This is Pretty Dope

Happy Happy Fun Times Summer Mix

Music is a huge part of Happy Hour and my entire creative process.  Since is Officially Summer I thought I would share some of the music that I am working with.

Maino

Cronic 2001

Ready To Die

Lupe(first album)

NERD-Seeing Sounds

BlackOut 2

cypress Hill-Black Sunday

I am open to suggestion.  Let me know what gets you going creativly.

A Moment with @Cmajor

Christine A. Major is becoming quite the local Celebrity on Twitter.  A couple months ago I got a chance to meet up with this jack of all trades.  Christine is truly a delight…she just seems to light up the room.  If you get a chance ask her to show you some of her break dancing moves.

@CMajor Has been in Technology PR for the last decade but her her most impressive accomplishment is her stand up comedy (http://www.youtube.com/user/kevinneales).  I had a great time interviewing Christine and I look forward to her new blog that just launched (http://web.me.com/christinemajor/CMajor/Blog/Blog.html).

Enjoy

Do you have any comments about winter in New England?

Yes, I do have a comment about winter in New England – It sucks and I am so over it. Bring on the summer!

I heard you got jokes…where do you get your powers?

I derive most of my material from real-life situations and they usually all involve my husband.

My best material usually comes to me right before I fall asleep which can be a problem since I really want to sleep, but the joke is running in my head and I can either choose to get out of bed and write it down or go to sleep and hope I remember it in the morning. Unfortunately I rarely like to get out of bed once I am tucked in and I always forget what the joke was once morning comes so I am pretty much out of luck and new material most of the time.

So its time to talk about style…How has your style evolved….and what item do you wish you could bring back?

I actually need some help with my style. I am what some would call “style challenged.” Really – ask some of my friends. Sure, they won’t tell me to my face that I haven’t the slightest clue about style, but I know they are thinking that…..I just know it.

I actually would prefer to wear jeans and a t-shirt most of the time.

If I could bring a style back it would be the clothes from the early 60’s – Mad Men style. I love the classic look.

What makes a man sexy?

One that showers and is clean 

Actually, besides the clean part (which is really, really important), what I find sexy in a man is a great sense of humor, confidence and someone that is motivated and gets things done (like the laundry, dishes and vacuuming).

Oh, and if he can play the guitar and sing, that will usually do it for me.

What is your favorite word?

Yes

What excited you most about the next 6 months?

I will be heading to South by Southwest – SXSW for the first time in March and looking forward to meeting many new people and learning as much as I can. I also heard there were a few parties going on – it should be a swell time.

While it may not seem like it now, summer is coming. I can’t wait for the longer days so I can get outside more and enjoy the warm weather and hanging out with my family and friends.

What turns you on about technology?

Being a part of “the next big thing” is really what turns me on about technology.

I have been working in high-technology public relations for 11 years and have had the opportunity to represent and work with all types of companies from boot-strapped start-ups to large public corporations. Working in tech, there is never a dull moment as things are constantly changing and evolving.

So you have become a local Twitter Celebrity…How important is Twitter to you?

I am? Well, if you say so then it is so 

Twitter has been a big part of my life. It’s been my source of information, my watercooler and, most importantly, it has broken down the barriers to relationship building by making it so easy to communicate with people on a more personal level.

Where else can you chat with thousands of people at once and get instant answers and responses? Where else can you have personal conversations with industry influencers like Chris Brogan, Gary Vaynerchuk and even MC Hammer? You can’t!

This is why Twitter is so important to me. By combining the traditional means of networking (conferences, events, etc) with social networking tools like Twitter, building those strong relationships is so much easier and less threatening.

Can you tell me how Social Media has changed the way you do business?

For my job in public relations, social media has changed everything. I am very fortunate to be a part of an agency that is way ahead of the curve when it comes to social media adoption. Social media has been a part of our service offering for quite some time along with the traditional forms of public relations.

We are also all social media junkies ourselves. We don’t just talk the talk – we live it too. This personal experience is what helps us help our clients successfully adopt and use social media for their business. It has been extremely exciting to be a part of this evolution.

One Question for me

When did you first come to realize you had the power to make it snow with your dancing?

I have been wishing for snow for years…it hasnt been until receltly that I have been able to communicate with the snow gods through dance…its really something else.

Soul Party

Cant Tell Me Nothing….Old School Happy Hour

This is one of my all time favorites…I think I made that back in 2007…I think that makes it Vintage Happy Hour

Latest and Greatest

and some more CooL

New Holiday Additions

New Hoodie

I did some post Christmas shopping for myself and was able to find some pretty cool deals. I am a big fan of the hoodie and Kid Robot does a great job.

The post holiday shopping period can be the best time to shop. Upgrade your essentials and hunt for some good deals on high end pieces.

I found some more Hipsters

Hipster

Robert Maxwell has a pretty good eye.

Make your Holiday Gifts Memorable

Perfect gift

Im sure that image just made you smile….or it just set you back some serious cash.  But thats what the holidays are for right?  If you are going to give a gift you might as well come correct.

A friend of mine passed an article along and this interesting fact caught my attention http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98004872.  “Tiffany’s signature blue box dates back to 1837… on average, a woman’s heart rate will increase by 22 percent when she is exposed to this color”.

The question is how can you make the recipiant of your gift go into cardiac arrest.  The secret is understanding your target and getting them something they cant live without.  But dont forget to add your own personal style and touch.  The thought really does go a long way.

My strategy is to have an idea of what im shopping for and then hit the stores in the final week before Christmas.  I have encountered a lot of critisim for this strategy but I like to live on the edge.  The truth is I am a good shopper and I shine under pressure.  At the end of the day I leave it to fate…because if I dont find what im looking for then I have to improvise and often times thats when I create that increase in heart rate.

Good luck with the rest of your holiday shopping and dont stress yourself out.  After all its a time to be Merry!

Building Business…Planning for 2009

2008 was a Great Year. Last August (August 2007) I decided that I was going to make a commitment to building my business. A year has gone by and I am very happy with the progress that I made, however 2009 must be better.

What are my next steps…Where is my focus for 2009? There comes a time when your hobby becomes a business and I have reached that crossroad. Over the last few months I have been building my business infrastructure so I can hit the ground running in 2009. Happy Hour embraces culture and creates fashion. It is now time for us to start acting like a Boutique label.

You will see a concentrated effort from our Fashion Department to establish the brand as a leader in Boston’s Style and Culture. Happy Hour will be producing seasonal lines and show at various events.

We also need to pay the bills! I am personally leading the sales charge in 2009 with a dynamic strategy. Happy Hour is more than a T-Shirt line; it is an experience and a lifestyle. Not only are we targeting local boutiques and stores but we have a strong focus on building community. The blog and future website will be excellent outlets for you to participate in the Happy Hour Experience.

I am excited about the possibilities for 2009. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if you have an interest in helping the brand. Best Wishes and Happy Holidays.

Allin Bond
CEO/Creative Director