Now with …. are you kidding?

I’ve been laughing at this all day. Look at this sandwich label. Look closer. What’s funny? Look at the claim “New Superior Taste,” which begs the question … what the heck did it used to taste like? What chain of unfortunate events from concept through design to approval found this little gem making it through the sifter? Hey, I’m all for celebrating the greatness of your product, but this is down right hysterical.  BTW I submitted this to a certain talk show host.  I hope it makes it on the air.

Vocabularious

So I was talking to my sister yesterday and asked her to tell me the most recent funny story about my God son Evan. He is always doing and saying something hilarious. Evan is an intelligent and creative 7 year old (I know, I’m biased, but seriously, he is).   Cheri tells me on Halloween night when they were trick-or-treating Evan went into a neighbor’s ‘haunted’ house. After exiting he expressed his anxiety by saying: “Well, I vowed never to go into one of those again and there I went ahead and did it anyway.” Vowed.  Ha!

Still amazes me a 7 year old has this kind of vocabulary.

Contrast that against last night’s episode of The Amazing Race, where contestants had to find a candelabra with a special number on it and then hunt down the corresponding door marked with that number. One of the players (a 30-something guy) was completely confused and had no idea what a “candle bra” was, going so far as to ask someone in the room if he was a “candle bra.” Of course, ultimately his team came in last place. In my opinion, a well-deserved placing.

Am I being elitist?

You see, when I was a child, my mother read to us from the classics: Treasure Island, Peter Pan, Call of the Wild. To this day I am thrilled when I read Jane Austin. Her dialogue and descriptive narrative are a challenge to read, yet ultimately satisfying because of her wit and command of language.  She is arguably one of the greatest English writers in history.

Watch practically anyone on TV and they can barely speak, and forget sports figures (presumably college graduates) who can barely grunt, let alone form grammatically correct and sensible sentences.

Sounding intelligent.  When did that become something to which few aspire?  Even still, something to ridicule as is often the case?

I don’t know.  But thankfully, we have a new generation like Evan who speak creatively and sensibly. And whether or not their vocabulary is extensive, at least it’s expressive and cause for a smile. And by the way, to my friend from the Amazing Race, a candelabra  is used to illuminate one’s way, much as a book illuminates another kind of way … the path to intelligence.

The Neo Barber

My friend and colleague Geff Sellers has branched out to a new business venture.
He’s starting a new service called G:Lux at Dylan’s barbershop in the Arcadia district of Phoenix. Forget what you know about Barbershops. Forget the dog-eared pin up magazines, peeling linoleum, wall calendars from 1952 and no women to be found. Instead, think Chelsea or SoHo New York, where glass and exposed brick meet modern garage doors that roll up to usher in Phoenix’s beautiful weather. Think urban hip lofty chic, where you can get a cappuccino from La Grande Orange or a glass of wine and a board of bruschetta from Postino and then stop by for more than the expected trim-and-go. Dylan’s pulls out all the stops for both men and women for everything from a quick hair cut to a lingering style consultation, cut color and style. Skincare and oxygen facials are an unexpected surprise. Or if you’re a guy, you can still expect the same affordable barber cut, style and shave.

I like things that honor tradition yet bring a new and fresh approach. Things that are beyond what is usual and better than what is expected. Congratulations to Geff and to all the entrepreneurs out there who inspire us.

Fall is almost here.

It’s still hot here in Arizona and I’m anxiously awaiting that to change. Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year. Perhaps it is because my birthday is in October and my mother always created an amazing Halloween themed party for me every year. I’ll never forget the cake that took on the flavor of that plastic skeleton though Mom!

I love it when e-newsletters provide some real value. The following is a list of the best autumn leaves drives in the United States, provided by Vacation Rentals By Owner and borrowed to share with you too. (Though we found relevant sites and provide links here) Enjoy!

Park Loop Road – Acadia, ME
Mohawk Trail – Berkshire Mountains, MA
Brockway Mountain Drive – Upper Peninsula, MI
Kancamagus Highway – White Mountains, NH
Delaware Water Gap Scenic Drive – Poconos, PA
Cape Breton Trail – Nova Scotia, Canada
Coconino National Forest All Around Peaks Loop – Flagstaff, AZ
Mt. Baker Scenic Skyway – Bellingham, WA to Mt. Baker, WA
San Juan Skyway – Durango, CO to Ouray, CO
Skyline Drive- Front Royal, VA to Cherokee, NC
Blue Ridge Parkway – Shenandoah Valley, VA to Smoky Mountains, NC

Julia and Me

© Columbia Pictures

I had the lucky fortune of seeing “Julie & Julia,” last night. When I heard that Meryl Streep was cast as Julia Child I remember thinking, “I love Meryl but as Julia Child…mmmm, I don’t know about that.”

What an incredible performance by Streep. She crafted the character with all of the quirkiness, charm and wry humor that one remembers of Julia but she also brought an unexpected lustiness to her that was brilliant. And I loved her all the more for it.

On to the story.  Although the theme  was to parallel a journey by both characters on separate paths yet united by food and the contemporary character’s sharing of her journey through writing a blog, I found my self disappointed when the film bounced from Julia Child’s story to the present day story line. As sparking as Amy Adams is, I still wished the story was entirely about Julia.

Still, I am left with wonderful feelings for the film. It was one of those rare occasions where I honestly did not want the film to end. I fell in love with Streep’s characterization and wanted to know more about Julia Child’s adventures.

I felt both fulfilled and still hungry for more.

I believe I enjoyed the film on two different levels connected by a common thread. What I mean is, both Streep’s performance as well as the true nature of Julia’s personality could be distilled into one word: authenticity. Julia was about “I am who I am and that’s enough.” Streep dug into that and revealed it in a magically effervescent, genuine performance that could easily be turned out in a lesser actor’s hands as a one-dimensional or over-the-top.

Authenticity is a powerful thing.

Everyday, I celebrate authenticity with my clients.  I want my clients to project authenticity with great story telling.  Making promises that they can keep and telling the truth. As individuals we want to be moved, we want to be inspired and we want to feel important.

Those chords within us are only struck by authentic actions, and the resulting tone is pure, fulfilling and lingers long.

One of my favorite things I’ve seen this year

This is a photo of an alien abduction lamp. I love coming across things that make me smile, no matter how hectic my day.