by Vincent Aviani | Oct 20, 2017 | Party Tips |
Selena Quintanilla Honored with Google Caricature Doodle
R.T. Clown Inc. has produced more than 35,000 special events since its founding in 1985, and one of the firm’s most popular event attractions is the use of a professional caricature artist. This form of art, the artists draws a portrait of a person, exaggerating some personal characteristic or oversimplifying other characteristics. This October, Google went to the art form to honor deceased Mexican-American pop star, Selena Quintanilla. Selena released her first album in 1989, nearly thirty years ago, and Google is paying tribute to the artist, while also honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Believe it or not, Selena would have been 47 years old next year. She started performing when she was 9, being the frontwoman for her family-musical group, Selena y Los Dinos. Before she knew it, Selena rose to become the brightest star in “Tejano” music, a blend of Mexican and Texas American musical genres. Selena won a Grammy Award in the Mexican/American album category in 1993, bringing two countries together with songs as “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”, “La Carcacha”, and “El Chico del Apartamento”. In 1995, the singer, dancer, songwriter was eventually shot to death by the president of her fan club.
Google also created a video tribute to celebrate the former artist. We think it’s big news, and worth a look.
by Vincent Aviani | Oct 17, 2017 | Party Tips |
Three Common Event Themes That Cut Through the Clutter
Let’s face it, we live in a world that is saturated with stimulation. If it’s not Twitter feeds bombarding us, then it’s Facebook posts that need liking, or instant messages that require replies. The result of all this instant communication is that people have become numb to more traditional stimulation. Things like color, sound, or even smell have become diluted sensations. Creating special events that aim to entertain, engage, or enhance have become very difficult to create. Even if you have great talent performing, or a dynamic speaker projecting, modern audiences want an experience that’s memorable and engaging.
One way to make your event stand out is by choosing a creative event theme. For better or for worse, your theme sets the tone for your whole event and directs many of your planning decisions. Get it right and your event will feel like a breath of fresh air.
What are the qualities of unique event themes?
A unique event theme doesn’t necessarily have to be something never done before. The key to making event themes work is to use ingenuity and creativity to transport your audience through a “time tunnel”, and take them by surprise. Here are three common event themes to get your juices flowing.
Theme #1: Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West theme is a great theme that will appeal to just about every male. However, a well done Western theme can also appeal to women as well. Consider these event elements to bring out your Wild Wild West Event theme:
Decor:
- Hay bales
- Western-style bar
- Western jail set for photos
- Saloon with swinging doors.
Entertainment:
- Gun slingers
- Lariat performer
- Whip performer
- Knife throwing expert
Food and Beverage:
- Barbeque
- Hamburgers
- Biscuits
- Baked Beans
- Fresh Pie
Theme #2: South of the Border
South of the Border events are great for kids and adults, especially if they’re held in states that border Mexico! There is a lot of tradition and family-oriented fun in Mexican themed events. There are also opportunities for great food and music.
Decor:
- Create a small bridge over a makeshift Rio Grande River
- Bright yellow lighting inside the entrance
- Carts with vendors in Mexican attire selling novelties, baskets, handicrafts, etc.
- Female mariachi or male mariachi cutouts that can be used as backdrops for photos
Entertainment:
- Mariachi muscians
- Flamenco and folk dancers
- Folk artists
- Teach the Macarena or the Mexican Hat Dance and have a contest to see who the best dancer is
- Hang a bull piñata
Food and Beverage:
- Tacos
- Fajitas
- guacamole
- tamales
- margaritas
Theme #3: Horary for Hollywood
A Hollywood themed event is great for anyone living around or within Hollywood. It appeals to just about any age, from little kids to older adults.
Decor:
- Have a sign announcing “The Hollywood Palladium”
- Red carpet with rope and stanchion on either side
- Movie set props like directors’ chairs, cameras, lights, etc.
- Look alike performers portraying famous movie stars
Entertainment:
- A small group of young male and female fans screaming as guest arrive
- A video camera set up for “screen tests” of favorite movie lines
- Photo area for dressed up guests to have their photo taken
- Create a “walk of stars” with certain guests’ names emblazoned on the stars
- Create a small awards show with miniature “Oscar” awards.
Food and Beverage:
- Cognac-Marinated Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches with Horseradish Cream
- Marinated Shrimp
- Mixed Vegetable Salad
- Classic Dry Martini
- Old-Fashioned
- Pineapple Margarita
by Vincent Aviani | Oct 13, 2017 | Holiday Party Planning, Party Tips |
Robin Charin, CEO of Manhattan Beach’s R.T. Clown Inc., was recently recognized as one of Los Angeles’ most inspirational women business leaders by The Los Angeles Business Journal. The nomination was part of the newspaper’s 2017 Women’s Summit & Awards event, and was held at the JW Marriott Los Angeles.
According to Los Angeles Business Journal CEO and Publisher, Anna Magzanyan, this year’s event was the 25th anniversary of the annual ceremony that honors dynamic and successful business women throughout Los Angeles County.
“It was an uplifting and inspirational event that honored Los Angeles-based women who really lead by example. All of the nominees successfully blend effective business vision with a passionate commitment to positively making a difference, both in the world of business and in the communities they serve,” said Magzanyan.
According to Magzanyan, more than 100 prestigious women nominees were submitted for the honor by Los Angeles Business Journal readers.
“It was a tremendous honor to be nominated. I started my business back in 1985 as a single woman because I knew I could run an event planning business better than others I saw in business. I was also broke, so I borrowed $1,000 from my father, and bought a clown outfit and Care Bear costume. I paid him back within one month from my profits. The business took off immediately,” said Robin.
Robin, who started her career as a Broadway musical performer and actress, thoroughly understood the business of entertainment and Hollywood. She forged a deep network of professional actors and performers whom she could regularly call upon to perform at events that ranged from children’s birthday parties to large office holiday parties. Her list of clientele is also impressive, including Hollywood stars as Barbara Streisand and Tobey Maguire, and prestigious corporations like United and Delta Airlines, the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International hotels. Robin also carved out a unique niche as the go-to source for real-bearded Santas.
Being recognized as one of Los Angeles’ most successful woman business entrepreneurs was a nice honor, but Robin thinks the award represents something bigger.
“Starting a business is hard enough, but to create a company within the male-dominated entertainment industry is especially difficult. I think all women-owned businesses are special, and I think I am fortunate that I moved west to a city and state that encouraged and supported women-owned businesses,” said Robin.
According to the US Census Bureau, California has more than one million women-owned businesses, including nearly 450,000 in Los Angeles County. In Los Angeles alone, women-owned businesses employ 393,400 people and contribute $85.3 billion to the economy.
“Being recognized as a professional woman entrepreneur by the Los Angeles Business Journal really helped me take a step back, and think about my business. I’ve been doing this for 32 years, produced more than 35,000 events since I started. Not bad for actress-singer who moved well,” said Robin.
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