Looking for an event, party or open house in the Seattle area? Click the calendar below...
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
So Take A Seat . . . . . .
Choices - afterall isn't that what it is all about? This is one of those areas where there are more choices than uses possibly. Looking for something for the office, the deck. the conference room, the lobby or anyplace else for that matter . . . then you are in luck. Prices are better than they have been in a very long time and your options are endless. Between the addition of new woods and fibers, framing and recycled metals it is almost an ideal alignment for your needs. To temp you with reaching outside of your comfort zone, so to speak we picked some fun and useful and comfortable pieces. We will send you off to a couple of websites such as IMM Living or Artsytime and Neoterichome and Architonic.
Are you one of those people who saves your wine bottle corks thinking that you can use them for something in the future? Maybe you were thinking of making a cork board out of them or maybe even a trivet for your kitchen. Some people just like to throw them all in a clear jar to show off their yearly wine consumption. Well I've come across a pretty cool idea for those corks you keep saving. Why not make them into placecard holders for your next dinner party?
I've actually seen these wine cork placecard holders for sale, and they can cost up to as much as $30! Seriously? For a used wine cork? I don't know about you but for $30 I could buy another three or more bottles of wine! Why not save that $30 and make your own cork placecard holders. They are very easy to make. Not only will your guests think you are creative like Martha Stewart, but they will surely use the idea for their next dinner party.
Basically all you need are some wine corks, a razor blade or sharp knife, and some cardstock. First, you slice off one side of the cork lengthwise so it can lay flat on the table and not roll around. Then, with the cork laying flat, make a slice down the middle lengthwise. Be sure not to go all the way through. Now you're all set to place your cardstock into the top of your cork placecard holder.
These cork placecard holders can be used for name cards at dinner parties, for displaying the names of cheeses on a cheese platter, or you can even use them as picture holders to display pictures from your recent wine tour. So go grab all those old corks out of your kitchen drawer and be creative!
Looking for new and creative way to spice of your home or office for Spring and Summer without completely redoing a space? Consider a home-fashion-forward couture chair with style and pizazz. A couture chair can be bold, soft, curvy, classic, contemporary, or better yet, why not all of these? A new trend in home and office space design are couture chairs. Yes that's right, we said couture. Doesn't that word just roll of the tongue so nicely?
Afraid to step in with both feet? Here are some amazing pieces from Chair Couture that will show you just how easy it is to add some flair to your space without going overboard. Their entire concept is to "re-dress" vintage French and Italian pieces in bold, modern fabrics (and sometimes paints) making every bergere, fauteuil, settee and boudoir bench a striking one-of-a-kind art piece. They are designed to bring the outdoors indoors and become a focal point for contemporary environments. Don't look for any style numbers, with one of a kind there just are not any!
Since they are original French and Italian styling we decided to pair them with an upbeat contemporary version of Italian glass chandeliers from a beautiful designer in Milano Italy, Viaggio. The lighting pieces range anywhere in price from $795 to $6500.
We recently read about this innovative branding company from one of our favorite blogs, Mix Mingle & Glow, and we just had to share the idea with you. If you are looking for a new and innovative way to brand your company logo, name, icon or image then consider a Flogo. What is a flogo, you ask? SnowMasters research and development facility in northern Alabama became the home of what is now known as Flogos, or "logos that fly." A flogo is a cloudlike, balloonlike object created out of proprietary surfactant (soap) based foam formulations and lighter-than-air gases such as helium. Flogos are designed to last for as long as their visual impact is needed. Specific formulations are available to provide a life expectancy of a few minutes to an hour or so. The visual impact also greatly depends on atmospheric conditions such as wind and relative humidity. On average, Flogos last for 30 to 40 minutes. Flogos are Green and 100% environmentally safe.
The holidays are officially over and that means you probably have a whole new collection of digital family photos to weed through. And if you are anything like us, you take close to a thousand shots and later realize only a handful actually turn out. There are always those dozens of photos that must be deleted because Uncle Jim was making a funny face or Aunt Grace was looking away from the camera. If this sounds like you, then you are going to love the new technology available on the Sony Cyber-shot camera. The Sony Cyber-shot camera is equipped with a feature called Smile Shutter. All you have to do as the camera user is select the Smile Shutter mode and press the shutter button. When aimed at your subject, your camer will actually detect a smile and automatically snap a picture when a grin appears.
How great is this for doting parents and grandparents who take endless shots of a newborn baby in hopes to capture that first smile?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a computer geek. We would call ourselves computer geeks. But there is also no reason at all why computer geeks like us can't be geeks with style. We have found the perfect match for computer savvy women who also love to accessorize. Check out these beautiful Swarovski crystal Phillips elections actually designed for "her". From usb drives to headphones, these bedazzled computer accessories are a rarity indeed - so enjoy.
Looking for a unique Valentine's Day gift for your loved one? We have a very unique idea for you. Let us introduce you to CharityBuzz. Through online auctions, CharityBuzz raises funds for a variety of organizations and causes. CharityBuzz works with non-profits founded by the most famous names on the planet, including Bette Midler, Andre Agassi, Rosie O'Donnell, Eddie Vedder, Petra Nemcova, Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy and Denis Leary, as well as with smaller charities that address particular needs in their local communities. While publicity efforts may logically focus on the big names, all charities — large and small — benefit from the increased traffic at our website generated by star power. Simply stated, great products partnered with celebrity causes creates "buzz" and generates sales and raises awareness for all of their charity partners.
Going on now through February 12 is a special Valentine's Day auction, with items for bid that you can give as a gift to your special valentine. Check it out. Some of the items are pretty outrageous but remember its all for a good cause.
Over the weekend, our local news, King 5, did a short story on a consumer product that we thought was a bunch of hocus pocus. The product is called The Vintage Express, and its purpose is to take a new bottle of wine and in 60 seconds age the wine as if it has been sitting in your cellar for years and years.
Fact or Fiction?
According to King 5's report, the device really does seem to make a difference by improving the taste of the wine.
Here is how it works: This patented design surrounds the beverage with a powerful triangular-shaped magnetic field, and in just 10 seconds, you'll taste a premium drink's smooth, mellow flavor equal to years of traditional slow aging. The flavor keeps improving the longer it remains. Works with wine and liquor. Holds a bottle or glass. Requires no electronics, batteries or moving parts. Guaranteed to work 24/7 for 100 years.
The Vintage Express costs $39.99 and is available at Skymall.com.
Did you make a resolution this year to be more eco-friendly? If so, check out TerraCycle. This company makes all of its products from 100% used items. They make plant pots and recycle bins from 100% e-waste (crushed old fax machines and computers). They also make bags, portfolios and backpacks from 100% used drink pouches.
All of these urban pots are made from 100% e-waste. Old fax machines and computers are crushed and made into these very colorful urban pots. The urban pots are also painted by inner city artists.
These bags are made from 100% used cookie wrappers and juice pouches collected by the Drink Pouch Brigade. You can sign up for the Drink Pouch Brigade at TerraCycle's website. As a member of the Drink Pouch Brigade you collect drink pouches and mail them in with pre-paid collection bags. Once you have collected 100 drink pouches they are mailed to TerraCycle. Capri Sun and Honest Tea will donate $.02 for each Capri Sun, Kool-Aid and Honest Tea drink pouch, which will go to the charity of your choice.
Check out TerraCycle's website to learn more about their 100% post-consumer products.
The economy is calling for all of us to "think creative" - More and more people are riding the scooter scene which is loaded with character from the classic original "Vespa" to the hot new entries in the market. Don't stop there - why not show YOUR style if you ride or are thinking of riding. It's just not "vanilla" anymore. The local Vespa store website is: http://www.vespaseattle.com/
Since you can easily customize your scooter - why not the helmet?
The helmet company, Ruby, designed by Honet, has painted a schizophrenic character he named: Pale Rider vs Surfin' Zombie." These are the tree helmet views at the bottom of the photo. The price tag on this pure style component is running anywhere from $500 to $1100. These are exclusive designs of the famous helmet designer in Paris. If you haven't checked these out - feast your eyes on their website: http://www.ateliersruby.com/. One of the closest dealers on the West Coast is VESPA OF CALIFORNIA. Enjoy the ride!
Just because you are all grown and sitting in a meeting doesn't mean you have to act grown up. Create a different kind of meeting and save a few bucks along the way. Instead of price PER plate - why not see if your caterer has any equipment like a popcorn machine, pretzel machine or even a sno-cone machine? This is just plain fun and brings the best out in all of us. OK - so it is NOT the healthiest of all choices, but a little indulgence here and there never hurt anyone.
Now for that extra kick - and to promote interaction between everyone all you need is a photo booth at the meeting. Check out www.photoboothservices.com. They can work with any space and any type of event. Plus you're guests will have a great keepsake from the meeting.
More and more of you are giving the gift of wine this Christmas. If you are one of the winelovers sharing the love, we have a great tip for you.
The Accidental Wine Company takes bottles that have been damaged or tainted in some way and sells them to you at a lower price. After all, there may be something wrong with the bottle, but there is nothing wrong with the wine inside.
A bottle breaks and stains its neighbors, a new label design replaces an old established one, or a winery just closes its doors. A soiled, retired, or discontinued label is suddenly and simply less valuable. But whether it is ruby or straw colored, it still has its legs, and its fruit and perfume. The character and charm remain in tact and by golly, it still commands passion and presence. And, wow, what wonderful taste.
If you are looking to build morale within your own company consider looking toward your employees for inspiration. A local company out of Seattle called Noetix is doing just that. Noetix has taken life size images of the people that work there and created an employee wall of fame. Photos where taken at a company event and posted on one of the hallways at the company. Now when employees arrive, they are reminded how important they are to the company each and every day.
Thanksgiving Dinner From Someone Else's Kitchen Tastes Just As Good
Fabulous home-cooked feasts are a traditional part of Thanksgiving. They can also be a lot of work and a lot of stress. If you'd rather devote your energy to quality time with friends and family, dining out on Thanksgiving Day is a perfectly fine alternative. Since this has become a popular option, reservations are usually required. These resources will help you find out which Puget Sound area restaurants will be serving dinner on Thanksgiving.
Open Table - this online restaurant reservation services has a special section devoted to restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving
The Seattle Times - lists menu items, restaurant hours, and price range
CitySearch Seattle - in addition to listing open restaurants, this site lists Thanksgiving catering and takeout options
Gayot.com - this restaurant review web site provides a list of Thanksgiving dining options as well as links for reservations
Local Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner...
0/8 Seafood Grill & Twisted Cork Wine Bar Bellevue, WA Chef Dan is offering a Thanksgiving buffet of traditional fare as well as fresh local seafood. Cost: $38.95/adult, $16.95/child 5-12, free for children under 5 w/ an adult Time: Noon to 7 p.m. Reservations highly recommended
Andaluca Seattle in the Mayflower Park Hotel Offering the regular menu. Time: 3-9 p.m. Reservation recommended.
Brasserie Margaux Belltown A Thanksgiving Day buffet. Time: 1-8 p.m. Cost: $39/adult, $14.95/child under 12). Included validated parking.
Chandler's Crabhouse Lake Union Offering a 4-course dinner including traditional roast turkey, herb roasted prime rib, or fresh seafood delicacies. Cost: $44.95 Reservations Recommended
Clinkerdagger Spokane, WA Offering our regular dinner menu along with a featured Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. Time: 3:30-8 p.m. Reservations Recommended
Cutter's Bayhouse Seattle, WA Offering a large variety of our most popular items as well as traditional Thanksgiving Day dinners. Time: Noon - 8 p.m. Reservations Recommended
Daniel's Broiler Lake Union, Bellevue Place and Leschi Marina Offer a delicious, 4-course dinner including traditional roast turkey or USDA Prime beef. Cost: $49.95
Maggiano's Little Italy Bellevue Celebrate Thanksgiving with your family & friends! Their special menu includes roast turkey, country style ham, garlic mashed potatoes, pumpkin praline cheesecake, & more! Cost: $34.95 per person (adults) and $16.95 per child. Carry out and home delivery also available.
McCormick & Schmick's Offering a limited menu, incl. a traditional turkey dinner, prime rib, salmon, crab, and lamb chops. Reservations Recommended
Ponti Seafood Grill Seattle, WA Join us for a traditional 3-course menu featuring grilled salmon, prime rib, and turkey. Cost: $39/adult, $15/child Time: 1-8 p.m.
Toscano Bellevue Offering a delicious Thanksgiving buffet with over 100 items! Cost:$39/adult, $20/child 6-12
On The Plane, On the Train, In A Boat, While You Float
When it comes to event planners, we are often on the go, go, go, so reading the next great novel isn't always an easy task. Until now. It's already been endorsed by Oprah as her new favorite thing, and we must admit, the new Amazon Kindle is worth all the buzz.
Utilizing a new high-resolution display technology called electronic paper, Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white screen that resembles the appearance and readability of printed paper. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically. It reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting, eliminating the glare associated with other electronic displays. As a result, Kindle can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room.The screen never gets hot so you can comfortably read as long as you like.
The holidays are just around the corner, and chances are, you are busy as bee planning your company holiday event. How will you market it to your fellow employees? We highly suggest using online meeting registration and marketing to spread the word...here's why...
Company Meeting and Event Websites The Internet has quickly become one of the most efficient and cost-effective meeting marketing and communication tools. A meeting website, e-mail marketing campaign and online registration will boost attendance for almost any event, meeting or conference. Consideration for a unique event website might be applied as an incorporated part of your company or groups permanent website, or a standalone site or both! Effective meeting/event web site components you should consider including on the site could be:
On-Demand Attendance Reports
Email Invitation and Attendance Campaign
24/7 Meeting/Event Registration
Venue Information
Accommodation Details
Program & Agenda
Frequently Asked Questions
Web Casting (video options)
Content Archiving
Post-Event Follow-Up
Online Event Program Management Event planning online through use of on-line form submissions, emails and updates quickly and easily creates a unified affect that when done well, will narrow the physical or perceptive distance that might exist within your team(s).
You can track the progress of program development more easily.
Your team will communicate more effectively with each other and with the meeting presenters.
Much of the information in the program development system can be automatically used in emails and on web pages.
Online Meeting Registration Online meeting registration can increase registrations while decreasing registration costs! In fact, the simplicity and convenience of online registration is a critical contributor to assuring high attendance for many events. When considering companies to work with make sure they can offer you a visible proven track record for many unique types of events they have setup on-line registration within your company’s needs and details.
Do not overlook a company who is not a “known” factor.
Do your research. It will pay heavy rewards in the end.
Meeting Webcasting Web Casting and archived audio, video and presentation content enables expanded distribution of meeting content. It makes a very efficient tool to connect with those who may not be able to attend your meeting or event.
HOT Tip! You've all heard about eVite, but have you checked out PINGG? PINGG is an online event invitation and management service. And it's free!
HP is introducing a whole new option for PC lovers. And even we Mac users have to admit, it's pretty darn cool. Meet the HP Touchsmart IQ804 and IQ816 All-in-One Desktop PC that works similarly to your iPhone or iPod touch, only it also has all the conveniences of features of a regular desktop computer.
What The Retailers Are Saying: Redesigned with a next-generation, touch-enabled 25.5-inch high-definition LCD screen, the HP TouchSmart IQ804 all-in-one desktop PC is designed to fit wherever life happens: in the kitchen, family room, or living room. With one touch you can check the weather, download your e-mail, or watch your favorite TV show. It's also designed to maximize energy, with a power-saving Intel Core 2 Duo processor and advanced power management technology, as well as material efficiency--right down to the packaging. It has a sleek piano black design with elegant espresso side-panel highlights, and the HP Ambient Light lets you set a mood--or see your keyboard in the dark.
The touch-enabled 25.5-inch widescreen BrightView LCD offers height/tilt adjustment for optimal viewing. It offers a native resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. Video is powered by the Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS HD graphics/video card, which provides 256 MB of dedicated video RAM and offers up to 2047 MB of total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista. Enabled by PureVideo HD, movies come to life with outstanding picture clarity, ultra-smooth video and vivid color. The lifelike images have up to six times the detail of standard DVD movies. Delivering state-of-the-art graphics performance, GeForce 9300M GS graphics card is sure to give you the power and performance you crave to play the hottest DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 titles. Its 16x full-screen antialiasing technology delivers superior quality along with astounding performance and since it's optimized for Windows Vista. The integrated audio card is configurable to 6-speaker surround sound, and it can provide two-channel audio via its integrated speakers.
Watch the ad below:
The Touchsmart is not available yet, but you can pre-order yours at Amazon.com.
We think you'll love this local website that helps you connect with local teachers so you can learn just about anything. Meet teachstreet.com where you can search for teachers of a certain craft in the Seattle and Portland area. So if you want to learn to sail, cook, sew, dance, play the piano or just about any other craft you can think of, Teach Street helps you find the skilled professionals in the area that can turn you into a pro yourself.
Once you have found a teacher you can then go onto teachstreet.com and write a review that will help others find a teacher that is right for them. We also like how the site recognizes what craft you want to learn and offers books about the similar trade that are available for you at Amazon.com.
Check out Teach Street and let us know what you think.
We recently heard about a great organization that is making a difference in the lives of our military troops.
Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2008. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 15,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country.
The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone – enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad.
Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 400,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.
Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones with prepaid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis.
If you are like many of us and have an old cell phone just sitting in a drawer, consider donating it to this great cause. Click here for details on how to donate your phone.
There are few things we hate more than a tangled weave of computer wires laying on our neat and tidy desks or tripping us up on the floor. That is why we are in love with the new Epson Workforce 40 Wi Fi printer. It never made sense to us why we would have a wireless labtop but have to move into our office every time we wanted to print.
The Epson Workforce 40 is engineered for the small business and home office. Get laser quality output at laser fast speeds for prints that make you look your best.
Better for your business, and your bottom line, the Epson WorkForce 40 printer blazes through critical documents at speeds about two times faster than those of competitive printers.1 Delivering laser quality text and brilliant color photos, it’s the perfect addition to your business team. In fact, with Wi-Fi® and Ethernet networking built in, you can easily share the WorkForce 40 with anyone in your office. And, with its small, compact design, it fits in even the smallest of spaces. Best of all, this budget-conscious performer offers an Extra High-capacity Black ink cartridge for high-volume printing at a price that’s sure to please.
Only three weeks now until the 2008 Northwest Event Show takes place at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center on September 23. Have you registered yet? If not, here are just a few of the reasons why you should...
It's 100% free to attend. That's right, the Northwest Event Show is free for all qualified meeting and event planners. Heck, even if you only plan one event a year, or have never planned an event before but have a major one coming up, this show is for you!
Not only is it free, but we'll also give you free stuff! Just for attending the show you'll receive the 2009 B&E Event Resource Guide as our complimentary gift. The guide retails for $14.95 in bookstores, and truly is the most comprehensive planning tool around. The best part is, the 2009 edition will be in FULL COLOR for the first time ever. And you'll be receiving it hot of the press!
The Northwest Event Show is occurring in conjunction with the 2008 SUMMIT INDUSTRY Meeting, also a first. If you are planning on attending the SUMMIT you'll get two great shows on one day.
You'll learn the latest Green Event Planning Tips. This year's event is going green and we have the best ideas and inspirations in town so you can plan greener events too.
Chances to win three weekend getaways to Skamania Lodge, Suncadia Resort, and Sunriver Resort complete with the royal treatment.
The exhibitors are top-notch! With over 250 booths you'll never get another chance like this to meet with the area's top event planning professionals, in one place, on one day. They are the best of the best in design, catering, entertainment, team building and more!
All the food your belly can take, and then a little more. You'll get to sample the best food Northwest caterers have to offer. It's definitely not a day to wear tight pants!
Have we convinced you yet? If so, head on over to nweventshow.com and register for the 2008 Northwest Event Show! You cannot afford to miss this spectacular event!
Have you heard about Pandora? It's the best new way to listen to music while you work. All you do is go to www.pandora.com, enter your favorite artist and a playlist will begin starting with a song from the artist of your choice. Then the next songs that play will be customized to predict the kind of music you like to listen to. Once a song begins to play, you can give it the "thumbs up" or the "thumbs down" and the more you rate music, the more Pandora knows what you like. Think of Pandora as a TiVo for music.
Pandora came from the Music Genome Project. Since they started back in 2000, they have been hard at work on the Music Genome Project. It's the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken. Together their team of fifty musician-analysts have been listening to music, one song at a time, studying and collecting literally hundreds of musical details on every song. It takes 20-30 minutes per song to capture all of the little details that give each recording its magical sound - melody, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, vocals, lyrics ... and more - close to 400 attributes! Pandora continues this work every day to keep up with the incredible flow of great new music coming from studios, stadiums and garages around the country.
The best part about Pandora, is its all free and you can make as many playlists as you'd like.
You can also download Pandora to select phones available through AT&T and Sprint including the apple iPhone.
Football season is just around the corner and you know what that means...Tailgating! If you are the king (or queen) of tailgating, we have just the thing for you. Tailgating Innovations was born of necessity. People are tired of spending their time preparing and cleaning up at sporting events rather than enjoying themselves with friends and family. Tailgating Innovations went to work researching just what makes a great tailgating experience... the ultimate tailgating experience - now you can have that too!
Tailgating Innovations trailers are decked to the nines with a tongue mounted grill with a pivot arm, satellite dish, rear and side doors for easy internal access, rubberized coin flooring, cabinets for storage, electrical outlets, internal e-tracks for secure hauling, internal lighting, smooth aluminum exterior and wheels. The trailer also comes with a 1080p (FHDTV) flatscreen and a high-tech sound system to wow the socks right off your friends.
Prices start at $12,500 as everything is fully customizable.
We've all seen them hanging on a rack at the local grocery store. Eco-friendly, reusable grocery bags are now a hot item when food shopping. But let's face it, now that these earth-saving bags are the way to reduce the use of paper and plastic bags, there is no reason why these new accessories can't be stylish.
From Dogeared, comes these "superheros" of the "supermarket" and they are pretty darn cute. Some of them even have funny phrases much like bumper stickers for those of you that truly want to make a statement.
The bags retail anywhere from $22 to $27. The bags are made of all natural cotton.
And if you are an advocate for greener-bags, you'll love our eco-friendly trade show bags that we'll be handing out for free to all of the attendees of the Northwest Event Show thanks to our sponsor Zippydogs. Have you registered for the show yet? Click here to do so now.
College is a great time for any young (and sometimes, not so young) person. But, with all the rising costs, college and all the expenses that come along with it can make you feel pressed for cash. So, whenever a student can pinch a few extra dollars and save them for a rainy day, they are more than willing do what it takes to save.
If you know someone about to enter college this Fall or know someone who is already in the thralls of learning, we have a completely fantastic online tool you NEED to share with them.
Meet Flat World Knowledge. Flat World Knowledge preserves the best of the old textbooks by leading experts that are rigorously reviewed and developed to the highest standards. Then they flip it all on its head. All of their textbooks are free online. They offer convenient, low-cost choices for students – print, audio, by-the-chapter, and more. The textbooks are open for instructors to mix, mash, and make their own. The other part this is great about Flat World Knowledge is that an online social learning network is automatically created every time you open a chapter to read, because you can also see who is reading the same chapter (even if they are across the globe) and ask them questions if you need help understanding what you are reading. How cool is that?
To learn more about Flat World Knowledge, watch the video below.
Auctions have more than gained momentum over the past few years. Although many companies have been using auctions for many years, due in large part to the popularity of Ebay and their on-line auctions, the growth of companies and organizations turning to auctions for revenue involvement has more than tripled.
Most auctions can be pretty simple and are believed to date back to Babylon in 500 B.C. What are they? Simply put an auction is the process of buying and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder
In economic theory, an auction is a method for determining the value of a commodity that has an undetermined or variable price. Auctions can be with reserve or minimum, or without minimums, or absolute or no reserve. In reserve auctions, there is a minimum bid or reserve price; if the bidding does not reach the minimum, there is no sale (but the person who puts the item up for auction may still owe a fee to the auctioneer or auction company). In absolute or no reserve auctions, the sale is guaranteed, with only the price left to be determined. In the context of auctions, a bid is an offered price.
Primary types of auctions
In terms of security/privacy, there are two main types of auctions:
Private auction: In a private auction the identities of the bidders are hidden, so anyone that buys the item can remain anonymous. This is normally done for either security reasons such as rare gems or art, or to avoid embarrassment if the item is more risk. In a public auction, the bidders' identities are not hidden and anyone is welcome to attend the auction.
Public auction: In a public auction, the bidders’ identities are not hidden and anyone is welcome to attend the auction
Breaking Down the Most Popular Auction Options
Vickrey auction A Vickrey auction is a type of sealed-bid auction, where bidders submit written bids without knowing the bid of the other people in the auction. The highest bidder wins, but the price paid is the second highest bid. The auction is believed to have been created by William Vickrey. This type of auction is strategically similar to an English auction, and gives bidders an incentive to bid their true value.
English auction This is the type of auction commonly used by the English auction houses like Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips. Participants bid openly against one another, with each bid being higher than the previous bid. The auction ends when no participant is willing to bid further, or when a pre-determined "buy-out" price is reached, at which point the highest bidder pays the price. The seller may set a 'reserve' price and if the auction fails to have a bid equal to or higher than the reserve, the item remains unsold.
Chinese auction Basically, a raffle.
Dutch auction In the traditional Dutch auction the auctioneer begins with a high asking price, which is lowered until some participant is willing to accept the auctioneer's price, or a predetermined minimum price is reached. That winning participant pays the last announced price. The Dutch auction is named for its best-known example, the Dutch tulip auctions. ("Dutch auction" is also sometimes used to describe online auctions where several identical goods are sold simultaneously to an equal number of high bidders.
All-pay auction An auction in which all bidders must pay their bids regardless of whether they win the prize. The highest bidder wins the prize. The all-pay auction is often used to model lobbying (bids are political contributions), or other competitions.
Sealed Bid Auctions
Sealed-bid first-price auction Also known as Sealed High-Bid Auction or First-Price Sealed-Bid Auction (FPSB). In this type of auction all bidders simultaneously submit bids so that no bidder knows the bid of any other participant. The highest bidder pays the price they submitted.
Sealed-bid second-price auction, also known as a Vickrey auction: This is identical to the sealed first-price auction, except the winning bidder pays the second highest bid rather than their own. This is very similar to the system used by eBay.
Silent Auctions Where bids are written on a sheet of paper, and at the predetermined end of the auction, the highest listed bidder wins the prize. This auction variant is often used in charity events, and many items may be auctioned simultaneously. Participants submit bids normally on paper, near the item. Other variations of this type of auction may include sealed bids. The highest bidder pays the price he or she submitted.
Auction Catalog An auction catalog is a catalog that lists items to be sold at an auction. Each entry typically includes a "lot number" identifying each item uniquely, a detailed textual description, and either an estimated price, or a "reserve" price below which the item will not be sold. Photographs may appear with the entry, or grouped into a separate section of the catalog; for mass-produced items like postage stamps, the textual description may be considered sufficient.
As a combined information source and "sales brochure", an auction catalog must tread a fine line between accuracy and promotion. For instance, any damages or flaws must be described exactly, so that buyers cannot be claim to have been deceived, but at the same time the description will typically include words playing down the bad points (as in "brownish spot that does not detract from appearance" or "faint crease, as is common"). Similarly, special characteristics are also called out, such as "one of only four known examples of this type", or perhaps a photograph of an item of jewelry being worn by a famous person.
Auction catalogs may be sent gratis to favored customers, but the better catalogs will cost, sometimes as much or more than a regular book. These kinds of catalogs may in turn be sold by bookstores, or even appear as items in book auctions.
Some time after the auction is concluded, recipients of the auction catalogs will receive a "prices realized" document, a bare listing of the lot numbers and the prices for which each was sold.
On-line auctions……King of the Hill: eBay
When one thinks of online auctions they typically think of eBay, the world's largest online auction site. Like most auction companies, eBay does not actually sell goods that it owns itself. It merely facilitates the process of listing and displaying goods, bidding on items, and paying for them. It acts as a marketplace for individuals and businesses that use the site to auction off goods and services. EBay was the first company to popularize the notion of conducting an auction over the Internet. The auction software that EBay uses is proprietary and not available to the general public.
Using Mission Fish as an arbiter, eBay allows sellers to donate a portion of their auction proceeds to a charity of the seller's choice. Some high profile charity auctions have been advertised on the eBay home page, and have raised large amounts of money in a short time.
Auction Houses If you prefer to have professionals setup and run your auction, then you will need to find an Auction House. No matter where you live, auction houses are always around and have been as long as auctions have been held. Remember auctions were more popular in the mid-twentieth century than they are now.
Auctioneers There is usually always a need to consider a professional Auctioneer. Even if you decide to setup and create your own auction in-house, keep in mind that good auctioneers can bring much higher prices, for profit or charity proceeds than an amateur.
The party employing the auctioneer pays a commission regardless of whether he or she procures a sale, unless the auctioneer is responsible for the failure of the sale. The auctioneer is entitled to a reasonable sum unless a statute or contract provision determines the amount.
Depending upon what type of auction you are considering, a good place to look for additional information on auctions and auctioneers is Answers.com and Wikipedia.
Be sure to check out the 2009 Event Resource Guide, available at the 2008 Northwest Event Show. A special new section on auctioneers has been added to our collection!
Hey all you iPhone users....Did you know your iPhone can actually help you save gas by tracking your mileage. In this day and age, we are all penny-pinchers. Wherever we can save a few extra dollars we try to take advantage of it. There are three applications available for your iPhone that can actually help put money back in your pocket. Here are our favorites...
AccuFuel Fuel Efficiency Tracker - Monitor fuel use by tracking how your driving habits affect your fuel efficiency. You can even track more than one car.
Price $0.99
CarStat - CarStat is a replacement for that little white book that all of our dads used to keep track of the car's mileage. Anytime you fillup your car or take it in for service, record what was done. You can then have CarStat compute a number of different stats on the data.
Price: $1.99
FuelGauge - FuelGauge is a simple little app that does about what you would expect, it helps you keep track of the milage you are getting out of your vehicle. The Miles Per Gallon.
Once you find the perfect vendor for your event, the next step is to negotiate a contract. Here are some tips and considerations during this process.
NEGOTIATION AND CONTRACTS Facility negotiations sound serious, but they don't have to be intimidating. These are important conversations because negotiations build relationships, which will lead to contracts. Contracts are serious business and when you, as a planner, enter into a contract, you want to be sure you have all the knowledge and information you need. Keep in mind that negotiable items and practices vary between areas of the country, so what may be standard procedure on the East Coast is not necessarily the same on the West Coast.
HOMEWORK PAYS OFF! Before you begin negotiating, you need some tools! If you have done your homework (refer to the first section), you'll be set! You need your meeting profile or prospectus, a history of your meeting or event, the value of your meeting to the facility (your budget), and a profile of your group. If you know your requirements, they will dictate the specific items you can negotiate.
NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD BE WIN-WIN Don't get bogged down in sleeping room rates! Rates are only one item that can be negotiated. The list of negotiable items may be as long as you want ...it never hurts to ask! But, in order to have a successful meeting, negotiations should be a win-win process. For example, if you get the hotel to provide complimentary meeting room space, but in order to afford this, the hotel cuts back on service staff for your meeting...who wins?
CONTRACTS The most important things to remember are that contracts should be written with an equal amount of risk for both parties, and that all your discussions are put into writing so there will be no confusion when it's time for your event.
Living green is really about taking advantage of alternative methods of doing everyday activities. Whenever we hear about a new and improved way of doing ordinary things, we just have to share them with you. We recently heard about a company based out of Orange County California that is changing the way families and business pack and move to new locations. Meet EarthFriendlyMoving, the do-it-yourself pack and move solution that allows you to rent packing eco-friendly packing supplies. EarthFriendlyMoving recycles all of those hard-to-recycle colorful plastic bottles from under your kitchen sink, laundry room and garage shelves- like bleach bottles, household cleaning products, dishwashing and laundry detergent to make the famous: RecoPack™
The word RecoPack™ is short for "Recycled Ecological Packing Solution." Made in five consumer friendly sizes, these lightweight, stackable containers are rented to relocating households for a buck a box per week.
Following the move, the Recopacks are picked-up at customers’ new home by a fleet of vegetable oil powered trucks, cleaned, sanitized and then rented out to another customer.
EarthFriendlyMoving is currently operating in Orange County and Long Beach, and will expand throughout Southern California and then nation wide over the next three years. To learn more about EarthFriendlyMoving, click here.
Since Seattle and other Northwest cities like Bremerton and Everett rest along the shores of the Puget Sound, we have the opportunity to watch cargo ships enter and leave our ports, attributing to our area's economy. Our offices are located in West Seattle, so each day we drive parallel to Elliott Bay where hundreds of goods are transported each day. With as much action as our waters undergo, one has to wonder what effect each ship has on our environment. Recently we came across something quite unique that could change the way cargo ships travel from port to port. Meet SkySails. That's right, just like a sailboat moves through the waters by the force of wind against its sails, now the same energy source is being used to move large vessels.
It's a simple fact: wind is cheaper than oil and the most cost-effective offshore energy source. Yet, despite its attractive saving potential, it is not presently being used by cargo ships - for a simple reason: so far no sailing system has met the requirements of commercial shipping.
SkySails is now offering a wind propulsion system based on large towing kites, which, for the first time, meets the requirements of shipping companies. By using the SkySails-System, a ship‘s fuel costs can be reduced by 10- 35% on annual average, depending on wind conditions. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be reduced by up to 50%.
So the next time you drive past a water port, be on the lookout for a "sailing" ship. You never know what the wind might bring.
If you've ever seen the CBS show Survivor you've probably seen the contestants travel to a water source and boil the water they collect before they can drink it in order to decontaminate and filtrate the water from bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens. You may have even gone camping before and had to do this yourself. Now, for the first time ever, comes a water bottle that produces filtered sterile drinking water quickly and easily. The LIFESAVER bottle is the first ultra filtration water bottle that incorporates LIFESAVER systems’ unique failsafe technology (another world first) which shuts off the bottle’s cartridge upon expiry, preventing contaminated water from being drunk. With LIFESAVER bottle there is no need for tablets, boiling, chemicals, tubes, shaking, scrubbing, waiting or effort. LIFESAVER bottle produces clean, sterile drinking water with no foul taste - fast!
The LIFESAVER bottle was developed as a response to the tragedy that unfolded due to lack of safe drinking water after the tsunami in December 2004 and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The LIFESAVER bottle has been designed to help save lives supplying people with clean pathogen-free drinking water.
The LIFESAVER bottle retails for $229, which may sound expensive, but as important as clean water is to your health, isn't it worth a few extra dollars?
We recently got a tip from one of our readers about a great new party ice-breaker called Mikon Mixers. Mikon Mixers are iconic stickers that event attendees and party-goers stick on their nametags that describe their personality traits and skills. They make great conversation ice-breakers. The website has a simple drag-and-drop application and thousands of images to choose from. (See below).
There are two ways to use MikonMixers at your event... (1) Free Form: At large events like Conferences, they are used a personal identifiers and people can freely meet other attendees. (2) Mixers - Meet and Greet: At smaller networking or social events you can use a more structured technique to encourage guests to meet. Click here to get the instructions. Generally, the attendees are asked to select the stickers that match them and the organizer instructs the group to find another person, and pick a mikon sticker and talk about it. The organizer should limit each conversation to 7 to 10 minutes then have the guests rotate to another person.
Hello everyone! First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Mark Verner and today I'm the guest blogger for the EVENTive Event Planning Blog. I'll be stopping by each week to blog about event ideas, innovation and inspiration. I'm new to the blog, but I'm not new to Banquet & Event. I've done photography for Banquet & Event over the past several years, and I'm really looking forward to the 2008 Northwest Event Show. Have you registered? This year it's all about going Green! So save the date! September 23, 2008 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.
I'm an avid photographer and I'm always looking for innovative ways to show off my photos. I recently came across a product that allows photographers of every skill level to show off their best shots. Moo.com allows you to upload your favorite photos and print them out on different and unique cards.
One of their unique products are their minicards. They are a different type of business card. One side is a full color photo, while the other side can be used for your business information or any message you wish to print! They are unique in the fact that they are about half the size of a standard business card, so they will definitely stand out from the rest of the crowd! Most business card printers only allow one photo to be printed on all your cards, not Moo! Moo wants you to be creative and different. You can use up to 100 full color photos or designs on your mini calling-cards. So every card will be unique and special.
Moo.com also offers standard business cards. Just like the mini calling-cards, you can choose up to 50 different images to display on your business cards. Not only do you get to create unique, personalized business cards, but you can also do your part in helping out the environment by choosing to have your cards printed on recycled paper.
Minicards and Business Cards are just the beginning. You can also create postcards, greeting cards, notecards and stickers with your personal photos! So no matter what your photography skill level may be, use Moo.com to capture all those great memories and business opportunities!
Introducing The New and Improved Washington State Convention & Trade Center
As you may have heard us mention, once or twice, the 2008 Northwest Event Show is going green! In honor of our Emerald City, the Northwest Event Show will showcase green event planning methods, decor, tips and trends to make your own green event planning ever the more simple and easy-to-do. To start off, the 2008 Northwest Event Show will be held in one of the greenest event venues in the city, the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. Located in the center of one of the most environmentally progressive cities in the nation, the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (Center) has long been an industry leader in energy conservation and recycling.
Here is the short list on how the WSCTC stays green...
1. They continue to invest our resources into renovation projects to make the facility even more efficient
2. The Center’s lighting systems to replace older equipment with more efficient fixtures, resulting in savings of over 3,000,000 kWh per year
3. New touchless faucets and self-flushing toilets are being installed throughout the facility to reduce water consumption
4. Tons of food scraps, food soiled paper and disposable service items are separated from
trash and recyclable materials and sent for composting instead of to local landfills
5. The new meeting facility at 800 Pike will achieve LEED Silver Certification following completion of renovations in 2010
The Washington State Convention & Trade Center is doing their part to preserve the city and world we live in. To read even more about what the WSCTC is doing, click below for their "GREEN NEWSLETTER."
Sometimes in this new green-friendly world, it is easy to wonder what part you can make as an individual. But the truth of the matter is that the best way to make your contributions to sustaining the earth is to make small commitments and changes to your every day lives. Here is one way to start.
Let's face it, Seattleites love their morning cup of java. Whether you get your cup at Starbucks or Seattle's Best or Tully's or even the local stand in your office, each time you order a piping hot cup of joe, your barista most likely also includes a cardboard sleeve to protect your hands from being burned. Just think how many of these paper products are used and thrown away each day.
Now comes a reusable alternative to the cardboard sleeves. CupKozy, available through Etsy, creates new cup sleeves made of felt, chosen for its superior insulating properties. They will fit most 12, 16 and 20 oz. disposable coffee cups, and the best part is they are reusable day after day.
And we think they are pretty darn stylish too. See what you think below.
In June, the City of Seattle launched a new program called Bike Smart Seattle, a campaign designed to encourage more Seattleites to ditch their cars for their two-wheeled rider. This summer Bike Smart Seattle will bring neighborhoods an exciting program of group rides, repair clinics, and special bike-oriented events to help Seattle residents overcome hesitations about cycling and promote it as a transportation option.
At its onset, Bike Smart will start in the northwest and central east sections of Seattle, but will eventually be implemented citywide. If you live in these areas, you may have already received a postcard that can be returned for a free bicycle kit containing a calendar of events, citywide bike map, safety information and other helpful materials.
“With the high price of gas and climate change concerns, bicycling should be a transportation option for local trips,” said Grace Crunican, director of SDOT. “Bike Smart Seattle will help create excitement about using bicycles to get around - whether going to the library, meeting a friend for coffee, or picking up groceries at a farmer’s market. As regular riders already understand, bicycling is a fun and healthy way to experience your neighborhood.”
For more information about Bike Smart Seattle, contact Serena Lehman at 206-957-4439.
All of us at banquetevent.com love technology. So whenever something new and improved, hit the market, we're all over it. This new television design from SONY is one of our newest favorites.
Sony's OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV, the XEL-1, is truly the next big thing in television technology. It boasts a 3 millimeter thin panel and offers unparalleled picture quality with amazing contrast, outstanding brightness, exceptional color reproduction, and a rapid response time. OLED creates unmatched color expression and detail and enables rapid response times for smooth and natural reproduction of fast moving images like those found in sports and action movies. The XEL-1 features the latest connectivity options including two HDMI™ inputs, a digital tuner, and a Memory Stick® media slot for viewing high-resolution photos.
Why is the OLED so thin? OLED TV’s are incredibly slim because organic material directly emits light so OLED display panels do not require a thick backlight or complex construction like other flat panel technologies.
What is so great about OLED? What’s so great about OLED– Lots! Blazing fast response times, wide viewing angles, exceptional color reproduction, outstanding contrast levels, and high brightness. The nature of its technology lends itself to extremely thin and lightweight designs along with the ability to use it in a variety of different applications. OLED is the holy grail of TV display technologies!
How much does it cost? Quite frankly, too much (for now). The 11" OLED costs roughly $2500.
The event is over, but the work is not. For many meeting and event planners the final wrap-up is the biggest struggle. Not only have you ended months of preparation, now you have to finalize the billings, check the invoices, distribute the monies, etc. The wrap-up may not be fun, but it is crucial.
START THE PROCESS IN THE BEGINNING Good planners start this final process long before they get on-site. They plan with their vendors how they will verify services during the event, when payments will be due, and what kind of documentation will need to be completed in order to take care of matters in a timely way.
THINGS TO MAKE THIS STEP EASIER Ask to get all function bills the day of the event so you can verify their accuracy while things are still fresh in your mind. When verifying charges, ask yourself:
Were you charged for the correct number of people? Are there any charges you cannot identify? Are there charges you did not anticipate?
DAILY DIARY Make a daily diary notation of things that worked and didn't work, notes for next year, and things to remember. Write it down or it won't be remembered. Follow-up should include making arrangements in advance to have materials returned or disposed of.
THANK-YOU NOTES Determine who will receive thank-you notes. Verify addresses, spelling of names, facility, and vendor contacts. Make a note of those people who were especially helpful to you or your attendees!
MEETING WRAP-UP Schedule a wrap-up meeting in advance with the facility's major department heads, or for small events, your contact. The purpose of this meeting is to find out how well EVERYONE performed, and what could be done differently in the future. This is also a time to ascertain whether you provided the facility and other vendors with appropriate information and instructions. Did you schedule enough time for activities on the agenda? Did you guarantee enough meals within the deadline? Should you have ordered another bar, larger room, or extra servers?
FEEDBACK While you are evaluating, make sure you ask the attendees what they thought of the event, the facility, and the program? Do they have ideas or suggestions for next year? Their feedback can be one of the most important tools to help you plan the next event. Take time before the event to design questions that will solicit answers that will help you plan future events.
REWARD YOURSELF! Last, but not least...reward yourself! Many planners make this their first task of the meeting or event. They plan what they will do after the BIG DAY. Whether it is a bubble bath or an island cruise, plan something for yourself--you've done a great job and you deserve it!
This Friday the newly priced and improved Apple iPhone 3G will be released featuring two size options, one 16 GB ($299) and one 8 GB ($199). With fast 3G wireless technology, maps with GPS, support for enterprise features like Microsoft® Exchange, and the new App Store, iPhone 3G puts even more amazing features in your hands. iPhone 3G also has a sleek new design and is available in black or white. And just like the original iPhone, it combines three products in one—a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod®, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and full web browsing. According to Apple, this mobile device is the ideal phone for conducting business.
We're curious, of those who have already purchased the Apple iPhone, what are the features you like the most? Is it really as revolutionary as the ads say?
Weigh in below.
Click here to find out what you need to do before purchasing the Apple iPhone 3G.
Do you remember how the elderly gentlemen in many classic films wore tailored suits and checked the time with an elegant pocket watch? Or perhaps even your own grandfather used one. We love to see a fusion of traditional pieces with modern updates and this concept pocket watch from designer Adam Huffman gives us a glance into the future of the modern gentleman's pocket watch.
Featuring a round OLED touchscreen, the Colbalt not only serves to convey the time and date but it also features voicemail, email and texting capabilities thanks to integrated Bluetooth connectivity. It also comes complete with voice recognition software allowing for voice commands and voice messaging.
The Cobalt is only in concept form, meaning the product has not been created for sale yet, but we assume this modern take on a timeless piece (no pun intended) will see the light of day soon enough. And we certainly hope it does.
Condo living is becoming more and more popular in big cities. As a result, individuals are finding themselves in beautiful high rises with incredible views, but small square footage. As the norm, city dwellers also tend to be focused on fitness and health. This is one of the reasons they like living in the city because it gives them the opportunity and excuse to walk more rather than take a car or other form of motorized transportation. But if a city dweller, who is also devoted to fitness, wants to workout, and prefers the privacy of their home for additional exercise, how are they supposed to comfortably fit a home gym in such tight quarters? This is a question Life Fitness had when they went to Gabriel Prero asking for a new design for urban spaces. Gabriel Prero is an industrial designer, who turns incredible concepts into realities. With the task at hand, Prero came up with the below sleek and stylish Otto-Bench, which also doubles as an inconspicuous long modern ottoman. We're impressed. See what you think.
You've probably already noticed or are already using these completely reusable bags for grocery shopping, packing a picnic, carrying books or whatever other useful need they are great for. Get Hip Get Green brings reusable shopping bags to a forefront of both “E”s: environmentalism and education. With three styles of bags that encourage users to get- hip- get- green and love-this-planet, Get Hip Get Green sells bags to help alleviate the amount of other bags that are regularly discarded and not recycled. The bags are great for multi-use. We even used similar bags last year at the Northwest Event Show, and we're still using them for various purposes to this day.
About Get Hip Bags...
Each Bag comes with hangtag that explains just some of just some of the issues facing the environment today.
Each Bag holds the equivalent load of 3-4 plastic bags or 2 Paper bags.
Each bag is made from non-woven polypropolene and is 100% recyclable.
Five of our Bags will hold the contents of a completely filled grocery cart.
Each bag has a bottom stiffener that protects groceries and that can be easily removed for a quick wipe down.
World wide we consume nearly 1 million plastic bags per minute. By using my bag you can help reduce this startling statistic.
How often have you played a round of golf, and by the third hole you begin to get anxious for the food and beverage cart to make a visit? It happens all the time. There is something about golf (perhaps it's all the yelling at the ball to stay in the fairway and not the bunker) that makes you parched after just a short while. If this sounds familiar, let us introduce you to the Designated Driver. The Designated Driver is a nifty golf club drink dispenser. The head of the Designated Driver Kooler Klub looks just like a real club! The shaft of the club champ fits easily into your golf bag and holds 48 ounces of cold or hot beverages (enough to satisfy a thirsty foursome). A keg-like pump mechanism on the cooler club dispenses the juice from the insulated drink caddy out the top.
When you plan an event, retreat, team building activity or the like you should always have a first aid kit with you on site. Here is a sample of the ultimate first aid kit perfect for work, events or even your home.
The IntelligentFirstAid "talking" kit, designed by medical and educational experts, combines supplies, visual instruction cards and now an audio module for verbal guidance to manage the most common injuries, at home, at work, or at play. The kit is separated into individually labeled and color-coded injury packs so the user has all the supplies and easy to follow instructions for managing a specific injury. The audio module in each injury card takes the technology a step further. By the squeeze of a button, the module narrates step-by-step instructions to manage the injury, pausing and repeating when necessary for accurate response.
Obviously this kit is not an excuse not to take a first aid course as well, something we definitely recommend, but the kit does help eliminate the panic of feeling like you don't know what to do.
Candles add an extremely elegant touch to your evening event. In low light, the gentle flicker of candles sets the stage for a blissful evening. But, unfortunately, due to safety concerns, many event facilities do not allow candles to be used on site. So what are you to do if you had your heart set on a hundred flickering lights?
Meet Ashley Danae Designs. Ashley Danae Designs creates flameless candles that are made of wax and have a deliciously light vanilla scent. The candle’s "flame" flickers like a real candle, but instead of burning down to the wick, you need only a fresh pair of batteries to recharge their light. Unless you walk right up to the candle and pick it up, you have no idea the candle is not real and the best part is you'll never have to replace it.
Ashley Danae's candles also come in a wide variety of colors, patterns and styles. Just check out some of the samples below.
There are thousands of Father's Day cards to choose from each year. Finding the card that says exactly how you feel can be a daunting task. So this Father's Day, give a card that also gives back.
Check out these cards from Hallmark in their (PRODUCT) RED™ line. These cards literally help eliminate AIDS in Africa. There's no extra cost or special effort from you. The contributions to Global Fund comes right out of Hallmark's profits. Make a difference. Choose Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED™ and see how far a card can go.
Here are just a few samples of the Father's Day cards available at your local Hallmark right now.
THESE CARDS ARE MADE WITH RECYCLED PAPER. 20% recycled fiber.
Businesses and corporations now have a simple way to contribute to a greener planet through a unique philanthropy opportunity. 1% For The Planet, a non-profit organization, acts as a conduit for action by working with companies willing to donate just 1% of their profits to various causes created to preserving the planet. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well.
One Percent for the Planet has also teamed up with Jack Johnson on his 2008 World Tour and All At Once, a new social action network connecting nonprofits with people who want to become active in their local and world community. All At Once comes to life online at www.AllAtOnce.org and at every Jack Johnson concert in the Village Green, a collection of interactive booths where you can get educated, get inspired, and connect face-to-face with us and other local, national, and international non-profits.
At banquetevent.com our goal is to scoop out hot new items that solve everyday problems. Here are a few of our latest finds.
If you are like us and often pack your lunch to work everyday, you just may need to invest in this cool (and we literally mean, cool) mini-fridge. Just sit it on your desk and it keeps your soda cool all day long. A must for the office, dorm room, or car (it plugs into your cigarette lighter!), these small fridges are sized to hold about 6 soda cans perfectly. This mini-fridge is available at Wishing Fish and retails for $130.
With the warm summer months just around the corner, who doesn't like to cool off with a delicious bowl of ice cream. With the Ice Cream Ball you can kick around a ball outside and in 20 minutes, enjoy a bowl of home made ice cream. The act of kicking the ball churns the ice cream and in just minutes, you can enjoy an ice cold creamy blend of your favorite flavor. Retails for $29.99 and available at Target.
Why spend hundreds on clunky vacuum-seal appliances? The Keepeez LIDS turn your existing dishes - or even jars and cans - into vacuum-sealing containers. Available in many sizes, all you have to do is place a lid on top of your bowl, dish or jar, lightly press the center with your finger, and the lid instantly attaches to the rim of any surface. Travel to potlucks and parties without leaks and spills. Say goodbye to plastic wrap and messy leaks and spills. Retails for $3.49 to $12.99 and available through Keepeez.
We'd like to introduce you to some everyday home decor items with a twist. Below we'll post some images of these items. See if you can guess what they are made of. Find the answers below the image.
Item #1: The Placemat
You may not believe it, but this intricately woven placemat is made of recycled candy wrappers. That's right, if you look closely you'll see the familiar logos of the tasty treats you've been eating for years. This placemat is fun, playful, totally recycled, and calorie-free, to boot! Pick yours up for $26 at VivaTerra.com.
Item#2: Decorative Bowls
You'll never guess what these handcrafted decorative bowls are formed from. Inventive natural sculptor Margaret Dorfman brilliantly transforms edibles into luminescent vessels. Building her bowls slice by slice from fresh produce, Dorfman presses each one into durable parchment, which she hand-shapes to resemble large, bright undulating flowers with vivid repeating patterns. Invisibly coated to maintain their vibrant translucent colors, the bowls comfortably hold a votive candle in a cup. The bowls above are made from Zucchini, Papaya and Beets. Retails for $42 and available at VivaTerra.com
Item #3: Lamps
This is one of our favorite works of “nature."
Founded in 1995 by Frank Lefebvre, Bleu Nature is a craft-based business located near Lille, in Northern France. Their principal material is driftwood, but they also use pebbles, lacquered wood, lacquered metal, leather, skins and petrified wood to create incredible home decor items. These pieces may be made in France, but they fit perfectly into the Northwest style.
We'd like to introduce you to the OBELISK - A unique form of stacked furniture perfect for your garden, patio, office, or lounge area.
The OBELISK is a sculpture that turns any space into an artistic gallery, as a whole or in five unique pieces. Designed by Dutch designer, Frank Ligthart, the Obelisk is manufactured by Dedon, known for their unique and conceptual furniture pieces. This particular design is our favorite because of the unique way it opens and becomes an unbelievable sitting area for any space. See how it works below.
A recent article in New York Magazine caught our attention, and it had nothing to do with the actual article. Adam Sternbergh wrote an article about the negative affects shoes are having on our feet. The theory held by many doctors is that walking around barefoot all the time would be much better for our foot health. As interesting as the article is, we couldn't get over the images throughout the article. Check out the the photos below. Notice anything out of the ordinary?
As great as these shoes are, you can't buy them, because they are merely airbrushed paintings applied by tattoo and airbrush artists, Temptu. Pretty amazing, no?
Take a look at the above photos. Does it look like a familiar restaurant? Would you believe us if we said its the setting of a fast food restaurant you've probably eaten in more than a few times in your life? This new futuristic interior belongs to a McDonald's restaurant located in Orange, CA. This particular McDonalds has resigned its interior using eco-friendly LED lighting to establish a new ambiance and awareness of energy savings products.
According to LED Waves, LED lighting has the following benefits & features...
1). Save money and energy. Generally, a LED consumes less than 0.1 watts to operate. This low power consumption means you save on your energy costs.
2). No heat output. LEDs can convert almost all the energy used into light creating a highly efficient light source. In contrast, today's incandescent bulbs emit a lot of energy in the infrared spectrum which can't be seen.
3). Long lifetime. A LED can last up to 100,000 hours. High Power LEDs can last up to 50,000 hours. In comparison an incandescent lifetime is about 1,000 hours and a halogen is about 2,000 hours.
4). Environmentally safe. LEDs are made from non-toxic materials unlike flourescents which contain Mercury. Can also be recycled.
5). Durable. No loose or moving parts. Able to withstand cold, hot, and magnetic environments.
So if a major fast food chain can take it upon themselves to implement small changes to their everyday practices, can't you?
Many people want to do their part to reduce pollution by carpooling, but it can be difficult to find other commuters near you that also want to carpool. A new service called RideSearch.com offers commuters a way to connect with other people traveling to the same or similar location and interested in carpooling. RideSearch began operation in January of 2008 and is quickly gaining buzz about its unique service. There are many benefits of carpooling. The average commuter knows gas prices are steadily climbing and are predicted to go even higher. Carpooling empowers you the commuter not to be at the mercy of the gas pump and helps your pocketbook at the same time.
Here is how RideSearch works... 1) Create your personal RideSearch profile. 2) Sign up for a membership. 3) Search listings using the "Find a Ride" button. 4) Reply to other listings by checking the message center for new messages from other carpoolers.
Help RideShare spread the word about their service by doing one or more of the following.
1) Post these flyers on office bulletin boards & at apartment complexes.
2) Send emails to coworkers about carpooling with RideSearch.
3) Create blue and white street signs that say: "Carpool. RideSearch.com" & ask your city council where you can put them up.
4) Blog about the benefits of carpooling with RideSearch.com.
Sometimes the best way to get word out about your upcoming event is via online invitations. Online invitations are an excellent way to promote and manage guests, track rsvps, send messages to guests, and organize ticket sales. We've reviewed the site Pingg, an online event management site and would like to share some of its features with you.
First, Pingg's most impressive feature is its ability to customize your event details and images. You can first create your own invitation using your own images and logos, then you can manage an extensive e-mailing list, and lastly you can even create a personalized web site for your event, complete with a custom url. The url looks something like this: http://YOURNAME.pingg/eventname See below for the custom invitation we created for the Northwest Event Show.
We also like how Pingg can work with many platforms to import lists. After all, not many of us have our mailing lists organized neatly into one platform. Some may be housed on your home computer, others at work, some in your PDA and others in your email accounts. Pingg works with these platforms to import your lists and compile neatly organize folders for your management.
Pingg maintains its own event management tools, which separates it from other online invitation senders like e-vite. You'll be able to create event reporting, collect ticket sales and even make it easy for guests to donate to charity.
If you want to be able to use other methods of sending out invitations, Pingg also offers upgrades such as sms sending and printed invitations. SMS inviations may be sent for $1.50 per 20 and printed cards are $1.50 per card (including postage). As for the basic event management tools and email invitations and webpage, the service is completely free.
Here are some samples of the invitations available through Pingg.
Since all of us workaholics spend more hours at the office than we do in our own homes, its time we start dressing up our space and personalizing our work areas so we feel a little more "at home." After all, we're all pretty tired of looking at white walls, right? But since your space is not technically your own, and your boss may not like it if you bring out a can of paint and start plastering it on the wall, we have some fun and bright ways to cheer up your work space without aggravating your boss. All of the below examples come from Anthropologie.
Start by replacing all the knobs or pulls on your desk. This is a simple way to dress up your desk without changing its surface. Just be sure to keep the original knobs if they ever need to be replaced.
Next, replace drab and plain swithplates with much more funky ones. You can either purchase pre-made switchplates like the ones below or get creative by making your own out of a favorite poster, photographs, wrapping paper, magazine art or other eye catching piece.
Once you've made those small touches, bring in a funky rug at your office entrance or under your chair. A brightly colored and patterned rug can create just as much drama and cheer as a painted wall. Don't be afraid to bring in a unique shape too.
Lastly, get rid of that plain lamp you've been using all these years and bring in one with much more flair. Don't be afraid to bring in a lamp with a unique color template or funky design. It will get people talking and lighten the air to make others feel comfortable enough to customize their own space.
Take a look at the computer or monitor you are using right now. Do you know what it is made of? Possibly plastic or some other man-made material. But we'd like to ask why can't computers be made of a natural product like wood or bamboo? After all, these materials are quite beautiful and can be naturally harvested. Others have already begun the process of created electronics housed in natural material casings, although most of them do not come from America. Remarkable and beautiful designs made of sustainable materials include keyboards, monitor, cases, mice, LCD panels, sound systyems and even the mouse pad. The Swedish company, Swedx, works to ensure that the wood they use is harvested sustainably. They offer rather bulky mice and have a smaller selection of woods to chose from compared to a similar company out of Russia, but also much more affordable. See below for some of their products. What really catches our eye, however, are the electronics made of bamboo as seen below. Bamboo is a grass rather than wood, but it is harder than oak. The fibers are even stronger than wood and steel. The Bamboo used in these LCD TVs is made from the Gramineae monocotyledonous plant. This type of plant is hard and panda friendly and as pandas only feed on soft bamboo there is no harm to wildlife. The unique bamboo color offers natural beauty and style which provides many advantages for consumers. It is one of a kind, ideal for homes, offices and of course an alternative to plastic surround. The other positive to using bamboo is the rate at which it grows. If you've ever had a bamboo plant in your yard, you know how strong of a plant it is and how quickly it matures.
We are completely enthralled by these designs and can't wait to see what designers come up with next.
We'd like to introduce you to the electric car, Zenn. Zenn cars are ideal for those travelers wishing to do their part to preserve the environment by reducing the use of oil and air pollution caused by gas powered vehicles. Zenn cars provide excellent alternative transportation for those who live and work in densely populated areas or who only travel within a corporate campus, city fleet, military base, etc. and only travel short, but frequent distances. Unlike an electric golf cart, Zenn cars look just like a gas powered vehicle and are enclosed to protect the driver from inclement weather. The Zenn car is also fully-equipped with safety features. Golf carts are also limited to private roads and cannot exceed a 15 mph speed limit, whereas Zenn cars can travel up to 35 mph.
Here are the basic facts about a Zenn Car...
How far can they go before needing to be recharged? About 35 miles
How fast can they go? Up to 25 mph
How long do they take to charge? Fully charged after 8 hours, and 80% charged after 4 hours
Is it legal on public streets? Yes, so long as the speed limit is no more than 35 mph.
Is Zenn like a hybrid? Not really. It is purely electric relying solely on battery power. Hybrids operate on both gas and electric power.
What is the cost of running it? Solely dependent on your regular electric bills.
Can you see yourself hob-knobbing around in your very own Zenn car? Here's where to get yours...
Remember when you were a child and you'd image what the "Future" would be like, with flying cars and robots walking around? Well, maybe the "future" isn't as far off as we think? Let us introduce you to a new robot-like knee brace that actually generates electricity as you walk, strong enough to recharge your cell phone or operate a GPS locator. Researchers at Simon Fraser University Locomotion Laboratory in Burnaby, Canada, have created an accessory that attaches to your knee to generate power with every step that you take.
Without getting too technical, the knee brace works much like a hybrid vehicle because it utilizes the kinetic energy released from your knee as it moves to take a step. The energy is harvested by the brace, preserving energy that is normally wasted. Not only is the device recycling energy, but it also acts as a protective brace for your knee muscles.
Create electricity and lose weight while doing it. Is there anything not to like?
At banquetevent.com, we love fresh ideas and smart solutions, and this recent great find is so simple, yet so ingenious we just had to share it with you. Available at Wishing Fish, are a unique table top lamp design called Gorgeous Helen. Made of parchment, each set contains 3 different lamp shades with whimsical designs printed in a faint white. All you do is place a tea-candle inside a wine glass, place the lantern over the glass and voila! You'll have charming little lanterns for your tabletop design.
We'd like to introduce you to a new option in charitable giving - and it involves teaching your children at an early age how to give as well. At your next child's birthday party, guests are invited to an ECHOage birthday party through an online invitation. Instead of bringing a wrapped and packaged present, guests simply RSVP and give a secure online gift of money. Payments are pooled for the purchase of ONE special gift for the birthday boy or girl and to support ONE meaningful cause.
On the ECHOage website, the host parent chooses an online invitation, picks a charity to support, and then emails the invitation to friends and family. The host parent receives funds from ECHOage in the mail for the purpose of purchasing the ONE meaningful gift for the birthday child. ECHOage also mails a portion of the donated funds to the charity chosen by the child, and the host parent receives an official tax receipt.
It’s no secret that needless waste and heaps of scraps are part of the equation in today’s textile and garment manufacturing process. Granted there are some amazing results in terms of cutting edge fashion and eye-catching furniture designs, but this often comes at a huge cost in terms of the throw-away elements. The Cabbage Chair by Japanese designers, Nendo, defies this trend by taking waste paper from the pleated fabric industry and turning it into an organic marvel. The Cabbage Chair appears naturally as you peel away a roll of pleated fabric layer by layer. Naturally, due to the softness of the fabric, the chair is extremely comfortable and cozy. This recycled textile waste chair was designed for the XXIst Century Man exhibition curated by Issey Miyake. Nendo calls the chair a "primitive design [that] responds gently to fabrication and distribution costs and environmental concerns, the kinds of issues that face our 21st century selves."
So what do you think? Could you see having this chair in your living room or office?
Ever wished you could do away with all those annoying cell phone chargers that are cluttering up your space? Have you ever taken to cursing cell phone manufacturers for their extremely wasteful and inconvenient policies to manufacturer different types of batteries and chargers for every make and model of phone known to man? (We certainly have). Well here’s a design that promises an eco-friendly end to the hassles of multiple batteries and chargers - by offering up a single standardized battery that can fit in every type of personal electronic device. The Green Cell battery is safe, environmentally friendly, made without toxic chemicals, and — here’s the best part — when it runs out of juice on the go, it can easily be exchanged for a freshly charged battery at a local vendor machine.
Right now, this solution is only a concept, as it was presented recently at the New York City Greener Gadget Competition. The idea took 3rd place in the competition. Here's to hoping this genius idea becomes a reality.
How often does your company send out mail to a client and provide a self addressed return envelope? As a publishing company, we do it all the time. We've found an excellent alternative to supplying return envelopes that helps us save costs and the environment with one swoop. Meet ecoEnvelopes. ecoEnvelopes creates reusable envelopes that zip open and seal just like a normal envelope. Then once your receiver opens the mailer, they simply reinsert a reply and reseal before sending it back to you.
Here's what ecoEnvelopes has to say about their product, "Our revolutionary envelopes are less expensive, easier-to-use, simpler to open than traditional envelopes and use approximately 50% less paper. Companies save 15% to 45% on envelope and related mailing costs, and they benefit from higher response rates."
ecoEnvelopes are made exclusively on certified papers from managed forests with up to 100% recycled content. USPS approved, ecoEnvelopes run seamlessly on existing equipment.
The nationwide day of luck is fast approaching and we have some "charming" ideas and gifts for all you lucky Irish celebrating St. Patrick's Day.
Could anything be more lucky than a ladybug? We don't think so. And how adorable are these little ladybug staplers available at Patina. The ladybug stapler is 1.5" x 2.5" and retails for $7.95. It may be small, but it gets the work done.
Grow a good luck garden in a bag! Gardens-in-a-Bag offer a living reminder of your good wishes that will last for a very long time. The best part is that they are so easy to grow -- right in the leak-proof bag! Simply mix the enclosed seeds and soil, add water and watch it grow. That's it! They do great sitting on a windowsill or under a desk lamp. Give them and grow them any time of year! The Good Luck Garden-In-A-Bag retails for $8.00.
Make a Wish with this charming Wish Bone Necklace available at Dogeared. Simply make a wish when you put on the necklace, and when the necklace wears off, your wish is ready to come true! Retails for $32.00.
Burn a little good luck with a clover scented candle from Paddy Wax. Candle comes in a glass holder with the signature Journey of the Bee logo on the side. The fragrant candle will burn for 80 hours. Retails for $36.00 for a 14 oz size.
Spring is only a few weeks away and we all know what that means - it's time to Spring Clean your work area! To help you clean up and organize your workspace in style, we've found these great buys to help you file, archive, and simplify your space.
File Folders Available at Patina Stores Created in a fabulous blend of lime, chocolate and robin's egg this set of Mod Graphics Folders will have your papers organized and your space looking good! 2 each of 3 patterns combine to make this set of 6 Mod Graphic Folders measure 11.5" x 9.5". Price: $6.95
Weekly Calendar Available at Patina Stores Who says staying organized can't be pretty? This Green Leaf Weekly Calendar, with its delicate leaf patterns, in soft greens and browns, will help with the task! Each sheet is divided into 7 long spacious rows. The Green Leaf Weekly Calendar comes in a pad of 50 sheets and measures 7.5" x 9.75". Price: $10.95
Espresso Pandan Office Accessories Available at Cost Plus World Market Pandan panache for home or work office. Good-looking office essentials are made of exceptionally durable, natural pandan leaves in a rich espresso tone. Black bamboo trim adds an exotic touch. File box, 9.75"Wx4.75"Dx4.5"H. File tray, 13"Wx10.5"D. Pencil box, 4.5"Sq.x4.75"H. Letter sorter, 10.5"Wx5.5"D. Price: $4.99+
Magnetic Tins Available at Storables Organize your paperclips, rubberbands, staples, pushpins and more in these magnetic tins available at Storables. Then just stick them to your file cabinet to get them out of your desk drawers. Price: $18.95 set of six
More great file folders available at Patina Stores...
We love to theme event designs around holidays, but at the same time, it's important never to go overboard with cliche holiday items. That's why we love this simple floral centerpiece for Easter. Note the subtle Easter eggs hanging simply from the branches, accentuating, not overpowering, its modern design.
We'd like to introduce you to a fun company specializing in "infinite one-of-a-kindness." Meet Zazzle, an online retail company selling one-of-a-kind products. We found these incredible custom postage stamps and we know you'll love them. They are completely authorized by the United State Postal Service, so they are totally legit and ready for mailing. Next time you mail an invitation to your next event, remember that even the packaging is important in making a first impression. These unique stamps might be just the touch you need to the set the tone for your event.
We think you'll love this nifty solar disco ball available at Patina. The disco ball which can be powered either by the sun or a light will spin! All you need to do is dance the night or sunny day away. The Solar Disco Ball measures 18" from the top of the chain to the bottom of the dazzling mirrored ball!
Price: $29.95
Also check out this Disco Ball Air Refresher. Place it on your lamp switch or hang it from your rear view mirror. Either way, you'll be stayin' alive 70's style.
Choices - afterall isn't that what it is all about? This is one of those areas where there are more choices than uses possibly. Looking for something for the office, the deck. the conference room, the lobby or anyplace else for that matter . . . then you are in luck. Prices are better than they have been in a very long time and your options are endless. Between the addition of new woods and fibers, framing and recycled metals it is almost an ideal alignment for your needs. To temp you with reaching outside of your comfort zone, so to speak we picked some fun and useful and comfortable pieces. We will send you off to a couple of websites such as IMM Living or Artsytime and Neoterichome and Architonic.
I'm an avid photographer and I'm always looking for innovative ways to show off my photos. I recently came across a product that allows photographers of every skill level to show off their best shots. 
