AK

Moving!

2011-05-08T10:22:00.003-05:00

Hi all - I've been thinking for a while about writing more on arts and arts-related activities, and I've decided to start fresh with a new blog: http://romaniouk.wordpress.com. Change your bookmarks if you'd like to follow along!

New York, NY.

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New York, NY.

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Washington, DC.

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Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C.

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Ellicott City, MD.

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Ellicott City, MD.

2009-10-06T20:21:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, MD.

2009-10-03T15:27:00.001-05:00

Cambridge, MA.

2009-07-19T20:03:00.000-05:00

Cambridge, MA.

2009-07-15T20:41:00.001-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-07-08T19:42:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-07-05T17:18:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-06-21T11:56:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

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Ellicott City, Maryland.

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Ellicott CIty, Maryland.

2009-06-09T18:10:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-06-06T15:32:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-06-03T22:37:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-05-30T09:04:00.000-05:00

Ellicott City, Maryland.

2009-05-27T19:45:00.000-05:00

St. Martin.

2009-05-17T17:06:00.000-05:00

St. Martin.

2009-05-14T20:38:00.000-05:00

St. Martin.

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St. Martin.

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St. Martin.

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Washington, D.C.

2009-04-23T07:03:00.000-05:00

2009-04-23T07:02:00.000-05:00

Христос воскрес!

2009-04-19T00:50:00.000-05:00

Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C.

2009-04-12T11:12:00.000-05:00

Washington, D.C.

2009-04-09T19:27:00.000-05:00

Washington, D.C.

2009-04-06T20:50:00.001-05:00

Washington, D.C.

2009-03-25T21:15:00.001-05:00

Washington, D.C.

2009-03-21T09:09:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC.

2009-03-14T22:58:00.000-05:00

Washington, D.C.

2009-03-11T19:19:00.000-05:00

Sydney, Australia.

2009-03-08T15:36:00.000-05:00

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Sydney, Australia.

2009-03-03T19:34:00.000-05:00

Melbourne, Australia.

2009-02-27T21:21:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC.

2009-02-22T12:29:00.000-05:00

Magnetic Island, Australia.

2009-02-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

Sydney, Australia.

2009-02-17T20:37:00.000-05:00

Sydney, Australia.

2009-02-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

Sydney, Australia.

2009-02-10T21:33:00.000-05:00

Assilah, Morocco.

2009-02-07T00:53:00.001-05:00

Because I could use a little sun, and I bet you could, too.

Late night light.

2009-01-31T09:55:00.000-05:00

I prefer Pat's.

2009-01-28T08:56:00.000-05:00

Key to the kingdom.

2009-01-25T19:38:00.000-05:00

Christmas leftovers.

2009-01-20T20:23:00.000-05:00

2009-01-20T20:22:00.001-05:00

South Philly.

2009-01-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

Folds of fabric.

2009-01-06T21:31:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T18:32:00.000-05:00

Red sun at night, sailor's delight.

2008-11-23T04:11:00.000-05:00

What a day, a day like today.

2008-11-13T22:44:00.000-05:00

Victoria Arts Center, Melbourne.

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Down by the sea.

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You got a friend in me.

2008-10-10T07:56:00.000-05:00

I'm ready for my vegemite sandwich!

2008-08-10T18:07:00.001-05:00

Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.

Buying bread from a man in Brussels,
He was six foot four and full of muscles,
I said, do you speak-a my language?
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich
And he said,

I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover...

I'm gonna need a drink...

2008-07-31T15:39:00.001-05:00

Who knew taking a bar exam would be so exhausting?

It's the city, the city...

2008-07-26T17:03:00.001-05:00

Return to me.

2008-07-19T23:26:00.013-05:00

Last weekend, I spent a day at the beach with my parents. While laying out on my towel, reading Zadie Smith's On Beauty, I noticed a dragonfly hovering near my feet. Eventually it joined me at the head, as if to let us get a better look at each other. I wanted badly to get the camera out of my backpack, but feared that any motion would scare off the dragonfly.

A little later, I repositioned myself for lunch; despite the movement, the dragonfly remained close. As my parents and I ate leftovers, a strong gust of wind ripped the flimsy plate from my father's hands and covered me in salad dressing, bits of lettuce and bacon, and egg yolk. I thought, surely the dragonfly is gone now.

Although it had disappeared during the salad toss, the dragonfly dutifully returned and resumed sitting on my book. I don't know if it was my brightly colored towel that drew it close, or whether this was merely a beach dragonfly, who, like a city pigeon, is accustomed to and unimpressed by people. This time I thought, if it's willing to bear flying vegetables, it will remain in place while I get my camera.

I asked my mother to pass me the camera, and I began taking pictures. The dragonfly didn't seem to mind having the relatively giant silver contraption intrude on its personal space, with its giant eye blinking every ten seconds. The perfect model, it sat on the corner of my book for two minutes while I took pictures, and remained there even after I had finished.

Tomorrow we're off to the beach again, probably to the same strip of sand. Here's hoping for a second sighting.

Down by the bay...

2008-07-18T11:50:00.000-05:00

Hot spots in Cambridge and Boston.

2008-07-08T15:44:00.000-05:00

Master of Granada, Spain.

2008-07-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

2008-07-03T10:29:00.000-05:00

Handicraft.

2008-06-28T16:42:00.000-05:00

2008-06-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

2008-06-28T16:40:00.000-05:00

Top Chef on top.

2008-06-24T00:46:00.000-05:00

For the first time in Top Chef history, the winner of Top Chef was also voted Fan Favorite. This does not surprise me, considering the recipient of both honors is Stephanie.

I was a big fan of Stephanie from the first episode down to the season finale. At first, she did not stand out from the crowd because there were plenty of characters more willing to dominate the air time. Even as she earned her spot on the show by performing well on challenges, she did so unpretentiously, without much pomp. Honestly, Stephanie is not the ideal personage for reality TV; if all the contestants had similar temperaments, Season 4 would have been one long string of boring episodes in which everyone was courteous to their fellow chefs, honest with themselves and the judges about their dishes, and consistently turned out delicious food. (Sounds more like the ideal working environment than good ratings fodder.) But in part because there were contestants who exploded in foul-mouthed anger in front of the camera, employed devious strategies to get ahead, and were unreliable or hostile teammates in the group challenges, Stephanie stood out to me as the calm eye of the hurricane.

On his blog, head judge Tom Colicchio explains that "Stephanie was loved by fans for her equanimity, her grace under pressure, her humility, and her great smile." I would argue that those are the traits that enabled her to win as well. From the first episode, it was obvious that she was centered, grounded. (One exception: I think it was in the first episode that she spoke about a potential weakness, explaining that she had to be careful not to get anxious. Save for a few moments in which all contestants were nervous, I did not see this fear manifest itself.) Many of the chefs were clearly talented, but I believe what what put Stephanie on top was the combination of qualities that Tom Colicchio identified. She kept her cool, focused her energy in the right direction, and, as much as this harkens back to elementary school report cards, she played exceptionally well with others.

While visiting the Doc's blog last week, I read an entry that resonated with me. Among "The Difficult-to-Achieve Essentials," he named the following:

Speak clearly to be understood.
Speak softly to frighten no one.
Speak loud enough to be heard.

I hadn't been thinking of Top Chef at the time, but after watching the show's reunion episode, I realized that these particular essentials are what drew me to Stephanie. I have known people (chief among them: teachers) who have moved through the world in a way I admire. They have shown me what I have come to believe is possible: to be successful without being malicious, to be proud of your work without over- or underestimating your skill, and, along the way, cheering on those who are struggling beside you.

And so I celebrate the success of one who seems to have managed all this. Bravo for a stellar performance, which rightly earned Stephanie the admiration of many!

Exterior decoration.

2008-06-21T18:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the jungle.

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2008-06-17T10:50:00.000-05:00

Graduation season.

2008-06-10T12:44:00.003-05:00

I challenge you to find me a cake more delicious that this one from Patisserie Poupon!

2008-06-10T12:43:00.004-05:00

What could be better than an empty stage, just waiting for me?

Hoodless, we feel naked and incomplete.

2008-06-10T12:42:00.005-05:00

We've been waiting (and working) for these purple hoods for three years! The ensemble is too wonderful to hide away in the basement forever, so my options are either to become a professor (enabling me to wear it at graduation ceremonies) or to throw an annual party on May 16 where the mandatory dress code is Academic Regalia. In the short term, party it is!

At the second ceremony, the campus-wide commencement, guest speaker Dr. Francis Collins sang a version of I Did It My Way tailored to the trials and tribulations of graduate school students.

I learned so many things,
Although I know I'll never use them.
The courses that I took
Were all required, I didn't choose them.

You'll find that to survive,
It's best to play the doctrinaire way,
And so, I knuckled down,
And did it their way!

Well, yes, there were times I wondered why
I had to cringe when I could fly.
I had my doubts, but after all
I clipped my wings and learned to crawl.
I learned to bend, and in the end
I did it their way!

Still in Ocean City, MD?

2008-06-07T09:52:00.001-05:00

The old man and the seashells.

Every year in late May, the great heard migrates east, drawn to the open seas by an awesome, primordial force: the promise of a golden tan and a paycheck.

Press on if you dare!

Only in Ocean City, MD.

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Ocean City, MD.

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Assilah, Morocco.

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2008-05-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

Malaga, Spain.

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Granada, Spain.

2008-05-01T19:59:00.001-05:00

Q&A

2008-04-27T23:45:00.001-05:00

Following the Rawg's lead, with humorous results.

Go to www.flickr.com

• Type in your answer to the question in the "search" box

• Use only the first page

• Copy the html and paste for the answer.

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What School did you go to?

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4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. Who is your favorite Disney Princess?

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7. Favorite drink?

8. Dream vacation?

9. Favorite dessert?

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10. What do you want to be when you grow up?

11. What do you love most in life?

12. One word to describe you?

13. What do you dream about?

Up, up, and away!

2008-04-14T18:45:00.001-05:00

For winter's rains and ruins are over!

2008-04-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

Blossom.

2008-03-31T15:57:00.001-05:00

City of dreams.

2008-03-23T23:20:00.001-05:00

Brunch menu.

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