Blendtec vs VitaMix

Blendtec vs VitaMix

What does this have to do with photography, weddings, or portraits? Very little to Nothing :-D However, if you do visit us for an engagement or portrait session, there is a chance you will get a ‘killer’ organic chocolate and banana smoothie, sweetened with Agave and a touch of Stevia. Rarely can someone drink just one glass.

Many will call me a ‘health nut’ (vs a sickness nut :-D). I have been studying and following health related items since my teens in the early 70’s. (Yes, the 1970’s.) Over three decades ago, we started using a Vita Mix and we have owned many different models. Our current model is a white VM5000 with two different containers. When I am not traveling, I ‘juice’ nearly every day and suggest to everyone that buying a VM is a great investment in their health and life.

We make smoothies, fruit drinks, soups, and many other items in our Vita Mix. Recently, I saw an ad for the Blentec and while in Costco my wife and I watched a demo. Immediately, she was sold on the Blentec. Why? Because of the programmed controls, smaller size (height and footprint), and container that does everything compared to the taller Vita Mix which does not fit under the cabinets.

We bought it immediately and started using it in place of our Vita Mix. I am sad to say but we have not used the Vita Mix since we purchased the Blentec. Is it better than the Vita Mix? Maybe, but it has many better features which will cause us to replace the Vita Mix with the Blentec.

· The shorter height is an advantage

o We can store the Blentec with container on our counter and it fits under the top cabinet. This is a tremendous advantage since we needed to store the Vita Mix under the counter and bring it out each time we use it.

· Programmed settings

o This is no big deal for me but my wife loves this feature

§ She can put the ingredients in for soup, select the soup button and walk away without watching the machine.

§ 90 Seconds later it turns off and piping hot soup is ready from fresh ingredients (veggies and spices)

o I have used the Vita Mix for so many years that I knew the exact method for making a great smoothie, soup, or salsa. However, what I like is that I can walk away and it turns off automatically without intervention from me.

· No need for a tamper

o Another feature that my wife likes

§ Another item not on the counter and not to clean

o For me, this is a nice feature but not a deal maker

· Container

o This is what sold me on it

§ The design is different and it makes a complete item better (IMHO). It has a different shape and larger opening, which makes the need for the tamper obsolete.

§ I find it much easier to pour into a cup or bowl from the rounded square edge compared to the Vita Mix.

o My wife likes the container too

§ It is much easier to clean

· Larger motor and different blades

o This is the only technical item I am comparing

§ Blentec has a 3 HP motor and the Vita Mix has a 2 HP motor

§ This appears to cause the machine to make a much smoother smoothie and hotter soup.

· Recipe book

o The Vita Mix book and on line recipes are much better. They are geared for the consumer and offer a larger variety.

· Noise level

o They are both very noisy

§ Regardless of what you read or ‘hear’ from a sales pitch, they are very noisy and when I make my breakfast smoothie, I take the machine in our basement laundry room and close the doors. Otherwise, the entire house would jump out of bed.

o I need to find or build a solution to this issue. When I arrive home late and want to make a lite warm meal in the Blentec/Vita Mix and the family is watching TV or reading, using this causes the TV to go to extreme loud :-D.

So do we plan to keep it? Yes

We bought it from Costco and it came with an extra 4-year warranty, which extends it to seven years. That combined with Costco’s very liberal return policy is a deal maker for us.

I plan to put it through the paces of daily use for the next thirty to sixty days before I sell our Vita Mix.

What is my favorite recipe?

I have a few:

• Organic Chocolate and banana
• Fresh veggie soup
• Mango Banana with a few veggies and flax

Frank Kendralla

Wedding and portrait photography site:

www.kendrallaphotography.com

Frank Kendralla Portfolio:

www.kendralla.com

Picking a date and time for your Wedding

Picking a date and time for your wedding is very challenging.  We will start with the date; do you want a spring wedding?  Is there a special day that you want to remember?  I know of one bride that selected the exact date when they started dating for their wedding.  Others will select dates that match the year.  In 2010, the month of October (10) is popular since it is in the month.  10.2.10 appears to be a busy date for weddings.  10.10.10 is another busy date.  After you select the date, the time is another critical factor.

If you select a Friday date, then the ceremony is usually later in the day to ensure the guests have time to arrive without missing work or time to travel.  However, if it is a Friday in the late fall or winter then there are other challenges to face concerning pictures and travel.  In the north east, a sunset becomes more of a challenge due to shorter days.  Therefore, outdoor pictures might need to take place prior to the ceremony or the day after.   If outdoor pictures are not important or available then creative shots within the venue are necessary. 

Therefore, if the wedding is in the late fall or winter and late in the day, search out venues that have areas that can make creative shots.  Another item to consider is the distance between the ceremony and the reception.   Some weddings occur mid-day on Saturday.  Rather than the reception ending late in the night, it ends late in the afternoon providing time for after the reception images.   

Regardless of all these factors, the date and time you choose is up to you since the date will remain special to you.   For me, Feb. 14, is a very special date.  It is the date we were engaged and later that same year, Oct 14; (nearly 32 years ago) we married. 

Have fun picking the date, make it special and enjoy your day!

Wedding and portrait photography site:

www.kendrallaphotography.com

Frank Kendralla Portfolio:

www.kendralla.com

FrankNDroid - Introducing my Droid

The above image is from Verizonwireless.com

Droid window mount

In the past, the majority of my posts were directly photography related. As I move forward with this blog, I intend to add a little flavor from my life that might be indirectly photography related but it will have a twist of my life and personality in it.

A few months ago, I purchased the Motorola Droid as my primary cell phone. This is the first ‘Smartphone’ (that I owned) that IMHO lived up to its hype. I waited for a long time for Verizon to get the iPhone. I would have purchased the iPhone over the Droid since it did/does a few things the Droid doesn’t do. (There are a few aps on the iPhone for photographers that I would love to have on my Droid.)

Prior to purchasing the Droid, Verizon called me on a regular basis and reminded me that I was eligible for a new phone. My response was always the same; I am waiting for the iPhone or something similar. Sir, you can purchase the (fill in the blank with the hottest not so smart phone).

One of the best features of the Droid is the built in real-time GPS. I had the GPS in my Blackberry Curve but it wasn’t the same. I saw it in the Storm and Pearl but they were not the same. As long as I have my phone with me, I have a GPS unit, which is amazing!

I am on the road traveling multiple times per month and in multiple cities per week/day some months. The real-time GPS is invaluable for me for many reasons. One reason is the ability to easily navigate to an address without prior notice or planning. A few weeks ago, I received a call from my daughter stating that she broke down on a busy road nearly one hour from me. She was able to get the vehicle off the road and made her way to a local business (she had her son with her too). I asked her to send me the address via a text message knowing that I could use the information directly from her text message into the ‘navigation’ app in the Droid. I didn’t need to worry about finding a printer (to print off directions from the internet) since I was in my car and normally do not carry a printer with me. Nor did I need to look at small directions on my cell phone that I pulled up from the internet.

I put the Droid in the car docking station, plugged in the car charger, and within the hour, I ‘rescued’ my daughter and her son. (It was his birthday and the entire trip he sat in my back seat with his cake on his lap.) (I didn’t mention this took place immediately after a snow storm and many street signs were covered with snow.)

How valuable is the GPS within the Droid? Invaluable!

FrankNdroid
Please visit:
www.kendrallaphotography.com

Lauren's Baby Shower @ The Chadwick in Wexford, PA

Lauren Baby Shower from Frank Kendralla on Vimeo.

Lauren's baby shower was held at The Chadwick in Wexford, PA. The facility is beautiful and is used for many types of events including weddings. As always, the food and service was excellent.

Baby shower; what a wonderful way for family and friends to share in the joy of welcoming a child into our world and blessing the expectant family.

Technical info:

Nikon D300 - Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 & 17-50 f/2.8. Most of the event images were shot at ISO 1600.

Please visit:
www.kendrallaphotography.com

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3

Wedding - Save the date cards

 Save the date cards - Why should we do them?  

The cards alert your family and friends about your special day before you send out the wedding invitations.  If you are having a destination wedding, this card proves invaluable.  Your guests can request time off from work if needed (especially if your wedding is during the week) for travel.

They can put your save the date card on the refrigerator so they can think of all the wonderful wedding gifts they can buy you.  :-D

 When I design a save the date card for one of my couples, I utilize one or two of the images from their engagement shoot.  Using a recent photo is great, especially when you send it to relatives that might have all your photos from grade school or the relative that has not seen you in many years.

Include your name, wedding date, and any other important information about your wedding - especially if the wedding is out of town, is more than one day, or is not on a Saturday.

Remember, the main intent with save the date cards and invitations is to alert your family and friends of your special day so they attend your wedding.  Correct?

Have fun with your designs and enjoy your wedding planning!

Sarah and Mark - more images from their engagement shoot.

Sarah and Mark video 2

Sarah and Mark - show