This morning, we wake up to the sad news that Muhammad–elder, neighbor, friend, formidable chess player, and beloved member of The Photo Gallery community–passed away in the night. Was it just a couple of weeks ago we were filming a scene in the caravanserai courtyard for The Sound We See? Was it just a few […]

Bukhara’s Sunday flea market is what you might call an immersive experience… it’s not so much the overwhelming amount of stuff but more that the vendors themselves somehow become one with the stuff. Layering on some gorgeous gifts from Shavkat, I feel the appeal!

A day in which we attend a tree planting, tour a school, explore the Muslim cemetery, meet some city goats, ride the world’s slowest ferris wheel, pick up some fresh pomegranate juice at the bazaar, are spontaneously invited into a “home museum” in the Iranian section of town dedicated to a family of accomplished Jewish […]

It’s one of those brisk sunny late autumn days perfect for walking… We head over to the French Cultural Center Isteza, located in a tiny madrasah with a fascinating history, to meet with our new friend Irina and learn (en français!) about the Center’s diverse resources and programming including an exhibition by another Irina, this […]

The t-shirts are assembled and the certificates are made, the musicians have rehearsed and the plov is cooked, the caravanserai is swept, the tv crew has interviewed everybody and the crowd–filmmakers, music makers, cooks, chess players, journalists, artists, artisans, architects, curators, parents, a baby and Bars the Cat–has gathered in The Photo Gallery… the time […]

Too excited to sleep!

Happy Birthday, Baba! You met your soulmate later in life, traveled the world with him well into your ’90s, aged into beauty and strength doing just what you wanted to do after taking care of everybody else, and never gave a damn what other people thought. As a kid, I was mesmerized by the big […]

If you love tile, if you love blue, Samarkand is the place for you! There’s the Registan of course, but the greatest hits also includes Gur E Amir (Timur’s Mausoleum), Bibi Khanym Mosque (biggest in Central Asia!) and Shahi Zinda (my personal favorite and apparently I’m not the only one who feels this way…). Even […]

It’s the day of the Samarkand Half Marathon, the streets are closed to traffic, and runners of all shapes and ages from all over the place have converged on the city to give it their best shot. As former marathoners ourselves (one and done for me on that!), we love to watch bodies in motion […]

The SWS: Bukhara is completed and passed along to the musicians so it’s a good time to do a little exploring! Samarkand is the obvious choice… jewel of the Silk Road, “garden of the soul.” one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia (founded 7th century BC), historic center of the Tajik people, […]