A friend of mine recently visited from out of state. I won’t say from where exactly but I will say that it was from a place where this cold, white stuff falls from the sky and collects on the ground. It’s called snow. If you haven’t seen it before it’s very beautiful until you realize that it has to be freezing to happen and it makes driving, walking and living almost impossible.

When I picked her up at the airport she actually started to cry because the sun was visible. It’s times like that I’m really happy I live in Southern Florida. . . even when it rains!

I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather and show her around. I know the staples of Florida living were calling: swimming, wind surfing, sun bathing, snorkeling, alligator hunting. However, first on the list was something that I had intended to check out for a while . . . a beer festival.

Yup. All that other Florida stuff could wait. It was time to stand in line, get a 3 oz. plastic cup and visit over 50 different beer makers crammed into the area of standard 3 par golf link.

Sounds like fun right? Well it was! It turns out that a 3 oz. plastic cup of beer can actually get it done when you keep emptying it and filling it back up.

I’ll talk about the excellent job the event planners did some other time, but it was clear that it wasn’t their first rodeo, errrr. . . . beer festival.

One particular beer tent really took the show for a couple of reasons. The first was the fact that they had great tasting, all-be-it novelty, beer. Flavors like Maple Chocolate Bacon and Peanut Butter and Jelly were the winners of the day. It sounds crazy, but you know that scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when Violet eats the dinner gum and can taste each course in turn? That’s what this Peanut Butter and Jelly beer was like, but you didn’t turn into a giant, fat blueberry at the end.

Here’s where this particular brewery got it right: their marketing.

Let me lay out the scene for you very quickly. As far as the eye could see you had white tents set up. One per brewery. Each about 100 square feet. They could, if they so desired, hang their banners and marketing materials somewhere in the tent. There were well known brewers there such as Harpoon and Newcastle, but there were also microbreweries that no one had ever heard of before.

Nothing really distinguished one from the other. Except our PB and J beer brewing friends. Their ingenious marketing device? A 2ft x 3ft dry erase board.

That’s right. A dry erase board.

What they did was simplicity at its best. The festival was schedule to last from 1pm-5pm. Instead of unveiling their beers all at once like everyone else, they did one flavor at a time in one hour intervals. They simply wrote the name of the beer on the board and the time it was going to come out. PB and J was getting its debut at 4pm.

By 3:30 pm all the other tents were pretty barren. All it took was a quick look to realize why. Literally hundreds of people were waiting in line gathered around the PB and J Brewers waiting for them to start pouring.

When 4 pm hit, the crowd had reached a fever pitch. It was insane! People were pressed against each other trying to get close enough for a taste of this beer that you would have thought Michael Jackson and Elvis Pressley were the bar tenders and they were handing out gold bricks with the beer.

I’ve never seen anything like it. You couldn’t get within 100ft of that tent unless you were really short and could sneak through the crowd unawares . . . or if you got there on time I guess.

It was impressive. A dry erase board. Absolutely genius.

I’d like to know things that you’ve seen that have been successful in building serious buzz around your events or products. Have you ever experienced anything like this before?

Did you have a nice Valentine’s Day yesterday? You did? That’s great! I’m so happy for you . . . not!

I, myself, spent the day inside my apartment hunched by the window, holding two flaps of my shades open just enough for me to shoot daggers outside at the happy couples walking around in loving bliss. I just happen to have a nice view of a street with a number of restaurants and shops where the love birds walked around in the loving glow of red colored Valentine’s Day love lights.

For those in love, it must be a wonderland. For the rest of us, it’s a chance to get our creep on as we sit by the window listening to sad love ballads and swearing if we ever run into Cupid we’ll punch him in the face. . . well at least that’s what some of us do.

Sound a little bitter? Don’t worry; it’s really just a gregarious cover for poorly disguised jealousy. It wasn’t the greatest year for love in the mysterious world of Mr. Event for some mysterious reason. Still, I can’t say though that I’m not looking forward to the possibility that Valentine’s Day 2013 will find me walking around in the glow of love with a woman I’ve somehow tricked into thinking I’m pretty cool to be with.

I did some research. This year, it’s estimated that the average American man spent just shy of $170 yesterday. 150 million greeting cards will be sent (coming in at $4-$5 a pop, that’s around $1billion). About 120 million roses will be sold the day before, the day of and the day after Valentine’s Day.

That’s a lot of scratch.

I’ve been on both ends of the Valentine’s spectrum. There have been years where I’ve had someone in my life that I’ve gone crazy for. There are other years where I haven’t. Some years I did the traditional restaurant and roses, and others where I have thought out of the box.

I have to admit, this is an area where I could use some serious help. I’ve been to parties where only single people were allowed (full of over the top party favors like broken heart candies and “Cupid Stinks” posters). I’ve been to parties where only couples were allowed (full of over the top party favors like huge heart candies and “Cupid Rules” posters). I’ve had picnics on the beach or expensive dinners at the top of skyscrapers. I’ve bought flowers and chocolates. I’ve baked cakes (or tried to).

I’m not too sure that any have ever been better than the others. What has been your experience? What’s the best Valentine ’s Day you’ve ever had? What do you expect out of Valentine’s Day? Were you the one walking around holding hands this year, or the person across the way from me also scowling out their window?!

I recently had a conversation with a younger member of my family. I’m not going to say who, but I will say this: the little punk needs to get his act together.

You hear me little punk? Get your act together!

The conversation had to do with why he wasn’t doing that great in school. His primary thesis is that school was boring. My primary thesis was that he is an idiot. While I had some very solid evidence to prove my case the longer we talked the more I realized he actually had some evidence of his own. The little punk!

He explained that he liked some areas of school. The classes he didn’t like were the ones where the teachers just talked and talked. The classes he liked the best consisted of teachers who engaged the class in open discussion.

In between me thinking, “This kid is a punk,” and me actually saying it out loud, I realized that so far, all I had really done was talk about me in this blog.

I don’t want to be the bad teacher who all the little punks (I mean doe-eyed, innocent school children) make fun of and, sometimes, throw things at.

So I want to know some things about you. Today I’m going to briefly give an example of one of the best things I’ve ever experienced at an event and one of the worst. I’d like to hear about both of yours.

One of the best things that I’ve ever experienced was at an international destination wedding. The couple understood that it was a big deal for people to be there and they appreciated that people had incurred the expense of going. As a thank you, instead of having a reception dinner with just the bridal party, they rented out an old ballroom at a local hotel and had all the wedding guests for dinner and dancing. They paid for the entire night (including an open bar). The next day was the wedding. It was really like going to two weddings in one weekend and I had a great time. Class act all the way around.

The worst thing that I’ve experienced in a while was attending an event that didn’t start on time. I know that might not sound like a big deal, but it was. The worst part was that the guests didn’t have access to the venue.

The event was advertised to start at 5pm. It was kind of a big deal and represented an important milestone for the host. Everyone was at the venue an in line at 6pm. The doors didn’t open. It was hot. We were hungry. People started to look around with their eyes glassed over. One woman sat down on the curb and started crying.

We ended up standing in line until 7:00 pm before the doors were opened and we were let in. I’ll write about what was inside another time, but this was the worst etiquette I’ve ever experienced.

It’s one thing to be late with a band or a speech or something, but it’s entirely another thing to tell people to be there at a certain time and then keep them waiting (in discomfort) for more than a few minutes.

And I call my family member a little punk!

So, let’s have it! What is the best event experience you’ve had? What’s the worst? You don’t have to write a novel, but I’d like to see what you’ve got!

Leave your comments in the section below!

Are there any words sweeter than “Open Bar” at an event, party or wedding? Are there any words that can potentially lead to more damaging consequences?

I’ve been to plenty of events with open bars where nothing crazy happens. People talk nicely to each other, sip slowly from a fine glass of wine, slightly nod their heads while asking, “How do you do?” and generally delighting in the loveliness of life.

But I’ve also seen it go the other way. I’ve seen parties descend into a place where people are hanging off the rafters, doing cartwheels off of balconies, running after ice cream trucks that aren’t there and then disappear into the night . . . never to be seen again.

Personally, I feel that most people can maintain control of themselves, but it definitely makes it easier for those who can’t to get into trouble, but that isn’t what this blog is about.

Nope, today it’s about when to expect an open bar.

I don’t expect an open bar at a wedding. I always think it is a nice gesture from the couple or their parents when there is, but I don’t expect it. I know how expensive weddings can get between hiring the DJ or Band, the venue, renting linens and paying for a caterer. An open bar is another expense that some people want to offer, and others don’t. That’s fine.

In general I don’t expect an open bar for events or parties that are free. However, I do expect them at events at which I pay more than a few dollars for entry. I’m not talking about events or parties where the cost of the ticket or entry goes to something clear and obvious like a play or concert. I’m talking about events where you buy a ticket just for entry into a venue that offers nothing more than a dance floor and some food stations.

I attended an event recently in Miami. A ticket was $50. It wasn’t a charity event or anything like that. I fully expected with a ticket price half way to triple digits that there were going to be some amenities involved. There weren’t. I basically paid $50 for the privilege of walking into a bar that had one food station, a band and all the alcohol you could drink for $13 a glass. That was it. Would you pay a $50 cover charge to get into a bar to pay more money for the drinks?

I don’t think that’s a good value and I heard many complaints from the guests. People can do whatever they want, but I think that in most cases if you’re charging people for entry into something, you should make sure that it is worth it. It doesn’t have to be an open bar, but if it isn’t, wow people with something else so that you don’t end up with a bunch of dissatisfied people asking why they came and promising to never go again.

Last week was my introduction party . . . sort of! Atlas Party Rental sent out an email introducing me to the masses. I have been writing their blog for a number of months now, but it was the first time that Atlas made a huge deal out of it.

It made quite the splash! We got some very excited responses which were great. We also got some responses that were, shall I say, less than supportive.

It’s true, it’s true. One or two emails prompted me to start looking over my shoulder. It took me a couple of hours to remember that nobody knows who I am! Oh blessed anonymity! It was a great relief, and when I hung up the phone from the FBI Witness Protection Division I realized a clarification may be in order.

I am not going to events and parties to judge them, or anyone, in any way. I, and the very smart people at Atlas, know that this is no way to conduct ourselves. We have no rating system and don’t want one. I’m never going to give thumbs up or thumbs down, 2.5 stars, a rotten tomato, a soundless noise maker or any other such creative way to separate the awful from the divine.

That’s not our style.

I exist purely to provide some insights into how you can throw a fabulous event. When I say I’m writing about what I like or what I don’t it isn’t a judgment. It’s an observation. I will never, ever put anyone on the spot.

Here are the basic rules of decency that I’m going to follow:

1. I will never name an event, venue or person by name unless we are impressed with certain aspects of the event. 2. I only speak in general terms about the event and limit the identifiable characteristics as much as possible unless something about it is essential for the story (a venue by the sea for example). 3. I try to always comment on the great parts of events. Only when something is a bad idea or is something that others should avoid will I comment on them. Even then they are only observations.

My purpose is not to judge; it’s to offer observations and some occasional advice. You don’t have to follow it . . . of course, if you make the same mistake at an event you host, please don’t blame me!

I’m never going to embarrass anyone. Even my mother doesn’t know who I am and it’s going to stay that way!

I look forward to having fun in the future and I hope that this column is ultimately a place where you come to get good ideas that you can use or share with family and friends.

Next week we’ll get back to the events and boy do I have a doozy for you!

Apparently the secret is out. . . Atlas Party Rental introduced my mysterious self in their monthly newsletter. It was only a matter of time before I became famous. Well, to be more accurate, before my alter-ego became famous.

Alas! I can’t even bask in the glory of my new found fame!

Such is the life of the anonymous blogging personality known as Mr. Event. Life, I’m sure, will go on . . . but I will have to be even more careful to protect my identity now that there will be complete networks of people working vigorously to ascertain who I truly am. Good luck!

It is fitting that today’s blog is about a party I attended that was the most perfect place for a person of my covert nature: a masquerade party.

You’re probably thinking that there hasn’t been a masquerade party since the mid 1800’s. I have to admit I had to look up what a masquerade party was (you dress up and wear a mask).

This event even had a twist that wasn’t revealed until halfway through that proved very interesting and ultimately fun.

As the guests arrived, they were given one of three different colored masks: blue, black and purple. The hosts asked that, at first, you introduced yourself to others wearing the same colored masks as you.

I thought it was a little gimmicky, but I had seen worse ways to get people who didn’t know each other to mingle. Before you knew it, there were groups of similarly colored masked people standing around in groups, talking and having a good time.

About an hour after everyone had arrived, the two hosts asked everyone to pay attention. They were also wearing masks (theirs were white for a reason I will explain later). They reached up to the sides of their masks and started to pull. The white color on their mask was really just a sticker and as it peeled away to reveal the masks underneath were red.

They asked everyone else to do the same. Everyone reached to their masks and revealed a new color underneath. The hosts once again asked everyone to talk to others who were wearing the same colored masks. We obliged.

Parting was such sweet sorrow, but talking to new people turned out to be a great time. Groups even came up with chants and slogans to build pride: “Always bet on black”, “Blue is the new cool”, and “Purple thinks Blue and Black stink” were my favorites. I was a purple mask for the second part of the night and we really couldn’t come up with anything better than that, even with the help of alcoholic beverages.

This may seem strange, but I’ll now reveal the context of this party.

The event was a destination wedding in Puerto Rico. The hosts were the bride and groom (white and red were the colors of their wedding and the reason for the colors of their masks). The guests who had been invited included friends and family. The bride and groom were very nervous that their guests would separate into four groups (bride’s family, bride’s friends, groom’s family, groom’s friends) and wouldn’t get to know each other. Instead of having a traditional rehearsal dinner, they invited all their guests to the masquerade party the night before the wedding.

Their idea of alternating colored masks to get people to get to know each other was brilliant. The next night at the wedding people who had never met each other before were talking like they were old friends.

Everyone had a great time at the wedding. To this day I still keep in touch with some of my purple friends. If I ever have a need to get people to come together, I hope that I can come up with something half as good as this bride and groom.

So here we are: 2012. So far it looks a lot like 2011. Not too sure if that’s a good or bad thing just yet, but I’m an optimist so I’m looking forward to 2012.

I’m also looking forward to more events! I can’t wait to see what the new and exciting parties are going to be. If last year is any indication I know that it is going to be a year full of fun things to look forward to . . . and some things that could have been fun but fell short for one reason or another.

I had a couple of recent experiences that would have been absolute blasts except for a few people (idiots) not following the rules.

“Rules?,” you ask.

“Rules,” I says.

That’s right: rules. Social situations have them. Many of us understand these rules on a very basic level (at least I hope we do). Others though missed a few classes on Social Grace and it’s not too distant, and more loved cousin, Social Common Sense.

Here are some easy ones: Don’t be incredibly late (fashionably late is okay, but not all the time). Don’t take 11 items into the 10 items or less line. Don’t punch people who don’t deserve it in the face. Don’t punch people who DO deserve it in the face with other people looking.

Those are some easy ones. How about this situation:

I attended a friend’s wedding not too long ago. It was a beautiful beach wedding. One guest couple brought their children: one 5 year old girl, one 3 year old boy and a 4 month old boy.

The four month old cried through the ceremony prompting his mother to stand up and stumble out of the isles as the bride and groom were taking their vows. Apparently the baby was crying because he was hungry, which prompted the mother to feed him the natural way. She did this off to the side of course, but close enough for her to still observe the ceremony, and the rest of the guests to observe her.

The reception was held at the couple’s favorite bed and breakfast. The cocktail hour of the reception was set by the pool; a charming location for the adults and a virtual playground for the children. Pools, to children, mean playtime. I don’t blame them. However, playtime in an area set up with hors d’oeuvre stations and tables full of champagne glasses isn’t the best idea. I’m afraid to say that not all the champagne glasses made it, and anyone who has ever broken glass near a swimming pool knows that it’s a pretty big deal.

Then, during the dinner, the parents moved one of the tables out onto the dance floor (I’m not kidding) to set up a gated play area for their kids to play in (I wish I was kidding).

If you’re reading this and asking “what’s the big deal?”, I don’t know what to say. Maybe this will help: On the save-the-date that the couple sent out they included the following on a separate piece of paper:

We love children and can’t wait to start a family of our own. However, on our wedding day we are asking all of our guests with young children to make arrangements for them to be cared for during our ceremony and reception. The location we have chosen and the ceremony and reception we have planned are designed to be enjoyed by adults. We hope this save-the-date will give you enough time to make arrangements. If there are any problems, please let us know and we will work with you make arrangements with the hotel. Thank you, in advance, for your understanding. We can’t wait to share our most happy day with you.

Whatever you may think of that, the couple made a request in a fair way and in a fair amount of time. The guests made the decision to ignore the rules that the bride and groom had set. I don’t think that was fair, and as it turned out, the couple was justified in their request.

It would have been just as bad as someone without children showing up to a child’s birthday party with a twelve-pack slung underneath each arm, screaming, “Let’s get ready to Rock and Roll! Woooooo Hoooooo!” (I’ve never done that; I swear!)

So, for those who are planning parties or events let me say this: You know what kind of event you want to throw. You know what the style is and what you want your guests to experience. You have every right to let people know, politely of course, the “rules” that are going to guarantee that everyone has a great time.

For those who attend the events, please make sure that you respect your hosts enough to listen.

Dear Atlas Party Rental Blog Readers,

Did you make it through Christmas and Hanukah? I, and my family, came out of it relatively unscathed.

Here are some of my holiday statistics:

1 spilled glass of red wine on a brand new carpet.

1 slightly over cooked beef roast.

1 slightly undercooked pork loin.

2 smoke alarms going off (one from the previously mentioned beef roast and another from my cousin sneaking a cigarette in the bathroom and throwing the match out in the trash like a smart kid).

3 major arguments over politics.

5 minor arguments over sports (The Jets stink by the way).

8 arguments about whether to argue about politics or sports.

One million little kid temper tantrums.

10 of my grandmother’s spiced rum balls (they are so good).

15 helpings of Rolaids due to the 10 helpings of my grandmother’s spiced rum balls (made with real rum and the fires of hell).

1 more great Christmas in the books.

Now it’s time to turn the sites on New Year’s Eve. Of course this is the time for resolutions, but I’m not going to be that clichéd this time around. I’ve made some resolutions this year that I’ve already broken. I’m sure the rest of you are in that column with me.

New Year’s is the big party night of the year. Other holidays try to get close, but nothing can touch New Year’s for the sheer insanity of it all. I’m still not sure what my plans are this year, but I know of one year in the past that was really great and it wasn’t because of some great drink or awesome location; it was the thoughtfulness and foresight that the event planner took while planning one particular part of their party.

Most of us are adults. . . most of us. It is amazing how sometimes we can make the most boneheaded decisions when we get in the celebratory mood. For many of us New Year’s Eve will be a night of considerable revelry (read: drinking). That’s fine. What is New Year’s without a glass of champagne or twenty?

There’s nothing wrong with having a good time; however, it’s important to make sure that it stays a good time.

This particular event that I attended took into account that on nights like New Year’s it’s important to think ahead. The event planner knew that this not everything goes to plan.

People drive to events. People drink at events. Sometimes, people try to drive home from events after they’ve had some drinks at those events. Every time that is a very bad idea.

A company called RedCap was hired by the event planner (the event planner has a relationship with the company. More information can be learned at http://www.myredcap.com). The whole idea is that they are a car service, but not in the traditional sense. This particular car service gets you home . . . in your own car!

That’s right: In your own car. You get in your car with a friendly (sober driver) and they drive you home. Another car follows behind and when you arrive home they say goodnight and jump in the other car and are off to repeat the process. The next morning, you don’t have to worry about having to go back and get your car; it’s there waiting for you.

I didn’t need the service that particular night. I know plenty of people who did. They were very thankful for it.

This year, no matter where you go or what your plans are, give a second to think about arranging this kind of a service for your guests or fellow revelers.

This way you can have a very Happy New Year’s Eve and an even happier New Year’s Day.

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!

This year my gift to all of you is knowledge. Don’t pout! It’s a great gift. My mother always used to say that it’s great to learn from your own mistakes but it’s a gift to learn from someone else’s!

I implore you to learn from mine!

I am not an event planner. I’ve never claimed to be. I’ve discovered recently that I never will be; it’s a profession that extends well beyond my skill set.

I would imagine that many of us have thrown parties before. I would also wager that those parties may have been limited to birthdays or anniversaries that we’ve put together for family. Family, for the most part, can be forgiving. If the dinner is a little cold they’ll turn to a microwave. If you run out of ice, someone will offer to go get some at the corner gas station. If the hors d’oeuvres (if you go that far for a birthday party) aren’t great, they’ll wait patiently for the cake.

Not so with people you don’t know . . . or people who aren’t your mom and dad.

My uncle is a successful business owner. He has a company with roughly 300 employees. In the past he has hired event planners to throw his company Holiday party. He is also a loyal reader of this blog (family support). He thought it would be a good idea to turn this year’s party planning over to me.

The conversation went something like this:

“Hey kiddo. You’re planning my Christmas Party this year.”

“Thanks Uncle _______, but I’m not an event planner.”

“What? You write about this stuff all the time. How hard can it be? What are you, a dumb @#$&?”

Like I said: Family support.

So that’s the conversation that led to 300 disappointed employees, an upset uncle and proof that I am indeed a dumb @#$&.

It would take too long to go over all the disasters that befell the party, but I’ll hit on the major ones here and give you some things to consider the next time you think you could save money by not hiring a professional event planner.

Did you know that most locations don’t have the necessary power for a DJ’s equipment? I found out that many times a wall socket isn’t going to cut it. Unless of course you want the transformers to blow.

Did you know that you need permits for a generator?

Did you know that 300 people coming to a party don’t necessarily arrive together in a bus but that they may drive their own cars there? Do you know that if you have a tent with a dance floor set up in the parking lot that people can’t park their cars there?

Did you know how upset people get if there are no places to park their cars? Did you know how much more upset they get if they have to park on the street and walk up to three quarters of a mile to get to the party? Did you know that the police don’t appreciate you parking hundreds of cars on the street? Did you know that “the police don’t appreciate” is a euphemism for “the police get really pissed off”?

I could go on, but you get the idea. . . I hope.

Do yourself a favor if you ever find that you are throwing a party or an event that has more than people who love you unconditionally in attendance: hire a professional event planner. There are so many things that go into planning events that it isn’t worth trying to do it yourself. They are professionals who know exactly what they’re doing and what needs to be done.

Have you ever done paint by numbers? I mean have you ever done one after kindergarten? I tried one recently with the hope of learning, in some small way, how to actually paint for real.

It didn’t work and I have come to the dramatic realization that I am no Picasso. Not even close. In fact, I’m not even the kid in kindergarten who can color within the lines. I’m that bad at anything in the artistic realm. Even my stick figures look like horribly disfigured abominations.

I feel much the same way when I go to an event that is spectacular. Some people really just have a talent for putting together a celebration. I have come, more and more, to the realization that this is a talent that is artistic in nature and the events that they put together are works of art.

For a little while I believed that being submerged in the presence of such individuals would rub off on me. It hasn’t. I’m constantly reminded of that fact every time I attend a party or an event that is thrown by someone who really knows what they are doing.

I recently had an “I would have never thought of that moment” at a friend’s 25th anniversary. Both my friend and his wife are architects. They design buildings and homes. Where you could even begin to do something like that I have no idea. I tried building a fort once out of pillows and a blanket; within five minutes the city declared it structurally unsound and made me destroy it.

Despite their artistic and visionary natures, my friends happen also to be somewhat simple in their personal lives. They aren’t extravagant, nor are they flamboyant in their tastes. I knew that their anniversary party would be perfect without being showy.

I was right. The gathering took place at their home (which, of course, they designed and built). There were many people there: family, friends, business associates, etc.. Food stations had been set up in different parts of the house. At first, I couldn’t figure out why they hadn’t decided on a single buffet area or something similar. When I got closer to the first station, I discovered why.

When I picked up the plate I was surprised to see that it was a triangle shape. I’d never seen a plate like that before. All of the food at this station had also been cut and shaped in the form of a triangle. The shapes were natural; it wasn’t as if they had taken a hamburger and pressed it into a triangular shape. There were pies, quiche, and the like here.

Across the room a food station was set up with oval dishes. Again, the food had been prepared to naturally match the shape of the plate it was being served in. As I stood at this station and looked back at the “triangle station”, I realized it had been placed below two magnificent wooden beams that started at the floor and met each other at the ceiling in the shape of a triangle.

Similarly, the other food stations complimented some feature in the home. Rectangles, hexagons, squares, cubes . . . you name it.

I had been to my friend’s house many times. I had always admired the beauty of their house. I had seen everything before, but this was the first time that the shapes of the house started to stand out to me. The way that they had been placed together or used as juxtapositions was remarkable.

All that time I had never seen it for the piece of art that it really was and it finally took some shaped dinner plates to open my eyes.

Art. Plain and simple.

I’ll never be able to come up with things like that. It just isn’t in my nature. I’m glad that there are people out there who see the world so differently and can make things like this for the rest of us to enjoy!