Ideas in Action
Mario Batali: Photo: Melanie DuneaYou only need three things for a good evening of corporate entertainment: magic, martinis and Mario. Batali, that is. The Food Network star has partnered with mixology master Tony Abou-Ganim and entertainer Billy Harris to offer an event package that comes complete with entertainment, food and beverages. When guests arrive, they are greeted with cocktails handcrafted by Abou-Ganim; Harris then brings his comedy and magic to the stage; this is followed by Batali, an “Iron Chef America” favorite, giving a live cooking performance reminiscent of his performances on the popular show. And of course, the evening wouldn’t be complete without a cookbook signing.
For more information, visit www.magicmartinismario.com.
Stretch Shape Stars: Courtesy: Rose BrandThese décor items from Rose Brand are meant to be stars, not supporting players. How do we know? The items the company has recently added to its inventory are a constellation of star shapes. Part of the company’s Stretch Shape product line, the stars are made with flame-retardant spandex and are available in solid colors (red, white and blue), as well as combinations of red/white/blue, red/white/silver and blue/white/silver. The stellar creations measure 54 inches in diameter and 18 inches deep, and ship via UPS or FedEx.
For more information, visit www.rosebrand.com.
Courtesy: www.aodates.comEver wonder what available open dates there are at properties at which you’re considering having an event? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a website that had that information and you could access it with a few mouse clicks? If you could just type www.availableopendates.com into your browser and get to work? As it happens, you can. Recently launched, Available Open Dates displays a facilities calendar showing available and unavailable dates in real time and allows you to generate an e-mail to facilities’ marketing departments, make a “reserve request” for your date (creating a built-in waitlist for the facility) and access affiliate venues if your desired property is unavailable. At this time, the site only represents facilities in California, but if its current popularity is any gauge, more are on the way.
For more information, visit www.aodates.com.
Courtesy: Northwest Cellars
Here’s something to toast to, especially if you’re an aficionado of vintages hailing from the Pacific Northwest — custom-blended wines, which can come with your own custom label, to be used as giveaways, gifts and promotional items. Based out of Kirkland, Wash., Northwest Cellars partners with several top winemakers in the region to create its blends, which are used in hospitality, restaurant, special event, personal and corporate settings. The company requests a minimum order of one case (12 bottles); volume discounts are available.
For more information, visit www.northwestcellars.com.
When looking for a laser pointer, why not reach for the stars — literally? The new Jasper Keynote is a green laser (bye bye red dots), which means it’s up to 50 times stronger than comparable red lasers, giving it a night-time visible range of several miles. Bright enough to point out planets and stars, the laser is also visible on that bright screen in your conference hall. Additionally, the pointer incorporates radio frequency technology for changing slides, freeing up your speakers to concentrate on their presentation, not pointing the pointer at a computer. Suggested manufacturers’ retail price for the Jasper Keynote is $169.
For more information, visit www.jasperlaser.com.
Courtesy: JasperLaser.com