Patti Shock's Stuff

A Virtual View of Yotel Times Square. Is This Future of Hospitality? | Great Places

2011-04-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

A Virtual View of Yotel Times Square. Is This Future of Hospitality? Great Places

6 Web-Based Alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint

2011-03-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

6 Web-Based Alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint

Cheat Sheet: 10 Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Word

2011-02-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Cheat Sheet: 10 Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Word

Online Invitations, Announcements, Save-the-Dates and Party Guest List Management from pingg

2011-02-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

Online Invitations, Announcements, Save-the-Dates and Party Guest List Management from pingg

Super Bowl Tips: How to Eat a Chicken Wing!

2011-02-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

WHS - Kitty Midnight Madness

2011-01-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Fireworks on the Strip

The International School of Hospitality Announces Spring 2011 Schedule

2010-12-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

The International School of Hospitality Announces Spring 2011 Schedule

Event Planning Inspiration:Trend Hunter TV releases the Top Consumer Trends Forecast for 2011 | BizBash Hive

2010-12-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

Event Planning Inspiration:Trend Hunter TV releases the Top Consumer Trends Forecast for 2011 BizBash Hive Great video

Meat

2010-12-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Meat: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

This is my all time favorite sci fi story, and it is very short. I read it years ago and I am happy to have found it again.

Old ad for hotel furniture - Boing Boing

2010-12-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

Old ad for hotel furniture - Boing Boing: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Why you shouldn't deep-fry a gnocchi - Boing Boing

2010-12-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

Why you shouldn't deep-fry a gnocchi - Boing Boing: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Like / Disklike Stamp

2010-12-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

Like / Disklike Stamp: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Tableau: Physical Email

2010-12-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

Tableau: Physical Email: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Now, this is really cool. Especially for those with relatives that are not into the computer age.

Keychain USB Power

2010-11-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

Don’t chance it. This friendly white square will save you on those long days when you have 5 minutes of battery, but 5 hours to go before you sleep. It’s the optimal emergency charger for cell phone, mp3 player, or any USB-powered device. Charge it up with your computer and then toss it in your laptop bag, backpack, or purse, where it will remain charged and ready for you. When it’s time for emergency juice, switch the charger on, select the appropriate tip, plug it in to the Portable USB Power Supply and your device, and watch the magic happen!

Keychain USB Power: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Crumpled City : Maps

2010-11-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

What a great idea? Cloth maps! You could even use it as a scarf.

Crumpled City : Emanuele Pizzolorusso: "- Sent using Google Toolbar" "Found on Boing Boing

Wrap-a-Nap: Part Pillow, Part Blindfold Makes You… | Bit Rebels

2010-11-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

Wrap-a-Nap: Part Pillow, Part Blindfold Makes You… | Bit Rebels: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

I think this is really cool.

Cynical-C | Cornell Professor Outbursts at a Student Yawn

2010-11-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Cynical-C | Cornell Professor Outbursts at a Student Yawn: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

The J-Walk Blog: Red Carpet Fiasco

2010-11-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

The J-Walk Blog: Red Carpet Fiasco: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

How To Overcome The Blind Spot While Driving | Bit Rebels

2010-11-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

How To Overcome The Blind Spot While Driving | Bit Rebels: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

RSA Animate - The Secret Powers of Time

2010-10-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

The world according to San Francisco - Boing Boing

2010-10-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

The world according to San Francisco - Boing Boing: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

I love this. I was born and raised in Oakland, across the bay.

Cynical-C | Dog Mistakes Bride for Fire Hydrant

2010-10-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Cynical-C | Dog Mistakes Bride for Fire Hydrant: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Photo Album Story Teller

2010-09-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

Photo Album Story Teller: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Very Cool. Good Christmas gift.

Marché Noir Foods

2010-09-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

Marché Noir Foods: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Eat Your Wine.

Now There Is A Better Way To Carry Your Beer! | Bit Rebels

2010-09-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

Now There Is A Better Way To Carry Your Beer! | Bit Rebels: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Vodka Luge

2010-09-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

You'd Try It, Too - Miss Cellania -

2010-09-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Funny ending to a quick German sci-fi commercial.

You'd Try It, Too - Miss Cellania -: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

How to Open a Wine Bottle With Your Shoe | Liquor Snob - LiquorSnob.com

2010-09-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

How to Open a Wine Bottle With Your Shoe | Liquor Snob - LiquorSnob.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Wine Filling Station

2010-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Wine Filling Station: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Richard Branson: Five Secrets to Business Success

2010-09-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

Richard Branson: Five Secrets to Business Success: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Waffled macaroni and cheese - Waffleizer

2010-08-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Waffled macaroni and cheese : Boy, does this look good. Click to site for instructions.

OMFG Magazine

2010-08-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

OMFG Magazine: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Manuals - Free User Manual and Owners Instruction Guides | ManualsOnline.com

2010-08-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Manuals - Free User Manual and Owners Instruction Guides | ManualsOnline.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager...: The Hotel Bill

2010-08-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager...: The Hotel Bill: "Next time you think your hotel bill is too high, you might want to consider this:

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

The J-Walk Blog: Funeral Cake

2010-07-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

The J-Walk Blog: Funeral Cake: "- Sent using Google Toolbar" File under Bizarre!

Professor Encourages Students to Pass Notes During Class -- via Twitter - Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education

2010-07-10T17:34:00.001-07:00

Professor Encourages Students to Pass Notes During Class -- via Twitter - Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

How One Teacher Uses Twitter in the Classroom

2010-07-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

How One Teacher Uses Twitter in the Classroom: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Bacon Air Freshener

2010-07-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

Bacon Air Freshener: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Disappearing Car Door

2010-07-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

Disappearing Car Door: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Cynical-C | Truth About Sushi

2010-06-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Cynical-C | Truth About Sushi: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Use Bread Tags as Cord Labels for Quick Reference

2010-06-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Use Bread Tags as Cord Labels for Quick Reference: "When you've got a lot of cords in one area, it's difficult to tell which ones belong to which appliances—especially behind your peripheral-heavy computer desk. Instead of buying paper or plastic labels, just use the plastic tabs from bread bags.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

How NOT to use Powerpoint

2010-05-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

TISOH : The International School of Hospitality

2010-05-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

TISOH : The International School of Hospitality Online Certificate Program in Social Media for Hospitality.

ResearchBuzz » Cookin’ With Google

2010-05-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Cookin’ With Google Very Cool. Enter items in your refrigerator and you will get recipes.

Food Pairing: Match Your Booze to Your Food | Liquor Snob - LiquorSnob.com

2010-05-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Food Pairing: Match Your Booze to Your Food | Liquor Snob - LiquorSnob.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Animated panorama of a stadium implosion -- from the inside! - Boing Boing

2010-05-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

Animated panorama of a stadium implosion -- from the inside! - Boing Boing: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Edible Gold Paint Lets You Make Your Own Royal Spread - Born Rich

2010-04-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Edible Gold Paint Lets You Make Your Own Royal Spread - Born Rich: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

UNLV alumnus socializes on the job : The Rebel Yell

2010-04-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

UNLV alumnus socializes on the job : The Rebel Yell A story about Rob Gaines, the Internet Marketing Coordinator at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Why don’t we eat chicken for breakfast? « Bits and Pieces

2010-04-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Why don’t we eat chicken for breakfast? « Bits and Pieces: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Telling the Difference in Asian Languages

2010-04-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Top Twenty Other Uses For Hotel Shower Caps || HotelChatter

2010-04-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Top Twenty Other Uses For Hotel Shower Caps HotelChatter

Midcourse Corrections » Blog Archive » Killing Me Softly With Your Lecture

2010-04-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Midcourse Corrections » Blog Archive » Killing Me Softly With Your Lecture: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

BMW S1000 RR. Dinner for RR.

2010-04-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

Who's Pouring? Max NV from GrapeVegas - Meetings Diva

2010-04-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

Who's Pouring? Max NV from GrapeVegas - Meetings Diva

This is a YouTube video from one of the students in my Social Media class.

Cynical-C | How To Print From Your iPad

2010-04-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

Cynical-C | How To Print From Your iPad: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Hospitality iCoach - Business iPhone Apps

2010-04-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

If you have an iPhone, this looks like a great application.

Hospitality iCoach - Business iPhone Apps

IMEX America Coming to the Vegas Sands

2010-04-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

Bacon Flowers

2010-04-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

I am all for edible centerpieces, but bacon flowers??

Guess Who Eats at In-N-Out Burger?

2010-02-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

Legendary chef Joel Robuchon eating a hamburger at In-N-Out Burger. What great publicity for the iconic hamburger chain. Source.

Sentient meat

2010-02-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sentient meat I don't know why, but I just love this Science Fiction Short Story.

Bubble Wrap Calendar

2010-02-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

For counting down the days to an event.

Link.

Stick Printer

2010-02-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is really cool. A pocket printer!!

Link.

Luggage Scooter

2009-12-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

How cool is this? Your suitcase converts to a scooter. More.

My Favorite FREE Web Utilities

2009-11-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

Tiny URL shortens web addresses

Pixlr is a great, free online photo editing site. You can crop and resize photos, and you can change file types, such as changing a .gif to a .jpg.

YouSendIt allows you to send large files, such as powerpoints, to others without ever entering anyone's inbox, including yours. You upload the file to their server, they send a notice to your recipient who downloads it directly to their computer. There is a free version.

Lovely Charts allows you to draw all kinds of diagrams.

Meeting Wizard allows you to schedule meetings with ease.

PDF to Word will convert PDF files to Word documents.

Aboogy online Bookmarking site.

Office Live from Microsoft. Document sharing that saves and opens as Microsoft documents, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel. You can also store files and create a free website.

Social Media Revolution

2009-08-22T11:19:00.001-07:00

Laurel and Hardy meet Santana

2009-08-22T07:12:00.001-07:00

LVCVA hire will combat terrorism

2009-08-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority wants locals and tourists to feel safe along the resort corridor, and the agency could spend as much as $480,000 in the next three years meeting that goal.

The authority's board approved the funding on Tuesday during its monthly meeting. The money will finance the hiring of an intelligence analyst who will work for the Metropolitan Police Department in its Southern Nevada Counter-Terror Center. The analyst will read narrative documents and scrub suspicious-activities reports to look for information on possible crimes and to seek out connections that could indicate terrorists are planning coordinated attacks.

Ray Suppe, security director for the authority, said he believes it's the first position of its kind at any convention and visitors' agency in the nation. Michael Hart, editor-in-chief of Tradeshow Week magazine, said he hasn't heard of any other visitors' agencies adding such analysts. Security was top-of-mind after the terrorism of Sept. 11, 2001, Hart said, but concerns about such attacks have receded in the eight years since. "I can't imagine anyone picking a trade show destination or making a decision about going to a trade show because they're afraid of personal danger," Hart said. "If this works for them (the authority) and it helps them draw people, that's good. But I can't imagine there's a serious competition between New York and Las Vegas over which city is safer." Continue.

Making Sidecar Frozen Cocktails with Banquet Captain Denny

2009-08-11T08:35:00.001-07:00

This is Denver Forester, a former student of mine and an alum of the UNLV Hotel College. He has others, including Chocolate Brandy Martinis and Strawberry Daquris.

The 50 Minute Meeting

2009-08-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

How often do you find that by 11am you're running late and that by 3pm, you've either been forced to dump a meeting to reset your day or are 100 emails behind because you've gone straight from one appointment to another all day long?

Either way, you're leaving someone (or many people) in the lurch. Either way, it's a stressful and unsatisfying existence.

Why do we live this way?

There's another group of people who are scheduled in back-to-back sessions all day long, every day of the week. I speak, of course, of students. All the way through school we're taught in 50-minute blocks, a schedule that lets us get to our next class on time. The buildings even have bells to remind the person running the meeting, er, class, to end on time. Link.

Twitter Search in Plain English

2009-07-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

Joel Robuchon is a Culinary God

2009-07-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

I have eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world. The best meal I have ever had in a restaurant was at Joel Robuchon Las Vegas in the MGM Grand Hotel. Here are four videos from Epicurious that include an interview with Joel, a tour of the kitchen, and preparations of a lobster ravioli and a fabulous dessert. Link

And here are some videos I took when I ate there: Gaspacho. Foie Gras. Kobe Beef.

There are more on my YouTube page, including some taken at L'Atelier by Joel Robuchon, which is right next door to the main restaurant.

You Gotta Wanna Hear It

2009-07-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

You Have To Want It

There’s a wealth of information out there in social media. There truly is. Vast swaths of information about what people think and feel. Sometimes it’s about your brand. Sometimes it isn’t. Both have value.

But the hardest bit is that if you’re going to listen, you have to want to hear. That means it’s not enough to say okay great, we listened. Here’s all the stuff. They said or didn’t say this. It was good. It was bad. It was ugly.

If you stop there - if you just put all that information in a file and think you’re educated, you’ve only gotten halfway to the finish line.

This is a really great article about how to approach learning about Social Media. Link

Creative Business Cards

2009-06-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

I love this business card. It is so creative. 99 more here.

The Vendor Client relationship - in real world situations

2009-05-28T15:45:00.001-07:00

Companies Call Social Media Marketing “Tradeshow Marketing” for the Online Medium

2009-05-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Like tradeshows, Social Media Marketing is about engaging a passionate group of potential customers and turning them into brand evangelists or enthusiasts. So instead of directly selling to a consumer (which you can do as well) you are hoping to indirectly sell them by influencing key influencers within the target market. The goal here is what is referred to as ‘viral exposure’ of your company’s brand and or product to people that will share your company’s message peer-to-peer, using the invaluable ‘word of mouth’ messaging we all strive for. Companies like Coca-Cola, Starbucks and other leading companies have seen outstanding results from their Social Media Marketing campaigns and have pushed social media into their mainstream marketing mix.

So how can you measure the process of generating “buzz”? Trying to measure the return on social media by using traditional online metrics is like trying to fit a square plug into a round hold - it just doesn’t work. It’s easy to measure visits, sales, inquires or other conversion items attributed to the Social Media Marketing campaign by using analytics. You’re then able to attribute a cost per visitor or even a cost per sale -just like handing out coupons at tradeshows. What you can’t account for is the buzz and brand building that Social Media Marketing offers. It may take months (and usually does) for Social Media Marketing campaigns to gather enough steam for companies to start seeing the results and even then they often come in ways that can’t be easily tracked. Some companies prefer to look at the number of engaged users from a campaign. They track server logs, monitor RSS feed subscriptions, count friends on social networking sites and users on widgets and many other ways. They then assign a cost per engagement metric. Be assured that as the campaign continues to build steam and generate lots of positive “buzz” about your company you are able to see your initial investment pay off and continue to grow right before your eyes. Like trade shows were to off-line marketing, Social Media Marketing builds and maintains a large list of potential brand enthusiasts that will work for your brand for free! More.

Peach Mimosa

2009-05-15T12:33:00.001-07:00

Snap and Dine

2009-05-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

What a unique idea! So easy to transport and set up.

Link.

You Tube Educational Channel

2009-05-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

More than 100 colleges have set up channels on YouTube. All of that campus content has been placed in one area.

It had been difficult to find college lectures on YouTube, since they are generally far less popular than the site’s humorous and outrageous clips, and so they do not show up in lists of the most viewed videos on the site. Although YouTube has long had an education category, it relies on users who post videos to decide whether to categorize their videos as educational, and as a result the definition of education is very broad. The new YouTube EDU page includes only material submitted by colleges and universities.

Link.

Social Bookmarking in Plain English

2009-05-05T09:01:00.001-07:00

This explains how to use Delicious http://delicious.com/ You can also use Digg http://digg.com/ or Technorati. http://technorati.com/

Finger Food

2009-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mini-plates attached to rings. Link.

So, what happens to the canape when you take a drink?

Remote Laptop Login

2009-05-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is a good reason to have remote access:

Laptop Burglar Caught After Owner Mocks Him Remotely.

Link.

Facebook Manners And You

2009-04-21T17:47:00.001-07:00

Engage the Senses at F&B Events

2009-04-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here is an article I wrote for MeetingsNet. Link.

To find other articles I have written for them on catering for meetings, just type my name into the search box on the page linked.

Or you can buy my new book, A Meeting Planner's Guide to Catered Events. Click on image on sidebar.

MEMS

2009-03-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Incredible stuff is happening. MEMS are quietly changing the way you live, in ways that you might never imagine. Link.

My Catering Page on Squidoo

2009-03-19T19:08:00.001-07:00

Make a lens (page) on Squidoo. It is very easy and can be on any subject, personal or professional. Link

Check out my new Squidoo lens: Catering Resources for Caterers and Event or Meeting Planners. It is brand new. I will be adding many more resources in the future. Link.

If you find yourself in Asia without a fork

2009-03-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Chopstick Aid. Link

Switch at Encore

2009-03-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

I had dinner last night at Switch at the Encore. This is the restaurant that changes the decor every 20 minutes. You can see the videos I took here.

The food was excellent. I started with a wedge of baby iceberg lettuce (I am so tired of being served grass clippings, and love the crunch of iceberg) with herbed ranch dressing. Then I had a perfectly medium rare New York Strip Steak. And ended with yummy Bananas Foster.

The service was outstanding. Truly a memorable evening.

Beatle Juice

2009-03-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Very clever product packaging. Link. I love the names.

Bellagio Las Vegas, Hotel Room Video

2009-03-16T11:26:00.001-07:00

Facebook's Travel Guide

2009-03-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

Contribute your travel experiences. Users of iGO iWRITE, which operates on the Facebook platform, are taking part in the first travel series to be compiled completely online and then published in hard copy via the social network. The application's fan base says that the appeal for many boomers is iGO iWRITE's blend of social media with traditional media as a platform to showcase their travel adventures and life experiences. Link.

Future of Restaurants

2009-03-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

Wow. This is really cool. A high-tech interactive restaurant. Touch sensitive tables take your order after you view projections of what each menu item looks like right on your plate. You can watch the cooking in the kitchen through a webcam on the tablecloth. Video Link.

Rob Corddry Twitters From a Plane

2009-03-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Rob Corddry, from the Daily Show lets Us Know What He Sees From 10D. Link.

Who is Scalping Concert Tickets?

2009-03-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

The Consumerist has an interesting post from the Wall Street Journal about who is scalping concert tickets for astronomical prices.

Concert Tickets Get Set Aside, Marked Up by Artists, Managers.

Have you ever bought tickets from a scalper? Link. Direct Link to WSJ.

Find Businesses that Twitter

2009-03-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Find Businesses that Twitter here.

Just Hear It

2009-03-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Just type in the name of a song and then click on the title on the following page. It searches the web. I started out with an obscure favorite - Beck's Bolero - and I got a YouTube Video of Jeff Beck playing it. Then I went waaay back and asked for Blueberry Hill. I got an audio recording. Link.

Icon Pot

2009-03-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

They have a whole bunch of icons which are all great to use for your web pages or blogs. They only list icons which you can use for free on personal AND commercial projects AND without having to provide back-links/credit to the author. http://iconpot.com/

Welcome

2009-03-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

This is the first post on my new blog. I have other various blogs, and this will tie them all together.