New York - Day III

SATURDAY

Saturday started off clunky. We had to swing back by Reem’s to pick up batteries and charger I had left there from the shoot the day before and Bill had a few shopping items to return that he had bought the week before. We made it back to Carmine Street a little late and were worried about missing Bill’s good friend Wendy and our new friend Emir who were meeting us there.  We were all getting together for dinner and then a shoot at Club Provocateur off the Gansevoort Square in the Meat Packing district. We kicked off the night with dinner at a Brazilian restaurant on Carmine. Afterwards, we hopped a cab to the club where we met up with famed Lebanese DJ Nicole Moudaber and her equally fabulous partner and former Pet Shop Boys manager Mitch Clark.  I haven’t been clubbing a while and wasn't sure exactly what I was getting myself into. Immediately I was put at ease by Nicole and her crew (Assistant a.k.a. bubbles Carlos Maldonado, Manager and artist Kevin McHugh and gorgeous girlfriend Mitch Clark) as they were nothing short of a fantastic cast of characters. We completed our taping as the night began to roll. Table service ordered (check), runway model waitress with the mean streak of a wounded jungle cat (check), music set that was so hot if it weren't digital the records would have caught fire (check), enough Princes, Princesses and other jet setters and wealth to open a Swiss bank (check), a bar tab bigger than an annual minimum wage salary of everyone at the “Genius Bar” (check), an absolutely fabulous night (check). Details available by phone.

New York - Day II

FRIDAY

The Sun warmed me awake as it shined through the floor to ceiling windows. I could tell that it was going to be a warm winter day in the Big Apple. We packed our gear and piled into a cab with our host Jeffrey who tagged along to our morning shoot at 5th Ave. designer Reem Acra’s show room. We were there to do a little lifestyle shoot with our friend Adriana Ferreyr. Adriana isstudying philosophy at Columbia University and is a jet setting Brazilian actress, who I met our Venice beach studio. It was a warm welcome as Reem’s assistant offered us some of the best coffee I’d ever had (and I used to live in Seattle). Bill mentioned that Reem dresses the royalty of the world, including dignitaries and heads of state. I guess the coffee gets better with the amount of responsibility you have to wake up with.

Reem and I chatted about where a good spot to set up for the shoot would be. Adriana was delighted to see Reem again. Bill had introduced them last week at Reem’s house for high tea. Adriana was a vision as she tried on one stunning gown after another. Reem was delighted; she seemed to be as thrilled as a young girl dressing her favorite doll in. Bill sat down with both ladies and we shot video of them for a quick interview. The shoot was a total success and we left Reem's with Adriana to grab coffee and talk a little business.

Friday before heading out, I asked Bill to see if he could scout some models. He just jumped on a social networking dating sight to see who was nearby, the iPhone App tells you how many feet away a real person is. Bill calls it a time vampire (ah technology, the gifts you’ve given us) but he reeled in a big fish who was just two doors down and we agreed to meet on the street. There we met Angelous, a ridiculously handsome Greek man who we set up a shoot with for Monday. We then rushed off to meet Jeffery for dinner with his friends before we headed back for boys night out. If you want to hear more about that you’ll have to call me.

New York - Day I

My plan to fly to NYC started off with an invitation from the producers of That Championship Season who wanted to use a portrait I took of actor Brian Cox for the show’s playbill. Our studio manager Bill had flown out a week early to scout some shows and fill the week with interesting things and fun people. I landed about 11pm EST and got caught up in a streak of adventure and took a gypsy cab into the city. We were staying the week with good friend and Broadway producer Jeffrey Kent in his Carmine St. brownstone in the West Village. 

THURSDAY

Thursday morning we got up early and jumped on the F train and head over to a meeting Bill set up with Dan Sumari and the guys at The Life Long Friendship Society. The LLFS boys brought photographer Steven Baillie to the meeting and we talked about some photography projects at the trendy Coffee Shop off Union Square in Manhattan. Later that day we headed over to SOHO to visit Hans Neleman, photographer and owner of Win-initative. We were fortunate enough to meet Hans’ wife Tessa and their three beautiful children. We talked a little shop and Hans shared that WIN will be offering video clips soon.  Bill added a little insight on the needs of the television production companies he’s worked with in the past and what they might be looking for. As Thursday evening approached we got ready for the theater and I put on a pair of dress shoes and it dawned on me that it had been almost 2 years since I had slipped out of my California beach tuxedo; designer jeans, a graphics T-shirt and some designer tennis shoes that were a new take on some old 70s-80s high-tops. Bill’s friend actor and musician Billy Kay hopped the train into the city to catch up, see the show, and say hi to Brian Cox whom he had acted in the Brian Singer film L.I.E..  We kicked off the night with and invitation from curator Nayla  Hadchiti to the opening of the Tomory Dodge show at the CRG Gallery.  At CRG we met up with a good friend Lenny Steinberg who is an avid art collector and one of my favorite Venice beach neighbors.  We got to the theater and the show was great, the cast is amazing! Brian anchored the show and Jason Patrick, Kiefer Surtherland, Chris Noth and Jim Gaffigan gave equally compelling performances. After the show I went backstage to Brian’s dressing room. Much to the surprise of the stage manager, I apparently broke the rules and brought an entourage. Well I guess since we were with one of the producers of the show it makes it ok? Brian was gracious and as entertaining in person as on stage. We chatted about doing another shoot soon and he talked about being delighted to be on Broadway. Jeffrey joined us after the show and we made our way over to Robert, a spectacular restaurant that has a unbelievable view of the city and overlooks Columbus Circle. If your catching a Broadway show make sure to reserve a table by the window to watch the city sparkle under a great meal and breathe. Said our goodnights and took the subway home at 2am and crammed in some Z’s before sun up Friday.