What to do in February

We’re creeping up on the month of February and while many have long since turned off their “Festive mode” there is much to celebrate in the month of February. Take a look:

Friday	Feb 1	National Freedom Day	Observance
Saturday	Feb 2	Groundhog Day	Observance
Sunday	Feb 3	Super Bowl Sunday
Sunday	Feb 10	Chinese New Year	Observance
Tuesday	Feb 12	Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras	State holiday
Tuesday	Feb 12	Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras	Observance
Tuesday	Feb 12	Lincoln's Birthday	State holiday
Wednesday	Feb 13	Ash Wednesday	Christian
Thursday	Feb 14	Valentine's Day	Observance
Monday	Feb 18	Daisy Gatson Bates Day	State holiday
Monday	Feb 18	Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday)	National holiday
Sunday	Feb 24	Purim	Jewish holiday

Source: http://www.timeanddate.com

On top of that, you can give honor to a different food... Every. Day. Of. The. Month. (Thanks @Foodimentary!)

And if you still can’t think of a reason to celebrate, drop me a line and I’ll get you partying in no time.

So what are you waiting for? Go get your celebrate on!

Event Tips: Know What You Want

Here is a video I made a while ago that somehow did not make it's way on the blog. So here it is for you to enjoy!

If there are other topics or additional details you'd like me to cover in future posts, don't hesitate to let me know!

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Since it's my GRAND OPENING, I wanted to take this opportunity to present a special offer to YOU!

Any event booked with me that takes place in January or February 2013 will receive 15% off the planning fee!

• Didn't get to see everyone you wanted over the Holidays?
• Looking to rejuvenate and unite your staff for 2013?
• Want to plan something special for a special someone next month?

Let me plan an event that will knock your socks of!

To find out more contact me today and set up your free, no-obligation event consultation. Visit rc-creations.com and follow the Connect link. 

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

This is the Real Launch...

Welcome! I'm so glad you've found me.

I am so excited to be devoting my time, energy and passion to planning your special occasions, meetings, parties, conferences... you name it!

Please feel free to drop me a line and let me know if there are any specific topics you would like to see covered on this blog. I'm happy to answer questions, offer tips, etc.

Thanks for stopping by and remember: Life is meant to be celebrated!

- Renatta

Scavenger Hunt Delight

In the past two months I've had the honor of coordinating two very different company scavenger hunts. These were my first encounters with company events and they were so much fun!

Hunt #1
Hunt Type: City Scramble (think Amazing Race)
Location: Around the streets of Melbourne, Australia
Participants: 25
Duration: 4 hours

The manager of a distribution center wanted to build camaraderie among the staff and help them to function more like a team. The result was a wild race where teams had to solve riddles, decode puzzles and successfully complete challenges while navigating through the city on the public Tram. Since I would not be travelling to Melbourne for the event, I created a course (with the help of Google Maps), Team Kits as well as Facilitator Kits complete with full script and answer keys to guide the on-site facilitators.

Hunt #2
Hunt Type: Puzzle Hunt
Location: Inside local mall near Seattle, WA
Participants: 5
Duration: 45 minutes

The goal of this event was to provide a unique company Christmas party for a small staff. This hunt was every man for himself where they were lead by puzzles to different locations in the mall. I had a great time facilitating the event and bringing the party atmosphere to the small group.

My eyes have been opened to a new category of events!

Just say NO to multitasking

I remember when the ability to multitask was a thing to boast about. You bring it up during job interviews, comparisons would be made between how well two co-workers could multitask.

But more and more today we're learning that multitasking is not the thing that we want to be good at. In fact, being "good" at multitasking, it seems, makes you bad at the actual tasks you're trying to complete.

Here's an intereststing/alarming/fun infographic on the truth about multitasking.

Please Include Attribution to OnlineCollege.org With This Graphic

Venue Review: Century Ballroom

So last weekend I celebrated my 30th birthday. It was an event I began planning about 1-year in advance - a Masquerade Ball. For the first time, I rented out a venue and everything (this was the real deal).

Here is my review of the space in question: Century Ballroom, West Hall in Seattle, WA (Capitol Hill area).

Pre-Event
I actually searched for some time before deciding on this venue. But the size, feel and price of the West Hall was pretty much a perfect fit. The entire process was as great as I could have asked for. From the very beginning, Justin, my venue contact, was on the ball and answered my many questions whenever they came up. The last month before the event, he called me three times just to check in on certain details, make sure things were coming along and answer my new questions which (inevitably) came up.

I stopped in the day before the event to work out some last minute set-up details and Justin walked me around and introduced me to the bar manager (since they would be setting up a private bar for my event). The bar manager then set me down to pick out which wines & beers I wanted available - went through the whole menu with me. This was totally unexpected and was the extra "wow" for me.

During Event

I brought in my own decorations and set up the space to match my masquerade ball theme (pics to come). The staff set up the tables, chairs and linens for me and offered to help with my decorations. I had a few videos and a slideshows on a dvd which they set up for me.

The bar staff was amazing! Incredibly friendly and just willing to do whatever needed to help make the night fun. They even wore masks the entire night to be a part of the theme! 

All-in-all, I am so glad I chose the West Hall at Century Ballroom. The space itself was everything I wanted and completely captured the feel I was going for. The staff was great to work with; they were easy to communicate with, helpful and made me feel like they actually wanted to work with me (not a given, these days).

Bottom line:
I loved the venue, enjoyed the staff and would be happy to do another event there in the future. I'd give it an enthusiastic 4.5 stars!

Caution
The only warning I must note is that, being in Capitol Hill, it goes without saying that parking can be an issue. There are a number of paid lots nearby, but if your guests are looking for free parking, they may be looking (and walking) for a while.