You Know You're An Event Planner When...

Unique Event Bars

After Dinner Scotch & Cigar Bar


Mimosa Bar


Sangria Bar


Hot Coco Bar

Good Questions to Ask Your Event Photographer

Windy City in 24 Hours

I had the opportunity to visit Chicago earlier this month and was onsite for less than 24 hours. I only had a few hours once I landed to see "something" that represented Chi Tow and what I decided to do was view the city at night from 1,353 feet above on the Skydeck Ledge. The Ledge glass box extends out 4.3 feet from the Skydeck and is located 103 floor up in the Western Hemisphere's tallest building (Willis Tower).

I have to admit that the night views where spectacular and grand. I was blown away by how large the lake and city are. As I was waiting my turn to step out on the "Ledge" I could help admire my surroundings and how much I've always wanted to see the city from this vantage point.

It was finally my turn to experience the "Ledge" and as I stepped out on the piece of glass all I feel a rush of adrenaline kicking in as my brain starts sending signals of panic and fear to my brain. All I could do is grab for the glass wall. Kind of funny that I would think it rational and safe to grab the glass wall but not trust the glass floor. Funny how fear affect our decision making process.

The experience was unforgettable and I was able to hang out on the Ledge long enough to have capture that moment on camera. As soon as the elevator reach the ground level I hopped into a cab and told the driver to head to the Tavern on Rush. It was dinner time!

Tavern on Rush was a fun, relaxing and contemporary steak house on famous Rush Street in Chicago. I was able to enjoy a delicious dinner, drinks and atmosphere. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant if you are ever in Chicago.

After dinner, I decided to brave the 6 degree chilly weather outside and walk back to my hotel. The explorer in me could not resist. It was a bit windy so I stopped into a Starbucks and picked up a hot beverage for my 20 minute walk. I got to see the Chicago River and walk down the Magnificent Mile which is a famous avenue in Chicago. 

The walk was uneventful until my phone died and I had no working GPS or map to get back to my hotel. It was so cold outside that my cell phone battery decided to conserve energy and power down. I was able to confirm with a friendly 7-11 clerk that I was only a block away from my hotel and indeed lost in the right direction.

The next day we had an early (for me) wake up call followed by a half day of meetings and tours. Our event will be help at McCormick Place which is grand convention venue. During our tour we got a chance to see some of the cars that where being displayed at one of the biggest Auto Shows in North America. Now if only I can figure out how to take this beauty back home with me. 

Superbowl XLIX: The Superbowl of All Events!

America's love for football all season long leads up to one of the biggest sporting events ever produced. The logistical planning efforts that go into one of these events is out of this world. The transportation, venue, AV, electrical, lighting, food and beverage, security, staff, traffic control oh, and all the FANS!!!!

These type of events take an entire year, if not longer, to plan with a considerable sized staff. I can't even imagine how many hours of overtime and Starbucks coffees are consumed during the planning phase of this event. I'm feeling a little anxious just thinking about it. 

Unfortunately, no matter how much you plan something the unexpected happens. This could include the AV, electrical or lighting not working right, vendors being late, running out of food or beverages, and last but not least fights. As we've seen tonight fights not only happen off the field but they can also happen on the field. 

In the end all that matters is that the public enjoyed their experience and production team pulled off a great event despite all the unexpected things that occurred. And remember...

Sleepless in Seattle & Dreaming of Distant Norwegian Lands

I was finally able to catch up on the sleep I wasn't able to get on site this week. In total, I slept 15 hours between Sunday - Thursday. YES, 15 HOURS!!! This is normal as we have to be up by 5:30 am and host evening events which normally end around 10:00 pm. We also work on other events and try to keep up on our emails while we're on-site.

It was all worth it in the end as our client was very happy and the participants enjoyed themselves. And, that's why I do what I do. Really enjoy seeing people enjoy themselves.

The event did have it's downs though. I had to deal with last minute cancellations, a dead car battery (courtesy of valet) and credit card declines. As a result, I increased my knowledge of car batteries/alternators, the power of negotiation/persuasion and how to pay a $3,500 tab with someone else's credit card. 

The group we hosted where all from Norway and for some it was their first time in the States. They where amazed how similar our rainy weather was to their Fall weather. And, because it's a steady 20 degrees right now in Oslo (one of the bigger cities) and some places have up to 500 feet of snow. 

I learned a lot about the different cities in Norway from a great group of folks and really enjoyed the discussion we had. Here are a few (new to me) facts about Norway:

• There is no standard dialect of the Norwegian language as a whole due to people living in isolated pockets between mountainous areas (cover most of the country).
• The Country of Norway is not part of the European Union. What?!?  However, they are closely associated with the Union through it's many memberships. 
• Norway has over 20 political parties and no one party can easily gain majority. 
• Norway is one of the richest countries in Europe with most of it's wealth resulting from oil and hydroelectricity. 
• The sun is only up for 5 hours a day. 

• Norway's notoriously inadequate and slow road system force a lot of people to use air travel within the country. 
• Delicacy: Svio - traditional dish consisting of a sheep's head cut in half and boiled with the brain removed. Yummy!!

I'm currently working on producing the 2016 and 2017 events so I can't wait to learn more about his fascinating culture. 

Seattle Seahawks and Corporate Events

Sitting here in the lobby of my hotel room getting ready for a big corporate event tomorrow and it seams like everyone is loosing their mind. SEAHAWKS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!! Haven't seen this much craziness since we went to the Superbowl last year. How can anyone get any work done with all this celebration around me. Stay tuned...