4 things : the wonder of it all

This week definitely felt like 20 things.  So many new and exciting beautiful projects are on the horizon.  But I'm most grateful for my nephews first trip to the waterslides.  My mom and I took him to the wave pool and he smiled non stop for over an hour.  I was a little worried about his cheek muscles, maybe I should have been worried about a sunburn because I also gave him his first.  ouch.  If he could talk, I'm pretty sure he's say it was worth it. 

Also this is Jenna's first week of maternity leave.  It's a wonder if I will survive without her.  

Photographing : Julie and Kurt's wine country wedding weekend in Los Olivios Thanks for the epic weekend friends!

a family shoot Mike and Rehana and baby Z.  I photographed M and R's wedding so many years ago and love following them on facebook and was so happy to find out they were in town and that I could meet their new love.  ps Mike has a new show coming up at the La Jolla Playhouse called Tiger Style - he wrote it.  

an early morning Engagement session in the cactus garden with Jenni and Matt.  I'm excited for their upcoming wedding in a couple of weeks at Estancia.

Hosting: Epic party with Cynthia and Aly at the Gold Leaf Project.  Aly and I were having coffee and decided we should collaborate and do something that would be incredibly fun and just went from there.  Who doesn't love a party with amazing cocktails, tacos, and smokebombs.

Watching  Mike and I decompressed with these two beauties this weekend.  Pure pleasure.  Netflix : Tallulla  and Finding Vivian Maier

Old Globe Sense and Sensibility The musical  Sadly not my favorite production from the Old Globe.  Honestly we love nearly everything they do.  Something about Sense and Sensibility as a musical just didn't ring true. 

Still Dreaming of : so many little steps toward our living room remodel.  Eek I wish I could click my heels.  Voila. 

Creativity Tell All : Samantha Saad

We have loved working with Samantha Saad, event manager at Destination Concepts, over the years and are so happy to share some unique sound bites about her career journey in the event coordination world. 

How do you continually stay inspired and creative?

This is a really fun question because from the outside, our industry is so 'fun' and 'easy'. In theory, my job enables me to be constantly creative. While in some respects it is, my creativity typically happens outside of the work flow. I love learning new skills. My friends are gold and I find myself staying motivated by learning through them. Everyone has different strengths and I not only thrive off the relationships built, but also the creative outlets they can teach me. I'm lately finding the passion to explore photography as my main hobby. Food, nature, and people, the three things I love (besides wine), also inspire me. 

Is there anything special or unique about your morning routine?

Does hitting the alarm until you're late count? If so, then that. :) 

If someone wanted to break into your industry, what advice would you give them?

Find your inner patience and empathy, they will be your best friends. Even the most well thought-out plans will have changes at the 20th hour. It's not about the best plans, it's about the best reactions to change. 

Did you always know this career path was ‘the one’?

Actually, yes. I started modeling in high school and hated it, so when I got the opportunity to work behind the scenes, I fell in love. I have always felt so grateful for "getting it" early on, but you'll never know until you take advantage of the opportunities presented. 

What season inspires you most?

Spring. Always. The energy is contagious and it's amazing to see how people react to spring. Also, spring has the best color palette and the first part of the year, you're generally able to play with color. 

Do you have any funny short stories or embarrassing moments from when you first got started?

I feel like that requires a separate interview! But really, there are so many. And I love that. It's important to understand that perfection does not exist, and failure isn't always something to condemn. My favorite events have always had embarrassing moments, but instead of shaming them, I celebrate learning from my faux pas.

What is the best advice you have been given?

What's the best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I cannot tell you how often I say this to myself. You always have to start somewhere. 

What is your dream project?

Traveling the world connecting people to one another via events and productive programming. 

If there was a song that played every time you worked on your craft, what would it be?

90's hip hop is my favorite station for setup, but specific song would be "Record Year" by Eric church. It's so good and proves that when things get you down, you're still able to fly. 

Is there anything in particular you are obsessed with these days?

I love connecting people. It's heartbreaking because the biggest thing people want is to feel connected. I hope we don't lose that ability to interact. Most people are kind and genuinely good souls. It's disappointing to watch the media sensationalize the negative ones. 

What would you do if you had $40,900 for a vacation?

I would book a one-way ticket to Greece with my boyfriend and continue to travel outside of the country and around the world until I'm completely out of money. 

Hugs,

Suzanne, Mike and the Wanderers