The Day Our Eyes Became Art

Your guide to getting your iris's photographed, piers, and bibimbap

Morning

Tuesday was supposed to be the coldest day of the week. And by “coldest,” I mean Florida-cold — the low 60s, which is practically winter for us. I started my morning by burrowing in my sheets, playing a little game of peekaboo with the chill in the air.

I recently got a kitten, so the morning quickly turned into a snuggle-and-play session with Batilda. Crisp air, soft blankets, a warm little fur ball with the tiniest paws and sharpest teeth… It was the sweetest, coziest way to start the day.

My kitten, Batilda aka Bat

Once I finally got up, I got ready for the day. Troy had a couple things to take care of first, and then we were heading to St. Pete to get our irises photographed. I had thrifted a couple jackets recently and was thrilled to style them, so by 9 a.m. I was already having a grand time.

I was especially enthusiastic about iris photography. I’m so in love with Troy’s eyes, and the idea of having our irises photographed and combined into a half-and-half image felt so intimate and exciting. Troy showed me a keychain of half and half eyes which is how we found out about this place, but I couldn’t find many details about options and the process, so I went into the experience pretty blind—but super eager.

St. Pete is about an hour away, so we hopped in the car and immediately found the nearest Dunkin’. Even in the “frigid” (I’m dramatic, I know) morning, we stuck to our usual orders: a pumpkin spice latte for him (no whip, less ice) and my beloved Dunkalatte.

When we arrived, we took a short walk along the St. Pete Pier. I love piers in general—the stretch into the water, the sense of being surrounded by the sea—so I never pass up the chance. We wandered until the chill started to sink in a bit too much and then headed back to the car, ready to warm up and head to the studio.

Photography

We went to Iris Photo Gallery and had such a wonderful experience! I was shocked by how quick the whole process was. We walked in and were greeted immediately by a welcoming gentleman, who offered us something to drink and explained all the photography and art options. I already knew I wanted our irises combined, but there were plenty of beautiful solo options too.

Then we sat at the little photography setup, and it really did feel like a fast, painless pitstop. My favorite part was seeing the photos immediately after they were taken. He shows you three lighting options and makes sure you’re happy with them. He even offers to photograph your other eye if you prefer the design. I didn’t expect to have a “favorite” of Troy’s eyes, but apparently I do.

The whole thing took maybe 20 minutes, and then we were off to dinner.

(my favorite part of his eye: the small cluster on the bottom of the brown)

We chose a 10x10 metal wall print for $125, though they had everything from necklaces and keychains to larger wall art. There was even a stunning glass piece—but definitely out of our budget for now.

Dinner

We headed to Hawkers and had one of the best meals we’ve had in a long time. Hawkers is such a fun spot—great for sharing, and dishes come out as they’re ready. We started with pork belly bao buns, which were actually what drew me there the first time. I’ve been chasing the perfect bao bun ever since having the dreamiest ones in New York, and Hawkers did not disappoint: thick pork belly, pickled mustard greens, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and brown sugar.

Next up were the Spiced Lamb Street Skewers: ground lamb with cumin, coriander, fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, plus spring onion ginger aioli and chuan jerk rub. My ideal method was dipping the skewer in the aioli and then pressing it gently into the rub. We’re still talking about this dish—it’s a must-try.

Then we ordered the Bibimbap. A couple months ago we binge-watched Culinary Wars on Netflix,and got obsessed with all the dishes. So many of the chefs were making bibimbap that we had to try it once we saw it on the menu. It was a no-brainer. It was incredible: bulgogi steak and tofu with kimchi, pickles, bean sprouts, veggies, crispy rice, gochujang, and a fried egg on top. Pure perfection.

I wish this place were closer to me, it’s the perfect place to go grab a drink and a bite with friends. The environment is set up to loose your time there. While most places feel as if turnover is more important then memories, I can tell the walls are thick with joyous memories.

We ended the evening with a walk on the pier at sunset to perfectly wrap up the evening. I loved walking out into the darkening water and turning around to see the sun soak in the buildings where I just spent a lovely day. I felt like I was watching the end of a film, like the day was telling me “the end” in such a poetic way.