Today I am off to NYC, the city I grew up near, and then lived in for 15 years. I am going for some photography conferences and networking events. While I know some people find NYC overwhelming, for me NYC grounds me. So much so, I am NOT going to start with a mouth watering photo, but my take on a classic.
I took this photo over ten years ago. I recently returned to this spot and found all the construction gone, but also swarms of instagramers jockeying for position, and tik-tokers doing coordinated dances. I was taken aback on just how much of a sh*tshow it has become.
In a world filled with buzzing gadgets, constant notifications, and never-ending to-do lists, the art of unplugging has become a superhero skill. Imagine, just for a moment, a world where your phone battery isn't at 1% before your morning coffee. Bliss, right?
Unplugging isn't just about saving your phone's battery; it's about recharging your own! What do you do to recharge? For me, I like to try new things….which brings me to some recent work.
Pickleball is taking the nation by storm
I recently did some work for a new company in Boston. ZeroZeroStart Boston makes high quality, well designed pickleball bags and accessories. They recently launched and did a multi day project with me to do some e-commerce and lifestyle photos. They have a great and easy story. The owner loves pickleball, but hated seeing the mess everyone left around the court. She saw a problem, and created a stylish solution.
If you play pickleball, you want this bag…which leads me to:
Pickleball Bag Give Away
You can win a Zero Zero Start pickleball bag from me. To do so
Follow me on Instagram: Mark Manne Photography
Follow Zero Zero Start Boston on Instagram: Zero Zero Start Boston
Write “I love pickleball” on my post from Tuesday September 5th
That’s it. The post also gives some more details about where I will ship and the product.
3 By Me
3 place I love, and hope you will try them and love them as well
ISSA ONIGIRI (94 Shirley St, Boston)
Went back to the ghost kitchen in Boston and found this amazing place. The owner, left her corporate job and opened up a bento box and rice ball shop. The flavors are amazing, from the soy eggs, pork belly wrapped mushroom (read that again and try not to drool), to the chicken wings stuffed with rice and Taiwanese sausage. So much umami!
Hobgoblin Bar (48 Temple Place, Boston)
A new edition to downtown Boston, this restaurant is a delight on the eyes and tongue. The interior and name gets its inspiration from a Scottish castle, but the food is a modern take on thai food and every bite blew me away. It was one of those rare shoots that while working, I knew I was going to come back as a customer. They have a salted salmon rice dish, that sounds like nothing BUT IS EVERYTHING!
The Paramount (44 Charles Street, Boston)
What can I say? I have a fondness for a good old fashioned American diner that takes time to elevate all of their dishes. They have multiple locations, this one is right by the common. From stuffed french toast to steak tips to crispy brussel sprouts, they have it and they do it well.