Dec 072010
 
Majestic Cafe Continues to Deliver

Over two years ago I wrote a review about The Majestic, on King Street in the heart of Old Town. It was a strong performer that night, and was again recently when Gabriele and I returned. Last time at the Majestic I wrote about us enjoying a 2006 Allan Scott Pinot Noir with dinner. The […]

Dec 022010
 
Advice for a Career in Public Relations

My latest interview is with Beth Hardy Okun, a PR professional located in Atlanta, Georgia.  Beth and I met via a PR discussion group in LinkedIn, where she was discussing the PRSA Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) program she had just completed. Beth and I discuss the value of the APR certification, agency work vs. […]

Nov 302010
 

In my last blog post, I made mention of my quest for a good value, good tasting $20 Bordeaux. It has not been an easy quest. But I’m excited to say I’ve made two discoveries worth sharing. Here are links for more information: Chateau Beaumont 2005 – .pdf from the vine maker with lots of […]

Nov 192010
 
Why I go to an Indie Mechanic

One of the first things you should do if you own a BMW out of warranty is find a good independent mechanic. On this blog I talk about the DIY things I’ve accomplished, but the big stuff needs a professional. Gary Martin at Martin Motorsports is an enthusiast who I can trust to maintain my […]

Nov 162010
 

Yesterday I started my work week with a Small Business Roundtable breakfast at the Tower Club. The event was sponsored by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) National Chapter. The topic was social media — what exactly does that buzz word mean in a b2b/b2g environment, and how can executives put it to work for […]

Nov 092010
 
BMW Needs Less Complexity, More Transparency

A couple of recent events have reinforced for me the complexity that comes with BMW ownership. Much of this seems unnecessary, and BMW often does a poor job of communicating problems to owners. Last week an old friend of mine asked for some advice. He drives a 2007 E93 328 convertible, and had a daytime […]

Nov 032010
 

Last month I wrote a post about the lack of respect public relations often receives.  A few days ago I read an online story about why the industry brings some of that disrespect onto itself. Out in Seattle a company called Phusion Projects is on the hot seat because students are over-indulging in their super […]

Oct 272010
 

While vacationing this past summer I finally got around to reading The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Thomas L. Friedman. It’s a fascinating read, and Friedman’s take on the changes wrought by technology and globalization has stood up extremely well since the book was first published in 1999. In the book Friedman talks about […]

Oct 212010
 
Social Media and the Rule of Three

Describing concepts in three parts is a popular and effective communication tool. A term like social media can mean different things in different environments, so breaking it down into three steps is a good idea. Last week Government Computer News ran an interesting story quoting Mark Drapeau, a well known authority on Government 2.0 now […]

Oct 192010
 
The Challenges of PR Today -- and Why Women Rule

Ragan PR posted an interesting video on their PR Daily site recently. Mark Ragan spoke with three PR vice presidents about the highs and lows of the profession, what they look for in new hires and the impact of social media. It’s LONG, over 14 minutes but a lot of what they said really resonated […]

Oct 152010
 
A Few Off The Beaten Path Reds

It’s been all BMW all week, thanks to my very popular interview with BMW authority Mike Miller. So I thought I’d end the week with some less typical reds Gabriele and I have sampled recently. All these wines were enjoyable, but I wouldn’t say we loved them. But I don’t want to only write about […]