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Sharon Machlis

Where next?

Susie and I just had a nice brunch and then went to the farmer’s market in Greenpoint. Its beautiful and breezy out and it got us thinking about where we want to be next. We’re not going anywhere for a while, I’m going back to school and the job is good. But the breezy weather and farmers market made us think about criteria that helps make us happy. Bad weather, cramped spaces and cars make us cranky. We’re looking for suggestions for places with the best breezes, close to the water, farmers markets, bicycle friendly and are affordable. I’d love if bands played within an hour as well.

Savannah, Georgia?

Somewhere on Long Island or Maine or Rhode Island?

What about Kentucky or Tennessee?

Italy? France?

Mexico City reminded me of a Berlin dropped into India, with the history of Rome.

www.flickr.com

The web and my platform(s) for obsession(s)

I've always been around computers and the web. I like to understand the medium, but not to out-geek you (I won't) or make mad cash (I'm cursed by my family - I'm sure multiple fortunes have slipped through my hands.)

I see this as a massive feedback loop. I kind of work in media, and the comments sections in articles have turned the world in which I work upside down.

I started this blog (and then moved onto other platforms) to keep in touch with my friends, and to geek out on products. I'm constantly trying to learn. That being said, my girlfriend inherently gets all of this much faster than I do, and is my bellwether when checking out new things.

I am doing the Friendfeed thing, and its cool, because it allows me to integrate my Flickr sets with my other web activities (mostly Tumblr - my favorite thing on the web since EBay.)

This week, I attempted to catalog 2 cool things on Flcikr that also feed into Friendfeed. The International Branding Expo (all the big brands just doing bang up business) and taking pictures of all of my ticket stubs. I even sent my ticket stub photo set to 15 friends via email. These are people I went to these shows with. I get next to no action on these sets. But I take a pretty picture of sushi I had for dinner tonight, and wamo bango. Comments galore.

The Licensing International Expo 08

I just got back from the Licensing International Expo at the Javtiz center. I read something in the NY Times about old brands being bought by firms that then build the brands back up and this expo was mentioned. I looked it up and registered to attend.

Any time you hear anything about 'well so and so, well its just a BRAND" was represented at the expo. Really weird. Anything in a toy store or on a t-shirt. Was here.

Commentary on what I saw:

Besides Marlyn and Elvis, John Wayne and Jimi had booths. The guys talking shop were saying things like 'yeah, we have this big deal re-issue thing coming out...' I didn't see any Grateful Dead stuff, but come to think of it, their brand has kind of dwindled in the past five years. Or maybe I left San Francisco.





More rock and roll stuff



If you had a blockbuster movie out this summer, you had to have it in Lego!




I recognize this from the sugar breakfast cereal aisle, but I don't know his name.


PICKACHU


They will put anything on a T-Shirt. FAIL.



More movie tie ins (old and new). Made me feel like I was in front of Mann's Chinese in Hollywood.



You know those cows they painted and put in all the cities? They had a booth here. I can just imagine this woman talking about what she does for a living "You know those cows they painted and put in all the cities? Well I license them! We can make you miniature ones for your shop! Make t-shirts, coffee mugs...whatever you'd like!"


Oh boy, GI JOE next summer. FAIL.


WTF?


CAT FANCY!


For Susie





The whole set of photos is here.

I love branding and feel like a fan boy for going and taking all these pictures. If you're in the biz...drop me a line.

FYI, the folks who rep Paris Hilton's brand also rep The US Army AND L.L. Bean AND the WWF (as in the World Wild Life Fund) - if you care.

A Trip to Flushing Meadows park - site of the 64 World's Fair.

Last weekend Susie and I took the 7 to Queens to check out the park. You see the Globe at the center of this park when you are coming into the city from La Guardia (You also see it in the intro to The King of Queens).

Taking a trip to the park and then researching the 64 World's fair has had a stronger effect on me than I thought it would. The 64 World's Fair represented the potential for America's future and is now kind of just a run down park. The 64 World's Fair also became the prototype for Disney World in Florida (and Epcot, I assume), as Disney did 4 of the attractions here. You can read more about the 64 Worlds Fair at Wikipedia.

A picture from a 1965 National Geographic article about the fair.


A picture of the same area, as taken by me last week.

Kinda moved blogs...

Ron, this is basically a post for you. I like the Tumblr platform for easier short blogging, so that's basically where I blog now. I am not going to shut this down per se, Blogger is good for multiple pictures in an entry (the reason I originally started this blog), but I don't really write alot any way. I am always in too much of a hurry.

So, check out 'Ready To Go' SaveItForYourBlog.com. Much like this blog, my url name and blog name are not the same. Horrible for SEO, but not really a goal.