My Top 11 List for 2015

January 19, 2016 by albertkaufman Leave a Comment

Top 11 List for 2015 – Enjoy!

11.11.15 by Zen Achilles

Happy 2016! Here’s another edition of my monthly e-letter and my Top 11 List for 2015. A place I share with you what’s going on with me – my latest thinking and a call to action. If you’re more interested in my email marketing for small businesses work – please let me know and I’ll move you to my biz list.

Here is my top 11 things that come to mind list for 2015. They make my life better and you might find some value here, too. Enjoy!

New Wileyware Designs

BeetBoost

Fern Kitchen

RooseveltsPDX

1. Top Glassware – Wileyware – I put that at the top as it’s the item I use the most in my life – drinking glasses. I know that might sound strange – but drinking from these glasses makes me happy.

2. Top juice/sports drink of beets and tart cherries – BeetBoost – I’ve watched my friend, Rick Perry, turn an idea into a very tasty/health drink. Thanks, Rick.

3. Top new restaurant in my neighborhood – Fern Kitchen (clients/friends). Paleo, kombucha, breakfast, great hours, Yoga Union next door, friendly staff – thank you, universe.

4. Top awesome store in Portland – RooseveltsPDX (client/friend). This one has become more of an obsession 🙂 From the moment I walked into Gregg Harris’s store, I was hooked. I go for the oxygen, the learning, Gregg’s philosophy on life and work/retirement/live-work space thinking. 44th and Hawthorne. Go.

5. Top dessert place in SE Portlandia + my home away from home: Marino’s Adriatic Cafe. Live music, late night European atmosphere. A great place to strike up a conversation with a stranger. Good on multiple levels. 41st and Division.

6. Top change in Oregon – Legalizing Marijuana. Beyond the “fun” factor, I’m seeing my community use cannabis for healing mental and physical ailments. Visit my friend, Steve Bennett’s store, Farma to learn about marijuana’s medical properties.

7. Top Podcast. I found my way to Tim Ferris’s Podcasts + The 4 Hour Work Week: highly recommended read).

8. Top new app – SuperBetter. Through Tim Ferris’s interview with Jane McGonigal I was led to her thoughts on healing through online games. Jane’s TedTalk was my favorite of last year.

9. Top Portland performance of 2015: Beatles White Album Christmas with the Wanderlust Circus at the Alberta Rose Theatre (client/friend)(I saw it twice). The Alberta Rose continues to be my favorite place to see music in Portland. The hall is intimate, the sound is great and there’s a magic to the place. Kudos to Joe Cawley for making things run so smoothly there for the past 5 years.

10. Top radio station in the world: KMHD Jazz Radio (addict) 89.1 in PDX – KMHD.fm – streaming around the world. (top 2nd and 3rd KBOO 90.7 and Allclassical.org 89.9

11. You! I couldn’t have as rich a life I do without your presence in it. Thanks for reading, playing and sharing time with me on this planet. We only get so much time here and my hope is that you and I make the most of it.

Have a great month and I’ll be back with you in February.

With love,

Albert

Albert, Sister Liz, and Brother Dan in Sumneytown, Pennsylvania along the banks of the Unami River – Thanksgiving 2015

Filed Under: albertideation Tagged With: 2015, beetboost, tim ferriss, top 10 list, top 11 list, Wileyware

Oregon Country Fair 2014

July 16, 2014 by albertkaufman Leave a Comment

Oregon Country Fair 2014

Face-Painting by Eecole at Energy Park: Photo by Nadi

Hi there,

I thought I’d send this newsletter after returning from the Oregon Country Fair. I’m glad I did. Now I know what to say 🙂 I started writing as I was heading out the door for the Fair, and could not put the words together – instead, I packed, and trucked to the Fair.

The Ritz. I really have to start here. The Ritz Sauna/Shower complex at the Fair is something really special. Here’s a picture of the entrance-way. Photos aren’t allowed inside, so it’s hard to find any online!

To see some video of the Ritz and a current project there, visit here.

Why do I love The Ritz so much? Well, the Fair can be hot and dusty – then, for a small bit of $, you are welcomed into a world that is pretty unbelievable. Two sections of hot showers; dozens of happy, shiny naked people of all shapes, ages, and sizes – add in 2 large saunas – an older one – circular on the inside – 4-5 levels of seating. And, a second, newer sauna – same height – possibly able to fit 50-75 people – imagine singing, yoga, quiet sitting and a lot of sighing – repeat, washing, rinse, – an area to brush teeth/shave and then to top it off – a lovely seating area with a fire in the middle and some seats around it – standing around a fire to dry off – add then, some of the best talents of the Fair playing music on a small stage by the fire. Do that for a couple of hours each day and you, too, will see the light 🙂 This year, a new addition was a mid-section high fire, between the changing areas which is brilliant.

If I had my way, I’d live somewhere with such a sauna/shower area available for daily use. I would never get tired of it. But OK, I’d eventually have to step outside, and when you step outside of the Ritz you are faced with so many great pathways, food booths, and smiling faces – it’s hard to figure out which way to go. And luckily, my work with Wileyware affords me a great reason to “be” at the Fair – sharing beautiful practical artistic glassware to people young and old. I realized this year that it’s a treat for people to know about Wileyware – whether they have any or not – to just see it, hold it, and learn about it is a valuable/interesting experience all on its own. And, to watch kids’ faces (young and old) as they pick up a glass and turn it around in their hands – that’s fun!

Part of my Fair experience this year was coming early, setting up camp with friends, and then building our booth. Here’s what it looks like after a Winter of flooding in the area of our booth! Video by Paxton, who is an OCF Board member.

Our booth imagery starts around minute 2:40 (L12).

Left Bank Walkthrough – video by Paxton

Building our booth consists of building a floor – think boards, skill-saws, cordless drills and we build and take it down each year when the Fair is done. There is a strong Leave No Trace ethic here – the woods are turned back so it’s hard to find evidence so many people passed through (parades, marching bands, and thousands of visitors for 3 days!).

Then, there’s the music. A long-time favorite of mine is Seattle Jim Page. I’ve been seeing/hearing Jim play (often with Artis the Spoonman) over the years at Pike Place Market and OCF. Here’s a song that Jim played on the main stage that was haunting.

Jim Page – Ghost Bikes Lyrics (if you want to sing along)

One great thing about the fair is that many of the artists will play shows on various stages and then play along the pathways. So, I got to see Jim with hundreds and then with just a couple of people a few hours later. If Jim had great marketing and some luck, he’d be as popular as Bob Dylan. His songs are hard-hitting – and capture what’s really going on in our world. Sometimes the message is hard to hear, but it’s always right on target.

Food: oh my. So so good. From gluten-free cupcakes to falafel to amazing Get Fried Rice – the salads, and egg rolls, and tastes of friends’ choices – simply incredible. Possibly the best selection of food anywhere on the planet. Food, music, catching up with friends – it was such a wonderful, kind reminder of the beautiful planet we live on and how it’s possible to live in harmony together.

Because, really, that’s the brilliance of the Oregon Country Fair. It’s a picture of how humans can be together – come together and harmonize – be kind to one another – take care of one another – treat each other well.

If you’re ever interested in being a part of the fair (and I mean being someone who is doing something in the Fair which leads to a wristlet allowing you to stay in the fairgrounds overnight) – please let me know. It’s not that hard to find a group to participate with – but planning and effort are essential.

Here are some more photos by Nadi who helped Eecole and Brian in the Energy Park face-painting booth (Grounded).

Well, there you have it – 5 days in Veneta, Oregon – a little taste. You can find tons of pictures on FB right now. Everyone who attended is posting all of their pics online.

I hope your Summer is going well. I have a couple of free classes on social media/email marketing coming up – please come or spread the word. Details below!

Take care and have fun out there!

Albert Kaufman

Portlandia!

Upcoming Events

Campaigns That Drive Action: Offers & Promotions & SEO Basics

Wednesday, July 23, 2014, from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM PDT
Increase & reward loyalty while driving new customers to your door. And, a special SEO session with Jesús Meca Rodríguez @ Portland Microsoft Office

Getting Your Business Thriving with Email Marketing

Wednesday, August 20, 2014, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM PDT
Getting Started with Email Marketing is the most cost effective way to build your business – join me, Albert Kaufman, for a guided discussion about how email marketing works and how to get up and running. 8.20.14 – great inner NE PDX location. @ Holladay Park Church of God @ 21st and Tillamook, NE

Luna Bell – Photo by Nadi

Addendum: At the Oregon Country Fair this year I saw a woman with the best t-shirt. It spelled out the word B-I-T-C-H on both sides. Here are the words that were written to spell out the word:

Beautiful Intelligent Thoughtful Caring Honest

and then on the other side

Being In Total Control of Herself

Filed Under: Oregon Country Fair Tagged With: Jim Page, OCF, OCF 2014, Oregon Country Fair, The Ritz, The Ritz Sauna, Wileyware

Summer Time Festival Time!

July 29, 2013 by albertkaufman Leave a Comment

Festival Time!

Ah, it’s been a great Summer. Besides teaching my social media and email marketing and event marketing classes, I’ve taken some time to visit the Oregon Country Faire and the NorthWest String Summit (Strummit). What a fine way to spend a Summer – music festivals.

Oregon Country Fair this year was marvelous – it’s a great mixture of friends, new friends, and lots of costumes, and great food and music. I was part of booth L48 – Wileyware! And, walking around the pathways at night, so so sweet. Then, there’s the Ritz, a huge shower and sauna complex – I like to visit that daily. I had a great time at Fair this year and even got to march in a black & white Risk of Change parade. Fun city!

The following weekend I attended the Northwest String Summit @ Horning’s Hideout. A venue very close to home – spent the weekend playing guitar with my friend, Steve Bennett, and then hearing folks like Danny Barnes, Darryl Anger, Todd Law, and the Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon – all so good. It was a very sweet time and I definitely will be going back again next year.

Next up I have a little camping coming and then the Beloved Festival – one of my favorite all-time festivals – full of music, great food, and lots of deep connections with old friends. Then, there’s Burning Man. And taking care of the garden. And the world. Life is good!

I just learned yesterday that my friend Brenda, who’s tried out Farm My Yard (her lawn has been removed and now has been planted) – will sell her yard’s produce to a local convenience store – talk about making a papa proud! Farm My Yard – I shall make signs one of these days and get that puppy going, I promise.

I hope you’re having a great Summer. Here are some sweet photos that a friend took at Strummit). Take care! Albert

I’ve been wearing the same outfit every night on the playa for 14 years. Now, I’m wearing it at all festivals – love it!