3D TV’s Are the Future and The Feature

Last week I attended the “Techlicious” blogger event at Mrs. G’s in Lawrenceville, NJ, sponsored by Mrs. G’s and Electrolux. It is part of a 5 part blogger series that they have been hosting all year.

Suzanne Kantra of Techlicious came to speak to our group on 3D TV’s. My husband was very excited to attend this event as he is very tech savvy and actually used to write for a technology magazine a number of years ago. This was right up his alley. As for me, I’m not much of a techy girl. I figured I would attend to see some friends and try to understand the tech language as best I can.

Suzanne was unbelievable! I understood every word. She doesn’t speak in total techy language. Her company gears itself towards woman, and explaining and discussing technology through a woman’s point of view and speaks in layman’s terms. This was perfect for me.

 She talked about the differences in TV’s and how 3D TV’s are simply a feature of a television. I always wondered how that worked. Many movie companies are selling their movies in 3D now and cable companies are beginning to offer 3D shows on television. I had no idea. I thought it was just for movies like “Coraline” and “Avatar”.

We were then able to have the 3D experience, I watched a group of people who were diving out of an airplane and it was super cool. It is definitely a cool feature for a TV. Plus, for kids or individuals who enjoy playing various games, you are able to hook them up to the TV for a 3D experience. Pretty cool!

 Later that day, I found out that Mitsubishi seems to be the front runner of these televisions. They are on their third round of TV’s already. My husband always says not to buy the first one that comes out, wait for the second as they have worked out the kinks by then. So based on this information, I would feel most comfortable purchasing a Mitsubishi 3D television over another brand that may have only put out one 3D TV thus far.

This was definitely a cool learning experience, plus it’s always great spending time with the Mrs. G’s VIB’s (Very Important Bloggers). Kudos to @debbieschaeffer and @mrsmonj for organizing another great event.

Jerseylicious Red Carpet Premiere

Not for nothing, but this past Sunday, I was looking pretty Jerseylicious as the hubs and I headed off to the “Jerseylicious” red carpet premiere at LUA in Hoboken, NJ. Being that I’m a Jersey girl and a reality TV lover, this was the place to be.

LUA Restaurant, Hoboken, NJ

We arrived at LUA and the place was already hopping. Everyone was in great spirits and excited to congratulate the cast of Gatsby Salon’s” Jerseylicious.” We found a spot near the bar and I quickly realized we were right near all the action. The cast and their families were all around us.  I walked up to a few of the cast members and congratulated them on the show. I must say, the cast really worked the crowd, walking around saying hi to everyone. No signs of Alexa or Olivia though.

The premiere was organized by The Hip Event in Montclair, NJ and they assured me that the cast will be answering questions in the press room. About half an hour after being there, we went into the press room, each cast member spoke to each person from the press. I had already thought about what questions I would ask. I wanted to be original and fun, like my Blues Traveler interview. Enough of the “what are you wearing, what do you think of the Jerseylicious v. Jersey Shore” business.

Jerseylicious Cast Gigi Liscio, Anthony Lombardi. Tracy DiMarco, Gayle Giacomo and Christy Pereira (l-r)

First up, Anthony Lombardi, who owns the Anthony Robert Salon in Verona, NJ.  Anthony and I already chatted it up a bit earlier and I knew he was a totally down to earth guy. I’m not one to brag, but before Anthony and I started the interview he told me that my husband and I were his faves. I’m not shocked, we’re Jerseylicious too. We were there to have a good time and watch a fun show about our home state, Jersey baby.

Anthony said he’s proud to be from Jersey and that’s what makes him Jerseylicious. “I’m proud of everything the State has to offer. I love everything about this State, I’m a Jersey boy at heart and I wear it on my sleeve and if that makes me Jerseylicious, so be it” he stated. When I asked Anthony what Jersey celebrity he thought had the best style, he took off his hat, displaying his shaved head and said “I gotta say Bruce Willis. He’s another Jersey boy that lets it all out there, he made it big and he’s not afraid to say he’s from New Jersey.” Anthony always uses a little Bay Rum on his head after shaving and says it feels fantastic.

Christy the salon manager, who is also Gayle’s daughter, came over to speak with me next.  She is proud to be a Jersey Girl and said “I think all us Jersey girls have our own style and originality. We’re loud and bold and not afraid to say what we want to say.” Christy’s favorite NJ celebrity is Bon Jovi. “Even for a gentleman, he has great hair, he always looks great. I love the fact that he’s never too dressed up. He’s my all time favorite.” Christy’s go-to style product her Gatsby hairspray.” I can’t live without it” she said with excitement. Who knew the Gatsby Salon had their own product line? I sure didn’t. At one point during the night I was able to chat it up in the ladies room with Christy. We talked about Twitter and I offered to give her a Twitter 101 lesson if she ever wanted. I told her it’s a great tool to market the company and herself.

Gayle Giacomo, Gatsby Salon owner, says she really likes style and has always liked to look nice. “I want to be the best I can be, even at 52. I think our women in Jersey care about what they look like, it means a lot to us.” She really looked beautiful for the premiere. Jon Bon Jovi would have agreed, he’s her fave Jersey celebrity. Her favorite products are the SkinCeutical line and Kérastase for her hair.

Another new addition to the salon, Gigi is full of personality and said that her hair and nails are what makes her Jerseylicious. She is proud of her nails and stressed that they are real and she cut them down recently. She stated “being Jerseylicious means being well put together, feeling good about yourself and being confident.”  For cosmetics Gigi loves MAC and for hair she likes Chi hairspray, Kérastase and Goldwell.

Last but not least, I had the opportunity to chat with Tracy who was looking super stylish in her leopard print dress and teased out hair. I asked her what makes her so Jerseylicious and she said “I think that I don’t take no for an answer, I don’t let people tell me what to do. I mean I’m my own person, I’ve never followed anyone in my life.”  She discussed her role on the show and said she’s pretty much the “I don’t take anything from anybody kinda girl”. Tracy said we will see that and how Olivia tries to push her around but it doesn’t really work out for her. Like Gigi, Tracy said her hair is the most Jerseylicious thing about her.  She is a self-proclaimed tease queen. “Tray tease that’s what everyone calls me.”  Jerseylicious is about personality and, being friendly and nice to everyone, she said. “I mean it’s the greatest place to be, Jersey, and everyone needs to stop hating on it.” Hear Hear!

Asking Tracy what NJ celebrity’s style she adores she stated without hesitation “Bruce is pretty up there”.  Being that my husband is a huge Springsteen fan, and Anthony already stated he loves Bruce Willis’s style, I needed to clarify. My husband was eagerly awaiting an answer.   “Bruce Springsteen or Bruce Willis? If you say Springsteen, my husband is going to be very happy” I said. “Oh yeah I was saying Springsteen. Who doesn’t love Baby Bruce?” Tracy replied. So now we know who my husband’s favorite Gatsby Girl is, Tracy, without a doubt. 

Tracy is a huge fan of Chi Helmet Head hairspray. She swears your hair won’t move and stay in place forever. “People say oh my hair doesn’t stay. That product, it will never let your hair fall. It’s the best thing on the market” Tracy declared.

We ended up grabbing a drink with Tracy at the end of the night when the place was clearing out. We talked about Bruce (Springsteen that is), the show and more. I was a pleasantly surprised how nice Tracy was. I saw the previews before the premiere, and they make her out to be the not so nice one. But like she said earlier in the night, she’s just a Jersey girl who doesn’t take no for an answer and isn’t a follower. I can respect that. She’s really just a Jersey girl. Since I’m a Jersey girl born and raised, I get it.

Guests watch the premiere of Jerseylicious

Next up the viewing party. There were TV’s scattered around the bar and we all gathered around cheering on the cast and watched the premiere episode. The show is about the re-invention of the Gatsby Salon in Green Brook, NJ. The owner Gayle decided to renovate Gatsby Salon a decade after her husband’s passing, with the help of her daughter Christy, the salon manager. Not only did they want to change the physical look and feel of the salon, by updating it, they wanted to bring in some fun younger new stylists to help with the salons re-birth. The cast is full of bold, bright personalities with tons of style and flair. The remaining episodes will document the lives of the new stylists as they enter a new journey with the Gatsby Salon.

Right before we left LUA, we ran into Brielle Morelli, a Season 2 Jerseylicious hopeful. Brielle is hoping to land a role as a featured cast member for next season. She’s super sweet and we are crossing our fingers for her.

After meeting this super cool, down to earth cast, I am without a doubt a Jerseylicious fan. The show is fun and totally Jersey. How could you not love it?

Make sure you check out Jerseylicious on the Style Network Sunday nights 10/9 c.

Follow the cast on Twitter:

@Jerseylicious
@GatsbySalon
@AntLombardi
@gastbygirl
@Tracy_DiMarco
@mystyle

Originally written for http://www.mrsmonj.com

Photos courtesy of The Hip Event.

Why Tweetup’s & Social Media Events Are So Great

Today I attended the “Techlicious” presentation on 3D TV’s at Mrs. G’s on Route 1, Lawrenceville, NJ. This was part of a 5 part blogger series that Mrs. G’s has been so grateful to offer.

Debbie Schaeffer the owner of Mrs. G’s gave a warm welcome to the group and briefly stated how she thinks it’s so great to have events and Tweetup’s because you are finally able to meet the individuals you are connecting with online.

It got me thinking. That is so true. If you’ve never been to a Tweetup, it’s incredible. It’s not like going to a party where you don’t know anyone and you are scared of feeling awkward. Most people at the Tweetup are people you’ve been following, or vice versa. So you already know them, but from a distance.

The moment you walk into a Tweetup and tell people your Twitter handle, they usually react with a “oh I think I follow you.” It’s an opportunity to finally come face to face with people you already know that you find interesting. Sometimes at a party you end up talking to someone you maybe have no interest in talking to, because it’s forced interaction. At a Tweetup, you’ve more than likely already had a conversation with these individuals.

You follow people on Twitter because you find them interesting, or find a value or benefit in following them. So there is already an interest. Coming face to face and sharing stories and getting to know the individuals in person, is unlike anything.

I’ve never felt uncomfortable at a Tweetup. Every time I’ve attended one, I’ve walked in and immediately ran into someone I already knew (on Twitter that is). The conversation comes easy. Usually they are held at a fun location, with food and drinks. Sometimes there are ice breakers like speed dating. Other times, there may be a presentation on a social media type subject or from a company who has a large presence in the social media community.

As you know, I recently planned my own Tweetup for the NJ unemployed. Tweetup’s are typically geared towards a specific area i.e. Central Jersey, mom’s, bride’s, anyone can host a Tweetup and its simple and easy to do.

Find a local meeting space that will be able to hold the number of people you expect. Try and get some free grub, if possible. It’s always a plus. Then put together an invite (I like Twtvite). All that’s left is inviting people and letting them know about your event. This is simple, because you’re on Twitter, so you just have to post about your event and let your followers know.

If you’re not ready to host your own Tweetup, you definitely need to at least get to one. You can search http://www.twtvite.com for Tweetup’s in your area. Everyone is always looking for something. Whether it’s a job, a service or advice on a particular subject. And networking is key. So get out there and see what’s going on in your area.

PARADE Magazine

Ok, so good things are happening.

Recently my friend Hilary (whom I met through social media) forwarded me an email from PARADE Magazine. They were looking for individuals who are currently unemployed for a story they are working on. PARADE was looking for 5 individuals from all over the country to follow for the next 6 months during their job search. I immediately responded to the email and guess what? I was selected as one of five people whose search will be chronicled. How cool is that? I’m so excited.

PARADE will be providing each individual a career advisor to work with us on a weekly basis to help us find a job. We will each be introduced in the hard copy magazine, as well as online. Following that, we will have weekly conversations with our career advisor which will be documented in the online version of the magazine at http://www.parade.com.  We will also be posting daily status updates on a Facebook page.

I can’t wait. Not only will this be great exposure for me and will help me land a job, but through my daily Facebook updates, I hope to be able to help other individuals who are unemployed and let them know they are not alone. We are all in this together.

I plan to write frequently on the process so stay tuned.

In addition, make sure you check out my friend Hilary’s website http://www.mrsmonj.com and on Twitter @mrsmonj. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be having this experience.  Thanks Hils!

Social media really is a wonderful thing!

Why an NJ Unemployed Tweetup?

Why an NJ Unemployed TweetUp?

I sent out a tweet on Twitter asking who else was unemployed in NJ and received an incredible response. I figured I had to do something.

When I received this response from my Twitter followers that so many are unemployed in NJ, I felt the immediate urge to do something to help the situation. How can I put a positive spin on being unemployed? Society has given unemployment such a negative stigma. Why not turn it into a positive.

So in an effort to help the community and change the stigma of unemployment, I decided I was going to host a TweetUp. I thought about when and where and figured during the day would be best, since we all have no jobs to go to anyway. It’s an opportunity to get out of the house and do something. Where? I secured Panera Bread in West Windsor on Route 1 since it’s central, easy to get to, plus inexpensive (hey, we have no money). I reached out to everyone that contacted me about their unemployment and let all my followers know about the event that I had set up using Twtvite.

This first TweetUp will be a way for NJ Unemployed Twitter users to get together, share experiences and stories and find a way to help each other. I have tons of ideas for upcoming TweetUps which include inviting employers looking to hire, inviting press, etc. This is an opportunity to turn something that is perceived as negative into something positive.

I’ve received a few responses so far and looking forward to more people signing up to attend. If you are interested in attending the first ever NJ Unemployed Tweetup on March 29, 2010 at Panera Bread in West Windsor, NJ please visit http://twtvite.com/NJUnemployed and make sure you follow hashtag #NJUnemployed on Twitter and myself @kdevito.

If you are interested in hosting a NJ Unemployed TweetUp at your establishment or are interested in press coverage on this story please contact me.

Unemployed Take 2

  

On February 26, 2010, I was laid off from my job. As you know, I was unemployed for a year and finally landed the job of Communications Coordinator for a company in December. 90 days later, I was laid off. So I’m back to square one again. Back to the grind of scouring employment ads and spending as much time as I can networking. I really feel that networking is the best way to meet people, share your experiences and potentially land a job.  

However, it’s always uncomfortable when you are at a networking event or party and someone asks “so what do you do”. Your palms start sweating, your mind starts racing. Why? All because saying “I’m currently unemployed” seems so negative. Maybe you fess up and say you’re unemployed, maybe you say my background is xyz, but the truth remains the same. You are without a job. It can be a depressing thing for many individuals.  

I sent out a tweet on Twitter asking who else was unemployed in NJ and received an incredible response. When I received this response from my Twitter followers that many are unemployed in NJ. I felt the immediate urge to do something to help this situation.