3 Project Management Apps To Help You Stay Organized!

Our number one priority as event planners’ is organization! When it comes to organizing large groups of people over a couple of months, a project management app can be a lifesaver. Sometimes a to-do list just won’t cut it, and these apps are great for planners & conferences, businesses, or even personal use! Here are 3 project management tools that ABCey loves!

1. Asana is a teamwork communication manager, which supports workspaces, projects, tasks, notes, comments and an inbox that updates information in real time! The app allows you and your team to plan and mange projects without having to use email. The coolest part about Asana is that you can assign tasks to each member of the team, and get updates on the progress. This project manager uses workspaces to complete jobs without the stress of coordination. Cost: Starts at $50 for up to 15 team members, and prices increase as number of team members does.

2. Basecamp is a project management tool that offers to- do lists, web based text documents, milestone managements, file-sharing, and time tracking and messaging. This is one of the most simplistic, easy to use project management softwares and is very good at keeping the user focused on the task at hand. We especially love all the project templates. Basecamp can handle any project that you throw at it with simplistic ease and make your project come together flawlessly! This app is well-known, and trusted by many! Cost: Free trial, and prices start at $20

3. Trello is a lot like the Pinterest of web-based project management applications. The method they use for managing projects is known as “kanban” and was originally for supply chain management at Toyota. The projects are represented by boards and those boards contain lists and cards. These show progress by being dragged and dropped to mirror the flow from idea to implementation. Trello adjusts to your project, team and workflow to keep you organized. Cost: The basic service is free but upgrades and premium features are available for purchase

Each of these three project management softwares approach management in different ways, so check them out to see which one is the best fit for your team or your schedule. Let us know which one you use for your team, or any that we missed in the comments below or on Twitter and Facebook!

5 Fun Apps for Working Out!

Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!

One of the many great characteristics of the San Francisco Bay Area is its emphasis on health and well-being. With the wave of apps and startups from this area, we have seen lots of fitness related tech that can help you get more from your workout, track it and even motivate you to get active! As event planners, we need to stay healthy so that we can be on our toes for long hours. We’ve compiled a great list of 5 of our favorite fitness apps that keep us on the go!

1. Zombies, Run is one of the most fun, creative apps we’ve seen. It places you in a scene where you really do need to run for your life, and gives you that motivation you’ve been looking for. You are set in a narrated apocalypse intermixed with your own playlist. The fun doesn’t stop when you stop running, because there are games that come with the app to immerse you even when you’re not working out. Even if you haven’t hooked onto the new zombie fad, this app is so much fun!

2. BitGym makes long treadmill runs a lot more fun, taking you on a visual vacation through the streets of somewhere far away. Fuel your run being immersed in a tour of the Grand Canyon, or sprint the trails of the Alps without a plane ride! The visuals are beautiful and it allows you to motivate your runs with the promise of seeing something amazing!

3. Strava is software that keeps track of your workouts, runs, bike rides and cross-training, and then helps you compare them day by day to track progress and effort. You can even compare against other athletes using Strava! You can upload your routes via GPS capable gadgets and when you get back, you can see your hard work displayed on Strava.com! The site even gives challenges for users to compete in to push themselves even more.

4. Spitfire Athlete is an app that promotes health and strength in women, to push them to be more than they imagined. It connects you for free with coaches, step by step training and the information you need to reach your goals. The app is action packed with scientific facts and motivation to build strength and be the best you can be! We love this because it strives to make working out about feeling good and we love how easy it is to the connect a community of healthy information sharing!

5. GymPact is a mobile app that sets up incentives with money! Are you trying to exercise more or eat healthier? Set goals on pact and if you don’t meet these goals, you pay. If you do, you are paid by other members who didn’t meet their goals. We love this app because it creates real world incentives. The most important way to grow is by setting goals, and earning money while you complete your goals is a just fun bonus!

What are your favorite workout apps? Did we miss anything great? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!

3 Romantic Date Ideas

Let’s be honest, planning a great date for that special someone is hard work. Whether you’re starting a new romance, or trying to kindle an old flame, dinner and a movie can only go so far. Connect with your date on an adventure! Since planning great events is our forte, ABCey Events thought we would help you out with some amazing romantic date ideas that would knock anyone off their feet!

1. Twilight Waterways|Approximate price: $250|Our first date plan only happens a couple times a month, but lucky for you, this event is happening Wednesday, August 13. City Kayak hosts a twilight kayak tour through the Bay and starts at 6:30. It then takes you past landmarks such as Lefty O’Doul Drawbridge, McCovey Cove and the Bay Bridge. This trip is recommended for those with some kayaking experience, but if you don’t, not to worry because City Kayak offers daylight kayaking trips to practice! The Twilight Tour lasts for about an hour and a half and we recommend bookending it with a dinner date at Coqueta before and ice cream near the beach after! Make sure to bring warm clothes, your adventurous side, and enjoy your date!

2.Urban Adventure|Approximate price: $150|Spend the day riding bikes on the east side of the city, stopping at various restaurants and bars for a quick snack or a drink when you see something that catches your eye. Our favorites are Elephant and Castle and the Royal Exchange, and are especially perfect around happy hour! Bikes are available throughout the city for rent, and there’s a new bike share community called Bay Area Bike Share, with a station at the corner of Market and Beale. If you haven’t already, take advantage of San Francisco’s comedy scene and end the night with a laugh. There’s a lot of up and comers to the stage, and the eclectic city brings performers from all over the world. Through the weekend, Baron Vaughn is gracing the stage at Punch Line Comedy Club. After many appearances throughout the country including Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Arrested Development, he won’t disappoint!

3. Napa Sunrise Flight|Approximate price: $750|Hot air balloons have always been romantic, but this date idea takes it to the next level with a sunrise balloon ride complete with mimosas and pastries. The ride takes you to the skies above the famous Napa Valley, where there are some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. It only gets better, as when you land, you are whisked away to a 6 hour wine tour through wine country. That’s right, balloon rides and wine tasting, probably the two most romantic adventures you could have with a loved one! The wine tour goes through a series of wineries in Napa Valley, and when you get back , you will be able to impress with your swanky wine toasts, “the bouquet is common using tannins of that appellation.” Top the evening off with dinner at a local favorite, Oenotri, famous for their pizza, panna cotta, and obviously, wine. This date could also be a great weekend getaway, and might make the morning balloon ride more relaxing, if you spend a night or two in the valley!

Would you try any of these dates ideas? Do have any fun ideas of your own? Leave us a comment below or let us know on Facebook & Twitter!

Outside Lands Prep Guide

Are you ready for Outside Lands next weekend?! In order to prepare, we’ve outlined everything you should do before and during the event in order to the get the most out of your experience. Whether you have a 1-day pass, or a 3-day pass, a little bit of planning can help reduce stress, so you can just enjoy yourself and hear some great music!

1. The Line-up: The first and most important thing to know is the line-up. You probably know that Kanye West is performing, and unless you only bought your ticket to see him (no judgement), there is a host of other great musicians, with headliners Tiesto, the Killers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Macklemore and Arctic Monkeys. 2. The Schedule: Narrow down your selection and plan your day out with OutsideLands.com’s handy schedule builder. You’ll notice that the Killers and Tiesto are playing at the same time, as are Kanye West and Arctic Monkeys. It’s cruel, I know, but its better that you know now, rather then frantically trying to go to both, being late for both, and seeing neither. Free time can be spent in The House by Heineken, where house music and cocktails will be plentiful from festival start to finish! 3. The app: If you’re a tech junkie like us, you will really appreciate this next one: an OutsideLands app! Not only does it have the lineup, and a schedule builder that you can do last minute, it gives updates on when each event is happening. Furthermore, it has a locator that tells you where your group is! Our favorite part is obviously the food review section, but the app also includes a map, a countdown, and news! This app got some upgrades since last year, so let’s hope it lives up to the reviews! 4. Accomodations: Hopefully, if you don’t live in the city, you’ve already figured out where you’re staying, but if you haven’t we’re here to save the day and found some places near the park that still have openings for you! The Carleton has rooms available, the Marriot Marquis SF has 5 rooms left, and Casa Loma Hotel only has 1! There’s no time to waste! If you do live in the city, this weekend is a good weekend to move in with a friend or a loved one because you can list your place on Air BnB and make a good chunk of cash for the weekend. It might be a little weird letting someone rent your apartment for the three days, but it’ll be worth it. Air BnB is a company that has been growing successfully over the last few years, and everyone we know who has tried it, on either end, has had pleasant experiences!

5. The Food: Don’t forget that outside lands is so much more than just a music festival! It’s a food festival! This includes Tastes of the Bay Area, Cheeselands and Chocolands! Chefs, restaurants, chocolatiers, creameries, patisseries, butchers, coffee companies, and an array of food trucks! The Bay Area is a premier food destination so having all these options available to try at outside lands is a dream come true.

6. Outsider Art is one of the main attractions at OutsideLands. This year, in conjecture with artist and curator Jeben Berg and Juxtapoz Magazine, they are offering a host of prolific artists and visual storytellers from around the world. The exhibition will feature live painting, musical theatre, art performance and installations! See the full schedule here.

7. The Wine: Outside lands also boasts of its WineLands, which features an array of wineries and vineyards from Northern California. Being just south of all the beauties of wine country, this event promises to bring the best of the best for us to try! Highlights include Benny Doon Vineyards, Menage a trois, and AP Vin. If you’re a wine connoisseur, be sure to check out WineLands! If you’re not a big wine drinker, don’t forget about BeerLands! Sierra Nevada will be doing a special promotion, and many other local breweries. San Franciscans are spoiled by our local beer, so this will be a great treat for out of towners!

8. The After Party’s: In case you miss someone you want to see, or you didn’t get enough the first time, many of the performers from outside lands are having night shows after the festival! There’s a full line up on the website, but some of the favorites are Mikal Cronin and Bear Hands on Thursday night, and Gold Panda and DoseOne on Saturday night! These tickets are going fast!

9. Doing Good: OutsideLands is teaming up for a good cause with San Franpsycho, SF Surfrider, Surf For Life, 5Gyresand Noriega-Lawton Merchant Association for their yearly beach clean up. This is before the festival starts on Saturday morning at 10 am and believe me I know, cleaning up the beach is the last place you wanna be after a late night out, but its for a good cause and you will be back having fun in no time. The beach is beautiful in the morning, and if you’re not from around here, the fog rolling in over the hills is sight to see! Plus, there’s free coffee.

10. Final Tips: The festival will be the most fun weekend of the year if you approach it right, but it could also be really rough. Most important pieces of advice are ones your mom always told you, and I’m going to remind you here. 1. Dress in layers and 2. Drink lots of water. On to the fun stuff…1. Make sure you check out the art shows (there are some really talented artists in the Bay Area) and 2. GO WITH THE FLOW.

We hope you have an amazing time at Outside Lands, and that this guide makes it a little more fun for you! Let us know what you’re excited for in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!

Tech Tuesday: Capay Valley Farm Shop

Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!

Whether they’re on your way home from work or as part of your weekend morning routine, farmers’ markets are one the favorite food stops for Bay Area locals. Capay Valley Farm Shop is the up and coming provider of farm fresh goods, but they take it to the next stop by bringing it to your door!

Capay Valley Farm Shop offers a rare opportunity for families and institutions to buy 100% local, season food, directly from 40 small, family farms throughout the Capay Valley.

Check out their website and raid the farm shop pantry, or order a biweekly bundle of fresh veggies, eggs, chicken and honey to your own doorstep. Every item for sale is locally, ethically and lovingly produced. Where else can you find small-town farmer’s market quality goods without having to leave your desk? Add in their homegrown jams, lotions and oils for a special treat in your next box.

Capay Valley is using technology to help us progress towards a healthier, more humane society while also making our lives easier. Demand for local and unprocessed food is on the rise, especially in the Bay Area, so they couldn’t ask for a better market! They are spreading the word with their e-newsletter which not only entices you to sign up for their farm fresh goodies, but also spices up your week with new recipes!

What do you think of this convenient healthy tech-savvy company? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!

StartUp Monday: Intercom

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!

We are really excited about this gem we found! Intercom is designed to increase sales and foster customer loyalty, by combining all aspects of helpdesk, email marketing and automated marketing! Its goal is to let companies start meaningful dialogue with customers depending on who they are, and how they’re using an online product. It’s a whole new dimension in customer service, and designed by former employees of Facebook, Apple, Google and Amazon, they must have something special!

Using a simple JavaScript code on your website or app, developers can use this product to track customers as they sign in. Using this data, companies are able to interact with customers more easily, with on-the-spot messages divided based on customer demographics! Intercom looks at many descriptors of customers online behavior as to more effectively interact with them. This is beneficial for the company and the customers because the company learns how to make the customer happier!

Reviews say Intercom is easy to use and the pricing is refreshingly transparent! They are aiming to replace platforms such as Zendesk for customer support. We are really excited about it because as connoisseurs of digital marketing strategies, we love to see innovative new ideas that make it easier for companies and customers to interact and engage!

Would you use this tool for your next website or app? Do you think it’s helpful for customers? We’d love to hear what you think in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter!

ABCey Weekend LineUp: 07.17.14-07.20.14

The girls at ABCey have done some digging to make sure you have the best weekend possible! We’ve put together our top picks for the events happening in the Bay Area, and can’t wait for you to check them out!

Featured Event | Chillin’ Productions Anniversary| Saturday, July 19th | 8pm-2am | Mezzanine, 444 Jessie Street | Twice a year, Chillin’ brings you artists and designers for your purchasing pleasure. This year marks the end of their 16 year run, and they’re going out with a bang of an anniversary party. The night will include 200 artists and 80 fashion designers displaying new styles available for sale. The night wouldn’t be complete without Chillin’ creator Irene Hernandes dropping beats with many other funky local musicians! This is your last chance to see SF talent showcased like this, so don’t miss the Mezzanine this Saturday! $10 cover.

1. San Francisco Symphony presents: Pixar in Concert| Thursday, July 17th – Sunday, July 20th| 7:30pm Thu.-Sat., 2pm Sun. | Davies Symphony Hall| From the Toy Story trilogy to The Incredibles and Up, Pixar Animation Studios has forever impacted filmmaking and given audiences of all ages some of the most beloved characters in cinematic history. This summer, the San Francisco Symphony presents Pixar in Concert, with visually stunning clips and memorable scores from each of Pixar’s movies performed live by the San Francisco Symphony. Just imagine how amazing it’s going to be to watch your favorite movie music come to life before you, from some of the most talented musicians in the area! Tickets start at $35.

2. 1000 Treasure Hunters | Saturday, July 19th – Sunday, July 20th| 12pm-4pm Sat., 5:30pm Sun. | J-Pop Summit in Japantown| Get ready for the biggest treasure hunt this city has ever seen. Thousands of participants of all ages are invited to search for dozens of clues and puzzles ingeniously hidden throughout Japantown. No special skills or familiarity with Japantown area are needed to play. The game starts with simple instructions of mysterious clues for you and your team. Use these and your skills of detection to find the treasure. The treasure is not “first come, first win,” so the goal is just to get to the X! Even if you don’t compete in the hunt, you can still get wrapped up in the secrets tales and magic that the J-Pop Summit revolves around this weekend in Japantown. There will also be cosplay and sake tasting, where else would you want to be? $22 to for the treasure hunt, no cover for festival.

3. PureVision | Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 20 | Friday 12 pm – Sunday 9pm | Sopiago Springs Resort, Pioneer, CA | This feel good, family fun campout event started ten years ago in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains as a small scale festival and has transformed to a three day adventure with 52 DJs worth of bass-bumping house music. This festival lasts for three days and two nights, with ample family bonding opportunities, adventure, nature exploration and non-stop EDM! The event promotes mental clarity, dancing, barbecuing and naked swimming! Pull out your camping gear and head out to the woods for this very special “yearly migration of the North Bay!” Tickets $63 Presale.

4. Non- Stop Bhangra #105: Crash an Indian Wedding | Saturday, July 19 | 9pm – 3am | 161 Eerie Street, Public Works | This event really is one of a kind, and it sounds like so much fun! Have you ever wanted to crash an Indian wedding party, where you walk into a room filled with bright beautiful outfits, arms in the air, swirling of colors you’ve come to envy at traditional Indian Weddings? This month’s theme for Non Stop Bhangra is “Crash an Indian Wedding party”, without the guilt of not being invited. Put on your dancing shoes and show off the moves you will learn during the dance lesson or show off the moves you’ve been secretly practicing for the perfect occasion. Let’s dance together like it’s our own wedding, plus henna, indian snacks and dance lessons! This is a creative way to showcase Indian traditions and have a great time!

5. Summer Sundays Kickoff | Sunday, July 20 | 1-8pm | Mars Bar, 798 Brannan Street, SF | The Mars Bar has become famous for their Summer Sundays series, which boasts fun sundays of partying on the outdoor patio/tiki bar! The summer season kicks off on Sunday, with special music featuring David Harness, Kieth Kraft, Andrew Phelan and Johnny Collective! Come out for the first day of the week to enjoy some groovy tunes, sip some fancy cocktails and eat some scrumptious food! No better way to spend a San Francisco summer Sunday. “Everyday is a great day at Mars Bar”. Free before 3pm, RSVP here!

So, what are you doing this weekend? Is there anything we missed? Let us know below in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter!

StartUp Monday: Getaround

Before there was Uber and ZipCar, there was Getaround, which pretty much meshes the two ideas into one brilliant peer-to-peer car share program! The program aims to take 1 billion cars off the road by utilizing the 22 hours a day that you are not using your car.

The car-sharing marketplace enables car owners to rent their cars to their community via a smartphone app. Car owners invest huge amounts of time and money into an asset they barely use. The average car is idle 92% of the time, while potential drivers walk past block after block of underutilized cars. Getaround gets you where you need to go, and makes money for car-owners!

Imagine a world with fewer cars, without traffic jams, and with less pollution. This program is perfect in a city like San Francisco where parking is few and far between and there is a stoplight every block. Get involved in this mastermind community and start renting today!

Are you ready to have your traveling experience upgraded? Let us know what you think of Getaround via Twitter or Facebook, or leave us a comment below!

ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 07.04.14 – 07.07.14

Happy 238th birthday to the US of A! The Fourth of July 2014 falls on a Friday, meaning we have more time than ever to celebrate our glorious country with a long weekend. ABCey did a little digging for the best events in the bay area this weekend, and we hope you like what we found. We can’t wait for the skies over San Franciscoto light up with amazingly brilliant fireworks!

Featured Event: 2014 Fourth of July at PIER 39 | Friday July 4th |12pm-12am| Pier 39| PIER 39 celebrates the fourth with fun for the whole family, featuring live entertainment by Mobility from the USAF Band of the Golden West and Tainted Love. The night finishes off with Fireworks at 9:30pm! Many companies offer cruises out onto the bay, but they are subject to availability so get your tickets early! There’s also so much Fourth of July energy in the Embarcadero neighborhood, so this event is the place to be! We can’t wait to see the Bay light up with spectacular color while celebrating with friends and family!

1. SF Giants versus St. Louis Cardinals | Thursday, July 3 | 12:45 pm | AT&T Park| What’s a better way to celebrate America than by jumpstarting the long weekend with America’s favourite pastime. This game marks the end of the three game series between the Giants and the Cardinals and is sure to impress….cause “its, one, two , three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!” Sit back and relax in your black and orange and watch the SF Giants take victory! Tickets start at $15.

2. 4^th of July Party at the Parlor | Friday, July 4 |2pm – 2am| The Parlor | The Parlor hosts an all day party, followed by a night of great views of the SF fireworks show and live music from DJs Jason Everett and Tom Thump Spinning Top 40, Hip-Hop, Party Rock and Electronic Dance Music from 8pm-2am. The Parlor is the newest lounge and nightclub in San Francisco’s North Beach waterfront, they give this advice, “The Parlor says “If you’re interested in seeing the fireworks, this would be a great place to come to early, have a drink, use the bathroom, and have a place to roost before and after the fireworks while the other 200,000 in the area are hours from home and forced to pee in the bushes!” We’re sold!

3. IndepenDANCE Day by Heart Phoenix | Friday, July 4 |9:30pm – 4am| Mighty Nightclub | Rock you Independence Day with an all-star lineup through 3 sound areas in at this hidden gem of a nightclub in the SoMA district. Justin Jay from Los Angeles headlines this group of house music aficionados, also with David Hohme, Daniel Dubb. Disco Knights and more, so get your tickets early and dance the night away to celebrate America! Tickets start at $10.

4. Strategik Breakbeat BBQ | Saturday, July 5 |11am – 7pm| 3549 Novato Blvd | The Strategik crew brings you a BBQ of beats and eats at Stafford Lake this Saturday. The event is basically a giant day party of amazing soundtracks, beers and burgers brought to you with many different artists bringing different flavors of music to the picnic! Performers include Mo Corelone, Eric Riggsbee, and Strategik regulars: Influence, Rockit, Dragn’fly, and ECQ. $10 per car.

5. Filmore Jazz Festival | Saturday and Sunday, July 5 and 6| 10am-6pm| Filmore Street between Jackson and Eddy | Spend this weekend celebrating the “women of jazz and beyond”, the rising stars and established female artists of Jazz, on three stages of music, with 12 blocs of arts, and food. There are many featured artists from the bay area to blow you away with their talent. Don’t miss this cultural event in SF this weekend!

Will you be attending any of these events this weekend? Which ones?! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!

Tech Tuesday: A Lesson In Bright Lighting Trends

Event planners aim to pull your ideas together and create the perfect atmosphere. Event lighting can be a cost-effective and versatile solution when you are looking to transform your venue from drab to fab with rich beautiful color! In recent years, event lighting has advanced miles by utilizing wireless Light Emitting Diodes (LED). LED has been around for a long time but now, they are more affordable than ever thanks to efficient manufacturing technology. There are many options out there, but we have compiled highlights of some of the newest tech and trends in Lighting

1. LED lights: These are commonly used and are the backbone to event decor for up-lighting along the walls, or pinspotting buffets, spotlights, etc. Eco-Shift Power announced earlier this week its revolutionary highbay LED fixture, the most energy efficient LED fixture on the market with increased strength to powerfully light any area. These wireless lights are battery powered and remote controlled, removing the hassle of hidden wires or tripped-over tape trails. LED lights come in every color under the rainbow and can be combined to perfectly match event colors. These lights are also eco-friendly, which we always love!

2. Intelligent Lighting: This is the next step up from standard wall or overhead lighting and can make your event come to life by using the most up to date technology, moving heads and scanners. Movings heads are lights that have the ability to change colors and patters. They offer more movement in the head than scanners do, but scanners feature a moving mirror that can project patterns and colors through the room. Moving lights are great to match a beat or spark the audience’s interest.

3. Gobo’s: Another tech we have fun with at events utilizing gobos, a pattern cut out that fits over the light, and adds visual interest and depth to the lighting design because any image can be transformed into lighted wall art. Try plastic gobo’s, a welcome diversion from bank-breaking glass or steel gobos, previously the only material of gobo that allowed for a full spectrum of color.

4. RGB Lighting: We love what 3form is doing with RGB lighting technology. The company uses translucent materials to create color lighted walls and sections, which can be utilized to make subtle ambience or bright statements.

5. 3-D Projection Mapping: Last, and certainly not least (actually our favorite) is 3-d projection mapping, featured recently on CNN for spectacular video projections. Projection mapping uses a projector to map light onto ANY surface, instead of traditional uses that limit the images to a flat screen. This allows everyday images to turn into a 3-d display. In the event world, planners use this to showcase products, decorate and turn free space into an interactive, fascinating display!

ABCey utilized 3-d projection mapping at one of our most recent events, Guardians of the Galaxy for FireEye. It allowed us to project cyborgs onto mannequin bodies with different guests faces! It turned out really cool, and the attendees loved it! There are so many innovative applications of 3-d projection mapping, and it is sure to be a hit at any event!

Have you started using the newest lighting technologies at your events? What ideas do you have for projection mapping? Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!