One of Our Fav Hotel presents FOUR - Classic Cocktails and Tapas!

So, check this event out... http://www.checkersdowntown.com/. We love this place. Chef Todd on their staff is simply amazing! We hope that you can get a little Downtown into your Life!

GUEST BLOGGER: Jorge Lopez - Technical Production Tips for Planners

Simply Mumtaz is proud to welcome our newest Guest Blogger - Jorge Lopez, President of J&M Entertainment & Event Production. We've done several events together over the past few years and he is exceptional at being a team player as we design our programs / technical production with the client's goals in mind. Please see below a few of his Top Tips for Planners using a Production House. LOAD IN:
When scheduling the load in for your event, tier the “Call Times” for the different services. This will help you to avoid a bottleneck at the loading lock. This will also help to avoid having your production staff in “hurry up and wait” mode because some equipment cannot be set up until other equipment is installed.

Although it does vary by specific event here’s a successful example:
- Rigging team & Load in Supervisor (Technical Director)
- Drapery installation team
- Lighting & Trussing
- Audio team
- Visual team
- "Show” team

RIGGING:
Once you have confirmed your design for your event your technical director should meet with the Rigging team to create a “Rigging Plot”. This is to confirm the best way to achieve the client’s desired result while also taking their budget into consideration.

* This is an additional budget category and sometimes it is necessary to convert to a ground support floor plan to lower costs.

The “Rigging Plot” will confirm where equipment will be hung from the ceiling. This generally includes Trussing, Audio, Lighting, Screens and Projectors as well as décor elements.

TECHNICAL DIRECTING:
You create the relationship with your client and sell the event vision, you and your design team create the design and concept…then…it’s your technical director‘s responsibility to make sure all of the technical production elements work seamlessly together. This includes having the foresight and experience to see anything that may affect the event’s production. When such a situation arises the technical director is prepared with solutions and options to keep the event moving smoothly.

Your technical director will be in charge of running the rehearsals which break down as follows:

- Cue to Cue Rehearsal
- Technical/Dress Rehearsal

If you have a “Hands On” client who likes to be involved in the production and wants to see the rehearsal, recommend they sit in on the “Technical/Dress Rehearsal” as the “Cue to Cue” rehearsal can sometimes take much longer. The relationship with your Technical Director should be a trusting one based on their experience, creativity, problem solving ability, resourcefulness and flexibility.

A little about Jorge Lopez...
Jorge Lopez spent 15 years in the radio business as a morning “Drive time” Personality, Program Director, Sports Director and as a Sales Account Executive. In 1979 he started J & M Entertainment, a DJ Company based in Southern California that has since grown into a full service Event Production Company that produces corporate, association and social events.

Jorge Lopez and J&M Entertainment Event Production have built an excellent reputation, counting among its clients: Disney, LA Inc. NBC, Capitol Records, Doubletree Hotels, Hilton Hotels, FOX Sports, Hyatt Hotels, Avis car rental, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonalds, JBL, Nestle, Macy’s, Cheesecake Factory and many others! Jorge has become a respected speaker, presenting sales and business growth seminars at educational conferences in Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Atlantic City, Chicago and many others. He has also presented for many business organizations such as NACE (National Association of Catering Executives), VIA (Valley Industrial Association), ISES (International Special Event Society), LBA (Latin Business Association), ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants), M.P.I. (Meeting Professionals International) as well as many others. Among his unique credits, Jorge serves on the ISES board of directors, was once a ringmaster for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey’s Circus and he flew with the Navy’s Blue Angels…

Simply Mumtaz quoted in Special Events Magazine

Event Pros Juggle Tactics to Go Green in Tough Times

Simply Mumtaz with other "Green" special event and meeting leaders discuss options for cutting back and moving forward in keeping Green a priority.

Please visit the article at: http://specialevents.com/green_events/special-event-professionals-juggle-tactics-to-go-green-in-tough-times-0826/

Simply Mumtaz - Elected Officials Reception at Downtown LA's Coolest Lounge

Simply Mumtaz had the opportunity this past week to produce an Elected Officials Reception recognizing LA's newly and current Public Servants. It was a great networking event with fabulous eats. Below you can see new LA City Attorney Carmen Trutanich welcoming the crowd alongside other LA City Councilmembers, new LA City Controller, LACCD and LAUSD reps.
Getting the "networking" on...

The event was held at J Restaurant & Lounge! If you haven't tried their restaurant or hung out for cocktails - you gotta try it... http://www.jloungela.com/.

In terms of design / event coordination - this event was all about the people - provide good eats, short program and allow the schmooze to happen.

Simply Mumtaz takes home FOUR ISES LA Special Event Awards!

YEAH! We are very excited about this post... This week we won FOUR ISES Los Angeles Special Event Awards! The winners were announced this week at ISES LA's Installation & Awards Dinner held at the Regency Club. BizBash covered the event too - click here for their article link!

Special Thank you to our clients who allow us the opportunity to plan their events and to our clients for being so awesome!

Best "Green" Event - 4th Annual Green GalaBest Achievement in Logistics - Annual Hospital Hero AwardsBest Wedding - Daftary Wedding in Cancun, MexicoBest Allied Team Event - Treasures of Los Angeles 2008
We won alongside J&M Entertainment and Wildflower LinensOne of the best things about these awards was that two of them were in the same day... Best Green and Best Achievement in Logistics! Talk about an achievement in Logistics!

Needless to say - it was a fabulous evening!

Simply Mumtaz - Guest Blogger on Design Dawgs!

Hey everybody! Happy Monday. We (Simply Mumtaz) hope this post finds you well. We are honored today to be posted on AOO's Design Dawgs as their Guest Blogger on Greening the Special Events & Meetings Industry. Please check it out!

http://www.designdawgs.blogspot.com/

Happy Greening Ya'll!

Simply Mumtaz President joins NLBWA National Board

Simply Mumtaz President, Joella Hopkins, CSEP, CMP joins the National Board of the National Latina Business Women Association.

NLBWA Mission & Purpose

NLBWA's mission is to promote, develop and support the rapid growth of Latina business owners and professionals. The national organization supports the development of chapters throughout the country and these chapters deliver programs and services enabling greater success for this critical, but underrepresented market.

The purpose of NLBWA is to create more representation, visibility, and business development, networking and mentoring opportunities for Latinas in the world of business and at the executive levels throughout the country.

Stay tuned - We will be having our National Conference on November 19th in Sacramento. Please visit http://www.nlbwa.com/ for more information.