Caption of Leila Thompson
Hey there! Oh, you won’t believe the day I had.
I just had to catch you up on all the vibrant things I experienced today! Picture this: I kick off my morning stepping into this Culinary Loft in the West Village. The place was literally alive with colors and aromas dancing around, and, you know me, I was practically vibrating with excitement even before we began.
The whole workshop was this beautiful blend of art and cooking. Seriously, it was like being back in art class, but with a twist. Just imagine those radiant fuchsia radishes and sunny saffron lines laid out—little swatches of flavor creating a culinary runway! I found myself rolling pasta as if it were silk, crafting each fold with the care I normally reserve for my gowns.
And, get this, we were blending Japanese fusion with traditional styles—much like fashion’s take on mixing seasons and eras. So naturally, I dove into combining spicy tuna tartare with daikon, giving it my own Tokyo-inspired flourish. The whole act of plating was a performance, reminding me of layering fabrics for a show, each piece finding its place in harmony. It was a culinary symphony, and I was all in.
Then, later in the day, I found myself in the meditation studio back in Brooklyn, transitioning from bustling flavors to serene canvases. The music there—a mix of soft winds and chimes—just washed over me, each stroke of color I painted felt so much more deliberate and real. I was fully present, letting the art take its own shape across time and space. There’s something deeply soothing about abstract strokes meeting harmonizing sounds, wouldn’t you agree?
Honestly, being in that creative cocoon made me think of you. The way we’ve always been able to see art and life as interconnected threads, each tug teaching us something profound. I was merging these past influences—like threads of Seattle’s greener soft spaces and the fast-pace snapshots of Tokyo—into every brushstroke, letting memories manifest on the canvas. It was incredibly grounding.
Oh, and you’ll get a kick out of what came next! Luca and I went sailing along the Hudson, just as the city was wrapping itself up in golden hour hues. The skyline glowing like it only does once a day—it’s that same breathtaking view you never get tired of.
Luca captured some incredible shots, and I was snapping away too, trying to frame the city, the light, and this unspoken moment of peace. It was like painting in real time with light instead of paint. I think some shots might even inspire the details for my next collection!
Anyway, it was this seamless melody of colors, light, and laughter. We ended up daydreaming and discussing everything from hues to stories behind each photographic capture, noting how the bridges, sky, and water told stories of their own. The interplay of textures and colors against the silty water was just enchanting. And I just realized how much I’ve missed these unplanned moments of creative exchanges. It genuinely stirs something within me!
I need to tell you about this improv workshop I did with Theo in San Francisco; it was a complete rollercoaster! We slipped into this whimsical world where every idea was a possibility, and let me tell you, stepping into improv from fashion design—it’s like going from sketching a silhouette to dancing with it in three dimensions!
Theo, with his quick wit, had us all in stitches. There I was, trying to keep a straight face while he’s over here, being a tech inventor, showcasing the quirkiest futuristic garment. Picture me, playing this skeptical fashionista, practically rolling my eyes as he pitched this crazy holographic raincoat. I mean, come on! The entire room was caught up in our little drama, and we were just feeding off the energy of it.
Have you ever noticed how liberating it feels when creativity collides in the most unexpected ways? I swear, as we wrapped up these last scenes, it felt like each persona we’d crafted left a trace of inspiration in the air. I couldn’t help but think about bringing some of these free-form ideas into my designs.
Oh, before I lose this train of thought, let me jump back to an early evening with Luca! We’re out on this ferry ride during the golden hour, and it’s spectacular. The city, bathed in glowing hues, just serenaded us with the kind of skyline beauty you only appreciate when you’ve got nowhere else to be. We had these moments where our laughter skated over the waves, and suddenly, everything felt like it aligned perfectly.
It’s fascinating how the camera sees things we often overlook. Luca captured a reflection so stunning, it was like the Hudson River itself turned into a shimmering runway, and I couldn’t help but think how perfect it would be to capture that in a fabric design. While we shared views through our respective lenses, I kept seeing parallels with our projects – the way his culinary skills blend elements as instinctually as I layer textures with fabric.
This whole day felt like a long medley of artistic expression. My mind kept wandering back to our sound meditation earlier; it’s like that session planted a seed somewhere in my brain, offering quiet yet profound insights woven between different threads of creativity. It’s no wonder we felt at peace when we finished our sail—a sense of completion but also an eagerness for even more artistic exploration.
Theo was right when he suggested embracing new forms of artistic expression. I never thought improv would feel so connected to designing. Oh, and I might’ve gotten a bit carried away with ideas for a new collection inspired by today’s events—so watch this space!
Tonight, I had this idea while sailing with Luca—something that seemed to blend sailing, photography, and our improv fun into a single swirling kaleidoscope of insight.
I found myself standing on the ferry’s bow, feeling the cool evening breeze dance through my hair, and it hit me—the way the light reflects off the water and transforms the cityscape into this sparkling tapestry is not so different from the improvisation Theo and I were doing in San Francisco. Both experiences are about capturing the moment, creating something entirely new from what appears to be chaos. And isn’t it wild how one creative endeavor can inspire another? I’m contemplating weaving these reflections into my designs, possibly playing with shimmering materials that reflect light just like the Hudson’s surface.
Luca, meanwhile, was a master at spotting those intimate moments of beauty amidst the grand views. He captured more than just images; he caught snippets of stories that unfolded between the city and the river, between each gust of wind and the gentle rocking of our ferry. It made me think of how our shared creative moments—a photograph, an improv scene, or a newly designed outfit—are layered tapestries of our experiences and narratives. We talked about how sometimes it’s those little exchanges of creative sparks that transform into entire collections or culinary masterpieces. It’s just fascinating to think about.
Speaking of improvised creativity, my mind keeps circling back to the abstraction session earlier. I remember the liberation of letting the brush take off on its own journey during meditation and how that same sense of exploration was felt during the improv session. At one point, I recall Theo pretending to juggle imaginary cupcakes—yes, cupcakes!—while I debated the functionality of an over-the-top, entirely impractical fashion accessory. The laughter, the spontaneity, it breathed life into the creative process—a parallel to how I can’t wait for these concepts, still swirling in my mind like colors on canvas, to settle into the next collection.
But you know me, I’m full of these revelations, and I couldn’t help but muse over the interplay between fashion, art, and culinary expression today. How these realms converge, using improvisation and creative sparks from the unexpected—it’s a bit magical, don’t you think? Just like our chat the other day about stargazing, where we speculated on stories beyond the stars, or Luca’s culinary storytelling earlier with a hint of whimsy. These experiences are less about the end product and more about the beautifully chaotic journey.
There’s a thrill that comes with layering ideas—where fashion meets possibility, where textures suggest stories yet to be told. It’s like weaving a varied thread into this giant, perpetually changing creative fabric. I’m already picturing some conceptual designs popping up, inspired by all these moments. What if I took the loose vitality of those improv evenings and tangled them with subtle metallic threads to reflect sunset shadows? Or, maybe, borrowed the abstract richness from the paintings and translated them into fabric drapes?
Seeing these different mediums—cooking, improv, meditation, and photography—all coexist today really affirmed how our experiences shape our passions. Every moment bears its own potential to surprise, to stir, to evolve into something entirely unexpected. And tonight’s the perfect canvas to let all of these influences simmer before sifting through them for new inspirations tomorrow.
But anyway, we can totally brainstorm together next time we meet up.
