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According to Urban Daddy:  Introducing StreetSpark, a brand-new dating app that scans your immediate surroundings for… romantic opportunities—and sets off a vibration every time one enters striking distance… Should someone resembling Your Perfect Match (even just semi-pro volleyball players) appear nearby, your phone will engage DEFCON 1 protocols and arm the warheads of love. You’ll casually peruse their profile and pic (and see their Facebook “likes”) and then choose whether to “ignite” this particular spark and send a message to the person, or to “extinguish” it and nip the bloom of romance in mid-blossom. Of course, the other person also has the option to ignite or extinguish you. Luckily you are highly flammable.

But what happened to good old-fashioned dating?!  Remember the days when you went on a date with someone that you didn’t know much about and had not seen a picture of yet, but your friend thought you two would be “perfect” together?  Do you really want to know everything about a person before you meet them?   

Instead, plan a perfect date at a cozy restaurant without preconceived notions and enjoy the company and the food –- no checking out his/her Facebook/Twitter/Google search page or scanning the menu first.  Just take a chance.

Perilla

 9 Jones St. nr. W. 4th St. NYC

Grab a quiet corner table in the back and order the duck meatballs.  Sitting near the kitchen, you may get a chance to see/meet the owner/chef, Harold Dieterle, Top Chef‘s inaugural winner.

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

97 Sullivan St nr. Spring St. NYC

Go early, sit at the bar, share a dozen oysters and try the martinis while you wait for a table (no reservations). Start with the platter of honey BBQ-glazed ribs and chicken wings.  The lobster and fried chicken for dinner will not disappoint. Take your time and enjoy a bottle of wine.  Don’t want to wait for a table?  Then head over to Blue Ribbon Sushi a few doors down. 

Frank

88 Second Ave. nr. 5th St. NYC

Are you on a budget or not sure if you want to spend dough on your date?  Check out this budget-friendly Italian joint in the East Village and order Grandma Carmela’s slow-cooked ragu.

Braeburn

117 Perry St. at Greenwich St. NYC

This restaurant reminds me of Nantucket meets a Vermont ski lodge.  The menu items are seasonal and fresh and the ambiance is cozy but not crowded.  Ask about the daily specials.  On Sunday, they feature a roasted chicken dinner for two.  You can also use this as your fallback plan if the wait at the Spotted Pig is too long.

Dieci

228 E. 10th St. nr. First Ave. 

This tiny 25-seat subterranean restaurant features Japanese Italian tapas. Yes, you read that correctly. The Japanese chef creates some amazing combinations of flavors and presents them in small portions so they are perfect for dates. Order a bunch of plates and share. You won’t want to miss the Spicy Yellowtail Tartar Crostini, Homemade Meatball, Saikyo Miso Marinated Black Cod and the duck. The menu changes so go back again.

Bon Appétit!

Having your event in a major metropolitan city?  Give your attendees a city plate!  I’m not a plate-on-the-wall girl, so it would be fun to use as a cheese plate for your next shindig or serve as the backdrop to that delicious dessert!

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[City Plates]

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 Having your event at a yacht club?  Hosting a nautical-themed party?  Sea Bags are the perfect carryall tote that your attendees can use again and again.  Want to take this theme to the next level?  Stuff the bag with Sperry Topsiders, throw in a splash-resistant anorak and roll up a beach towel.

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[Sea Bags]

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Throwing a baseball themed event?  Why not get your male guests some commemorative cufflinks from the ballpark?  Crafted from the salvaged seats of America’s most renowned stadiums, your guests could wear a piece of baseball history – original paint colors and all.  

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[Ballpark Cuff Links]

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 Hosting an event with international attendees, or throwing a party in a foreign city?  Give guests the gift of these colorful passport covers made with recycled ties and they’ll never lose their passport among the multitude of other things they’ve packed.

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[Narwhal Company Passport Cover]

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Have you received unusually cool items in your swag bags?

Image from The Satorialist

Governors Island is a 172 acre island in the heart of New York Harbor and only 800 yards from Lower Manhattan. For almost two centuries, Governors Island was a military base. In 2003 the federal government sold 150 acres of Island to the people of New York and 22 acres were declared the Governors Island National Monument (source).  

Image from Hither & Thither

Locals gathered “under a shady grove of centuries-old trees, caressed by fresh sea air” and picnicked on “a sprawling green surrounded by historic officers’ quarters and 18th century naval ramparts” (Source: Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra).  The Satorialist has some gorgeous shots (of course) but so do other blogger faves – Hither & Thither , Lovely Little Things, etc.

Image from A Cup of Joe

It isn’t often that we get to throw theme parties, but this made me pine a bit. Check out the fabulous details:

Signature drinks  – A delightful variety of refreshing cocktails will be served by St-Germain Elderflower Liquer and beer provided by Brooklyn Brewery.

Entertainment -  Authenitc ’78 records from the 1920s played on a phonograph provided by WFMU’s Antique Phonograph Music Program; Charleston lessons by dance legend Roddy Caravella

Activities - 1920s Motorcar Exhibition, vintage clothing dealers and boutique milliners, Tug O’ War, Parade Of Hats and Pie Recipe Contest

Image from So About What I Said

Kolarbyn, located in a dense forest by the beautiful Lake Skärsjön, consists of twelve forest huts equipped with cozy sheep skin blankets and a crackling fireplace. These huts are so darn cool – they’re little hobbit havens in the Swedish woods!

There is no electricity and you have to cut your own firewood, but this unique version of glamping means primitive living at its finest with local food, breathtaking views and adventurous wildlife tours.

 ~     Our number one: IT HAS TO BE LIGHT!  Bags that are heavy even before we slide in the laptop are a no-go!  

~     Laptop sleeve & room for power cords

~     Slim, streamlined look

~     Multiple straps: over-the-shoulder and hand-carrying options are a MUST

And now onto the bags!

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D-Lux Messenger from Timbuk2

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The description calls this a “TSA compliant leisure suit for your laptop” :: we think it’s perfect.  From San Francisco’s garage-meets-Mission District store, the brand is awesome and the bag will have a long life.  Check out more here.  Bonus:  They encourage you to even build your own. Brilliant.

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Lug Life Flatbed Slim Laptop Bag

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Look at all those pockets!  Three front zip pouches and a tiny back pocket.  A built in mouse pad and a water-repellent finish. With two carrying options, you can work your biceps or drape it over your shoulder for a more comfortable fit.  On sale now and available in 9 colors!

 The purple has made the top of my wishlist!

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 McKlein USA W Series Lake Forest Leather Women’s Laptop Case

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Italian leather with all the function of a laptop bag, and some frills too.  Comes with a padded shoulder strap, removable laptop sleeve and 7 color options and an inside pouch that includes a clip for your keys, a cell phone pocket, slots for pens and plenty of storage space. 

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 Manhattan Portage

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Originally designed for bike messengers in NYC and DJ’s in the East Village, this now-mainstream brand has been at it for 25 years.  Two of us carry Manhattan Portage bags and love them!

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 Built NY Laptop Portfolio

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  From laptops to iPads to portable DVDs, there is a Built NY bag for any carrying need.  Most styles come with a neoprene cover for extra protection.

Do you have a favorite bag?  What do you think of the above?

The answer – of course – is YES.  Elevating everyday supplies from Office Depot & the drugstore to Barneys and Bergdorf.  Voila! 

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Wear some bling wherever you go!   

Best part: one dollar from the sale of each tin will go to Design Ignites Change, an organization that engages high school and college students in design and architecture projects that address social issues in their own communities.    

We may have to “accidentally” give ourselves a paper cut!    

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Band Aids by Cynthia Rowley.   

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Outshine your everyday black stapler with this compact sparkly number!    

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Pink Diamonte Stapler.   

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We’re more likely to be found pounding the keys, but with these Swarovski pencils, we’d trade keyboards for college-ruled (or wide-ruled, if that’s your style) notepaper any day.   

Fun fact: did you know you can print college-ruled paper templates from Microsoft Office Online?  Genius!   

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Swarovski pencils from Spoon Sisters.   

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 Plaid, paisley, stripes – duct tape sheds its single color hues.  We’ll never roll tape to hide behind a poster again!    

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Designer duct tape from Spoon Sisters.   

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Forget plain, rounded silver. These would add such a fun element to stacks of paper.    

So would these: Elephant and Duck Paperclips!   

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Numberclips!   

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Have you found any fabulous & chic office supplies?  Any bling that makes your workday more attractive?  We’d love to hear about it, and maybe you’ll influence us to stock our meeting kit with some aesthetically pleasing goods!

So much so that I actually did a search on where I could find Patbingsu (a Korean style shave ice sundae topped with condensed milk, matcha powder, red beans, mochi, cornflakes, green tea ice cream and fresh mixed fruit) in Portland.  The answer? NOWHERE

Looks like I need to bust out my Snoopy Sno Cone maker and take a trip to a Uwajimaya.

 ••• Pack Only Your Favorite Items (And Pack Slim)
I have my work-related trip packing down (Black pants? Check. Sensible (i.e. convention center friendly) shoes? Check.). It’s the fun trips I can get a bit befuddled (ten outfits for 3 days? YES!).  Regardless, my goal is to get everything I need into one carry-on bag. That’s it. As 3191 Miles Apart said, “If you love to wear it, bring it, period.”

••• Meet New Friends
I try to resist the temptation to hole up in my hotel room and eat (not very delicious) room service. After all, I’m usually in a great city with an amazing variety of restaurants at my fingertips. This is the perfect chance to schedule a meal with a vendor you’ve worked with but never had the chance to meet.  I’ve even found that you can hear plenty of interesting stories from your fellow road warriors when you’re out and about too.

••• Take Photographs of Yourself In Places You Love
I’ll take it straight from 3191 Miles Apart on this one – “This one is so simple it almost didn’t make the list. It’s sort of silly in fact. What can I say? I like to take photographs of myself in some of my favorite spots so that I have those images and I can see that I was there. It helps me, a very visual person, transport myself back to those moment and therefore those feelings. It’s a lovely way to savor where you’ve been and an easy way to bring back smell, light, sound and color.” 100% agreed. I’ve taken a gazillion pictures of scenic vistas, dreamy forests and statuesque buildings – only later to not really remember where I even took the picture.  

••• Eat Whatever You Want
Now, for event planners this should be taken with a grain of salt. Those tables piled high with pretzels and cake and cheese? STAY AWAY – too many events in a row and those pants start to feel a bit snug . For me, this line is about tasting what the city has to offer – a more “Eat Pray Love” mentality. That means if I’m in NYC, I’m going to buy a bag of roasted nuts and search out the nearest Pinkberry (don’t judge – they don’t have them in the NW). If I’m in San Francisco, I’m headed straight to Blue Bottle Coffee and the Ferry Market for a little chocolate (Recchiuti), a little cheese (Cowgirl), and a little lunch (Boulette’s or Gott’s).

••• Bring & Wear A New Scent
This is definitely a vacation line item for me – and not so much a work trip recommendation.  But it does work – every time I spritz on the perfume I bought for my wedding, I instantly remember minute little details about that day. Why wouldn’t the same be true for a vacation?

According to Health.com the top vices are:

1. Sleep
2. Taking a day off
3. Sex
4. Chocolate
5. Friends
6. Fat
7. Coffee
8. Massage
9. Sun
10. Wine

I can just see picking out 5 or more of these vices and setting up interactive themed areas for each, incorporating messaging, giveaways and experiences along the way.  Hosting a full chocolate bar, including a wide variety of chocolates (and a chocolate martini of course), roast your own coffee beans with freshly roasted beans available for coffee, on-site massages, sun lamps, wine, vacation giveaways, full-fat foods that are good for you—it all sounds like fun to me! 

Now I just need to find the perfect client for this type of event!