Chronicle Books Blog

Travel photography is different for everyone. I’ve noticed over time that the photos I take while traveling have become less about documenting times and places, and more about capturing whatever I think might be inspiring when I come back home. That makes the fun of traveling not only experiencing a new environment, but also hunting and capturing the characteristics and ideas unique to that destination that will enrich your familiar home environment when you return.

Earlier this summer, I traveled to Zurich, Vienna, Prague, and Berlin. All these cities were full of inspiring graphics that comprised most of my trip photos. My skills as a photographer are amateur at best and, preferring to travel light, my digital camera is about as small and basic as it gets, but it works well enough to take snapshots I will later peruse for inspiration.

In design-savvy Europe, there is so much to be appreciated just on the streets, where even a basic traffic sign will be beautifully designed. The presence of so much history in the cities also contributes to the visual energy, especially when classic structures are contrasted with bold, contemporary styles and messages. Below are a few of my favorite snapshots clustered around subjects I tend to focus on as a book designer, ranging from cement-encased books to playful bathroom tiles. The rare and mundane are equally valued when it comes to finding inspiration.

BOOKS

POSTERS

SIGNAGE

STREET ART

COLOR AND PATTERN

Our book, The Graphic Eye, a collection of photos by designers, explores the same subject of how designers often focus on design-related details in an environment, such as typography on a sign vs. the sign itself or street it stands on. When combined with traveling, a collection of photos can really become more than just a visual timeline of what happened. They are unique souvenirs that you personally found and captured, shaping your own editorial take on that specific time and place, and growing your identity as a traveling creative.

Stay tuned for a peek into the Berlin studio of our published author-illustrator Tina Berning later this week!

Eloise Leigh
Designer

Our guest blogger this week is the multi-talented Alyson Fox, author of A Shade of Red. Let us know what you think of Alyson’s project and arresting photographs by leaving a comment—we’ll be giving away a copy of the book to a random lucky commenter next week.

I started the project in 2008. My husband and I were on our honeymoon and I was thinking about projects I wanted to work on when I got back. I wanted to do a photography series to get behind the camera again. I shoot all of my styled shots for my jewelry and things but I really wanted to do a series of photography that was different from that. I have my undergrad degree in photography. I decided I wanted to shoot portraits because so much of my other work is non identity based and I thought it would make me a better photographer to capture someone’s expression in an interesting way and focus on an identity. I tend to work in a series so I wanted there to be a common thread to the project/photos. That is when lipstick popped into my head. I did not think too much about all the connotations of lipstick, and red lipstick at that, until after I started shooting. The project really took on a life of itself—far beyond my wildest dreams. It was such an incredible collaboration to be a part of.

Purchase A Shade of Red.

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“Well, who isn’t poor?” That’s the question that opens Bubbly on Your Budget, a great read for when it’s time for some economizing while living the good life. The book was originally published in 1937, but I’m amazed at how relevant and practical Marjorie Hillis’s advice still is today. Think of it as an economic “have your cake and eat it too.”

So for all of us looking for some creative solutions to living it up without paying the price, here are some time tested tips.

“Work out a housekeeping system to suit your own circumstances, but be sure you have a system. Without it, you’ll find yourself spending all sorts of odd and unnecessary hours going domestic.”
Creating a game plan for grocery shopping, cooking, and other household chores will save you both time and money. Setting aside time each week to clean will avoid an entire domestic overhaul down the line.

“Brushing and cleaning and pressing and putting all your clothes away properly may be drab activities, but they pay and pay and pay.”
After all, if you’ve purchased a few quality garments (instead of heaps of on-trend wares), caring for them properly is much more economical in the long run. Set aside a monthly budget for having clothing professionally cleaned instead of attempting it yourself and you’ll always look crisp and put together.

“Stinginess does not always save money. The lady who keeps up her linen closet and glass cupboard is a much better economist than the one who is so thrifty she can’t bear to buy anything till she is forced to by not having enough to go around.”
Enough said. I’ll be buying those extra dishes before my next dinner party.

Alice Lin
Editorial Intern

This week’s recipe comes from the gorgeous new Spanish cookbook Rustica, written by native Barcelonan Frank Comorra. His more than 100 recipes featured in the book come from all the varied corners of Espana. This is one of my favorites to date – perfect for a cool autumn evening (and of course feel free to substitute some of the vegetables below with more seasonal offerings).

Do you love the food of Spain and, if so, what in particular about it? Have you made a menestra before? Leave a comment and you’ll be eligible to win a copy we’ll be rewarding to one lucky person next week.

!Buen provecho!

Menestra de Verduras
Seasonal vegetables with garlic, tomato, and jamón

A menestra is a braise of vegetables in a jamón-infused tomato sauce. In Spain, it is eaten as a first course, perhaps before some meat. Menestras are always a seasonal dish and are made with whatever vegetables are plentiful, so don’t be limited to the ones in the recipe. For some vegetables, the cooking times may seem quite long – don’t worry, they are correct. That’s simply the nature of some Spanish cooking. (I believe we have swung the other way and now actually undercook our vegetables!) The tang of the tomato sauce brings everything together, marrying the earthy flavor of the vegetables with the richness of the oil and jamón.

6 medias raciones

5 artichokes, halved and stems removed
1 large roasting potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb Brussels sprouts
2/3 lb baby carrots, peeled and trimmed
2/3 lb baby turnips, peeled, trimmed and halved
1/2 lb large green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
6 ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 1/2 oz (about 3 tablespoons) jamón fat, finely chopped
3 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Crusty bread, to serve

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the vegetables separately, beginning with the artichokes for 15 minutes, then the potato, Brussels sprouts, carrots and turnips for 10 minutes each, and 5 minutes for the beans. Remove the vegetables each time with a slotted spoon, drain well and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of the sea salt in a food processor and blend until roughly pureed.

Place the chopped jamón fat and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the fat has rendered. Remove and discard any jamón pieces and reserve the fat. Place the drained vegetables, tomato puree and chopped jamón in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Pour in the remaining olive oil and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the flavor and texture of the vegetables are well integrated and the edges of the vegetables are just starting to break down.

Stir the melted jamón fat, remaining sea salt and the chopped parsley into the vegetables. Place on a warm serving dish, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve hot, with crusty bread.

Peter Perez
Associate Director, Marketing

Purchase: Rustica

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Count Dagmar has a new haunt! Just in time for Halloween, everyone’s favorite vegetarian vampire is on the loose in a brand new interactive ebook for your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch available on the iBookstore. Little ghosties and goblins can help Count Dagmar get ready for his party by counting fuzzy bats, silly monsters, and friendly spiders in this delightfully wacky and sweet interactive book by renowned artist J.otto Seibold (Vunce Upon a Time, Other Goose, Olive, the Other Reindeer).

The ebook is stuffed with interactive tricks and treats. Kids can read, listen, play, and count from one to ten billion—or at least from one to ten—while lighting up jack-o-lanterns, rattling skeletons, and setting owls aflutter. Plus, fans and friends of Chronicle Books might also recognize the narrator’s voice as that of our very own company owner and fearless leader, Nion McEvoy.

To celebrate, we’re giving away a J.otto Seibold Halloween prize pack! Tell us what your little pumpkin is dressing up as this year and enter to win a copy of Vunce Upon a Time and the Count, Dagmar! board book. We’ll choose two winners at random from the comments and announce a winner on Thursday, October 27.

Happy Halloween!

Guinevere de la Mare
Community Manager