Today's the day

If Amazon.com is telling the truth, I am going to be the proud owner of a mini trampoline today.

Expect to see lots of shots of 12 1/2 year olds flying through the air.

I am glad I get a chance to put my liability insurance to good use.

Best Ice Cream Truck - Van Leeuwen

 As the warm weather creeps back into our lives, thoughts turn to ice cream.

I scream,
you scream,
lets face it, we ALL scream,

Van Leeuwen is an unpronounceable Brooklyn hipster/foodie favorite. And it is for good reason.  Their signature flavor is vanilla!

It tastes just like Duncan Hines frosting. 

It is like a horrible guilty pleasure on a cone.

They have a truck.  It would be a chic addition to any summer party, especially if the colors are pale yellow and yummy.

http://www.vanleeuwenicecream.com/

Lions, and Tigers, and Ron-oh my!

The other day I was walking with Ron Ben-Israel and we passed the Alexis Bittar store.  He spotted a tiger and we went in to take pictures with it.

And here are just a couple of them.

They're Here! My New Porftolios

I just got a magical package from the printer.  It is my new portfolios!! I am so excited.  I can't wait to show everyone.

New Mix!!!!

I put a mix up on my server.

http://christiangrattan.com/music/march_10_mix.zip

The download is a folder of mp3's in order.  Feel free to drag them into itunes and make a playlist.

The mix includes:
a rare groove called "Blow Your Whistle"  by the Soul Searchers,
Erucu, an amazing track from Jermaine Jackson,
a few tracks by Major Lazer that you need to listen to a few times before you fall in love,
a song from a car commercial,
and "Why Don't You", a song that is sure to be in car commercial soon.

Enjoy!

Kitty Dukakis UPDATE, as pregnant as me!

I just got back from the vet with her and the ultrasound confirmed that she ain't preggers no more.  The Doc thinks that the kittens were stillborn, otherwise she would not have left them.

I made an appointment to get her spade in a month.  I hope I have enough time to figure out how to accessorize the cone.

My Favorite Candle Store - Aedes De Venustas

I love this store-Aedes De Venustas.  They have a candle that is a bust of Napoleon, and I need it.

They also have an amazing collection of candles, fragrance, and body products.  If you need a chic gift, this is the place.

They are on Christopher between Greenwich and Waverly.
http://www.aedes.com/

Mazel Tov Carolyn

Kelly, Margo, Lauren, and Carolyn

This past weekend I celebrated Carolyn Bender's birthday with Kelly, and Carolyn's girls.  We had a blast.  

Happy Birthday Carolyn!

Waiting for the Vet to call back

It has been 6 weeks since I was told "About 2 weeks" from the vet.  I am waiting for a call back. 

Is it time for kitty Pitocin?

Kitty Dukes is getting fatter, but she is spry and more playful than ever.

Ron Ben-Israel, rose-making machine

I was at Ron's bakery  this weekend and he showed me how to create a rose-making machine.  I am trying out the different settings on my new camera, so I am sorry the quality is not the best.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mQkyTcz-t8&feature=player_embedded

http://www.weddingcakes.com/

Riccio - Low Down

When I was a kid I used to just take a slice of ham, and a slice of cheese and schmear mayo and mustard on them. Then I'd roll them up and go to town. They were the best part of a ham and cheese sandwich.

Here it is over 20 years of vegetarianism later and I still love it when things are cut down to their essence.

Take this clip for example. It's a re-edit of Boz Scaggs LOWDOWN. It's pretty funky and worth a listen.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3039zDqo9qU&feature=player_embedded

Derrick laro & trinity- don’t stop till you get enough

Here is a reggae version of one of my favorite songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4a8t8gDU08&feature=player_embedded

Angela Bofill - People Make The World Go ‘Round

I just stumbled on this and it is funky.  Check it out.






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHU-Ji3rTmw&feature=player_embedded

Separated at non-birth?

Terri Schuester from Glee/Kitty Dukakis

I am calling the vet today.  It has been a over a month since I was told "about 2 weeks." I am starting to think that Kitty D watched Glee through someone's window and got an idea.  

How she got the vet to go along with it.....

I need a Shamrock Shake

Luckily there is a site devoted to sourcing Mickey D's that have 'em.


http://www.shamrockshake.com/

Let's Go - The Cars

I am having a hand clap moment in my apartment today.

This is fitting in very well.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7SuylKJgYo

Kitty Dukakis, Still preggers

The Vet that said that she had two weeks left was WRONG.  We are closing in on week 4 from her visit.

Here is a shot of her hanging out in the sun the other day.

WPPI 2010 Highlights

I am back from Vegas.  It was great.  The conference was so interesting.  I connected with tons of great people and I am so excited to implement some great things for my clients and by business.

Here is a quick rundown of things I shot.

 

Indoor shark Reef?  Hell yes!

I went to a party at Mandalay Bay the first night and all I could think about was the shark reef.

Stacey Thon

I met Stacey Thon at the party and after we went hunting for the shark reef.  It was 1000 miles from the elevator and we walked the whole thing and back.  We had a great time and some strangers took this pic for us.

The strangers that took out picture

In return I took their picture.  They were totally canoodling on the taxi line, bow-chicka-bow-wow!

The hallway at my hotel, stare at it long enough and you will see a 3D Snoopy and Tweety Bird

The hallway at my hotel (the MGM Grand) was amazingly long. There were four spokes to the hotel, and my spoke was one of the smaller ones.  I can only imagine what it is like for people who are stumbling drunk back to room 5-299 at the end of a 2000 meter hallway.

 Hooters!!!

I did leave the building once or twice, and  what did I find across the street? The Hooters Hotel and Casino!  Why didn't I stay there?  Why, why, why?

Family time at Cookshop

I love Cookshop. My cousin came into town.  He lives in Paris and outside of Florence.  He and his wife are both American.  I took them to Cookshop with the family and they loved it.  I am sure they had not had biscuits in ages.

 My cousin and my dad, they aren't related or nothing

As you can see my people tend to loose all pigment as they get older.  My cousin is red cause he just came back from Cuba.  My dad is a little yellowish cause the wall behind him is showing through.

 

Christina, Christian, and Christine

Christina from David Beahm Design came to see the family.  We sat thematically, so it was all the Christi-people in one area.

 

Me, and Tina

We call my mom Tina.  We have been doing it for years.  Crystal Meth was huge in the gay community a while ago and the nickname for it in the community was Tina.  Every time someone talked about getting hooked on Tina, being high on, or copping Tina,  it took a weird minute for me to make the connection that they were not talking about my mom.

Tina, the mom, not the drug

Here is another shot of Tina.

My Tom with Christina

I tell people that my brother and I are twins.  We were actually born a week and 3 years apart. 

That was it.  Cookshop is great and if you go there, go for Sunday brunch.  It is the only day of the week that they have the Bakery Basket, AKA himmel.

Kitty Dukakis in prison

Well sort of.  I am testing out my new camera and took a shot of a VERY pregnant Kitty D behind the gate.

All she needs is a tin cup to bang on the bars and cake with a shiv in it.

Spring is coming, I have proof!

I was shocked to see sprouts breaking out of the ground when taking out the compost this morning.

 

 They are busting through in a couple of places.  In a few weeks I will have fresh chives and daffodils.

New Camera - Canon SD780

 

People frequently ask me what kind of camera they should buy.  I never know.  I know what camera I want, but it is overkill for other people.  Anytime I need to buy a point and shoot camera I go to b&h and just ask them what camera to buy and why.

Then I point to other cameras and say "What about this one?"  "Why is that one better then THIS one?"

To tell you the truth they LOVE it when I do that.

Honestly, all the point and shoots have small sensors.  They are about the size of your pinkie nail.  So if there are too many pixels on there it is not going to work out so well. 

Ultimately you need to know what you need the camera for.  If you are going on safari, you are going to need one type of camera.  If you need something sub compact then another thing is right for you.  Low light? Lots of room shots?  All different specs.

I am going out of town soon and I am going to take the camera with me.  I will report back on how it performs.

Manu Dibango - New bell

Get ready to get down?

Peggy Lee - Why Don't You (Remix) by Gramaphondzie

This is an amazing song.  I am sure it is gonna be picked up for a commercial.  

I defy you not to wiggle a little bit to this when the hook kicks in.

The Heavy - How You Like Me Now?

This little ditty has been in my head for a couple of days.

Enjoy.