Behind the Scenes

Sunday August 14, 2011 was my first day as a tour guide at Behind the Scenes at Full Sail University. Full Sail puts on this event once a month to show prospective students what the school has to offer. It is basically an informational fair on steroids. Prospective students and their parents and spouses from all over the country, and maybe farther, flock to Full Sail to attend. I took this tour back in October 2010 when I was considering Full Sail and it is basically what sold me. Once I finished the tour I know immediately that it was the school for me and I was ready to go apartment hunting.

Last Minute Summer Vacation

 

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/vacation-rentals/Destin-Florida-vacation-rental-condo-proID-47852.html

It’s August and the summer will soon be coming to an end. Are you looking for a last minute Florida vacation? Look no further that the beautiful beaches of Destin, Florida. Destin is located on the Florida’s panhandle between Pensacola and Panama City Beach. The place I would recommend staying would be Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Last year I had the pleasure of working at Sandestin as a concierge so I know what I am talking about when I say it is a great place.

My recommendations of places to stay on the resort are The Grand and West Winds. The Grand is located near Baytowne, which is the resorts hub of restaurants and nightlife. The Grand has the feel of a hotel with its spacious old Florida lobby and smiling staff. It’s not located directly in the center of the excitement, but it is close enough walk to Baytowne and enjoy a drink at Fat Tuesday’s or any other place in that area. West Winds is located right on the beach. You can literally walk outside to the pristine white sand. Not only does this condominium have quick beach access, it has a pool and a hot tub with a view of the ocean.

Vacation But Low on Cash

 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201006/the-stay-cation-having-fun-while-staying-put

Do you feel trapped and in need of a vacation but low on cash? Consider a staycation. According to Urbandictionary.com, one of my favorite websites, a staycation is “ a vacation that is spent at ones home enjoying all that home and one’s homes environs have to offer.” I studied staycation’s during my undergrad in recreation at Florida State University. To my knowledge a staycation is taking a vacation in your hometown. You have the option to stay at your home or a hotel of your choice. The great thing about staycation’s are you can take a vacation and not have to pay for common traveling costs such as gas, air travel, tolls etc.

Event Planning Basics

 http://militaryengineers.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/same-small-business-conference-day-2/

In order to fully be able to appreciate a great event, you should understand the basics of what goes into planning one. First and foremost you must decide what type of event you want to plan. Personally, I am interested in planning conferences and destination business retreats. It may sound boring but a lot goes into it. You have to decide how many people will attend, pick a date and begin. Once you pick a date, you must pick a venue that works best for your event. Some venues are all inclusive with meeting space, dining, entertainment and lodging; especially the Disney resorts in Orlando, Florida.

Steve Jobs on TED.com

 http://www.cultofmac.com/steve-jobs-canceled-stock-options-from-2003-would-be-worth-10-5b-today/43516

Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech to Stanford University in 2009 that was posted on TED.com Best Of The Web. The link will be posted below. I know I usually do event promotions, but I am promoting this because it is worth watching. He told three stories about significant happenings in his life. He truly has an incredible story.

When Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, was born he was put up for adoption, his birth mom wanted him to be adopted by someone who went to college. His birth mom had a family all lined up, and at the last minute they decided they wanted a girl. Another family was called in the middle of the night, which had no college education. They promised Steve would go to college.

Amway Center

On April 21, 2011 I had the opportunity to go on a private tour of the Amway Center, the home of the Orlando Magic! Not only does Orlando's basketball team play in this center, many events and concerts are held here. Recently Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin preformed here. I wanted to share some of my photos from the experience:

IFEA

If you are interested in events you may want to check out IFEA, which stands for Internal Festivals and Events Association. IFEA is the main supporting association for events around the world. Their target market is event planners that plan events, which support their surroundings.

IFEA’s main headquarters are located in Boise, Idaho.  If you are not in Idaho no worries, you can get connected with them on their website or visit one of their many conferences around the world. To get all the benefits from IFEA you must purchase your membership. IFEA’s mission in short is  “to inspire and enable those in our (their) industry to realize their dreams, build community and sustain success through celebration.”