I stopped by this cafe two years ago after doing a Portraits for Paws shoot and was completely taken in by the warm inviting decor and the handmade ceramics that they were selling. The coffee was rich but expensive but I think worth it for those who preferred somewhere quiet and cozy where they can kill a few hours. 

A few weeks ago I discovered that Teahouse 23 closed. I checked their Wechat page and indeed they had a closing out sale way back in August. I'm hoping all those handmade ceramic plates, tea cups and bowls are now in good hands. 

 A few photos from that quick coffee stop, just a few months after China emerged from the first ever  COVID lockdown.

 

 

 

 “Then came the healing time, hearts started to shine, 

soul felt so fine, oh what a freeing time it was.”

― Aberjhani, Songs from the Black Skylark 

portraits, lifestyle photography

H is  a good fiend of mine and often gets caught in front of my camera because we spend a lot of time together. Strong-willed and definitely opinionated on the outside but a huge softy on the inside, she was the first one to sign up for the Spring Portrait for Paws sessions. Not a big surprise since she also loves dogs, although she has a love-hate relationship with our crazy pooch Tomas. 

We spent a short afternoon in the beginning of Spring as February was ending, just walking around her neighborhood which reminded me so much of the residential neighborhoods of Suzhou, with their meandering canals and bamboo groves. We ended the shoot with coffee at a newly opened Ble Patisserie which was just around the corner from their neighborhood. 

A few photos from that afternoon. 

S and K were my first #PortraitsforPaws couple. They reached out in the middle of fall, when we were a few months out of the lockdown of 2020 that froze the entire Mainland in time. 

But we were also hopeful. 

Out of lockdown the same problems remained especially at the shelter. I had kept in touch with XQ especially after  I bought the dog I rescued from the streets to the shelter. And her drive and all that she was doing inspired me to help out. It was so refreshing that other people were eager to do so, too. 

We started the session right off the gate, a few minutes of meeting them. We shared stories of our pets   (they have a Maine Coon adopted in Beijing) as we walked and as I clicked away. It felt like I was just catching up with friends who I just have happened to be meeting for the first time, which is exactly how I prefer the sessions to be. The good thing about meeting up with people who love animals is that you have something really positive to bond over, and that's your pets! 

It was a 30-minute walk around Jinshan Park, which was all sorts of colors of fall-- burnt orange, red and bright yellow leaves falling down and coating the ground with all that color. Despite the early fall chilI, it was a good day to take photos and for a good cause, too. 

lifestyle photography, couples, portraits, lifestyle photography, couples, portraits

A few shots from that day.