Featured in the Schmap Baltimore Guide!

Fun! One of our images from Marie and Fred's wedding last May was selected for inclusion in the sixth edition of the Schmap Baltimore Guide. You can check it out here under Baltimore Basilica.

Schmap Baltimore

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So I'm not one of those bloggers that spends every day writing about their every activity, but now and then I do like to let everyone know about my little quirks and what random nonsense I'm up to on my occasional day off :) We were at Bethesda Row a few days ago and I went to Le Pain Quotidien to pick up one of my favorite baked goods - a madeline. They are really really fantastic. As we wandered out of there we happened to notice a new chocolate shop that had just opened up across the way, so being slaves to good chocolate we ran in there and bought some chocolates. Then as we were heading back to the car we walked by a cake store that I've seen before. Decided to go in when I saw the note about cupcakes... LOL yeah I know, I need help.

Anyway ventured in to find myself in the presence of a cake diva - Leslie of Fancy Cakes by Leslie to be exact! We got to talking and it was really interesting to hear more about Leslie and her business, which she has been running for almost 15 years. I got to try a delicious chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting and then we were treated to the very best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. EVER. I couldn't believe how good they were. My only regret is that I didn't get more! So if you get to Bethesda Row, don't miss the cookies and if you're looking for a wedding cake you can knock that out at the same time :)

I have to go get on the elliptical machine now. It's going to take me three days to work off all that food...

What should I be watching?

Ah television. Movies are my absolute favorite but I have to be honest - I watch quite a bit of TV. I know it rots your brain, etc. but it keeps me company and since I'm excellent at multi-tasking I can keep it on in the background sometimes when I am working. I can't decide if my love of TV is due to channel deprivation when I was growing up. We had a TV certainly, but just one and I really only remember watching the Dukes of Hazzard (who didn't) and Knight Rider. Sure, there was Dallas and Dynasty but those were on after my bedtime. We didn't have cable though. I know it's hard to believe. But we didn't. My parents credit the limited TV time to my obsessive reading and good grades in school. They are probably right. But I credit that limited exposure with my current love of television. When you have the programming lineup for 1 am memorized you know you have a problem :)

So some of my favorites: The Unit (which I'm currently obsessed with), Man Vs. Wild, Intervention, Law and Order Criminal Intent - (Goren and Eames only), Law and Order Special Victims Unit, Iron Chef, Project Runway, Bridezillas, Damages, Jericho (now over), Family Guy, House, South Park, and Dexter.

If you have any suggestions for new show addictions, let me know and I'll try to squeeze them in to my busy lineup :)

Seriously, stop it...

We attend between thirty and forty weddings each year. We have been to many venues, encountered a range of styles, and worked with many different couples with a distinctive vision for their wedding day. We have reached a place where our behavior at a wedding is second nature. It's pretty simple, really. Wear what the guests wear to better blend in. Be polite and respectful of family and friends. Be as quiet as possible. Don't attract attention. We always remember that it's your day, not ours, and we are there to document it as unobtrusively as possible.

So sometimes it still catches me off guard when one of our clients calls or emails with a usually hilarious but sad account of a wedding they attended where the "professional" photographer was less than... charming? subtle? polite? professional? LOL all of these things?

Photographers waving their arms, jumping up on the altar during a ceremony, insulting guests, crawling around on the floor, shooting flash so bright that half the guests are stumbling around completely blind with their retinas burned to a crisp, and interrupting intimate moments to ask you to say cheese. Photographers who think that wearing black makes them invisible. Hey, dude. Hey. You're not a ninja.

Frankly it's pretty embarrassing for the rest of us. It makes us all look like villains, even those of us who know how to mind our manners. It's kind of like being an attorney. Everyone makes fun of you, but they still need you when the time comes.

Like everyone else, we love good stories. Got one? Post it in comments. But please don't mention anyone by name. We really don't want to have to quit making fun of our attorney long enough to give him a call...

Burgers. Fries. Shakes.

Checked out a new spot this week - Good Stuff. It's a burger joint and the owner is Spike from last season's Top Chef. It opened a few weeks ago, but I didn't dare set foot in it until the serious crowds subsided. It was still pretty busy in there, but when you put off dinner until 9:30 it cuts down on the crowds. I had an excellent bacon cheeseburger with fries and I grabbed a chocolate shake on the way out. The burger was yummy, the fries were well above average although I like them a little crispier. The milkshake was to die for. Land wars have been fought for less significant reasons. They have a lot of flavors, but I always put my money on chocolate. I either needed a bigger one or a narrower straw.

Good Stuff is on the Hill in DC and definitely worth checking out. I'll have to snap a few photos the next time I go!

Blogger Buster

Now and then usually when I least expect it I encounter someone really awesome on the internet. In this case, it's Amanda of Blogger Buster.

I built the egomedia blog myself and I have Blogger Buster to thank. All the incredibly useful tips and articles helped me to realize my vision of what our blog should be. Not only is Blogger Buster helpful and flawlessly maintained, but it's simple enough for an amateur like me to figure out. When I was stumped recently on how to properly enable comments, Amanda endured my cluelessness and helped me out, relieving what was a high and ever-increasing level of frustration and blog angst.

So if you're building a blog, need help with your current blog, or just want to learn about more cool stuff you can do with your blog, check out Blogger Buster. The tutorials are phenomenal and Amanda rocks!!

9:30 Club

So back in April we went to a concert at the 9:30 Club - Matt Pond was playing and he's a friend, so we wanted to check out his show. We went with our friends Rachel and Andrew who were visiting for a couple of days. Andrew and I both brought our Leica M8s and took some shots. He had a bigger lens than me so he got hassled at the door. After his stoic and utter refusal to check his camera, they finally relented and let him in :D Nice.

After a bit of tambourine, Carbon Silicon came out. They put on a really fun show. It's embarrassing to admit that I didn't know who they were when I bought the tickets. I took a few photos of them as well.