North Shore

We made the drive out to Oahu's North Shore on a wet, stormy day when the clouds hung low across the mountains. The grey mist shrouded all but the road and a few glimpses of pineapples, coffee, and corn stretched out across the flat plains. As we hit the coast, the rain finally let up enough to promise a clear view of the surging surf that had closed the beaches for the last few days.
 

From Waimea to Pipeline to Laie Point, the sea pounded the shore under a blanket of grey skies. We wandered the shores, disregarding the wind in favor of a chance to try to capture that moment of breaking.

Laie Point provided the most haunting views, at the edge of the land, a glimpse north into nothing, knowing that from here only the Aleutian islands dared to rise above the sea.

After the shutters stopped, the wind carried on relentlessly, bringing with it another misting of rain. We stood bundled in our coats, content to watch the waves and wonder.

All photos by Kara Haberstock, all rights reserved

Central Asian Adventures

I just turned in my Fulbright application that might take me to the Caucasus next year. There's something exhilarating about pushing the "submit" button on an application to an overseas adventure. It brought back fond memories of my last adventure in Central Asia...

The Presidential Park

Afternoon on the lake

Sunset over Issyk Kul    

Picking flowers

All photos by Kara Haberstock, all rights reserved

Inspired: Sketch Away by Suhita

This week I came across these gorgeous watercolor sketches by Suhita of Sketch Away on Etsy. She creates the most beautiful glimpses of cities around the world. And she has a blog with even more lovely sketches! I'm in awe of her talent. (Go check out her Etsy shop and you'll see what I mean!)

San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge

New York Chrysler Building

Capitola Beach Wharf

Mexico City

All Sketches by Suhita- Go find her on Etsy!

Roadtripping across Texas

The drive from Tucson to Denton was definitely long, but with good company along the way, it was pretty fun too. Here's a few photos I snapped in central Texas hill country. I was a bit surprised by the beauty I encountered:

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, June 2012, all rights reserved

Thursday's Short Films: Eat, Move, Learn

These three films, all shot in a matter of days all around the world, showcase the joy of travelling. I have to say I'm a bit jealous of their awesome adventure. The places they visit are stunning, and the editing is fantastic. Enjoy!




"3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films...
                                            = a trip of a lifetime."
Rick Mereki : Director, producer, additional camera and editing
Tim White : DOP, producer, primary editing, sound
Andrew Lees : Actor, mover, groover
These films were commissioned by STA Travel Australia: youtube.com/watch?v=Xc0d510zTA4
Thanks heaps to Adam Fyfe, Brendan, Simon and Crissy at STA.
All Music composed and performed by Kelsey James (kelseyanne.james@gmail.com)
Soundtrack available here:
itunes.apple.com/au/album/whistle-if-you-need-me-learn/id456230196 
Music Recorded and mixed by Jake Phillips 
Colour Grade : Edel Rafferty and Roslyn Di sisto
Online Edit : Peter Mirecki 
Assistance in titles and production design : Lee Gingold, Jason Milden, Rohan Newman

Photos for Wednesday: Summertime

Summer means travel, at least for me. And as I'm preparing to start packing for Texas I couldn't help but think back on some awesome trips I've taken in past summers. The first that came to mind was the roadtrip my family took up the West Coast from San Francisco to Seattle. It was amazing and beautiful and so much fun:

From West Coast Summer From West Coast Summer From West Coast Summer All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, June 2009, all rights reserved

Thursday's Short Films: Imaginative Travel

Spring is always the time when a case of wanderlust sets in for me. So I loved these imaginative little films about amazing cities around the world.

What if Kiev was tiny?

Created by Efim Graboy & Daria Turetski Music: Adam Burns / Jez Burns - May Flowers
Наш блог: minilookkiev.blogspot.com/2012/03/minilook-kiev.html




Or if Buenos Aires was an amusement park?


bsfilms.com.ar     info@bsfilms.com.ar 
Directed by Fernando Livschitz


Doesn't this make you want to run off and book the first plane ticket you can find? 

Photos for Wednesday: A Day in Petersburg

I spent this last summer in St. Petersburg, which might be the most beautiful city on earth. (It's up there with Prague in my book.) Since showing is better than telling, here's a few pictures to show you what a summer day in Petersburg is like:

Morning (4 a.m.) on the canal behind Savior on the Spilled Blood. Taken on the walk home after spending all night out clubbing. In the summer, it never really gets very dark, so it's quite easy to miss the metro closing/bridge raising deadline around midnight. So 4 a.m. walks home (bridges come back down just before five) to my island were not incredibly uncommon.

Midday on Palace Square. Taken just before my first trip to L'Ermitage. This magnificent palace houses one of the best art collections in the world: hundreds of gorgeous paintings adorn the walls of the intricately decorated and already beautiful winter palace. (And entry for students is free!)

Midnight at Peter and Paul Fortress. Taken on a walk to meet up with friends on the main island. Petersburg is famous for its White Nights, the summer months when the sun barely sets. The city's residents love to take advantage of the almost ever-present light to linger on the banks of the Neva into the wee hours of the morning. Midnight sunsets were quite a new experience for me.

So, if you ever get the chance to visit Petersburg in summer, take it! (And take me with you!)

Люблю тебя, Петра творенье,

Люблю твой строгий, стройный вид,

Невы державное теченье,

Береговой ее гранит,

Твоих оград узор чугунный,

Твоих задумчивых ночей

Прозрачный сумрак, блеск безлунный,

Когда я в комнате моей

Пишу, читаю без лампады,

И ясны спящие громады

Пустынных улиц, и светла

Адмиралтейская игла,

И, не пуская тьму ночную

На золотые небеса,

Одна заря сменить другую

Спешит, дав ночи полчаса.

Люблю зимы твоей жестокой

Недвижный воздух и мороз,

Бег санок вдоль Невы широкой,

Девичьи лица ярче роз,

И блеск, и шум, и говор балов,

А в час пирушки холостой

(А. С. Пушкин, Медный Всадник)

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, June 2011, all rights reserved

Photos for Wednesday: USS Arizona Memorial

I did do a few tourist-y things while I was in Hawaii, and visiting the USS Arizona memorial was one of them. It's a beautiful memorial and tribute to the men who lost their lives on the ship. And of course, I brought my camera, so here are a few of the shots I took:

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, January 2012, all rights reserved

Photos for Wednesday: Omega Station

Omega Station once was a classified military post at the base of the Ko'olaus near Kailua. After its abandonment, the station gained a second life as not only a filming location for the TV show Lost, but also as a canvas for local grafitti artists to practice and paint. At the same time, nature has begun to reclaim the structure as well. Some would call it vandalism, but one could also call it art...

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, Oahu, December 2011, all rights reserved

Photos For Wednesday: Lanikai

One morning shortly after Christmas, we woke up painfully early to hike the Lanikai Pillboxes at sunrise with some of my boyfriend's friends. Waking up was not easy, but the view was worth it!

1. View of Kailua

2. Islands before daybreak

3. Sun-up

4. Morning Light

All photos taken by Kara Haberstock, Oahu, December 2011, all rights reserved