A view of daily life, travels and other interests. var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push([‘_setAccount’, ‘UA-12573745-3’]); _gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’]); (function() { var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true; ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl’ : ‘http://www’) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();Tumblr (3.0; @ryanbenyi)http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4oqneZFf41qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>New Urban Park?: </strong></p> <p>I’m guessing this is a total lack of sidewalk maintenance…..</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/23861838229http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/23861838229Sun, 27 May 2012 10:23:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m46xpkAD2x1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Willie Nelson Show: </strong></p> <p>The Wellmont Theater, New Jersey</p> <p>I’m getting excited! Small venue so I hope this rocks!</p> <p>Update: I sat 7 rows back! Willie was amazing! A true American icon.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/23256957875http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/23256957875Thu, 17 May 2012 19:39:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3z9b4KXGE1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>A Fun Day of Shooting:</strong></p> <p>Yesterday I had the opportunity to shoot with a prop stylist friend of mine <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/elizabeth-blake/a/40a/8b" target="_blank">(Elizabeth Blake)</a>.  We played around with items from her prop closet and worked on a few image concepts while hanging out.  I love test shooting because it gives you a chance experiment and have some fun making images.  Just a few samples from our shoot yesterday.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22990443985http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22990443985Sun, 13 May 2012 16:09:04 -0400test shootpropsstylistelizabeth blakeryan benyifoodproductstylingphotography<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3khhiyNAq1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>My New Nephew!:</strong></p> <p>We had a little photo shoot today down in Durham with my nephew.  Elijah Ryan on day 17 of his new little life.  He was easy to shoot as he doesn’t move so fast yet!</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22468590221http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22468590221Sat, 05 May 2012 16:41:42 -0400elijahryandurhamnorth carolina<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3k1n8iHKq1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Dame’s Chicken & Waffles: </strong></p> <p>Downtown Durham, NC. Man this place rocks! Local hot spot. I let myself down by not finishing the meal. Too much food! Meal included fried chicken, classic waffle, mac and cheese, grits and two eggs! So tasty. Now the line is out the door.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22447614809http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22447614809Sat, 05 May 2012 10:59:00 -0400Dame's Chicken and WafflesDurhamNorth CarolinaNC<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3irg4rDiS1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Allen & Son BBQ: </strong></p> <p>Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Oh so good! Enough pork for us all. A true North Carolina great. So happy to have the opportunity to return after a few years.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22405035275http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22405035275Fri, 04 May 2012 18:21:00 -0400Chopped porkNorth CarolinaAllen ans SonChapel HillDurham<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3aubtF6B31qc2flao1_r1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Sunday Ride on the D&R Canal State Park Trail:</strong></p> <p>A friend and I had a fantastic ride yesterday on the Delaware branch of the <strong><a href="http://www.dandrcanal.com/" target="_blank">Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park.</a></strong>  It was my first spring ride on the canal towpath and it was amazing.  The weather couldn’t have been better.  We rode sections of both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania side of the river.</p> <p>We parked in Lambertville, NJ and rode north to Frenchtown.  We traveled back to Lambertville and crossed the Delaware River into New Hope, PA.  From New Hope we rode south to Washington Crossing State Park.  We returned via the bridge to NJ and rode north back to Lambertville.  All in all, almost 53 miles of riding crushed stone and loving every moment of it! (well, except for the insane amount of gnats that plagued us toward the end of the day!).</p> <p>Fore more info on this ride and trail system see one of my pervious post:</p> <p><strong><a href="http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/1501297557/d-r-canal-bike-ride-today-i-took-a-beautiful" target="_blank">Fall Ride on the D&R Canal</a></strong></p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22125628573http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/22125628573Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:43:00 -0400Delaware RiverCanalD&amp;R Canal state parkwashington crossinglambertvillenew hopepanew jerseynjbikingcrosstrailsprint ridefun<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m31jv4JMlc1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Alobar (A Photo Shoot At My Favorite Local Restaurant):</strong></p> <p>Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting with Chef Ian Kapitan and owner Jeff Blath at Alobar in Long Island City, Queens.  Alobar is relatively new to the local restaurant and bar scene.  Their menu changes with the season to offer wonderful farm fresh food.  It was super fun working with Chef Kapitan shooting some of the new offerings on their spring menu.  </p> <p>Alobar is fast becoming a local treasure to us locals who appreciate it for their tasty food and friendly staff.  I would even suggest it as a destination restaurant for you Manhattan foodies. Only one stop from Grand Central folks!</p> <p>The truly amazing publication, Edible Queens, has a fantastic story on Alobar in their Spring 2012 issue.  It’s a great story about the chef and his whole hog cooking and is wonderfully photographed.  Thanks Edible Queens for putting out such good work issue after issue.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://alobarnyc.com/" target="_blank">Alobar</a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/queens/" target="_blank">Edible Queens</a></strong></p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21784616381http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21784616381Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:18:40 -0400AlobarLong Island CityJeff BlathQueensPubLocal FoodChefVernon BlvdLICIan KapitanEdibleEdible Queens<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2nb0ib0ra1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>1st Birthday for Sophie:</strong></p> <p>Everyone loves being forced to wear a party hat early in the morning before being fed breakfast right?</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21289642019http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21289642019Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:41:06 -04001st birthdaybrussels griffonsophieparty hatred<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2k0kjux4t1qc2flao1_r1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>White Sands National Monument, New Mexico:</strong></p> <p>After a great editorial shoot today in Las Cruces, NM I drove up to White Sands though the Organ Mountain range (part of the National Park Service).  The White Sands area is the largest Gypsum dune field in the world.  They were so white!  It was super surreal.  White sand as far as the eye could see. </p> <p>My final hike of the day took me right to the edge of the White Sands Missile Range (the largest US military rocket range in the United States).  My favorite sign in the whole park said something to the effect of:   “If you see something that looks like an unexploded missile, don’t touch it.”  I thought it was a good tip!</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21195385010http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21195385010Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:02:00 -0400White SandsNew MexicoNational ParkgypsumdunesdunefieldOrgan mountains<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2jwklg5cY1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>New Mexico:</strong></p> <p>Rollin’ Small</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21190536639http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/21190536639Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:36:00 -0400New Mexicowhite sandstrailersmallold school<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m29q82NTCk1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Get Excited!:</strong></p> <p>It all begins Thursday for the Rangers.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20842878063http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20842878063Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:43:14 -0400NHL PlayoffsNew York RangersRangers2012Sports IllustratedSI<p>After a long winter, spring is finally upon us and it brings the return of <strong><a href="http://www.brooklynflea.com/smorgasburg/" target="_blank">Smorgasburg</a></strong> for it&#8217;s 2012 season.  This means the triumphant return of some of the best street food in the city.  With almost 100 food providers, you WILL find something you like from vegan delights to whole roasted pig heads on display.</p> <p>After taking a bike ride with a friend this morning by Garmin GPS made the claim that I had burned almost 2000 calories.  While I found that hard to believe, I used it as an excuse to sample some new food vendors.  The only downside was somehow spilling all the juice from my spicy pork taco over most of my bike.</p> <p>Smorgasburg is located on the Willamsburg, Brooklyn waterfront between North 6th and North 7th Street right off Kent.  Vendors will serve you up some of the best local food around every Saturday between 10am and 6pm.  My suggestion, go before noon if you hate lines!</p> <p>Happy Eating!</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20667659031http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20667659031Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:51:36 -0400SmorgasburgBrooklynnew yorkBrooklyn Flea MarketfoodlocalNYC<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m211v7ddbF1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>NY Rangers-Drive to the Stanley Cup:</strong></p> <p>I know, the regular season isn’t over yet and I’m talking about the Stanley Cup before the payoffs have even begun….  One thing I know is this has been a great year for the Rangers (sorry Columbus Blue Jackets, I can love the best and the worst at the same time right?)</p> <p>Just looking forward to the playoffs and wishing the Rangers a little extra luck.  Make it happen this year!</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20549484079http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20549484079Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:16:19 -0400NY rangersRangershockeyNew YorkNHLStanley cup2012<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m21138aS011qc2flao1_500.gif"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Germany Here I Come!:</strong></p> <p>Over the years I’ve made several trips to Germany for photography related projects, but the work has always kept my exploration to a minimum.</p> <p>This summer my good friend has offered to be my local guide as we explore the country from North to South.  Current plans include: Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Munich and a visit to my friend’s family farm in Bavaria.  Really looking forward to the adventure and catching up with an old friend.  Oh, and eating!</p> <p>Sorry Hamburg, I won’t be seeing you this time.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20548490104http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20548490104Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:59:31 -0400germanysummervacation<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1jigxEx5Q1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Spring Morning:</strong></p> <p>Back in the low 30’s this morning but the flowers are remembering the 70 degree days of last week.</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20004343842http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/20004343842Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:58:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1giptxQ5T1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>New York Red Bulls: </strong></p> <p>Season opener vs Colorado Rapids</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/19910908203http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/19910908203Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:10:00 -0400New YorkRed BullsSoccerSeason openerNew JerseyMarch 252012MLS<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0sae4GW1h1qc2flao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Topsail Island, North Carolina:</strong></p> <p>Lunch in Surf City. Lots of fried food!</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/19186773966http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/19186773966Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:08:00 -0400Surf CityNorth CarolinaNCTopsail IslandPier<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m01qy7KIDS1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Panda Keepers for the Day:</strong></p> <p>Today was our final day in China and we saved the best for last in many ways.  We participated in a program called the Panda Keeper Experience at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base today.  We spent the whole day taking care of the Giant Pandas.  It was a blast.  From cage cleaning to feeding it was a truly unique experience.  We even got to hold a 7 month old baby panda!</p> <p>With less than 2000 Giant Pandas left in the world, it was a real honor to work so closely with them.  The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base is at the center of the effort to get the Giant Panda back on track.  They have more Giant Pandas than any other organization in the world.  They have 84 at their location in Chengdu and almost 120 throughout their global program.</p> <p>Visit their website at:  <a href="http://www.panda.org.cn/english/" target="_blank">Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base</a></p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/18374518083http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/18374518083Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:10:55 -0500chengdupandagiantresearch basepanda keeper experiencechinafeedingpandasbabies<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m01pnl6nQh1qc2flao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Black Swan & the Koi:</strong></p> <p>Feeding time gets aggressive in the pond with just a few pellets of fish food.  </p> <p>Chengdu, China</p>http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/18374090445http://blog.ryanbenyi.com/post/18374090445Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:42:57 -0500koiblackswanpondchinapanda reserveChengdu