The Chinese Lantern Festival

The Chinese Lantern Festival is over 2,000 years old and is the 15th day of the first lunar month. (This year, it is February 22nd in the Gregorian calendar) This marks the end of the Chinese New Year holiday and the first full moon of the year, which is no coincidence. The importance behind the full moon is it represents Spring is on its way back! During the Han Dynasty, China's Emperor Han Ming Di liked how monks lit lanterns to honor Buddha on the 15th day of the first lunar month so he ordered everyone to light lanterns on that evening, and it eventually became the lantern festival. 

In addition to lanterns, the Chinese celebrate in other ways. One tradition is lion dancing. Lions are seen as protectors, traditionally warding off evil and keeping people safe at the same time. The lion dance is performed at significant Chinese festivals throughout the year.

Chinese also eat tangyuan, which are round rice dumplings with sweet fillings. The round shape of the dumplings represent a family's wholeness and togetherness. Another tradition is solving lantern riddles. The lantern owner will write a riddle and attach it to their lanterns. This becomes a game for those who try and guess because if they are right, they receive a small gift from the owner. At your next celebration try incorporating riddles and rewarding your guests! 

Happy lighting, dancing & eating!
-DTE

Photo Credit: GirlWhoWouldBeKing

No more yellow snow!

As New Yorkers, we rarely get to enjoy one of best parts of winter... fresh, clean snow! Who doesn't like diving into snow and making a perfect snow angel? In the city, that's a daredevil's task. Now imagine a snowball clean enough to eat that you get right here in NYC, you can't ... can you?  

Thanks to MKG, an experiential marketing company, some New Yorkers were lucky enough to get their hands on some "pristine balls" this past December. BizBash highlighted MKG's campaign, which ran with the tagline "New York's only filth-free snowballs" and included a branded truck roaming the streets of NYC. To complete the experience, individual snowballs were handed out in branded packaging with the custom hashtag #pristineballs and MKG's social media handle. 

To prove the snowballs' freshness, the ingredients label (or lack there of) showed what was not included in the "pristine balls": dog urine and cigarette ashes. We got a kick out of this experiential marketing campaign that MKG pulled off flawlessly. Congratulations MKG, the glory of winter in NYC has been restored!  

Duck!
-DTE

Photo Credit: BizBash

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year celebrations involve a lot of eating. Much like numbers, foods have very specific meanings to the Chinese. Foods eaten during the festivities are chosen based on how they represent luck, longevity and success.

The word for Fish in Chinese sounds like the word surplus. Whole fish is a staple dish at a New Year's dinner because it is believed if you have saved a lot during the current year, you will save even more the next year. Longevity noodles are also eaten during the new year, for well, longevity. The length of the noodle symbolizes a long life.

For something a bit sweeter, oranges are eaten because they represent good fortune. Orange in Chinese sounds like the word success, another reason why they are consumed during the new year. May this year bring many unique experiences your way!

Happy Year of the Monkey!
-DTE

Photo Credit: Chinese New Year In.

Experience Aspen

Ah, Aspen. Skiing, snowboarding, aprés ski and more. Seriously, more. Aspen is jam packed with unique experiences in the Winter and Summer. From year-round five star resorts to endless opportunities for new adventures, Aspen really has it all.

Did you know you can ice climb? Yes, you (with no prior experience) can scale a mountain covered in ice! A climbing professional takes you on an expedition and you can feel like an ice climbing professional for a day! How better to impress your friends than with an ice climbing selfie #slickmove. Not one for heights? Why not lay low...so low you’re on a sleigh being pulled by Alaskan Huskies. Bond with these furry creatures as they guide you on a scenic journey.

If you're not a fan of the cold but still want to see what Aspen offers, take a Summer trip.  Enjoy a picturesque view in a hot air balloon ride. When you are done, continue soaking up the sun as you enjoy a champagne brunch. If you’re a thrill seeker who prefers water to sky, try white water rafting down the Arkansas and Roaring Fork Rivers. Give Aspen a try, regardless time of the year it will not disappoint! 

To new adventures!
-DTE

Photo Credit: Owegoo 

New Year, New Tips!

This week we are reviewing BizBash's article “2016 Preview: 7 Tips for the New Year From Top Event Pros.” One of the things we love about events is that it’s like the theatre, no two events are the same.  

What we related to the most in this article is keeping up to date on the newest technology and always being prepared for change. Throughout the event management process, technology can be your friend. We keep an eye out for the next best project management tool as well as other programs and products that will help run our events seamlessly. Working in an extremely detail oriented industry, we like tools that make us more organized and efficient so we can focus on creating incredible experiences for our clients. A little app can go a long way!

We try our best to be prepared for the unknown. There's a Plan A, B & C but if something unexpected happens, take a deep breath. Don’t panic about the issue. Instead, search for a solution. Most importantly, remain positive and solution-oriented in 2016!

To the best year yet! 
-DTE

Photo Credit: BizBash