Field Notes
A binnacle of Mariana's tasteful footsteps
Butterfly Butterfly
January 22, 2020
Nature vibrates around us and yet we tend to miss its magic by being distracted in our digital lives. The wisdom and utter perfection of nature show us patience, balance, faith.
It was not a coincidence to meet these people when in search for an object to give to our wedding guests. We wanted something that represented the lush tropics of Colombia and for this to be a present to always remember.
They are 2 brothers that have dedicated more than 10 years to investigate and understand this majestic creatures. They have a Butterfly Farm where they are amazed by their many colors and forms. Its located at Escuela de Corregimiento
de Providencia, here they dedicate themselves on the reproduction of different species, opening their doors to students that are interested in this beautiful world of entomology.
They know so much about butterflies that it makes us question ourselves about their important presence around us. This motivates us to conserve and preserve all natural resources and to love and respect nature even more. Butterflies are wonderful insects with brightly colored wings, they captivate everyone's attention wherever they fly. They are a perfect example of transformation, patience and change. They transport pollen to plants helping with pollination, which is fundamental for nature's balance.
These Farms are the perfect way to keep the species alive, and Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the planet; we have the privilege to say we have 3500 species. All of the species are kept in closed, humid and nutrient rich farms where they prepare for reproduction and therefore to the process of transformation from an egg to a caterpillar and then finally to an adult butterfly.
These brothers perform this beautiful practice where they show us how the world needs this kind of activities where we can give a little back to our planet earth.
All Field Notes
Summer movies to travel the world...
My great great grandfather was a medical Doctor right there in Salamina. The town’s main square has a plaque in his honor. My family is proud of our provenance in that little town that the locals also refer to as the “City of Light”, for the many poets, musicians, writers and artists born in that mystical place.
Above: Camu Camu, amazonian fruit. I find myself standing in front of a long table of treasures. 115 tropical fruits, vegetables, seeds, spices, nuts, flowers, vines and roots.I take a deep breath and say-- let’s organize these by color.
Right downstairs on 28th street at the NYC flower market is my favorite shop Dutch Flower Line. Spring in full force. Peas, tulips, Japanese Ranunculus, poppies...
I arrived at 4am, long before dawn to see the the arrival of milk coming from the near by farms. Dressed in full gear, at a nippy 43 F, I entered the space where blue cheese is made by hand by a man in his late 60's who has had the job for more than two decades. As we stepped into the space she murmured- no bad thoughts, words, or insults- cheese is very sensitive.
Ever since I saw Luca Guadagnino’s In the Mood For Love Milan became an aesthetic obsession for me. Not only is it a city that hosts one of the most influential shows in the World Il Salone del Mobile, but it is also one of the chickest and sophisticated places… all behind closed doors…
Words cannot describe the scents of the city’s waving streets, the beauty of the night market, the purples, lavenders and greens of the Atlas mountains. Here is a photo essay of a trip I made to Marrakech a few years back to shoot and style the James Beard Award Winning cookbook The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert. I traveled across the Atlantic with the brilliant Australian Photographer Quentin Bacon and with my dear friend Natalia to photograph the recipes for Wolfert’s book. Natalia and I shopped at the traditional markets inside the Medina, Schlepped baskets of eggplants, tomatoes and spices. We looked for props at the flea markets and antique shops.
Markets reveal a city’s heart and soul. On my last visit to Mexico City I was searching for flowers for a new fragrance campaign shoot. We started our visit in the rose section and as we walked about calla lilies, carnations, foliage and kitschy arrangements I understood a little bit more about this city’s passion for color and vibrancy
Before dawn, thick fog rolls over the Andes mountains in Bogota. A city perched at 9000 ft above the sea is cool and crisp, with swaying eucalyptus and pine trees framing her. The Paloquemao flower market opens when it is still dark and vendors unpack their treasures using flashlights and now, more and more, cell phone lights.
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Summer movies to travel the world...
My great great grandfather was a medical Doctor right there in Salamina. The town’s main square has a plaque in his honor. My family is proud of our provenance in that little town that the locals also refer to as the “City of Light”, for the many poets, musicians, writers and artists born in that mystical place.
Above: Camu Camu, amazonian fruit. I find myself standing in front of a long table of treasures. 115 tropical fruits, vegetables, seeds, spices, nuts, flowers, vines and roots.I take a deep breath and say-- let’s organize these by color.
Right downstairs on 28th street at the NYC flower market is my favorite shop Dutch Flower Line. Spring in full force. Peas, tulips, Japanese Ranunculus, poppies...
I arrived at 4am, long before dawn to see the the arrival of milk coming from the near by farms. Dressed in full gear, at a nippy 43 F, I entered the space where blue cheese is made by hand by a man in his late 60's who has had the job for more than two decades. As we stepped into the space she murmured- no bad thoughts, words, or insults- cheese is very sensitive.
Ever since I saw Luca Guadagnino’s In the Mood For Love Milan became an aesthetic obsession for me. Not only is it a city that hosts one of the most influential shows in the World Il Salone del Mobile, but it is also one of the chickest and sophisticated places… all behind closed doors…
Words cannot describe the scents of the city’s waving streets, the beauty of the night market, the purples, lavenders and greens of the Atlas mountains. Here is a photo essay of a trip I made to Marrakech a few years back to shoot and style the James Beard Award Winning cookbook The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert. I traveled across the Atlantic with the brilliant Australian Photographer Quentin Bacon and with my dear friend Natalia to photograph the recipes for Wolfert’s book. Natalia and I shopped at the traditional markets inside the Medina, Schlepped baskets of eggplants, tomatoes and spices. We looked for props at the flea markets and antique shops.
Markets reveal a city’s heart and soul. On my last visit to Mexico City I was searching for flowers for a new fragrance campaign shoot. We started our visit in the rose section and as we walked about calla lilies, carnations, foliage and kitschy arrangements I understood a little bit more about this city’s passion for color and vibrancy
Before dawn, thick fog rolls over the Andes mountains in Bogota. A city perched at 9000 ft above the sea is cool and crisp, with swaying eucalyptus and pine trees framing her. The Paloquemao flower market opens when it is still dark and vendors unpack their treasures using flashlights and now, more and more, cell phone lights.
