5 Reasons to Use Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS)

Since moving to the downtown Charlotte neighborhood of NoDa I have learned to embrace the public transit system as much as possible. It all started when I had to drive to Greensboro for my flight attendant job and would have 24hour layovers at home; instead of going to our crew hotel I would take the bus from the airport to my house. Now I use it to go just about anywhere in and around uptown!

1) IT'S CHEAP: $2 per ride with a transfer! I buy the 10 Ride Pass for $17. (Tip: be sure to get a transfer card if you are transferring to another route! For those used to NYC's MTA or DC's Metro...your pass card doesn't work the same way- you still have to get the transfer card)

2) NO HASSLE WITH PARKING: sure it takes about 20 mins by bus from NoDa to make the 5 min drive uptown. But then you have to look for parking. And if there's an event going on- lots and decks can be full. You might spend 15-20mins looking for parking. For those of you who work Uptown- it can save you tons on your monthly parking!

3) DRINK UP: No need to rock-paper-scissors with your friends over who is going to be designated driver. Just take the bus. You end up near the EpiCenter for a night of fun!

4) COMMUTER ZEN: Taking transit means you won't have to deal with the hassle of rush hour traffic. Arrive at work a calm and relaxed happy employee! It gives you a chance to unwind after a long day so you aren't stressed out when you get home!

5)EXTRA FREE TIME: regular commutes let you read a magazine, book or digital articles you might not have the time to read otherwise. You can start a blog, waste time on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest so you can be more productive at home and work.

Be sure to download the CATS app on your iPhone an plan your trips with Google Maps (select the transit option)

Eco-Footprint Challenge

My latest design project for the Catawba River District!

Read more about the Eco Footprint Challenge at www.CatawbaRiverDistrict.org!

Can your iPhone's Camera really be transformed into a professional camera?

Everyone has their favorite mode of photography. I'll always have a special place in my heart for my Nikon 35mm and the darkroom. Let's face it...we live in a Digital World where things are faster & gadgets are smaller (aka more portable) One of our favorite things to do together in the E34 House is hike & shoot some photography. When I put both together, I honestly don't want to lug around all of the equipment so I just use my iPhone4s camera. Then Christmas happened and Santa (err...Paul) brought me a lense attachment for my iPhone.  It includes a Fisheye, Wide angle & Macro Lense.

 
How Does it Compare to a Regular Camera?
....No comparison. But add a few photo editing apps and you get some really interesting images without lugging around fancy equipment and you can do all of your editing right then & there. Read my tips on how to be a Traveling Photographer over at UPGRD.com

Moss with a Macro Lens

This happy accident isn't quite focused but looks like seaweed in the ocean.

Bored with your Photos? Try this.

If you're like me, there are only so many times you can take "pretty" pictures.  You know the ones: Where the views are so picturesque that it doesn't take an expert to capture the beauty.  Paul & I took a trip to Brevard, NC this summer and the hike at DuPont State Forest was one such experience for me. Paul had his Cannon SLR with him and I had my trusty iPhone 4s. (I know. SO fancy.)  After a morning of dozens of shots of the waterfalls I felt a big giant "yawn" after looking at most of my photos.  Over lunch Paul & I talked a lot about the photos and couldn't help thinking back to my first photo critique with Sarah Martin at UNC Greensboro.

"My grandma could take that picture. Anyone could take that picture. What are you doing differently that makes it uniquely yours? What about this photo makes it unlike one that only you can take?" - Professor Sarah Martin. UNCG.

The photos I presented were from my trip to New York City during Christmas Break. I was so proud of my photos, so you would think this would be a tough blow- but actually this advice has stuck with me in all of my work.

So after lunch we went to the nearby thrift shop and made a B-line for the toy section to find some sort of figurine. And...Here you are.

Travel: San Jose

In August I took a trip to San Jose, California where my boyfriend was taking a class for work. For me, it was a great opportunity to collect my thoughts, think about art & design without all of the distractions of my life and get a new perspective.

While Paul was in his class learning techie stuff, I explored downtown San Jose and found myself in love with the city. So many restaurants. So many delicious restaurants. But beyond that I was in love with the weather, the city's ease of pedestrian navigation, public transit system, and the variety in architecture. The heavy Spanish Colonial influence can't be ignored- and it has been maintained fabulously! Vibrant colors. Yes Please!

It's not a city without an art museum.  The San Jose Art Museum is the perfect size for me. Admittedly, I'm not the kind of artsy person who spends hours with a painting. I'm a more fast paced art viewer and should probably work on taking my time with art. San Jose's Art Museum is one that you can get through during your lunch hour if you wanted to, but it's size packs a good punch. Excellently curated. 

My one criticism: No shopping in downtown! And the museums closed at 5pm so Paul wasn't able to explore much after his class was over.

Overall, San Jose was just a relaxed city where you really felt a sense of innovation and creativity everywhere.

Catawba River District Farm to School

Within the last year I have volunteered my design talents to the Catawba River District in Charlotte for various projects. The CRD is a community group that promotes environmental preservation, education, recreation, & economic preservation.

Photo Courtesy of Rich Haag, CRD Communications Director

Most recently I designed signage for one of their Farm to School sites.  I was asked to design 2 panels. The top panel was the main signage and where I could have more creative control & the lower portion for sponsor logo placement. To reinforce the CRD branding, I chose to keep the color scheme consistent with their existing logo.  Since the main components of the design were text, the secondary images had to be simple- grass blending into the border.

Digital Design: Illustrator CS5/Low-Res Version

You can read more about the Catawba River District and their "Farm to School" program by visiting their website: www.CatawbaRiverDistrict.org

A Special Thanks to: Rich Haag & Burt Phillips for inviting me to be part of this project!

This is Why I Fly: Colorado Springs

This week I'm flying in the west. Day 1 found me waking up at 530am (ok to be fair I snoozed until 540am) at home in Charlotte so I could catch a 730 am flight to Kansas City where I'd start working at noon. We flew around all day and ended up in Colorado Springs, CO around 10pm (Mountain Time)

Since my body clock was still on East Coast Time, I woke up around 8am. While siting down for my breakfast I opened the curtains and was delighted with the view which inspired me to head outside and see what my iPhone 4s could capture.

In the end I was pleasantly surprised with the images my phone could capture (with the aid of a few apps that I'll review in a later post.) I think this is something I'll continue when I'm away flying...(I like to think of it as getting paid to be an artist)