Saturday, August 30, 2008

Graham & Graham Patriarch in San Francisco Chronicle

Jerry Graham, the father/grandfather of the Graham & Graham duo, was written up this week in the San Francisco Chronicle. He's pictured here with his wife Catherine, the co-owner of their Flipper Fanny's Cookies, home to Santa Cruz cookies, gifts and wedding cakes. Read the interview here.



Jerry Graham was between jobs in 1985 when he was approached by KRON production manager Bob Klein to host a short travel segment for the station. That turned into "Bay Area Backroads," and after the show's first eight successful years, he was one of the most recognizable faces in local television.




Now retired and living in Santa Cruz, Graham, 75, is still busy, helping his wife, Catherine, with her baking business (Flipperfannyscookies.com) and spending time with his 17-year-old daughter, Lily, before she heads off to Reed College in Oregon. He also works out every day, plays basketball and reads whenever he can.

We talked to Jerry by phone last week.

Q: Did you keep track of "Bay Area Backroads" after you left?

A: Actually, I didn't, for no other reason that I moved to Santa Cruz when we left, and our Direct TV does not carry Channel 4. Every once in a while, and this is way back, someone would say, "Hey, I saw you on TV!" And I would say, "You did?" They were running some repeats. ... When I retired, I retired. My main interests right now are my wife's baking business and basketball. I'm preparing for the Senior Olympics.

Q: Describe Jerry Graham's basketball game. Are you an outside shooter? A hard-fouling power forward? A scrappy low-post man?

A: I have an all-around game. I'm a little over 6 feet. The captain on our team told me I'm the fastest guy on the team, so they rely on me to guard whoever is the fastest on the other team. I'm a pretty good outside shot. When I was a kid, I was a center. Now I'm an outside shooter, trying to avoid as much physical contact as I can.

Q: How do your basketball skills rate against your baking skills?

A: Catherine is the skill person. I'm a lifter. (When) we have to unload the car, I'm very good at that. If I'm told exactly what to do, I can bake and I can mix and I can do everything. But when it comes to a wedding cake, Catherine is a great decorator and designer. I'm the lifter. I can't do any of that.

Q: How much time do you spend traveling the Bay Area backroads in retirement?

A: Very little. In fact when moved here, one of the reasons we picked Santa Cruz after looking at all kinds of places was that it was an hour and a half from the Bay Area. Now I'm amazed how infrequently I get to the Bay Area, even though we have friends all over. I'm not that into travel anymore.

Q: How many tickets did you get during your eight years on the show?

A: None. I was stopped once in Monterey because I made an illegal turn. A patrolman pulled me over, and recognized me, and we talked a little bit. He just told me what I did wrong and that was it. ... Part of the whole concept of the show was to slow down. I was rarely in a hurry.

- Peter Hartlaub

Friday, August 29, 2008

What we did on our summer vacation



This post has nothing to do with Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvahs or Los Angeles Weddings, but instead, what we did on our summer vacation. We slipped away for two weeks, and stopped by Sandpoint, Idaho, Glacier National Park in Montana, Nelson, British Columbia and finally Gaston, Oregon, to visit our childhood friend Anthony Boutard. We grew up together in Stockbridge, Mass., where we used to roam around with our Pentax and Hasselblad cameras. Now Anthony is one of the leading organic farmers in tiny Gaston, Oregon, where his Ayers Creek Farm specializes in unique beans and berries. He exhibits every week at the McMinnville farmer's market in cute McMinnville, Oregon every Thursday.
If you're in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by and say hi to Anthony and his lovely wife Carol.

P.S. Here's a cool link to a local Oregon TV show that did a segment on Anthony and Carol, and their legendary Ayers Creek Farm

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Bar Mitzvah Video | Beverly Hills Bar Mitzvah



http://www.grahamandgrahamphotography.com
Video highlights from Julio's recent Beverly Hills Bar Mitzvah at Temple Emanuel. Dancing! Pool! Cake! The Hora! A guest appearance by the incredible Mariachi Divas! Los Angeles Bar Mitzvah Photography & Los Angeles Bar Mitzvah Video by Graham & Graham.
Here's what Mom said about us:
"FANTASTIC... great work.. stumbled across Graham and Graham long distance
from Mexico City to do our sons' Bar Mitzvah in LA could not be happier...
great work ! fun ! wonderful memories to keep thank you !"

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

El Segundo Automobile Driving Museum


El Segundo's Automobile Driving Museum for Los Angeles Bar Mitzvah Parties
We had a blast meeting Lucy Kihn, the event manager from El Segundo's Automobile Driving Museum today, and as she proceeded to give us the tour of the facility, we had to pull out the camera and document every moment of it! The new museum is a great venue for Los Angeles Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties and wedding receptions. It's got hundreds of classic cars to view, and a cool private room for kids to dance and enjoy themselves. We love the built-in screen for the video montages--no need to rent a projector or lug a screen. The museum is on Lairport Avenue, which is just a block or two behind Mariposa and Sepulveda. Check `em out at http://www.automobiledrivingmuseum.org