09.26.07
Posted in randomness at 3:48 pm by Pammy
Inspired by one of the web designs I’m working on for a client, as well as some of my coworkers, last night I attended a Yoga class. I had nothing to lose, as the first session was free. The Well, in Historic Ellicott City is a center for Yoga and the Healing Arts. The studio has a peaceful atmosphere, with comfy couches, bright colors, and a shop that sells only locally made merchandise like bath and body products and jewelry.
My experience there was great. The instructor was very friendly and knowledgeable, and the other students were welcoming. I know nothing about yoga, so I was appreciative that the other students and the staff didn’t judge me for that. I really enjoyed the course and I am going to go to a workshop for beginners this Sunday to learn more about the practice.
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09.24.07
Posted in advertising/marketing at 12:34 pm by Pammy
I can’t believe that someone would agree to this. I have a hard enough time staying focused on a telephone call without being distracted by the squirrels running around on my deck outside. Can you imagine trying to have a conversation with your best friend that you get to speak to three times a year, while after every new subject is presented… an advertisement flashes on your screen in front of you? I guess it’s all in the name of free phone service.
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Posted in advertising/marketing at 9:34 am by Pammy
This article from this passed Saturday’s issue of The New York Times Magazine takes you into the world of advertising for Spanish speakers. They have even labeled Hispanics into the degrees in which they have assimilated.
- LEARNERS: foreign born, Spanish dominant, 3 av kids, 65% rent
- STRADDLERS: immigrated young, 4 av HH size, blue collar/semi prof, bilingual/mostly Spanish
- NAVIGATORS: English dominant, some Spanish, 78% at least some college, semi prof/prof, 60% own home, HH inc $76
As they begin to realize that Hispanics are spending as much as $928 billion in the US, advertising agencies are targeting entire campaigns to the spanish-speaking immigrants. These are American-born citizens as well as green-card residents and the undocumented.
I find it interesting that some marketing mechanisms had to be completely re-branded. Spending $60 million on Hispanic targeted advertising, Walmart’s English tag line, “Low prices, always,” just doesn’t resonate with hispanics. While “Para su familia, de todo corazón. Siempre,” or “For your family, from the heart. Always,” draws on their family-focused attitude.
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09.19.07
Posted in rants at 7:23 pm by Pammy
So we’re all moved in, and come Monday morning I find two notes stuck under my car windshield wipers. Oh how nice, I thought, welcome to the neighborhood notes! Oh no, it was nothing like that.
Two residents had taken it upon themselves to tell me I was parked in the wrong parking spot… Let me give you some background information: Before we moved in, our landlord had told us that he didn’t know which spot was ours (they are numbered and with no relation to the units), and that we should just ask one of the other residents. Since we never saw anyone around, we parked in the parking space that always seemed to be open, and were parked there all weekend.
You must be thinking, “Well of course they don’t want you to park in their spot, why are you upset about that?” It’s not that they wrote me a note telling me that I was in their spot, I’m all for open and honest communication, it’s that they wrote me two notes! There is only one parking space assigned to each unit, ie. one spot = one letter. You would think wouldn’t you? I can’t figure out if they were written by the same person. The first of them was rude, stating, “these are assigned parking spots,” and demanding that I “find somewhere else to park!” While the second simply said that the spot I was in was assigned to one unit, and told me which space was assigned to me. Maybe the person who wrote the first note felt bad and wrote a second, more civil one? Maybe they are from a couple who wrote notes separately?
The most amusing part though, is that to this day the spot has been vacant, leaving no one to receive my note in response. Don’t worry, I was nice.
Thanks for being so neighborly, neighbor.
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Posted in food & drink at 5:02 pm by Pammy
For Chris’s birthday last night, his mom took him (and me by extension) to Le Crepes Cafe, which is a small cafe located inside of Cafe de Paris in Columbia. They only serve Crepes and beverages, but the Cafe de Paris has a full menu, although extremely expensive- think $27 as the cheapest entree. I have never had crepes before and I must say they were delicious. For dinner I had a smoked salmon, cream cheese, and capers crepe, as well as some bites of Chris’s smoked turkey and goat cheese one. They were amazing.
But then came dessert, when I got the chocolate hazelnut crepe. I must say that this is my new favorite. They will be seeing me again that’s for sure.
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09.18.07
Posted in randomness, shopping at 5:32 pm by Pammy
www.wantsforsale.com
This NYC couple simply paints a picture of what they want, auctions it off for the price of the actual item, and then goes out and purchases it. If only this was possible for everyone. But really, who wants the same thing for long enough to duplicate it on canvas?
Want(ed): Another Guitar for Guitar Hero 2, bought for $64.98 (20″ x 16″ canvas)
www.nycgarbage.com
Buy trash for only $50 a pop (free shipping!)
Kit #163 includes: kit kat wrapper, diet coke can, cigarette butt, match box, Heineken label, string, Marlboro box, and a parking receipt.
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Posted in home decor, shopping at 3:07 pm by Pammy
This passed weekend as I drove back and forth from Chris’s parent’s house and our new place, I noticed a yard sale. What drew me to it were two Japanese Shoji Screens. We didn’t have time to stop at the moment, but I went back later and asked the woman to hold one of them for me for $30 (!). She had originally bought them for $160, and they were still brand new as she never used them. Anyway, I didn’t have cash at the time so I told her I would come back for them later in the day.
Around 3:00 that afternoon I sent Chris over with the money to pick them up, but the yard sale was gone. I figured if I went over there I would be able to figure out which house the lady lived in (because they had taken the screen inside to save it for me). Luckily, I returned, money in hand, and my screen was safely inside their house!
It looks great in our bedroom, what a great find. I’ll post a picture asap.
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09.14.07
Posted in design, shopping at 2:20 pm by Pammy
I started a journal collection awhile back, and I love the way they look displayed on my modern bookshelf. This is such a great idea, I love nicely designed book covers and library books are fun! Tyler Bender takes old books and refashions them into journals and sells them on his Etsy store. These are great, and of course I love the turquoise one pictured above. It would look great in my stash!
(via decor8)
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09.13.07
Posted in design, home decor at 4:22 pm by Pammy
Last week I entered my bedroom photo into Domino Magazines Decorating Contest hoping to win a $10,000 home furnishings shopping spree. I checked their featured submissions section just now and, lo and behold, my design is featured! Although they cropped out my awesome vintage dresser.
Click on the image to go to Dominomag.com
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Posted in advertising/marketing at 12:33 pm by Pammy
Viral Video made by gmail users. I love the flipbook clip.
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