We’ve been busy at the Ambridge Event Center.  Our Marquam room has been so popular we decided to spend our summer creating an brand new, 2,400 sq. ft. space for some of our larger client meetings and events.  Just think how nice it will be to have all of that space to stretch out while you are listening to your company’s financial stats, discussing your latest project or dreaming up your next great product!

As summer comes to a close, we will be providing details on the new room and how you can rent it out for your next event.

In the meantime, enjoy these last breezy days of summer by taking advantage of the Perseid meteor shower we are passing through this month! And for those you who are not lucky enough to see it for yourself, check out NASA’s Astronomy picture of the day website.

Perseid Prelude, August 12th. Photo by Tamas Ladanyi (TWAN)

How many times have you gone home lately and complained to your roommates, boy/girlfriend or spouse about the number of emails still sitting in your inbox at the end of the day?

Unread and often unopened, the emails gnaw at us. They elicit feelings of incapability, because really, if we can’t take care of a simple thing like email how can we expect to get that big project finished or get praised at evaluation time?

Email is supposed to make us more efficient and effective. So where did we make the wrong turn and how do we get email back under control?

David Allen of Get Things Done has some interesting tips and pointers on Getting Email Under Control.

While I like the fact that he encourages the use of the delete button, I have to object to him telling people to just type faster. I believe in knowing what you want to say, selecting the “right” words and taking the time to re-read what you wrote.  I believe those extra moments are better spent re-reading rather than sending a revision or apology email later on down the line.

Also, how does David Allen deal with those people who believe that every joke, lol cat, and YouTube video is worth sharing with everyone?

Delete anyone’s grandma lately?

My cellphone died this week and my beloved Dell Axim is committing a slow, pixelated suicide.  After a lot of contemplating, I chose to follow the herd and get an iPhone. Not the iPhone 4, but an iPhone 3 GS with 16 GB of memory. I like to ride the backside of technology. It is cheaper and more reliable.

Alas, I don’t have the ability to do video chat but it’s probably better that way. Who wants to see what I am purchasing at Freddies or what I look like fresh from working in my garden?

Anyway, the point is not that I bought an iPhone but that I really want to save up enough money to design and purchase one of these beautiful, custom laser etched bamboo cases from Oregon’s  Grove.

Grove's "Birdland" by Sven Palmowski

Think of all of the work I could get done for the Ambridge Event Center if my smart phone was this lovely to look at!

If you aren’t creative, no worries. They also offer an artist series featuring designs like Merman, Tribal and my favorite Birdland by Sven Palmowski.

If you’ve bought an iPhone what do you think of it? Does it really change everything? What are your favorite business, productivity and artsy i Phone apps?

Here’s a great short article in Bloomberg Businessweek about business branding.

Ian Schrager, the father of boutique hotels,  makes an interesting point for all of us to consider, “When somebody has a good idea, everybody runs to do it and they kill the good idea. The hotel business risks falling into the same trap it fell into 40 years ago. They all look alike.”

But his point applies to a lot businesses, especially here in Portland, OR , how can we make quick decisions, be on the cutting edge and still remain true to ourselves and our original business intentions?

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_27/b4185084601464.htm

Lusty Garden Color Scheme Bouquet

Like you, we’ve been thinking a lot about weddings lately and not just because everyone we know seems to be tying the knot.

Weddings are important to us, personally and as a business.

At the Ambridge Event Center, we see a lot of wedding, especially in our Rose Ballroom. For a wedding that stands out from the white, cream and black crowd, consider incorporating color. We came across Colourlovers.com this afternoon and they have a great article, What Hue Are You?, that talks about choosing a wedding flower color scheme.

We love the freshness of this Lusty Garden color scheme: something about that crisp apple green against red that sets our heart a flutter.

When your client hears your slogan or sees your logo, do they get an instant picture of their relationship with your product and what distinguishes it from others on the market?

Here is an interesting article from Bored Panda magazine on the evolution of some of the world’s most iconic logos, including those of Coca Cola, Pepsi and even Adobe.

http://www.boredpanda.com/21-logo-evolutions-pepsi-cola-apple-nike-nokia

What can your business learn from them?

Volkswagon Logos

At the Ambridge Event Center, we love moms in all their forms – our mom, your mom, your spouse’s mom, even that lady, co-worker of yours who makes sure you stop working long enough to eat lunch, schedules your events and tells you “it’s raining, go grab a jacket.” She’s an “adopted” mom for sure.

Moms do a lot of work and rarely get enough credit or thanks. So here are some presents we are considering for the greatest woman in our lives, our mom.

• Whirligigs
• Gourmet Gift Basket
• Chocolate
• Flowers

Plow & Hearth, Barnyard Stack Whirligig

Peacock feather flower

A wedding trend we love is birdcage veils. They’re modern with a glamorous retro twist. And if that wasn’t enough, they allow you to fully see your groom and guests on your special day! We especially adore these created by Dorene Vandermeer, owner of Unveiled Bridal.

Feathers, beads, crystals and even antique buttons are combined with lace or netting to create a veil that reflects the personality of your wedding. We can’t decide which we like better, this traditional flower inspired veil or this vibrant, bohemian one!

One of the best parts of a team building training session is the games. Deadlines are forgotten, personality conflicts are set aside – a good game gives everyone the opportunity to compete on level ground, relax and get to know one another.

Here’s a great get to know you game for members of a department or an organization.

60 Seconds

On cards or slips of paper, write out a list of topics. Topics can vary by business, group and season. (E.g. beach, pencil, costume, statesmen/women, colors, etc.) One by one, participants come to the front and select a piece of paper/topic on which they must give a 60 second lecture. The lecturer must talk about the topic for 60 seconds without pausing or stopping. There are no rules on what the lecture must say only that it must be related to their selected topic.

Makes you wonder what people will say when rambling is encouraged?

We didn’t think it was a secret. So imagine our surprise when we discovered how many of our Portland friends and clients hadn’t heard about our move!

The Ambridge Event Center has relocated to just minutes away from the Rose Garden Arena, the Trailblazers and the heart of the Lloyd Center business district.

Our new home features 12 beautiful, state-of-the-art rooms offering up 5,600 sq. ft. of space in which to host your special event, meeting or training session. We offer a full-range of catering, audio visual, media equipment and rental services.

In the coming months, I will be inviting you and the community to visit our new space, meet our staff and sample the quality service and amenities you have come to expect from the Ambridge Event Center where your event is our success!

Best regards,

Alan Peters, Owner and Manager