paper + ink project A M a g a z i n e W r i t t e n B y , P h o t o g r a p h e d B y , a n d S t y l e d B y M a r y G o n z a l e s

Seeking Artists, Musicians, Entrepreneurs, Crafters, Chefs, Athletes, Photographers, Designers, and All.

Seeking Businesses With A Special Event or Grand Opening.

Seeking Charity Organizations.

Seeking Newly Engaged.

Seeking All Those With A Story.

Let me put your story in writing.

Correspond with me at

paperinkproject@live.com

Paper+Ink Project

In this debut issue, you will find my carefully

curated selection of features, articles, musings, interviews,

designs, and photography transpired

onto paper and ink.

w w w. p a p e ra n d i n k p r o j e c t .w o r d p r e s s . c o m

p a p e r i n k p r o j e c t @ l i v e . c o m

I was invited to do a red carpet event for a charity party hosted by

Ah-ma-zing. The event planner put me right

next to the photographers, perfectly lined up

to interview and take pictures of the celebrities walking the red carpet. I took this

picture. The event was held at the Bowery in NYC hosted by Evan Seinfeld (from

Biohazard and a 6-year stint as Jaz Hoyt on Oz). DG Bagel and the Natasha Komis

and Killcode rocked. Loved them. I met a couple of reality stars who were popular

at the time, Rescue Ink and the cast of a web ” To Be A Star” and a few “B” celebri-

ties, and a ton of tattooed enthusiasts.

Inked Magazine.

Picture, Layout, Design by Me.

Riding the Hightstown 600k

During the very early crisp morning of Saturday, June 9th, at 4:00 A.M. scores of cyclists, or “Randonneurs”, will be gripped in ready position at the parking lot of the Days Inn in East Windsor. Over the next 16 hours each cyclist will endure pain, peace, joy, passion, and heartache. Endurance will find its way towards finishing the Hightstown 600K (also known as the East Creek 600) and by 8:00 P.M. the next evening, Sunday, June 10th, all cyclists will have a story to tell. Whether they share their story or choose to keep it private, the life of a cyclist is a quiet but compelling one. Here are stories from some of this year’s Hightstown East Creek 600:

IRON RIDER

Iron Rider is a highly popular cyclist blogger. His blog, http://www.eprider.blogspot.com, offers life perspectives as “writing from a mid-life cyclist”. Entering his third year of Randonneuring, Iron Rider, who only reveals himself as Iron Rider, feels that he has just enough experience and events completed to begin to get a real feel for the sport. He says “It reminds me of being sopho-more in High School. I don’t know everything but I know a lot more than I did when I first started. But the first two years had their own special appeal. Experiencing new events and new distances is a big attraction of this sport and the first two years were full of new events and new distances.”

His first Randonneuring ride was in April 2009 at the Cranbury NJ 200k. “My most challenging ride was my second Randonneur-ing event. It was a 300K ride that took place in New Jersey. What made it challenging was my inexperience. Frankly, I was in over my head and too stubborn to quit. I have since ridden longer and more difficult courses, but that one will always have a special place in my memory.” Eventually he would like to ride the PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris) in 2015. “But,” he adds, “There are many things to keep my ride calendar busy until then and, hopefully after.”

He offers insight into his passion for riding. “I ride a bike because I enjoy it. I do Randonneuring events because each ride is an adventure and a fun challenge and because I have met some great people who also enjoy it. Plus you get to collect awards. Who doesn’t like getting an award?“ But he also offers a more in depth perspective in the way of a Venn diagram explained in his blog post www.eprider.blogspot.com/2011/02/venn-of-cycling.html.

In preparing for the East Creek 600, Iron Rider basically prepares by riding events on a regular basis. “I have ridden at least one 200K or longer every month since April 2009.” For several weeks leading up to the 600k , Iron Rider will ride a 300K, a 400k event, and then the 600k in Hightstown. “In between the long rides, I bike commute to work a few times a week and try to go the gym or run a few of times a week. I am not very scientific in my approach. I go for consistency and train by recovery.”

Iron Rider offers this training tip: “Train hard but recover fully. Anyone can work themselves to the point of exhaustion or worse. Training smart is being patient enough to allow yourself to recover from the hard training. Recovery is where the fitness improves. “

Iron Rider is a partner in a law firm.

The June issue came out this

week. I had the opportunity to

interview some great people

and I am very thankful for their

time and participation. Here is

my article:

RICK LENTZ

Rick Lentz, together with Wal Pettigrew, co-designs the routes for Randonneurs. Not only did Rick co-design this year’s routes, but he is also the lead organizer. This is Rick’s first year as Lead Organizer, and his second year co-designing the route. Rick has been involved in the design of “unofficial” routes for years. “When I am out taking a ride on my bike and find the route I’ve taken meaningful in some way, I am inspired to share it with others.” He ex-plains “For Randonneur routes, check points (controles), are implemented to ensure that riders are following the route as documented. Consequently, routes must be de-signed with these controles at major changes of direction on the route or at any place where a rider could take a sig-nificant ‘short cut’ by riding an alternate route. Selecting food establishments for replenishments that meet this de-sign necessity is part of the fun in route design.”

Ironically, it was not until 2006, Rick says that after a back injury did he make the commitment to long distance cy-cling. He expressed that “there is a feeling of freedom and mind cleansing while on the bike that I feel will keep me riding as long as I am able.” Then in 2007 he accomplished his first Randonneur ride which took place in the French-town Populaire. It was approximately 100 kilometers (appx 62 miles). “The Populaire is a great introduction to Randon-neuring,” Rick states, “because you can learn the event rules and riding style over a shorter distance than with the other Randonneur events.” Rick’s most challenging ride was attempting the Adirondack 540 RAAM (Race Across America) qualifier. In addition to mountainous terrain and constant rain, improper nutrition and too fast of a start led him to abort and ultimately was disqualified.

Rick offers this training tip: “It is always a known factor that at some point in time there will be conditions that a Ran-donneur can and will encounter at some point in time. This means not canceling your training rides due to darkness, cold or rain.”

Rick is a data base analyst working for the Department of Human Services in New Jersey.

CHRISTINE NEWMAN

An avid Randonneur, Christine Newman rides about 200 days a year. In 2011 she accomplished her goal of riding over 7,000 miles. Her journey began in 2005 when she saw a postcard advertising Randonneuring at a local bike

shop. “I checked it out on line and became intrigued,” she said. “I had tried racing once and was terrible at it. I mistak-enly thought Randonneuring was something I could do without much training since it involved going long distances at a relatively slow pace which sounded good to me. Well except for the long distances part! Seven years later I know it takes a lot of training to go the distances involved in this sport.” She continued, “After my first 300K, during which I got lost and added 20 bonus miles to the route, I was ready to quit. Now that I have finished a 1240K, I have found new ways to challenge myself such as riding a fixed gear bike on a few brevets and permanents. I also think that Randon-neuring provides adventure in my otherwise routine life! I also think at this point, I need to ride to preserve my sanity and reduce stress.”

Christine found the Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) was her most challenging ride to date because of the longevity – 1240 Kilometers (or around 750 miles) with about 35,000 feet of climbing. Before that Christine rode 1000K (625 miles) for the Pennsylvania Endless Mountains (EM) which also has approximately 50,000 feet of climbing.

Christine offers this training tip: “Brevets are almost never cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. I think one of the most important training tips is to ride in all types of weather at all times of day and night. I have ridden in the rain and snow, through thunder and lightning storms, ex-treme heat, cold and wind. Training under less than ideal conditions gives me the chance to see how my body will respond and to adjust my equipment accordingly. And test-ing equipment ahead of time, especially lighting, gives me great peace of mind once the ride has started. I never want to start a ride with untested equipment.”

Christine is a small animal veterinarian and owns a veteri-nary clinic in New Jersey.

… [photo credit: http://www.eprider.blogspot.com]

Article Published in the June 2012 Issue

of The Journal Magazine

article

Time stood still. No one took a breath. No one took their eyes off of what just happened. Of what they just wit-nessed. A magnitude amount of concrete, siding, wood, and bricks, all demolished with every cherished content that they shared for the last 10 years. It came to this, she thought. A standstill of hopes, dreams, a future, all blown to dust and remnants of what once was.

“I…”

The screeching sounds of machinery clenched the air and made all other sounds impermeable.

He tried again, “I…”

Tears were streaming down her face onto her lips, her chin, then down to the lapel of her coat. She made no sound. She was silent and still.

“I…am….so sorry.” He took a breath, and continued. “I didn’t mean for any of this.” As he spoke, she watched the cold air capture his breath making it visible and icy. She turned away, with her coat lapel wet and stinging.

Barely audible, a weak whisper escaped from her dry mouth. “How could you….how could you not…” She let out a pathetic sigh, “How could you not tell me…about this.” She closed her eyes and continued, “How could you have done this…”

He adjusted his knit cap, pulled it further down his ears to protect it from the bitter cold, and replied, “I messed up, I know. I wasn’t listening. I was tired. I just wanted it done. I didn’t know, or I didn’t read, that…”

“That what, John. That this was all a mistake on them? That you had no idea this would happen? That you thought this was a simple renovation, not a demolition? Really John? Is that what you’re telling me for Christ’s sake?!”

“Love, yes, for Christ’s sake, yes. That’s what I’m telling you.” John adjusted his knit cap again. His ears were starting to numb, from the cold, maybe from the screeching machinery, maybe from her.

She looked so beautiful when she’s angry. John knew he wasn’t supposed to feel this way about her when she’s mad. But he couldn’t help himself. He was in love with her more than she could ever know. From the moment he met her, John knew she was special. He knew that she was too good for him, too smart for him. And there was always that nagging feeling in him, down deep in the bottom of his belly that he needed to be better. To do something that she would never expect, something beyond what she could ever dream of, or ever think he was capable of. And so he did it. He planned. Some say he schemed. Sure, but all of it for Love. For her.

And so, with the help of many colleagues and friends, while she and John were on vacation, the Movers cleaned out the house. Every piece of furniture, cherished albums, kitchen gear, wardrobe, and more were moved out. And into their new home.

As they pulled up the driveway coming back from vacation, the demolition crew was half-way done the project. It was a project that would enlarge the property ten-fold for the beautiful white house that proudly stood in the lot next to it. It was a neighboring house that she gazed at from her window every morning, taking note of its structural beauty, its grand entrance pillars, pristine roof, and it always, always seemed to gleam brighter than the other homes. But, she always remarked how that although the home was beautiful it was just too closely located next to each other. There was no privacy, “no elbow room” she would say. When John found out the owners were moving, he leapt on the chance to make an offer. They accepted. And the same day, he called his contacts and negotiated a demolition company to take care of the rest.

“Love, I have to tell you something….” And as he said those words, he took something out from his pocket and turned to her while they were standing in the driveway.

“What, John. What can you possibly tell me. What more can you say,” she winced.

He held out a key that was shining against the cold bitter gray air and said, “I have to tell you that this key…this key….is a key to our new home.” And with that, he faced her towards the white house with the new spacious generously sized land.

sho

rt s

tory

Who the hell is Adam Rubin (playfully from www.whothehell.com). Shamefully, up until this month, I

honestly didn’t know. I pictured the taco-lovin’-dragon-author as someone old and stuffy.

But then I met him.

Not the old, stuffy kind at all.

At their book-signing event in July hosted by JaZams in Princeton, NJ for

their book, Dragons Love Tacos, the award winning team, author Adam

Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri, put some cool in that hot summer

afternoon. Mothers swooned and children stood in line bright-eyed and

excited to meet the dapper duo. I picked up a copy of the celebrated book

and both author and illustrator graciously signed it for my daughter,

Sophia. But what makes their autographed book even more special is that

Adam writes the child’s name as part of the title.

meet&greet

One of the most popular trends this year –

stripes. Not just any stripes. Not your typical

black and white zebra stripes. But bold, audacious stripes. Not found in your grandmother’s closet, this season’s

stripes bear color and girth. Everyone’s doing it from Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger,

Oscar de le Renta, Etro, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more designers. Harper’s Bazaar Magazine boasts stripes

with Selena Gomez for their April 2013 magazine cover. Miley Cyrus striped down in a blue and white jumpsuit for

the Ryan Seacrest Foundation event in March. Zoe Saldana wore stripes honored by none other than Dolce &

Gabbana at the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards, and the list of celebrities goes on and on

So what makes this love/hate relationship with stripes tick? Why are there countless Pinterest boards dedicated to

stripes? Why do horizontal lines make some of us cringe while make others crack a smile and nod with confi-

dence?

Because, no matter what, stripes are for everyone. It’s for every women who exudes fun and a care-free perspec-

tive not just on life, but on the day that awaits us. Stripes are for those who want color in life. Whether in black

and white, stripes add to the worn-out jeans, to the leggings, denim, skirts, or wear for work, or for play. A casual

striped dress goes a very long way worn with flats, heels, boots, or even sneakers. Wear a short striped skirt with a

long slouchy sweater. Wear a black and white striped cropped shirt layered with a tank popped with color. Wear a

striped dress with a thick leather belt. Wear stripes in couture. Or go completely daring and wear stripes from top

to bottom with a striped top with striped pants. Whatever you

do and however you wear it, wear your stripes proudly and join

the ranks of being on-trend this year.

musing on

One of this year’s most popular trends: Stripes

As the end of August is here, three lit-

tle words come to mind that probably

emit the most mixed emotion during

any other time during the year: Back

To School. Whether you’re going to a

new school, or you’re entering in as a

cool 8th Grader, or as a College Sen-

ior. Or perhaps you

graduated many

moons ago but you

can still feel the

charge in the air

when the late August

sun begins to casts

shadows earlier in

the evening hinting at September’s

looming annual occurrence. You

smell it in the air. You feel it in your

wind blown hair. The first day of

school.

As a parent, there’s even more of a

reaction to those three lovely

words. Getting back to “routine” per

se is something many parents look

forward to. Also, school expenses

add a dash of stomach gripping ail-

ments that parents brace themselves

for when it comes time to go school

shopping. Those $300 Nike sneakers

aren’t in most parents’ school shop-

ping budget.

I remember my first day entering into

8th grade, walking up to my junior

high school

steps. A huge

white banner

with painted

red lettering

“Welcome 8th

G r a d -

ers!” was

hanging over the main entrance

doors. I felt like that banner was

hanging specifically for me. I remem-

ber the sun was out, and it was a per-

fect warm day. I had high teased

curly hair, large earrings, and one of

those off the shoulder flash dance

shirts in yellow. Entering the school

as a cool 8th grader was my first best

Back To School memory I had. Yes,

embarrassing I know. But hey! How

about you? Would love to hear about

your most memorable Back To School

{musing} Back To School!

I took my daughter and her friend to this year’s NJ Balloon Festival. We woke up brutally early when it was still dark and

arrived promptly at 6:00 am. The early morning air was refreshing and very cooling. When we got to the field where the

balloons were supposed to be, I couldn’t figure out where the balloons were…until I saw what looked like industrial sized

duffle bags in the middle of the roped off field designated for the balloon launch. And then I realize that those duffle bags

lie near the baskets that hold the people and those mechanical devises that fire up the balloons. Soon enough the contents

of each bag were being emptied and out came incredibly colorful and massive inflatable fabrics. Witnessing the first bal-

loon from being in a bag, to being air-filled, to ascension was amazing. But then witnessing over 100 balloons during all

those stages was truly spectacular. My favorites were all the classic ones with the rainbow colors.

travel

We have been loyal visitors of Baltimore Maryland for about 15 years or so. Our attention was always focused on the aquarium side of town and we always referred the area as the Baltimore Harbor or Inner Harbor. We would sit and en-joy the street performers and walk through the malls. Before Phillips Seafood moved to the Hard Rock Café building, we would always make it a point to eat at Philips in the plaza mall and enjoy their amazing seafood buffet. Sadly, they don’t offer the seafood buffet anymore at their new location. (But they’re still a great restaurant!)

Moving on, this year, my husband heard of Fells Point. Not really knowing what it was about, he, as the appointed driver of our family, decided to make a detour to this unfamiliar town instead of driving to our usual Inner Harbor trek. The moment we hit the towns leading up to Fells Point, our excitement grew and we all knew we were in for a treat. And then we arrived. With their cobblestone streets, their brick buildings, their quaint boutiques and amazing restaurants one right after the other after the other, Fells Point is now our newest favorite place to visit. We will still remain loyal to the Inner Harbor, but our plans have a new beginning – to start our trip at the Inner Harbor, enjoy the street performers and visit the aquarium. Then take the ferry across the harbor to Fells Point, walk their cobblestone streets, visit the quaint shops, and round it all off by eating at one of their incredible restaurants. Our new family annual trip.

Fells Point, Baltimore, Maryland

I am in love with

Summer. I have a

deep affection for

it. I find it irresisti-

ble and I adore it. If

I could just put it in a

jar and keep it with

me all year round. I

would loosen the

jartop in the middle

of winter and let the

sun peek out while

letting precious

drops of Summer

infuse the freezing

air and let it melt

Frosty away. Like a

scorn lover, I find

myself a little bitter

when Summer aban-

dons me each and

every year, leaving

me longing to feel

its warm embrace

again. But for now,

Summer’s back and I

am in love all over

again.

Today, like many churches all

around our nation, the homily

in my church spoke about the

tragedy in Colorado. Usually

the homilies speak to me; I can

always relate to the message

and I most always gain perspec-

tive, or even challenge the mes-

sage that’s offered each and

every Sunday. At the very least

it incites thoughts and passion

about God, about life. But to-

day, I felt there weren’t any

comforting words to offer, from

a n y o n e , e v e n f r o m

church. There were no reasons

to give, no godly explanation.

Nothing to appease the soul, or

the heart, nothing to console

the basic human emo-

tion. What can words truly do

at a time like this anyway. I can

only draw from the actions

from those who gave their lives

that day to protect their loved

ones. I can only reflect that out

of the horrific despicable ac-

tions from one human being,

that he was outnumbered by

good, by love, by hero-

ism. Someday, I hope someday

soon, we can find out the

“why”. Even then, those words

will fall empty. There are no

words to describe, no words to

explain, and simply there are

no words to heal. We will have

to rely on our actions to make

things better and work on al-

ways outnumbering evil.

There are days when I sit just and stare at the screen. I just stare. Idly. Waiting for

something to run through my veins, moving my fingers to tap on the keyboard,

waiting for the rush of words to gush through me with full force effortlessly and

with conviction. But not even a twinge is felt. Not a random spasm in my finger

bones. All is quite and I’m left to sit and stare at the screen.

...Pic of my keyboard, use of Adobe Photoshop CS5, filter/sketch/photocopy...

musing

Q: How did you begin or start your business?

A: I started part-time on weekends while working full-time in IT. I found that I enjoyed painting more than my career as a programmer. As a programmer I would always think about painting but never really knew how I would go about from only painting during the weekends to going to full-time. How would I find enough work during the week…let alone throughout the year? I saw my future as a programmer and didn’t like what I saw. I eventually gave two weeks notice and never looked back. It’s been over six years now.

Q: Tell me about the early years, about the challenges you faced back then and now.

A: In the beginning jobs were scarce. I did what I could to get myself out there and meet people. I worked for friends and family and referrals started coming in from them. I gained credibility and work in-creased and I started gaining a good client base. Now I am not so much worried about having work the following week – I get a lot of referrals. The early challenges were my inexperience with painting. I didn’t have all the answers. But I stuck it through and gained experience and can now provide many answers confidently. My current challenges is managing my business; balancing between work and my family life.

Q: Do you have any insight you can offer about being a small business owner?

A: Having too much work is just as frustrating as not having enough work. It’s not easy finding good help. Bringing in work comes in bit by bit sometimes and it’s hard to keep everyone at “the ready” all the time. I am blessed to have someone as part of my crew who’s a hard worker, loyal, and good at what he does.

Q: What’s in the future?

A: To do less physical work and focus on sales. I would like to transition in more of a supervisory role. I have a crew averaging from 1-5. They’re all really good but it’s hard to keep it all in harmony at times when I’m painting, supervising, keeping clients happy, and finding the next job all at the same time.

Q: Can you give me a good DIY tip?

A: Sure! Definitely use good brushes and good rollers. They make a difference. When you paint a ceiling, paint crossways the first time and long ways for the 2nd coating. Take your time when you paint and I rec-ommend using a drop cloth. People get hurried and they forget paint can splatter or drip.

Thanks to Ric of Meridian Home Improvement for your time, advise, insight, and DIY tips!

interview

Small Business,

Meridian Home Improvement

Ric G. of Meridian Home Improvement tells all about being a small business owner. Based in Somerset County with clients ranging from Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and all other surrounding counties, Ric’s specialty as an interior & exterior painter gives him the fulfillment of doing something he enjoys paired with the challenges of running his own busi-ness.

Re

d H

oo

k, B

roo

kly

n There’s a part of Brooklyn that extends into the Upper New York Bay. With their cobblestone streets, the Brooklyn

neighborhood, originally known for its red clay soil, is rich with history, food and culture. RED HOOK. It’s a tight-knit community where long-time faithful residents are proud to be living in one of Brooklyn’s best neighborhoods. Red Hook has been on the national radar for so many reasons, some good, some bad, some ugly. Most recently, they made na-tional news by being hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. With a waterfront community comes the challenges of destruction, but with it also comes revival.

I visited Red Hook recently to find evidence of what once was. Boutiques, an artisan distillery, artist gallerys, notable restaurants. And in between the open store-fronts were boarded-up shops still recovering, still hoping to tear down the boards from the windows and one day open up its doors again. The streets littered with debris signaled that the strug-gles of the neighborhood were still ongoing, that revival was still far from near. One shop owner’s basement was com-pletely destroyed. It was where his studio was, where he made everything, where he worked to make his beautiful products. The Storm hit in October. And in May the shop still hasn’t received any assistance or response yet from the insurance company.

But revival, despite the littered streets, seems surely on its way. Not soon enough for some but revival can be found in the latest headlines:

“Historic Red Hook bar Sunny’s seeks cash to rebuild after Superstorm Sandy’s ravages – Owner Sunny Balzano launching $80k repair campaign”

“Home sweet home: Developmentally disabled residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy return to Red Hook”

“Red Hook library reopens after Superstorm Sandy”

“A sign of Red Hook renewal: Red Hook branch library reopens after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy”

“American Red Cross Gives Grant to Brooklyn Community Foundation for Superstorm Sandy Recovery Program”

Headlines filled with progress, for sure. Revival? A slow and steady process that will hopefully see completion sooner than later for this proud and beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood.

As a freelance writer, I found out that it’s not all about

writing. For anyone who wants to take their craft one

step further, taking pictures along with their articles

can also help tremendously in engaging the audi-

ence. And in this day and age, what writer wouldn’t

want to take their own pictures to help depict the story

we tell, the words we choose, the titles, the captions,

the nuances of it all. We have the technology and ac-

cessibility for everyone to be a ‘photographer’ at some

level. And I have fully jumped on board with it. I love

taking pictures for my articles; I enjoy stylizing my

shots; and I always try to take fresh angles and per-

spectives of things as simple as a detail in woodwork,

corners of buildings, street signs, sidewalks, and of

more complex activities such as athletes in action,

street fairs, music events, and so much more.

I recently have been assigned with taking a cover shot

for a magazine’s May issue, but specifically for a com-

munity’s Opening Day for their sports season. I clicked

away throughout the two-hour event capturing warm-

ups, excited young children’s expressions, the parade,

the mascot, the mayor, a choir, parents, and all. It was

coming down to the last fifteen…maybe twenty min-

utes…of the event and still I felt I didn’t capture “The

One”. Sure, lots of great pictures, but mostly to fill a

family album, nothing to fill the cover of a magazine…

just yet. And then the mayor introduced a young

pitcher to come out on the field to throw the First Offi-

cial Pitch of the Season. I immediately trained my eye

and camera towards the pitcher as she walked out

onto the field while at the same time making sure my

zoom lens was set. I’m not one to bullet-click away. I

take time, I choose, I decide specifically when I take a

picture, and never use the “rapid succession” feature

cameras have. So while other photographers are click-

ing away at the air, I’m usually the one standing there,

waiting for “the moment” that I choose. I’m pretty

spot-on every time I wait patiently. And so, that’s what

I did as the young pitcher finally made it onto the

mound. Still, I waited while the clicking of other cam-

eras were getting me admittedly nervous. But I felt I

had to wait.

The pitcher placed her feet into position, she adjusted

her pitching stance, and she started to raise her arm

with the ball….and that, to me, triggered “the mo-

ment”. I took one shot, one photo, one moment. As

a result, I captured the pitcher in action actually throw-

ing the first pitch of the season with her feet in the air,

throwing the ball, body twisted successfully with the

backdrop of a lush green perfect Spring day.

cover shot

The shot made the cover of the June 2013 Issue of The Journal. It has a distribution of over 40,000 homes and businesses.

new york installation

I had a meeting in New York City for a freelance writing opportunity. I was to meet with an executive from a start-up magazine

based in Seattle. The executive was flying in from Seattle to NYC to meet with writers. I could not have been more thrilled when I

saw their email that they would like to meet me. The location of the meeting was

scheduled to be at one of the most pre- mier, most hip places to go in the

world: Ace Hotel, New York.

With the invitation to meet with the ex- ecutive, and to meet at one of the hottest

artist venues in the world, being a contrib- uting writer for the exciting new start-up

magazine almost seemed secon- dary. What came first for me was the ex-

perience of the opportunity…a great day in the making.

And so I made my way into the City early Friday morning. The weather was gleaming with Spring, there were buds on trees, tulips

were standing at attention, and the sun was out but with a grumbling hint of a storm that thankfully never became more than just

a groan from the sky from time to time.

The meeting was scheduled for “11ish” at the hotel lobby and so I arrived at the Ace a few minutes before 11:00 A.M. As soon as I

approached the building, the hotel was buzzing with artists and musicians, or

maybe they were just incredibly stylish people who love music. But their skinny

jeans, their casual t-shirts, double- wrapped cotton scarf and thick black

rimmed glasses led me to believe they more than just stylish, but professional

artists. One of them was carrying a guitar so yes, I’m going with “he’s part of the

band.”

Inside the lobby towards the center was a dark wooden library-style table, with the

classically styled green library lamps, and where young professionals were hard at

work on their laptops. Dark alluring walls set the tone of this edgy-vibed yet sophis-

ticated lounge. A generously sized American Flag proudly placed high on the back center wall hung over the unassuming bar and

injects the only worthy pop of color against the decisively dimly lit room.

I texted the person whom I was to meet and received a response I was not prepared for: she fell ill and will not be able to make the

meeting. My heart sank. I felt bad for her – that she traveled so far and then not be able to fully enjoy this amazing city, to con-

duct the rest of her meetings, and to accomplish the rest of her itinerary. I sat for a few moments trying to gather my thoughts and

to revise the purpose of my day. I needed to salvage it and make it useful. I couldn’t just walk aimlessly; I needed a new agenda.

I looked down at my camera and my brown pseudo-leather notebook and it didn’t take me long to realize what I needed to

do. With a sudden burst of urgency, I grabbed my camera and the rest of my belongings and headed back outside to the streets of

New York. As a result, I am hugely excited to introduce my new mini writing series:

Impromptu interviews and photography all from the streets of New York.

The latest New York Installa-

tion. Subject: rollerskat-

ing. But not just rollerskat-

ing. There’s an additional re-

quirement. Dancing. Roller-

skate dancing in Central

Park. This outrageously

delectable activity is so popu-

lar that there exists an actual

organization that has been

enjoying a long successfully

skating run of over 18 years:

Central Park Dance Skaters

Association. Mostly every

weekend starting every April

in Central Park follow the

blaring sounds engineered

by the skilled hands of NYC

DJs and you’ll find the

funkafied group of rollerskat-

ers dancing to the latest club

music. I stylized most of my

pictures to keep the vibe of

rollerskating alive in this

latest installment.

New York Installation:

Rollerskating in

C e n t r a l P a r k

An apple. There

it was, gleaming,

green, and

freshly misted by

the grocery store

produce man in charge of keeping the fruits looking

fresh. I was the perfect hungry little bait. For whatever

reason, after what seemed like a long torturing hour of

winding through the fluorescently lit unappetizing gro-

cery aisles, my father was headed towards the exit

empty handed. But that apple. I couldn’t bear to leave

the store without that apple. It just didn’t seem right

leaving the store empty-handed. So I asked my father if

we could get The Apple. And without missing a step he

said no and kept headed towards the exit. The apple

was near enough to the exit that my desperate need for

it made me think of the unthinkable. Take the apple

anyway.

But how? I caught site of a policeman by the exit. The

sight of him, uniformed in dark blue with this official

policeman hat, one hand resting on his utility belt,

standing firm but friendly. Or at least I thought he

looked friendly and not the least bit like someone who

would unravel a six-year old. And so it was down to Me

versus the Exit versus the Policeman. I couldn’t afford

to linger and so as I passed by the enticing green apple, I

took it in my little hands. I immediately hit a snag al-

ready – my hands were too little and barely covered the

shiny fruit. What now! Wait, my dress. Surprisingly

there were no pockets stitched anywhere. But brazenly

I continued on my mission. I had to follow through; I

was in too deep in my head to give up the glorious ap-

ple. It was in my tiny little hands and I just didn’t want

to let it go. Somehow, good consciousness never found

me that day in the grocery store as I lifted up my long

dress and placed the apple between my knees. And

ever so cautiously attempted to walk the apple between

my knees just like the way I do for a picnic race

game. Except this was no game, no picnic. A race but

certainly not for glory.

My father now what seemed like hundreds of yards

ahead of me stopped to look back and shot me a look of

“hurry up!” without uttering one single word. I contin-

ued on very slowly and very awkwardly. My father’s

look of impatience quickly turned into anger with his

eye lids wrinkled in a puzzled fury. He turned back

again towards the Exit just about passing by the police-

man. I made it four excruciating steps when the police-

man stopped my father. I halted my tracks simultane-

ously. They both looked at me while the not-so-friendly

-looking-anymore policeman pointed at me. Not only

did my stride stop but my heart stopped along with it. I

held my young breath as they both approached

me. Now towering over my under-developed six year

old self was my father and the policeman. I looked up

not knowing if I continued breathing or not. And with-

out waiting for them to speak, I took the apple from my

knees and handed it over to the policeman.

I don’t recall the ride home that day. I don’t recall the

inevitable yelling or the most-likely-chance of a spank-

ing. I don’t recall if he told my mother. It was all a blur

after that. I must have put up a pretty good memory

block wall to help protect the little brain I had at the

time.

One thing I do remember was my father that day. On

the outset angry, stern, and impatient. But what re-

placed my memory block of my well-deserved punish-

ment was that at the end of the day my father was lov-

ing, forgiving, and a very patient patient man.

I’ll never forget that apple. Not for the apple itself but

what the apple became - memories of having a father

who offered love, patience and forgiveness.

This is a true short story.

short story

Poohpeach Boutique,

Kingston

In the heart of Kingston, NJ is a boutique

with sophisticated white trim and an

inviting white porch. The moment it

opened its doors in 2011, the boutique

added a refreshing charm to this tiny but

captivating and prominent town. Pooh-

Peach Boutique. A

name like no

other. Passerbys

can’t help but slow

down while travel-

ing by to read its

classic boutique

style sign and to

gaze through the

shadowbox window

with its whimsical

display of beautiful

clothing. Kingston is

a town nestled right

outside the border

of Princeton. The

boutique, soon to

be one-year-old in September, stands

shiney and new on Main Street.

Earlier in the year of 2011, stay-at-home

mom Jennifer Solomon asked herself

“What am I going to do now that the

youngest is going to school?” Her hus-

band responded by encouraging her to

pursue her passion. Jennifer lives locally

in South Brunswick and one day passed

by and saw the For Rent sign on the win-

dow of the corner building. She visited it

and immediately envisioned her passion

of owning a boutique come alive. After

discussing it with her husband they

signed the contract the next day giving

way to making the boutique

a reality.

Defining the boutique was

next. Jennifer’s family background

comes from the restaurant business but

Jennifer drew from her creative passion

for style and design. Offering children

clothing became her first retail

line. Soon after, she expanded her col-

lection to women’s clothing and accesso-

ries. Not having any clothing retail ex-

perience to draw from, Jennifer learned

the business from the ground up doing

her own research, visiting showrooms,

traveling to NYC, learning about pricing,

and much more. The boutique’s visual

displays are results from her own distinc-

tive style, from turning a quaint wine

closet into a beautiful display for cloth-

ing and accessories, from using delicate

long logs of wood that lend a striking

setting to hang her collection from, her

Sale sign, to romantic jewelry posts, a

dramatic painting over the fireplace

mantle, and just so much more.

Her collection comes from as far as Aus-

tralia, Brazil, UK, and as local as New

York and Los Angeles. Earlier in the year,

Jennifer hosted a special “Ladies Night”

exclusively to her clients with a fortune

teller, food, drinks, discounts and fun. It

was a success and Jennifer will soon be

planning another “Ladies Night” this

summer.

She is working on opening two more

boutiques in Fort Lee, and in New Hope,

Pa. Check back for the grand opening

announcements and more events this

summer!

And so…Poohpeach. A most unique

name. A string of two words most likely

never used together

before. It peaks

curiosity. But even

before knowing the

meaning behind it, it

tugs at the heart as

an incredibly sweet,

most delightful bou-

tique name. Her

husband comes

from Romania, al-

t h o u g h , n o ,

“Poohpeach” is not

a R o m a n i a n

word. It is however,

as Jennifer ex-

plained, the closet

phonetic way she could translate in the

English language to say “kiss” in Roma-

nia.

And there. So you have it. A true inside

peek in this most wonderful boutique

that offers children and women’s cloth-

ing, accessories, and events. Visit Pooh-

peach Boutique at 4436 Lincoln High-

way, Kingston, NJ 08528 and via

www.poohpeachboutique.com.

interview

One of the magazines invited me to

attend a fashion show. It was held in a bar in NYC. The DJ,

the people, the vibe, the models and

the designer, all incredible. I took this picture

which I feel captures the

perfect shot of a fashion runway show in a NYC bar.

I began my writing career many moons ago having the pleasure of getting my first article published on the front page of a major local newspaper, then working for a rock music trade magazine, and onto a major college textbook publishing company, all the while working on a children’s book. I lead a corporate life now, juggling family, personal ventures, and everything else in between.

Paper+Ink Project is my portfolio as a freelance writer. Stay with me to see how I transpire my thoughts, my stories, my interviews, my travels, and my photography onto paper and ink.

paper + ink project