Juicy? Check. Savory? Check. AMAZING?! Check. These are men who take their meat seriously.

It was a great time for the bride and groom’s families to meet, and for everyone to stuff themselves silly on Californian hospitality.

The French bread was toasted on the grill, then dunked in plenty of melted butter. It was insanely delicious.

Memo’s brother, David, drove a U-Haul all the way from California with the family grill and a load of firewood.

Wedding guests came in from near (the Tri-Cities) and far (Nevada).

Memo and Kristin’s daughter, Gali, 8, sits with Grandpa Jack.

Memo’s extended family came up from California for the wedding. Memo’s dad, Javier (wearing apron), supervised the grilling.

Kristin’s mom, Karleen, has had a busy summer, with two weddings between her three children.

Memo’s uncle Carlos made an amazing fresh salsa.

Memo serves up pieces of tri-tip to his brother-in-law, Scott, and uncle-in-law, Mike.

Kristin’s stepmom, Chris.

Karleen passes around a platter with two kinds of cake, baked by her niece Amy.

Ethan pauses to give Princess Kitty a rub. Gali says Princess Kitty has lived up to her name.

I’ve included some information about the art from the SAM site below. Serra’s work is especially nice to experience. Walking through, I always feel like I’m moving through a school of fish.

Richard Serra, Wake, 2004

For Richard Serra, space is a substance as tangible as sculpture. He uses materials and scale to alter perception and to engage the body, encouraging consciousness of our relation to space. The towering, curved-steel forms of Wakewere achieved with computer imaging and machines that manufacture ship hulls, including a demilitarized machine that once made French nuclear submarines. Wake is composed of five identical modules, each with two S-shaped sections positioned in inverted relation to one another—gently curving serpentines of convex and concave parts that suggest tidal waves or profiles of battleships. The surface of acid-washed, weatherproof steel reinforces this industrial effect. Wake’s powerful silhouette belies a complex configuration of parts; the whole cannot be known at once, but can only be experienced with movement and in time.

The breeze was giving Ian a styling new ‘do.

In July, the admissions department took a tour with the park’s gardener. (Hands down, the best staff meeting yet!) Bobby described the challenge of keeping the grass looking lush, despite park’s all-organic mandate and the hundreds of dogs relieving themselves at the park each day. Not easy. He does a fantastic job, though, and there was nary a suspicious brown circle in the grass at the amphitheater.

The tall di Suvero in the meadow is one of Allison’s favorites.

Mark di Suvero, Bunyon’s Chess, 1965

The criss crossing steel beams of Mark di Suvero’s Bunyon’s Chess operate like broad brushstrokes drawn in space, a vocabulary that was radically new in sculpture at the time it was made. The artist’s first private commission, Bunyon’s Chess was created specifically for outdoor presentation in Seattle and makes wood a prominent element—a counterpoint to the structure of stainless steel. Di Suvero’s interest in sculpture’s kinetic qualities, inspired by Alexander Calder, and the artist’s use of found objects have remained constants in his career. His numerous public and private commissions, often monumental in scale, are sited worldwide.

And here’s the gazillion-dollar view. It’s amazing that this prime piece of waterfront real estate is now a public sculpture park – with free admission. The Calder’s one of my favorites: it looked great when it stood in front of the Asian Art Museum and it looks just as lovely silhouetted against these Puget Sound sunsets.

Alexander Calder, Eagle, 1971

A third-generation American sculptor, Alexander Calder studied mechanical engineering before studying art. While in Paris in the 1920s and 30s, Calder developed two distinctive genres of sculpture: mobiles, or sculptures that move, and stabiles, which are still. Eagle, created at a time when Calder was recognized as one of the world’s greatest sculptors, reveals the artist’s distinctive combination of pragmatism and poetry. Architectural in its construction and scale, Eagle displays its curving wings, assertive stance and pointy beak in a form that is weightless, colorful and abstract.

Thanks, Allison and Ian, for being such awesome models (after a long day at work, too). Hope you enjoy these pictures!

She’s got two doting parents, Kristina and Brandon, and more toys than some kids. At Volunteer Park, Sadie was beside herself with all the people around her playing soccer and Frisbee, and the squirrels and crows to stalk. At one-and-a-half, she’s got tons of energy and loves to play.

Kristina’s always wanted a pet, but her parents wouldn’t let her have one growing up. (Too much work!) Her mom even tried to talk her out of getting Sadie, but now Sadie’s grown on her.

Sadie’s favorite toys are balls, Frisbees and new people. When she meets a new person, her tail wags so hard her back legs bounce back and forth too.

Brandon wanted a dog who would fetch, and fetching is Sadie’s speciality. Even if she misses the catch and the ball smacks her face, she doesn’t seem to mind.

High five!

I love the geometric pattern of Olivia’s dress against Serra’s Wake.

Doesn’t she have the prettiest eyes?

Congratulations, Billy and Olivia!

I met Kristin and Memo for a shoot at Seattle Center. There is so much warmth and love in these pictures you would never think it was a 58 degree day in July. (Yay, Seattle.) Believe it or not, there were tons of kids in bathing suits running around the fountain. Brr!

They look absolutely perfect together.

A fragrant sprig of rosemary at the base of the Space Needle.

 LOVE Memo’s glasses.

The gum wall in Post Alley (even grosser close up).

Victor Steinbrueck Park, with a view of West Seattle.

The fountain at Westlake Plaza.

Rachel, the bronze piggy bank at Pike Place.

By 7 p.m., Pike Place was emptied of its usual hordes of tourists. Love the texture of the brick road.

Monica sweet-talked us up to a rooftop deck with a perfect view of the market.

 Congrats, Monica and Jason!

Yuli lives in Eugene, and I hardly ever get to see her anymore. Chris and I were in Portland for the weekend, so we met up in Hillsboro, where Jon lives and works.

The beautiful garden and that big bank of windows? We’re shooting inside Intel!

The interior of Intel has the warmth of a hospital and the charm of corporate America. But Yuli and Jon look so cute together you’d think Intel was the most romantic place on Earth.

 Clarification: Jon and Yuli are not engaged. But I think they should be!

I was so honored Jing asked me to shoot her wedding in Boston this past weekend. I flew out a day early and did an engagement shoot at Harvard, where the wedding would be held.

Jing and Peter have been together since they were both undergrads at Cornell. They probably hold a record for long-distance phone calls, between her medical school, his working in Taiwan, her residency and his graduate degree. These two were meant to be!

The campus is so classic, so historic. I saw places I wanted to shoot everywhere I looked. Peter is graduating Thursday from Harvard with his master’s — it’s a busy week for him, to say the least.

The Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts was designed by the French architect Le Corbusier. Peter, an architecture major undergrad, especially wanted some pictures with this building.

One of their favorite places is the Charles River, where they like to go sailing.

I’m so glad I had the extra day to do this shoot and spend time with my dear friend and her hubby. They make the cutest couple!

Monique and Tedd introduced me to the best secret dim sum place in Seattle. Secret, because it’s a little-known hole-in-the-wall where we never have to wait for a table. (I loved you, Jade Garden, but really, an hour in line?)

The tricky part of this shoot was getting Tedd in the frame with Monique.

 Monique has the best smile, and she uses it often!

After making these pictures, we headed to — where else? — dim sum.

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