Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Jimi Hendrix

For all who love and/or have family, friends, colleagues, or clients that love rock, get ready to re-experience Jimi Hendrix from the vault of studio and live tapes that were previously unreleased.

"Valley of Neptune, containing a dozen tracks will be released on March 9th to kick off Sony/Legacy's massive reissue campaign," as stated by Edna Gundersen of USA Today. His 11th studio album -- the eighth to be issued posthumously and first since 1980 -- includes studio recorded Mr. Bad Luck intended for 1968's Axis: Bold as Love release. Per Gundersen, also included is a frenzied Fire, the long-coveted title track; a sprawling cover of Cream's Sunshine of Your Love; and such re-tooled originals as Lover Man, Red House, and Crying Blue Rain. Along with his longtime engineer Eddie Kramer, we marvel at what Jimi Hendrix might have achieved had he not died at the young age of 27 in 1970.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

New Year, New Finds

I hope that the year is off to a good start for everyone -- 2009 was a great year, but I honestly believe that 2010 will be even better!

Thanks again to all my avid supporters: my family, friends, clients, all my social networking friends/family and last but not least my trusted vendors for all your support, encouragement, referrals, sponsorships and more. I could not do it without you!

In trying to decide which route to go with my second blog of the year, I concluded that a whimsical post with some neat finds would be a welcoming change after Wednesday's holiday post. So, here goes… ENJOY!

1. Need an umbrella or parasol for your event? Did you know that if you did not want to purchase, they are available for rent? You must be asking what the difference is between the two – right?

Well, according to Wiki: Umbrella is another synonym for the term parasol, which was first used as a protection against the scorching heat of the sun, "para" meaning stop or shield and "sol" meaning sun. The word "umbrella" has evolved from the Latin "umbella" (and "umbel" is a flat-topped rounded flower) or "umbra," meaning "shaded."

In addition, in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India they were used to protect important people from the sun. They were often large and held by bearers, and they served as marks of honor and authority for the wearer (Encyclopedia Britannica).

So the next time you need one for any event -- weddings, decor, engagement pictures, fashion and product shoots, props, or just love umbrellas, visit Bella Umbrella.

Photo courtesy of Bella Umbrella

2. You can pair your umbrella/parasol with a nice clutch from Beegee Bags.

Photo courtesy of Beegee Bags

3. Ever heard of Bed Hog sheets? Check out this beautiful pair of “his & her” sheets suitable as a wedding gift or for any occasion. Visit the Bed Hog website to read about the amazing story of how the idea came about.

Photo courtesy of Bedzine

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Holiday Spirit at the Gaylord National

It's been some time since my last blog post -- I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and the New Year. If you didn't get a chance to visit the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in the DC Metro Area during the holidays this season, mark your calendar for December 2010; it's a must-see!

The 18-story glass atrium of the resort was beautifully decorated with over two million twinkling lights. 150-foot light banners that replicated the colors of the Northern Lights were hung from the ceiling. A fountain show choreographed to Christmas music was also located in the atrium, as was an indoor holiday train village.




The space would not be complete, however, without the spectacular 60-foot Christmas tree made from candy-like glass that was dangling from the atrium ceiling. The tree was lit every evening at 6PM and an indoor snowfall turned the atrium into a winter wonderland.



And then there was "ICE!" -- a 15,000 square foot pavilion containing sculptures of penguins, polar bears, reindeer, gas-lit lampposts, replicas of some of Washington, DC's landmarks, four ice slides, Santa's workshop, and a beautiful nativity scene all made out of ice. The sculptures are amazingly maintained at a chilly 9 degrees, so be sure to dress warm if you plan to visit.

"ICE!" photo courtesy of the Washington Post

To view additional "ICE!" pictures, visit this gallery by The Washington Post.

All I can say is that the Gaylord is an amazing venue, and kudos to all involved in creating such a magnificent holiday atmosphere.