Theatre Hop presented by Bon Vivant Savant

Theatre Hop presented by Bon Vivant Savant
Friday June 13, 7:00pm - 9:30pm; Cast Party @ Primo @ 10pm
600 block of Market and Main

Join the excitement for Louisville’s first ever Theatre Hop, featuring
LOCAL companies performing at LOCAL venues all within walking
distance! Enjoy free, live entertainment, great drink specials, apps
from Science Hill and then walk down to Primo for the Meet the Cast
Party for more food and drink specials! The first 50 people to enter Primo will receive a swag bag! Venues include: Jenicca’s, BBC Tap Room & Paul Paletti Gallery. With Catclaw Theatre’ Voraxium Burlesque, The Indicators & more!

Call Jo Self for more information 502.287.2772 or go to www.bvsevents.com
Hope to see you there and be sure to tell your friends!

 

Outdoor Movie Series Continues

It’s that time of month again the third Saturday is upon us and we will be showing “Back to the Future” at EP Tom Sawyer State Park. Live music starts at 7pm with Maestro J playing some incredible Jazz on his violin! Games around for young and old, free popcorn and then movie starts at sundown - roughly 9:45pm.

Future movies and dates include:
July 19

August 16

September 20

 

Goonies at EP Tom Saywer State Park - May 10

Yep, that’s right! We’re kicking off our summer movie series with “The Goonies!” Come out and join us at EP Tom Sawyer State Park, off Westport Rd from 7-11 for live music from Baby Fish Mouth, free chicken and coupons from Chik-fil-A, popcorn, cotton candy and some good old fashioned fun! Bring your blankets, chairs, picnic baskets and NA beverage of choice… If it rains, we’re still on as we’ll move indoors to the gymnasium.
All proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Donations at the door - $5 for children and $10 for adults.

Call 287.2772 for more information.

To learn about our other events like our movie series - showing every third Saturday of the month through September - as well as other great opportunities to get out there and meet new folks and try new things - Check www.bvsevents.com or sign up for our events newsletter by writing to jo @ bvsevents.com

 

It’s true… just $1 could help many

If everyone who makes it to this site clicks on the “donate here” link on the right sidebar, we could raise $1000s for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It’s true. You’ve seen the FM Message statistics on LouisvilleMojo. Thousands of people click these great little messages. And just $1 from you could make a world of difference in the life of a family with a child or loved one with leukemia. All donations are tax deductible and you’re helping families of both survivors and those who have lost someone to these diseases. See how far the money goes and other ways you can help here. Learn more about my campaign here.

Thank you in advance for your support and for your donation! Together we really can make a difference!

 

2008 Woman of the Year Campaign for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

I’m excited to be a part of this year’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2008 Woman of the Year fund raising campaign. I’m elated to receive the nomination and am more than happy to accept this challenge not only in honor of this year’s Boy and Girl of the Year, Conor Minogue and Madison Harper, but also my father, David Self, who passed away December 26, 2000 from Acute Myelodysplastic Leukemia. When he passed, all donations were to go to both LLS as well as Kosair’s Children’s Hospital since he believed strongly both in research and in helping children above all others as well.

The annual Man & Woman of the Year contest is a fun and friendly competition designed to raise resources for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is judged solely on a philanthropic basis – the candidate raising the most funds wins. Each dollar contributed during the competition will go toward the mission of The Society: to cure blood cancers and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

My father, David, battled a tiring, rare blood disease for nearly 10 years before succumbing to leukemia. He was originally diagnosed with Sideroblastic Anemia from which there are only 10,000 known cases in the world. Little was known about how to treat this disease and eventually, as he was unable to produce red blood cells properly, he developed leukemia. Once he fell ill it was a short 30 days before he passed.

And now, allow Madison and Conor to introduce themselves…

My name is Madison McKenna Harper. I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on December 14, 2001. I am now in remission and have been off treatment since February 2004. I am currently in 7^th grade at JTMS. I like to read and play soccer. My message to kids with cancer is to push on. You’ll make it! Never lose hope! My message to the candidates as you are fundraising is to try to imagine if one of your families was diagnosed with blood cancer

My name is Conor Minogue. On December 2, 2003 I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when I was 7 years old. My treatment lasted 3 years and 2 months and on January 29, 2008 I celebrated my first year off treatment. I am currently in the 6^th grade at Holy Spirit School and I played football for the first time this past fall. My team won the Toy Bowl! I also play baseball and I am taking bass guitar lessons. I like to read, listen to my ipod and play video games.

 

Please feel free to leave a personal story in the comments below on how Leukemia and Lymphoma may have touched your life. I would love to hear from you.

 

Leukemia and Lymphoma Facts - Did you know?

• Leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma are cancers that affect the blood-forming and infection-fighting organs – mainly the bone marrow and lymph nodes.  They are related because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and organs.
• More than 747,000 Americans currently have one of the blood cancers.
• Every five minutes, someone is newly diagnosed with one of the blood cancers.
• Every 10 minutes, another child or adult is expected to die from leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma.
• Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under age 20.
• The survival rate for myeloma is only 32 percent.
• The incidence for myeloma is more than twice as high among African Americans as for all other races.
• Since its founding, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has invested more than $483 million in research specifically targeting blood cancers.
• Research funded by The Society has led or contributed to advances such as chemotherapy, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation, and new, targeted oral therapies such as Gleevec®.
• Over 75 percent of The Society’s expenditures are directed to blood cancer research, patient services, education, and advocacy.

 

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraiser - How can you help?

 

I believe increased awareness will ultimately lead to success in curing these devastating diseases. To understand just how little your tax deductible donation can make a huge difference, your gift of:

• $150 will fund one Society researcher for one day
• $500 will help reimburse one family for medical expenses for one year
• $750 will test 10 people as potential bone marrow donors
• $1,000 will supply 10 children with a one month supply of medication

Here’s a list of ways you can contribute:

• Join Bon Vivant Savant, Louisville’s first official Dining & Events Club. 75% of every new membership purchased through May 20, 2008 will go directly to LLS.
• Not ready to be a member, but like the idea? Donate $50 directly to my campaign and you will be added to the members-only BVS Newsletter to keep up with unique events offered. If you join BVS within six months as a full member, that donation will be deducted from the membership cost
• Donate items for the Grand Finale Silent Auction on May 22, 2008
  Items should have a individual or combined value of $150 or more. Leave a comment and I will contact you or send an email to jomisma
  at gmail dot com.
• Attend our outdoor movie event on May 10, details to follow so mark your calendar now
• Donate ‘a date package’ for Date Night or become a candidate for Date Night on May 17, 2008. Details to come.
  A date package can range from cooking in your home for a certain number of guests to tickets to an event around town or a gift
  certificate at a favorite restaurant. Candidates who would like to enter themselves for the auction (singles and couples are eligible) can
  email me as well.
  
• Have a bake sale and donate the proceeds
  
• Donate 15% from a happy hour you hold
• Send this link to your friends encouraging them and letting them know how they can help

Don’t have a lot of time or resources, feel free to make your tax deductible donation directly to my campaign or by mailing to the address listed in the right sidebar on this page. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

 

My New World

Alright, alright, I’ve heard from a few of you now asking, “Where are you? What’s going on? You haven’t updated your blog in awhile.” Here are your answers:

I’m home, safe in Louisville, home sweet home. I missed home. I missed my friends, the ones who are here and the ones who are nearby. I’ve been truly home since the beginning of October. I actually landed on Sept. 13, but my friend John managed to snag some fabulous tickets to a baseball game at Jacob’s field to see the Tigers play the Indians – a dream of mine as of then still unrealized. We had a fabulous time, but I was only home a day and a half before taking off. Then it was off to Chicago for a board meeting. Great meeting, lots accomplished and the path of what’s to come became clear. I had my ‘AHA!’ moment.

This leads us to what’s going on. I’ll tease you a bit with this… I’ve been doing a little consulting for a fabulous little restaurant in town, Le Gallo Rosso; by far the best, true Italian cuisine in Louisville. She does some nice, fusion and non-Italian specials as well, but when you want your lasagna or spaghetti and home made meatballs, this is the place to be. I’ve been assisting there with writing front of house training manuals, staffing the FOH and managing her catered events and parties. I’m enjoying it, but am hoping to find someone who can take over my role as bigger things are on the horizon and I can finally go back to eating there without paying attention to every little detail.

In addition to the consulting, I am working part time at a wine shop, Top Hat. I love it here, because from the outside, you would never know how much wine we actually have in here. A fabulous selection and if you’re willing to take a little time, you can find some great, almost forgotten treasures. Plus, it feeds the habit. I get to try wines and my contemporary knowledge of brands and labels is on the rise. Which also plays right into ‘the plan.’

I’m starting my own business. Yep, that’s right. I am starting a membership only social events club along with some niche consulting on the side. Bon Vivant Savant. Live well, live wisely. Before I tell you about the business, I’ll give you a little behind the ‘how I got here.’ Once I returned from SA, I knew what my next job looked like, but I wasn’t sure what it was exactly. Was it travel, niche tourism, training in cultural studies for big business? Did I want to travel? Do I want to involve my love of wine in food in some way? Do I go back to restaurants? Maybe the answer is community development, or working with GLI (Greater Louisville, Inc.). Does Spanish have a place? I couldn’t narrow it down. My head was spinning with the possibilities and I needed to focus, not to mention get a little cash flow for the here and now. That’s where the consulting came in, but that wasn’t it a hundred per cent. As I was sitting in my hotel room in Chicago, overwhelmed with thought, I just started googling adjectives that might find a niche business opportunity. Maybe I could  find someone to work for, learn from. And then I found it. The Single Gourmet. As I read about what they offered, I thought, “This is it.” And then I saw it, there was licensing info. My heart was racing, I wanted to know more, and now! Once I was finally in touch with the right people, I discovered that the license was a one time only fee and then it was considered a privately held business. For three nights I was sleepless just thinking of the events, the restaurants, the travel options… I was excited. This was definitely it. And then it evolved…

I have a lot of friends who are DINKs (double income, no kids). I have friends in long-term relationships; they don’t consider themselves single. “What about us?” they asked. So, I shifted the concept a bit and thought about my event planning background. This was going to be great. I could have three-tiers to my business. Singles, couples and niche events – private in-home wine dinners, alternatives to the traditional wedding showers, mixology parties. It would use my epicurean knowledge and pair it with my love to teach and expose people to new experiences. It’s perfect.

As of Nov. 15 I was registered in the state of Kentucky and my license for The Single Gourmet gives me Lexington as well as all the area in between our two fair cities. The dream is becoming a reality. Turkey’s adventure continues…

 

Beautiful Cartagena, Colombia

Finally, after only 15 years or so of wanting to visit/live in Colombia, I finally made it. It didn’t look as if it was going to happen, but 18 hrs before I would leave Guayaquil, I had a ticket in hand to Cartagena.

Cartagena may be one of the more beautiful places I’ve seen in South America. Granted, most of the city looks similar to most other coastal cities here, but the ‘walled city,’ the old Spanish area was incredible. Buildings date back as far as the 1500s, most though are around 300 years old. Beautiful Spanish and Moorish architecture abound and the lively atmosphere speaks of its African roots as well.

Landing at the airport was the first hint I had of how stunning this city might actually be. A pergola, with hanging flowers and tropical vegetation throughout, welcomes you right off the plane. The humidity is thick, but for the moment, I don’t mind. The ride to the old city revealed little of what I would find once arrived. The streets were closed, as they do most evenings, and my taxi driver dropped me at the closest point he could. Mario offered me his tourism services as well and gave me his cell. He was the first to offer, but he would be far from the last.

As I walked the three blocks to my hostal, I felt as if I was in a fairytale, much as I did on my first trip to Brugge. Old stone and cement buildings, with thick wooden balconies over-flowing with flowers lined the tiny streets. It’s obvious these paths were only meant for horses at one time. The smells of arroz con coco and grilled seafood and beef filled the night air as I wandered. I was stopped several times and offered assistance to find my hostel or perhaps some company later in the evening. All offers appeared sincere, though some a bit more off color than others… none though, were terribly offensive.

In one night, Cartagena offered me more warmth and affection than any I’ve found so far on my journey. Peru was a similar experience and one I will always treasure.

More on Colombia to come…

 

“Network” Marketing

Yep, it’s alive and well in Ecuador. I’ve always known it as Pyramid marketing, or even scams, but alas, in Ecuador it is known as a red de marketing or network marketing.

I met a guy here at the mall, where I typically spend my afternoons now as the Wifi is free and it gets me out of the house. It’s often busy here, so finding an electrical outlet can be a challenge. This is how I met Pablo.

“Are you leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” I sat myself down.

He began to tell me what he did for a living and showing me pictures of his wife and children. He’s 29, but looks more like he’s in his early 20s. As he described his job he said things like: I like to help people. I like finding jobs for people. I like making people’s lives better. As I would later discover, this was all meant perfectly for the lure of network marketing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite quick enough on the uptake. I thought he was involved in some sort of social work. And, I guess, he is.

He asked me if I would like to join him on Saturday to see his office and see what he does for a living. I accepted and continued to wonder to myself about what he must do. I found out as I entered a room that eventually held over 200 people. I watched the videos. I giggled to myself. I heard all the buzz words. It’s all so obvious to me and it annoys me. But what annoys me more is the need to recruit people who are already on hard times and ask them to invest what little savings they may have into a product for selling and recruiting others.

The leader had the suave demeanor, engaged everyone to talk back to him, was cheered on. I, myself, am glad I was only there to observe. I snuck out early, saddened and crossing my fingers I wouldn’t have to give Pablo my thoughts.