Amy Nieto Photography + Design

I put the fabric I bought last weekend to good use as a bookshelf runner of sorts. Finally the top of the shelf looks more decorative, instead of a place where I plop my cellphones when I'm making my bed in the morning (and yes, I make my bed EVERY morning... it's comforting to know at least one thing in your life is in order before you leave your house).

Detail shot!

Also, I have been listening NON-STOP to the YEAH YEAH YEAH'S new single, Zero. I want to be Karen O and dance around the streets of my dear New York BECAUSE I WOULD BE KAREN O AND SHE IS PURE AWESOMENESS.

I seriously cannot get enough of this song. Can't embed the video, but check it out here!

{ETA: Back in my film major days I wanted to be a music video director. *sigh* I hate regrets.}

This went on for three hours, non-stop. I had half a sandwich in my stomach from HOURS before, I'm so glad to have made it through with high energies! Everybody had so much fun. Anne did a spectacular job out of organizing the whole event. Much thanks to all the awesome docents who helped me out (I had FIVE of them!).

After the event was done and I packed my rented equipment into my car I was so happy I felt like going for a run around downtown. Thankfully I remembered that half-sandwich in my stomach + running = Fainting. So, no running. But I did have a delicious Vietnamese meal with Linnea and Lesley. The L Girls.

And that concludes the weekend of March 22nd. This weekend of March 28th is ISOLATION WEEKEND SO THAT I CAN GET WORK DONE. Even though I've already had THREE INVITATIONS to socialize. TEMPTATIONS, TEMPTATIONS!

After leaving Depot (I only spent $6.78?? What! WOW!), we spotted a street lined with cherry blossoms by Belmont. We HAD to stop, for the Sun was shining and it was warm!

Far too many beautiful colors.

It's 5PM and we realize it might be a good idea if we head back to her place so we can both work on our respective projects.

Thinking back, I guess my weekend wasn't what you might have expected. But it brought my moods up quite a lot!

My mind roaming around in foreign lands always picks up a stranger or two, in the form of songs. I think this may be one of my many playlists while living in paris...

01) Rufus Wainwright - Leaving for Paris - As countless movies have taught me, the only sensible reason for me to flight off to Paris is to forget about an impossible love. Rufus has been there, I am sure. He will console me during those first days where i find myself juggling the excitement and heartbreak.

02) Joni Mitchel - Case of you - Unpacking in my small, small bedroom. I find your letter. I realize the clothes, the letter, the plane ticket, the mix CDs, all, have become a case of you.

03) Ella Fitzgerald - April in Paris/I Love Paris - I finally step out into the City of Lights.... oh my. (Will the Lights be Blinding, though?)

04) Yeah, yeah, yeahs - Our time - Vibrations of the people, of the city, of jetlag propel my feet to skip happily down the streets.

05) Al Bowlly - Guilty - must sit down and nourish my body. This song plays over a speaker at the stereotypical sidewalk cafe. It amusingly reminds me of playing the Amelie soundtrack over and over again as I worked an 11 hour shift at that clothing store in Savannah, GA.

06) She & Him - Sentimental Heart - I spot a dreamy vintage fabric shop, hidden in the alleys. I muse that Zooey Deschanel would just love to shop here, as I know she's a vintage girl. I realize I am feling a bit loney, so I resolve to make friends.

07) Feist - 1,2,3,4 - I make new friends, all from paris, all from the world, all searcing for that which I am searching for as well. After a few drinks, we re-enact Feist's colorful video. I play Feist, with a crazy blue outfit I bought at the hidden vintage shop.

08) Jeff Buckley - Lover, you should've come over - It's only fitting I must have a night where I break down and miss him. It happens.

09) Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain - Bah, silly crying myself to sleep. Let's hop on a train and visit Amsterdam! Or Berlin! Or my friend Ruth in Alicante! Or El Bardo in Norway (this might involve a plane)!

10) Fiel a la Vega - Boricua en la Luna - As i glance out of my train window, I see fields of sunflowers. They truly do stretch out to the Sun. It is then I realize how far I've come from my own little island... and how it always travels with me {crap, writing that just made me tear up like an idiot}

11) Edith Piaf - Non Je Ne Regrette Rien - Back in Paris. Yikes, spent a little too much traveling... but I sure as heck don't regret it!

12) Billie Holiday - As time goes by - Time to head back to Life. But as my Rick said once... We'll always have Paris. I will, I will, Rick.

*LE SIGH* Seriously... how wonderful would it be. Someday, someday.

I lie. There is nothing more that I want right now than to be Back Home. Pasar un dia en la playa con mami, Pedro, Agmar, Mary, Milton, los nenes, abuela, abuela ge~na, neguita, daisy y su ganga, kendra y su otra ganga, titi lizzy, chela, mirne, tio, tio norman, tio giovanni, tio henry, marian, titi monsa, abuelo cheo, abuela lydia, janice, lola, cynthia, viviana, liliana, ivonnette, sus respectivos machos, ruth, laura, laura ox, el rafa, la josefina, Bruno Diaz, genesis y matthew con minnie, mis nuevas amistades, mies viejas amistades, mis futuros sobrinos, primos, hijos, lo que sea. Pero quiero estar en casa.

More on this super awesome weekend later (contrasting the suckfest that was the week, ugh).

HAPPY SMILES.

BTW, how awesome would these look letterpressed???

Had the most wonderfully craptacular day at work. At one point our GM asked how were we doing. Dripping with sarcasm, I replied, FANTASSSSTTIIICC. Actually no, I feel like killing myself, honestly.

I don't think he quite grasped my dark humor... or anybody else in the kitchen for that matter. ^_^

No worries, for this weekend will be GREAT. I will be successful and it will mark the beginning of, not only Spring, but of AWESOMENESS FOR AMY NIETO.

Yes.

Cupcakes.

No, for reals. that's all I want. A cute two bedroom bungalow. With the daintiest garden and prettiest curtains. Oh and garden gnomes. Absolutely. Actually, you know what. I think I'll have like Garden Yodas. WAY AWESOME.

I am gonna go ahead and pass out. I, Amy Nieto Cruz of Barrio Sabalos from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, ran not one, TWO miles today. Amy Nieto RAN for pleasure. Hell frozeth Over. My good friend Linnea was my instructor, I couldn't have asked for a better one. Lots of leg, arms, calves, abs exercises. We also stretched in front of a bunch of cute guys playing.... something. Frisbee, probably. I'm sure we looked hot. HAWTZ.

It feels great to have accomplished that without chickening out (though I know I will regret tomorrow at work, oh man). So here's to a healthier Amy (sweet abs and ass here I come!)!

My super awesome friend Josie came down from Seattle to hang out in Portland. Portland, weird as always. We went to the roller derby rink in Sellwood. I hadn't skated in 17 years. Sadly, neither of us fell. THAT would've been hilarious.

Would you please hurry up and sweep me off my feet so that I can wear one of these fantastic, magical, heavenly, dainty, oh-so-vintagey, glorious flowery head-pieces on our beach-and-balloons wedding day? Thank you. You know where I live, you handsome stalker, you.

I love ban.do. You should love ban.do, too.

I am in forever love.

These wonderful watercolor illustrations are by Mexico based Gennine. Don't they just inspire you to take up ship right now? Or at least watercolor? I know I do, I hope I learn this art this year (I keep postponing it, like learning French).

Also, my birthday is in a month. And my walls are pretty bare right now. HINT HINT. ^_^