I'm trying this whole minimalist thing. I was using a point and shoot, sooo, you get the idea. Maybe I'll have time to actually shoot this like I want it to look. And, probably black and white.
another fine example of the luxurious clothing you can find at the Berlin Mall (pssst, it's just like, it's just like, a Mini....Mall)
then I hung out with friends and watched the original "Let the Right One In." Pretty damn good I must say. Watch it.
I know it’s a few days late, and I try to post photos the day after the events, so it’s kind of current, but I got behind. These are from the weekend.
I'm an organizer. I wish I had a before and after, but this is just the after. It's bar and tap supplies at my newest retail job. I'm such a nerd. A nerd on a lot of caffeine. And, yes, I actually like to do this kind of crap.
every weekend I will be taking pictures that I think define what the Berlin Mart is all about. Here is a clothing store across the hallway from my store. They specialize in camouflage in case you need to blend into a black 70's disco club.
My new camera, with external flash. I even have film for this dinosaur, but I still need to track down the 3V batteries.
Berlin Mar
We usually are in Wildwood for the Irish Fall Festival. This year, we couldn’t make it because we were busy being responsible adults. But we headed to Rob’s for a makeshift Irish Festival and got drunk anyway.
Irish Carbombs are a must in any Irish themed party.
any drink that curdles is a drink for me
okay, the crows wasn't as big as in Wildwood
but we had a hell of a time anyway.
until Kat turned into a Zombie!!!
my job doesn't exist completely in the dark. sometimes I pretend to be a real life chemist!
being a chemist means I get to use big words like "titrate" and reagent" (both shot words in our house)
The Red Cross came to work (after I asked them to schedule it; I swear I get no credit).
I take slight pride that I can bleed out a pint of juice in just about five minutes. I'm not sure why that makes me proud. I think it's a guy thing somehow, but being able to bleed faster than others just doesn't make any evolutionary sense.
Had to stop by Woodstock Trading Company for some quality incense.
I'm not sure, but I think they collect herses because they like the Grateful Dead. Seems kinda a long shot, but they're pretty cool old school herses either way.
Woodstock is family owned. This is Seth. He is awesome. He knows too much about incense. If it was a drug, he'd be a junkie for sure. And, he's hilarious. Here, Seth holds up a vessel full of god knows what. Iced Tea? Liquid Incese? LSD? who knows, but it's pretty cool.
Originally, it was supposed to be a guys night out with my boy Bruce. But, things didn’t quite dovetail, and so, I got to bring my lovely wife instead, courtesy of Bruce’s saint-like generosity. We headed to South Philly for the first pre-season game of the year, the Devils at Flyers.
Of course, we found the cheapest lot around, and at only ten bucks, we proceeded to tailgate and get our money's worth.
and what a beautiful view of Philadelphia it was from out car! Just look at that breathtaking view of Center City, that iconic skyline I love so much.
the view inside was much better
the seats were amazing. first level, like 14th row, and perfect vantage point. And, we didn't even get heckled too hard. Season ticket holders are so much cooler than your average Philly asshole sports fan. I think they respect the game more than the ridiculous banter and screaming obscenities.
There was a Phillies game going on also, which made it really easy to blend in with a crowd of red jerseys. Practically invisible.
and one more, possibly the last shot of the Spectrum I'll ever take. Poor, old arena. You were home to so many good memories...
Well, I guess they’ll blow ‘er up soon. I almost considered buying a pair of seats to this old dog, before they raze her. Four hundred bucks. But, my ticket stubs and hazy memories will have to suffice.
And anyway, it was an excellent night. A night that was tonight, a great night, with my wife, in a new venue. Once a year, my favorite sports team embarks upon a pre-season, on the verge of undetermined outcomes and an unsure future, as I watch on the sidelines with anticipation.
But every night, I get to enjoy a championship series game 7, with my emotions overflowing with awe of how beautiful and simple life should be.
We didn’t have a huge group with us this year for Winefest, but we had a great time either way. Valenzano Winery has around 20 different types of wines, all grown entirely from grapes grown in South Jersey. That mean while other so-called New Jersey wineries import a percentage of their wine juices from other states like California, Valenzano only ferments New Jersey grapes.
Believe it or not, New Jersey is the fifth largest wine-producing state in the country and has over 40 wineries. There’s even a Wine Growers Association (which is a little weird because you make wine, but grow grapes). Valenzano, right in Shamong Township ten minutes from here, is one of the best. They make Champagne, a delicious Old Indian Mills red, and my favorite, their recently designed Port.
This is about as rowdy as wine drinkers get
that's how full all glasses of wine should be
we had security take a picture of the three of us. that's my new hat
this is a shot of the bumper crop. the grape vines were literally saggging from the wieght of all the grapes.
it was a beautiful day, nearly the perfect day for drinking among the grape vines
the Gas House Gorillas. Pretty fun band, even if the singer wears a wife beater with suspenders.
Next year, we are getting a private tent. Let me know if you want in. It a great time and a perfect way to sample local wines among friends.
Migdalia's first day prcessing real football footage!
the building where we work is really quite amazing
church in Haddonfield next to my Temple
I don't even know what type of church it is, except that it's awesome
Monika and Eno, asleep again
those two photos were supposed to be rotated, but they’re not, so tilt yer head.
Monika works 7 days a week, which can obviously be pretty exhausting. Especially because 5 of those days are spent chasing toddlers. I can’t even imagine the patience and determination one needs to accomplish such a task. Sunday she made it home by one. I made her lunch, gave her free pick to do whatever she wanted that afternoon.
lunch (that's right, I took a picture of my sandwich. that's perfectly normal to me)
Monika called her sister because she had decided we were going hiking. half an hour later, we packed up some things and headed here.
people dump garbage in the woods, we play on it
...
I collect stamped bricks with different names. I found three I've never seen before.
cool tree
...
here's a shot that includes the abandoned rail road tracks
monika was in charge of the phone
Later, when we got back to the house, the Eagles game was on. Usually Kreg and I watch the game together all season long, but he was occupied, so I had to try to watch alone. I’m not really the biggest football fan to begin with, but to try to watch it with two completely uninterested women really is quite difficult.
Oh, and it’s kind of a challenge when you don’t have cable…
untangling the antenna for the first time since January (the end of last season)
comcast with power boost really does make things move faster
Hi Def baby!
We made a pizza to enjoy while watching the Eagles suck! It came out awesome
...
Later that night, after the game, I pickled peppers (for real), but that is a post all its own. Then, to an early bed because I had to be up at 5 am to go and work week one of the new season.
I began to brew my own beer a few years ago when Kreg got one of those Mr. Beer kits. Over the years, he and I have found time whenever we can to experiment with different recipes and methods. Some batches are an amazing success and I’m eager to share a homebrew with friends who will be obviously thoroughly impressed at my amazing brewing skills. Others have been dumped into the sewer, literally.
Not long ago, there was a home brew supply store down off the Black Horse Pike called Beercrafters. They had ample supplies and a well learned staff who were pretty damn helpful. I learned a lot there, and spent even more money. For some reason, after 16 years, they suddenly closed, and I was left to search for a reliable shop that wasn’t in Philly or in Freehold.
Then, like magic, a new shop opened in the Berlin Farmer’s Market right around the corner from my house in Atco. At first, there wasn’t a ton of stuff, but over the weeks, the bare shelves started to fill up with product. And good product, tons of product I had never seen at the “other” beer supply stores. So, I had found a new supply store and the brewing proceeded.
Now, when Kreg and I brew beer, we usually drink beer. Brewing beer is exactly like drinking a lot of beer except that the stove is on and the entire house smells like beer, so guests don’t know it’s actually you reeking. On several occasions, we had to make runs to the beer store on the day of the brew for some last minute supplies.
A few times I ran into a girl who was working the register and helping out customers. The store really isn’t all that busy, maybe 2 or 3 people in there at a time, max. So Gina was really helpful and pretty outgoing and really tried to make customers feel welcome. Turns out, it’s her and her husband’s shop. Pretty good motivation to be friendly and helpful.
So, with a nice buzz on, I noticed a sign on the register that said help wanted. I asked her about it and she offered to take my information down. I gave it up, not knowing the hours they needed filled, nor the cash it would be paying. I just thought, “hey, what the hell, working at a beer making store would be pretty cool, right?”
Well, I didn’t hear from Gina, or her husband for at least a month, and based on my social skills at that first interview, and the scrawl that would only pass for an application at a car wash or gas station, I figured they’d dismissed me all together. Not so! They called, and I now work at Keg & Barrel, the finest home brew and wine supply store this side of the Delaware River.
If there is ever a zombie apocalypse, I'm grabbing my Winchester and headed to the home brew store. Enough supplies to keep me alive for at least...a week.
This is the Berlin Mart interior. Filled with crap, tube socks, weird foods I would never eat and...
...the finest tee shirts money can buy!
The bathrooms have granite floors and marble sinks. that red thing outside the door on the table...Yep! that's actually a tip jar for the guy who thinks this is "clean."
Well, my first day was pretty good. The staff I worked with were awesome, friendly, and totally helpful. The customers weren’t too bad either. I definitely know, for fact, I will have many a blog telling stories about the lively characters you’ll find at the Berlin Mart. And, I’ll have a little extra beer money. How convenient.
Later that night, we headed into Philly to Sisters Nightclub to celebrate the marriage of two friends to one another. They were friends that Monika had met in grad school and are awesome. Monika not only convinced them to get married where we got married (The Valley Green Inn, because it’s just damn beautiful), but also that they should use our photographer friend Kat to shoot their whole wedding.
sisters from the parking deck across the street
Jenn (the bride), Monika (hands off!) and Kat (photographer)
didn't want to take too many pictures in a club, but the self portrait is a must
Congratulations Megan and Jenny! It just gets better and better, I promise.
a few days away from the garden and things went crazy
this tomato plant grew 6 feet high before tumbling over into my neighbor's yard (seen here)
sisters in blue
Gisela tortures Maya
chalah and honey for Rosh Hashana
Jamie and Matt came to visit for the home made pickles
robs house for late night cocktail
Monika finally got her birthday present! Flowerbomb Extreme Limited Edition
On The Verge of Tears 