Mr. Mustard Is in Your Place

Homage to Todd Selby

Keeping Debabelized

Keeping Symposium 2011 Debabelized

Bilingual Executive Assistant for Alltech's Director of Latin America Carla Woodley makes the rounds. In the translation booth: Maria Cecilia Navas, of Columbia, and Angelica Marquez, of Venezuela. (Photo by Mick Jeffries)

This is an article I wrote for Alltech's blog during their 27th Alltech Symposium, which was attended by over 2200 people from around the world and at least 400 non-English speakers. I was fascinated by Alltech's ongoing commitment to accomodate this segment of their client base by offering state-of-the-art translation services each year. So I wrote this article for their blog, thinking others might be similarly interested.

By Mick Jeffries

You don't have to know Carla Woodley to know that she speaks your language. And if not, she can definitely find somebody who does.

Woodley, the Bilingual Executive Assistant for Alltech's Director of Latin America is one of the principal coordinators of theSymposium's world class (literally) real-time translation services. A native of Panama who grew up in Texas, she's worked in this capacity for Alltech for over five years and helps coordinate a staff of nearly two dozen translators who keep the Symposium's international audience speaking the same language…. continue reading on Alltech's blog

the new HOme of Tolly Ho with @profkakie

Arco Arena (Midland Mix)

Some kitchen-sink studio good times with my man, Logan, the author of quite a few other such video songs. I officially deem this: A Fun Way to Spend One's Time.

Thanks, Logan!

Lucy Fairey, May 2011

Lucy Fairey, May 2011
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

One of my favorite portraits of my lovely wife, Miss Lucy Points of Lexington, that I've thus far made.

(in front of Shepard Fairey artwork in Cincinnati)

Elvis Costello at the Taft in Cincinnati

Anybody who would consider buying this book … might very well need it.

Leading Women 2011 outtakes and commentary

The Flickr set pictured above collects images from one of my favorite photography projects for Business Lexington magazine: Leading Women of Central Kentucky, the 2011 edition.

It's always a hustle — arranging 20 shoots, conceiving frames, and sorting and choosing afterwards. Along the way I always meet some of the most amazing people, doing wonderful things in Kentucky. This is my 3rd year doing this series and it's more delightful every time.

See the published series with accompanying articles in Business Lexington magazine.

For that leisurely sophisticate who's too embarrassed to wear a watch but not too embarrassed to wear really ugly bracelets.

Olive

Jahi Chikwendiu on WRFL Trivial Thursdays

One Door Opens…

I admire my friend Travis because he's such an incredible scrapper. He's always finding amazing cast-offs, salvage, etc. and then building even more amazing things out of what he finds. I was channeling Travis when I spotted these solid wood doors discarded into my neighbors' yard and headed for the landfill. The landfill! Some of them actually have glass knobs. 

But the real hope is that I can continue to channel my friend and turn this unexpected bounty into the walls of the über-cool yard shed that Lucy and I have been meaning to build for years. These doors are that shed!

Maybe something like this, perhaps? OK, maybe not quite that big.

Leading Women!

Mission accomplished! For the third year, I've been delighted to make 20 portraits for Business Lexington magazine. Please have a look at this year's Leading Women of Central Kentucky! 

Coming soon: a gallery of the shoots and a few alternate shots. ..

my guest Kate & I gaze lovingly on her Apollo Mission collectors' glasses as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Space Program on Trivial Thursdays on WRFL!

Freedom 7 Fifty Years Later

I have always, my entire life, loved the US space program. Indeed, it's easily the closest that I could ever come to being construed as "a patriot." As a child, I spent untold hours poring over every word, every illustration, every World Book Encyclopedia entry I could find about astronauts and space exploration. That love has never particularly diminished and as far as I'm concerned the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions may well be the coolest things that the US has ever done, as an entity.

Fifty years ago today, all that magic started with a 15-minute journey by Alan Shepard, the first American (and second human) in space, perched atop a Redstone rocket in the Mercury capsule named Freedom 7. Which didn't have a window, by the way.

According to Gene Kranz in his book, Failure Is Not an Option, "When reporters asked Shepard what he thought about as he sat atop the Redstone rocket, waiting for liftoff, he had replied, 'The fact that every part of this ship was built by the low bidder.'"

Fortunately, the US space program has been well documented. One of the finest films I've seen is the Discovery Channel's 6-part series When We Left Earth, which is comprised entirely of NASA footage and interviews. It's awe-inspiring. Those looking for a more dramatic portrayal (though still largely accurate) need look no further than The Right Stuff, based on Tom Wolfe's book, and featuring some of the best casting imaginable. Finally, for a more cerebral take on the Apollo missions, the documentary For All Mankind (with a soundtrack by Brian Eno) is sublime, haunting, mysterious and beautiful.

I doubt I'll ever tire of these accounts of a time when our national goals and achievements were a little more — sorry — starry-eyed than they seem today. And really, John Kennedy said it much better, one year and one week after Freedom 7 at Rice University.


(the entire legendary 17-minute speech)

Not Making Pasta. Making Portrait.

My last shoot for Business Lexington's "Leading Women of Central Kentucky 2011" portrait series was a family kitchen shoot. If I hadn't been thoroughly occupied trying to frame a shot, I probably would have taken my subject, Laura Boison, up on her offer to try my hand at rolling out some pasta. Look for her — not me — and the complete series in the upcoming issue. http://www.bizlex.com )

Top of the Town Hard at Work

One of the things that I love about shooting the "Leading Women of Central KY" series (and really portraiture in general) is that the assignments take me to places I might otherwise never visit. Before last week, I'd been inside Lexington's skyline-defining Kincaid Tower once ever. Last week: Four times. It's absolutely mesmerizing to study this town's growth and architecture from the 23rd floor corner office. Pictured: looking for the light and setting a frame for Doris Bentson, President of the Langeley Group. Full series will appear in the next edition of Business Lexington magazine. http://www.bizlex.com

Begley & the Beast

An impromptu portrait of an old friend and his incredible vintage tried-and-true Land Rover. Hummer owners: this is your cue to exit with your tails between your legs.

The Amazing Blanton's KY Derby "Easter Egg"

Blanton's bottles feature a random selection of racehorse tops which together form the path of a derby racehorse — from gate to finish line. Excellent design. And a very cool Easter Egg.

Buffalo Trace Warehouse

Fermentation: Weird and natural!

Had an absolutely delightful visit to Buffalo Trace Distillery for a tour — five years after having gotten married there. Lucy and I offered the tour as an option for guests at our wedding but … we never got to take it! And now I know that it's fantastic.

I was in awe of these epic fermentation tanks; this is where bourbon starts: as a froth of fizzing grains and water. It was fairly impressive to glance over, but it became astonishing when I came to understand that this froth was not being circulated mechanically and was not being heated. It was moving entirely on its own, due to a giant chemical reaction going on over the course of about five days.

To me this was inspirational, bordering on spiritual. For all the badmouthing booze gets, it's pretty nature-approved. Hell, it's easier and more holistic to make mead or wine than it is to make Coca-Cola. So people — shut up and have a drink.

Buffalo Trace uses these fermenting tanks to produce over a dozen celebrated brands of bourbon. If you're into bourbon, or spirits distillation, or if you just love a good "factory" tour, this one's well worth your time. I plan on doing the tour again and maybe again. It was that interesting to me. Oh — here's some photos.

Also, this reminded me that it's time to get busy reading Wild Fermentation and seeing what kinds of kitchen experiments can come of it.