Big Apple taste, small town charm

Dino's New York Style Pizzaria whets our appetite for food blogging

One of the many benefits of working with clients from outside our home base is that we get to travel. And one of the best ways to get acquainted with a community is by sampling the local fare. John has very specific tastes, especially when it comes to pizza, so whenever we're heading out of town you can bet we're looking up the best pizza joint at our destination. Last Saturday was no exception.

After getting to finally meet up with Chris and Patrick in Mankato, we headed over the bridge to North Mankato and were instantly taken with Dino's New York Style Pizzaria. I had previously been to Dino's and was excited to let John take part in the experience.

Restaurateurs take note: Dino's has done everything the way it should be done. The historic charm of the building is in tact, the lighting and interior design is well thought out, the staff is friendly and the bathrooms are spotless. Oh yeah, and the food is simply amazing.

John and I are both minimalists in just about all facets of life, including pizza. We're big believers in that a pizza shouldn't have too many toppings confusing the palate. I tend to opt for a simple sausage and cheese while John's signature dish is the pepperoni with no cheese. We were both impressed with the depth of flavors in Dino's handmade sauce and the texture of perfectly crisp thin crust.

Do yourself a favor, head to North Mankato, go to Dino's, order a one-topping pizza and bask in the majesty of simplistic dining.

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Their story, our story - begins now

Christine and Patrick prompt a new chapter in Anthologie's history While John and I have been working together for some time, there are always events that denote significance in the Anthologie timeline. For example, Feb. 5 is an important date to us, because it's the day our company became officially registered. March 11 will also hold weight with Anthologie, because its when we first met up with our then-potential clients Christine and Patrick.

When we traveled to Mankato last weekend to introduce ourselves to Chris and Pat, they had no idea they would become central figures in our own story. They were the first to make a check payable to Anthologie. With all the work on our website and changes to our personal websites we only recently found the time to set up our new bank accounts!

Chris and Pat are an awesome, down-to-earth couple and we can't wait to capture all the meaningful moments on their wedding day. However, we almost never had a chance to meet them. They had originally planned a destination wedding and had another photographer booked, but turbulence between resort representatives and their travel agent had Chris and Pat frustrated to say the least. They decided a wedding closer to home would be easier on everyone.

After some less-than-ideal experiences with area photographers, Chris and Pat were about ready to give up on wedding photos all together. Luckily, some of our remarkable clients dropped our name and a few e-mails later we were meeting face to face. The rest, ahem, is history.

We'll be giving Chris and Pat 110 percent for sticking with it and supporting the entire photography industry. We're excited to get to know them more and will have a lot of fun during their e-session (hopefully, in the next month or so). Of course, we'll share some of their photos and tell you more about them. Stay tuned...

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Changes at Dan Iverson Photography

My business partner, John Magnoski, sets his lens on the bride and her bridesmaids while photographing Sept. 12, 2008, at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Mass.

It’s been nearly 11 months since I was laid off from my post as a newspaper photographer.

The past year has been challenging and exciting. My biggest lesson has been recognizing and acting upon great opportunities when they present themselves. One such opportunity is the merging my business with that of an amazing photographer, John Magnoski.

The notion of partnering with someone else to offer even more products and services to my existing clients and potential clients won’t be allowed to slip away. Our new business model will equate to even better photographs and a more comprehensive approach to documenting our clients’ life experiences than ever before.

Following are some FAQs regarding the changes:

Q: What will become of Dan Iverson Photography?

A: Dan Iverson Photography will still be a fully operational enterprise. However, I will continue to move more and more towards reserving this business for editorial and fine art photography and small projects that don’t require the strength of two full-time photographers.

Q: What will happen to your website?

A: The domain www.daniversonphotography.com will not change and will continue to have updated content and the same features present today.

Q: I’m an existing client, what will happen to my password-protected galleries?

A: Nothing, your photos will still be online for you to share with your friends and family.

Q: How can I keep up with all the changes?

A: My blog http://www.daniversonphotography.com/blog will also continue to be active and will by no means be put on the back burner. In fact, you can now expect an increased frequency of posts.

Q: Who should I contact if I’m looking to book you as a photographer?

A: For editorial work, contact me directly at dan@daniversonphotography.com. For weddings, lifestyle portraiture and commercial work, please contact us here.

Q: Why should I commission you through the new business instead of Dan Iverson Photography?

A: That’s simple — results. The final product will be far superior by having two experienced, professional artists working on your project. You will get the best of both worlds. John has nearly a decade of experience as a photographer who takes the director’s approach to working with his clients, setting up beautiful environments and compositional dynamics that might otherwise be missed. I have nearly a decade of experience as a photojournalist, capturing people as they are and finding significance in everyday life. Together, we form a sum greater than its parts and you get to hold on to the results forever!

Q: What else can I expect from this new business?

A: New approaches to telling your life’s story.

Q: What is this new business called?

A: Anthologie. And it’s here now!

A new day, a new story

Welcome to Anthologie, heralds of exceptional stories — your stories. It has long been asserted that to stake claim in the annals of history, one must achieve a grand level of public significance, celebrity or notoriety. We believe everyone’s lives are noteworthy; that all life is precious. In a world that focuses on momentary possessions, we believe it’s time to concentrate on everlasting and priceless gifts: family, relationships and shared experiences that fade away when left unrecorded.

It’s a subtle art, capturing the essence of individual histories, but we are committed to harnessing those spirits with photographs, reportage and various media. We take the time to develop a rapport with you, understanding not just who you are, but what matters most to you. By building that relationship with you, we are able to develop an extraordinary collection that is both sophisticated and sensible.

While there are many myths and misconceptions about photography, Anthologie challenges the falsehood that most photographers work only one day a week. On the pages to come in the future, you’ll notice that your event is only one point on the Anthologie timeline, a continuum of service that begins well in advance of your event and endures into the future.

Welcome to Anthologie. Your story begins now.