Wine Divas Uncorked

There were many "foodIes" and wine connoisseurs at the Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival, held Sept. 8-10, at Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino, who could recite the difference between a pinot gris and a pinot blanc, chronicle the fermentation process, and explain why it's important to consider the weight of a wine as well as the weight of the food.

Indeed, the world of wine once seemed to be reserved only for that kind of sophisticated connoisseur. But there was one group of 10 women at the festival who stood out from the rest: Calling themselves "Divas Uncorked," they are out to make the world of wine just plain fun. The title of their two seminars at the Foxwoods event said it all: "Wine Savvy, Not Wine Snobby."

What began as a group of friends looking to socialize while learning about wine has turned into a group with a mission: to offer women a chance to improve their appreciation of and comfort around wine through their annual "Wine, Women and …" conferences in Boston, and through educational wine dinners open to all. In 2004, the Divas launched a novel company unprecedented in its field, the Divas Uncorked Collaborative Consortium, to help wineries, distributors, and retailers expand to reach new consumer markets, specifically women and people of color.

"Our goal is simply to educate people about wine. We just evolved and keep evolving," said Stephanie Browne, founder of Divas Uncorked, and an account support service leader for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts. "Knowing more about wine, how to order it, how to talk about it, is our focus.

"Recently, the 10 "sisters who sip" have partnered with California's Mendocino Wine Company to create a Mendocino County Divas Uncorked Chardonnay. With a suggested retail price of $12.99 and an "uncorked" bottle with a screw-cap, this inaugural release is a testament to the ladies' mantra of "wine savvy, not wine snobby." For wine tips and pointers, go to www.divasuncorked.com - even snobs are allowed to visit.

Palace Resorts: Where You'll Find the Room Rate Includes More Than the Room 

 Palace Resorts, a leader in world-class resort meetings and incentive programs throughout Mexico, has taken the standard business meeting to an unforgettable level of luxury and service. Imagine your next meeting set amidst the breathtaking Mexican landscape surrounded by white sandy beaches. Imagine a place where your guests are treated to outstanding personalized service, state-of-the-art meeting facilities, magnificent accommodations, and unlimited activities - all for a great value that is impossible to match through standard "European Plan" resorts. Think this is just a pipedream in today's world of meeting and incentive programs? Palace Resorts is pleased to introduce planners to the concept of the "all-inclusive meeting" where these dreams are a reality.

While hosting an "all-inclusive meeting" at one of Palace Resorts' nine high-end properties, plus a new luxury brand resort, planners treat their guests to an experience like none other simply because at Palace Resorts, the room rate includes much more than just the room. For example, upon arrival, guests are warmly greeted at check-in with a welcome snack and drinks. Attendees are encouraged to entertain colleagues at any of the properties' full-service facilities and never have to worry about any added fees. Additionally, planners have the freedom to plan as many private receptions or dinners as they'd like and receive complimentary meeting space with no set-up fees. In short, with Palace Resorts, planners have the peace of mind that comes when working with a professional conference service manager who handles every detail of the planning and who takes pride in the quality of service provided.

 For more information on planning your next event, contact Palace Resorts at (888) 987-7656 in the United States and Canada or visit www.palaceresorts.com/Groups.

The Case of the Missing Blade

Jennifer Juergens, PRESIDENT of New York City-based JJ Communications, a marketing communications company, keeps on rolling with the help of a thoughtful and daring train conductor.

"I had just bought a brand new pair of rollerblades that cost $237. I couldn't believe I splurged, but I figured I saved a lot of money by not joining a health club. To break them in, I thought I'd bring them out to the Hamptons where I was invited for the weekend. I couldn't have been happier tooling around in my K-2 blades.

"I even skated to the train station to go back to Manhattan at the end of the weekend. Unfortunately, as Hamptons trains tend to be on a Sunday night, this one was jammed. I had to stand near the door for which would be a long haul - two-plus hours.

"The bell rang, the doors closed, and we were on our way. I leaned my skates next to the door and every time we were coming to a stop I picked them up again and held them until the door closed. At one stop, the doors closed and then did one of those open-and-close-things just for good measure. When I looked down, I only had one shiny new blade left. Boo hoo.

"When I got to Penn Station I went to the Long Island Rail Road Office to tell them my plight. 'The rollerblade is on the tracks?' the station master asked incredulously.

'Yes, at Jamaica station,' I replied sheepishly. "'I'll call them,' he told me, 'but somebody's going to have to go on the track to retrieve it,' he said, with a tone that sounded to me like that would happen when hell freezes over.

"The next day I got a call. 'We have your blade.' Shocked, I literally skipped to Penn Station.

When they handed it over, I asked the name of the conductor who went on the track, so I could send him something. They told me his name, but added, 'we're not allowed to take rewards.' I sent him something anyway, with a thank-you note and no return address."

Walk This Way: Go Climb a Bridge

For a walking tour with a twist, there is a new and unique attraction called the Purple People Bridge Cl!mb that spans the Ohio River connecting Cincinnati, Ohio to Newport, Ky. The Purple People Bridge is 2,670 feet in length and spans 140 feet from the river at the tallest point. The Cl!mb started just this past spring.

The bridge officially opened in 1872, closed to cars and pedestrians in 2001, and re-opened in 2003 to pedestrians only. So, why is it purple? The color was chosen by folks who took part in a dozen focus groups. Purple was the top choice.

The adventure begins by being outfitted in a special climb suit, and then taking part in an orientation and climb simulation. Climbers are then taken to the base of the bridge in Newport to begin the climb of their lives.

The first four spans of the bridge are traversed first - but it's not just an "up and over" journey. The climb takes one up, down, under, and through the Purple People Bridge for a full 360-degree view of the region. At the apex of the bridge's final and largest span, climbers walk out onto a plexi-glass floor suspended directly over the river. It is here when that unforgettable moment is captured with a group photo.

During the climb, experienced guides share stories about the bridge's history, structure, and architectural progression as well as a bit of the surrounding area's history.

A protective fall-restraint system keeps climbers attached to the bridge at all times, providing safety and security throughout the climb. State-of-the-art bone conduction technology facilitates communication among climbers. This advanced communications gear conducts sounds to the inner ear through the bones of the skull (similar to the technology used in some hearing aids) and allows participants to hear their guide, yet still the sounds of the surrounding environment.

The Purple People Bridge Cl!mb is for those 12 and over and for all fitness levels. The climb is two-and-a-half hours long. For more information, visit www.purplepeoplebridgeclimb.com. 

Making the Impossible Possible

Awoman balances thE weight of an elephant on her head … a man walks on the wing of an airplane in flight … one would think that these striking images in industry ads were created with the wizardry of computer graphics. Not so. Actual people were featured in custom-built sets for Freeman's latest advertising campaign.

"Making the impossible possible" is Freeman's tagline. Since 1927, Freeman has been producing expositions, conventions, events, and exhibits. So it only seemed right that Freeman's ads would exemplify the work that goes into creating exhibits and events. From strategic concept through design, fabrication, lighting and rigging, these images, part of a larger marketing campaign, express Freeman's capabilities in a jaw-dropping way.

A team of experts envisioned, designed, and constructed the 40-foot, 800-pound elephant out of Styrofoam. It was rigged from the ceiling, sod was laid, and the set was lit. Viola! A woman is lifting an elephant in a field at night.

For the second ad, another team constructed the airplane wing in Freeman's Dallas fabrication facility. Freeman employees even served as models in the ads.

Soon to be released will be an ad of the same magnitude that focuses on a kayak. Freeman plans on featuring three of these ads a year.

"We were taken by how self-effacing Freeman is as a company. It is based on a very humble attitude. They do extraordinary things that really were not celebrated as part of their everyday," said Dan Curtis, account director at Square One Inc., Freeman's ad agency.

Manda Quinn, marketing manager at Freeman, added, "We wanted to tie in to what we do for our clients on an everyday basis." See how the ads were created at www.freemanco.com/possible. 

Member Profile With a Twist

Annette Gregg, CMP, vice president, sales & marketing of Concepts Worldwide, a meeting management and event planning company, and PCMA member since 2000, answered a few quirky questions posed by Convene.

Do you have a fun or unusual hobby?
"I have played competitive beach volleyball since I was 15. It's how I met my husband and wonderful friends. It's a very fun and small community, and I've run into many people over and over again in different cities."

Is there something out-of-the-ordinary about yourself that most people don't know?
"My first job out of college was working for a clothing company on Bali. I had about three hours of work a day checking fabric and production, and I spent the rest of my time exploring uninhabited beaches or small mountain towns on my motorcycle. As a beach bum, it was paradise!"

Do you have a funny or unbelievable workplace story to share?
"I was in charge of the events division at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The first year the Grammy Awards were at the Staples Center next door, my husband and I got passes to the show. I was sure they were nosebleed seats, but as we approached the red carpet, I was shocked that we were waved through! On the carpet we met Sheryl Crow, Black Eyed Peas, 'N Sync, Dave Matthews, and saw a ton more celebrities. If that wasn't enough, we were able to meet our favorite band, U2."

What book have you read recently that has changed the way you do something? Can you provide a synopsis of it?
"I really enjoy managing a team, and recently read the series of management books by Marcus Buckingham. The most powerful one for me was Now, Discover Your Strengths. It explains how in traditional management, we assess the strengths and weaknesses of our employees, and create a plan to improve on the weak areas. Buckingham disagrees, saying we should discover what our team members are inherently good at (and what they enjoy doing most) and create positions and opportunities for them to use these skills as much as possible.