I’m back for the summer with a new series y’all! Inspired in part Wes Anderson’s famous cinematic color palettes, “Saturated Summer” is an organized visual diary and colorized love letter dedicated to the various adventures had on my first trip home from college. Though each picture started out as merely a casual iPhone-documented moment from my day-to-day life, these snaps stand out when paired with other photos that share the same hue. Hopefully these simple photo-grids will help preserve what it felt like to be a young adult finding the comforts of familiarity again, and also allow you to experience these few and fruitful months with me in a small, yet meaningful capacity.
Bet no one could’ve guessed I would start this series with black and white! I thought I’d start out with the combo of colors (or for better words, the lack there of) that I have come to be most frequently known for. And to be quite honest, it was also the easiest to start with, since I already had enough pictures for this unsaturated set right off the bat (oops). So without further ado, allow me to explain how every featured photo found its way to me.
1. Hopefully when you see this, it’s not immediately obvious that I had just hiked up and down the grueling, windy, photogenic terrain of Turtle Hill. Despite being somehow both cold and sweaty simultaneously, I had just bought the satin bomber jacket from Goodwill and was feeling my oats against this random white house in the Sunset. Let me live!!
2. If you know me well, you probably know that for a while now I have been a huge fan of monochrome marble and granite utilized in design (which doesn’t sound pretentious AT ALL). Often, my obsession is expressed through me taking awkward, up-close shots of buildings that share this aesthetic, as seen here in Dogpatch.
3. In one of my first trips to Oakland, my close friend and I became urban explorers and discovered up-and-coming Temescal Alley, tucked away in the northern part of town. Hidden amongst an old fashion barber shop, coffee roaster and music workshop was the breakfast of my New Yorker dreams –– donuts (duh). Doughnut Dolly specializes in filled pastries, and included the captivating experience watching your donut being filled to order with a cream of your choice. I personally went with a vanilla and a peanut butter, and had time to snap this default “food held downwards, above shoes” pic before disgustingly scarfing down two donuts before 9 am. Nothing like a balanced breakfast amiright?
4. I simply thought this card in the window of a toy store was endearingly funny and accurate, so I snapchatted it. Knowing myself, I probably originally captioned it “me as hell” or something of that nature.
5. Last month, I visited the tiniest art gallery I’d ever stepped foot in. The temporary space in Potrero Hill consisted of photos and artwork done by young artists –– almost all of who happened friends of friends or people I’d heard of through Instagram. Instead of taking a straightforward photo of the pieces, I opted to mix it up and show a hint of the work through the reflection.
6. One of my favorite neighborhood spots, General Store, is a Mecca for all handicraft and local goods you wish you owned but still can’t justify purchasing. Alongside the expensive quarterly magazines, vintage clothes, cute greeting cards, and the greenhouse out back I found these aesthetically pleasing, clay pieces hanging up –– their true purpose, unknown yet open to interpretation.
7. If you’ve followed either mine or my best friend Gaby’s Instagram for a good while, you most likely recognize this wall. This Clarion Alley mural has been a consistent background for countless outfit pics –– even way back when we used to regrettably hashtag our posts with #OOTD –– and iconic selfies.
8. Overall self explanatory, recognizing my past history as a serial boba drinker. Everytime I order the classic Horchata Boba from Boba Guys in the Mission, something always persuades me to take a quick pic of my drink held against their adorable and minimalistic anteater logo.
And last, but certainly not least…
9. While in the Haight, my friend and I stumbled upon this horribly drawn graffiti scrawled onto the side of a building. We each took turns posing in front of it, me choosing to obviously show off my new culottes (gotta prove they’re pants and not a skirt!) while closing my eyes –– with some peace signs thrown up for good measure.
Be back next week for a new color and set of adventures!
