Pipe Dream #115: To Play Better Live – Venice

I think that what really makes a good band is a good show. Seriously, if a band doesn’t sound just as good live as they do on their record, I write them off. It may be judgmental, but I’m all for being picky about music. There is too much awful out there not to be.

It goes for people too. It is my heart’s earnest desire to portray my real self on the internet. Heaven forbid that someday, someone should see me and say, “Wow, her profile picture is way out of date” or “Lauren is just not as witty, charming and cool” as her blog seems to suggest!” Jokes. :]

Ah, Venice. It was the one place I visited where everything was exactly as picturesque and romantic as in the movies. Even Paris didn’t compare. All of these shots portray Venice as it actually is. Rare.

Dream on,

L

Favorite Shots: Interesting Characters

One of my favorite things about traveling is all the odd people you see, doing all the odd things they do. It was the joy of my life to see precious old ladies after months of seeing no one but people my age. They are so dear.

One of my favorite games to play was the “I’m Not A Tourist” game. In London, I would take pictures of “the tourists” and refer to them as “all these tourists” as they passed by like I wasn’t one. I got so good at this game that I actually started to believe it was true. My family is very good at making up games to play. Other families had GameBoys, my family had “Let’s Find Some Hollow Sticks And Make Blow Guns.” I’m grateful.

I had to quit this game in Paris though, because 1) I don’t speak French very well and 2) the French girl I was staying with told me how annoying it was when all the tourists took pictures of her and her friends at the Pantheon on their lunch break. I got a little bit stuck on how neat it is to go to the Pantheon on your lunch break err day, but then I quickly put away my DSLR.

As I perused my pictures upon returning home, I realized that I may have an obsession with photographing the shockingly over-exposed old men on the beaches I visited. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised–another true true stereotype, European beaches are–but I still took photos at every opportunity. I can’t even apologize.

This one is easily my favorite. So typically French–the Speedo, the pose, the shoes…the moustache.

Oh you are so welcome,

L