Courtesy of: StubHub

It seems like it just gets harder and harder to locate those perfect tickets, whether for a sports game, theater or concert.

When you are looking for the best, then use the best – StubHub.

StubHub is an online ticket marketplace, where anyone can buy or sell any ticket to any event nationwide.

Based on sales, StubHub is the largest ticket marketplace in the world. StubHub was acquired by eBay in of January 2007.

Here’s a Q&A with StubHub On Traveling And Getting Tickets To Your Favorite Events:

Joellen Ferrer is the StubHub spokesperson  and public relations manager, as well as a super traveler.  Ferrer was recently interviewed about her company’s success and industry trends.

Q. How many times have you traveled in the past few months? All by air? Train? Car?

A. Live event tickets are a constant commodity, and the last three months alone have been a cross-country journey. I’ve been to Pebble Beach for the US Open, Chicago and Philadelphia for the Stanley Cup Finals, Las Vegas for the Mayweather-Mosley bout, Augusta for the Masters, and Los Angeles for a ticket giveaway. Next up is the MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim. Big events like these help us spread the word that fans can still catch all the action in-person, even up until the very last minute.

Q. Since you are often in and out cities so quickly on short stays, any advice for people on how to pack for a short trip?

A. Most of my trips are two-to-three day stints, so I never pack more than a carry-on. Pack light and pack layers; you never know when the weather will throw you a curveball. And leave extra room (or pack a duffel) because if you’re heading off to a big event and/or a new city, chances are you’ll probably be coming home with unexpected goodies. Somehow, I still manage to bring home a t-shirt from every event, even though they rarely see daylight.

Q. With the MLB All-Star Game coming up, how busy a time is it for StubHub compared to other big events?

A. The MLB All-Star Game is perennially one of the hottest events on StubHub, regardless of the host city. We’ve already seen that fans across the county have begun purchasing tickets to this year’s mid-season classic at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. This will be my fifth All-Star Game with StubHub, and I’m excited to see how this one will shake out; every year it just seems to get better.

Q. Any insider tips on how to get tickets for hot events?

A. If you think of a ticket like a stock, you’ll begin to notice that prices similarly fluctuate on StubHub. Supply and demand are key factors, but variables like cities and venue sizes also come into play; typically events in larger cities skew prices higher, as do events in smaller venues because there aren’t as many tickets floating around.

The life-cycle of a ticket often follows a pattern – demand is up during the week tickets first go on-sale (read: higher prices), dips several weeks later when the buzz subsides (lower prices), increases again when the event gets closer (higher prices), then falls again at the tail end since tickets are a perishable item (lower prices). But be warned that selection is always lower in down times, so determine if price or seating location is your priority. Then have fun rolling the dice in the ticket market!

Q. What are the cities you’ve visited that you’d recommend are best for sporting events, seeing concerts, good family getaways, etc. Any cities that you may not think about on the surface?

A. Big cities like New York, LA, and Chicago are always great spots, but I’ve also found that some of the smaller cities offer local charm, lower ticket prices, and an excuse to check out a new city. College towns are a great example and are filled with rabid fans; our two newest partners are Georgia and Virginia Tech and definitely fit the bill. And as a huge baseball fan, I try to sneak-in a game wherever I am, in the hopes of eventually crossing off all 30 parks (I’ve gotten to 16).

Concerts are another great destination event. Big acts usually have more than 30 tour stops, some within reasonable proximity of each other. For example, Lady Gaga has several shows in New York, but Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Hartford, DC, and Boston are all a quick drive or flight away and offer more attractive prices for comparable seats in the Big Apple.

Q. Best way to get tickets last minute?

A. Stubhub reinvented the ticket space ten years ago and created a safe means for tickets to change hands – “sold out” is a thing of the past. Tickets are guaranteed and often available up until game time, so fans shopping on a whim have viable last minute options; though selection will be lower, there is potential for a relative bargain. Also, if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can easily score last minute tickets with our StubHub App.

For more information and to buy tickets, please visit: http://www.stubhub.com/

The hit TV series Man Shops Globe on the Sundance Channel is back for a second eight-episode season.

The show is on Wednesdays at 10 pm ET/PT presents unique international treasure-hunting.

Man Shops Globe is produced by World of Wonder. The series goes on the road with Keith Johnson, the buyer-at-large for the specialty retailer Anthropologie.

Each half-hour program follows Keith to a different country, where he visits all manner of shops, markets and studios and seeks out the world’s best artists and craftspeople.

Season 2 of Man Shops Globe will chronicle a variety of expeditions that turn up surprising treasures in Thailand, Australia, Cyprus, Italy, Mexico, Scotland, Sweden and Syria.

For example, Keith visits Scotland and goes hunting for items to be auctioned at a charity event for an animal rescue organization in Philadelphia.

In Cyprus, he helps a good friend pitch a book she is writing about Cypriot food and design, and in Italy he travels with a student from a Georgia design university that Anthropologie works with.

As always, Keith keeps interesting company on his buying trips: fashion designer Anna Sui accompanies him on his first exploratory jaunt to Syria.

Australian home design expert Sibella Court lends her expertise as Keith puts together a showcase of Down Under décor; and female bullfighting aficionado Leticia Esponda helps Keith track down extraordinary iron artisans in Mexico.

For additional information and show teasers, please go to:
http://www.sundancechannel.com/man-shops-globe/

by Philip Scott Johnson

This is a video “Men In Film” created by Philip Scott Johnson, who is a digital artist from St. Louis, Missouri.

The amazing morphing animation is a video montage of famous Hollywood film entertainers through the years.

It’s a wonderful journey through the ages of cinematography, displaying the ever changing look of famous male actors.

To learn more about Philip Scott Johnson and see more of his incredible videos, go to his MySpace page.

The Royal Shakespeare Company invites visitors to truly experience its transformed Stratford-upon-Avon home. The Stratford-upon-Avon is scheduled to reopen in late 2010, as actors perform ‘Shakespeare in a Suitcase’ in New York City.

In addition, the Arden Hotel, which is Stratford’s new first independently owned boutique style hotel, will also open opposite the theatre in July this year.

Six Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) actors with a suitcase of props and costumes performed a 20 minute version of Henry V at a press briefing today at New York City’s Algonquin Hotel.

The ‘Shakespeare in a Suitcase’ production of Henry V, edited by Ben Power and directed by Roxana Silbert, RSC Associate Director, offered a taste of the RSC as the company invited North Americans to visit its transformed Stratford-upon-Avon theatres, due to reopen in late 2010 following a $200m makeover.

VisitEngland, the official tourism body for England, also invited visitors to discover the Arden Hotel, Stratford’s first independently-owned boutique-style hotel, opening opposite the theatre in July 2010.

Now in its final stages of transformation, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, will have a new thrust stage auditorium at its heart – one of just a handful in the world and the only one with such sophisticated stage technology, allowing directors and theatre artists, huge flexibility and creative freedom.

The audience will be much closer to the action, wrapped around the stage on three sides, with the seats at the back twice as close to the stage as they were in the old 1932 Elisabeth Scott cinema-style auditorium. It’s an amazing VIP experience to see the show in person. A true blend of art and culture.

The new building, right alongside the River Avon, contains both the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres. It retains some of the best elements of the original Art Deco building and is packed with new features – a rooftop restaurant, a linking colonnade, riverside terrace, a Theatre Tower from which all the main Shakespearean locations can be seen, a new theatre square – Weston Square – and the PACCAR Room for exhibitions, along with much needed new facilities for visitors and theatre artists.

Vikki Heywood, RSC Executive Director, said today: “It’s long been our ambition to create the best playhouse for Shakespeare and a closeness to our audiences which is only possible in a thrust stage space. People already love our award-winning temporary Courtyard Theatre, which opened in 2006 and has been used as a prototype for the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Our new home will be a place for everyone, offering Shakespeare, other classics and new plays by living writers as well as opportunities for visitors to understand and be involved in the theatre-making process.”

“We are on time and on budget, and plan to open to the public in late 2010 with a series of preview events and activities designed to test the building, leading up to our opening performances in February and March 2011. We will reopen the transformed Royal Shakespeare Theatre auditorium with productions from the current repertoire, performed by the same RSC acting ensemble that will visit New York’s Park Avenue Armory in 2011 as part of the Lincoln Center Festival. The Swan Theatre will also reopen at the same time. We will then celebrate our 50th birthday with new companies and new productions.”

Sam Warnock, Visitor Marketing Manager at Advantage West Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be working with the RSC, providing both core refurbishment finance and support for this important project. Shakespeare is an iconic brand for England and for The Heart of England and, together with the Royal Shakespeare Company, we are committed to increasing the profile of Shakespeare and his legacy throughout the world, making The Heart of England, Stratford and the RSC must-see attractions for all international visitors to England.”

The RSC has long enjoyed a close relationship with North American audiences, who helped fund the 1932 Elisabeth Scott building and its adjoining Swan Theatre in 1982, and a significant number of visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England are from the US and Canada. Attracted not only by the RSC, visitors travel to see where Shakespeare was born, where he went to school and where he died, as well as some of England’s most beautiful countryside on the banks of the River Avon.

Providing a further boost to the area’s travel and tourism offerings, the RSC’s joint venture partners, the Eden Hotel Collection, will reopen the Arden Hotel in July this year. As Stratford’s first independently-owned boutique-style hotel overlooking the river, the hotel will offer overnight visitors an ideal location situated directly across from the theatre.

The RSC will announce titles of the February and March 2011 opening productions in September. Details of its 50th birthday anniversary year will be released when the Royal Shakespeare Theatre reopens for preview events in late November 2010. Meanwhile, the company continues to perform a full repertoire of Shakespeare plays and other titles at the award-winning Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, including a special week of short Young People’s Shakespeare productions in September.

In November, the RSC opens a new musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda – the magical story about a little girl with extraordinary powers, which has been a favourite novel for millions of children across the world since it was first published in 1988. Matilda, A Musical will be directed by Tony Award-winning Matthew Warchus.

The book is by playwright and screen-writer Dennis Kelly, and the music and lyrics are by the anarchic Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin. This family show will entertain audiences through the winter in The Courtyard Theatre, running alongside the reopening preview period of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What hasn’t been said about attractive Lindsay Lohan. Lohan is a troubled actress that seems to keep in the limelight by acting bad.  The sad truth is that Lindsay Lohan hasn’t even starred in a mainstream movie for many years.

Child actress Lindsay Lohan was already an experienced performer before she made her feature Hollywood movie debut in the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap.

Iconic Lindsay Lohan has had a tough road, been arrested for drug possession and DUI. Lindsay has even spent time in a rehab center.

The hit movie Mean Girls debuted at number one and was a turning point for Lindsay Lohan. The attention on the then-16-year-old Lohan changed almost overnight.  Lohan quickly became a front-page gossip tabloid fixture. There was non-stop interest about speculation on her body, her nightclubbing, her string of high-profile boyfriends, her incarcerated father, and her feuds with a variety of other young female celebrities became inescapable.

Just when things looked bad for Lohan, Lindsay got her life somewhat back in track back in 2008.   First she went down the path of a lesbian and begin dating sexy British DJ Samantha Ronson.

This relationship plus her dating several men over the next year led Lohan to front page news as a celebrity gossip photographer’s dream come true.

Unfortunately, the couple called it quits in the spring of 2009. Lohan reportedly took the news very badly, turning back to guys, as well as alcohol and drugs.

Red Carpet Green Dress

Suzy Amis Cameron is a Hollywood actress and wife of Oscar winning director James Cameron.

If you have ever dreamed of designing your own, stunning dress and having a famous Hollywood celebrity wear it, here’s your chance.

Suzy Amis Cameron is once again providing an opportunity for aspiring fashion designers a win a chance at going to Los Angeles for a Hollywood pre-Oscar party!

Last year, Jillian Granz who was a Michigan State University student, created the winning design for the “Red Carpet Green Dress” contest.

The rules for this year’s design contest is to submit sketches of a dress made of renewable materials. You need to work fast since the deadline is February 2nd.

The contest winner will be chosen by Suzy Amis Cameron and will receive:

– A free trip (with swanky hotel and flights included) for the winner and his/her model

– $2,000 to make the dress and get featured on RedCarpetGreenDress.com website

–  A “red” (actually on green!) carpet walk at an Oscar pre-party in Hollywood on February 23 – as guests of James Cameron and Suzy Amis Cameron

Proceeds from the competition will go to the MUSE schools, which Suzy Amis Cameron founded. The charitable organization helps educate kids around the world.

Another terrific thrill from last year’s winner, was Suzy Amis Cameron actually wore Jillian Granz’s winning dress to the Oscars!

To learn more about the “green” dress design contest, please visit http://redcarpetgreendress.com/rules/

This isn’t your typical trip down the “Yellow Brick Road.” Wicked is the smash hit Broadway show and has become almost as popular as the original Wizard of Oz movie.

Wicked is a spellbounding journey and offers show goers an experience to view the Wonderful World of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West (a.k.a. Elphaba) and Glinda the Good Witch of the South.

I saw the show at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. The incredible Orpheum was built in 1926 and takes on the look of a 12th century Spanish palace. Over the years, the Orpheum has presented countless, memorable performances and is now an official San Francisco Historical Landmark.

The magical setting of the Orpheum truly enhances the experience of Wicked. The show originally opened at the Curran Theatre in 2003 before moving to Broadway in New York City. While there Wicked won 26 major awards, including a Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.

The smash hit is now back in San Francisco playing an open-ended engagement to sold out audiences at The Orpheum Theatre.

There are not enough words to accurately describe Wicked, as it is superbly performed and is a visually stunning experience.

The show is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and and book by Winnie Holzman. The amazing musical score and lyrics were written by Stephen Schwartz.

The role of Elphaba, born with her trademark emerald-green skin, was played by Eden Espinosa. Kendra Kassebaum charmed the audience in her role as Glinda the Good. Both women perform the music admirably, hitting their solos and duets with perfection.

The show takes us on an unlikely journey as we are first introduced to Elphaba and Glinda, viewing their respective backgrounds and how they first met, prior to Dorothy arriving in the Land of Oz.

The Orpheum Theatre provided an atmosphere, that was the perfect setting for Oz.

The sets are stunning, colorful and literally came alive. The show is staged seamlessly, including a large red-eyed dragon perched high above the stage to an enormous mechanical wizard head.

There is no doubt about the talent of the entire “Wicked” cast. Both leading women bring not only stunning voices, but portray sincere characters that we quickly come to adore.

Although both women become friends and are following a similar path while going to college, they reach a fork in the road. Elphaba takes a turn toward the dark side, transforming into the Wicked Witch of the West.

Glinda’s character is simply a delight. Kendra Kassebaum is cute, perky and full of high energy. Her quirky moves consist of leg kicks, hair tossing and she has a cute and contagious laugh.

Although Elphaba is likable early on, you can see the changes occur before our eyes as her mood slowly darkens. What seems as insignificant items (broom to jam a door, a cape to keep warm, a top hat as a gift …) presented throughout the show, they all become the foundation of her eventual witch’s role.

Although subtle, it was interesting to see how the main characters (Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion ..) of the Wizard of Oz movie were interspersed throughout Act II.

Likely the most memorable scene for most, was at the end of the Act 1. As the song “Defying Gravity” blares out, Elphaba ascends high into the air as the Wicked Witch, while brightly illuminated in a sea of glimmering lights (above).

Wicked is as entertaining as any show around. Elphaba provides raw and emotionally singing, while Glinda shines with her quick wit and golden voice, in addition to a caring side as she tries to help Elphaba.

This musical truly pulls in the audience from the first scene and never lets up. The unlikely paring of “good” versus “bad” plays out before our eyes.

We all knew the classic story’s final ending before we sat down, but now we understand how the two women got there.

It wasn’t that long ago that going to the local movie theater would cost you $4 or $5 and you’d enjoy cold, stale popcorn and creaky seat with sticky floors.

Not any more.  Today’s movie theaters are going luxury and making your move watching experience a memorable one.

The movie industry is booming. In 2009, the industry celebrated a banner year, bringing in an all-time record $10.6 billion in box office ticket sales.

The shift is on. Movie theaters are investing big bucks to turn that old and drab single screen theaters into a luxurious multiplex entertainment experience.

The National Association of Theatre Owners counts 39,380 screens in 5,853 theaters in North America. Patrick Corcoran is their Director of Media and Research and states, “Movie theaters are doing very well.”

Some theaters have installed attractive lounges or adults-only clubs. Movie patrons can enjoy a cocktail and order appetizers prior to the movie.

Many smaller theaters have removed old-style seating and replaced them with high-backed leather executive or rocking chairs with armrests and footrests, providing maximum comfort.

The luxury trend experience continues as theaters roll-out amenities such as online reserved seating, the very latest in digital projection, cutting edge digital sound and mega-wide screens, in addition to valet parking.

Read the full article at: USA Today

Millionaire Fair is known as the World’s Leading Luxury Fair. It’s a place where the top, international luxury industry meets and present their most amazing and exclusive products and services.

The first edition of Millionaire Fair Istanbul was held in 2008. At the Millionaire Fair, attendees will discover a world of ultimate elegance.

As you walk through the exhibit, you can see and discuss luxury with the best top names of the international luxury goods the industry has to offer.

Take in many well-known fashion designers and experience fascinating stage shows by leading international artists.

So whether you are looking for fine fashion, luxury travel ideas, or the best upcoming cars, then the Millionaire Fair – Istanbul is the place to be.

Experience all the aspects of a luxury lifestyle, during your visit to Europe’s most exclusive and trend-setting lifestyle trade fair: the Millionaire Fair.

The Millionaire Fair is “the place” to be and only the most elite of the international luxury industry come together for this unbelievable experience.

This year’s Millionaire Fair Istanbul event will be held March 4 – 7 2010, at the CNR EXPO in Istanbul, Turkey.
www.millionairefair.com.tr

For more information on all Millionaire Fair events, go to: http://www.millionairefair.com/

Courtesy of: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The Academy Awards are quickly approaching.  This year’s event – 82nd Annual Academy Awards – will be held on Sunday March 7, 2010.

For avid movie fans, throwing an Oscar party is an annual event. The bigger, the better, all out Hollywood style.

If you are planning to hold an award-winning Oscar viewing party at home, then you may need some help from the experts – the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

On the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences site, you can find downloadable Oscar® ballots, party play-along games, recipes, cocktails ideas and much more.

Be sure to invite your family and friends and celebrate the best the movie industry has to offer.

http://www.oscars.org/partykit

You’ll also be able to read:
* Event producer Cheryl Cecchetto shows you the “10 Must Haves” for throwing an awarding-winning party
* Master Chef Wolfgang Puck cooks and provides you with delicious and easy-to-make-at-home recipes
* Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard shows you how to bake a yummy dessert
* Moët & Chandon, the exclusive champagne of the 82nd Academy Awards®, provides a special cocktail that will wow your guests

As a reminder, here’s a recap of the major award nominations:

Best Picture:
Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air

Actor in a Leading Role:
Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Colin Firth, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Renner

Actress in a Leading Role:
Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe, Meryl Streep

Directing:
Avatar, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Nine, Sherlock Holmes, The Young Victoria

We can all recall our favorite Super Bowl commercials, whether they happened last year or ten years ago. Apple’s original Mac commercial was amazing. How about the classic Budweiser horse football, or the Fed-Ex “Cast Away” ads?

The Times is reporting today that this year’s crop of crazy expensive Super Bowl ads is going to be tamer than usual. Basically babies talking on webcams. ….. Awesome.

This got me thinking about Super Bowl commercials that were actually memorable, and after some searching, here’s a best-of-the-best list of 25. Once you’ve watched all these, you and that chick at your party who doesn’t give a hoot about football will now have something to talk about on Monday morning.

What’s your favorite ad? Check out the Top 25 Super Bowl Ads ………

25. Sprint “Crime Deterrent Phone”
Click Here

24. Budweiser Clydesdales
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23. Pepsi Truck
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22. Anheuser Busch Army Tribute
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21. Chicago “Bears”
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20. Reebok “Terry Tate”
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19. Robert Goulet for Emerald Nuts
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18. Bud Light “Hitch Hiker”
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17. Ameriquest “Don’t Judge So Quickly”
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16. Degree “Stunt City”
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15. FedEx “Stick”
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14. Christopher Reeve
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13. Career Builder Monkeys
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12. Cindy Crawford for Pepsi
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11. E*Trade “Out of the Whazoo!”
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10. Fedex “Castaway”
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9. David Letterman & Oprah Super Bowl Of Love
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8. Britney Spears Pepsi Super Bowl Commercial
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7. EDS Running with the Squirrels
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6. Monster.com “When I Grow Up”
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5. Nationwide Commercial RollinVIP
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4. GM Robot Super Bowl Commercial
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3. Budweiser Frogs
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2. Apple’s 1984 Macintosh Commercial
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1. Mean Joe Green
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