Introducing: Lorin Marie Photography!

For as long as I can remember, I've had a pen in one hand and camera in the other.

Capturing people's love stories is one of the most rewarding experiences.

To view more wedding photography and blog updates,

visit me at www.lorinmariephotography.com/blog!

Who Knew Feet Could Be So Photogenic?

And y'all thought I was kidding. For reals though. Total foot models*,
am I right? 

Saturday morning was spent with adorbs couple-friends (they're married
& we're all friends) Sarah + Craig in their lovely Arlington neighborhood. 

Let me just say Sarah and I are soul sisters. As in, we-are-so-alike,
separated-at-birth sisters in Christ. When I had just moved to Virginia and
visited Frontline, she was the first person I met that
Monday night. Signing up for her small group was one of the best
decisions. ever. 

The Heckmans are stellar. After living in Kosrae (as in, Micronesia!) for
10 months, this is their first Christmas back in the States. You can
read alllll about their adventures in living overseas on their blog here.  

After properly hydrating ourselves (coffee, whaaat!), we transformed the
inside of  their living room into a wintery Christmas-land, before heading
outside to take for more Christmasy photos.

*Btw, Mrs. Heckman, you inspired the close-up shot above. Do those
shoes look familiar? Word on the street is you have a similar pair...

Like they say back home, if you can't hide it, decorate it.

Team Heckman all the way.

Do you see what I see? hint: it starts with l and ends with o-v-e.

These two were all smiles the wholeeee morning.

All lights on and we're good to go.

Good golly. this might be on of my absolute faves.

In black and white.

Just two peas in a pod, I tell you.

After we finished indoors, we bundled up and strolled down to the

W&OD path a couple blocks away. And what should we see just

before our eyes?

Oh, you know. Just THE perfect Christmas-tree-farm-tree. Like the
one I've always imagined would be the exact size to fit in my larger-than-life
(no Backstreet Boys reference here) Christmas tree corner. 

Craig led the way, moving a park table near our tree.

Manual labor ain't no thang for the Heckmans. And it was cold out! Well, for

this Florida girl anyway. 

Want the steps for uber-great
Christmas card photos? Here goes:

1. Be stupid silly in love
2. Walk to nearby park

3. Find the biggest, greenest fir tree

4. Sit under/stand in front of it & be yourself
5. And you think I'm kidding

Big thanks to the Heckmans for sitting their pretty mugs (and feet)
in front of my camera.

Hope you find that perfect evergreen, and perfect love, this season.

How Bow Ties Are {Still} Making a Comeback

{via here}

Last night I told this sweet older parking garage attendant I liked his bow tie.
His response: "You mean my butterfly? Shall I give it to you?"

Whether on your nails or bathing suit, here's hoping you, too, have a butterfly-filled day.

 

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Keep Calm & Carry On

Happy May Day, my lovely readers!

It has been way too long, to say the least. On the first day of this new month,
I am looking back at how much life has shifted, changed, moved forward since I last
posted. Praise the Lord for His great & abundant mercies!

I stumbled upon this wonderful video over at Design Editor & just had to
share. If you've ever wondered where the 'Keep Calm & Carry On'
poster got its start, now you'll know.

It's Summer. Let's Have Some Fun

[Image via: here]

Today is the last day of school for students. And on Friday, most of the staff  [including me!] has their final day of school/work. And that means summer really, really will be here by the end of the week. Ahh! Here's how I want to romp around and enjoy the sunshiney days, when I'm not being a grown up/interning/working at my other job, of course:

 

[Image via: here]

[All other images via: here]

What are your summer plans?

Are You Hungry? Nah, I Had Some Wind

 [Image via: here]

If you haven't already watched the comedic efforts of Harvard Sailing Team, an "Ivy League" sketch comedy group, you're. going. to. love. this!

My coworkers and I pull up their YouTube videos almost daily.

This NY-based group of 5 girls & 4 guys neither sails, nor hails from Harvard. And they're hilarious - in a I'm-not-trying-I-was-born-with-genius-timing way.

Here's one of their funniest videos to date:

P.S. Today's title comes from a joke at 1:24 in the video.

Pump Your Gas & Have Your Thai, Too

So as I mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm currently interning at NoVA Mag. As part of a new assignment, I'll be blogging about all things arts & entertainment over on our Game Plan blog. 

Check out my post there today: they have some of the best Thai food in Leesburg; it's served ala gas station?

Clara, another A & E intern, will be posting, too, along with tons of cool theater reviews & highlighting shows you won't want to miss this summer. Her personal blog Clara-fict-tation is also a fun read.

I'll post more updates as we blog our way through this summer's hottest things to do, places to go & shows to see.

Outdoor Movies At Capitol Riverfront

[Image via: here]

In high school, when summer rolled around, my friends and I would anxiously wait for Hyde Park, the cute little neighborhood in our hometown, to start playing their season of outdoor films. We would crowd around the stone fountain to see old black & whites like Casablanca to Gone With the Wind. So much fun.

At Hyde Park after a night of movie-watching

When they eventually stopped showing free outdoor films, we were devastated. Luckily, DC has tons of different venues that host outdoor movie nights in the summer. 

Such as: Tingey Plaza near Navy Yard. Thursday nights @ 8:45 PM. This year's theme: best of the Oscars - so you know they're going to be good.

Here's a full list of all the films:

[Image via: here]

Pack a blanket or chairs, some snacks and cool off at sunset with free flick. For more info: visit Capitol Riverfront's website here.

Proofreading: Always. Do. It.

The art of proofreading isn't just for school teachers and copy editors. Bloggers and Tumblr users everywhere, take heed: 

Read over everything before you post.

Why Do You ♥ NoVA?

[Image via: here]

Northern Virginia has monuments, hiking, horse farms, four seasons, battlefields. It's history and culture with a beautiful view. Known as many things: the Commonwealth, birthplace of multiple U.S. presidents, home to the largest office building in the world [Pentagon, anyone?], NoVA has a little bit of something for everyone.

Although I will say I'm not currently loving the humid stickiness we call the weather, there are so many reasons to embrace being a Northern Virginian.

What do you love about life in NoVA?

Jazz It Up In The Sculpture Garden

[Image via: here]

Weekends in the District provide plenty of opportunities for cultural and musical perusing - and freely doing so. This summer is no exception. DC's uber-popular Jazz In the Garden season returns again, starting tonight at 5 P.M. Enjoy live jazz from the comfort of a blanket with good friends, sangria and snacks [BYOS, unless you're actually pro-long lines]. 

It's the biggest picnic-style after work party this city's ever seen. If you're on Operation:Cool Down and escaping to the beach this weekend, no need to fret. The Sculpture Garden will play repeat host every Friday through September.

 

That's 16 excuses to leave work early, dig out your old picnic basket and frolic in the grass. Not that you needed any.

Balcony Is To Porch As Summer Is To Night

 [Image via: here]

Life in the city is different from small towns in a couple ways. For instance, instead of mowing grassy lawns, there's just enough space to have a small commitment to green upkeep: grow a small tray of bean sprouts or water some potted plants on your windowsill. Forget washing your car. What car? Instead, we wash our small or mid-size pooches after an evening at the dog park.

And unlike big, sprawling or quaint, old timey homes, our humble abodes [read: apartments] don't have wraparound porches.

We do, however, have a little 3' x 8' cement slice of heaven: that would be our balconies.

Although most don't allow grilling, we can make our breakfast/lunch/dinner inside - or heck, get something delivered - and then proceed to consume it in our deck chairs on warm summer nights. We still say hi and greet our neighbors; they're just suspended forty feet in the air like we are. 

This is where you'll find me this summer - relaxing and cooling off on my outdoor oasis, people watching and listening to the bus station . . . 395 traffic . . . it's all good.

 here

 

Newstylehouse 

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 79 ideas

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Apartment Therapy

Are you a balcony dweller? Where will you be enjoying your summer nights?