kristinenoel http://kristinenoel.com We only have one shot at this and then it’s gone. Wed, 05 Jun 2013 02:43:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Galveston West End http://kristinenoel.com/2013/06/04/galveston-west-end/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/06/04/galveston-west-end/#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2013 02:43:59 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1101 We had a great weekend in Galveston recently. The surf was perfect for boogie boarding, the sand was so soft and there was plenty of good company and nice conversation all the way around. Such a wonderful mini break from life in the big city!

Pointe West Summer Portraits

-KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/06/04/galveston-west-end/feed/ 0 YUM – The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (that I have ever tried – sorry mom) http://kristinenoel.com/2013/04/08/yum-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-that-i-have-ever-tried-sorry-mom/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/04/08/yum-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-that-i-have-ever-tried-sorry-mom/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:59:07 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1095 Type the following into Google:  ”Best Cho…..”

Click on the first entry that comes up to fill your query…

And you will find the following:

 

The recipe is slightly adapted from Savory Sweet Life, only because I did not have enough brown sugar to follow it exactly…

It is also copied here:

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe EVER!
Author: Savory Sweet Life
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time:  
Cook time:  
Total time:  
Serves: 48 Cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar (originally called for 1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (originally called for 1 1/2 cup)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2¾ cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour *If at all possible, please weigh the flour
  • ¾ tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • 2¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 3 minutes on medium-high speed on a K-5). Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
*please do not use table salt, the sea salt gives the cookies a nice flavor and hints of texture. If you only have table salt, use ½ tsp. *When using sea salt, you will get small crunchy flecks of salt when you bite into the cookie. If you do not like this taste, go with ½ teaspoon of table salt. *I realized grocery stores sell bags of chocolate chips in 12 oz bags but this recipe really needs every last chip. Otherwise you’ll get cookies with only a few chips in each one and this recipe requires lots of chocolate to bulk the cookie up. You’ll need about 1½ bags.

I agree with just about everything in this recipe especially her thoughts on the salt… I love a little crisp hint of salt in chocolate chip cookies.  These cookies were flat, crisp and remarkably chewy on the inside.  Both Ben and I might, just might have had these for breakfast and might, just might have skipped regular sustenance while avidly eating these (for the full two days they were in the house).   I am also going with Savory Sweet Life in agreeing that these are the best chocolate chip cookies ever.  They really are great and so easy.

 

 

KristineNoel

 

 

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/04/08/yum-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-that-i-have-ever-tried-sorry-mom/feed/ 0 My new old Rolleiflex http://kristinenoel.com/2013/04/02/my-new-old-rolleiflex/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/04/02/my-new-old-rolleiflex/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:08:54 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1085 A while back I had a small windfall.  Something to do with a birthday, the mail and a check.

To take care of something that had been nagging me a bit (e.g. wanting to see what it was like to shoot film with a medium format camera), I decided to buy a vintage Rolleiflex MX.  Like the camera Vivian Maier used, or Robert Capa, Diane Arbus carried.  I wanted to try shooting film again and seeing if I could get it “right”.   Not having the comfort of being able to look at the back of my digital camera and see what I missed or adjust and take another shot.

So I shot a few rolls, at the house, at the beach and on a plane.  I will start with a little series at home.  Utilizing that same window light that made me fall in love with taking pictures of my kids…So here is Chase on film, shot with my new old Rolleiflex MX.  The camera is around 60 years old.  It is heavy, well built and feels substantial in your hands.  I love how mechanical it is.  And to be frank I was pleasantly surprised with how the images turned out.  I was able to get focus right a at least some of the time in MANUAL,

Now don’t get me wrong – I am not making the switch to film total – though I did enjoy the experience.  I liked waiting to see how my images came out.  I loved that I loved the color of the images right away and I didn’t correct a thing in photoshop.  Maybe not a perfect first run – but enough to keep me coming back.  I am excited that I also have bonafied prints on their way to me right now as well!

I plan on shooting a roll of black and white next.  Though looking at my camera it says I am on frame 3… Time to use this little brick again. Vivian certainly would not have let this camera sit on a shelf!

KristineNoel

 

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/04/02/my-new-old-rolleiflex/feed/ 0 Hoppy Easter! http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/29/hoppy-easter/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/29/hoppy-easter/#comments Fri, 29 Mar 2013 04:21:36 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1081 If only all my days were filled with such sweetness :) Happy Easter!

 

 

I am rediscovering my 100 mm macro lens… My other little lenses are in the shop.  Imagine sending them thousands of miles away… I hope they come back in one piece…

KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/29/hoppy-easter/feed/ 0 A Project of Industrial Spaces http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/21/a-project-of-industrial-spaces/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/21/a-project-of-industrial-spaces/#comments Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:26:51 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1073 I have been intrigued by the industry and buildings of Houston and really just about anyplace for a while.  I find these places sometimes so devoid of people from the exterior but obviously so marked by human industry and commerce.  This is a side project I have been working on and thinking about for a while.   So many of these places have settled into a period of use, re-use and sometimes disuse.  One interesting thing I have noticed since working on this effort, is that these places these micro industries are all around us.  Maybe more so in Houston, but perhaps not.  

 

KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/21/a-project-of-industrial-spaces/feed/ 0 Spring is popping up in our garden http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/18/spring-is-popping-up-in-our-garden/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/18/spring-is-popping-up-in-our-garden/#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:22:19 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1069 We installed new sprinklers and two new square foot gardens (along with a compost bin that I am still trying to keep ‘happy’) a couple of weekends ago.  We spent a lot of time reading about what varieties grow well in our county, what beneficial plants to include, learning about soil, and thinking about location of our little planters.  We monitored the light, built a raised bed, marked out a grid, and started planting.

This week we have been watching our tiny sprouts shoot up from the ground.  It has been such a delight.  Monitoring progress – seeing what is coming up first, what each delicate leaf looks like, and adding in just a touch more water with the watering can.  So far so good – but I have been noticing some squirrel conferences going on nearby.  So we may have to up our defenses at some point :)

Happy Spring,

KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/18/spring-is-popping-up-in-our-garden/feed/ 0 Spring Walks http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/15/spring-walks/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/15/spring-walks/#comments Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:35:28 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1062 This time of year is so gorgeous! I love the warmth that sun brings, the remaining cool breezes, and the beautiful light at dusk. We are really enjoying our after dinner walks and rides. Chase got his new bike for Christmas and it seemed as if almost immediately he was done with training wheels.  It is great fun to be able to ride bikes together and explore a bit further afield.

By the way, this image is a quick snap from my iphone.  I love how I can shoot, edit and publish in the palm of my hands.

 

KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/15/spring-walks/feed/ 0 Discovery Green and an Adorable One Year Old – Means Perfect Family Photos! http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/14/discovery-green-and-an-adorable-one-year-old-means-perfect-family-photos/ http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/14/discovery-green-and-an-adorable-one-year-old-means-perfect-family-photos/#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:23:04 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1054 I met this picture perfect family for photos downtown at the Discovery Green.  These three were perhaps the happiest and nicest family I have ever met.  They were so at ease and so filled with joy.  I loved helping them celebrate their little one-year old’s first birthday with portraits.

KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2013/03/14/discovery-green-and-an-adorable-one-year-old-means-perfect-family-photos/feed/ 1 Reading in the Morning http://kristinenoel.com/2012/08/07/reading-in-the-morning/ http://kristinenoel.com/2012/08/07/reading-in-the-morning/#comments Wed, 08 Aug 2012 03:24:43 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=1004 Between getting dressed and breakfast this is where I found Rebecca this morning.  Reading quietly aloud to herself in Chase’s room.  Apparently he asked her to read him a story and when he lost interest she kept going.  It is as if reading is something that like so many other things she is working out for a big part on her own.

I loved the quiet moment that she found for herself this morning.  In just a few short weeks this one is kindergarten bound.  Based on this one example that she is ready.

-KristineNoel

]]> http://kristinenoel.com/2012/08/07/reading-in-the-morning/feed/ 0 On the Couch http://kristinenoel.com/2012/06/15/on-the-couch/ http://kristinenoel.com/2012/06/15/on-the-couch/#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:51:34 +0000 admin http://kristinenoel.com/?p=998 We try not to do too much of this but it is nice to do.  Right now the favorites are Olivia, Max and Ruby, and Little Bear.  These characters are some of the nicest ever, such good manners.  So it makes it easier to every couple of days say yes to a show or two.

 

-KristineNoel

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