Korlekie Fashion Story

June 11, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I clicked the shutter and when I looked at the photo that appeared on my screen I wanted to shout for joy. After nearly an hour and a half of shooting in the studio, my first time ever, I was finally getting the kind of pictures that I wanted. I had felt trapped by the flash and the backdrop. I let the studio intimidate me. Instead, I focused on what I knew for certain and ignored the ocean of knowledge I had not yet or ever would learn. I went into my first photoshoot with an agency model and an amazing clothing brand telling myself that the most important thing was to learn and grow. I knew perfection was impossible but growth was well within my reach.

How do you bring out the best aspects of your subject? How do you frame the scene for the best composition? These are among the most important questions that any photographer asks themselves. I photograph outside because that's where I find the answers to those questions- plus its free. I have experience answering these questions outside of the studio so from the beginning I knew that shooting in a studio was risky but with the weather being so unpredictable in London I couldn't risk getting a day with flat light. I needed a scene that I could control because from the original plan to final execution it was all me. It was so exhilarating planning out a photoshoot and it truly made me remember why I wanted to be an artist in the first place.

This collaboration originally came about because I reached out to a Facebook group for London Fashion Creatives. This woman named Natalie reached out and she worked for this amazing local brand in south London called Korlekie. After an amazing meeting where it felt like our creative energies really synced, I went off and planned a photoshoot from scratch. It was my job to find the location, models, everything. I know understand why it truly takes a team to make a well put together editorial. Finding models is hard especially for an up and coming photographer. I had to learn how to make mood boards, navigate agencies, and learn the difference between photography categories and use agreements.

I had hoped that I would be able to get some free models from the agencies because of my work shooting fresh faces. I had created this really elaborate and beautiful idea citing one of Edgar Allen Poe's texts but in the end, I had to pay for the models myself which forced me to scrap my plan and edit it so it would fit within my budget. It seemed like nothing was going the way I planned as we got closer to the shoot. I wasn't able to get all the flowers that I wanted because I miscalculated when the flower shop closing. The mirror I wanted to use was scratched and thus couldn't be used in the final shoot.

The shoot was almost canceled out of fear. I was trying to avoid this emotion so hard. As you can tell from the photos the shoot produced some beautiful images, not the ideal ones that I had hoped for but images that allowed me to grow. Fear did creep through my veins during the shoot. I did fail. I almost walked out of the shoot in tears. I was completely out of my element I let my pride stop me from asking for help. But then in the darkness came a light, a resolution that this wouldn't defeat me. that I knew more then I gave myself credit for. I started to tinker to fix, to manipulate both the settings on my camera and the ones on the flash until I remembered that this is all about light and manipulating the light. The photos went from unrecognizable to something that could be mistaken for a human and from blurry to clear and in focus.

While I still prefer shooting outside, I definitely want to start doing more studio sessions. Its a weakness and I must learn and ensure that it eventually becomes a strength. You can't run away from fear, because when you do you often miss out on how great you are.

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Divanun Guide/ Barcelona

June 7, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

This DivaNun Guide is a one pager of everything to do, see, and eat in Barcelona, Spain.

Historical

Barcelona Cathedral
- Gorgeous Gothic Cathedral that is the heart of the Gothic Quarter
Gothic Quarter
- Beautiful cobble stone streets transport you back through time in this quaint neigbhorhood
Labyrinth Garden of Horta
- The oldest garden in the city is also home to a very fun hedge maze

Cultural

Las Ramblas
- A large open walking street filled with restaurants, buskers, and a vibrant positive energy
Street Art
- I loved seeing all the inventive and bright street art the covers the walls
Liberia Complices
- An LGBT book store in the Gothic Quarter
Architecture of Gaudi
- The city is covered with beautiful work by this architectural master.
La Merce
- a festival that honors the patron saint of Barcelona and happens in late Septermber

Food

Avinyo 10 Restaurant
- has a good paella lunch special in the Gothic Quarter
Bar Marsella
- Old school Absinythe Bar that Hemingway used to frequent
A Tu Bola
- Chain restaurant serving delicious easy to eat fried balls with craft local Barcelona beer
Swagatam Restaurant
- If you are craving some indian in the land of tapas then look no further it was bomb~
Ugarit Verdi
- One of the best meals I had. This is a small neighborhood chain in Gracia that serves some amazing Syrian food. Make sure you get the stew with chickpeas and eggplant twas diving
Entre Hores
- This place has a fig, iberian ham, honey, cheese on bread dish that will knock your socks off. It was so good I had to eat it twice.
El Viejo Almacen
- This cute little empanada spot in Gracia has some delicious little treats.

Miscellaneous

Transportation
- This city is extremely walkable and as well has a great public transportation system of buses and trains that are easy to navigae

Gracia

May 24, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The quiet darkness was broken by the sound of pots and pans ringing from the balconies. I looked up confused, curious about the reason behind this cacophony of sound. Attiya, the person I crashed with the second half of my time in Barcelona, lived in Gracia. Every night at 10pm the residents here use sonic resistance as a way of showing support for the referendum. The sound continued as we made our way to her apartment to drop off my luggage. The vibe of this neighborhood was much more residential then my friend who lived in the Gothic Quarter. The pace moved a lot slower, the streets narrower, the large placa's filled with life and familial energy.

Staying in Gracia with Attiya was like moving from Dupont in DC to a row house in Georgia Ave Petworth. Both are integral to the constitution of the city but one is the face tourists see while the other is a more private, more intimate, and importantly more local. I was standing in a bar on a Monday the musical nuances of a language I couldn't understand washed over me. There was a large half-empty jar of sangria on the counter but this is not the kind of establishment where wone drinks sangria. Instead, beer and vermouth pour from the hands of the bartenders as they greet the customers by name.

The signs and sounds of discord mixed with a vibrant creativity as I explored the neighborhood in the daylight. I could understand the deep anger and dissatisfaction that Catalans feel as a DC resident who despite living in the government capital has no vote in either chamber of the United States legislative branch. The walls in Gracia were covered with graffiti that referenced artistic legends like Frida Khalo as well as new forms of art that I hadn't seen before. Specifically, I noticed an artist who reused old soda cans and painted them to spell out various phrases that were then placed around the city

Gracia is such a young and vibrant neighborhood. It is even the site of Park Güell a huge park that was one of the major works by Gaudí. I tried to explore it but I got the light wrong so I guess I have to come back again!

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Barcelona Cathedral

May 21, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

As a travel photographer, you are always chasing the sun. Often the limited amount of time you have to spend in a place mixed with your lack of knowledge of its physical layout makes it difficult to get the kind of photos you want. There are some maxims that produce good results like waiting for sunrise and sunset but often times building placement or surprise construction can foil the best-laid plans. For example, I arrived in Barcelona the week of a large electronic festival so as I made my way to the cathedral they were also setting up a large stage and partitions. On top of that, I had no idea that as the sun set it cast an ugly shadow on the Cathedral which obscured my ability to photograph the 250 gargoyles that guard the entrance.

The Barcelona Cathedral's full name is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. Saint Eulalia was martyred at the age of 13 in 303 for refusing to announce her Christianity. The church itself was built over a thousand years after her death. After completed it took another 450 years for the lateral towers that were in the original design to finally be built. I've always been fascinated with cathedrals and churches after reading Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth. So it was fascinating to go and visit a cathedral that was build before the Americas were ever colonized.

The inside of the cathedral is deceptively large. When I first entered the sanctuary I was blown away by the vaulted ceilings. This living museum still holds mass and people were praying as I ambled through this hallowed ground. There was always something visually interesting everywhere whether it was the molding on the pillars or the many religious dioramas. Outside in the cloister, there are 13 geese which represent the 13 tortures that Saint Eulalia faced by the Romans.

After exploring the ground floor I made my way to the roof which only costs me 3 euro's because I visited the cathedral during its free hours in the morning. A quick ride up the elevator and I was able to see the entire city from the rooftop. I got a close-up view of the lateral towers and was able to capture the picture above.

I'm happy that I came back to the cathedral twice because its beauty cannot be absorbed in one viewing. I need to go back with a friend so that I can have a proper photoshoot on the rooftop with the city of Barcelona as my backdrop. Make sure you subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

Barri Gòtic

May 17, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The escalating tension between the Spanish and Catalan governments wasn't the only dark cloud dimming the bright sun of Barcelona. I had planned three weeks of travel that would start in Portugal and end in Spain. However, the universe had other ideas and I missed not only one but two flights in two days. The first was definitely my fault, I woke up in my bed just as my plane to Lisbon was taking off. My body had muffled the numerous alarms I had set. The second, however, was a sign that I was never meant to make it to Portugal in the first place. I arrived in the airport with plenty of time to spare only to be told once I got to the check-in counter that there was a problem with my ticket that couldn't be resolved before the gate closed. My body was shaking when I left the airport and made the hour and a half long journey back to my bed.

So even though my first day in Barcelona was a success when I woke up the next I was still sad about all that I had missed. Moping wasn't going to solve my problem so I packed up my bags and spent the next two days navigating the Gothic Quarter's serpentine streets. I hadn't wandered down streets this maze-like since my time in Amsterdam. Tiny streets would split in two one of which would often end in a dead end. You would round a corner only to end up in a massive square filled with people drinking. But I had no qualms about getting lost because everything was so beautiful.

Exploring the Gothic Quarter started the process of getting me out of my funk but after a couple hours, I was starving. There was only one thing I wanted and that was paella, but with so many options and limited data on my phone I had no clue what was the best option. I found a street with a paella spot on every corner and choose the place with the best lunch deal. I got a series of small tapas and a medium size dish of paella. The rice was so succulent with just the right amount of crunch on the bottom. The seafood was a delight and I ate the whole thing faster than the time it took to make it.

I rolled myself out of the restaurant and as the itis began to take over I knew nap time was imminentt. Before I could curl up in bed I stumbled upon an LGBT bookstore tucked away on a small street. Inside I found some local gay photography zines and added them to my personal archive.

The Gothic Quarter is such a vibrant heart of the city of Barcelona. I can't wait to go back and see everything that I missed and have a cute photoshoot in the medieval cobblestoned streets.

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London/ Fresh Faces

May 10, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

When I moved in the three Spaniards promised they wouldn't speak in Spanish so I would never felt left out- while I appreciated the gesture I knew it was a promise they could never keep. In the mornings I would wake up to Abel talking to his dog Django in Spanish; in the evenings after a hard days work everyone would slip into clothing and a language that was most comfortable. You notice the musicality and beauty of a language when you don't or can't understand its meaning. Seeing how regional speech affected speed or annunciation of words. I never cared because you can learn more about a person listening to them engage in a conversation in their native language then you can speaking one foreign to them. There were different schedules but one place we always congregated was around the kitchen. Often sharing meals at the table by the window.

This was the home I had envisioned finding abroad. Despite not living in an artist warehouse I still managed to live with people who created art. One of my roommates is a fashion photographer. He taught me that agencies are always looking for photographers to test what they call "fresh faces" new models that have just been added to the roster.

I emailed the giant list he gave me and one of the agencies reached out to me. The day of my first photoshoot I was scared, not just because this was my first time working with agency models but because the weather was overcast with a chance of rain and I planned on doing all my shooting outside. The agency was on the 4th floor of a narrow building in central London. There was a farmers market down the street brimming with food trucks and young smartly dressed Londoners. A very large very old great dane tried to escape when I walked through the doors. As I talked with one of the agents about my ideas for the shoot the sky opened up. Thankfully the model was late so we missed the brief storm.

During the photoshoot with the second model we talked about the experience of being black in the U.K. versus the U.S. Through it, we found there were similar experiences like the racist treatment which manifest in different ways due to cultural norms.

My final shoot was with Beckett who had just finished his A levels. We talked about what he saw in his future and the possibility of getting a degree in physics. All the photos were taken around the Barbican Center this amazing brutalist housing and community arts space tucked away in central London.

I love shooting outside and interacting with the world. I learned how to think on the fly and create interesting compositions using my models and the urban landscape.

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Painting with Food

May 7, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The juice and oil from the freshly cut lemon wedge ran across my palm- a culinary antiseptic. This ritualistic act cleansed our hands as well as our heads before we embarked on a journey through art using touch, taste, and smell. The sharp smell of lemon cut away any preconceived notions about food and its status as an elevated form of art, useful for more than its productive value as fuel for our bodies.

Our guide Charles Michel, my friend, and food philosopher stood next to a long slender table that contained bowls filled with bright colors that anyone could have mistaken as paint if they were not surrounded by zucchini flowers, heirloom tomatoes, and chilies. Each color came from pureeing a fruit or vegetable until all that remained was its essence. Charles Michel talked about how what we put into our mouths is the most direct way of interacting with our environment as he splashed and smeared the "paint" in a style reminiscent of Pollock.

He alternated the use of brushes and spoons to give texture to the painting. The color black which came from cooking down some mushrooms curved across the page with the stroke of Charles's brush, a glossy orange which came from a butternut squash was splattered onto the canvas with a spoon. Part performance art part culinary education we watched him make his way around the canvas giving no central orientation from which to view the piece. It was unclear whether he was creating this painting from instinct or if it was preplanned. However, none of that mattered as the thinly sliced tomatoes and zucchini flowers were placed on the canvas because the painting was finished.

Bread fresh out the oven was passed around the room and we all took pleasure as we swiped it across the canvas soaking up the vegetable puree. My first swipe had hints of spinach, avocado, and butternut squash. The deconstruction of the painting was almost as beautiful as its creation.

The second painting or "course" contained roasted mushrooms, eggplant, bell peppers, along with some cheese and prosciutto. We scooped up this work of art with more bread. My favorite flavor was the eggplant roasted with some soy sauce, it reminded me of my time in Japan, as well the saltiness of the prosciutto brought out the sweetness of the eggplant. Hands down this was the best meal I ate the entire time I was in London. I left the table much more knowledgeable about the way food interacts with us and how important it is to be more cognizant of the food we eat everyday. While I always knew that food was art I had never been able to eat the painting after it was finished.

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London/ The Beginning

May 3, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Lush green fields and tiny cottages gave way to concrete and housing estates as the train neared central London. The sky was overcast and the soft dim light flattened out the horizon so everything out my window took on a painterly quality. The same questions I thought about when I landed in Tokyo came to me again. What would London teach me? How would I grow here? Who was I going to meet? However, unlike Tokyo, I had much less anxiety over them. I was more willing to cede to the Universe and trust that things would work out in the end.

I transferred to the Victoria line and made my way to Brixton to stay with some friends. Part of what would make London a different experience was the community that I had built into the landscape of the city. The only thing I had to search for was housing and so my first 5 days were spent shuttling from South London to East London to attend roommate interviews. During those brief interactions, I could feel the potential in every living space. While Tokyo was a journey inward I could tell that London would be the beginnings of a more external journey.

The place I fell in love with was an artist warehouse near Seven Sisters tube station. Despite the lack of good ventilation and two bathrooms for 10 people, I was sold on the idea of living in an artist community. It was all I dreamed about and the chance that it might have come true was something that I wasn't going to give up. Sadly at the last minute, my housing fell through and I scrambled to find a last minute place. I reached out to the very first place that I looked at and by the grace of God was able to secure the room.

As I settled into my new routine in London I realized that I was way to hard on myself about my time in Japan. I thought it was an all or nothing event. That my first time living abroad on my own had to be perfect or it would be a complete failure. What I didn't realize until a couple weeks into my time in London was that Japan was just the first stop of many. The knowledge I would gain from all those events and experiences would compound over time to make me the best version of myself that I could be.

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Sayonara Japan

April 5, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The quiet alleyway that housed my bedroom in Shinjuku had more vending machines then it had corners to put them on. It was one of those quirks that could only occur in Japan. Another quirk was how they listed the room sizes online by tatami mats. What size was a tatami mat? I had no idea what a room that was "6 tatami mats" in size would look like. Would three suitcases of clothes fit in 6 tatami mats? I didn't have that cultural reference but I checked out the room anyway. It was big enough for a bed, desk, and couch as well as all my clothes, I spent 3 months in that room as birds chirped and rain fell, I couldn't believe so much time had passed. As I was packing up to leave I grabbed my red travel journal and flipped to the first entry after I landed. Two questions jumped off the page "What am I going to find in Japan?" and "What kind of person would I be upon leaving?" I knew even then that coming to Japan was more than just eating ramen and exploring cultural sites and partying, it was also about exploring who I was and what I could become.

While I was packing Sejan went on a morning walk around my neighborhood. Would Sejan notice the multitude of vending machines or the turtle mural above the car wash? Some details of the world only reveal themselves after you walk the same road multiple times. Like how different the street smells when the roasted sweet potatoes are outside the supermarket in the evenings. These are details the casual observer would ignore, details that aren't adventurous or instagrammable. But what I didn't realize until I arrived was that the pedestrian and average plays a big part in long-term travel.

Exploring bamboo forests, getting lost in Yoyogi park, discovering cool thrift stores stand tall in the imagination but they make up such a small part of long-term travel. In truth, the "everyday reality" of travel is much more mundane but it is in those moments when you have to face yourself and whatever baggage you're carrying. For me, it was the feelings of loneliness and insecurity. I interrogated the mythologies I tell myself: Am I really outgoing? Am I really a good photographer? Can I really travel the world by myself? With nothing to distract me, I had to face them head-on. No more running away. I was afraid that If I answered them my insecurities would be true and I would have to change what I dreamed about. But when I looked back at what I had accomplished I realized I had so much power and strength. I pushed through and created art with local artists that inspired me. I fostered a community of friends that I could rely on for strength and support. I survived the sadness, the insecurity, the days I didn't want to leave my room to have an amazing time. Turns out that by running away from these questions I was denying myself the truth of how amazing and talented I was.

The night before I left Tokyo I sat surrounded by friends both new and old at the bar of a tiny ramen restaurant in Shibuya. I loved ramen before I came but I developed a whole new appreciation for the art form after slurping countless bowls. I had left 3 months prior unsure of what would become of me. And in some ways, I'm still unsure. What I did foster was a deeper connection with my strengths and weaknesses. Turns out life is like making a bowl of ramen it's going to take a lifetime of repetition to make the perfect bowl. Japan was the hardest country to start my travels- the equivalent of skiing down a black diamond your first time on the slopes. As much as I hoped, knowing that didn't make it any easier. I learned to be kind to myself especially since Japan was just the first stop of many. It wasn't going to be perfect first time on the mountain. I can't let my expectations get in the way of my results. My travels around the world will be just as much about creating art and meeting new people as it is about healing.

So Sayonara Japan, thank you for giving me space to fail and grow and cry and laugh and discover. Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive.

Artist Collaboration Nozomi Teranishi

April 2, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

One of my big dreams about my time in Japan was the ability to work with a Japanese artist. I scoured the internet and used every trick in boolean logic to find upcoming talent that would be interested in working with me. After I had all but given up, when in walks Nozomi Teranishi, an amazing photographer and visual artist from Fukushima, Japan. Their photography series The Regeneration of Complex Societies, about their experience of the 2011 earthquake caught my attention and wouldn't let go- see the photo series on their website.

We met up for drinks and spend the rest of the evening having a photoshoot. I was curious how I would look behind someone else's lens. The photo's we took of each other that evening was so much fun and it makes me want to continue collaboration with other artists.

The photos Nozomi took of me.

It's always interesting working with other photographers and seeing how their creative eye works and what stands out to them versus myself.

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Kanda Matsuri

March 29, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I came to Tokyo without knowing anyone and yet as I hugged Alana and Laura I knew that I was saying goodbye to lifelong friends. This travel was all about trusting in the universe and as they made their way to the bus station I knew that the universe will provide me with the people I'm meant to meet on my journey. I had one final bite of an amazingly delcious matcha cheesecake before Sejan, and I went off to one of the biggest festivals in Tokyo- Kanda Matsuri.

The Kanda Myojin Shrine, which is the focal point for the festivities enshrines three different dieties: Daikokuten, Ebisu, and Taira Masakado. The festival started during the 17th century as a way of honoring the prosperity of the Tokugawa Shogun. Portable shrines called, mikoshi, are paraded from their neighborhood of origin to the Kanda Myojin for a blessing before heading back.

The Mikoshi is carried by teams dressed in jackers that symbolize their neighborhood. Like most things in Japan, the process was extremely organized despite the sheer magnitude of the event. One by one the teams led by a leader would fill the street with their colorful jackets and their brightly adorned mikoshi chanting loudly. The mikoshi would bob up and down the entire team working in unison. After watching a couple of neighborhoods stream by we dashed across the street to get a closer look inside the temple.

The smell of grilled squid and takoyaki filled my nostrils and the sound of a flute like instrument paired with drums competed against the loud chants for my attention. No longer in the open air of the street, the energy rebounded off the walls and vibrated in my bones. We followed behind a group as they made their way into the center of the shrine. A large man appeared and did some kind of prayer as the people who carried the mikoshi took a rest. Once the short ceremony was over and the revelers returned to their neighborhoods a brief calm took over the floor. However, shortly after they left I could hear the sharp claps of the wood blocks as another team from a different neighborhood came to take part in this ceremony. A smile broke across my face, thankful for my ability to experience different traditions and to share this with one of my oldest friends.

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Archive of Softness II

March 26, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I was introduced to Iniko an extremely talented artist by a mutual online friend. We connected over facebook messenger but didn't end up meeting for the shoot until the last 2 weeks of my time in Tokyo due to both of our busy schedules. I had so much fun shooting them, we got to talk about our mutual passions of performing arts, acting and music while exploring Hinokicho Park. I had always walked by and through this park on my way to dinner parties but I had never taken the time to truly explore this tiny slice of nature in the middle of Roppongi.

One of the things Iniko and I talked about was what intrigued them about the project. They said, "For most of my life I've navigated as a black femme and only recently realized that I am genderfluid. I wanted to be able to play with that fluidity in this shoot. Being ambiguous to people has always been something I love." I was so happy to hear that because I love using fashion and my body to play with gender. And I loved the outfit that Iniko wore because it played with different binaries like child/adult, feminine/masculine.

When asked about the portrayal of blackness in Japan Iniko stated, "Blackness in Tokyo is still thought of as a style, I think. There are shops dedicated to looking ghetto and Ive seen plenty of Japanese people with cornrows and tanned skin. However, that perception is slowly but surely changing." My eyes widened, thankfully I never saw any of the stores that sell ghetto chic because I would have had some words about the commodification of blackness in Japan. But I have seen multiple Japanese people treat my friends and I like our hair or our bodies were open for consumption. I'm happy they think the perception is slowly changing but with black face still happening in Japan on television they have a long way to go.

Check out Iniko's music on Spotify here.

See other photos from the series.

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Divanun Guide/Kyoto & Nara

March 22, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

This DivaNun Guide is a one pager of everything to do, see, and eat in Kyoto & Nara.

Historical

Kyoto
- The Kyoto Imperial Palace:
  - Not as cool as I expected it to be. They were doing construction so maybe when more of it is available it would be more fun
- Fushimi Inari
  - Head shrine to the god Inari in Kyoto
- Saganoo Bamboo Forrest
  - Beautiful grove filled with bamboo in the outskirts of Kyoto
- Kinkaku-ji/ Ginkaku-ji
  - A pair of zen temples built by the family of a shogun
Nara
- Todaji Temple
  - One of the seven great buddhist temples in Nara

Cultural

Kyoto
- Aoi Festival
- Seeing a Geisha performance
Nara
- Feeding the Deer

Food

Kyoto
- Kitchen Raku Raku
  - by far the best meal I've ever eaten in my entire life. The chef's special is a reminder of how delicious and simple traditional japanese food is with a flair of western influences
  - The Chef's Special was three course's a seafood, beef, and desert
- Kyoto Gogyo
  - The Burnt Miso Ramen is one of my favorite ramen dishes I've ever eaten in the world. The burnt flavor provides a contrast to the typically rich and silky ramens I had been eating.
- Honke Owariya
  - Didn't make it here but apparently has really good Soba noodles
- There is a restaurant that sells amazing tempura on the way to the way to Ginkaku-ji that the photo above was taken. Such a delicious meal but I can't find the restaurant on google maps.
- Cafe/Bar Oil
  - Recommended by a friend for having good drinks
Nara
- Harushkia Sake Brewery
  - they have sake tastings for 500 yen and you get a free sake cup.
  - You can also buy all the sake's you taste plus more to take away
- Maguro Koya
  - Tuna Heave
  - very reasonably priced but you will have to order multiple plates. Think tapas style

Miscellaneous

Accomodation
- Kyoto
  - Backpackers Hostel Kyoto
    - $24 a night
      - this is a chain but it felt very at homey with a large common area and a kitchen that you could cook your own meals in.
      - About a 10-15 minute walk from the city center and the main train station as well as a closer to the local subway stations for access to Fushimi Inari
- Nara
  - Deer Guest House
    - $12 a night

Fashion Meditation VII

March 19, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I remembered a conversation I had at Aiiro café, while I was getting dressed for Fushimi Inari. A half Japanese half Brazilian man was telling me about how he’s seen the Tokyo fashion scene change from bright and rebellious in the late 90’s to being very safe and cookie cutter in the early 00's. He blamed the rise of fast fashion like Uniqlo, H&M, and similar stores. Now while there has been a rise in trendy poor quality pieces available in mass, there is still some individual responsibility in my opinion. I shop from stores like these and find pieces that integrate well into my wardrobe and that also will last more than a few washes. But whatever the cause I did see a lack of risk taking in the Tokyo fashion scene.

Tokyo occupies a place in the western mindset as the future of fashion and that framework is what I try and embody with my own style. I see the future of fashion as one where gender norms are thrown out the window and bodies are empowered to drape themselves in shapes and silhouettes that would make people in the 1930's gasp. When I packed for Kyoto and Nara I wanted to do something a little different from the street style looks I had worn previously. I wanted to bring a more regal and avant-garde look to the streets of these ancient capitals.

While Kyoto is primarily known for Fushimi Inari and the Sagano Bamboo Forrest there are plenty of other smaller sites that dot the cityscape and fill it with a rich beauty. Just a short walk from our hostel was a collection of shrines that were absolutely stunning. The sun was setting as Sejan and I came across this moat and the direction of the dwindling sunlight was perfect. I paired my favorite skirt with a shirt, from Topman. An example of using these fast fashion brands to create a complex and beautiful outfit. I thought the graphic black and white thump print collage would provide a great contrast with the bright yellow. I choose my blue lipstick to give another pop of color. Plus yellow and blue make green so it was such a wonderful color moment.

Kyoto has the energy of a city that is thousands of years old. I have such a new found respect for stylists since I've been traveling the world. Finding an outfit that can fit in to space and both absorb the energy while also allowing the wearer to stand out is hard. But picking my outfit fo the Sagano Bamboo Forrest was easy. I knew that I wanted to wear my white cotton dress from Eloquii underneath my vintage African print jacket. To pay homage to my surroundings without overdoing it I chose my forrest green lipstick from called Ivy from Coloured Raine.

I wanted a simple outfit to stand against the repetition of the vermillion Torii gates. While not the most practical outfit for climbing 38 stories and hiking 4km I was definitely the best-dressed person on the mountain. I choose my sleeveless black cape dress because I had a vision of me climbing the steps while the cape swished back and forth in the wind. I wanted to bring elegance to this historic and religious landmark.

The final look of my brief sojourn south was my Eloquii skirt with a vintage pleated blouse. I felt very regal while I was feeding the deer and I paired my strawberry lip from Anastasia Beverly Hills to give a warm and woodsy feeling to the overall concept.

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Nara

February 2, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Nara's main ingredients are deer, history, and temples. After thousands of years of close contact, because deer are regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, the deer have developed a familiarity with humans that I have never seen before. The deer in Nara are famous because if you bow at them they will return the gesture in exchange for crackers. I thought it was such a lovely idea. A city full of deer. And for the first couple hours it was.

Nara was Japan's first permanent capitol and the Nara period lasted from 710-794. While debates rage in the linguistic community as to the origin and meaning of the name Nara, one thing that is certain is that if you go to Kyoto, Nara makes for a perfect day trip.

The market stalls around the station were the smallest I've seen yet. The prices have steadily fallen since Tokyo, skin masks that were previously 1000 yen were now 700 yen. Out first stop was Toda-ji Temple, Eastern Great Temple, one of the 7 great temples located in Nara. Deer roam the grounds of this ancient site and as we entered the first gate to head to the Great Buddha Hall seen in the photos above my take on the abundance of deer in the city changed. A pair of school children were feeding a deer when it abruptly started peeing right in front of them. I turned around to get away from the sight only to see a deer pooping a couple feet away. The Buddha in Toda-ji Temple is the largest bronze buddha in the world. It is the representation of Vairocana, the celestial buddha, an embodiment of the concept of emptiness.

My favorite statue in the temple was not the grand Buddha, but this wooden statue I came across after exiting the temple. The statue is of Binzuru, also known as Pindola Bharadvaja, one of Buddha's disciples. According to custom if you rub a part of Binzuru and then that same spot on your own body your ailment will disappear. We exited the temple grounds and were about to cross the street when some deer ambled across ignorant of the red lights and the drivers hoping to continue on their daily commute. I looked around the city, a large park to my right, the temple behind me and suddenly I started to realize that the entire city smelled like shit and pee. I wasn't sure how I never noticed it before but the scent was pervasive.

Our next stop on our Nara tour was the Harushika Sake Brewery. The origins of sake are hard to trace but most sources place the first recordings of it during the Nara period. At this brewery you can taste 5 different sakes for 500 yen which is less then $5, as well you get a cute little souvenir sake glass that I brought back as a gift for my father. While I gained a lot of knowledge during my time at the Craft Sake Fair, I got to try a couple sakes that I've never tried before like the Daiginjo Shiromiki, which is sake that's only partially filtered so there's still rice sediment and it was a little fizzy. Sejan and I left the brewery with a take away bottle that we drunk as we made our way to another one of Nara's hidden gems.

Maguro Koya, is the perfect way to soak up the alcohol from the sake tasting at Hiroshika. Its a tiny restaurant that was filled with locals and the only thing it serves is tuna. I got tuna three different ways. I had a delicious raw tuna steaks, then shredded tuna over a bowl of rice, and then fried tuna cakes. Before I came to Japan I definitely would have stated that my favorite fish was salmon. Tuna to me always used to invoke a squat can filled with a mysterious liquid and an even stranger meat. But I have been blown away with the subtlety of flavor that tuna provides. Now I've seen the light.

The end to Sejan and I's day started where it began. Full on food as simple as it was delicious we made out way towards the Kofuku-ji Temple to buy some of the crackers so we could feed the deer. Trying to feed the deer at the same time as we tried to get photos of us proved more difficult than anticipated. While some of the deer were super sweet as soon as some of the older deer spotted the crackers they would charge at you and sniff all around you trying to figure out where they were. Sejan and I had watched earlier as this couple had their starbucks knocked out of their hand as the deer ripped open the bag in search of crackers.

With the deer as full as we were Sejan and I headed back to Kyoto for one final day of exploration. Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

Bamboo & Kimono Forest

January 17, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The morning light danced across the tall stalks of bamboo. When I looked up the sky was replaced by a field of green. My legs were still sore from the four-hour hike up Fushimi Inari, as Sejan and I explored another one of Kyoto's wonders the Sagano Bamboo Forrest. Located on the western edge of the city at the foot of the Arashi mountain the Bamboo Forrest is one of Japan's premiere soundscapes. Peace and tranquility are embodied in every swish and sway of the bamboo stalks.

I reached out and touched the tall stalks and I was surprised by how thick and strong it was. After seeing them sway in the wind I had expected the bamboo to be soft and pliable, easily broken. However I was mistaken, bamboo has long been revered in Asian cultures for its resiliency and strength. There's an ancient Japanese Proverb "The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists." When this proverb is applied to travel, I interpret it as praising the benefits of being adaptable and going with the flow. Things don't always work out how you plan but whats best in those moments is to figure out what you can do in the present.

Despite being called a forest the grounds of Sagano weren't actually that large. Which was good for us because we couldn't have handled as much walking as we did the previous day. However, I've seen photos from the bamboo forest on Instagram that Sejan and I could not find during our exploration but assume were behind some of the locked gates.

After we left Sagano we made our way to another colorful and unappreciated site in Kyoto- the Kimono Forrest.

While in Seoul, one of the people in my hostel mentioned that there was really beautiful place near Arashiyama station that see no tourists. When I saw the photo he showed me I knew I had to go. Six hundred tall pillars of dyed fabric make up the Kimono Forrest. The fabric is dyed in the traditional Kyo-Yuzen method. At night the pillars are lit up and the illuminated trail takes you to a gorgeous pond with an orb and a dragon sitting in the middle.

Starting off your day with a stroll around the Sagano Bamboo Forest and then the Kimono Forest is an amazing way to spend a morning in Kyoto. Make sure you Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

Fushimi Inari

October 3, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The sun wasn't even out when my alarm shook me awake. My eyes half open, I climbed down off the bunk bed making sure not to awake the person on the bottom. Through the dim light I could see that Sejan's bed was already empty. It took every fibre of my being to stay awake but I knew we had to arrive before the hoards of tourist descended.

By the time we were on our way the city of Kyoto was just starting to wake. Buisnessmen rushed past us heads focused on emails. School children were groggy as their parents took them to classes. We stopped by a bakery before we started our cimb. The curried pork was cradled in thick dough and provided the energy we needed for the two hour hike up Fushimi Inari.

The food vendors that line the way to the main shrine of Inari, the God of rice, fertility, and agriculture, were just beginning to set up as we first set our eyes on the beautiful vermillion gate. Fushimi Inari existed before the capital was moved to Kyoto in 794, and you can tell that the mountain contains a powerful energy. So it's fitting that the mountain is adorned with thousands of torii gates- whose existence serves to demarcate the transition from secular to sacred.

Sejan and I made our way to the Senbon Torii, two parallel rows of gates that sprout from behind the main shrine at the Romon gate. By this point, the sun was still faint, not strong enough to illuminate the dense cluster of gates that start the beginning of the hike.

The senbon torii empties you into the first of many small shrines that dot the mountain side. A tiny fox sits on a stone pedastal with a piece of wheat dangling from its mouth. In Shinto mythology foxes are seen as Inari's messengers and are also portrayed with keys and other objects in their mouth.

The trail is relatively level the first half. The Torii gates get further apart and specks of green stand cool against the warmth of the vermillion. Some of the gates are well aged, bearing the weight of the prayers that placed them there. While others gleam shiny and new. The gates have been paid for by business and individuals which is why Fushimi Inari is one of the few shrines in Kyoto that is free of charge to enter and explore. 4,000 dollars can get you a small gate while six figures can fetch you one of the extremely large gates.

After walking past a beautiful stream the pathway turned to stairs. At this point more people joined us on the narrow trail. Despite being no earlier then 9am the steep incline of the stairs and the breathability of my gown caused me to sweat profusely, but Sejan and I press on. We pass a few restaurants selling water, snacks, and other refreshments. As well we see the price of water in the vending machines increase the further up the mountain we go. My calves are tight, I pray that we are more than half way up the mountain.

A plateau appears where I can see and hear people gathering. I gathered my energy thinking we've reached the top. As I cross the last stair a strong breeze greets me like an old friend. The city of Kyoto looks snug in between a forrest and another set of mountains off in the distance. I turn around and instead of being greeted with a big shrine I see three different trails as well as a small sign that states the peak is still a 50 minute hike away.

After climbing the equivalent of 39 flights of stairs Sejan and I made it to the peak. By then it was extremely crowded and it no longer felt like we had the mountain to ourself. The quiet and tranquil walk we had as we journeyed up the mountain was replaced with the sounds of camera shutters, sneakers falling on the concrete, and crying children. The breezy cool morning air was now filled with stagnant heat which would have made just starting the climb unbearable. The further we got down the mountain the more congested it became.

My beautiful dream had become a nightmare. It was hard to believe that Sejan and I were on the same mountain. Once we exited the main gate we looked around and a sea of people greeted us. The food vendors now operational filled the air with delicious scents of fried chicken, takoyaki, and grilled meats.

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Aoi Matsuri

September 25, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

The bus ride from Tokyo to Kyoto happened under the cover of darkness. The pale sunlight of the early morning signaled we had arrived in the once capital of Japan. The restaurants of Kyoto had yet to open their eyes for the morning rush so Sejan and I ate food from a convenience store as we waited in the brisk air for our hostel to open.

Once the time came we began to make our way to our hostel. The train station that we arrived in dominated most of the view of the city but as we explored more Kyoto began to resemble a city from a 90's anime.

We first heard of the Aoi Matsuri over some amazing buttered toast after check in. The couple next to us struck up a conversation and mentioned they were going to see the most boring parade in Kyoto. Which also just so happens to be one of the longest running festivals in the entire world. Aoi is Japanese for Hollyhock and the festival is named after the leaves of the flowers that are worn by members of the procession.

The Aoi Matsuri began sometime in the 6th or 7th century and predates Kyoto becoming the capital in the late 8th century. To give some historical perspective this festival started around the same time Islam began. The Tang Dynasty has just begun its rule China, and the Byzantine empire started to shrink from outside threats.

The procession starts at the southern gates of the Imperial Palace of Kyoto, there are paid seating at various points along the parade route but we just stood on the street. What made the Aoi Matsuri so interesting was that the people in the parade were completely silent. They file by you as if you aren't even there. A long continuous stream of people flow out of the gate, dressed in bright colors, some bearing only a hollyhock branch, while others carry large umbrella's or pull beautifully decorated oxen and horses along the route.

Serendipity brought us to Kyoto on the day of one of its oldest festivals. I was excited to see what else Kyoto would share with us as we explored its beauty and history. Make sure you subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

Fashion Meditation VI

September 9, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

What do you do when the gaps between expectation and reality are a chasm too wide to cross? The nights I spent drinking under the red Torii gate at Aiiro Cafe and dancing at Dragon Man were a long way away from how I envisioned spending my nights in Tokyo.

I felt trapped by how I wasn't living up to my expectations and slightly resentful at Tokyo for not being the dream land I wanted it to be. Needed it to be. After skyping with friends I realized its foolish to blame the reality of Tokyo for not living up to a fantasy world built over broken glass.

Like arriving at the Imperial Palace with Sejan wearing my yellow Eloquii skirt, only to find that the grounds aren't open to the public- coming to Tokyo didn't work out like I planned. I had to reteach myself that I can't control what happens all the time, but I can control my response.

My early annoyance at the lack of options in Ni-chome, the gay district in Tokyo, was replaced by all the fun my friends and I had just by sitting outside a convenience store while drinking. The reality of the amazing friendships that I had created while wondering the thin streets of Ni-chome was way better then the expectation.

I was surprised by how upset I got when Tokyo didn't meet my expectations. I always painted this experience as the beginning of the rest of my life. I was feeling like a fraud. But I was putting too much pressure on myself. It was hard for me to live in the moment because I was so focused on how Tokyo would fit into the pantheon of my life experiences.

However as I introduced Sejan to my Tokyo family I realized how much I had accomplished personally. I came to a city where I knew no one and made friends in different communities. Sometimes we are so quick to find fault in ourself that we discount all the amazing things we've done. Tokyo taught me to be kinder to myself and that I can accomplish more than I know.

Posing with the Cacti in Shinjuku Gyoen Green House

In Tokyo I was challenged with the task of picking up the fragments of my dreams and piecing them back together to form my new reality. When it comes to expectation versus reality I've realized that expectation can be an enemy to your success.

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Shinjuku Gyoen & Meiji Shrine

September 4, 2017 Ceraun Loggins

My legs were sore, tiny bolts of electricity danced through my calves with every step I took. The pedometer in my iPhone calculated had just hit 9 miles today almost on par with the 10 I walked yesterday. The line graph since Sejan's arrival jutted high like a mountain, towering above the days spent at home. I was spending my time in Tokyo more like a vacation and less like a natural part of my everyday life.

When you travel with someone you have to make sure that you have similar travel styles. Good friends do not always make good travel partners. On vacation Sejan moves at a lightning pace, routinely walking a mile in the mornings before I had even woken up. Meanwhile, I like to slow down, stretch out the hours until I melt into the local vibrations. Despite the difference in our speeds Sejan and I made great travel buddies because we care a lot about good food, taking amazing pictures, and being efficient.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is an oasis in the middle of hectic, chaotic, and busy Shinjuku. Rows of gorgeous award winning roses. Gardens designed in French, Japanese, and English styles. And large open spaces - perfect for a picnic greet you inside this haven. I had seen so many beautiful photos here and I couldn't wait to capture some of my own. Green houses have always been a love of mine because they represent a liminal space allowing flowers to grow in spaces and times when they would normally die.

During the Edo Period, Shinjuku Gyoen served as the home of the feudal lord of Tokyo. In 1903 it was transfered to the Imperial Family, but it wasn't until 1949 that it was opened as a public park after almost being destroyed during World War II. World War II always seemed so far away when I learned about it in school. However, living in Tokyo has made me realize the scars countries have beared from the brutal conflict and how much important cultural history was almost lost.

After wandering around Shinjuku Gyoen Sejan and I headed towards Meiji Shrine. If I had been by myself I would have walked back home after enjoying a delicious bowl of ramen, however, Sejan was on a mission and so we hoped on the train and headed to our next destination.

Now, I didn't mean to save the shrine dedicated to the father of modern Japan for when Sejan arrived. I actually tried to explore Meiji shrine my third week but I got lost in Yoyogi Park. I assumed that since the two shared grounds that you could walk from one to the other. However, after many attempts- I gave up. On my way out of Yoyogi I happened upon a group of rockabillies and it was then that I realized that Yoyogi and Meiji have different entrances.

The shrine itself was completed in 1920, eight years after Emperor Meiji had passed. Interestingly enough he took the throne when he was only 15 years old. The grounds start with a large wooden gate and a wide road. The road eventually brings you to the sake barrels that you see above. These are donated every year as an offering. As you continue down the wooded trail the sounds and sights of Tokyo fall away and you forget that you are in a city.

Deep in the forrest sits the Meiji Shrine which was unfortunately under renovations in the ramp up to the 2020 Olympics. So I didn't get any good photos of the shrine itself but I loved wandering around all the altars and cleansing stations. Despite my exhaustion I was happy to be sharing my time in Tokyo with someone that I've known for so long.

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