Pictures from the California Coast

I love the Pacific coast. It's simply gorgeous from Mexico all the way to Alaska. Over my last trip to California I was rewarded with some really nice sunsets. Here are my latest pictures, and as always, you can get prints from my website www.elenaegiorgi.com

Enjoy!

Goleta, CA

Goleta, CA

Cambria, CA

Cambria, CA

Pebble Beach, CA

Point Lobos, CA

And the best part? As we were strolling along the beach in Carmel we spotted bottlenose dolphins! Aren't they adorable??

The Abandoned Asylum

I had the unique privilege to visit an abandoned asylum and here are the images I made so far. I have so many more, I will be busy compositing until next year. :D

For the above I downloaded the wings made by Deviant Art artist "Thy Darkest Hour".

I'm in love with our mountains

Another post on the beauty of the Jemez Mountains, in Northern New Mexico. For the record, I actually grew up by the sea and I miss my morning strolls along the beach. But it's hard not to fall in love with these views. This was by the San Antonio River. The water flows at the bottom of a canyon, and the cliffs around them yield stunning views.

I didn't upload all of the pictures on my website, so if you are interested in prints please email me (contact info here).

© Elena E. Giorgi

© Elena E. Giorgi

As the sun went down it started drizzling and the fine layer of clouds diffused the sunset light creating beautiful pink hues in the sky. It was magical! :-)

© Elena E. Giorgi

© Elena E. Giorgi

To all of you who think New Mexico is all desert ...

... think again! ;-)
The Jemez mountains are covered in ponderosa pines and rivers like Rio Puerco give rise to the beautiful waterfalls we scouted with some photographer friends this past week-end. Enjoy!

© Elena E. Giorgi

© Elena E. Giorgi

© Elena E. Giorgi

© Elena E. Giorgi

Sunset

I was supposed to write a great blog post about some great paper a friend sent me. It didn't happen. But I did catch a nice picture of dusk on my way home. So there.

Starting the year with some new composites

Last year I only made one composite. That doesn't mean that I wasn't busy doing other stuff, but somehow the thought nagged me. Then last September I had a show at our local gallery with my old composites and the outpour of love and appreciation got me going again. So my new year's resolution is to make more composites.

Here's my first 2016 series, titled The Lady and the Lamp. Enjoy!

As always, prints can be purchased here or here.

The Land of Enchantment

Some of my latest shots, all taken within a few miles from where I live. yes, I'm a lucky gal. Can you guess which ones are sunsets and which sunrises?

As always, prints can be purchased here or here.

Riso, Patate e Cozze

Happy New Year. On new year's eve we usually make a typical dish from Puglia, a region in Southern Italy, and since the recipe involves several steps, this year I decided to document every step with my camera. The result? A photorecipe that I'm sharing here in case you want to try it too. So here it goes: Riso, Patate e Cozze (Rice, Potatoes and Mussels).

Ingredients: potatoes (peeled and sliced), 1 yellow onion, basil, parsley, parmesan, garlic (chopped), grated parmesan, bread crumbs, 1 can of crushed peeled tomatoes, parboiled rice, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil.

And mussels, of course, boiled, opened, and halved. If fresh aren't available, you can use the precooked ones you find in the frozen seafood aisle.

Layer mussels at the bottom of a pan, add chopped onion and garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.

Generously sprinkle with parmesan.

Layer potatoes slices.

Add pepper, salt, onion, garlic, parsley, and basil.

Sprinkle with parmesan again.

Add parboiled rice (the kind of rice is very important, has to be parboiled).

Spread the rice evenly on top of the potatoes.

Sprinkle with parmesan and add, once again, salt, pepper, parsley, onion, garlic, and basil.

Spoon the crushed peeled tomatoes and spread over the layer of rice.

Spoon the crushed peeled tomatoes and spread over the layer of rice.

Sprinkle with parmesan.

Add another layer of potato slices.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onions, garlic, parsley, and basil.

More parmesan.

Lots of extra virgin olive oil.

Last layer: bread crumbs, evenly distributed on top.

Now add water: we used the tomato can, just fill it with water and then pour it into the pan from one corner so not to disassemble the layers. Pour until the rice is completely covered.

Bake for 1 hour at 350.

Enjoy!