes the pressure of the world events, combined with our own life challenges can lead to a broken heart. To me, that is the worst pain a person can experience. Give me a broken bone any day!
It’s the emotional pain that is often hidden from the view of others. It’s that pain that many of us keep locked inside, afraid to let the world know of it, for fear that we may seem weak or too emotional. Usually, most of us want to heal from the pain so it will go away and we can move on and forget about it. While that is great for broken bones and the likes, what if we aren’t always supposed to move past the emotional pain? Let me explain… Maybe we need to savor the pain to learn from it. Maybe we need to hang on to the memory of it not so we can dwell on it, but so we can remember what we conquered. Have you ever been on your knees, begging God to release you from the pain and anguish of what you were going through? When He brought you through it, do you try to forget it and move on? I did that so many times. Looking back, those times were actually victories and I want to not only celebrate them, I want to remember them so I can never forget the things that God brought me through. These pictures show my raw emotions of what was going on in my heart, mind, and soul. By having these memories, I will never forget what I went through at this point in my life. I will never forget what I prayed for and for what I will always be thankful to God. These pictures are a reminder to me, and hopefully anyone who is going through a tough time in your life for whatever reason, to learn through the pain and never forget the victories that sometimes only God can get you through. Bless someone, Michael My good friend, actor and model, Josh Henry, can now put "writer" and "director" on his resume! He recently wrote a short film entitled Poker Face that will be going into production at the end of April. I am so proud of him and excited to see the film. He asked me a while back if I'd do a photoshoot for him as part of the pre-production of the film... kind of like a mock engagement shoot, I suppose. These are of Josh, who will play the lead in the film, and his on-screen wife, played by the talented and beautiful Lesa Wilson. Some may be used as set pieces in the short and some may just be for their portfolios. Regardless, I had a fantastic time shooting and laughing with Josh and Lesa. Be sure to check out and "like" the Facebook page for Poker Face! This past Sunday morning was a brisk 42 degrees with wild bursts of wind, but that didn't stop these two lovebirds from having a romantic vintage themed picnic in Piedmont Park. And I'm so glad they did. The trees were blooming for spring and the morning light was ethereal... perfect for an engagement session. Tania and Paul absolutely love to travel, so we incorporated a couple things as a nod to their adventurous, yet relaxed lifestyle. Congratulations, you two!! In my efforts to find abandoned places, I recently came across this little gem of a town: Auraria, Georgia. Auraria, or "City of Gold", was the epicenter of Georgia's first gold rush, but all that stands today are the dusty remnants of forgotten fortunes. Its sister city, Dahlonega, also known for its gold mines, remains a tourist attraction today. The land on which Auraria sits was originally a Cherokee reservation and its treasures were kept secret by the Native Americans who settled there. However, once gold was discovered by the white man, the land became overrun by miners and thus, the Trail of Tears began. Auraria quickly became a prolific mining town, but once the gold its depths had been depleted, it was quickly left to rot. There are only two buildings that stand in Auraria today, anchoring themselves in the settlement's present day: the old general store (pictured at right) and a small red building that I am told was a bank at one time (not shown). The general store was absolutely fascinating. From the outside, it just looks like your run-of-the-mill roadside shack with a couple cool Coca-Cola signs and vending machines out front, but once you walk up to glance in its windows, you realize there is so much more. Inside, it's as if time has frozen. Hundreds of glass soda bottles and mason jars sit on the wooden shelves, alongside an old pair of shoes and other various gadgets. On the counter, I found an antique blue cash register (pictured below), paper still in it, a scale, typewriter, and truly more things than I can think to list. In front of the counter sat an old ice box and wooden trunk. Sadly, I wasn't able to get into the building, but I was able to poke my camera lens through the bars on the window to get these shots. I had the chance to speak briefly to the owner of the building, who lives next door. I probably would have asked him for a little tour if he hadn't hurt his leg recently. He did, however, tell me that the general store was once his mother's and he keeps it up today. I thought that was pretty cool. Not only that, but it makes me even happier to see that no one has defaced the property in any way. What a beautiful piece of not just the city's history, but his family's. The gentleman also mentioned that the store will be used in an upcoming film about old mining towns that is set to go into principal photography this summer. I couldn't help but notice on my way back to the car that there was some really cute, vintage wallpaper on the walls upstairs. I wonder if the original owner lived in the upstairs. I can't imagine it's safe up there, but I certainly plan to return some day to see if the kind owner would let me explore the inside of his old general store. Although the general store and the old bank are all that remain of Auraria's once bustling city as far as businesses go, there are a couple homes in the area that were left to weather the years. Of course, I had to have a look at those as well. The light absolutely poured through the windows and doors of this first home, creating an interesting juxtaposition to the rotting rooms. This first photo was taken from just outside the kitchen door, allowing the sun to drench not only the room, but my lens as well. I like the warm, hopeful way it looks. The quirky turquoise bead board walls that were once hidden by tacky wood paneling are finally seeing the light of day and the painted stone fireplace in the kitchen has become nothing more than a home to a retired mattress. Above, the smiling drinking glass turned out to be yet another great juxtaposition in this home. My third and final stop on the Auraria tour was this little white house below. Actually, it was probably more toward Dahlonega than Auraria, and though it's not much to look at from the outside, I never like to judge a book by its cover. Now, there's always some level of creepiness when I go into these abandoned places, but there was something particularly disturbing about this one. It wasn't dark or covered in cobwebs or anything like that... it was just that undeniable feeling that you're not alone. I also found that the majority of the photos I took had strange blue light reflections through them... even when I wasn't where the sun could catch my lens. Maybe I'm over thinking it all, but I also do this enough to know when to trust my intuition. Because of that, I only stepped in the entry way of the house and didn't explore much further. One thing I saw in just that small area, though, was enough to make anyone run for the hills... So the freaky thing... see the shelves on the left in the photo above? Now, do you see the small pile of grey matter? Ok, zoom in on it here --> It looks like the mold of a small child.. the face, the head, the arm, the shoulder... so creepy. But it's not a doll, it's clearly not a child... so would someone please like to tell me what on earth it is?? Or am I just seeing things? Anyway, here is a less disturbing image from that house.... but again, something weird. All the mason jars in there had something in them... and I don't think it was mud. Finally, a couple outside details... but again with the weird mason jars... That concludes my Auraria adventure! A couple of notes, though, before I go...
1. If you choose to explore yourself, always bring a buddy because you never know who or what you may run into. 2. Be respectful of the buildings you explore. Don't move things and never take anything. It's not yours. It belongs to the space and adds to it's magic. 3. On a more personal note, as far as photography goes, I find there's a time and a place for editing. When I do my urban (or in this case, rural) explorations, I rarely do any editing to the photos I take. They're interesting enough just as they are. Sometimes a change to black and white, sure, but photographers, respect your work and allow the natural beauty to reflect in your lens. Thank you, as always, for being a part of my travels!! I'm a bit of a girly-girl, so you can imagine how thrilled I was this past weekend when I showed up to the cutest little 1st birthday party I've ever seen! Everything was pink... and I mean EVERYTHING. Definitely a Pinterest-worthy party. Surrounded by loving family and friends, this was a perfect way to celebrate the first year of sweet little Reagan's life. Have a look at some of the afternoon's highlights here! Thank you so much to Reagan's mommy and daddy for choosing me to photograph her very special day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REAGAN!
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