Take Me to Your Leader: Tangram at Comic Con for Sci-Fi Channel and Sony Pictures

Once again Tangram was at ComicCon in San Diego, the annual Geek & Freak Fest celebrating all things Sci Fi, Fantasy, and Imagination. The Con has become a huge branding exercise for the Hollywood Bigs, and this year we had a new build for Sony Pictures. Like a diamond, it was multi-facetted, and shone brightly! Thanks to Mike Freeman for reigning it all in.

Perennially the Sci Fi Channel is the show stopper having won myriad design awards for designer collaborator Graft and stud man Stefan Beese. No shortage of brand hungry crowds, we have been able for the past three years to become the sign post at the show, the veritable marker by which all things are measured. The Con is a force. people save up their whole year to dress like Wonder Woman and party down in the Gas Light District of San Diego. Cudos to the Scifi Team: Blake Callaway, Dana Ortiz, Mo Setoodah, and RJ Cupelli.

VIDEO: Crazy C0micon: http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-40,GGLG:en&q=scifi%20booth%20at%20comicon&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv#

ComiCon 2008 - Half Trade Show/Half Halloween

attendees line up for admission

May the Farce be with you!

Laura Vandervoort at SciFi's annual party!

Tangram Makes "The Commitment" for Nike

"The Commitment" is the story of the dedication of incredible athletes to their team and the game. It examines the heart and soul of a basketball legacy by showcasing the brilliance of the past and the dominance that will define the future.

In honor of that commitment, Nike created a gallery dedicated to Team USA, chronicling their journey from the Dream Team of 1992 to the present-day squad. The exhibit, entitled "The Commitment", opened in New York City on July 10, giving the public a look at the history and future of USA Basketball.

Located in a refurbished branch of Harlem’s famous Training Camp sneaker boutique, the gallery space houses the legendary artifacts and apparel behind each Olympic team. On one wall, photos of the 1986 players. On another, the initial letter sent by Coach K to each member of the current team. And in the center, the kicks worn by Jordan and Barkley on the court in ’92. Artists’ tributes can be found throughout, paying homage to the greatest teams and players in Team USA history.


The gallery also chronicles today’s U.S. Olympic basketball movement, documenting past hardships and detailing the challenges ahead. Watching over the exhibit are two larger-than-life portraits, one of Kobe, the other of LeBron; a symbol of the two greatest players of a generation, overlooking the legacy they stand to inherit. This summer, as Team USA takes the international stage, they’ll be joining the ranks of the most elite players the game has ever seen. They have the skills, the strength, and the dedication to win. But it’s only with true commitment to the game that they’ll bring home the gold."

Tangram created the Commitment for Nike Basketball in sixteen days from concept to completion on the opening night gala attended by the "Redeem Team" on their tour of New York City. Sometimes a plan completely comes together. In order to execute on such a tight timeframe, everything needed to go just right - and it was a commentary on the dedication and "Commitment" of the Tangram Team - that the project went off with such success.

Check out the Video at: http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikebasketball/2008/07/28/the-commitment-exhibition-tour

Hyper Dunk Flag Wall

Showcases of Orginal Jordan worn kicks

The Jersey Case

Entrance

Space Overview

The Crowd Awaits the Players!

Coach K Checks it Out

LeBron Checks In!

Kobe Checks Out Flywire Technology of Hyperdunks

LeBron in Front of The Hyperdunk Flag

More Video

Licensing Show - New York - its Toon Time!

Tangram had a great outing at the Licensing Show in New York in June at the wonderful Javits Center. http://www.licensingexpo.com/.

The biggest excitement surrounded the Cartoon Network stand, which was a debut winner for Tangram. http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/

We had a lot of work including Sesame Workshop, HIT Entertainment, The Beanstalk Group and Televisa, the whole Tangram team was down on site - and as ususal it was the hottest few days of the year.

Next stop Vegas, as the Javits loses another show......

BIG & EASY - Tangram and NBC Universal Cable at NCTA - New Orleans

In May, Tangram was back in the Big Easy to help out our friends at NBC Universal Cable Networks put on their big show! We had a gasser in Nawlin's putting up the booth - BUT had a better time rediscovering one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

First night we had dinner at Stella! Chef Scott Boswell creates exciting New American Cuisine influenced jointly by world flavors and his Louisiana Roots. The food was delicious but rich, and the wine list did not disappoint. the decor was cool too could have been like an old bordello at one time.check out http://www.stellarestaurant.com/.

After a long day in the "Booth Buildin' Bidness", the whole crew went to Cochon for Dinner! Cochon is everything porky, and the menu was insane. We started with fried oysters as an appetiser, they were so hauntingly delicious, we ordered more during dinner! The food at Cochon was insanely good. It has big bawdy open room which was fairly boisterous on a Saturday night.

Pork!

Here is a link from the website:

"....Chef Link and co-owner Chef Stephen Stryjewski, embracing the old style traditions receive whole pigs and oversee an in-house Boucherie, creating boudin, andouille, smoked bacon, and head cheese. The menu also features handmade crawfish pies, rabbit & dumplings, and spoon bread with okra & tomatoes. Cochon offers specialties from the wood-burning oven such as roasted oysters, suckling pig, and beef brisket. Seafood from local waters round out the offerings with Chef Link’s signature roasted gulf fish “fishermen” style.

The bar at Cochon boasts an interesting variety of bourbons and local beers. Traditional southern cocktails like the Mint Julep are available as well as updated versions of classics like Cochon’s Lemonade. Several brands of moonshine are available for guests desiring a true "Southern experience". ...."

Moonshine! It was crazy nutmeg moonshine! After several shots of "interesting bourbon" and rye sazeracs, nothing finishes a meal of pig fat better than moonshine! It was no wonder we went to the French Quarter to stroll off our fantastic meal!

Don't miss this great restaurant check it at http://www.cochonrestaurant.com/

The French Quarter has revived since Katrina, but there was a lot of changes. Thank God Some Things Do Not Change:

My favorite is Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar (on Bourbon street but waaaay down on the residential side, just keep walking and its on the left). Lafitte's is said to be the hangout of the Pirates Jean and Pierre Lafitte (and others say its haunted) Andrew "Stonewall" Jackson liked to hang here too. One of the oldest continuously operating bars in America, the bar itself is very small and dark (the only lights are above the cash register at the bar and again at the piano, everything else is candles). The piano section of the bar is always fun - go there and hang out and make requests while singing along with the featured player - Johnny Gordon. Check Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-nUz-YnPIk&feature=related.

Also Check Fritzel's German Jazz Bar and Pub on Bourbon Street at Orleans. Fritzels has seriously tasty Jazz, I once saw an ensemble of 18 clarinet players layin' it down. They also have friendly folks, and Jaggermeister on tap!

Do a Jagger till you Stagger!

Aside from all the freak shows up and down the street, no trip to the Quarter is complete with out a trip to:

In 1808, Prince Suleyman of the Turkish Royal family arrived in New Orleans with his retinue of eunuchs and servants. Six months later, all were brutally murdered in their living quarters. Officially, it is recorded as a robbery. The truth is far more sinister and interesting…

Retribution!!!

Yes, retribution for the young women of New Orleans who were lured into the prince’s nearby Dungeon and prepared for the harems of Istanbul by psychological indoctrination, opium-induced submission and torture.

Can I have a Bud, Please?

The Dungeon seems an innocuous little place. You squirrel down a very thin alley entrance into a courtyard, and very regular looking bar. Push open the faux bookshelfs, and up you go to a small tight intense mirrored dance floor with cages, the ultimate skull bar (pictured above), and a head banging cacophony of heavy metal. The crowd is an, ahhhhh, interesting mix of goth posers and preppy tourists. Don't go before midnight - it ain't open.

Always obey Steel's credo - never stay in any one place for more than 20 minutes in the French Quarter. It is a tried and true survival tactic.

End the night at an OLDE FAVORITE from back in the NATPE days when tradeshows were tradeshows, and men were men:

At the corner of Bourbon Street and Bienville, sits the stuff that legends are made of -- The Old Absinthe House. Many celebrities have been welcomed through our doors in the nearly two centuries since its opening -- including Oscar Wilde, P.T. Barnum, Mark Twain, Jenny Lind, Enrico Caruso, General Robert E Lee, Franklin Roosevelt, Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra. Indeed, the walls throughout this incredible building are covered in the framed photographs of several of our famous patrons. The building endures the name of Jean Lafitte's because of the rumored meeting of the Pirate Jean Lafitte and Andrew Jackson as they planned the victory of the battle of New Orleans on the second floor (now the newly-renovated Jean Lafitte's Bistro). In fact, many of those who work here will be happy to share their Jean Lafitte Ghost Stories with you!

All of this and we did some work too! NBC Had a great show - broadcasting CNBC's"The Squawk" live from the Morial Convention Center and the NBC booth below!

Rushing around like a blue arse fly, I had to go up Magazine Street to get some supplies for the exhibit. It was a beautiful May day in New Orleans, and all the cafes were in full bustle, and the Magnolias were in bloom. There is no place like New Orleans!

Out of Nowhere!

Geoff Hollister, one of the "Men of Oregon" that helped found Nike, has a new book tha is just great. I was visiting the spectacular Nike Campus in Beaverton, OR to talk about some projects with Geoff's wife Wendy, and was graciously invuited to a book signing in Prefontaine Hall, and a brief reception after.

Geoff's book is a great iluminator of "if you do what you love, you will be successful". The funny and poigniant stories in the book belie all of the amazing hard and creative work that has been done.

Check it out! http://http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/184126234X/ref=dp_image_0/103-4323728-3499031?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Sorry, The Duke Can't Make It Tonight....

Duke and the Drivers, Boston's Legendary Party Band have new showings on Youtube.

Growing up, my brother Tom Swift http://www.tomswift.com/, was always on stage crooning to the ladies. Now you can see why the ladies loved him! http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfJNHdAKlJA.

Catch The Drivers New Album "Harder Than Before" at CD Baby or iTunes..

Check your Bucket!

MIP TV Opens in Cannes, France

Tangram's Peter Ritchie and Steel Swift hang in front of the Carlton Hotel !

Tangram table for 11 at Vegaluna

Billecart Salmon Magnum!
Salmon Cru Marinee

I am in Cannes for MIP-TV, where the opening was very smooth. As a result of the writers strike, the show seems very slow, with lots of empty space in the Palais. Tangram executed 14 trade show projects, and then we enjoyed our traditional 'first day of the show' lunch! Look at the sky - that's why they call it the Cote d'Azur!

Vegaluna has the most superb food - their presentation is second to none! and friendly service - it is located just opposite the Carlton Hotel. In attendance were old friends and colleagues, Richard Scattergood, John Manning, and Chris Symes (the Graphic Czar), as well as Tangram Cannes office staffers, Glenville Williams and Peter Ritchie, New York team members Kim Hobby and Justin Emerson, LA's Claire O'Farrell and my old mate and partner Aidan Corish.

Later in the show we had a great meal with Isabelle Hen-Wollmacher from AETN International at a restaurant called Chez Louis, also in Cannes near the Marche Forville. They serve market cusinine - what ever is fresh that day - fantastic, like home cooking - very fresh food and nice provencal wine which is really good and fresh. You are served an avalanche of appetisers from marinated herring to chicken liver pate to marinated curried vegetables and vinegered cherries, fresh salads, then pick a plat du jour - I had a vegetable farcie which was way bon! Dessert is a bonus, fromage blanc (like a fattier version of yogurt) and several delicious compotes! All this combined with a tart and not too flowery viognier from provence!

On the other hand we had a miserable dinner in the Old Town of Cannes at Le Cosi on the rue St. Antoine. Their kitchen must have had a mutiny - it took us over an hour to just get a glass of water - let alone a cocktail. The staff could not have been ruder. Although the food was delicious, when it came two hours after we sat down, I will never go there again. Unforgivable transgression of the fine French Tradition of gracious dining service.

Speaking of cocktails, I have a favorite bar in Cannes - Bar Lalu which has been hipified in the past couple of years. Bar Lalu is so small you could put it in your pocket, but the proprietor is so nice and the view is of the Rue du Commandant André, a busy night time street in Cannes - a fine place ot have a Pastis to start the night, or a petite cognac to end it!

We had a fun dinner at Chez Vincent et Nicolas at the base of the old town on 92 Rue Meynadier.

This is a hip, upbeat, modern restaurant with an eclectic menu - the "Veritable Hamburger" made of fois gras goes very well with a bottle of crisp Chablis!

But then again, what doesn't?

We had another great meal at Le Riad, a Morrocan Restaurant on the impasse Florian. The chicken tajine was delicious with preserved lemons and olives, and the spices were a welcome change to the heavier french fare. They also have a beautiful belly dancer!





After dinner we went to the Grand Hotel for a nightcap, but it was grossly packed and loud, so we wandered down to the Gray D'Albion whose lovely bar was like a quiet oasis.

What is the secret of the great Gin and Tonics in Cannes, particularly at the Caffe Roma? Schweppes Indian Tonic of course! This is considered to be a controlled substance in the US because of the high quinine content!

We recommend a rondele du citron jaune, the genesis of our favorite waiter's name, Citron Jean!


Caffe Roma also does a great omelet for breakfast, and is the main crossroads of Cannes due to its proximity to the Palais des Festival.


Shopping on the Rue d'Antibes was severely restricted by the poor value of the dollar, but one place of note is Bottier Jeff. We came across this amazing little shoestore on a sidestreet to the rue d'Antibes, 4 rue Tony Allard. The Store is just as great as it is small. The owners have made the most careful collection of super high end, handmade shoes to sell. On the wall you'll find a large photo inside of the store of the owner and Sylvester Stallone (who is one of their customers).


My only purchase was at Arthur, a swimwear store. My Ville Brequin bathing suit has lost its stretch in the waist (duh!), and Arthur had very nice bathing suits at a lower price....

As always, a trip to Cannes is incomplete without a dis to Delta Airlines who have flown the 82/83 direct route NCE-JFK for years- since Pan Am went out of business. The planes are crowded and smelly, and the crew are the most veteran in the fleet - a group of mean battle axes that brook no bad behavior! The flights are always, always, PACKED!


So - stop at Pattiserie PAUL on your way to the Delta check in desk at Terminal 2 and buy a Sandwich Chicken and a Sandwich Mixte - ask for a packette de moutarde, and avoid the disgusting airline food - a bottle of Vitel and you are on your way!


As ever many thanks to all of our clients at MIP-TV who make all of this musing and dining a possibility!