Month: August 2013
ABCey’s Countdown To The 10 Most Anticipated SF Events!
The Bay Area motto has to be “Work Hard, Play Hard!” Between the bevy of incredible tech event opportunities, huge concerts, and entire days devoted to chocolate, beer, and bacon, this city definitely keeps us busy. Join ABCey as we count down on our calendars to the 10 most anticipated SF events!
1. Bacon and Beer Festival | Saturday, August 25th | 2:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. | 950 Mason Street, San Francisco | As if every day of our lives wasn’t devoted to this classical combo already! We’re gonna keep it simple: bacon vendors, breweries, and tastings. Perfection.
2. Oracle OpenWorld | Sunday, September 22nd- Thursday, September 26th | Moscone Center, San Francisco | Oracle puts on its annual OpenWorld event to showcase any news and products to over 45,000 attendees. Amongst the hundreds of sponsors and exhibitions, customize your experience by choosing events that focus on communications, customer experience, big data, and more! In addition to the networking and learning opportunities, there’s bound to be plenty of fun integrating Oracle Team USA and the America’s Cup!
3. America’s Cup Finals | September 17th-21st | Pier 27/29, San Francisco| Whether you’re a boat racing fanatic or just love the waterfront views, the America’s Cup Finals are a must-see. Cheer on your favorite team before all these beautiful boats leave the bay!
4. TechCrunch’s Distrupt SF | Saturday, September 7th- Wednesday, September 11th | The Concourse at San Francisco Design Center | This tech conference is back with new startups, speakers, and technology to discuss! It kicks off with the much-anticipated hackathon, but the real stars of the show are the startups that have a chance to present their business plans in the Startup Battlefield.
5. Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival | September 14th-15th, 2013 | Ghirardelli Chocolate Company | Celebrate SF’s favorite chocolate company with ice-cream eating contests, chef demos, and tons of chocolate samples! This year, they’ve offered a wine and chocolate pavillion because, well, nothing’s better than chocolate and wine!
6. VM World Defy Convention 2013 | Sunday, August 25th- Thursday, August 29th | VMWorld Campus, San Francisco | VMWorld is all about pinpointing problems in the tech world and teaching you the skills to fix them. Attendees can visit over 350 training sessions, hands-on labs, or the Solutions Exchange to see what other companies are doing or compare notes with IT industry experts.
7. BurningMan | August 26th- September 2nd, 2013 | Black Rock Desert, Nevada | Take a break from the hustle of city life and find yourself in the art-based, self-reliant, and self-defiant community that is BurningMan. At this festival, YOU are the entertainment and play an active role in creating and participating in the events.
8. CloudBeat | Monday, September 9th- Tuesday, September 10th | The Grand Hyatt, San Francisco | Cloud technology has played a huge role in the changing face of technology and startups in the past few years, and attending CloudBeat will keep you on top of all things cloud. Through industry speakers and activities, the event will explore the rise of the cloud enterprise and its integration into the web.
9. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass | October 4th, 2013- October 6th, 2013 | Golden Gate Park| It’s hard to imagine going to a free, non-sponsored event anywhere, but HSB is a musical haven for the Bay Area community. Although it started as a bluegrass festival, the lineup has expanded to include artists like Emmylou Harris, Earl Scruggs, and more!
10. BoxWorks | Sunday, September 15th- Tuesday, September 17th | Hilton San Francisco | Box is sponsoring a two-day event aimed towards what’s possible and what’s next in technology, business, society, and Box itself. Expect visionary speakers, deep conversations, lasting connections, and an “epic after party!”
Holiday Parties Already?!
‘Tis the season! We know it seems too early to plan for the holiday season, but the stores are already practically decorated! Let ABCey put the “holly jolly” back into your holiday event.
Just like plane tickets and gift shopping, everything’s better when you get it done early! Event venues book up extremely early and get pricier as December approaches. Trust ABCey’s relationships with venues and vendors across the Bay Area to get you the best spot for your holiday get-together before the chance passes you by!
This year, actually have some fun at a holiday party! Whether it’s a corporate event or a personal party, ABCey handles every detail so your event will be as perfect and special as if you’d planned it yourself. If you have any questions, please e-mail events@abcey.com !
What are you looking forward to (or dreading!) this holiday season?? Tell us in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: Kinsa Smart Thermometer
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!
It’s about time to go back to school… which unfortunately means back-to-school colds! Our trick for keeping healthy is the Kinsa Smart Thermometer.
We all have thermometers buried deep in the medicine cabinet, but we think it’s time for an upgrade! This portable, easy to store, and useful product from Kinsa is about to become you and your family’s best friend! The Kinsa Smart Thermometer has the obvious functions of a regular thermometer with the combined power of your iPhone.
The calming screens, complete with bubbles and smiley faces, will make taking your temperature look like a game! Each time you take someone’s temperature, your phone will store the information and monitor their sickness and progress. There’s even a chart that shows you when you’re at peak contagiousness so you can prevent infecting others. If you do have to make a doctor visit, the app’s illness history function makes diagnosis a quick and effective process! If you have to be sick, might as well get better the right way!
Kinsa’s thermometer is the latest in a long line of tech health innovation. The cheaper and more available technology becomes, the better we can use it to improve our quality of life.
Have you used the Kinsa Smart Thermometer? Do you think this is a useful tool? Let us know in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter!
Startup Monday: Sevenlogics
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 that we would like to share with the friends and followers of ABCey Events.
When you’re planning for the big day, you need all the help you can get! That’s why we love Sevenlogics‘ wedding planning apps.
This LA-based company has been filling the Android and Apple app markets with its products since 2009! Sevenlogics focuses on problem-solving apps in categories including baby, lifestyle, finance, and (of course!) wedding prep. Since every app is free, there’s no excuse not to take them out for a spin!
Our favorite apps are the wedding-themed ones, like Wedding To-Do and Wedding Budget. Although these are obviously marketed towards brides and grooms, these apps are great for any upcoming project you have on your hands. Wedding Budget is our hands-down favorite because keeping track of the budget is always a huge concern, no matter the size! Set up strict allocations for each phase of the event planning process, including venue and catering costs. The clear calculations and graphics make it easy to see what’s consuming too much money and which areas came in under budget.
Would you use a Sevenlogics app for your next big project? Let us know in a comment or on Facebook & Twitter!
Event Inspiration: Top 10 Decor Trends
We’re Pinterest fanatics, just like you! After spending way too much time on our pinboards, ABCey decided to show everyone our favorite decorating ideas and event inspirations. Enjoy!
1. Balloon Chandeliers | Mixing balloons of different sizes, shapes, and colors along with other materials makes for an easy but gorgeous display!
2. Interactive Social Screens | These are innovative, tech-inspired ways to engage your guests at the event!
3. Bottle Trees | These wacky and rustic bottle displays are sure to set your event from the rest.
4. Flowers & Fruit | This DIY project will add a fresh and organic feel to your event. The best fruits to use are oranges, lemons, and limes because of their bright colors and sturdiness inside the water.
5. Greenery | For indoor or out, we love green spaces. You can never have too many plants and flowers!
6. Earthy Candles | Keep the vibe mellow and romantic with candles made from wood, bamboo, and leaves.
7. Mirrors | Mirrors are subtle and classy- use them to jazz up a bar menu or stack them for effortlessly chic decor!
8. Sparkle | Make your event as visually pleasing as possible with tons of sparkle and shine, like in this awesome display.
9. Metallic Cakes | Keep your cake elegant and edgy with metallic touches!
10. Macarons & Roses | Just add tea and it’s a girly match made in heaven!
Do you love these event ideas as much as we do?? Tell us your favorite event decorating idea in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter!
Announcing: Brit.co RE:MAKE Event!
We are SO excited to finally announce our collaboration with Brit.co to produce the RE:MAKE Event! Put this on your calendars now because you will not want to miss this!!
This two-day event will be held at the fabulous and iconic Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. Day 1 is set up as a conference with tons of innovative speakers, like Randi Zuckerberg and 3D printing master Christ Anderson, to spark a discussion about technology’s effect on the creative world. Day 1 will cover many of the themes Brit.co’s website explores, such as DIY, fashion, tech, and lifestyle. The first day is invitation-only; to request your invite, click here.
You’ll definitely want to snag a pass for Day 2 if you’re a lover of all things creative and fun! RE:MAKE opens up for a public, free convention with over 100 artisans and makers stations ranging from jewelry design to 3D printers. You can easily spend the entire weekend feeding your creative side surrounded by one-of-a-kind crafters and industry leaders!
Are you as excited for this event as we are?? Share your good vibes with us in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter!
ABCey Named one of the Best Event Planners in SF!
ABCey was recently honored by SocialTables as one of the top event planners in San Francisco! We couldn’t be more proud! We work hard to put on the best events possible and we are so thankful for the recognition.
The article reads:
“ABCey Events strive to be innovative by building magically interactive environments that bring your brand to life and create meaningful, joyful, and socially engaging experiences. Their love for technology ensures that your event will be fresh and exciting.”
This year, we’ve had the pleasure to put on some big events, like the Blackjet Launch Party in Union Square, and are excited to work on more!
Send us some love in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter! 🙂
Tech Tuesday: What’s Shakin’?
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!
Hey all, What’s Shakin’? For us, it’s an awesome new social media app for all of us on the go!
We know, you’ve seen too many social media apps come and go before returning to the Facebook & Twitter mainstays. But What’s Shakin’ is definitely catching our eye and keeping us interested in events across the country! Sometimes, sifting through all the junk on your homepage (and there are a LOT of ridiculous posts!) is just too much. You want to hear what people are saying about a concert in Texas or a college football game in New York. That’s when you use What’s Shakin’!
Just type in or pinpoint a location on your map, select a radius, and you’ll instantly see what other users in that area are saying! Become part of the conversation about your favorite show’s season finale in your hometown and it’s almost like you’re there. That’s because you’re not following people- you’re following places!
Do you think What’s Shakin’ could catch on? Would you use this app? Tell us in a comment and on Facebook & Twitter!
Startup Monday: Nest
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 that we would like to share with the friends and followers of ABCey Events.
If you’re fed up with high AC/heating bills (and someone always leaving it on while no one’s home!), find your solution with Nest.
Nest isn’t your ordinary thermostat. Instead of being at the mercy of whatever setting the thermostat does, Nest puts you in control of your household temperature (and bills!) at all times. The user-friendly controls on the device and the mobility of phone and tablet apps allows you to track and adjust the Nest whenever you please. Forgetting to turn down the AC when you leave for work will never be a problem again! In addition to being just plain convenient and economical, Nest also reduces your carbon footprint.
Thankfully, Nest doesn’t just reply on your constant attention to the thermostat. It gets to know what times you normally leave and return to the house and what temperatures you set at those times. Based on this learned information, Nest builds a schedule based on what you need! Track how Nest has helped you and compare energy usage and bills with the Energy History function. Find out which temperatures work best for you to keep you within budget. Nest practically pays for itself!
Would you use Nest in your home? Do you think it’s a good startup concept? Tell us your thoughts in a comment and connect with us on Facebook & Twitter!
Step it Up: The 5 Most Influential Words in Social Media
Social media is a strange and delicate thing. It has the potential to drive in hundreds of prospective customers or alienate you completely! ABCey helps you hone in on what’s important so YOU won’t be the one in a social media dead zone!
1. Share | Social media exists because people like to share and make connections! In the end, your goal is to successfully share your message with the world, and you love seeing “shared” and “retweeted” pop up on your notifications! Before you post, ask yourself, “would I share this with my friends?” If you don’t find it interesting, others probably won’t either!
2. Interaction | Tweeting can sometimes feel like sending messages off into the void of cyberspace. The only way to know what people think of your tweets is through interactions under the “connect” tab. If you’re not seeing as much interaction as you want, include language like “tell us your opinion” and “what do you think” to encourage your followers to respond. Also, try following those you think would be interested in what you say!
3. Reach | Your message can be witty, well-worded, and interactive, but it won’t matter if only 15 people see it! Below every post, Facebook will tell you home many people saw what you said, whether it was shared, on their news feed, or found through a friend. Beef up your reach by adding more people, especially people who are friends with those who “like” your page! Go on a friending rampage a few times a week and you’re sure to expand your audience in no time.
4. Network | LinkedIn and every other social media site are constantly encouraging you to expand your network with “people you may know” and “who to follow.” Our advice: listen to them!! Following someone on social media is a low-pressure way to keep in touch with someone and maintain relationships. You never know when you’ll want to reach out to them someday, and being “friends” is a good advantage to have!
5. Like| Whether you’re a company promoting a product or a teenager posting vacation pictures, you know that more “likes” is key! Like, duh. Amp up your liking potential by targeting the audience that will be most likely to generate business for you. When you start getting positive feedback (tons and tons of “likes!”), keep the momentum going!
What do you think of our social media tips? Agree? Disagree? Tell us your opinions! Leave us a comment or reach out to us on Facebook & Twitter!