Exposed

After searching through The Knot‘s extensive listings of qualified photographers in Houston, I was close to giving up.  Most people had conflicts, and more often than not, my jaw hit the floor when I saw the requested cost (or investment as it is often referenced).  Nothing seemed to be aligning.

That’s when I came across George Street Photo and Video.  I couldn’t believe it.  I had managed to stumble upon a well-reviewed company with incredibly reasonable price packages.  I searched and searched for a loophole but was unable to find one.  I decided to make the move and reach out to someone.  Everyone with whom I spoke was exceptionally friendly as I strongly believe all people in the wedding industry should be — sorry folks, that’s what you get!  Starting out in 1994 by three best friends: Tim, Michael, and Dan in Chicago IL, George Street sets themselves apart in more ways than one:

• Essentially the company has teams for every part of the process:  wedding consultants, assignment teams, creative, IT, post production and more.  Oh, wedding photographers too!
• This essentially takes out the burden of a photographer doing all the work on their own: searching for clients, communicating with the clients, editing photos and being dragged down by the administrative tasks.  George Street allows them to be paid for doing what they love to do.  Therein lies the discrepancy in cost.
• A style assessment is sent out before a photographer is selected which shows four different photos on each page and you, the client, picks your favorite style.  This helps the team select photographers that fit your taste.

To each their own I believe to be true, but I couldn’t say no to the price, generosity, quality, flawless and timely manner in which they’ve dealt with me already.

Is it a risk?  Absolutely!  Do I think it’s worth it?  Absolutely.

Photogenic

I am truly in the midst of wedding-planning madness which includes making about 50 different meaningless decisions a day, all while maintaining a full-time high-pressured job.  Sure there are books you can read and I could easily spend my Saturdays and Sundays tapping into every internet resource available in order to better grasp how to plan a wedding, but life is hectic and as it turns out, it still continues.  My work out classes haven’t stopped, my need for grocery store shopping hasn’t subsided and my laundry certainly hasn’t stopped piling up on itself.

As I was able to help my sister secure a photographer for her wedding two years ago, I thought I could easily secure one for my own.  Photographers are everywhere and it seems as though all too many people (professionals or not) are carrying around those fancy cameras with the straps and bags.  I had people reach out to me, I referenced e-mails I had sent out on my sister’s behalf way back when, and almost every female human being I know who is near my age is already married and more than willing to share advice.

This may be alarming to discover but weddings are expensive.  Ridiculously so.  People and companies understand and acknowledge that you want a special day to celebrate this thing called love, so they dupe you.  They offer extra services, they make it sound as if you will not have to lift a finger, and they remind you that this is the ONLY time this event will happen and nothing as significant will ever occur in life again.  In other words, your life is officially over after marriage.

I haven’t done any formal research, but through my own intensive informal research I have  spotted a growing trend.  Art.  Before a wedding/engagement picture was just about capturing a moment whether staged or candid between two people in love.  These days engagement photos are about writing something adorable on a piece of wood and fading the couple out in the background.  Pinterest has only allowed this trend to blossom, and I can’t say that I blame them.  Pictures and photographers have taken on a whole new meaning and I respect what they do immensely.  They are selling their craft for a once in a lifetime event, and capturing a moment that can be printed and doted upon forever.  But with the internet-savvy and DIY (Do it yourself) generation, how can you as a photographer set yourself apart and what will grab a bride’s eye?

Stay tuned.

The Humble Peanut

In the interest of my serious and devout followers, I have done my best to spare you on any and all wedding vendors I’ve learned about in just the past couple of weeks.  It blows my mind that a band or reception venue wouldn’t post a calendar of availability instead of having hundreds of strangers contact them only to find out both parties leave the conversation as a lose-lose deal.  I’ll leave you out of it.

Instead, I will expound on my favorite subject.  Food.  Yesterday, as I browsed the latest and greatest offerings at my local grocery store, I’ve noticed the continued emphasis on PB2 products.  The packaging itself is quite appealing to the eye with the bold words: 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter.  It’s one of those labels, that even while working in the food industry and recalling marketing lectures from school, I can’t help but see the health merit.  I had to see what this was all about: I have the PB2 peanut butter powder and PB2 chocolate powdered peanut butter in my pantry as I type.  And yes, I’ve tried it – it’s definitely different.  We (as in humanity) have adjusted so well to the sugary thick paste we call peanut butter that when you first taste your PB2 mixture it takes several attempts to understand its formulation. The manufacturer is called Bell Plantation and their health mantra is this:

“PB2 reduces fat through a chemical-free process. Like all Bell Plantation products, PB2 and Chocolate PB2 are all natural, preservative free, and contain no artificial sweeteners. And that makes them a sweet alternative for active lifestyles, dieters, and moms who want healthy snacks for their kids.” (
http://www.bellplantation.com/about-us
)

Bell Plantation actually started as an agricultural research company in 1991 founded by J.C. and Jo Bell. Their focus is health and the need to improve profitability for family farmers.  They make a slew of products but those I have been able to find in my grocery store are the peanut butter powder and the chocolate peanut butter powder.  Both can be used in pure powder form, in cooking and baking, by adding any liquid of choice to make the peanut butter or shakes/smoothies.

These products are versatile and guilt-free (my favorite).  Bell Plantation does a great job on their website of not only touting the benefits of their product, but also explaining how it functions and why it’s better for you.  This isn’t just perception folks.  This is real.

Two tablespoons of traditional peanut butter have 190 calories yet two tablespoons of PB2 have 45 calories.  Can’t argue with those facts.  So, next time you need a scoop of peanut butter to go with your Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate ice cream, look for some PB2 powder in the stores and give it a whirl.  

Bell Plantation, Achieving great things with the humble peanut.

**I am no food scientist here, I’m just saying Benchmark Brands officially endorses the marketing and promotion of the Bell Plantation product**

An apology for my respite…

Please head over to The Rivard Report and read my Thrift Off San Antonio article written on March 30th, 2013.  Thrift Off SA

 

Child’s Own Studio

As we have become a society that expects and demands customization, it seems only fitting that children would desire the same.  The difference is, their options are limited as they have caretakers who determine their available options.

We like to have creations we can call our own.  There is pride associated with something you created and successfully completed through hard work and determination.

Through the beauty that is Pinterest, I found a website where a woman (Wendy Tsao) takes a child’s drawing or painting and turns the creation into a 3-d stuffed object – dolls, animals, mermaids and monsters, methods of transportation, and other miscellaneous things.  Tsao has tapped into an amazing market.  Imagine, instead of using a magnet to showcase a child’s beautiful drawing – bringing it to life!  You might think this doesn’t require much talent, but if you go to her gallery you will see the child’s picture, and then the finished product.  Tsao manages to take something that may look to us like chicken scratch, and turns it into something beautiful that a child can be proud of and flaunt mercilessly.

http://www.childsown.com/gallery/

Please note the finished product and the drawing in the background!

Tsao, the owner of Child’s Own Studio, is trying to present a product she is pleased with, the purchaser (usually a parent) is pleased with, and the child is happy with the end product.  There may be creative licenses taken, but the purchaser is brought into the process so that they will not receive a surprise at the end.

Pricing is between $90 and $140 plus shipping.

Apparently, this creative process is in high demand.  This year she let her website followers know she was ready for new submissions and received over 200 submissions in just three hours – this will keep her busy for over a year!  Looks like your child’s creation may have to wait… but it’s worth it!

You Can Still Dunk in the Dark

I may or may not have been tuned into every moment of the Super Bowl but I pay attention to the details.  If there’s an important game on television, I check my facts before I show up to the office the next day so as to avoid looking like an idiot.

Last night there was a power outage.  Way to go electric companies.  That’s beside the point.  Whilst this power outage was continuing on for 30 minutes, Oreo came up with a genius idea.  They tweeted a comment:  Power out?  No problem.  This comment was accompanied by this picture:  
http://twitter.com/Oreo/status/298246571718483968/photo/1
.  360i the cookie companies ad agency moved quickly and had everything approved in a matter of minutes.  It paid off!  This picture was retweeted 10,000 times in one hour.

Here are the reasons I believe this was such a hit:

1) Their witty slogan was relevant and people love relevant

2) It’s America’s favorite cookie – okay, maybe not but it’s probably one of the more well-known or recognized cookies out there

3) They already had an audience – everyone was on twitter just waiting around for the game to come back on

4) Simplicity

5) Approved within minutes (they figured out how to cut the red tape) and tweeted to the world

Good move Oreo.  Good move.

Easy Baking

In this world of ever-changing technology, I am struck by the thought of games and toys from my childhood.  I played with toys such as Polly Pocket or Littlest Pet Shop which could entertain me for hours on end.  It made me wonder how toys and games from my childhood have stayed relevant.  Today I’ll do a quick dive into the Easy-Bake Oven by Hasbro.  This gadget targeted toward tween girls has been in existence since 1963 and is still a household name today.

The concept itself has always stayed the same — a safe “oven” for tweens to use and make a delicious creation.  Hasbro has changed the design through the years – introducing new bold colors for the oven and constantly improving upon the tools and mixes utilized.  The process of baking keeps your young ones from burning themselves and allows them to take control (even though adult supervision is encouraged).  The light-bulb free current basic package (which is $55 by the way) includes a baking pan, cupcake pan, pan pusher, chocolate chip cookie mix, red velvet cake mix, pink frosting mix, rainbow sugar crystals package, paper cupcake wraps and instructions/recipe booklet.  The treats are still so small you have to use a magnifying glass to ensure they are there, but it still provides the same fun as it did when I was a kid!

http://www.hasbro.com/easy-bake/en_US/shop/details.cfm?R=8A47B412-5056-900B-10D3-1C924B872020:en_US

Another way Hasbro has stayed relevant?  Apps of course!  They have a free cupcake app which allows kids to simulate baking and decorating their creation and then sending out pictures to friends and family.  The website has videos of tips for children to improve their baking and decorating skills as well.

Hasbro has taken the treats a step further and has designed snack mixes: cookie kits, cake pops (how trendy), whoopie pies, checker cakes, dessert dippers, pretzel dippers, pizza fills with fun molds, Betty Crocker mixes (co-branding at its best), and s’mores!   This expansive list of treats still lends itself to more growth and new concepts/ideas as new treats become popular.

Keeping the kids coming back for more miniature baking creations!