Frequent Flasher 

My cousin Jeff Young at Wynwood Walls. He emerged himself in the art. Eliot tried it too.

My cousin Jeff has had an obsession with flashlights for years. He has bought all kinds of fancy flashlights at many different price points. He is forever showing off various features and flashing their lights to demonstrate how far they can beam.

We would all laugh because we thought he was being silly. That notion recently changed for me when Jeff and his family visited us in Miami this past March. One night we were walking to a nearby restaurant and had to cross a very dark street. Instead of making a mad dash across the walkway, Jeff simply lit up the entire stretch and we proceeded without any difficulty.

That’s why my eyes opened wide when I read about the Shadowhawk X800, a new Navy Seal Grade tactical flashlight. It’s 100 times brighter than anything thing else. It sells for $200. I just learned that 20,000 units sold this month. Be sure to take advantage of the $75 gift certificate. 

You may think the flashlight on your smartphone is good enough. They simply don’t light up an entire area like a spotlight. The idea is to make your surrounding area visible for all to see.

 The company claims, “With the rise of domestic terrorism, Americans are searching for better ways to protect themselves and their families against crime. 

“The solution? Tactical flashlights. These are becoming popular self-defense tools in the wake of recent terror events. Companies like us, featuring Tactical Flashlights, can’t keep up with demand.” 

This is no flash in the pan.

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After 40 Years 

We listed our NYC co-op. This is going to be a very emotional journey. There is no explanation as to why now, other than we feel it’s time. We are very fortunate to have The (Howard) Margolis Team of Douglas Elliman representing us. 

Howard and I met online a few years ago, when I was searching around for an elaborate apartment to use for a press party. We did the event together in a whopper of a penthouse in Tudor City. We’ve been friendly ever since.

I never thought we would be working together on this project so soon. Eliot and I made the decision a few months ago and now one of the most famous real estate agents in the country is selling the place that has served us so well for decades. Howard was on Million Dollar Listing, NY, last week.

This is not the end for us in NYC. Eliot and I just want a different view.

Start Your Own Magazine 



It wasn’t that long ago that we all had printed pictures that we placed in photo albums. I used to spend hours each week looking at my photos.  I had a difficult time keeping the photos intact on the page as well as preventing them from fading, I was thrilled when everything went digital. 

No more printed photos. I now keep all of my photos in my camera roll. The trouble is that I am now storing a few thousand photos and never scroll back to look at any of them. 

That’s why I became intrigued with a new app called  Recently. It’s like going back to the future. Recently issues a monthly magazine featuring 100 of my best recent photos. Of course, I have to give Recently permission to review my camera roll. 

Recently charges $9 a month.  If I want, I can manually select and  remove pictures before they get published. The paper magazine will be sent to me every month. 

Say cheese! 

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The Meaning Of Passover  

Happy Passover to my family, friends, and acquaintances.

    
 

Smart Pillows  


   
 Images: Ultradia

Smart this, smart that. 

Everything we use today has to be “smart.” Now the smart technology has reached the pillow. I recently saw a demonstration of a smart pillow at eMerge, the Miami tech show.

The Chrona sleep system turns any pillow into a smart pillow. The Chrona technology is placed in a pillowcase so it can measure the movements of your head and torso. The companion app measures how well you slept and can also gently wake you up.

The company’s website explains the process. 

“Chrona uses an accelerometer to measure your movements while you sleep. Its Bluetooth Low Energy module safely transmits data between your Smartpillow and smartphone. Chrona is energy-efficient, so you’ll be able to power Chrona for over a week with a single charge.”

Watch the video for a precise explanation. 

Co-Founders Zimin Hang and Ben Bronsther teamed up with engineering students from Washington University in St. Louis to develop Chrona. Their company name is  Ultradia.
Expect to see more and more companies in this field. Many Americans are obsessed with how and when they sleep. They will do anything for a good night’s sleep. That sounds like big business to me.

Photos That Make Me Think

Eliot and I just finished watching the Robert Mapplethorpe documentary on HBO. I started to think about my own photos or the ones of others that I altered. I probably take more iPhone pictures than the average person. Today I want to share some of the ones I edited with Pop Art and then I want to show some of the ones I was wowed by on Facebook or  Instagram.

   

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Cindy Lundin Mesaros, a former client and a very sexy mama.

  

Alison Grand, a beautiful PR lady.

  

Elle Gerstler, a hottie NY real estate agent.

  

My brother Steve, a handsome educator.

  

Claire Lardner, a stunning entrepreneur.

  

Andy Pargh, a debonair drone expert.

 

My daughter’s pride and joy.

 
 

i went to high school with this famous painter.

 

My amazing girfriend Marsha living it up in Cuba.

  

The cutest little thing you ever saw.

The Book In You   

   

They say there is a book in all of us. The trouble is that most of us never reach in and bring that book out.

  

All that can now change. There are a several apps that can help you write stories. 

I read about them in The New York Times. I’m going to try, one by one, till I find my comfort zone. The apps are suppose to organize, motivate, and coach you during the writing process. 

That means you can write a book on the go. Everytime you have an idea, open the app and start typing away.  

Here are some options:

Storyist –the NY Times favorite. It’s a fully-featured text editor with options for: fonts, coloring and formatting.
iA Writer is an app that simplifies the writing process, no clutter, no frills. Everything is focused on what you last wrote.

OmmWriter has a Zen feel. Everything is very organized and easy-to-use. 

Scrivo Pro is a comprehensive program, but with a long learning curve. 

Monospace is free and basic. Maybe, I will try this one first.

Let me know if you try any of these.

Rainmaker

Today’s assignment. 

Rain couldn’t keep hundreds of volunteers away this morning from showing up to display pinwheels for Prevent Child Abuse America. The pinwheels represent the constant reminder that everyone is entitled to a great childhood.

Dan Duffy, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America and Cristina Cuomo, Editor-in-Chief of Manhattan magazine, pose with the volunteers.

I was very proud to be involved in this event.

   

    
   
   
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Art + Music = Passion 

As a publicist, I always wanted to promote art with music. I could never understand why they weren’t always marketed together. People who love music, love art, and vice versa.

A client, Astell&Kern, gave me the opportunity to do just that. I needed to find a very special place to show off the new Astell&Kern AKT1 All In One Hi-Res Sound System. The unit contains everything a person needs to listen to high resolution audio in a single, sleek modern unit that saves space.. 

The AKT1 includes speakers, amplifier, and high resolution audio decoding in one unit so you can have audiophile quality high resolution audio playback without the need for multiple components and large speaker.

 

Astell&Kern AKT1 in the corner of Williams McCall Gallery

  

Setting up the Astell&Kern AKT1

 
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I got lucky. The Williams McCall Gallery, of Miami Beach, agreed to help debut the Astell&Kern Hi-Res Music For The Home, during their next art exhibition on April 16th, 2016, from 6 to 9pm. It’s called, Expanse 3.0, An Exploration Of The Uncharted Urban.

The exhibit includes the following participating artists – Emil Bodourov, Debbie Carfagno, Rolande Ciciurel, Alfredo Garcia, Clare Kowalewski, Roxanne Layton, Maitejosune, Nicole Martin, David McCauley, Amy Musto, and Beatricia Sagar.

 I am forever grateful to gallery owners, Gail Williams and Dawn McCall. Thank you! Williams McCall Gallery is located at 110 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL – http://www.williamsmccallgallery.com

Gail said, “We are delighted to provide the exhibit space for such a great innovation in music. Our gallery has always been known for the introduction of cutting edge works, so we felt the blend of the newest in music technology was a natural. People who love art, love the best in quality music.”

Owen Kwon, President of Astell&Kern, said, “We deeply appreciate the partnership with such a prestigious gallery as Williams McCall Gallery. The excitement of their exhibits express the passion we bring to the music world. This marriage of art and music is all about providing the public with the best of what life has to offer.”

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