Serge the Concierge

On 'Labor Day', September 1st in the US, Celebrate with a Good Rest!

The only thing on my agenda for my first Labor Day as a US Citizen is to do as little as possible.

So on September 1st, 2008 do not expect me to be blogging away, I will be shooting the breeze.

Have a pleasant day!

A very brief take on Labor Day for Monday Work Etiquette # 52

This post was written on August 31st while listening to Free by My Bloody Valentine in case you wondered.

I will be back on the saddle on Tuesday.

Bonne journee!

Last Week: Connected with the World yet Out of Touch with our Immediate Surroundings

From Gauchos to Green Things: My 5 Picks for BlogDay2008 (August 31st)

What would be the perfect mix, the right mix of recommendations for BlogDay2008, I asked myself?

Perfect does not exist so I decided to showcase 5 sites that span the globe and whose topics vary.

I mention them in no specific order.

Let's start in London with Green Thing which defines itself as "a new community that makes it easy and enjoyable to be a bit greener. Every month you'll get a different Green Thing to do. All you have to do is do it."

They use music, videos and a healthy dose of humor to get their message across.
I wrote about them in Ask for Tap (Water not Beer): Act Green in August (via Green Thing)...

For the  Consumed to Thrifty minded, some South American destinations allow you to stretch your dollar, Buenos Aires is one of them and Argentina's Travel Guide offers a wealth of information on the land of gauchos.

Have an eye for Design, Art, Photography, NY ART BEAT keeps you in the loop on shows and events in the Big Apple.

A current showcase is Kindred Cool (pictured above) where photography and a jazz groove intersect.
I have not seen it but it seems to have a classic Blue Note feel to it.

South Africa based yet with eyes and ears opened to the whole wide world, Thought Leader is well designed, entertaining and varied. Be more careful when taking on the train, my China by Rob Mackenzie caught my eye with his story of Chinese people hanging out at the train station after dinner wearing their best looking pajamas.
It reminded me of a Brazilian movie I saw maybe 30 years ago where the main character retires and spends his days on the front porch in his jammies (to his wife's consternation)...

Last is BLURT, a US online music site covering a wide range of styles which will appeal to those open to discoveries.
Check Issue #2 of their Digital Magazine with Calexico (a band from Tucson, Arizona) on the Cover.

Hopefully some of my picks were not already on your radar.

In that case enjoy!

Feel Free to add your own suggestions using the comments.

Happy BlogDay2008

Last Day to Vote for our 'Consumed to Thrifty' Panel (South by Southwest 2009)

Friday, August 29 is the last day to Vote for our Panel From Consumed to Thrifty: Strategies for the Good Life in a Wobbly Economy' at South by Southwest 2009.

Register your Vote by Clicking on the Stars (in our Panel Picker Page)

What it's all about you might ask:

With the economy on the rocks for the past year, the idea for a panel discussion at South by Southwest Interactive (Austin, March 2009) titled From Consumed to Thrifty: Strategies for the Good Life in a Wobbly Economy slowly percolated, like a good cup of espresso.

These Strategies for the Good Life in a Wobbly Economy go From Home Swapping and Thrift Shops to Dropping Bottled Water and Lattes and exploring what path we can take to live well without breaking the bank and being a Scrooge.
We will share tips and tricks on travel, work, food and more.

Vote via the South by Southwest Panel Picker.

This message has been approved by the Serge the Concierge campaign.

Merci beaucoup

Danke Schon

Muchas Gracias

Thanks a lot

Sloppy E-Mails, the Weakest Links and a side trip to the New York Aquarium...Have you Voted for us Today?

Don't worry, I did not loose my inspiration today or fall off the surface of the earth.

I got my priorities straight and took the little one if only for a short visit to the New York Aquarium.
I had to rush back so I could get some lawyerly advice on old matters.

Besides that, I have been e-mailing away, trying to gather enough votes to make my Consumed to Thrifty panel planned for South by Southwest Interactive (2009) fly...

Am I spinning my wheels? The Deadline (Friday, August 29) is fast approaching!

For some of you it might sound like a waste of time or unhealthy habits.

In any case, I am still sending e-mails with broken links (thanks to Dan Pink for pointing it out), a sense of urgency or rushing though it.

We get sloppy.

The naked truth from yours truly, Serge the Concierge.

Connected with the World yet Out of Touch with our Immediate Surroundings

Ben Stein starts his Everybody's Business Column of August 24 (NYT) Connected, Yes, But Hermetically Sealed by quoting Jean-Jacques Rousseau "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains"...

The chains in question are not physical ones but rather of the electronic kind.

We can share our meaningful and meaningless moments with friends and strangers alike.
We keep working after hours by having access to our e-mail and the web on the go 'thanks' to our Blackberries and I Phones.

Can't we just turn our devices off for an hour while having dinner and show some social skills.

Does being opened to the world 24/7 and flooded with a constant stream of news bits make us miss on what's most important, things and people in our immediate surroundings.

There are still places that live on a different beat.

Ben Stein tells us: "I spent much of the summer in my beloved Sandpoint, Idaho, far north in the Panhandle, overlooking Lake Pend Oreille. People there still have some freedom of thought. They walk along the streets without phones. They ride in their boats and water-ski or fish without any talking over the airwaves. They talk to one another. They look up at the sky. Children line up to swing on a rope over Sand Creek and then drop into the creek. Businesspeople walk to their appointments, greeting the people they see, not talking to a small plastic box. In other words, they are connected to the glorious Bonner County sky and water and land, and, most of all, connected to their own ruminations."

Is it a mark of self absorption, narcissism.

Did we end up defining our importance, our status by how many Tweets we send and most importantly get?

Another reminder that being Consumed is not just about financial matters.

Time is precious.

What was your last 'stolen moment'.

Old school thoughts for Monday Work Etiquette #51 in the Consumed to Thrifty realm.

Previously: Beyond 'BS" at Work: Is Straight Talk the Answer?

Related: Ready to Draw Back? 'Recession has its blessings' says Harry Eyres

Ready to Draw Back? 'Recession has its blessings' says Harry Eyres

While acknowledging the negative effects of a recession on many lives, Harry Eyres in Yes, recession has its blessings (FT, August 23) notes that "the word “recession” implies drawing back, rather than proceeding ever onwards and upwards. Now we have a chance not just to stay put but to appreciate being where we are".

I agree with him that by racing through the days, we forgot the art of walking.
On my recent Wednesday visit to the Museum of the City of New York, I walked from the subway stop at 110 Street onto Malcolm X Boulevard, crossed Duke Ellington Circle and walked my way up to the museum along the northern tip of Central Park.
Even though we were in the big Apple, the pace of the afternoon felt much slower.
I also discovered that El Museo del Bario (currently closed for renovations) was my destination's next door neighbor...

Brings me back to Harry Eyres argument that "how, if you don’t walk, can you get the feel of a neighbourhood, its nooks and crannies, individual buildings and trees and gardens, or the still more subtle scents and sights of the countryside?"
He also points out that "one of the positive outcomes of an economic slowdown may be that people can once again think of and experience their homes as homes, not as appreciating assets. Try cooking more at home (forgive me if I am preaching to a beleaguered housewife): it will certainly save you money, and bring untold satisfaction, too."

Fits right there in our Consumed to Thrifty thread...

Do not forget to Vote for our Consumed to Thrifty Panel (South by Southwest 2009)...

Bon week-end

Enjoy the walk

Related: Walking: The Cheapest Way to Move Around: Walkscore can help

Visit to 'Toy Exhibit' at 'Museum of City of New York' followed by Dinner at Nice-Matin

My Wednesday Museum thread continues with a visit to the Museum of the City of New York, mainly their Toy Exhibit.

This museum is a good bet if you have kids 12 and under as they get free admission.

After the museum, I will have dinner at Nice-Matin, to get a first hand look at their 'tomato festival' offerings...

Bonne journee...

Related: You say Tomatoes, I Say Tomatos, Festivals of Them, Restaurants in New York, Art in Nashville

Dia Redondo: An Afternoon of Pampering at Hilton Diagonal Mar (Barcelona)

At the end of a business trip or after a conference, your batteries might be running low and all you want is a few hours to chill before you catch your plane or train to get back home...

Here's a suggestion for you.

Rather than have rooms stay idle during the day, the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona (as in Spain, or should I say Catalonia) came up with the idea of Dia Redondo.

What's it all about you might ask?

The Dia Redondo package costs 75 Euros per person (VAT included).

What you get is:

Room use from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm

Towels and Access to the Swimming Pool (my illustration)

Barbecue at the Brisa Pool Bar (includes water and coffee)

Gym and Sauna.



Need to remove the knots in your back, get a relaxing 30 minutes massage for an extra 25 Euros.

Your flight might not leave until the next morning and you want to spend the evening exploring the town, for an additional 50 Euros keep the room for the night (Breakfast included)...

The Dia Redondo special runs until September 26

Thanks to Maria Oliete (Cluster Marketing Coordinator for the hotel, not sure what her title means) for providing me with all the details and the enticing pictures so quickly...

Bon Voyage!

Related: Hilton Hotel New York (Avenue of the Americas) is pet friendly

and Kubik Barcelona, DJ's, Beats and Recycling

Is it true that 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today'? (Ask Brian Eno and David Byrne)

Music is Not Dead.

Its Future is being constantly reinvented.

You will not find the new collaboration between David Byrne and Brian Eno in stores but could can taste Everything That Happens Will Happen Today right here and if it pleases your ears then purchase it...

Is the title a reminder that we should live in the present and enjoy it fully?

Being stuck in the past or worried about the future, we might miss what's happening right now under our nose...

Another meaning for Consumed to Thrifty, Everyday is Precious!

Do not forget to Vote for Our Consumed to Thrifty Panel (South by Southwest 2009)

Blog Day 2008 is Coming: 2 Weeks from Now

The message that Blog Action Day 2008 (Poverty is the Issue) was getting in motion, a light bulb went up in my head, Blog Day 2008 is coming.

I missed the event in 2006 so let's not skip it in 2008, the 4th Edition.

What appeals to me in both Blog Action Day and Blog Day is their global, should I say cosmopolitan nature.

So what is Blog Day about for the uninitiated:                               

BlogDay was created with the belief that bloggers should have one day dedicated to getting to know other bloggers from other countries and areas of interest. On that day Bloggers will recommend other blogs to their blog visitors.

With the goal in mind, on this day every blogger will post a recommendation of 5 new blogs. This way, all blog readers will find themselves leaping around and discovering new, previously unknown blogs.               

What will happen on BlogDay?               

One long moment on August 31st, bloggers from all over the world will post recommendations of 5 new Blogs, preferably Blogs that are different from their own culture, point of view and attitude. On this day, blog readers will find themselves leaping around and discovering new, unknown Blogs, celebrating the discovery of new people and new bloggers.

Thanks to Nir Offir for starting this 4 years ago.

Not sure yet what are 5 picks will be, find out by paying us a visit on August 31st.

Similar Events:  Today is One Web Day...A Global Celebration... (on September 22nd)