Smashed Bananas

I always enjoy cooking at home and finding new recipes to try out in my kitchen. I mainly try and make things from scratch as much as possible and I tend to not buy any processed foods unless necessary. I'm a little impatient in the kitchen though, and so I like to find quick and easy recipes that don't take much time, prep work or clean up. Because of my impatience, I hardly ever bake anything as I feel like it takes a lot longer than cooking does. (I know it might not technically take longer, but it definitely seems that way in my head).

Since Ramadan is starting tomorrow I thought I'd bake something sweet to have in the evenings to break the fast with. (Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. If you'd like to learn more about this month, check out some links here, here and here.) 

I decided to make banana nut bread with a twist that one of my best friends taught me. You add chocolate chips to it! It definitely enhances the flavor and tastes delicious when its warm and melted. The recipe I followed is here. Don't forget to add the chocolate! I used a handful of semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips. I also sprinkled it on top with some chopped walnuts.

Two Peas in a Pod

I had the opportunity to photograph Nadia and Moathe's beautiful wedding reception recently. Nadia and Moathe are such kind hearted souls and it was such a pleasure to capture their special day. I had such a great time getting to know them both and meeting their families. When they walked into the hall, the whole room was filled with such joy and excitement you could easily tell how much these two are loved by their friends and family. I wish them both the best of luck in their new lives together and many happy memories. I got a little carried away with all the shots I took, it was so hard to choose which ones to share! But here are several of my favorites.

Sea, Sand and Sun

I recently came back from a quick getaway to Jamaica! I had never been to the Caribbean before and so I was excited to finally be able to take a trip to that part of the world. My grandparents escaped Cuba when my mom was a child and I grew up hearing stories from them about what it's like living on an island. The water is crystal clear and the sand is as white as snow. Being in Jamaica reminded me of those stories and of the memories I cherish of my grandparents. I thought about them the entire time I was there and felt close to them even though they've passed away now. I hope one day I can go to Cuba and visit all the places they told me about growing up. Until then, I've got these images to remind me of the beauty island life has to offer.

This trip, I tried to pack light since it wasn't a long vacation. I decided not to take my regular DSLR with me and just use my iPhone 6 to capture any shots I wanted. I was a little nervous because I never go anywhere without my gear, but I'm surprised at how well the iPhone's camera worked! It was great to be able to capture images and edit them on the same device and it was pretty easy to find some great camera apps to try out. I don't think I'll ever stop carrying a camera around, but it was a nice alternative to the regular gear I take with me.

Going on a Bear Hunt

I've been trying to stay healthy a lot more recently because most of my work requires me to just sit behind a computer all day. I try and take advantage of the recently good weather by doing outdoor activities in the spring and summer time, so I've taken up hiking! There are a ton of places to hike wherever you go, but recently I've been trying to walk some trails whenever I'm traveling too. It allows for a great moment to disconnect from the craziness that sometimes comes with my day job and just focus on the natural surroundings around me. These photos are from a recent trip near Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.