#wow these are great 70s street style photos

[rogersandclarke]

photographed by nick dewolf, california, 1974.

#wow these are great 70s street style photos #lol everytime i'm like it's nick dewolf. no one unseats the king... #photography #fashion #street style #1970s #california #nick dewolf #👢 #vintage fashion #vintage photography

[my18thcenturysource]

What do you think of the 18th century costumes from buffs the vampire slayer and angel the series?

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I had forgotten entirely of such episode from Angel!!

Wow. Thank you @luluthecatprincess​ so I had to go and watch it first. LOL. Sorry for the late response.

First, let’s remember that both series are from the late 90s and early 2000s and well, that might get whacky sometimes BUT in this case, in general it’s such a nice result! You go, Angel costume team!

BTW this is “The Prodigal”, Season 1, Episode 15, of Angel (aired on 2000), but the same outfits appear in other Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel episodes in short flashbacks. I think this is the first time they properly appear in Angel.

The flashbacks on the episode are supposed to be set in Galway, Ireland, in 1753, so I’ll be using the 1750s and late 1740s as the style references for these costumes, and I divided the costumes by character and outfit. Here we go.

THE MAID

Along with the time and place, we see the maid of Liam’s (a.k.a. Angel) home:

She does not look bad, except for the cap. That cap is hideous. A cap is clearly needed for a maid to keep her hair in place, but this one is seriously ugly. I’m not sure if it’s the artificially white material (which is always a sign of polyester or other artificial fiber fabric), or the fit. Other than the cap, the only other detail I find hard to imagine a maid would wear in a normal work day is the size of the sleeve ruffles, which are deeply not practical, and a bad idea to wear while going to well for water. We know that maids might get their mistress’ old dresses, but it is definitely not practical. BUT I think I see the visual reference used for this outfit (up to the ribbon lacing front):

“Mademoiselle Louise Jacquet”, 1748-1752, Jean-Étienne Liotard.

LIAM / ANGEL

He wears five 18th century outfits during this episode, that I have named: the yellow waistcoat outfit, the green outfit, the pink waistcoat, the funeral outfit, and the vampire outfit.

The Yellow Waistcoat Outfit

This is what we first see him wearing while he’s with the maid. I’m going to completely ignore his hair, because it is not done, but generally looks like a nice length to be done in curls at the sides of the head and a pony tail in the back with a bow or black silk bag (later we see he’s got a loose pony tail). I mean, he’s hungover, but those hairstyles were supposed to be worn FOR DAYS, so I’ll just pretend that he has not had his hair styled for quite a long while.

The shirt does not look bad, it has frills attached to the front vent like it should, and not in a horrible and inaccurate cravat, so thankyouverymuch. The waistcoat does not look bad, the colour and the embroidery are right, just as the shape and round neckline (even here is worn open). This tell us that Liam is quite a wealthy young man… or his father is. Here a waistcoat (front and back) to be seen as comparison:

Man’s Waistcoat, France, ca. 1750, LACMA

Now, the garments look rather good, but there’s something wrong and I cannot put my finger on it (other than the long shirt worn completely out, even though we know that it was long because it was used as underwear, and I get that it is used as a parallel of a modern drunk man with his shirt worn out of his trousers, so I’ll ignore that). It seems that this outfit fits wrong. His second outfit has a coat and it also looks odd, but his last outfit looks really good.

I’m not sure if it’s because David Boreanaz seems to be HUGE and all these garments seems too short and too narrow for him (but he’s like 1.85 m and that’s not freakishly tall, just tall). BUT it might just be that since all is worn in disarrange, and when we see the back of the waistcoat it looks tiny on this back:

Or maybe, this guy is just huge.

The Green Outfit

Excuse my poor screencaps, but this was the only one I got to make with the full outfit XD

The fit also seems odd. Unlike other garments on the episode, this seems to have been made for the episode: the fabric has a weird shine and seems almost like upholstery fabric, the buttons are sadly small, and the fit on the actor’s shoulders is definitely not right for the 18th century, but especially, it is not made like  other coats in the episode (like the PERFECT ones Liam’s father wears). His shoulders are too straight like in modern tailoring, but the rest of the coat seems too big for him, which only makes me think of the late 90s fit in men’s tailoring.

Here for comparison from later in the episode, is Angel in “the present” (1999-2000), and look at the silhouette of his trench coat:

And now look at the green coat:

The cravat is tied in a simple way but I still don’t know why hasn’t he dressed his hair! Man, get your shit together!

Pink Waistcoat Outfit

The first photo of the submitted post is this same waistcoat from another view. In pink brocade with gold decorations, this waistcoat has an odd front curve and buttons on both sides… like, how is he even supposed to button that down?

Also, suddenly he’s got perfect square sideburns that we had never seen before, and that might be the envy of Mr Darcy himself. This is a weird outfit.

The Funeral Outfit

SPOILER (is a 20 year old spoiler a real spoiler?) he dies to become a vampire. So here, we see his funeral and then later that night, his rise from the death. For this important event in a vampires life (idk, I guess?), he wears a black or brown suit. I don’t know because it seems black and the light changes and it seems brown.

But first, let me get this out of my chest: he died AND NO ONE DECIDED TO FIX HIS HAIR FOR HIS OWN FUNERAL?! DAAAAAAAMN! Yes, I’m OBSESSED with his lack of hairstyling. I could have been SO good! But well, what is done, is done.

Now, he’s got a nice cravat with lace tips, a coat with big cuffs in a fabric that seems to be of satin stripes (oddly, it was chosen to cut the stripes horizontally), nice laces cuffs for his shirt and a general better fit than the one of the green coat.

The Vampire Outfit

Finally, we see Liam paying a visit to his father (and killing everyone in the process). Finally his hair is not a mess, but still not in a good mid 18th century style. Just a total fail this guy’s hair. Anyway, he’s wearing a dark green velvet suit with a stripped waistcoat. The coat has cuffs (and a weird piece on the back) in the same fabric as the waistcoat. I think this is the best suit in fit, but he best suit overall in the funeral one.

On this suit we see the back (seeing that weird contrast piece), and also see the volume of the skirt of the coat that gives it its name of frock coat. The buttons are metallic and simple. He wears a (too big to not look hideous) black brooch on the cravat. Just. Why.

Somebody explain to me wtf in this on his back:

THE FATHER

Oh. My. God.

I don’t know where did they rented his outfits from BUT he’s the best dressed character of the episode. Period. All his outfits are perfect: the roundness of the shoulders, the fabrics, the sober colours, the perfectly styled hair, the tricorn hat. Everything is right. Perfect.

Which makes me think, that all costumes were rented and they only made the ones David Boreanaz wore, so maybe they couldn’t find anything great that fitted him. I have to say that they worked them well (not perfectly), so they work.

Now, here the outfits worn by Liam’s father with no real comment because all are great:

The green coat at the beginning of the episode (it even looks like wool! Look at his lace cravat! AND HIS HAIR!):

The dark red suit with the pink waistcoat:

You can even see the volume of the wide skirt of the coat!

The funeral suit, all black with gold decoration:

look at his cravat! But ignore the girl’s hair, everything is wrong there:

And finally, the death outfit (spoiler! he dies!), he’s at home at night and he’s not wearing a coat, so we see him in dark brown breeches, pink (?) waistcoat, shirt with lace and no cravat. And guess what? HIS HAIR IS DONE.

Anyway, this man just escaped from a mid 18th century portrait:

“William Axtell”, ca. 1749-52, John Wollaston, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

DARLA

First of all: what kind of name is Darla, and what the hell was she thinking when decided that Angelus would be new Liam’s name? It only makes me think of evening prayer. BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT.

During this episode she wears three clearly different dressed:

Robe à l’anglaise with floral stomacher

When we first see her, she’s at the pub wanting to eat Liam up, we only see her earrings and the wide necklace with shiny embroidery:

Then we see her out on the street, when she sires Liam. we see that she’s wearing yellow? green? a robe à l’anglaise with an embroidered stomacher:

Grey gown with sash

After Liam’s funeral, she goes to meet him at the cemetery. She wears a silver/grey gown with long sleeves, pink stomacher, and a decorative pink sash. Over it she wears a cape, perfect for going out in the night rising the dead, and her accessory is a ruffle choker/necklace with a ribbon. Because of the cape, we do not see the full volume of the skirt, but I seem to see that it is like the others. Anyway, this particular style seems more suited for a later decade in the 18th century.

We don’t see this dress’ back, so I don’t know for sure if it’s a robe à la française or à l’anglaise, but I tend to think that the latter.

Gold robe à la anglaise

Finally, when Liam/Angelus kills his family, we see her in this other robe à l’anglaise with gold decoration and stomacher.

She’s clearly supposed to be easy to find with the eyes, therefore she wears light colours with some kind of shine in them. The silhouettes are pretty good, as the sleeves, decorations and laces. I like that her key accessory seems to be a wide choker/necklace.

Now, with all these good stuff, I don’t know why her hair is closer to the 1760s and 70s than to the 1750s, like we can see in this examples from my hairstyle timeline:

The 1750s did not have much volume at the top of the head,

The 1760s saw the rise of the hair and the egg shape hairstyle (and look at the choker! it’s just like Darla’s!):

The 1770s gave wide curls a place in the increasingly complicated hairstyles:

And once more, we see that LIAM HAD NO GOOD HAIRSTYLE FOR ANY OF THE THREE DECADES.

SOME OTHER RANDOM COSTUMES I LIKED FROM THE EPISODE:

The maid in the pub, that only misses a jacket and that kind of looks like Christina Hendricks… and IS HER according to IMDB:

Everyone at the funeral:

The mom in black:

The mom dead :( or she’s just taking a nap :)

And my favourite is this particular boy with crazy hair (you go, Glen Coco! Rock that baroque look):

CONCLUSION

Unlike I expected, the costumes are pretty good. Accessories were kept simple and that always help a lot. The silhouettes were almost perfect, and the materials are not horrible. Their biggest misstep was the hair, with hairstyles of other periods (and from later from when it is set! If they were from before, there is not such a problem), wigs that look pretty artificial (like the mom’s wig), or no hairstyle at all (I’m looking at you, Angel).

So, it was a nice surprise to see that the period costume of a supernatural/fantasy/noir series from the early 2000s could serve its purpose in such a good way: it set easily the time and place, and the broad attitudes of the characters dressed. Since watching the first scene, even without the text, you could tell that they were in the mid 18th century, that Liam is a drunk, that his father is strict and respectable, and that Darla is a refined lady. So, mission accomplished.

#film #18th century #music #art #history #fashion #Darla #angel the series #angel #liam #buffy the vampire slayer #submission #his hair #why #please give this man a wig #1750s #1760s #1770s #long post is long #long LONG post #costume designer #costume design #costume critique #or my simple opinion #18th century set #18th century fashion

[popentertainmentconcertreviews]

Greta van Fleet – The Met – Philadelphia, PA – December 29, 2019

Greta Van Fleet Completes Triumphant Year, Wowing Crowd in Philly.

Greta Van Fleet hit the Met in Philadelphia for the first of two make-up shows to conclude a year of worldwide touring. The show made up for any delay and put an exclamation point on the band’s trajectory.

The new darlings of updated retro rock delivered their recent standard touring set to an energized, capacity Philly crowd. The venue – the newest major addition to the city’s flourishing music scene – was a fitting showcase for this band. The historic 3,500 person, opera-house-style theater (built 1908) on a stretch of gritty north Broad Street, opened last year with a performance by Bob Dylan, after a $56-million multi-year renovation, and provided both the scale and intimacy suited to this returning GVF rock party. (Greta last jolted the City of Brotherly Love at the old Electric Factory, now the Franklin Music Hall, in May 2018.)

Though the band has played to much larger live audiences in their recent travels, an operatic stage particularly fit the exuberant, high-wire vocal style of lead-man Josh Kiszka – the impish singer with a big presence and amazing range. Kiszka opts for high keys that harken to the famous hard- and art-rock bands of recent decades. Burdened and honored with the expectation of bringing back a song-writing style and urgent delivery of the top rock of the 70s, Greta Van Fleet steps through it all undaunted and with their own approach to a new version of the very power rock that they honor and build on.

Only the most casual listeners would deem them imitative, when the catchy riff-based rock songs they deliver feel so original and deftly crafted. But with scarcely a couple dozen tracks released to date, their fast-evolving arsenal cannot yet even be called a catalogue.

Strong Foundations + Hard Work

Concert crowds this year witnessed the second stage of the beginning of a meteoric rise of this group of guys barely in their 20’s. In fact, drummer Danny Wagner was celebrating his 21st birthday on this evening, and all assembled got to join in an a capella rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

Spoken and unspoken by the already loving fans of this band that has endeared itself so quickly to so many is the hope that these boys can weather the popularity that they have gained so quickly. By all appearances, though, brothers Josh, Jake, and Sammy Kiszka have the strength of family, and of a bond cast from playing together since they were kids. Danny has joined the brotherhood, and all seem to have a fallback strength coming as well from the natural world – with this foursome captured more often trekking through national parks, and preferring such outdoors outlets to images of them in rock-life party scenes.

Hey, any band must be down to earth that adapts its name from that of a lovely older lady (Gretna Van Fleet) from the guys’ own little hometown of Frankenmuth, Michigan. If GVF minded leaving that very quaint Christmas-y world and breaking up their holiday and well-earned rest leading to New Year’s, in order to finish 2019 in big, bad Philly, they sure didn’t show it. (Other two make-up dates due to Josh’s fall flu, were in Memphis and New Orleans just prior to the holidays.) Their explosive, romping play kept most of the crowd on its feet through the fast-paced 90+ minute show. They delivered their hits with the same fresh pride that has marked their live act since they broke big and suddenly onto the scene barely two years ago.

Within this serious, hard-working group of players, none puts out better than Jake Kiszka, a figure who is more than an up-and-coming six-stringer, instead a musician making an early bid toward a time-honored list of top rock guitarists. He wears the mantel of erstwhile big-time guitar slinger ably and gamely, bearing down on both big and delicate sounds. In the loud, extended, mostly instrumental “Black Flag Exposition,” which has only been presented live so far, the band gladly puts Jake on display, letting him step forward to demo his endurance, focus, grinding chops, and intensity.

That’s What a Rock Band Should Sound Like

Meanwhile during the evening, brother Sammy’s hands and feet danced naturally at the keyboards and his fingers flew across fretboard of his bass with a fluidity that’s completely natural. As with other foursomes of the past that have had the good fortune of a balance that helped them make history, no member of this one outshines or upstages the other.

History is something these dudes have on their side, particularly their knowledge of it. Great rock bands of the past were always deep students of the music that had preceded them and upon which the genre was built. Those now-veteran acts openly paid tribute to the recent past, even as they continued to re-invent it, and GVF follows the tradition, powering their work on “the fires we've been told,” as the Josh sings in “Black Smoke Rising.”

Add in artfully softer gears (“Age of Man”), an uplifting effect, and passionate lyrical commentary – including about love and the fate of the earth – and it’s all part of the recipe through which this band attracts rock fans of all ages. How rare to see a new band with this range of generations following them and pumping their fists in the air as one!

Some of the band’s most telling and encouraging passages came when they played into and extended their album tracks, thankfully stretching certain of them, as they did in their first encore (“Flower Power”). These moments made it even clearer that this is group of substantive players still in the act of becoming – a point punctuated near the end of the show by a thunderous, Bonham-esque, 10-minute-plus drum solo by Danny.

The best rocking bands of the last half-century or more have each delivered in their own unapologetic fashion just as GVF did at the Met, leaving a buzzed crowd wanting more. Rock must be celebratory and confident. And above all, it must have swagger, of which GVF has plenty to spare.

Russ Allen

Copyright ©2020 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: January 2, 2020.

Photos by Bailey Allen © 2019

#Greta van Fleet #2020 #Concert Reviews #the Met #Philadelphia #Russ Allen #Bailey Allen

[paigedavisuf]

Which fashion icon are you based on your zodiac sign?

It is true, no matter what you believe, that you share characteristics with other individuals in this world. Astrology is unique in that it allows you to associate your personality traits with the location of celestial beings at the exact time you were born, which is where we get astrological signs. These are the most famous style-icons of your sign.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19): Kate Middleton You are Kate Middleton! Whether it's a formal event or an afternoon walk, you are most likely wearing an elegant outfit appropriate for the occasion. Middleton, born on Jan. 9, 1982, is part of the British royal family, as she married Prince William. Capricorns are known for being disciplined, well-mannered and conservative, which the duchess so obviously portrays, especially in her style. Vanity Fair wrote an article entitled, “Why Kate Middleton Remains a ‘Global Fashion Phenomenon,’” which explored her greatest fashion choices. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/10/kate-middleton-fashion-influence

Middleton is seen wearing a Barbara Casasola dress with Jimmy Choo pumps. Photo Credit: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/style-files/news/g30338/duchess-of-cambridge-best-style-fashion-moments/

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Farrah Fawcett You are Farrah Fawcett! You are most likely bold in your style choices, but always dressing to have a good time. Born on Feb. 2, 1947, Fawcett reached stardom when she appeared on Charlie’s Angels in 1976. Aquarius's are known for being fun, progressive and independent. Fawcett displayed all of these characteristics in her outfit choices, and some even credit her for the iconic '70s look we still see today, high-waisted jeans.

Fawcett seen in classic '70s attire that brought high waisted jeans into fashion. Photo Credit: https://www.collectors.com/entertainment-item/farrah-fawcett-skating-charlies-angel-a-poster-13x19/-4234420872126437503

Pisces (Feb. 19- March 20): Elizabeth Taylor You are Elizabeth Taylor! When it comes to style, you definitely go all out. Taylor was born on Feb. 27, 1932, and displays her Pisces qualities in not only her humanitarian efforts but in her sense of style as well. Taylor is remembered as one of the greatest actresses during the golden age and for her glamourous lifestyle. Taylor was rarely seen in casual clothing, which is why she is remembered for her glitz and glamour.

Photo Credit: https://jaspergarvida.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/a-tribute-to-a-style-icon-elizabeth-taylor-1932-2011/

Aries (March 21-April 19): Diana Ross You are Diana Ross! You are bold, beautiful and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to your style. Ross was born on March 26, 1944, and exemplified all things Aries. Aries women are said to be striking in their features and in their wardrobes. Boy is that true of Diana Ross. As a fire sign, Ross set the room ablaze every time she entered the stage.

Photo Credit: https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/diana-ross-to-play-sunday-legends-slot-at-glastonbury-2020/

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Audrey Hepburn You’re Audrey Hepburn! My personal favorite style icon, Hepburn, was born on May 4, 1929. Taurus women are known to surround themselves with beauty, and this was entirely true for Hepburn. She was known for her glamourous taste in elegant style and made the "little black dress" famous. You dress to impress and display poise, just like Hepburn.

Hepburn styled in a Givenchy dress in the summer of 1955. Photo Credit: https://thelyonsgallery.com/products/audrey-hepburn-pink-flowers

Gemini (May 21-June 20): Marilyn Monroe You are Marilyn Monroe! Monroe, one of the most iconic women in Hollywood, was born on June 1, 1926. Typical of a Gemini, Monroe was never scared to break cultural or societal norms. In a time where women were still meant to “cover up,” Monroe made striking appearances in pieces that have since become signature ones. You are bold and are prepared to "wow" everyone in the room with your style just as Marilyn did.

Photo Credit: https://www.elle.fr/People/La-vie-des-people/News/La-celebre-robe-blanche-de-Marilyn-Monroe-aux-encheres-1603166

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Princess Diana of Wales  You are Princess Diana of Wales! You are creative in your outfit choices and a definite trendsetter. Cancer's stand out in the world, and this is definitely true for Princess Diana. Being a royal is not an easy job, and neither is dressing like one. However, as a Cancer would do, Princess Diana learned and evolved through her years as a royal, especially when it comes to style. She prioritized pieces that she liked over pieces that others liked, which made her stand out in the world of fashion.

Photo Credit: https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/princess-dianas-most-iconic-style-moments?

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): Madonna You are Madonna! Born on Aug. 16, 1958, Madonna has completely transformed the world of fashion. Constantly reinventing herself, she has created looks that have since inspired many. She was one of the original trendsetters of our time, which is typical of a Leo as they were born to stand out. You are a diva in all of the best ways when it comes to fashion. I guess you could call yourself a “material girl.”

Madonna in a custom made Gucci suit. Photo Credit: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/events/billboard-music-awards-2016-red-carpet-style/madonna1/

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Twiggy You are Twiggy! You are practical in your style choices and prioritize small details when choosing an outfit. If anyone understands how to wear clothes, it’s a Virgo, which is especially true for Twiggy. Born on Sept. 19, 2949, Twiggy became known as “The Face of ‘66” due to her ability to rock every new trend.

Photo Credit: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6808249/Twiggy-receives-damehood-services-fashion.html

Libra (Sept. 23- Oct. 22): Bella Hadid You are Bella Hadid! You are the type always to get dressed up no matter what the occasion is, and you kill it every time. Hadid, the most recent style icon of our day, was born on Oct. 9, 1996. Not only do Libra’s make good role models, but they also make great style icons. Street style is the most iconic look for Hadid because she does it better than anyone else.

Photo Credit: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/street-style/news/g7905/bella-hadid-street-style/

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Dorothy Dandridge   You are Dorothy Dandridge! You prefer a balance when it comes to style; you enjoy a nice blend of casual and classy. Born on Nov. 9, 1922, Dandridge was known for her impeccable taste in accessories. She was never seen without her jewelry, especially when it came to her earrings. Scorpios are known for being fierce, and fierce she was.

Photo Credit: https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/gallery/dorothy-dandridge-style-photos?image=5dc2be0f118a790008efe616

Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): Chrissy Teigen You are Chrissy Teigen! You don’t like to wear the same thing twice because you love showing off new looks. The energy of a Sagittarius is unmatched, especially when it comes to fashion. Teigen, born on Nov. 30, 1985, not only has the best energy when it comes to personality but also when it comes to style. No matter what she's doing or where she's going, Teigen can be spotted in something stylish.

Photo Credit: https://www.popsugar.com.au/fashion/photo-gallery/47199505/image/47199501/chrissy-teigen-dress-at-vanity-fair-oscars-party-2020

Sources: 

https://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com/

https://www.glamour.com/story/a-look-back-at-the-style-that

https://astro-charts.com/persons/chart/farrah-fawcett/ https://astro-charts.com/persons/chart/elizabeth-taylor/ https://www.vogue.com/article/aries-lady-gaga-diana-ross-aretha-franklin-mariah-carey-chaka-khan https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/02/princess-diana-fashion-icon https://madonnaslegacy-nhd-jd-cm.weebly.com/fashion-icon.html https://www.glamour.com/story/old-school-icon-twiggy https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/street-style/news/g7905/bella-hadid-street-style/ https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/gallery/dorothy-dandridge-style-photos?image=5dc2be0f118a790008efe616

#zodiac #fashion #Middleton #farrah fawcett #elizabeth taylor #Diana Ross #audrey hepburn #marilyn monroe #princess diana #madonna #twiggy #bella hadid #dorothy dandridge #chrissy teigen #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius

[instantdeerlover]

The 15 Best Wedding Venues In Texas added to Google Docs

The 15 Best Wedding Venues In Texas

I was at brunch this morning with a newly-engaged friend of mine. After scoping out her beautiful, mine-cut engagement ring, she turns to me and says, “So, now we’re trying to figure out our venue. But I don’t even know where to start!”

And I understand! Finding a venue is truly a daunting task. It determines the tone, style, and guest list for your big day. It’s a huge decision, and the seemingly endless list of options is overwhelming – particularly if you’re in Texas. So, we did the leg work for you, and found some of the best venues in Lone Star State: from indoor to outdoor, from minimal to extravagant.

The White Sparrow photographed by Gray Door Photography

The White Sparrow Barn

If you’re an avid wedding blog follower on Instagram, you’ve likely seen the iconic interior of The White Sparrow Barn before. Coveted internationally for its gorgeous white walls, light filling windows, high ceilings and marriage of rustic charm and modern minimalism, The White Sparrow is bound to wow any guest that arrives at your nuptials.

The grounds are gorgeous too! As the afternoon Texas heat burns off & you’re ready for those golden hour portraits you have plenty of room to roam amongst the old oak trees and rustic farmland.

Price Range: $6,500 – $9,500

Guests: Up to 300

Curfew: Music ends at 11 pm

Quinlan, Texas – Visit Site

Camp Comfort photographed by Two Pair Photography

Camp Comfort B&B

Camp Comfort is the perfect intimate venue for a weekend away. Originally built in 1860 as a bowling alley, it’s since been converted into an absolutely charming boutique bed & breakfast that merges the old and the new. Stay in tin-roofed accommodations that open up to a courtyard perfect for an outdoor dinner and a dance floor. The sloping green lawn with a creek backdrop is the ideal place to have your ceremony, and the indoor mess hall (with the original alley floors!) is perfect to gather the next morning for breakfast – and to keep the celebration going!

Price Range: $4k – $7k

Guests: 70 – 150

Curfew: 11 pm

Additional Services: Guest accommodation, bridal suite/dressing rooms, dining tables and chairs.

Comfort, Texas – Visit Site

Gruene Estate photographed by Allison Jeffers

Gruene Estate

Gruene Estate offers a twist on a classic chapel wedding. This open-air chapel on the property has suspended stain-glass windows and exposed beams in the rafters, offering beautiful, 360-degree views of the property. The covered pavilion a few steps away offers a large space for dining or dancing and the sprawling lawns are begging for games such as cornhole or bocce ball! This venue is perfect for the traditional but modern summer bride who wants to bring the outdoors in!

Price Range: $1k – $8k

Guests: 200 – 250

Curfew: 11 pm

Additional Services: Some guest accommodation, A/V equipment, bridal suite & dressing rooms, dining tables and chairs.

New Braunfels, Texas – Visit Site

Photo via Hotel Havana

Hotel Havana

Want the destination wedding-feel without the travel? Check out Hotel Havana. This riverfront hotel is decked out in a vibrant Spanish-Caribbean style and offers both a restaurant and bar to hold a reception. This venue is great for brides with a smaller guest list, who love margaritas, and have a penchant to party!

Price Range: $3k – $40k, includes catering.

Guests: 60 – 100

Curfew: 2 am

Additional Services: Catering, alcohol, guest accommodation.

San Antonio, Texas – Visit Site

The Contemporary Austin photographed by Paige Vaughn

The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria

Perhaps you’re looking for a more relaxed, Italian feel for your big day? If so, The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria will transport you to the Lombardy countryside of your dreams. This villa-style, lakeside venue is perfect for an outdoor ceremony and large banquet-style dining for a grand celebration.

Price Range: $3k – $6k (Venue cost includes venue staffing, sound equipment, day-of A/V technician & cleaning).

Guests: 150 – 250

Curfew: 11 pm

Additional Services: Select caterers from vetted list

Austin, Texas – Visit Site

Group Glamping Airbnb via Bridal Musings

Vintage Airstreams Group Glamping

Like the idea of guests staying with you, but feeling more adventurous than a boutique B&B? Then this Airbnb option may be a great option for you! This venue offers a lodge, a safari-themed veranda space, and multiple outdoor locations to choose from to hold your ceremony and reception, as well as converted vintage airstreams for you and your guests to stay in! An above-ground pool and bikes are available for additional entertainment and relaxation.

Airbnb has a ton of properties that accommodate large parties and events, and if you’re not afraid of a bit of DIY, this can be a great option for budget-conscious brides.

Price Range: $750 – $1,050 per night, catering not included.

Guests: 26 may sleep onsite

Curfew: None!

Round Mountain, Texas – Visit Site

Photo via Station 3

Station 3

Looking for Historic charm for your wedding day? Are you a sucker for beautiful brick architecture like I am? Then look no further than Station 3. Built in 1905, this venue was one of Houston’s first horse-drawn wagon and steamer fire stations – and still has the original fire pole in the building! (They even allow the newly married couple to slide down said pole for their entrance or exit if that’s something you’re into!) This open-concept, two-floor venue has huge windows to let in the natural light and plenty of space for you and your guests to wine, dine, and dance!

But perhaps my favorite part of this venue is the motto of the old firehouse. “Trust in Us” can still be seen etched in stone on the side of the building – It’s the perfect outlook with which to begin the rest of your lives together!

Price Range: $3k – $9k

Guests: 150 – 225

Curfew: Midnight

Additional Services: Catering, alcohol, bridal suite/dressing rooms, dining tables and chairs, valet, linens, florals, decor, glassware, flatware

Houston, Texas – Visit Site

The Capri

If you’re looking for something a little bit funkier for your big day, roll on over to The Capri. This converted hotel and military hangar venue offers an open, industrial space for dinner and dancing, a botanical garden with five fire pit areas, and accommodation across the street. Plus, the new restaurant and bar (opened by a Michelin-starred chef) provide some amazing eats inspired by the ancient cuisines of the region for you and your guests to enjoy! Take a look at it all with our 360 degree view above.

Price Range: $3k – $12k

Guests: 300 – 900

Curfew: 1 am

Additional Services: Catering, alcohol, bridal suite & dressing rooms, dining tables and chairs, room block discount with venue reservation.

Marfa, Texas – Visit Site

Ma Maison photographed by Loft Photography

Ma Maison

Ma Maison is the ideal venue if you’re craving an outdoor wedding with an elegant, French Chateau twist! This lakeside venue sits on 23 acres and has an abundance of lush locations to hold your ceremony – my personal favorite is near their antique, wrought-iron, French gazebo that brings peak art-nouveau romance.

In addition to the stunning outdoor scenery, Ma Maison also has a 4000 square foot grand hall for an indoor option, complete with beautiful exposed wooden beams and exquisite crystal chandeliers.

Price Range: $3k – $8k

Guests: 600

Curfew: None!

Additional Services: Catering, alcohol, bridal suite & dressing rooms, dining tables.

Dripping Springs, Texas – Visit Site

Barr Mansion photographed by ML Photo & Film

Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom

If your fiancé(e) has a more modern style while you’re swooning over the antique (or vice-versa), Barr Mansion and Artisan Ballroom could be the perfect blend of both your tastes. Start your ceremony outside the Victorian mansion that features crisp, wide porches and intricate historic architectural details. Then move the party into the Artisan ballroom, built from reclaimed beams from a barn in upstate New York and featuring a 40-foot glass window wall that brings the outside in.

Price Range: $7 – $50k, includes catering.

Guests: 300 – 500

Curfew: None!

Additional Services: Catering, dressing rooms & bridal suite.

Austin, Texas – Visit Site

Blanton Museum photo by Penelope L’amour via Bridal Musings

Blanton Museum of Art

The BMoA is the ideal venue to hold that black-tie wedding you’ve been fantasizing about. In the Rapoport Atrium, you’ll experience feelings of grandeur with its lofty 50-foot ceilings, stunning archway details, and the “Stacked Waters” installation that engulfs the entirety of the room. In addition to the amazing sights in the Atrium, this venue allows you and your guests access to galleries on the first floor of the Michener Gallery Building throughout the night. (We’ve recently featured a gorgeous Blanton wedding styled shoot here!).

With a live band playing your favorite tunes and some inspired lighting design, this museum will transform into the intoxicating, ornate celebration you’ve been craving.

Price Range: $1k – $7k

Guests: 150 – 600

Curfew: Midnight

Additional Services: Select caterers from vetted list, bridal suite & dressing rooms, valet.

Austin, Texas – Visit Site

Artspace 111 photographed by Jessica Gold

Artspace 111

If an art space is calling your name, but the BMoA is too grand for your taste, Artspace 111 is the venue for you. This small gallery allows for a more intimate gathering, but isn’t short on options for your ceremony and reception space. Be wed or dine in the vibrant galleries for a winter wedding; or head out to the brick courtyard or back lawn in the summer and be enchanted by the twinkle lights as you kick up your heels! Another plus about this versatile space are discounted fees for events booked between December through February or July and August!

Price Range: $3k – $5k

Guests: Up to 220

Curfew: Midnight

Additional Services: Bridal suite & dressing rooms, A/V equipment, decor, bartenders and waitstaff, set up and breakdown assistance.

Fort Worth, Texas – Visit Site

Photos via One Eleven East

One Eleven East

Are you an artist yourself, and looking for an intimate venue to really make your own? Then One Eleven East is your canvas. Craft your dream wedding in this historic loft space that still has the original arched windows and front doors, beadboard ceilings, and long-leaf pine floors from 1893! Decades ago, this venue was the “East Street Social Club,” where extravagant dinners and shows were hosted late into the night – so your mission, should you choose to accept, is to keep this tradition alive!

Price Range: $1k – $4k

Guests: 150 – 200

Curfew: 11 pm

Additional Services: Bridal suite & dressing rooms, a/v equipment.

Hutto, Texas – Visit Site

The Astorian photographed by Ama by Aisha

The Astorian

If you’ve ever dreamed of a vintage-inspired wedding, this is the venue for you. This 14,000 square-foot loft space is art-deco designed with exposed brick arches, Edison-bulb decorated ceilings, and floor to ceiling windows with stunning views of the Houston Skyline. If a roaring winter (or NYE) wedding is your style, the Astorian is the perfect venue to dance the night away.

Price Range: $7k – $12k

Guests: 500 – 700

Curfew: 1 am

Additional Services: Select caterers from vetted list, alcohol, bridal suite & dressing rooms, dining tables and chairs, valet.

Houston, Texas – Visit Site

Photo via Pecan Grove

Pecan Grove

Thinking of heading out to wine country, but still want beautiful photos near the water? Then you must head out to Pecan Grove. This rolling estate shaded by pecan trees has various locations from which to choose your ceremony location and a large glass-front lodge decked out in twinkle lights for an indoor reception. And, as the night winds down, you can relax around the stone fire pit with friends and family.

Price Range: $4k – $50k

Guests: 350 – 1000

Curfew: Midnight

Additional Services: Catering, alcohol, bridal suite & dressing rooms, A/V equipment, dining tables and chairs.

Driftwood, Texas – Visit Site

Barr Mansion photographed by Julie Wilhite

Now that you’ve found the perfect venue, it’s time for the next big decision: The Dress! Find your favorite styles in our wedding dress section and then head over to our favorite bridal shops in Texas to find exactly what you’re looking for and be pampered in the process.

Maybe thinking of getting out of Texas and heading to Palm Springs for your big day? Our editor, Claire, created the ultimate guide to craft your dream wedding in SoCal.

via Bridal Musings https://bridalmusings.com/161276/best-texas-wedding-venues/ Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created March 4, 2020 at 03:05PM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

[8dpromo]

Pigeondust - Way Back When (Cold Busted)

“For me, sampling is like a collaboration,” says DJ Yuta Yamaoka, better known to global beatheads as Pigeondust. Residing in Chiba, Japan, Pigeondust spends his days either vinyl-digging or sourcing samples — that is, creating sonic collaborations — from his discoveries. Pigeondust is also a member of the EN TOKYO crew, representing a new generation of Japanese beat-makers who draw from a large variety of genres. In 2015, Pigeonhead joined Cold Busted with his fantastic album Moon, Wisdom & Slackness. He now follows up with an ambitious double album titled Way Back When. Way Back When explores a galaxy of hip hop styles throughout its whopping 36 cuts. The vibe is gritty and street-smart, samples from jazz, funk, world music, and other pathways poured into one groovable stew. “Cheinowa” sets the tone with its tough beat, funk bass pops, and fly-by musical riffs. “Spiral Beat” is also notable for its arpeggiated jazz loop that shifts into gentle ‘70s piano soul. And the collaborations aren’t exclusive with samples — Turkish producer Ozoyo joins Pigeondust for the drum-twisting nature walk of “Magicnight,” and Swiss producer DRWN appears on cut-up jazz jam “Intense.” There’s much to explore here. The album is available from Cold Busted on double vinyl, its packaging a loving homage to Yo! MTV Raps and its sought-after trading cards. Each album comes with a Pigeondust trading card complete with artist photo and vital stats. Represent.

Michael Moebus (Meem) – “Hard to choose a favorite track. A lot of these sound great.” DJ Halabi (Reversion Records) – “This is just awesome. Nuff said.” Rory Hoy (Super Hi-Fi) – “Amazing release. Thanks so much for sending my way!” Jeromy Nail (Uniting Souls / Viva Recordings) – “Dope cutz. Will drop these in my sets.” Aja Allsop (Ketch A Vibe Radio Show) – “If this is anyting to go by, 2020 is going to be a good year.” MGiK (Sofa Surfing) – “Proper tunes. Air play is a must!” Floored Capri (Kane FM) – “Beautiful, warm, fuzzy, dusty, funky.” Salvo Borrelli (Garam Masala Radioshow) - “Wow. Soul is in the air.” Double-D (Funky Fresh Radio Show) - “Deep down funky beats.” Shantisan (Salted Soul) – “Lovely sampling and editing action going on here. Very creative!”

Available Now From: Bandcamp, Beatport, Spotify, And Apple Music.

#Pigeondust #Ozoyo #DRWN #Downtempo #Hip Hop #Cold Busted #Los Angeles

[thisisheffner]

MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2019

Don’t Ever Doubt Aunty, She Knows How To Throw A Party

Words: Bec Grech and Sally Lewis Photos: Chelsea King

This is Bec’s fourth and Sal’s first Meredith Music Festival. Here is who and what they saw during a wonderfully wacky weekend at the coveted Supernatural Amphitheatre. 

FRIDAY

Cleansing smoke from the smoking ceremony filled the Supernatural Amphitheatre, signalling the start of Meredith Music Festival in its 29th edition, held on the land of the Wadawurrung. In a MMF first, Uncle Barry Gilson along with other traditional custodians of the land performed a beautiful Welcome To Country. Stories, singing and dancing. In a minutes silence, the Sup’ stood in solidarity to pay respect to their recently lost Elder, Aunty Mary. Thank you Uncle Barry and the Wadawurrung people for sharing your stunning land with us for the weekend and welcoming us all with open hearts. 

Photo: Meredith punters walking through the Smoking Ceremony held by Wadawurrung people, the traditional custodians of the land on which Meredith takes place.

Jesswar opened the festival with an explosive, tough as nails performance. Her hard-going hip hop had all the bad bitches move to the front. And move to the front, we did.

Karate Boogaloo, the funky and oh-so funny four-piece served up a set of their finest and fruitiest jams. Sweet, sticky, ooey-gooey goodness. Kay-Bee’s unconventional funk and fusions of psych and RnB, had the Sup’ swaying and smiling ear-to-ear. Carn the Boogers! 

With housekeeping out of the way (courtesy of FEE B2 and Shania Twain), Julia Jacklin instantly warmed and wowed the crowd. Equally composed and expressive, Jacklin’s voice has the power to deliver a performance that can be simply summarised as, stunning. Singalongs to ‘Pressure To Party’, ‘Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You’ and ‘Pool Party’ had our hands to our hearts. 

Aunty Meredith, thank you for putting together a lineup with set times that allow us to jump from the dreamy, indie pop of Julia Jacklin to the electric rockabilly of Tokyo’s Stompin’ Riffraffs. Seriously, the screams, the masks, the blazing theremin solos. Unreal. Check them out. 

I was quite perplexed by the disregard of Meredith’s ‘No Dickhead Policy’ when Liam Gallagher was announced as a headliner… After a couple of tracks I swapped out his set for some downtime at the Ecoplex Cinema and was witness to an odd Christmas movie where Santa hosted an international kindergarten rock eisteddfod inside a grand organ, then proceeded to invade an innocent child’s dreams that were influenced by Satan. I was happy with my decision, but hey, I’m sure most people in the Sup’ were having the time of their lives, and that’s great too. I stayed for the Friday night headliner and the set was, strange? With two decent enough albums behind him, Liam Gallagher surprisingly leaned heavy on the Oasis classics but not the ones I was expecting. ‘Wonderwall’ of course came out, as did ‘Cigarettes And Alcohol’, ‘Rock N Roll Star’ and ‘Stand By Me’, but Gallagher chose to skip over a huge mix of mega hits. Admittedly I may have fallen asleep in the deep comforts of a cosy couch as Gallagher played, but I suppose there’s something cool about being woken up to a crowd of festival goers singing along to some iconic 90s Brit-pop. Special mention to the unaware punter yelling “play Wonderwall!” as Gallagher and his band were belting out that man’s very request right in front of him. “Who are you looking forward to seeing at Meredith?” they all asked. My instant reply, “Close Counters”. The Tasmanian duo played their biggest crowd to date and utilised their deep synths and drilling basslines to get the Friday night party started with their crazy good fusion of house, jazz and soul. Mmmm Moog synths rule. Elle Shimada also made an appearance to slay the violin, as well as Francesca Gonzales who leant her vocals.

Logic1000 whose debut EP dropped only weeks before our supernatural adventures carried us into the early morning, floating between deep house and ambient electronic moments. Oops! Bed time for me. Closing out the night was Vanessa Worm. I was meters away from my tent when Vanessa’s wacky vocals permeated through the campsite. It sounded too good to be true, and impossible to miss. I made the trip back to the dance floor to witness her set in the flesh. Gritty electronic beats provided a background to some incredibly silly vocal stylings that appeared to be emanating from a puppet who had gained awareness of it’s strings and was making every attempt to rid itself of it’s puppet master. They definitely expelled some of their inner demons. Fantastic, I wanted to put my boot up but held onto it for some strange reason, which I have now come to regret. 

“Time for you to be still” – listening to Vanessa Worm, I hit the hay too.

SATURDAY

Scott and Charlene’s Wedding was the most wonderful soundtrack to waiting in line for coffee. A very blissful morning indeed.

U-Bahn was up next and boy, not only did they look good (hats off to outfit coordination and killer eye makeup) they sounded bloody brilliant. Having caught these synth-punks around Melbourne town a few times previously, their moment on the Sup’ stage may just be my favourite performance of theirs yet. 

“Where are you camping?” is apparently every third question asked at Meredith, so for the sake of this article.. I ran back to our castle/camp at Bluegums to refuel and unfortunately missed seeing River Yarra, but thanks to there only being one super loud stage, I was able to listen to their pops of percussion fuelled, experimental electronica. Wobbly, wonky, I liked what I heard.

Cate Le Bon on a sweet Saturday afternoon was sublime. Uniquely impassive in their own kooky fashion, Le Bon and her band in their performance slip in twinkles of magic and stubborn eccentrics. It was truly dazzling and full of heart. Plenty of boots up in the air for this set.

It seemed like the entire festival flooded the amphitheatre for DJ Koze on Saturday afternoon. An incredible turn out for a last minute addition to the lineup. Koze must have raided the local Meredith nursery, going full bush on the set design – it looked and sounded amazing. Potentially the crowd favourite? Sally, please blast ‘Pick Up’ as you scatter my ashes through a forest somewhere. 

Can do! Bec and I both gave our boot to the German DJ, as we boogied our bums off to Koze’s impeccable selection of beats and bangers. I’m having flashbacks. Might go cry to the memories of Meredith right now… 

Following Koze’s wild hour and a half were some marvellous afro house beats, courtesy of Digital Afrika. I didn’t realise just how much dancing could be squeezed into one afternoon. The Eqyptian Lover then whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their powerful stage antics. Forcing the crowd to scream “eight oh, motha effin, eight”. They proceeded to play nothing but that drum machine for fifteen minutes straight while thousands of smiling faces ferociously shook their booties. 

I was also one of those booty shakers and I aspire to dance as The Egyptian Lover dances… He’s got the moves I tell ya. *Flicks hands left and right*. Viagra Boys. WOW. The five-piece punkers from Stockholm, Sweden, had everyone in the palms of their hands as they bashed through their catalogue of witty post-punk belters. Frontman Sebastian Murphy is a crazy character, he threw himself around the crowd and all about the stage as he sang and shouted his lampoons on life. Push ups into a microphone as he yelled “sports!” during the ‘Sports’ outro, very, very impressive. Special shoutout to the saxophonist of the band who bloody slayed that thing all set long. I admire a punk band who indulge in using bongos. Absolutely wild times. I may have given DJ Koze my boot but Viagra Boys have my heart.

Photo: Viagra Boys frontman Sebastian Murphy singing into the front row of people. 

Dead Prez were up next, who blew us all out of the park. Gangsta Brooklyn political-rap pairs very nicely with samples of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pink Floyd.

Amyl and the Sniffers came in stinkin’ hot (and slightly late) with an ARIA tucked under their mullets. Two years ago the local punks opened Meredith on Friday night. This year they cut loose during a headline time slot. My. Oh. My. They delivered. A set equally as punchy and wild as it was wholesome. In between heavy breaths the band made it pretty clear how special it was for them to be playing another Meredith. Props to Amy for creating a safe space in the mosh for everybody except creeps. She is a force to be reckoned with. Footage of buff kangaroos fighting while Amy sung “I wanna be your little angel” along with a live Chat Roulette video stream displayed throughout the set, sent me (and I’m sure many others) into fits of laughter. The joy of short and sharp punk songs is that nearly every single Amyl and the Sniffers hit can be squeezed into a 45 minute set; ‘70 Street Munchies’, ‘I’m Not A Loser’, ‘Monsoon Rock’, ‘Gacked On Anger’, ‘Cup Of Destiny’. All killer no filler.

Photo: Amy Taylor of Amyl and The Sniffers on stage during their Saturday night headline slot.

Irish alt-pop/disco sensation Roisin Murphy who you’d recognise from Moloko (‘Sing It Back’) blew us away with an impeccably controlled vocal delivery and performance. It was a real treat to see her delve into the sonic world of her solo endeavours – swaying between chiming, glittery, lush synths and the squelchier sounds of ‘Overpowered’. Upwards of 4 costume changes? What a party. There was also some kind of silver alien that Murphy hugged and danced with. It was confusing but I loved it. After that, I only remember dancing. 

Two hours of solid dancing to incredible house followed, soundtracked by Eric Powell. Thank you. Just, thank you. German producer and DJ Helena Hauff, whose appearance at Meredith had been years in the works, mixed the entirety of their set on vinyl. Starting dark and brooding, we were quickly plunged into dark, fast and heavy selections accompanied by intensely curated visuals. “Are you ready to RAMBL?!” … No, I’m so sorry but by body can’t do it. Dancing for upwards of 15 hours had me beat. I did however enjoy the local DJ’s diverse mixes of house, disco, funk and techno from the comforts of my tent AND as I woke back up at 7am for a cheeky run to the loo. There was no better way to wake up Sunday morning than with another lil’ dance.

SUNDAY

We all rolled out of our tents slowly late Sunday morning with sore heads, full hearts, and dropped jaws, recovering from the breathtaking talent that graced the Amphitheatre the night before and we headed down to catch Gordon Koang. As much as he insisted he loved the crowd very much, I think we loved him more. Koang had the amphitheatre standing up and clapping their hands (despite how rough we all undoubtedly were feeling at this point in the weekend) before he even played ‘Stand Up (Clap Your Hands)’ which on stage featured a string of the cutest dancers possible. Two disco ball headed dancers also joined the party on stage and now I need a disco ball head toot sweet. 

I’m not going to lie, I had no idea what The Gift was. I didn’t even think to ask. Holy. Moly. Not only is the Sup’ the perfect place to let your hair down but also, your pants. Nude racing around the Amphitheatre by those with brave souls and bare bums. Meredith truly is a magical place. Speaking of…

MAGICAL MOMENTS

Interstitial DJs – the unsung heroes of the dancefloor. Adriana selects the most wonderful international boogie gems and only FEE B2 can get away with mixing ‘Come on Eileen’, into drum and bass, into disco.

The People – Ingrained in its philosophy, everyone is welcome at MMF. With open arms Aunty Meredith and the Wadawurrung people allow festival goers to indulge themselves in music, art and community. The people at MMF are united bunch of loose bananas who have the best fun, and who importantly look after each other while doing so. No dickheads. No worries. 

The amount of ‘overheards’ and ‘seen ats’ could be endless. I loved seeing the endless array of dolled up punters and groups of friends in highly coordinated outfits; women in 80s business attire passing around a cheese board in the midst of a Swedish punk set, a crew dressed in life jackets and helmets carrying their mate on an inflatable raft who paddled and parted the Sup’ like the sea, netballers, cricketers, flight attendants, birds, disco dancers, you name it and someone was probably dressed like it at Meredith. The Return of Doof Sticks – This year the doof sticky things were removed from the banned items list (as long as their heads were no larger than that of a cauliflower). They lined the Sup’s horizon to make a spectacle of lights and crafty work. Even some cauliflowers on sticks were spotted. The Boot – My first time at Meredith, I was relieved and heart-warmed by the concept of giving an act your boot/shoe. Thankfully not a suggestion of a shoey, but an act of admiration. 

Cricket – Who doesn’t love an impromptu game of bat n’ ball in the rise of the Sup’? Meredith is the only place the police and punters sporting ‘eff the police’ shirts can come together for an over. Couches – How have I survived past music festivals without one? A place to chill out and enjoy the music from afar, or dance on top of, or start a party at, or make as a meeting point. Genius. Also, I hope the guy we found asleep on our couch Sunday morning is doing fine and found his friend Sarah.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Despite comments in the lead up that MMF 2019’s lineup wasn’t as strong as previous years (which we never once bought into) and the ticket swapping page being swamped with heavily discounted tickets – it is pretty damn clear by the success of the weekend that; 1) don’t ever doubt Aunty, 2) She knows how to throw a party, and 3) those who sold their tickets missed out on a stellar weekend. During every set there were boots being held up left right and center. With every twist and turn someone beside you was having the time of their life.The Supernatural Amphitheatre is without a doubt the most magical place for live music in Australia.

Thank you Aunty Meredith. Thank you to the Wadawurrung people for sharing your land. Thank you to the lovely friends we met and made. We are already counting down the days ‘til Golden Plains.

The post MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2019 appeared first on SYN Media.

This content was originally published here.

[htravels]

07. (b) Banff

Day 15. Banff 

Weather - well below freezing

The alarm rang out at 04:30. For the slightest of moments I considered rolling over and going back to sleep. The haze of sleep lifted and I remembered what we had planned today. Excitement replaced drowsiness and we jumped out of bed.

A regimented 15 minutes and we had our hiking boots strapped on and in the car, rolling out of Banff and retracing our way north. Still under the cover of darkness, we took the Lake Louise turnoff, soon followed by the Lake Moraine road. At just after 05:30, we were relieved to find the road open. The guidebook, hiking forums and visitor information had all told us we’d need to arrive early to snag a coveted car space in the Moraine Lake carpark. People just days before had lamented arriving at 06:00 to find the carpark full and road closed, forcing them back to the Lake Louise overflow carpark and needing to catch a shuttle that commences at 09:00.

With our 05:45 arrival, and a brisk -5 degrees Celsius outside, we found ourselves a car park and set up camp, reclining the seats for a snooze until 07:00, followed by a pre-packed brekkie. At 07:15 it was just light enough outside to make out the path to the lake. There was already a crowd building at the foot of the lake, people perched with their telescopic lenses in hope of getting the perfect sunrise snap. We watched the lake change hues from grey to blue as daylight edged its way through the cloud cover.

We started our walk up the mountains to the north of the lake, keen to get ahead of the crowd that would soon be following. Very quickly we reached steep switchbacks and our leg muscles ached in the cold, whilst our lungs started to puff. Occasionally you would catch a glimpse of the blue lake below and it would stop you in your tracks. By the time we reached the first fork in the trail there was snow on the ground and ice under foot. We veered right, upward towards the Larch Valley which was lined with Larch trees whose needles turn amber in the autumn. It started to snow. How beautiful. The novelty started to wear off as the snow became thicker and the wind stronger, but I could see blue sky ahead, so we pressed on. Eventually we walked our way out of the blizzard, to find a lovely day on the other side, and the most stunning view back over the valley filled with autumn colour.

There was now thick snow underfoot and we were very grateful for our shoe upgrade. It must have been cold because we got to a lake that had frozen over. Stu thew a stone and it just skidded across the top. The falls of water leading to it had frozen into icicles too. On we walked, to the base of Sentinal Pass. It was only just over a kilometre of walking and 150 m vertical to reach the top of the Pass between two of the peaks and the guidebook had lured us here with  the promise of amazing views. We could see two people ahead of us, making their way slowly up, albeit with poles - but this assured us it was possible. On we went. By the first switchback we realised that the snow on the path was much heavier than we had realised; the path was much steeper; and it was far far colder than we were prepared for. It was time for a pragmatic decision. “Fuck it, let’s go to Consolation Lakes instead”. We made our way carefully back down with our cleats on our boots gripping the snow. We made our way back through the valley, which now was full of people posing for their photos for the socials, and cockily pranced past those in sand shoes slipping and sliding their way down on the ice.

Back at the car park we returned to the car to defrost slightly and get feeling back in our fingers and had a snack. Once we’d warmed up enough, we headed back out, this time turning east from Moraine lake and heading out about 3km to Consolation Lakes. Turned out our consolation prize was a pretty good one. The forest suddenly cleared away and we found ourselves climbing amongst big rocks like steeping stones to the foot of the lake. It’s amazing how quickly the geography seems to change.

On our way back we circled around to a viewpoint over the lake - getting to see it now in it’s full day-time glory (although the sunrise was pretty special). A 17km round trip and a great attempt at mountain climbing.

We drove back to Banff along the Highway 1A, which is an alternate road to the fenced highway, and usually offers good wildlife sightings. Unfortunately we didn’t even see a mouse.

Later that afternoon we hit up the Hotel Lounge where they had a Gin tasting - with Gin that is made at the Banff distillery and apparently the only one located in a National Park in the world. We both thoroughly enjoyed the gin, and were slightly disappointed to hear it was only for sale at the duty free in Calgary (and not Vancouver!). For dinner we ate at Saltlik, recommended by the guidebook and which offered a great steak, potato gratin and some fancy maple Brussel sprouts.

Step Count - 27,758

KMs Driven - 144km

Wildlife - None :(

Trip Advisor Review of the Day - Saltlik - “Worst steak sandwhich of my entire existence on earth” - (M3147FFmikea, Burlington, Canada)

“Stringy, chewy unidentifiable with strong rosemary flavour. Truly disgusting. Other menu items may have been tolerable.” 

1 out of 5 stars.

Day 16. Banff

Weather - overcast but nice

After yesterday’s early start we awoke at much more relaxed hours. We wandered around town for a bit, grabbed a coffee at Little Wild (which had a reputation for the best coffee in town being made by Aussie Jules) and re-checked the trail conditions with the visitors centre. Back at the hotel we returned to the guest lounge and spent an hour or so getting ducks in a row, momentarily returning to the demands of real life mixed in with some monopoly deal.

Just after 2 PM, we managed to remove ourselves from what had become a very comfortable position in the hotel lounge, again laced on our boots and walked our way out of town, across the Bow River and around to the west side (or back) of Banff’s Sulphur Mountain. Here we started the ascent of the mountain, which was just over 5.5kms and approximately 850m vertical. My oh my did the calves burn! Despite snow either side of the track, the trail was wide and relatively clear. We’d read a few things online that this was a better hike than attacking Mt Sulphur from the front - positives included less tourists, less icy trails, a wider track (being an old fire access road) and better views. This sure didn’t disappoint - we had to stop and take it all in a few times, sometimes getting lost in trying to reach the top, before one of us would exclaim ‘wow’ and we’d take in the view off thousands of trees across multiple mountains and yep, more lakes and rivers. We must have only crossed 3 or 4 other hikers, so our ‘bear alertness’ was on high - particularly as we’d been told Banff was grizzly country. Fortunately there were no encounters of the bear variety, just a pika, which is a small marsupial which lives in rocky mountains (and we think was the foundation for Pikachu of Pokemon fame).

We reached the summit of Mt Sulphur at approx. 4:30pm and climbed along a boardwalk to the Mt Sulphur Observatory, which sits at 2,270m. The Observatory was built in 1902 to provide shelter and a place to observe weather patterns, and it provided a stellar view over Banff and the Bow River beyond. After a few quick photos and moments admiring how high we’d climbed, we scurried into the large, tourist-riddled building to try and warm up.

Inside, we found the SkyBistro, where we managed to snag a couple of seats at the bar. We felt this appropriate given it was a rather well-to-do sort of a place, where the clientele had Louis Vuitton handbags and Canada Goose jackets draped over their shoulders, who had ridden the gondola up the mountain, whilst we were both wiping sweat from our brows and sporting hiking kit. First thing Stu wanted, was a hot chocolate with schnapps - apparently this is ‘Apres Ski’. However without schnapps, the friendly bartender Rob from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, fixed us up a hot chocolate with Baileys + a splash of maple whiskey. Fair to say these went down like a treat! We were warm and a bit more content so we thought we’d try a gin cocktail, made with larch syrup and larch bitters (which was made from the bark of the Larch trees which we’d seen on our hike yesterday); accompanied by some delicious snacks. We bided our time until 7 PM - at which point the gondola becomes gratis - and these savvy little hikers enjoyed the descent down the mountain in style. (For reference a return trip on the gondola is $70 per person...I’d hike and drink gin any day)

Our ride down the mountain was with a Canadian woman of Ugandan heritage, who came to Canada as a refugee in her teens, was recently retired after 45 years of nursing, and was going through the Rockies as one of her ‘bucket list’ items. Stu and I both left the gondola in awe of this woman, whose daughter was an international migration lawyer, having studied at Harvard and Cambridge - and marvelled at how much this woman accomplished in her life, and how happy we were both were for her that she was now being able to enjoy some things for herself.

Exhausted and not particularly in the mood for another restaurant (but still hungry), we grabbed a pizza from the well-known Bear Street Tavern, ducked back to our room, devoured some pizza and hit the hay ahead of another earlier start in the morning.

Step Count - 20,650

Wildlife - 1 pika

Trip Advisor Review of the Day - Little Wild - Surfshark, Alberta, Canada

“Staff are unfriendly and don’t make very good coffee”

We went here last week and the chubby lady was rude and not at all a good service type personality. I won’t return. Coffee was not enjoyable either! There are many coffee and pastry options in Banff! 

2 of out 5 stars.

[itsworn]

TROG Brings Street Racing to Drag Racing’s SoCal Birthplace

Back in 2012, a small drag-oriented event held on the East Coast called the Race of Gentlemen (TROG) shook the hot rod scene. Although it gathered only 15 hot rods and 15 motorcycles, it still captured the imagination of gearheads the world over. It was organized on the beach and featured aesthetics reminiscent of faded pictures glued in a 1950s photo album.

Over the years, other TROGs have come and gone, including one in 2016 that tread the sand of Pismo Beach, California (unfortunately plagued by stormy weather). Promoter Mel Stultz and his crew traveled back home afterwards, thinking another race was unlikely to take place on the West Coast. Yet, surprisingly, officials from the scenic city of Santa Barbara contacted Stultz in 2018 and asked him to have an event in town! They made it clear racing on the sand would not be an option, but how about using a street along the beach?

Willys Window: Hot Rod Ranch’s Gil Muro provided this unique perspective of Santa Barbara’s staging lanes through the tinted Plexiglas of his survivor Willys Gasser. Photo: Gil Muro

Stultz loved the idea, and so was born the TROG Santa Barbara Drags. He came to town with the support (and members) of his club, the Oilers, which had been established in Carlsbad, California, in 1947 and was revived a few years ago. The Oilers, with help from local enthusiasts, transformed Cabrillo Boulevard in front of Santa Barbara’s Hilton Beachfront Resort into an eighth-mile dragstrip, where 30 motorcycles and 70 pre-1935 cars entered grudge matches, with no trophy spoiling the fun. As a bonus, an exhibit called Customs by the Sea welcomed a selection of fantastic pre-1959 traditional custom cars.

Want to see more TROG action this year? The city of Wildwood, New Jersey, will have another can’t-miss sand-slinging event on October 4-6.

First in Line: Jimmy White, the owner of Circle City Hot Rods in Orange, California, hasn’t driven his well-known ’31 Model A much in recent years, but he decided to get it ready for the event. This old hot rod, found in Riverside, California, runs a nasty 334ci Hemi equipped with a 6×2 Weiand manifold. It had the honor of making the first pass of the day with Muro’s Willys, the cover car for our latest Gasser-themed issue (“Willys Fever,” May 2019).

Ex-Stocker: Roseville, California’s Jim Luke bought a 100 percent stock ’29 Model A, right down to its mechanical brakes. It had been restored decades ago. Over the course of a year he morphed it into this jalopy, keeping the original rails but installing ’40s hot rod specifics: juice brakes, a ’39 Ford gearbox, a 21-stud flathead, Sharp heads, a Thickstun intake manifold, an Isky cam . . .

Another Bird: We showed you Lynn Bird’s blue ’32 Ford three-window coupe back in March 2019 (“Distinctive Deuce”). Always the tinkerer, his latest endeavor is this great-looking ’25 Model T. It is motivated by a ’49 Mercury flathead that’s assembled with Offenhauser heads and an Edmunds intake. The body sits on heavily modified ’34 Chevy framerails. Bird won most of his races.

Raging Orange: One of the fastest cars running the eighth-mile, the historic Orange Crate (now owned by Steve Gilligan) wowed the crowd with its good looks and performance. Brothers Bob and Terry Tindle bought the ’32 Ford Tudor already chopped in 1959 and went on to transform it into a fast strip contender. It features a tilt body along with a Hilborn-injected 417ci Olds motor with a Potvin blower.

Bad to the Bones: Rolling Bones member Dick Deluna drives and races his ’34 Ford five-window (which has been chopped 6 inches) all over the nation. Check out the unusual grille from a Canadian Cockshutt tractor. Behind it resides a ’49 8BA flathead now displacing 284 ci. It received Stromberg carbs, Navarro heads, an Offenhauser two-carb manifold, and a Vertex magneto.

Heavy Chop: Back from making a pass, this is Tom McIntyre’s ’32 three-window Ford from the Rolling Bones crew. It performed well, courtesy of a ’54 Dodge Ram Hemi bolted to a five-speed ’box for long-distance journeys. The coupe additionally uses a Halibrand quick-change and an aluminum bellypan.

Pretty Penny: Alex Carlos struggled a bit to see the flagman behind the wheel of his chopped Penny Hemi Model T. Spectators loved the car’s track antics, watching as it flew down the eighth-mile thanks to a 354ci Hemi fed by a Weiand intake manifold and six carbs. A four-speed BorgWarner transmission gets the power to the ground.

Sushi and Louis: Team Throttle Racing from Japan entered the field with this (near lane) narrowed modified driven by TROG regular Atsushi “Sushi” Yasui. Behind it sits Louis Stands’ 1927 Ford roadster equipped with a 327ci powerplant from a ’63 Corvette.

Little Zip: A recent Craigslist find, this 1927 T owned by Reno, Nevada, resident Rory Forbes appeared to have been a California circle track racer as far back as 1949. On the dash resides a plaque stating, “Participant NHRA National Drags-1959 Detroit, Mich.” The roadster hasn’t changed much in the last 60 years, still featuring its Joe Bailon paint and Tommy the Greek striping.

Hot Rod Lady: Diana Branch owns both a colorful ’29 Ford roadster and this ’32 Tudor, running a Studebaker V8 bored to 299 ci, a Chevy five-speed transmission, and a Chevy ’57 rearend. The sedan’s good looks should be attributed to the 4 1/2-inch chop and 5-inch channel. The Glacier Blue Chrysler metallic paint does not hurt either.

Stude Study: Traveling with his wife Diana, Tom Branch joined the mayhem with his real steel ’32 Ford showcasing a 304ci ’63 Studebaker V8, hopped up with four Stromberg carbs. Fabian Valdez at Vintage Hammer Garage helped build the roadster, which is fitted with ’50 Pontiac taillights, 15×4 and 15×8.5 American Racing mags, and Inglewood slicks in the back.

The British Are Coming: These 1960s-styled Deuces are owned by two U.K. expatriates. In the near lane is Nostalgia Ranch’s Jay Dean with his 331ci Cad V8 five-window coupe, chopped 3 1/2 inches. In the far lane is Dice Magazine’s Dean Micetich with his three-window, which was painted in 1964. It relies on a ’55 Cad motor and ’57 Olds rearend. Dean dropped the driveshaft during this run, but got it fixed to participate again later!

Spirit of ’47: We introduced you to Paul Gommi in HRD’s Sept. 2018 issue (“The Way We Were”). The competitive racer brought his supercharged ’32 Ford roadster, which was built in 1947 and ran 129 mph at El Mirage shortly after. All eyes were on Gommi, who won his class at the 2018 RPM Nationals, but issues with the flathead’s block didn’t allow him to perform as well as expected.

Local Racers: The Hanssen family are the caretakers of these two racers built by Willis Baldwin of Santa Barbara. On the left is the ’49 Baldwin Special, and on the right, the bare aluminum C/Mod ’51 Baldwin Special used from 1954 until 1957 in SCCA competition. The ’49 Special runs a ’46 Merc flathead with a full-race Clay Smith cam, Edelbrock heads, and triple Strombergs; the ’51 Special is also powered by a Merc flathead, this one fitted with Ardun heads.

Welcome Back: It was good to see Gene Winfield in Santa Barbara, looking none the worse for wear after his European ordeal last year. He was attending a car show in Finland in September when he broke his hip in a bad fall. During recovery, he came down with pneumonia; that and other health complications made it impossible for him to fly commercially back to the States. A GoFundMe page set up to get him home reached its goal in just a few days, and he was back in the U.S. by late October.

Colorado Rods: The Lucky Tramps Car Club out of Colorado presented a couple of fine rides driven by an equally fine couple. Brooke Dolan drove the Deuce coupe with S.Co.T. supercharged flathead power and Navarro heads, while husband Daniel competed with a ’34 five-window Ford with a flathead V8, too.

Fun T Time: Tegan Hammond had a ton of fun racing the Hammond family’s ’27 Ford roadster. The powerplant of choice is a rare 1927 HAL double-overhead-cam four-cylinder. By the next decade, few utilized that engine, as it had been surpassed by Ford’s flathead V8.

Grandpa’s Headers: The exhaust on the banger engine in Jenny Boostrom’s ’23 Model T roadster was fabricated by Jesse Belond, grandson of famed exhaust maker Sandy Belond, using a vintage photo they found as reference. So far it’s the only one, but Jesse hopes to make more, “trying to keep Grandpa’s name out there.” Arch Gratz built the motor with a rare Thomas intake and head, and two Stromberg 81 carbs. Clayton’s Hot Rods in Santa Cruz, California, put the car together, which Jesse bought for Jenny as a Christmas present.

Barnes’ Find: A ’32 Ford coupe with the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands National Park in the background—what’s not to like? The chopped Deuce belonging to John Barnes had been drag raced around 1951-1954. Lack of hood allowed spectators to admire the supercharged flathead V8 with Fenton heads.

Lake Refugee: Racing against Daniel Shircliff’s orange A is “Hudson Joe” Buffardi’s ’29 Ford roadster, prepared with an uncommon ’49 337ci Lincoln flathead. It is fed by dual Merc side-draft carbs on an Edmunds intake and runs a Potvin cam and Mallory dual-point ignition. It seems that the car raced at El Mirage in the 1950s through the mid 1960s. When Buffardi bought it in 2004 it was “just a body.” He fabricated the hood, nose, and grille. Notice the neat aircraft-inspired exhaust system.

Wheeler’s Wheels: David Wheeler is a regular racer, having competed at the TROG Pismo race and the 2018 RPM Nationals (see our Mar. 2019 issue). He made a handful of passes with his stout Model T.

As the Flag Drops: Tom Franzi of Germany is ready to hammer the throttle of his Model A, which was built in the mid- to late-1950s. He bought it about a week before the race. Seemingly painted metalflake in the 1960s, the 6-inch-channeled roadster with sectioned ’32 grille received a ’56 324ci Olds Rocket V8 at some point.

Harley Alley: The event wasn’t only about cars, as 30 vintage bikes made a ton of passes all day long. Incidentally, Harley-Davidson was a major sponsor of the Santa Barbara Drags.

Wayne’s World: This nice lineup of healthy motors is led by a not-so-common Wayne head-equipped 235ci Chevy six motivating Cedric Meeks’ ’34 Ford coupe. Cedric is the son of Russ Meeks, who won the Grand National Roadster Show’s AMBR award in 1972 with his well-known tilt-body, rear-engined Model A roadster.

Bronze Flame: Lars Mapstead is just the third owner of the Bronze Flame, a real-deal survivor of 1950s hot rodding that still wears its original lacquer flamed paint job over a steel (not aluminum) track nose fabricated by Sam Barris. Original owner Ed Donato raced the car at the lakes and the Santa Ana drags before putting it in storage for some five decades. The car is no museum piece, as Mapstead has run it at the RPM Nationals and the TROG beach race in New Jersey.

By the Sea: TROG Santa Barbara wasn’t only about hot rods. The Hilton’s rotunda also the terrific Customs by the Sea exhibit. It actually called for additional vehicles to be displayed on site, but regulations forced promoters to park a bunch of cars on the other side of the wall, facing the ocean. The two ’36 Fords belong to Alan Windard (Throttlers CC, Salt Lake City) and Jon Fisher (Burbank Choppers CC).

Refined ’50s: It was great to see two of the most elegant chopped customs built in recent years. Scott Roberts’ 1954 Mercury (foreground) cruises thanks to a 292ci Y-block. It features a bunch of traditional alterations: shaved door handles, frenched headlights, rounded corners on the hood and doors, and more. It kept company with Kelly and Mark Skipper’s ’51 Ford with ’53 Chevy teeth.

Buick Beauty: Steve Pierce selected what some might consider an unlikely candidate for a custom project, a ’40 Buick coupe. Among the most noticeable modifications: a top chopped 4 inches in front and 5 1/2 in the back, ’39 Ford headlights, and ’41 Cad bumpers. The color is reminiscent of Ford’s famous Washington Blue.

Grapevine Redux: Back in the day, spray gun extraordinaire Larry Watson prowled the boulevards of Kustomland in a ’50 Chevy that was first painted black and silver. He later resprayed the car in lavender, which is when it acquired the name Grapevine. John Denich owns this clone built with accuracy in mind, from the ’55 Olds headlight rings and side trim to the ’53 Chevy grille and ’54 Merc taillights.

Deuce Duo: The Burbank Choppers Car Club had a handful of rides on site, including this pair of Deuces. Jack Carroll drove the painted example to Santa Barbara. The 5-inch-chopped body shell sits on a chassis assembled by Lynn Bird. Unlike Carroll’s coupe, Deron Wright’s 283ci three-window (right) wasn’t channeled. He also drives it with five-spoke mags compatible with a 1960s hot rod appearance.

The 1,000-Mile Trip: Yep, Daniel Shircliff traveled in his daily driven Model A from Phoenix for the weekend, adding a thousand miles to the odometer. His Craigslist find was apparently built around 1961-1962 and last driven in the 1970s.

Antique Vibe: Blessed by beautiful weather, the staging lanes remained packed all day long. With 70 cars registered, each participant had the opportunity to make several runs. Palm trees as far as the eye can see contributed to the fantastic vibe of this inaugural get-together which, we hope, will return to the West Coast in 2020.

The post TROG Brings Street Racing to Drag Racing’s SoCal Birthplace appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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[homestylesdecor]

The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Shopping In Chicago

When it comes to vintage shopping in Chicago, you can shop til you drop, take a disco nap, rally and shop some more. It's also safe to say I shop for vintage…a lot, and therefore I receive quite a few emails that go something like this: “Hey Kyla, I'm visiting Chicago, and I was hoping you'd share some of you favorite places to shop vintage.” Of course I oblige. Shopping for vintage is my jam.

Now, before you bombard my inbox asking to be sent the coveted, super secret list, keep on reading this post, then promptly bookmark, save  to Pinterest, and engrain it in your brain because today I'm sharing the mother of all lists…House Of Hipsters ultimate guide to vintage shopping in Chicago and surrounding suburbs!

MORE AFTER THE JUMP…

Some people like to keep their vintage sources on the DL, but e-ghads! What fun is that? As my ride or die gal Marianne says, “there will always be more vintage”. I guess that is what makes her such a great thrifting buddy. Back in 2014, (lawdy how has it been that long ago?), I wrote a post about vintage shopping in Chicago, but after looking back on it, realized just how out of date the information was.

Let's get started with my favorite vintage shops in Chicago and then we can move our way out to the burbs. Yup, told ya this is the mutha load, trash to treasure list. Buckle down the chin strap and hold on. Here we go!

BROWNSTONE 5234 N Clark St, Chicago Blink and you'll miss it. Brownstone is located in Andersonville, right next to Tilly's…one of my favorite places to shop for vintage jewelry (more on Tilly's below). This place is a pickers dream and and OCD clean freak's nightmare. Piles of vintage precariously stacked on top of piles of antique furniture. If you have time to wander and don't mind a dig, you'll surely find a few treasures.

One thing to beware of, every time I go in, I don't get all the feels. What does that mean? No one is super friendly, but walking in knowing that, you might be pleasantly surprised if you actually receive a hello LOL. So why do I shop here when I don't feel all that welcomed? The prices keep me coming back for more.

BROWN ELEPHANT RESALE SHOP 5404 N Clark St, Chicago Although I don't shop here as much as I'd like, every time I stop in there's something different. You walk in through a large hallway and round the corner to vintage heaven. You'll find some Mid-Century Modern furniture, killer vintage clothing (look closely and you'll find some high end designer pieces), home decor, and art. What's even more amazing is that all the proceeds benefit the LGBTQ health and fund care for the uninsured at Howard Brown Health in Chicago. FYI, if you're looking to donate gently used items, this is a great place to do so.

BEEHIVE CHICAGO 2501 W Chicago Ave, Chicago A great little gem of a shop with treasures galore! This space is a shared showroom and workspace for many local Chicago vintage dealers. With home decor a plenty, you won't leave empty handed, and I guarantee you'll be back for more. You'll also find some great vintage fashion and jewelry. Last time I visited, I was greeted by a pair of stunning Maitland Smith tessellated stone side tables and MCM loungers.

DIAL M FOR MODERN 1136 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago If you love Mid-Century Modern decor, this Chicago vintage shop is for you! Find classic Milo Baughman chairs mixed in with quirky and fun 70s funk. Tim (the owner – and also one of the nicest people on the planet) just moved the shop to a new space…which I have yet to see…but I've heard it's killer cool. He has a great eye for incredible furniture and if you live near by and ask pretty please, Tim will usually help get that chair delivered to your home. One thing to beware of though, if something catches your eye, jump on it. Superb quality and fair prices has furniture flying out the door.

LAZY DOG ANTIQUE STORE 1903 W Belmont Ave, Chicago This vintage shop has been on my hot list for a few months. New to me, I stumbled upon Lazy Dog via Instagram and have yet to shop this place in person, but because I've purchased from here online, I still  wanted to include it. Loads of drool worthy MCM furniture, killer barware and home decor…plus vintage jewelry. If you get there before me, please report back and tell me what you think.

THE SAVOY FLEA 2621 W Grand Ave, Chicago Like I said above, Marianne (the owner of The Savoy Flea) is my ride or die BVB – Best Vintage Buddy. Her shop is open by appointment only, but don't be intimidated by that. When I first visited this studio, I thought “open by appointment only” meant this shop will be way too damn expensive. Quite the contrary. Marianne is out and about scouring the universe for new vintage treasure for the studio. And if you've

When arriving, be on the look out for a plain white warehouse with zero signage. Told ya it was a hidden treasure. Park in the driveway and if the main door is locked, text, call, or ring the doorbell. After making your way passed pallets of movie props, you'll see a set of double doors. Prepare yourself for an eclectic mix of Parisian Chic, Art Deco and Hollywood Regency glam.

STEPHANIE SCHOFIELD 2621 W Grand Ave, Chicago Walk towards the back of the studio at The Savoy Flea, and you'll find Steph Schofield's Chicago location. Steph has this  is a secret source to some seriously famous designers which is probably why her other showroom is in High Point, NC. Yes, I spotted Carson Kressley shopping at the HP location last Spring.

Steph has an eye for unique, one-of-a-kind, unexpected finds you may never see again. Her pieces are 1st Dibs level yet completely obtainable, and most of the time, surprisingly affordable. She was recently featured in Domino magazine and gave a pro tip to vintage shopping, “When I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy something, I visualize tv he piece in a space. Almost anything can be cool in the right context.”

SOUTH LOOP LOFT 685 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago This is the place for one-of-a-kind vintage statement pieces for your home. South Loop Loft recently moved, and the new space is a showstopper. Cheap? Absolutely not. This is not a store for pickers. However, if you're design obsessed and looking to add some wow factor, South Loop Loft is the place to go. Just be prepared to covet everything. The space is so inspirational and the lighting is on fleek.  There's a reason South Loop Loft was featured in Elle Decor.

STRANGELOVELY 2511 W North Ave, Chicago Keep your eyes peeled for a shop window that reads, North Avenue Collective. This is where you'll find Strangelovely. I'm not quite sure how to describe Kim's style…maybe funky, glam granny? Is that a style? First and foremost, if you're looking for a killer Chesterfield sofa or wingback chair, Strangelovely is the place to find it. While wandering around this gorgeous shop, be sure to look down. The rugs are on fleek! Because Kim shares this space with Hopscotch & Soda (vintage clothing), the place feels more like what you want Anthropologie to be. Carefully curated real vintage.

TILLY'S 5232 N Clark St, Chicago Tilly's might me the smallest shop on this list, but the amount of merchandise is overwhelming! If you're into vintage jewelry, handbags and clothing, you must stop in. It's packed to the gills with haute vintage couture and beautifully curated jewelry. Side note, the earrings I wore to meet the creators of Consort Furniture…the guys want to make sconces out of my earrings from Tilly's…ya, incredible finds. Not quite sure where to start, ask the shop's owner Susan Lynch. She basically gives you a once over and starts pulling pieces she knows will fit.

VINTAGE QUEST 1105 N California Ave, Chicago This tiny shop sits in between Strangelovely and the Savoy Flea, so if you're going to either shop, make sure to stop into Vintage Quest. It's a small shop that packs a serious punch. Upon arrival, you're going to think to yourself, Kyla, you sent me to a cross between a man cave and Wisconsin bar. But humor me and have a looksy…yes, that IS a Milo Baughman chair…yes, that IS a DIA swivel table…yes, that is a Togo sectional…and yes, that IS the price.

WOOLLY MAMMOTH 1513 W Foster Ave, Chicago Are you looking for something ultra weird? Victorian hair jewelry? A painting by serial killer John Wayne Gacy? How about a shrunken head…ummm, yes, it's real. I've only stopped into Woolly Mammoth a few times, but if I'm looking for oddities, this is THE place. It's right down the street from Brownstone, The Brown Elephant , and Scout, and it definitely marches to its own beat when it comes to vintage shopping. Word to the wise, you might want to sage yourself on the way out. LOL.

Phew! You still with me? If you are, then you shall be rewarded with a few antique malls, favorite flea markets AND a couple super secret burb locations I only share with nearest and dearest…yup, you're that special.

EDGEWATER ANTIQUE MALL 6314 N Broadway St, Chicago If you're into Mid-Century Modern and Industrial, this is the place to be. Lots of small booths made up of about 40 local vintage dealers. You'll find everything from chairs to doll arms here. As with any antique mall, the prices aren't picker prices, but everything is still quite affordable.

BROADWAY ANTIQUE MALL 6130 N Broadway St, Chicago If you're a vintage shopping local, you probably refer to Broadway Antique Mall as BAM. It's larger than Edgewater, and right down the street, so I usually stop into both when I'm in the area. The front area is mostly glass cases…I cruise through there fairly quick and wander to the left. There's where you'll find booths and nooks where individual sellers can set up vignettes. You'll find vintage cameras, globes, vases, ashtrays, old photos, maybe a pinball machine or two…I also tend to giggle in the aisle of “old porn”. Don't forget to go upstairs. They have a nice selection of MCM furniture.

HERITAGE TRAIL ANTIQUE MALL 410 Ridge Rd, Wilmette, IL See, I told you we'd hit the burbs! Over on Chicago's North Shore, there's a great antique mall in Wilmette. Again, this is a mall, so you will not find picker prices. But what you will find are tons of bonkers good vintage that is highly curated. No doll parts here. One of my favorite booth owners is a shop by the name of Redefined Decor. They carry some of the most eclectic and coveted pieces in the mall and have a couple of booths in the space.

Be sure to head upstairs where you'll find even more awesome. A couple of my other favorite booths belong to PeAk Stuff Vintage and Scene Vintage. I'm constantly watching these Instagram accounts for new arrivals.

BTDubs, Redefined also has a studio in Chicago's West Town neighborhood that I really need to visit one of these days (it's near The Savoy Flea in case you're looking to hit two birds with one stone). You can check out some of the inventory here.

VOLO ANTIQUE MALL 27640 Volo Village Rd., Volo, IL If you want to kill a day antiquing, this is your one stop shop. Just a few miles away from the Wisconsin border sits 4 large buildings chucked full of pretty much everything and anything you can image. Over 400 local dealers in multi level barns. Volo is not highly curated, but you will find anything from formal antiques to Mid-Century retro to mantiques to industrial to primitives to collectibles.

Because this place is so vast, you have to checkout in each building…meaning don't carry items from mall 1 into mall 2. I tend to find quite a lot here, so I start piles at each checkout counter. The very last building sits over a garage filled with vintage cars and tends to have a strong odor of gasoline which gives me a headache…so I tend to skip that particular building. Oh, and one other thing to mention, if you get hungry, head over to Fratellos for lunch and a lemonade.

Ready for some fleas?

KANE COUNTY FLEA MARKET The first weekend of every month is the Kane County Flea Market. You'll walk through barns and buildings full of primitives and mostly traditional antiques. It's massive. You'll also find shabby chic crafts and handmade items…along with some tube socks. Because I'm more of a Mid-Century glam gal, this is not my favorite flea, but I do tend to walk away with some vintage items. Be sure to dress for dust and dirt…this flea is held at a traditional fairgrounds.

GRAYSLAKE FLEA MARKET The Grayslake flea is held the second weekend of every month, and many times it is themed. I just happened to go to the MCM themed weekend and can I just say that flea was on fire! This happens to be one of my favorite fleas…mainly because it's small and low key. It also helps that it's minutes away from my house. So what do I mean by low key? When I go to a a flea in the city, almost everyone is dressed to impress. Grayslake I could walk in my jammies and no one would bat an eye. Also, every once is so nice. No one is pushing past you trying to get to something first…it's just very chill.

WOLFF'S FLEA – ROSEMONT If you've ever driven down the Kennedy Expressway on a Sunday during the summer, you've probably seen the flea in Rosemont at All State Arena. Because this flea is held in a parking lot on blacktop in summer heat, it can be absolutely brutal. The vintage shopping can be very hit or miss depending on the weather, so I usually keep my eye on their Facebook page. Don't miss the farmer's market section of this flea. The plants and produce do not disappoint.

RANDOLPH STREET MARKET There's nothing more unique than antiquing in an open air market in downtown Chicago, and Randolph Street Market takes party to another level. This flea is one of my favorite haunts for vintage shopping in Chicago. Every time I leave, my car is packed to the gills with treasures and I venture home with a smile on my face. In fact, I would say it's a bucket list flea.  You're going to find a highly curated group of vendors selling quality over quantity.

It's also one of my favorite fleas to attend especially during the summer months. Why? Well, the parking lot of course…and no, I don't mean for my car (they have a valet service for that). During the months of May – September Randolph shows shows off some srsly jazzy furniture in the parking lot and pack it full of food trucks, live music, fresh roast coffee and my favorite part…booze. Yes, the mimosas are flowing at this vintage bonanza. This flea is held every 4th Saturday and Sunday of the month and is not to be missed.

Now, for my super secret local shops. The antique shops in Barrington where I live and are near and dear to my heart. This quiet little town is becoming more and more a hub for antiquing. In fact, I'm marking my calendar for this event in September.

PINK GERANIUM 829 W Northwest Hwy, Barrington While driving down Northwest Hwy, on the other side of the Metra tracks is is Marble and Granite warehouse…and on Thursday – Saturday, you'll see a tiny hot pink sign. Crank that wheel, cross the tracks and turn right. You've arrived at Pink Geranium.

Treasures upon treasures, nicely curated. You won't find piles of furniture, but there's still plenty to look at. The owner Katie and her staff are sooooooo incredibly nice, and they usually have a treat or tiny snack at the checkout counter. I usually pop in once a month, and never leave disappointed. This place is a gem.

STEEPLECHASE ANTIQUES When we were looking for a home I spied with my little eye a sign that said “antiques”. MY PEOPLE!!!!! Steeplechase was the first local antique store I visited after the move, and I've made quite a few purchases since that day. In fact, the owner Karrin took me under her wing a bit after I lost my job. For a few months, I helped her style the shop…I don't think she will ever know how much she helped me mentally. I cherish her friendship.

Okay, enough with the mushy stuff…Karrin curates antiques…no MCM here. Lots of wood and brown tones. When I was styling, it felt like all these beautiful pieces were growing up, and out of a beautiful garden of ivy and topiaries. Beautifully patinated wood tables, oversized urns, trophies, trunks, books, and old leather furniture. Her store has this look that's stunning and ever changing. Yep, she's one popular lady and flips that store pretty much every week. So if you see something you like, you better snap it up, or it'll be gone in a flash.

FRIENDS OF PEPPER ROAD The 10 major antique shops (including Steeplechase and Pink Geranium) in Barrington teamed up, and they host open house events. Every 4-6 weeks, they stay open late, and vintage shoppers can make the rounds, store to store. It's so much fun. A couple that I like to pop my head into are The English Daisy and Winterberry.

PARIS MARKET ANTIQUES Last one…and this shop I have to thank Karrin for or I'd never know it was here. Back behind Jewel is the Icehouse Mall…this is also where we had our first Thanksgiving in Barrington…cuz I know you really needed to know that. Anyhoo, wander down the hall of this building and you'll stumble upon Paris Market Antiques…and it's huge…and packed. I've only been there once, but I think the people who own it, also own a local estate sale company. Which makes sense with the inventory size…but don't quote me on it. It's hidden, quiet, and a total and complete gem of a find.

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  The post The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Shopping In Chicago appeared first on House Of Hipsters.

[lewishamledger]

Lord of the ring

Dan Azeez caught the boxing bug while at university and turned professional last year. The Lewisham local, who shares a management company with legendary fighters Tyson Fury and Carl Frampton, is a star on the rise

Words: Luke G Williams; Photo: Lima Charlie 

Boxing is traditionally seen as an effective antidote to a misspent or wayward youth – but in the case of Lewisham light-heavyweight prospect Dan Azeez, it was the firm hand of a strong mother who believed in the power of education that pushed him in the right direction, rather than the discipline engendered by the “sweet science”.

“I was born and bred in Lewisham and I’ve lived in the area all of my life,” says the engaging 27-year-old when we meet.

“I’m one of six children brought up by a single mum. I’ve got another three younger brothers too, so it’s been tough for her. But she’s a real strong woman and mother to have raised four boys and keep us in check.

“Growing up I was often in a bit of trouble here and there. Academically I was quite a bright kid though, so I got my GCSEs and A-levels, but at random times I was mixing with the wrong people in the area and was getting into trouble and whatnot.

“After I finished my A-levels I didn’t want to go to university. I just wanted to stay on the streets. My mum wouldn’t have it though, so she drove me up to Essex University, where I’d been accepted to study accounting and finance. She was adamant that I went. She’d worked hard for us all and she wanted to bring me up right so I could go to university.

“I didn’t necessarily have a passion for the subject but I did want my mum to be proud of me. I’d put her through quite a lot growing up, and thought there wasn’t a better way to thank her than getting my degree and finishing uni.”

Dan didn’t only finish university, he positively excelled, subsequently staying on beyond his original three-year degree course to successfully complete a master’s. It was also at university that he was bitten by the boxing bug.

“Growing up I’d often had fights on the streets or at school, but I’d never found a boxing club,” he explains. “I tried once when I was 14 or 15, but the gym was full up and I never went back. The next time I tried to go to a gym was in Colchester while I was at university.

“I’m quite an eager person, I wanted to get in there and spar and fight straightaway, but I soon learned you have to take your time. You can’t run before you can walk. So I learned the basics, had one fight, which I lost and then my university opened up a boxing club, so I joined that and I had about 60 or 70 fights.

“When I did my master’s, I got a bit of sports funding and by then I was representing the university at national level. I liked being up in Colchester as it kept me away from any of the bad stuff in south London. It kept me out of trouble.”

As his interest in the sport grew, two iconic pugilists provided Dan with particular inspiration – the great American Roy Jones Jr and fellow south Londoner David Haye.

“I remember I came across some Jones and Haye highlight reels,” he recalls. “I watched them and was like, ‘Wow! Who are these guys?’ The way they threw punches together made a combat sport look like an art. Boxing isn’t just crash bang wallop, there’s an art to it.”

Although his academic credentials would have opened the door to numerous employment opportunities, Dan’s fast-developing boxing talents persuaded him to turn professional in 2017.

“As an amateur, I was always getting to finals of the nationals and so on, and would lose by a small margin, which was frustrating,” he recalls. “A lot of people would come up to me and say, ‘Your style would suit the professional game much more.’

“I’d never thought about going professional, but then I also sparred with some really top-class professionals and did well and I thought, ‘You know what, maybe I should give it a go.’ Lots of people were telling me I could go far.”

Dan made his professional debut in December and has won all three of his bouts so far, two by knockout. Unlike many prospects, who are wrapped in cotton wool early in their careers, he admirably states his intention to stay as active as possible, and as dedicated as he can to developing his craft.

“This is my first year as a pro,” he says. “And I want to advance as quickly as possible. My first few fights are about learning, not earning. After that I can focus on earning and preparing for the big stages.

“By the end of the year I’m looking to have had eight fights in total. A lot of prospects aren’t fighting enough. I’ve got to get out there and build my support.

“The day I stop learning is when I’ll call it quits. I want to work on my boxing IQ, being a bit more aware in the ring. That’s what separates good fighters from the greats. I’m quite heavy-handed – it might not look that way from the outside, but if you’re in there with me you soon realise how hard I hit.”

While superstars such as Anthony Joshua may earn millions of pounds per fight, many people don’t realise that fighters at the beginning of their careers often have to make do on small purses that are reliant on the number of tickets they sell for the events at which they appear.

Dan admits this is the toughest aspect of his day-to-day life as a pro boxer. “Right now, that’s the hardest thing,” he says. “Particularly if you’re not on a big platform or stage.

“You can’t be half-hearted. It’s not just about training, you also have to sell a certain amount of tickets just to pay for your opponent and get your name out there. That in itself is challenging. I have to persuade people to invest in me, to buy tickets and whatnot.”

Sponsorship would aid Dan immensely and as an articulate and educated young man who possesses a winning smile, it’s clear to see that he would be a great ambassador for any local businesses wanting to take a plunge into the professional sporting arena.

“Of course, I’m looking for sponsorship to help support and develop my career,” he confirms. “I’m still in the embryonic stages – I’m not on the big stages yet – but if I carry on developing my career as I am at the moment, I hopefully will be in the future.

“I’ve regularly appeared on iFL TV’s YouTube channel, and they’re one of the biggest boxing channels in the country with something like 300,000 subscribers. So if anyone’s looking to sponsor me I can definitely bring some light on to their names on platforms like that. My following is growing all the time.”

As Dan builds his career, he will be aided by the fact he is guided by the prominent boxing management company MTK Global.

“MTK manage some really high-profile fighters such as Tyson Fury, Carl Frampton and so on,” he explains. “They’ve got a good platform and great links with Frank Warren, one of the top promoters in the UK. So I’m hoping their platform will help me get my name out there even more.”

His financial background also looks set to place him in good stead. “To be fair, right now I’m not earning enough to have issues with what to do with my money,” he laughs.

“But I know in the future my accountancy and finance studies will come in useful because money is an area where a lot of boxers come unstuck, going bankrupt or what have you because they can’t handle their finances.

“That financial background I can use to my advantage when I hopefully advance my career in the future.”

Hearteningly, Dan is also determined to present himself in a restrained, respectful and professional manner and not indulge in the sort of “trash-talking” histrionics that sometimes blight boxing.

“It’s definitely important how I represent myself to the public and that I conduct myself in a way that young people can look up to,” he says. “I want to put myself and boxing in a good light. I’m quite old-school like that.

“The people I admire are boxers like Anthony Joshua, he’s a great ambassador for the sport and you don’t see him out there acting the fool. If he can get to where he is without trash-talking, then why can’t I?”

........................

To buy tickets for Dan’s fights, contact him via Facebook or drop him a line on Twitter or Instagram @dan_azeez.

[mariasolemarionqi]

10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

Founded in September 2011, Snapchat continues to evolve and innovate in a way that keeps the industry on its toes. From impressive uses of augmented reality to clever lenses and filters, the company logged over one trillion snaps in 2017. That’s more than all the pictures taken by smartphones in the world.

Snapchat does not consider itself to be a social network, but in fact, a camera company. Its audience is passionate about communicating through photos and videos in a lighthearted way. Companies that thrive on the platform need to think visually and take their brand a little less seriously. Here are ten companies and campaigns creatively using the platform to reach and delight customers.

To thrive on Snapchat: 1) Think visually 2) Take your brand a little less seriously Click To Tweet 1. Casper’s Late Night Snap Hacks Gives Homebodies the Social Life of Their Dreams

Want your friends to think your social life is lit, even if you would rather cozy up at home? Casper’s late night snap hacks have you covered. To help eliminate the pressure of going out on the weekend, Casper created a microsite called LateNightSnapHacks.com filled with snappable videos.

Scenes include everything from a disco ball to people dancing at a club to driving through the streets of New York City. Just film the scene on Snapchat to create the illusion of a rockin’ night out. The result perfectly aligns with Casper’s quirky brand personality while adding value to its customer base.

2. Netflix’s Immersive Experience for Stranger Things Redefines What’s Possible on the Platform

Arguably one of the most innovative Snapchat campaigns this year came from Netflix’s Stranger Things. With the first-ever 3D World Lens, Netflix created a virtual portal transporting fans into Joyce Byers’ eerie living room. Once inside the living room, fans could tap on different parts of the room, from the couch to wallpaper and colored lights. While the ad was only live for one day, it inspired fans of the show and marketers alike with the types of immersive experiences possible on Snapchat.

Snapchat continues to lead in terms of what’s possible with augmented reality. As we look to 2018 and beyond, expect to see more companies leverage the platform to create these types of immersive experiences.

3. WOW Airlines Contest Offers Snapchat Enthusiasts a Chance to Travel the World

Taking a page from the “Best job in the world” campaign from Tourism Australia, WOW Airlines offered its Snapchat-savvy fans a chance to win the ultimate summer trip to some of the airline’s 28 destinations. Dubbed the world’s first-ever SnapTraveler program, the campaign asked applicants to create a Snapchat story in English under two minutes, save the video file, and upload it to the company’s contest microsite for a chance to win. WOW selected four winners from around the world, who spent the summer creating content for the company’s social media channels, including Snapchat.

The results? In addition to generating 10 million views across the brand’s social media channels, the contest also became WOW Air’s most shared news story with a total of 1.4 million social media shares. In addition to being a dream competition to win for fans, the contest is a great example of how a campaign can originate on Snapchat but also be re-purposed across multiple social media channels.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts Turns Fans Into Sprinkle-Inhaling Donuts for National Donut Day

Snapchat lenses provide incredibly creative opportunities for brands to showcase their personality and give fans a fun visual experience worth sharing. While countless other companies have tried their hand at clever lenses, Dunkin’ Donuts’ National Donut Day lens made this writer (and former employee) smile.

National Donut Day is an important annual holiday for the company and a humorous lens that turns your head into a gigantic pink donut inhaling sprinkles just makes you smile. When coupled with Dunkin’s other activations, which included an influencer takeover of the brand’s story, plus custom geofilters which could only be accessed in-stores or via the “Snap to Unlock” feature, the company gained ten times more Snapchat followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It remains the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date.

You donut want to miss our #NationalDonutDay lens on Snapchat today 6/2! : dunkindonuts http://pic.twitter.com/wEEJjRJ4xJ

— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) June 2, 2017

5. #WeAreCisco Snapchat Takeover Showcases Company Culture in a Fresh Way

While there are many great Snapchat marketing case studies, the #WeAreCisco campaign provides one of the best examples of using the platform to highlight your company culture. Through social listening and sourcing stories for the company’s Life at Cisco blog, the company identified a core team of employee brand evangelists to launch the brand’s Snapchat channel in 2016. While the account is run by the company’s Talent Brand Social Team, employees volunteer to manage the channel on specific days and share unique Snapchat stories from their perspective.

Since its launch, the company has had millions of minutes of Snapchat stories viewed with an average Snapchat story completion rate of between 60 to 70 percent. The company’s efforts have also inspired collabs with NASDAQ and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women conference.

6. The UK’s Department of Transport Taps Snapchat Geofilters to Fight Unsafe Drug Use

Snapchat geofilters are also an excellent tool for raising awareness of important causes. The UK government’s Department for Transport is using geofilters to warn a younger audience against the dangers of driving under the influence. The initiative is part of a larger campaign from the UK’s Department of Transport called “Think! Drug Driving Campaign.” The Snapchat geofilters feature imagery of prison bars, with the copy, “Drive High? The roadside swab will catch you. Think!”

The campaign generated some controversy in the UK news media surrounding the government agency’s decision to spend money to advertise on Snapchat. Nevertheless, the geofilter generated more than 700,000 uses and 13.2 million views in one day, helping the UK Department of Transport reach their target male audience between 18 and 34.

7. Call Me Maybe? Why Birchbox Encourages Fans to Call Them on Snapchat

What if, for one hour, you could call the social media team of a company you admired—all via Snapchat? To test out Snapchat’s video chat and voice call features, Birchbox offered fans a chance to call them at a set date and time via a Snapchat story. After one hour, the Birchbox’s team had fielded around 30 calls and received requests to host them again, prompting the company to start hosting video and voice calls through Snapchat on a weekly basis.

While this seems like a simple idea, it’s incredibly valuable for a few reasons. First, it puts a human face on the brand to facilitate new levels of connection with the company. Second, it’s valuable to customers looking for more personalized questions or recommendations. One-on-one advice from experts in the company is a great way to help convert more customers into subscription boxes or recommend à la carte skincare and beauty items to purchase.

8. McDonald’s Snaplications Could Transform the Face of Recruitment

Want to hire a millennial or perhaps someone from Gen Z? Take a page from McDonalds’ playbook and recruit them on a platform where they spend most of their time: Snapchat. The campaign originated in Australia, where McDonald’s launched the initiative. The Snapchat lens mimicked the employee uniform and asked interested applications to snap a 10-second video detailing their enthusiasm for the job opportunity.

Not only was the initiative successful, but it generated global interest and attention, prompting McDonald’s to launch Snaplications in the United States. During the summer hiring period in the United States, McDonald’s saw a 35 percent increase in application flow and a 30 percent traffic increase to the careers page due to the combined efforts of Snaplications and the larger marketing campaign. Only three percent of U.S. recruiters use Snapchat, but could this be the beginning of a larger trend?

9. Grubhub Snapchat Taps Games to Reward Fans Hungry for Discounts

Grubhub, an early adopter of Snapchat, actively uses the platform to target its college student demographic with content, ads, contests, and even scavenger hunts. In its most recent campaign, the company has launched a retro-styled game called “Food’s Here,” where fans can play for a chance to win discounts. Users can access the game through an ad in Snapchat stories. If a player wins all three levels, they will score $10 off their first order of $15 or more when they download the Grubhub app. The ad will run for 30 days. Grubhub is measuring success across the length of gameplay, the swipe-up rate, offer redemptions, plus other actions taken after the game.

10. Sprite Offers Fans and Influencers Premium Snapcode Real Estate

In Brazil, Sprite offered Snapchat influencers and fans an incredibly unique opportunity: a chance to have their Snapcode featured on cans sold across the country. Called “RFRSH Na Lata,” or “refresh on the can,” fans could enter by registering their Snapcode on a microsite. To raise awareness for the campaign, Sprite partnered with 15 influential Brazilian Snapchat stars to print their Snapcodes on cans, an effort which tripled many of the influencer’s fanbases over a two-week period.

Featuring celebrities or fans on packaging or advertisements isn’t anything new (Wheaties box, anyone?). However, Sprite’s campaign shows that Snapcodes have made it cool—and actionable—again. The campaign generated over two million views in days and gave the company’s millennial audience another reason to enjoy a can of Sprite.

http://ift.tt/1gaZoxe

#10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

[byronheeutgm]

10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

Founded in September 2011, Snapchat continues to evolve and innovate in a way that keeps the industry on its toes. From impressive uses of augmented reality to clever lenses and filters, the company logged over one trillion snaps in 2017. That’s more than all the pictures taken by smartphones in the world.

Snapchat does not consider itself to be a social network, but in fact, a camera company. Its audience is passionate about communicating through photos and videos in a lighthearted way. Companies that thrive on the platform need to think visually and take their brand a little less seriously. Here are ten companies and campaigns creatively using the platform to reach and delight customers.

To thrive on Snapchat: 1) Think visually 2) Take your brand a little less seriously Click To Tweet 1. Casper’s Late Night Snap Hacks Gives Homebodies the Social Life of Their Dreams

Want your friends to think your social life is lit, even if you would rather cozy up at home? Casper’s late night snap hacks have you covered. To help eliminate the pressure of going out on the weekend, Casper created a microsite called LateNightSnapHacks.com filled with snappable videos.

Scenes include everything from a disco ball to people dancing at a club to driving through the streets of New York City. Just film the scene on Snapchat to create the illusion of a rockin’ night out. The result perfectly aligns with Casper’s quirky brand personality while adding value to its customer base.

2. Netflix’s Immersive Experience for Stranger Things Redefines What’s Possible on the Platform

Arguably one of the most innovative Snapchat campaigns this year came from Netflix’s Stranger Things. With the first-ever 3D World Lens, Netflix created a virtual portal transporting fans into Joyce Byers’ eerie living room. Once inside the living room, fans could tap on different parts of the room, from the couch to wallpaper and colored lights. While the ad was only live for one day, it inspired fans of the show and marketers alike with the types of immersive experiences possible on Snapchat.

Snapchat continues to lead in terms of what’s possible with augmented reality. As we look to 2018 and beyond, expect to see more companies leverage the platform to create these types of immersive experiences.

3. WOW Airlines Contest Offers Snapchat Enthusiasts a Chance to Travel the World

Taking a page from the “Best job in the world” campaign from Tourism Australia, WOW Airlines offered its Snapchat-savvy fans a chance to win the ultimate summer trip to some of the airline’s 28 destinations. Dubbed the world’s first-ever SnapTraveler program, the campaign asked applicants to create a Snapchat story in English under two minutes, save the video file, and upload it to the company’s contest microsite for a chance to win. WOW selected four winners from around the world, who spent the summer creating content for the company’s social media channels, including Snapchat.

The results? In addition to generating 10 million views across the brand’s social media channels, the contest also became WOW Air’s most shared news story with a total of 1.4 million social media shares. In addition to being a dream competition to win for fans, the contest is a great example of how a campaign can originate on Snapchat but also be re-purposed across multiple social media channels.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts Turns Fans Into Sprinkle-Inhaling Donuts for National Donut Day

Snapchat lenses provide incredibly creative opportunities for brands to showcase their personality and give fans a fun visual experience worth sharing. While countless other companies have tried their hand at clever lenses, Dunkin’ Donuts’ National Donut Day lens made this writer (and former employee) smile.

National Donut Day is an important annual holiday for the company and a humorous lens that turns your head into a gigantic pink donut inhaling sprinkles just makes you smile. When coupled with Dunkin’s other activations, which included an influencer takeover of the brand’s story, plus custom geofilters which could only be accessed in-stores or via the “Snap to Unlock” feature, the company gained ten times more Snapchat followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It remains the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date.

You donut want to miss our #NationalDonutDay lens on Snapchat today 6/2! : dunkindonuts http://pic.twitter.com/wEEJjRJ4xJ

— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) June 2, 2017

5. #WeAreCisco Snapchat Takeover Showcases Company Culture in a Fresh Way

While there are many great Snapchat marketing case studies, the #WeAreCisco campaign provides one of the best examples of using the platform to highlight your company culture. Through social listening and sourcing stories for the company’s Life at Cisco blog, the company identified a core team of employee brand evangelists to launch the brand’s Snapchat channel in 2016. While the account is run by the company’s Talent Brand Social Team, employees volunteer to manage the channel on specific days and share unique Snapchat stories from their perspective.

Since its launch, the company has had millions of minutes of Snapchat stories viewed with an average Snapchat story completion rate of between 60 to 70 percent. The company’s efforts have also inspired collabs with NASDAQ and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women conference.

6. The UK’s Department of Transport Taps Snapchat Geofilters to Fight Unsafe Drug Use

Snapchat geofilters are also an excellent tool for raising awareness of important causes. The UK government’s Department for Transport is using geofilters to warn a younger audience against the dangers of driving under the influence. The initiative is part of a larger campaign from the UK’s Department of Transport called “Think! Drug Driving Campaign.” The Snapchat geofilters feature imagery of prison bars, with the copy, “Drive High? The roadside swab will catch you. Think!”

The campaign generated some controversy in the UK news media surrounding the government agency’s decision to spend money to advertise on Snapchat. Nevertheless, the geofilter generated more than 700,000 uses and 13.2 million views in one day, helping the UK Department of Transport reach their target male audience between 18 and 34.

7. Call Me Maybe? Why Birchbox Encourages Fans to Call Them on Snapchat

What if, for one hour, you could call the social media team of a company you admired—all via Snapchat? To test out Snapchat’s video chat and voice call features, Birchbox offered fans a chance to call them at a set date and time via a Snapchat story. After one hour, the Birchbox’s team had fielded around 30 calls and received requests to host them again, prompting the company to start hosting video and voice calls through Snapchat on a weekly basis.

While this seems like a simple idea, it’s incredibly valuable for a few reasons. First, it puts a human face on the brand to facilitate new levels of connection with the company. Second, it’s valuable to customers looking for more personalized questions or recommendations. One-on-one advice from experts in the company is a great way to help convert more customers into subscription boxes or recommend à la carte skincare and beauty items to purchase.

8. McDonald’s Snaplications Could Transform the Face of Recruitment

Want to hire a millennial or perhaps someone from Gen Z? Take a page from McDonalds’ playbook and recruit them on a platform where they spend most of their time: Snapchat. The campaign originated in Australia, where McDonald’s launched the initiative. The Snapchat lens mimicked the employee uniform and asked interested applications to snap a 10-second video detailing their enthusiasm for the job opportunity.

Not only was the initiative successful, but it generated global interest and attention, prompting McDonald’s to launch Snaplications in the United States. During the summer hiring period in the United States, McDonald’s saw a 35 percent increase in application flow and a 30 percent traffic increase to the careers page due to the combined efforts of Snaplications and the larger marketing campaign. Only three percent of U.S. recruiters use Snapchat, but could this be the beginning of a larger trend?

9. Grubhub Snapchat Taps Games to Reward Fans Hungry for Discounts

Grubhub, an early adopter of Snapchat, actively uses the platform to target its college student demographic with content, ads, contests, and even scavenger hunts. In its most recent campaign, the company has launched a retro-styled game called “Food’s Here,” where fans can play for a chance to win discounts. Users can access the game through an ad in Snapchat stories. If a player wins all three levels, they will score $10 off their first order of $15 or more when they download the Grubhub app. The ad will run for 30 days. Grubhub is measuring success across the length of gameplay, the swipe-up rate, offer redemptions, plus other actions taken after the game.

10. Sprite Offers Fans and Influencers Premium Snapcode Real Estate

In Brazil, Sprite offered Snapchat influencers and fans an incredibly unique opportunity: a chance to have their Snapcode featured on cans sold across the country. Called “RFRSH Na Lata,” or “refresh on the can,” fans could enter by registering their Snapcode on a microsite. To raise awareness for the campaign, Sprite partnered with 15 influential Brazilian Snapchat stars to print their Snapcodes on cans, an effort which tripled many of the influencer’s fanbases over a two-week period.

Featuring celebrities or fans on packaging or advertisements isn’t anything new (Wheaties box, anyone?). However, Sprite’s campaign shows that Snapcodes have made it cool—and actionable—again. The campaign generated over two million views in days and gave the company’s millennial audience another reason to enjoy a can of Sprite.

http://ift.tt/1gaZoxe

#10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

[fairchildlingpo1]

10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

Founded in September 2011, Snapchat continues to evolve and innovate in a way that keeps the industry on its toes. From impressive uses of augmented reality to clever lenses and filters, the company logged over one trillion snaps in 2017. That’s more than all the pictures taken by smartphones in the world.

Snapchat does not consider itself to be a social network, but in fact, a camera company. Its audience is passionate about communicating through photos and videos in a lighthearted way. Companies that thrive on the platform need to think visually and take their brand a little less seriously. Here are ten companies and campaigns creatively using the platform to reach and delight customers.

To thrive on Snapchat: 1) Think visually 2) Take your brand a little less seriously Click To Tweet 1. Casper’s Late Night Snap Hacks Gives Homebodies the Social Life of Their Dreams

Want your friends to think your social life is lit, even if you would rather cozy up at home? Casper’s late night snap hacks have you covered. To help eliminate the pressure of going out on the weekend, Casper created a microsite called LateNightSnapHacks.com filled with snappable videos.

Scenes include everything from a disco ball to people dancing at a club to driving through the streets of New York City. Just film the scene on Snapchat to create the illusion of a rockin’ night out. The result perfectly aligns with Casper’s quirky brand personality while adding value to its customer base.

2. Netflix’s Immersive Experience for Stranger Things Redefines What’s Possible on the Platform

Arguably one of the most innovative Snapchat campaigns this year came from Netflix’s Stranger Things. With the first-ever 3D World Lens, Netflix created a virtual portal transporting fans into Joyce Byers’ eerie living room. Once inside the living room, fans could tap on different parts of the room, from the couch to wallpaper and colored lights. While the ad was only live for one day, it inspired fans of the show and marketers alike with the types of immersive experiences possible on Snapchat.

Snapchat continues to lead in terms of what’s possible with augmented reality. As we look to 2018 and beyond, expect to see more companies leverage the platform to create these types of immersive experiences.

3. WOW Airlines Contest Offers Snapchat Enthusiasts a Chance to Travel the World

Taking a page from the “Best job in the world” campaign from Tourism Australia, WOW Airlines offered its Snapchat-savvy fans a chance to win the ultimate summer trip to some of the airline’s 28 destinations. Dubbed the world’s first-ever SnapTraveler program, the campaign asked applicants to create a Snapchat story in English under two minutes, save the video file, and upload it to the company’s contest microsite for a chance to win. WOW selected four winners from around the world, who spent the summer creating content for the company’s social media channels, including Snapchat.

The results? In addition to generating 10 million views across the brand’s social media channels, the contest also became WOW Air’s most shared news story with a total of 1.4 million social media shares. In addition to being a dream competition to win for fans, the contest is a great example of how a campaign can originate on Snapchat but also be re-purposed across multiple social media channels.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts Turns Fans Into Sprinkle-Inhaling Donuts for National Donut Day

Snapchat lenses provide incredibly creative opportunities for brands to showcase their personality and give fans a fun visual experience worth sharing. While countless other companies have tried their hand at clever lenses, Dunkin’ Donuts’ National Donut Day lens made this writer (and former employee) smile.

National Donut Day is an important annual holiday for the company and a humorous lens that turns your head into a gigantic pink donut inhaling sprinkles just makes you smile. When coupled with Dunkin’s other activations, which included an influencer takeover of the brand’s story, plus custom geofilters which could only be accessed in-stores or via the “Snap to Unlock” feature, the company gained ten times more Snapchat followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It remains the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date.

You donut want to miss our #NationalDonutDay lens on Snapchat today 6/2! : dunkindonuts http://pic.twitter.com/wEEJjRJ4xJ

— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) June 2, 2017

5. #WeAreCisco Snapchat Takeover Showcases Company Culture in a Fresh Way

While there are many great Snapchat marketing case studies, the #WeAreCisco campaign provides one of the best examples of using the platform to highlight your company culture. Through social listening and sourcing stories for the company’s Life at Cisco blog, the company identified a core team of employee brand evangelists to launch the brand’s Snapchat channel in 2016. While the account is run by the company’s Talent Brand Social Team, employees volunteer to manage the channel on specific days and share unique Snapchat stories from their perspective.

Since its launch, the company has had millions of minutes of Snapchat stories viewed with an average Snapchat story completion rate of between 60 to 70 percent. The company’s efforts have also inspired collabs with NASDAQ and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women conference.

6. The UK’s Department of Transport Taps Snapchat Geofilters to Fight Unsafe Drug Use

Snapchat geofilters are also an excellent tool for raising awareness of important causes. The UK government’s Department for Transport is using geofilters to warn a younger audience against the dangers of driving under the influence. The initiative is part of a larger campaign from the UK’s Department of Transport called “Think! Drug Driving Campaign.” The Snapchat geofilters feature imagery of prison bars, with the copy, “Drive High? The roadside swab will catch you. Think!”

The campaign generated some controversy in the UK news media surrounding the government agency’s decision to spend money to advertise on Snapchat. Nevertheless, the geofilter generated more than 700,000 uses and 13.2 million views in one day, helping the UK Department of Transport reach their target male audience between 18 and 34.

7. Call Me Maybe? Why Birchbox Encourages Fans to Call Them on Snapchat

What if, for one hour, you could call the social media team of a company you admired—all via Snapchat? To test out Snapchat’s video chat and voice call features, Birchbox offered fans a chance to call them at a set date and time via a Snapchat story. After one hour, the Birchbox’s team had fielded around 30 calls and received requests to host them again, prompting the company to start hosting video and voice calls through Snapchat on a weekly basis.

While this seems like a simple idea, it’s incredibly valuable for a few reasons. First, it puts a human face on the brand to facilitate new levels of connection with the company. Second, it’s valuable to customers looking for more personalized questions or recommendations. One-on-one advice from experts in the company is a great way to help convert more customers into subscription boxes or recommend à la carte skincare and beauty items to purchase.

8. McDonald’s Snaplications Could Transform the Face of Recruitment

Want to hire a millennial or perhaps someone from Gen Z? Take a page from McDonalds’ playbook and recruit them on a platform where they spend most of their time: Snapchat. The campaign originated in Australia, where McDonald’s launched the initiative. The Snapchat lens mimicked the employee uniform and asked interested applications to snap a 10-second video detailing their enthusiasm for the job opportunity.

Not only was the initiative successful, but it generated global interest and attention, prompting McDonald’s to launch Snaplications in the United States. During the summer hiring period in the United States, McDonald’s saw a 35 percent increase in application flow and a 30 percent traffic increase to the careers page due to the combined efforts of Snaplications and the larger marketing campaign. Only three percent of U.S. recruiters use Snapchat, but could this be the beginning of a larger trend?

9. Grubhub Snapchat Taps Games to Reward Fans Hungry for Discounts

Grubhub, an early adopter of Snapchat, actively uses the platform to target its college student demographic with content, ads, contests, and even scavenger hunts. In its most recent campaign, the company has launched a retro-styled game called “Food’s Here,” where fans can play for a chance to win discounts. Users can access the game through an ad in Snapchat stories. If a player wins all three levels, they will score $10 off their first order of $15 or more when they download the Grubhub app. The ad will run for 30 days. Grubhub is measuring success across the length of gameplay, the swipe-up rate, offer redemptions, plus other actions taken after the game.

10. Sprite Offers Fans and Influencers Premium Snapcode Real Estate

In Brazil, Sprite offered Snapchat influencers and fans an incredibly unique opportunity: a chance to have their Snapcode featured on cans sold across the country. Called “RFRSH Na Lata,” or “refresh on the can,” fans could enter by registering their Snapcode on a microsite. To raise awareness for the campaign, Sprite partnered with 15 influential Brazilian Snapchat stars to print their Snapcodes on cans, an effort which tripled many of the influencer’s fanbases over a two-week period.

Featuring celebrities or fans on packaging or advertisements isn’t anything new (Wheaties box, anyone?). However, Sprite’s campaign shows that Snapcodes have made it cool—and actionable—again. The campaign generated over two million views in days and gave the company’s millennial audience another reason to enjoy a can of Sprite.

http://ift.tt/1gaZoxe

#10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

[dainiaolivahm]

10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

Founded in September 2011, Snapchat continues to evolve and innovate in a way that keeps the industry on its toes. From impressive uses of augmented reality to clever lenses and filters, the company logged over one trillion snaps in 2017. That’s more than all the pictures taken by smartphones in the world.

Snapchat does not consider itself to be a social network, but in fact, a camera company. Its audience is passionate about communicating through photos and videos in a lighthearted way. Companies that thrive on the platform need to think visually and take their brand a little less seriously. Here are ten companies and campaigns creatively using the platform to reach and delight customers.

To thrive on Snapchat: 1) Think visually 2) Take your brand a little less seriously Click To Tweet 1. Casper’s Late Night Snap Hacks Gives Homebodies the Social Life of Their Dreams

Want your friends to think your social life is lit, even if you would rather cozy up at home? Casper’s late night snap hacks have you covered. To help eliminate the pressure of going out on the weekend, Casper created a microsite called LateNightSnapHacks.com filled with snappable videos.

Scenes include everything from a disco ball to people dancing at a club to driving through the streets of New York City. Just film the scene on Snapchat to create the illusion of a rockin’ night out. The result perfectly aligns with Casper’s quirky brand personality while adding value to its customer base.

2. Netflix’s Immersive Experience for Stranger Things Redefines What’s Possible on the Platform

Arguably one of the most innovative Snapchat campaigns this year came from Netflix’s Stranger Things. With the first-ever 3D World Lens, Netflix created a virtual portal transporting fans into Joyce Byers’ eerie living room. Once inside the living room, fans could tap on different parts of the room, from the couch to wallpaper and colored lights. While the ad was only live for one day, it inspired fans of the show and marketers alike with the types of immersive experiences possible on Snapchat.

Snapchat continues to lead in terms of what’s possible with augmented reality. As we look to 2018 and beyond, expect to see more companies leverage the platform to create these types of immersive experiences.

3. WOW Airlines Contest Offers Snapchat Enthusiasts a Chance to Travel the World

Taking a page from the “Best job in the world” campaign from Tourism Australia, WOW Airlines offered its Snapchat-savvy fans a chance to win the ultimate summer trip to some of the airline’s 28 destinations. Dubbed the world’s first-ever SnapTraveler program, the campaign asked applicants to create a Snapchat story in English under two minutes, save the video file, and upload it to the company’s contest microsite for a chance to win. WOW selected four winners from around the world, who spent the summer creating content for the company’s social media channels, including Snapchat.

The results? In addition to generating 10 million views across the brand’s social media channels, the contest also became WOW Air’s most shared news story with a total of 1.4 million social media shares. In addition to being a dream competition to win for fans, the contest is a great example of how a campaign can originate on Snapchat but also be re-purposed across multiple social media channels.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts Turns Fans Into Sprinkle-Inhaling Donuts for National Donut Day

Snapchat lenses provide incredibly creative opportunities for brands to showcase their personality and give fans a fun visual experience worth sharing. While countless other companies have tried their hand at clever lenses, Dunkin’ Donuts’ National Donut Day lens made this writer (and former employee) smile.

National Donut Day is an important annual holiday for the company and a humorous lens that turns your head into a gigantic pink donut inhaling sprinkles just makes you smile. When coupled with Dunkin’s other activations, which included an influencer takeover of the brand’s story, plus custom geofilters which could only be accessed in-stores or via the “Snap to Unlock” feature, the company gained ten times more Snapchat followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It remains the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date.

You donut want to miss our #NationalDonutDay lens on Snapchat today 6/2! : dunkindonuts http://pic.twitter.com/wEEJjRJ4xJ

— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) June 2, 2017

5. #WeAreCisco Snapchat Takeover Showcases Company Culture in a Fresh Way

While there are many great Snapchat marketing case studies, the #WeAreCisco campaign provides one of the best examples of using the platform to highlight your company culture. Through social listening and sourcing stories for the company’s Life at Cisco blog, the company identified a core team of employee brand evangelists to launch the brand’s Snapchat channel in 2016. While the account is run by the company’s Talent Brand Social Team, employees volunteer to manage the channel on specific days and share unique Snapchat stories from their perspective.

Since its launch, the company has had millions of minutes of Snapchat stories viewed with an average Snapchat story completion rate of between 60 to 70 percent. The company’s efforts have also inspired collabs with NASDAQ and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women conference.

6. The UK’s Department of Transport Taps Snapchat Geofilters to Fight Unsafe Drug Use

Snapchat geofilters are also an excellent tool for raising awareness of important causes. The UK government’s Department for Transport is using geofilters to warn a younger audience against the dangers of driving under the influence. The initiative is part of a larger campaign from the UK’s Department of Transport called “Think! Drug Driving Campaign.” The Snapchat geofilters feature imagery of prison bars, with the copy, “Drive High? The roadside swab will catch you. Think!”

The campaign generated some controversy in the UK news media surrounding the government agency’s decision to spend money to advertise on Snapchat. Nevertheless, the geofilter generated more than 700,000 uses and 13.2 million views in one day, helping the UK Department of Transport reach their target male audience between 18 and 34.

7. Call Me Maybe? Why Birchbox Encourages Fans to Call Them on Snapchat

What if, for one hour, you could call the social media team of a company you admired—all via Snapchat? To test out Snapchat’s video chat and voice call features, Birchbox offered fans a chance to call them at a set date and time via a Snapchat story. After one hour, the Birchbox’s team had fielded around 30 calls and received requests to host them again, prompting the company to start hosting video and voice calls through Snapchat on a weekly basis.

While this seems like a simple idea, it’s incredibly valuable for a few reasons. First, it puts a human face on the brand to facilitate new levels of connection with the company. Second, it’s valuable to customers looking for more personalized questions or recommendations. One-on-one advice from experts in the company is a great way to help convert more customers into subscription boxes or recommend à la carte skincare and beauty items to purchase.

8. McDonald’s Snaplications Could Transform the Face of Recruitment

Want to hire a millennial or perhaps someone from Gen Z? Take a page from McDonalds’ playbook and recruit them on a platform where they spend most of their time: Snapchat. The campaign originated in Australia, where McDonald’s launched the initiative. The Snapchat lens mimicked the employee uniform and asked interested applications to snap a 10-second video detailing their enthusiasm for the job opportunity.

Not only was the initiative successful, but it generated global interest and attention, prompting McDonald’s to launch Snaplications in the United States. During the summer hiring period in the United States, McDonald’s saw a 35 percent increase in application flow and a 30 percent traffic increase to the careers page due to the combined efforts of Snaplications and the larger marketing campaign. Only three percent of U.S. recruiters use Snapchat, but could this be the beginning of a larger trend?

9. Grubhub Snapchat Taps Games to Reward Fans Hungry for Discounts

Grubhub, an early adopter of Snapchat, actively uses the platform to target its college student demographic with content, ads, contests, and even scavenger hunts. In its most recent campaign, the company has launched a retro-styled game called “Food’s Here,” where fans can play for a chance to win discounts. Users can access the game through an ad in Snapchat stories. If a player wins all three levels, they will score $10 off their first order of $15 or more when they download the Grubhub app. The ad will run for 30 days. Grubhub is measuring success across the length of gameplay, the swipe-up rate, offer redemptions, plus other actions taken after the game.

10. Sprite Offers Fans and Influencers Premium Snapcode Real Estate

In Brazil, Sprite offered Snapchat influencers and fans an incredibly unique opportunity: a chance to have their Snapcode featured on cans sold across the country. Called “RFRSH Na Lata,” or “refresh on the can,” fans could enter by registering their Snapcode on a microsite. To raise awareness for the campaign, Sprite partnered with 15 influential Brazilian Snapchat stars to print their Snapcodes on cans, an effort which tripled many of the influencer’s fanbases over a two-week period.

Featuring celebrities or fans on packaging or advertisements isn’t anything new (Wheaties box, anyone?). However, Sprite’s campaign shows that Snapcodes have made it cool—and actionable—again. The campaign generated over two million views in days and gave the company’s millennial audience another reason to enjoy a can of Sprite.

http://ift.tt/1gaZoxe

#10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

[rodneyevesuarywk]

10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat

Founded in September 2011, Snapchat continues to evolve and innovate in a way that keeps the industry on its toes. From impressive uses of augmented reality to clever lenses and filters, the company logged over one trillion snaps in 2017. That’s more than all the pictures taken by smartphones in the world.

Snapchat does not consider itself to be a social network, but in fact, a camera company. Its audience is passionate about communicating through photos and videos in a lighthearted way. Companies that thrive on the platform need to think visually and take their brand a little less seriously. Here are ten companies and campaigns creatively using the platform to reach and delight customers.

To thrive on Snapchat: 1) Think visually 2) Take your brand a little less seriously Click To Tweet 1. Casper’s Late Night Snap Hacks Gives Homebodies the Social Life of Their Dreams

Want your friends to think your social life is lit, even if you would rather cozy up at home? Casper’s late night snap hacks have you covered. To help eliminate the pressure of going out on the weekend, Casper created a microsite called LateNightSnapHacks.com filled with snappable videos.

Scenes include everything from a disco ball to people dancing at a club to driving through the streets of New York City. Just film the scene on Snapchat to create the illusion of a rockin’ night out. The result perfectly aligns with Casper’s quirky brand personality while adding value to its customer base.

2. Netflix’s Immersive Experience for Stranger Things Redefines What’s Possible on the Platform

Arguably one of the most innovative Snapchat campaigns this year came from Netflix’s Stranger Things. With the first-ever 3D World Lens, Netflix created a virtual portal transporting fans into Joyce Byers’ eerie living room. Once inside the living room, fans could tap on different parts of the room, from the couch to wallpaper and colored lights. While the ad was only live for one day, it inspired fans of the show and marketers alike with the types of immersive experiences possible on Snapchat.

Snapchat continues to lead in terms of what’s possible with augmented reality. As we look to 2018 and beyond, expect to see more companies leverage the platform to create these types of immersive experiences.

3. WOW Airlines Contest Offers Snapchat Enthusiasts a Chance to Travel the World

Taking a page from the “Best job in the world” campaign from Tourism Australia, WOW Airlines offered its Snapchat-savvy fans a chance to win the ultimate summer trip to some of the airline’s 28 destinations. Dubbed the world’s first-ever SnapTraveler program, the campaign asked applicants to create a Snapchat story in English under two minutes, save the video file, and upload it to the company’s contest microsite for a chance to win. WOW selected four winners from around the world, who spent the summer creating content for the company’s social media channels, including Snapchat.

The results? In addition to generating 10 million views across the brand’s social media channels, the contest also became WOW Air’s most shared news story with a total of 1.4 million social media shares. In addition to being a dream competition to win for fans, the contest is a great example of how a campaign can originate on Snapchat but also be re-purposed across multiple social media channels.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts Turns Fans Into Sprinkle-Inhaling Donuts for National Donut Day

Snapchat lenses provide incredibly creative opportunities for brands to showcase their personality and give fans a fun visual experience worth sharing. While countless other companies have tried their hand at clever lenses, Dunkin’ Donuts’ National Donut Day lens made this writer (and former employee) smile.

National Donut Day is an important annual holiday for the company and a humorous lens that turns your head into a gigantic pink donut inhaling sprinkles just makes you smile. When coupled with Dunkin’s other activations, which included an influencer takeover of the brand’s story, plus custom geofilters which could only be accessed in-stores or via the “Snap to Unlock” feature, the company gained ten times more Snapchat followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It remains the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date.

You donut want to miss our #NationalDonutDay lens on Snapchat today 6/2! : dunkindonuts http://pic.twitter.com/wEEJjRJ4xJ

— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) June 2, 2017

5. #WeAreCisco Snapchat Takeover Showcases Company Culture in a Fresh Way

While there are many great Snapchat marketing case studies, the #WeAreCisco campaign provides one of the best examples of using the platform to highlight your company culture. Through social listening and sourcing stories for the company’s Life at Cisco blog, the company identified a core team of employee brand evangelists to launch the brand’s Snapchat channel in 2016. While the account is run by the company’s Talent Brand Social Team, employees volunteer to manage the channel on specific days and share unique Snapchat stories from their perspective.

Since its launch, the company has had millions of minutes of Snapchat stories viewed with an average Snapchat story completion rate of between 60 to 70 percent. The company’s efforts have also inspired collabs with NASDAQ and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women conference.

6. The UK’s Department of Transport Taps Snapchat Geofilters to Fight Unsafe Drug Use

Snapchat geofilters are also an excellent tool for raising awareness of important causes. The UK government’s Department for Transport is using geofilters to warn a younger audience against the dangers of driving under the influence. The initiative is part of a larger campaign from the UK’s Department of Transport called “Think! Drug Driving Campaign.” The Snapchat geofilters feature imagery of prison bars, with the copy, “Drive High? The roadside swab will catch you. Think!”

The campaign generated some controversy in the UK news media surrounding the government agency’s decision to spend money to advertise on Snapchat. Nevertheless, the geofilter generated more than 700,000 uses and 13.2 million views in one day, helping the UK Department of Transport reach their target male audience between 18 and 34.

7. Call Me Maybe? Why Birchbox Encourages Fans to Call Them on Snapchat

What if, for one hour, you could call the social media team of a company you admired—all via Snapchat? To test out Snapchat’s video chat and voice call features, Birchbox offered fans a chance to call them at a set date and time via a Snapchat story. After one hour, the Birchbox’s team had fielded around 30 calls and received requests to host them again, prompting the company to start hosting video and voice calls through Snapchat on a weekly basis.

While this seems like a simple idea, it’s incredibly valuable for a few reasons. First, it puts a human face on the brand to facilitate new levels of connection with the company. Second, it’s valuable to customers looking for more personalized questions or recommendations. One-on-one advice from experts in the company is a great way to help convert more customers into subscription boxes or recommend à la carte skincare and beauty items to purchase.

8. McDonald’s Snaplications Could Transform the Face of Recruitment

Want to hire a millennial or perhaps someone from Gen Z? Take a page from McDonalds’ playbook and recruit them on a platform where they spend most of their time: Snapchat. The campaign originated in Australia, where McDonald’s launched the initiative. The Snapchat lens mimicked the employee uniform and asked interested applications to snap a 10-second video detailing their enthusiasm for the job opportunity.

Not only was the initiative successful, but it generated global interest and attention, prompting McDonald’s to launch Snaplications in the United States. During the summer hiring period in the United States, McDonald’s saw a 35 percent increase in application flow and a 30 percent traffic increase to the careers page due to the combined efforts of Snaplications and the larger marketing campaign. Only three percent of U.S. recruiters use Snapchat, but could this be the beginning of a larger trend?

9. Grubhub Snapchat Taps Games to Reward Fans Hungry for Discounts

Grubhub, an early adopter of Snapchat, actively uses the platform to target its college student demographic with content, ads, contests, and even scavenger hunts. In its most recent campaign, the company has launched a retro-styled game called “Food’s Here,” where fans can play for a chance to win discounts. Users can access the game through an ad in Snapchat stories. If a player wins all three levels, they will score $10 off their first order of $15 or more when they download the Grubhub app. The ad will run for 30 days. Grubhub is measuring success across the length of gameplay, the swipe-up rate, offer redemptions, plus other actions taken after the game.

10. Sprite Offers Fans and Influencers Premium Snapcode Real Estate

In Brazil, Sprite offered Snapchat influencers and fans an incredibly unique opportunity: a chance to have their Snapcode featured on cans sold across the country. Called “RFRSH Na Lata,” or “refresh on the can,” fans could enter by registering their Snapcode on a microsite. To raise awareness for the campaign, Sprite partnered with 15 influential Brazilian Snapchat stars to print their Snapcodes on cans, an effort which tripled many of the influencer’s fanbases over a two-week period.

Featuring celebrities or fans on packaging or advertisements isn’t anything new (Wheaties box, anyone?). However, Sprite’s campaign shows that Snapcodes have made it cool—and actionable—again. The campaign generated over two million views in days and gave the company’s millennial audience another reason to enjoy a can of Sprite.

http://ift.tt/1gaZoxe

#10 Creative Ways Companies Are Using Snapchat