. @RonGoch shares why social media has changed workplace interaction
. @SocialMedia411 gives 10 reasons why you shouldn’t blog
. want to know the 7 habits of highly effective writers? check out what @krisfrancisco shared via Twitter.
. @IDS_Toronto shows how fashion and design merge by sharing the Globe & Mail’s article: “Home decor is the new fashion“.
. @shalstead shares a MUST READ article by Brandweek on why Experience Marketing is important in a down economy. George P. Johnson’s own Jeff Rutchik provides some great insights.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
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. Connect with me on LinkedIn
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Tags: twitter

Wildflower Linen hosted a beautiful soiree on Thursday evening during The Special Event Show in San Diego. Candles, flowers and gorgeous linens were the backdrop for a fabulous 6 course dinner.

More information .
. check out their stunning Lillybelle chair sleeve
. visit the Wildflower Linen blog
. stay tuned for pictures from their tradeshow exhibit at the Special Event Show

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

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The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Event Ideas

Today was the start of the Special Event Show’s educational sessions. I had the pleasure of sitting in on Vok Dams’ CEO, Colja Dam’s seminar on Trends in events 2009. It was a highly intelligent session focused on strategy and peppered with innovative products. One of which was B[EYE]T, an incredible “live communication” technology for the dining experience.

As Colja stated in his seminar, in our youth we are constantly engaged and interested because we experience new things all the time. As we grow older, new experiences become more and more rare. Our challenge as event professionals is to find ways to fascinate and enchant our guests. B[EYE]T achieves just this by creating interactive theatre from an otherwise standard dining table. Moving visuals, text and logos are projected on tables to captivate, communicate and connect with guests.

I highly recommend that you view the videos on their website, as static images don’t do this technology justice (you’ll find the videos under IMPRESSIONS).

By nature of its benefits, this technology is meant for custom applications. Please visit B[EYE]T’s website for more product information.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

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The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Corporate Branding, Design Inspiration, Entertainment inspiration, Food & Beverage, Photographic Inspiration, Products

I landed in LA yesterday to spend a few days with a friend of mine. Both of us will be making the scenic drive up to San Diego tomorrow for The Special Event Show 2009. I’m looking forward to meeting up with friends, old and new – many of which I met through my blog (including Tracey Kumer-Moore of LV Wedding Concierge, Ryan Hanson of BeEvents and Jodi Bos of In Any Event). I’m also excited to find the latest and greatest new products in the industry, so stay tuned for highlights from the tradeshow floor.

We’re very honored to be nominated for the Special Event Gala award for Best Use of Tenting for the University of Pennsylvania fundraising gala. The awards will be taking place on Friday at the San Diego Convention Center.

Talk to you soon!

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
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The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Industry Event

. According to @richardPeck “More Adults Joining Social Networks.” – see the full story at Business Week

. @Zappos (Zappos CEO)asks his Twitter followers: “What movement would you start and what would you need to make it happen?”. Here’s what they had to say.

. @BestPartyEver retweeted that W hotel in Scottsdale is facing foreclosure

. @chadmcmillan shared a new search engine tool called Viewzi. Instead of having a regular ‘ho-hum’ search that turns up a bunch of copy, Viewzi shows images, content and let’s you highlight favorites. You can embed it into your blog – but right now they just support WordPress and Habari.

. Event Solutions, ISES Toronto and CSEME (Canadian Special Events Meeting & Expo) recently joined Twitter.

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Also, I want to say congratulations to Tastespotting (@tastespotting) who is celebrating their 2 year birthday today!

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: twitter

From the first moment I set my eyes on the Zygote ball, I knew I had fallen in love. Available through Tangible Interaction out of Vancouver, Canada, they supply to events all over the world.
There’s nothing better than seeing a crowd engaged and involved at an event. Below are two videos for Zygote Ball and Graffiti Wall that show just how interactive and fun these products are.

Zygote Interactive Ball is a fun installation conceived to shift the focus of a show, from the stage to the audience. It was created to empower the crowd and make them an active part of the show. Zygotes can work autonomously, or wirelessly controlled by a central computer to create a dynamic light show. Zygotes can also send data back to the computer and this info can be used to trigger sounds or visuals. This is the opening of Sensation White in Amsterdam at the Ajax stadium with 40,000 people. Zygote will be on tour with Sensation for the rest of 2009 and 2010.

Graffiti Wall is an multi touch interactive projection system. Projection can be on (shop) windows, screen or fabric. With a little led light or infrared pen it’s possible to draw or write messages on a screen. And, due to the fact that it is a multi touch application, multiple people can use it at the same time.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
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Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Products

Every few months I get a spark of inspiration when DIFFA hosts one of their Dining by Design events. Since there are no events in the Toronto-area (or anywhere in Canada), I have to resort to stalking Flickr for the latest pictures. I was lucky enough to have Nika Boyce share her beautiful captures with me.

I’ve blogged about plant walls a few times before…and it’s wonderful to see one in use for an event. And I love, love, love those chairs!

All images generously provided by Nika Boyce. Copyright 2008 Nika Boyce Studios All rights reserved.

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Related stories:
. Urban safari . the it pattern
. the best of diffa

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration, Event Ideas, green events