About 30 minutes into my Tuesday Night gig this week, I noticed in the main dining room, the servers/hostess were moving several tables around to accommodate several large groups which left this big empty void on one side of the dinning room.

...that gave me an idea!

For the next 20 to 30 minutes, I dragged my cart out to that spot and began a mini-project for 2 lucky young ladies! Needless to say, it got the attention of EVERYONE in the restaurant!



I think this blew thru around 50 or so balloons...160s, 260s, 350s, 646s, 5" Rounds, 3' Round, etc.

Timeline...

I began with the sleigh. That ran me about 5 minutes give or take. Next was the bag of toys. I just under inflated a 3' round and slapped a 16" geo on top with a simple candy cane and teddy coming out of the top of it. That was about another 3-5 minutes. Ride Inside Rudolph ran me another 5 minutes or so and the Santa Mask ran me about 10 minutes give or take.

After I got home and looked at the photo, I realized I forgot to attach reins from the sleigh around Rudolph, but oh well.

So, for all those non-believer's who say you can't go big in a restaurant situation...well, there you have it...

Merry Christmahanakwanzaka to all...

Geez Chris. Just when I thought it was possible to catch up, you go and do some crazy s#it like this.

You're amazing man. SO cool, so freaking cool.

David Brenion is teaching a Christmas class next week in NYC. I'm signed up and can't wait. If the only thing I learn is how to get a side wall bubble in a 646 it will be worth the cost.

Another great job man. Are you sure you don't have some of Busters DNA floating around inside of you? Maybe just in the fingers? And the top of your head?

That is very, very awesome!

Incredible! Great work Christopher!

Well done! Anyone ask you for the same thing at the next table?

I love going ridiculously big in restaurants, and usually people understand you can't do it at every table.

Well...it's not a full size Bi-Plane or working Roller Coaster, but it'll do!

Once in a blue moon, somebody (after seeing me flip into show mode and go SUPER BIG) will ask for the same thing but the parents quickly say "NOOOO!" to the child so I don't have to worry about it. The fun thing is that people come up and tip BIG even tho' their children didn't get it just for the entertainment. Gotta love that...!!!!

I love Brenions work!

The mask really does bring the whole thing together!!!!!

Hi Christopher I was just wondering how you swing these giant sculptures during a family night? It's been my experience that family nights are insanely busy. I'm usually at my night for two hours, and have at least 20 tables over the course of that time - that math gives me about six minutes a table to make sure no one goes home unhappy. I'd love to make one of these huge sculptures but at least for me, it's not possible to devote even twenty minutes for a single table when there's a dozen other tables waiting for me.

Smarty,

Yes, my family nights are jam packed full of kids and parents. However, my approach to ballooning in a restaurant is polor opposite to the traditional mindset. My job is to entertain. My job "is not" to provide a balloon for every child in my restaurants. I make this very clear upon booking to my client is totally aware of what I'm offering.

Let's chat "PREP" first.

I begin getting ready to leave for my restaurants at 4pm (I leave at 5pm). From 3pm to 4pm (the hour before I begin getting myself ready), I'll crank out approximatley 15 - 20 small (but cute balloons) that I will take with me. Some examples...







I can fit 20 or so of these small sculptures in small black collapsable hamper that I keep back behind my rig where I can gain quick access to it. I play for 2 hours when I do restaurants. I only perform "by request" for guests.

When a family arrives, they are seated by the hostess and are told that I'm there tonight creating balloon art and would they like me to stop by their table. If they say yes,then their table # is put on my list and I hit the list in order of them signing up.

I never ask what they want. Sometimes they tell me and my response is "you don't want that! I know what you need more than you know what you want! Let me surprise you." This takes guess work out of things, allows me to be really creative with what I do, and will come in handy later in the night.

I can normally crank out 20 creations per hour so the list is limited to 40 slots per night. Any table that has 3 or less kids, everyone get's a balloon. If the table has four or more, then I create one large sculpture for the table. This helps me crank thru my list rather quickly. After the first hour, I take a look at my list an see where I'm at.

Now I shift into show mode. I'll go to the middle of the main dinning room, introduce myself and begin creating either 1 MASSIVE scultpure (as I did with the sleigh, santa mask, ride inside) or I'll crank out 2 or 3 large pieces.

At the end of my night, I'll go around to the remaining tables and pass out the simple premade designs that I brought with me.