1. On your blog you’ve confessed to being a big fan of New York City. Why is this particular “urban jungle” so special to you?
The city is special to me in a million little ways: I love that every trip to the city is different; even if I were to do the exact same itinerary on every visit, each trip would still be different. Actually, I kind of have a “NYC routine” – I always visit the Union Square farmers market on Saturday morning, I love to go for a walk down the Literary Walk in Central Park on Sunday morning (stay to the right while you’re walking and look for Jim Henson’s bench!). Doing those things never get old. I also love the anonymity of the city. When I’m there, I can just wander (sometimes solo, sometimes with my husband in town). No one bothers me, I can be as “plugged in” to my life back home as I want and everyone just goes about their business. Also, I’m a photographer at heart and there isn’t a single inch of the city that isn’t worth photographing.
2. Please reveal some of the most unique spots you’ve discovered while photographing New York that you would recommend others to see.
There’s this little spot in Central Park which is kind of out of the way and is just lovely. Enter the park at 59th Street just across the Plaza Hotel and take a left along the first path you come to. As you wander along, you’ll eventually come to a few benches, which look out over the pond. There’s a little stone bridge and it’s just the perfect place to sit and think. If you continue along the path, staying to the right, you’ll find a little mini-waterfall!
It’s a bit touristy, but nothing beats walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s free (which is amazing in New York City) and, in the summer, one of the coolest spots on the island. I see a lot of other visitors walking the bridge as well, mixing in with the New Yorkers who use it as a commuting route on a daily basis. Take your time walking across (you can make it in about 20 minutes if you’re in a hurry), and when you get to the Brooklyn side, head on down to Brooklyn Bridge Park to enjoy views of this architectural wonder.
3. You’ve mentioned on your blog that you enjoy fancy coffee drinks. What are your top five coffee shops around NY and why are they worth to mention?
Would you believe I actually don’t have any good coffee places to recommend in New York? I usually grab hot apple cider from the Breezy Hill Orchard booth at the Union Square farmers market and sometimes a cup of coffee from a street vendor. My favorite fancy coffee in New York? Probably comes from the Library Hotel at 41st and Madison – they have a 24 hour cappuccino maker!
4. In one of your posts you’ve said that you love climbing on something tall to take photos of the views. Which of the photos you took are the most special to you and why?
On my honeymoon, we spent a day in Florence. While wander the city’s narrow streets, we came upon the famous Duomo church. Instead of waiting in the long line to climb the hundreds of stairs to the top of the dome, we decided to climb the 431 steep stone stairs to the top of the bell tower. A bit out of shape, my heart was pounding through my chest, but once we reached the top, it was amazing: you could see 360 degrees across the red roofs of Florence. From that moment on, we agreed that climbing something tall is almost always worth the view you get at the top.
5. How much time do you spend behind the lens when you’re on a journey?
I honestly have no idea. My camera, whether it just be my iPhone or my full DSLR kit, is always with me. If something catches my eye, I’ll always stop and take a photo, no matter in how much of a hurry I might be in. Sometimes, like during a 2008 trip to Chicago, I plan a photo excursion. On that trip, I knew I wanted to get up at the crack of dawn to photograph the Cloud Gate sculpture at sunrise, before the crowds moved in. My husband stood out in the cold with me for about 30 minutes, while I shot the huge mirrored bean.
6. On your website christinasaullphotography.com you’ve mentioned Old Town Alexandria. Why is this your favorite place to shoot?
Old Town is my neighborhood! Last year my husband and I bought a house just north of there (in an equally cute place called Del Ray) and I love walking the historic streets. These are the streets that George Washington worked and lived on! The church we were married in – the first Catholic Church in Virginia – is in Old Town, as is the place where we got engaged. It’s a very special place to me and it’s such an added bonus that it’s an awesome place to photograph. The history of the buildings, the million-dollar homes, the cobblestone streets – it all makes for amazing photos.
7. In your opinion, what makes a perfect traveling experience?
When everything goes right. No matter where you’re going, from the beach to the big city, nothing ruins a trip faster than things going wrong. That and trying new things: I love new experiences, especially if they’re related to food (the newest thing I’ve tried? an amazing duck meatloaf at Gramercy Tavern in New York City – my first ever piece of meatloaf!)
8. On your blog you’ve dedicated a small section to trains. Why travel by train? What are the ups and downs of this way of traveling?
I love the train. There are the practical reasons: you can get to the train station 15 minutes before boarding, grab a sandwich and a huge bottle of water, and just get on and choose your seat. During the ride, you can use the Internet and make phone calls. When you get off the train (especially in New York or DC), you’re right in the middle of the city.
But I also love the scenery, the slowness of train travel. My favorite train trip to date was between Seattle and Vancouver. We rolled slowly north along the Puget Sound and the views were just amazing. Even when just going to New York, I often find myself just looking out the window, watching the trees go by.
I’ll admit that there are some downsides: sometimes the train is delayed (but so are planes!). It’s not cheap, especially in the Northeaster Corridor where tickets can run upwards of $250 round trip during peak times.
9. Your blog fans know that you are passionate about cruises. What are the cruises you’ve been on that surprised you in a good way?
I’ve been on five cruises and am absolutely convinced this is the most relaxing way to vacation. Two stand out: a few years ago, we cruised out of Baltimore on the Enchantment of the Seas up to New England and Canada. We stopped in Portland, Maine; Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; St. John, New Brunswick; and Boston, MA. It was such a different cruise and a different way to vacation, which is what made it fun. The other cruise that stands out is the 10-day Caribbean cruise we went on for our joint 30th birthdays last spring on the Celebrity Equinox. Celebrity offered a level of service which we had never experienced before and every day on that cruise was fantastic. I got to spend my 30th birthday on a ship in the middle of the ocean, sitting on real grass reading a book, with a glass of wine in my hand!
10. When in a new place do you plan your stay in advance or do you just savor the moment?
I’m a huge, huge planner. I like lists: lists of things to do, lists of restaurants that are recommended and definitely have the perfect hotel booked in advance. The last time I didn’t do this (I was so busy at work, the trip just kind of snuck up on us) – last fall when we visited Montreal – we didn’t have nearly as good of a time. We spent a lot of time guessing where we should eat, what we should do and it ended up being a lot more touristy than either of us had hoped. So for our next trip, back to obsessive planning! The only place I don’t plan? NYC. She’s my old standby.
11. What are your top three favorite places around the world?
1. Barbados (my Dad lived there for four years as an American expat and I’ve been there seven times).
2. New York City.
3. It’s a tie between coastal Maine and the cobblestone streets of Florence.
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