RIP Erica

Erica Hinson Denny created connections between people who would otherwise never know each other. She brought people together with her art, her rambunctiousness, and her spirit. After witnessing over 300 people lining up to pay their respects to Erica "Artfisch" Hinson Denny, I can say that for myself the most important thing for me to do to honor her, is to love the people that she loved no matter what and to continue to make fearless connections with people through love, art, and laughter. I feel so lucky to know the people that I do because of her. I love you Erica. I miss you.

Erica

My friend Erica is in the hospital. She suffered an asthma attack and passed out. Her husband gave her CPR until the ambulance got there, but her brain had already swelled and she was in a coma. She's been in a coma ever since Sunday and they are moving her to John Hopkins Hospital to get a second opinion on a not so great diagnosis of brain damage and swelling that won't go down. She can't breathe on her own.
The last time I saw Erica she was full of life and snapping photos of me at my wedding. It seems so unreal that she's lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life. Josh, her husband, called me today. He said that she seems like she can hear you when you talk to her and thinks she wants to come back. I think she wants to come back too. It just doesn't seem fair to her 5 children and all of the people that she has yet to meet.
Erica is a very talented photographer and artist and one of the most fearless people that I've ever met. Earlier this year I got to tattoo her and we got matching tattoos at the Baltimore Tattoo Convention. I hope that I can see her again.

Honeymoon N'at

So I'm back from my honeymoon. Key West is a wonderful little town and we had a great time. It is very darling and relaxed. The weather is amazing and the houses and atmosphere are fantastic. Mallory Square and the super tourist areas aren't so bad either. But after 5 days of our "relaxing" honeymoon (that means no boat tours or swimming with dolphins or voyages to the dry tortugas) we were both ready to come home! The highlight of the trip was the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. It was amazingly beautiful and the ocean was great. I snorkeled and we read and sunned ourselves for hours. Renting chairs and umbrellas cost you $30 and snorkeling equipment cost you another $10. With snacks and admission a day at the beach ends up costing you $50. Vacation is expensive!
We found ourselves really scrimping as the days went on and ended up eating at the awesome and affordable El Siboney many times. I've never really had Cuban food. They give you a basket of the most delicious buttered hot bread as soon as you sit down. I got a half of a garlic roasted chicken with yellow rice, black beans, and friend plaintains the first night. It was amazing and I couldn't eat it all. I would say that was my favorite meal of the trip.