Food: Raspberry & Caramel Neapolitian

As you all know I love cooking. I have recently been getting into food photography, and wanting to play around with it more. The only problem is that I don't have access to a chef any time I wish. So the next best thing I could think of was to cook for my self and then photograph it. So I welcome you to the newest section of my blog, Food. The only problem is that I don't eat the sweets, any volunteers?

Toasted almonds in a cast iron pan for the batter as well as to go in between the layers.

A fresh vannela bean with the seeds removed and added to the caramel raspberry sauce

The sauce: homemade caramel & raspberry jam

The almond dough rolled into 7oz balls

After 2 hrs of refrigeration the rounds were trimmed

The rounds after they came out of the 375deg over for 15 minuets(ish)

The layers are spread with the raspberry / caramel sauce and then sprinkled with toasted almonds

Then tightly wrapped and left to sit for a day or two

The finished product

// My Kitchen // -68.46180, 59.76573

Portrait: Wordspit

Yes, I know that every young rapper is known as "up and coming." That being said, people who know more about this than I tell me he's good and really has a chance to make it. From what I could tell I can see that, he was easy to work with, fun and relaxed. He was up for any shot I could think of, and even came up with some of his own.

// New York, NY // 40.7565601, -73.9881742

Food: Lobster

It may not look it, but these are huge lobsters, 7+ pounds each. Yes, they were very tasty.

// South Yarmouth, MA // 41.690622, -70.292396

Artists 4 Israel: (S)kin 3 at Mustang Restaurant

Antione Dode will be leading June's (S)kin, so come and learn from this inspiring artist, support a good cause, and sketch nude women, all for Israel.

No experience neccessary! Come early, stay late, mingle with cool people, artists and get your drink on.

Join us at Mustangs (downstairs private space) on 1633 2nd Ave at 85th Street From 8 - 10pm

// New York, NY // 40.777032, -73.952558

Likes: Bookstores

Maybe its a generational thing, one which they claim mine falls out of, but I disagree, there is something perhaps even magical about going into book store. Not one of those new Barns & Noble stores filled with mocachinos and hyper friendly sales associates, but a local book store. One with shelves upon shelves housing masses of crudely stacked books organized by category. As you walk around your nostrils become inundated with that "old book smell." You see the proprietor out of the corner of yout eye, as she briskly walks by, with a never ending armload of books, though when interupted by a query like 'where can I find a copy of Old Man and The Sea', she will take you right to it. These experiences are what makes up a trip to the book store. This is something that can never be mimoked or replaced by a computer screen, and this is they reason they are wrong.

Go There:

Tims Used Books- 386 Main St Hyannis, MA 02601

Shakespeare & Co. Various locations around New York City

// Hyannis, MA // 41.656142, -70.274714

Video: A4I Goes to New Hampshire

This is another of one of SUE's fantastic videos. This one is from Artists 4 Israel's trip to Kimball Union Academy to lecture and work with the students on spray paint technique. On the way back we stopped in Boston to hit a wall. Click the video to jump into the van with us for the ride.

// Meriden, NH // 43.545515, -72.256559

Ad Campaign: 004 Connect f. SUE WORKS

Here is the next ad that SUE did for 004 Connect. I shot it while we were out at Tuff City for Memorial Day.

// Bronx, NY // 40.8629814, -73.8941921

Adventures: In Farming

I spent two of my favorite years at the amazing North Country School in Lake Placid, NY. For those of you that don't know I went to boarding school for 7th & 8th grade (no I didn't get sent away). One of the major tenants of the schools pedagogy is their farm program. Every morning all of the students are required to either do barn chores or work in the farm. While I was there it was often one of those things that was such a pain. But as time went on I began to value it more, and more. Today was the first time I was back on a farm, this time up at Rachael's house in New Hampshire. Her father has a tractor which he taught me how to drive (so much fun!) and we did some work around the property, stacking wood and working in the gardens. Rach did a lot of the wood stacking, and took these awesome pics.

// Meriden, NH // 43.535228, -72.267903

Landscape: Cypress Trees

While wandering the property of the Middleton Place Plantation, somewhere in the back I came across this little bog with brilliant Cypress Trees.

// Charleston, SC // 32.900110, -80.141070

Landscape: Tulips

Every year in the Skagit Valley of Washington State is one of the best Tulip Festivals. I know that most people think of Holland as the place to go to see the Tulip & Daffodil Fields, but let me tell you that Washington has some spectacular ones. Along with the flowers there is an abundance of farm stands with the freshest of what the Valley has to offer, even fantastic oysters. Check back for more photos of the fields.

// Skagit Valley, WA // 48.442921, -122.409912

Portrait: Craig Dershowitz

Craig Dershowitz is one of those people that always gets a second look.. usually because he's wearing something short sleeved to show off his tattoo "sleeves" (yes thats plural, both his arms are covered in tattoos or, as he calls them, his mystical body armor). If its not that then for sure its the crazy hair he refuses to tame. But if thats the only reason you bother to take a look then your missing out. I have met a lot of interesting people taking portraits but Craig remains one of the most fascinating. The more I learn about him the more I am surprised. Growing up in Coney Island, his life wasn't easy but that never stopped him. After receiving a full scholarship to a prestigious private college in Connecticut, he got himself a job at Morgan Stanley in New York City. While that was his "slave work," the amount of hours he actually spent doing that was negligible. Instead, he turned his desk into his own personal laboratory. From founding Bombin' Magazine, a graffiti magazine that actually discussed political and sociological ideology, with international distribution, available at both Barnes & Noble and Borders in the United States, to top level involvement in various major Jewish organizations in NYC. Of all this, he claims his greatest passion to be the combining of his many different identites and friends. Craig is not shy about introducing his thugged out friends to his corporate suit wearers. Mind you all of this was done from his work email account, perhaps part of the reason he was caught in this season’s round of layoffs. But don't worry he's kept him self busy by lecturing, teaching, working the door at various NYC hotspots, oh yeah... he founded a non-profit too.

// Bronx, NY // 40.8629814, -73.8941921

Article: The Civil Contract of a Photographer

The New York Time wrote an interesting article about the civil contract of a photographer. This image is the one that I have taken which best illustrates this issue. The people are gathered around a college student who died of fluid and electrolyte imbalance and heat stress, while rowing down the Schuylkill River. There were many people around taking photographs, one was even printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I have chosen to never share this image because of this so called "social contract." After thinking about my reaction to this article, as well as the reason I choose to shoot my topics, that I am ready to.

// Philadelphia, PA // 39.969462, -75.186158

Artists 4 Israel: (S)kin 2 at Sabon

On Sunday we had our second monthly (S)kin life drawing class, and it was fantastic. There were over 50 people in attendance at the Sabone Store in SOHO.

// New York, NY // 40.721582, -73.995729

Graffiti: Tuff City Tattoos

I spent Memorial day out in the Bronx with Rachael, Craig, Brian and a whole mess of graf writers, in the back yard of Tuff City Tattoos. MED the owner took the space and had it paved over and made into the perfect place to throw a bash, complete with a Cotton Candy machine.

// Bronx, NY // 40.8629814, -73.8941921