After a canceled flight back and returning home a day later, I (Sam) have finally been able to recuperate from all the hard work at the DQ Quikeys booth, the late night partying and singing karaoke until I lost my voice, and all the friends, old and new, that I was able to meet up with. New York was a blast.

Here are pics of some of the people that made my trip so memorable:

(and some I didn't get a picture of, like meeting Jesh De Rox, Jerry Ghionis, Becker and Jessica Claire, to name a few amazing photographers that I've been honoured to finally meet and chat with.)

Here we are enjoying lunch at Gray's Payaya, a hot dog restaurant and the place to go if you want to grab a quick bite to eat in NY. They had amazing all-natural exotic fruit drinks, but of course that was washed down by their greasy hotdogs!

Mike Dickson, from Photos for Life showing us how to eat a New York hotdog, with onions fried and simmered in ketchup, of course!

The uber-cool and talented, one and only, Dave and Quin from DQ Studios hailing a taxi cab:

My favourite shot of the trip

Here is the gang hanging out on our last night in NY. From Left to Right is Dave Cheung, Jesh de Rox, Jason Leon, and Quin Cheung.

My most memorable night (ironically due to my cancelled flight!) was all of us just sitting with, listening and talking with Jesh about photography, life and love - how all of it flows into one another. It was really scary how it really resonated with all that Mary has been sharing with me over the past year (and she wasn't even there!).

This is me the day after, waiting for my flight and walking the streets of NY on my own.

My friends were long gone and all had flown back to their respective cities. I had realized just then, how lonely New York really was with no money (long story!) and no friends. The city became a different place. I roamed around taking pictures one last time of the city (which we'll post later this week!) and soaking all of it in. The good times, the laughs, the conversations, and now the quiet, but yet bustling dirty streets, the experience of this alone-ness.

Here is a fitting quote I found on my Starbucks cup, as I sat to have my coffee and breakfast.

"The Way I See It #141 I used to feel so alone in the city. All those gazillions of people and then me, on the outside. Because how do you meet a new person? I was very stumped by this for many years. And then I realized, you just say "Hi." They may ignore you. Or you may marry them. And that possibility is worth that one word. -- Augusten Burroughs, Author of Running with Scissors."

I think it sums up the city for most of those who live here quite well, whether they know it or not. New York or any where else you live, regardless of how lonely it feels, is really a city full of hope, change and possibilities.

To those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving, we hope you enjoyed a wonderful long weekend! The weather was fabulous, sunny and warm! Fall is by far my most favourite season and we couldn't have asked for a better weekend to soak in the end of summer one last time.

Although we worked most of the weekend and had a wedding to shoot at the Hilton Lac Leamy, we managed to take Monday off. It was a perfect day of cleaning our garage up for the winter, playing outside all day, and hanging out with friends.

This week, Sam and I also celebrated our 8th anniversary!  (Boy, do we feel old!)  We had a delightful dinner and movie date, talked about the changes we've both gone through over our 8 years of marriage, all the crazy fun we've had and how it really keeps getting better!

I am so blessed beyond words for the past 8 years to have someone who stands by me and allows me to follow my heart and dreams.  Sam has done just that.  It has taken him quite a few years to figure me out, and now it seems none of the crazy ideas or things I do surprises him!  He's come to expect it and loves me for it.  What more can a girl ask for?

Okay, maybe one of these... which sam got me for our anniversary. A girl cannot have too many mac products! (and I'm not talking about make-up. haha.)

I love the ipod touch.

I got Sam a Herman Miller Aeron chair. Sam has always wanted his piece of Herman Miller, so I thought this was a good start! : )

f you haven't checked it out yet, here is a post with more furniture we dig!

Sam, thanks for the times you've stood by my side and watched me stretch my wings. I love discovering new passions with you, sharing our life together, and seeing ourselves change. It never fails to amaze me how you accept this girl you've married and treasure all the ways I am so different. Growing younger (at heart) with you is so much fun! Looking forward to 10 years!

Here are some pics we took this summer with our point and shoot, so it will have to do for now!

I am first to admit, it's been slow here on the blog as we head into our last stretch of wedding season (is it October, already!?!).  Of course, thanks to emails from our faithful blog readers for calling us on that and for asking for more updates!  You guys are awesome and so great to know you're out there and interested in our work and everyday life...

The summer has really been packed with scoping out locations, prepping, shooting and it's been insanely busy.  But, back to our scheduled blogging... Here's a location that you'll really dig!

Lago is Ottawa's NEW bar and grill restaurant with a view at the Dow's Lake Pavillion along the Rideau Canal. If you haven't been here yet, you must go check it out! We love the decor, colours, and vibe of the place.

Even the restrooms are well designed and we LOVE the concrete sinks!

This is one of the lounge areas. I just love this photo that shows the quiet side of Sam that I get to see once in a while : )

We get so excited to see new cool places and venues, so we'll definitely be coming here again. It looks awesome in the evening too as the ambience changes to more of a nightclub. Lago also offers a large private 140-seating banquet facility (it was unfinished at the time we were there, so no pictures yet!) that is a great idea for weddings and events, so if you're a bride looking for something different, give them a shout as we'd love to shoot here!

Have a great weekend!

It's hard to believe that fall is already around the corner as we've been busy with weddings all summer, but I wanted to catch up with some blogging this week and to share the lives of some of the cool couples we've gotten to meet along the way...

Nadia and Mike are a gracious couple, and I love their genuine heart and love for each other. They have been together for a long time and it shows in the way they are so comfortable with one another. What's amazing is that they look and talk with one another like they are newly in love!

For their session, we started off doing what they love doing together almost daily... walking their dog, Maggie.