…although by the long absence of activity, you might think otherwise.
What I can share is that I have been completely and delightfully immersed in the ‘small’ side project that I began this past December, 513{eats}. This project has quickly grown into a full blown ‘grown up project’ and I am so thrilled at the direction and momentum it has taken.
In December, I shared with you the first ‘mini gazette’, our holiday issue. I am equally as excited to share, albeit, a few weeks after the fact, the second, our very large Spring issue.
I am often asked why I started 513{eats}, what my goals are, and then it goes something like…and, you’re not going to stop at the end of the year, are you?
The answers:
I have completely fallen in lust with the idea of food documentation and of course, food photography.
Admittedly, I had plenty of fun playing around with the shoots that I was posting here…and, by the way, with no external pressure of the self-imposed kind. What changed? To the point, I wanted to create an editorial food portfolio that would lead the way into some national editorial work. I asked myself how I could accomplish this? I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, a blooming playground filled with food renegades, food entrepreneurs, food enthusiasts and, of course, artful, creative, accomplished chefs, growers and makers. So ~ what if I documented what was happening with those people right here around me. Good for me and what I’m after, and so so good for the many talented people that grace this city.
What I found was that I was drawn to documenting and sharing stories deeper than just the steps of a recipe. I was drawn by these people’s authenticity, their stories, their food and where it’s coming from. A sense of the whole picture. Full, rich, stories-with soul. FOOD NARRATIVES. I was hooked.
My goal? Just what is happening…and to shoot a cookbook or two or three, to travel and do the very same thing for other magazines in other cities, countries, anywhere. I love to tell stories. I love people and I love food. Pretty simple.
As for my little gretchalina blog? I’ll keep her close by. She is dear to me, as she helped me define what I want to be doing for the next ~ many years. Much of my time for the rest of this year will be spent on stories for upcoming issues, so she may seem a bit lonely, although I don’t want my little blog to be an orphan, so I promise, for her, to visit as often as I can even with simple pretty food images. She deserves at least that.
For now, I hope you sit back with something to sip or snack on and enjoy the stories that we have to share in from people in our own backyard.
Simply click on the image below and you’ll be directed to 513{eats} Spring 2012 Issue.
xo
gretchalina
