|
 Views,
Reviews, and Interviews
by Dianne R. Davis
diannerd@aol.com
Photos by Burt and Dianne Davis
Video
Interview with
"Once Upon a
Dream's" Andrea Patrick Forte and 2007 Miss USA Rachel Smith
"On Top of Cloud 9" dinner for the fifty-one 2008 Miss USA contestants
at Maggiano's Little Italy.
CLICK HERE TO PLAY VIDEO
Read Judy Thorburn's coverage
of the event in this week's "Vegas Happenings"
Halloween
in March? It Must Be Las Vegas
More than 700 Halloween, haunt, costume and party exhibitors were in Las
Vegas from March 16-19 in the hopes of getting orders from about 10,000
buyers. This seems to be a one time thing for Vegas as the International
Halloween Costume & Party Show is moving back to the Chicago area next
year. But lucky me, I got to roam around the Sands Convention Center and
to see some of the most incredible displays of fun house, haunted house,
and costume paraphernalia.
The show included seminars for promoting websites, boosting sales with
party rentals, incorporating the adult/sexy costume craze into
production lines and designing value added décor. The holiday may be
seasonal, but total Halloween spending for 2007 was estimated at $5.07
billion.
That’s Phil Zagone in front of some of the products of the family
business.
I had a great time talking with people like Phil Zagone of Zagone
Studios. His dad started the family business and Phil told me that when
he was a kid, “we used to have to pour the mold before we could go play
baseball.” Now, he and his two brothers, Rich and Tony continue to
operate the 35 year old business which includes more than 200 masks and
other accessories.
I met Brian Kelly at
www.Househaunters.com. He told me that last year he won the
house decorations contest in Maplewood, New Jersey and this year he is
looking for world wide distributors for his reusable window decor.
Bloody Mary, aka Bobbie Weiner, took a few minutes of her time to help
me blend in with the displays. She is a professional special effects
Hollywood makeup artist. Remember the final scenes of Titanic with the
lifeless frozen bodies crowding the ocean. The deathly look, purple lips
and icicle effect were thanks to Bobbie’s talents.
Not all costumes are for kids as evidence this one by Trashy Lingerie.
And yes, there still are costumes for the kids. Well, it may be spring,
but, in advance – Happy Halloween!
“Grandparents
Salute Foundation” Honors Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
The Grand Parents Salute Foundation (GPSF), an international 501(c) (3)
not-for-profit organization dedicated to assisting Grandparents who are
raising their grandchildren, kicked off their Be Their Miracle ®
Fundraising Campaign in high style with a Red Carpet Press Event and
Champagne Dinner on March 31, 2008 at the Downtown Plaza Hotel & Casino.
The gala event, hosted by celebrated comedian and radio personality J.
Anthony Brown, included a silent auction. Entertainment included local
Gospel recording artist Robert Owens and comic Denise Williams.
Proceeds from the event will fund the programs and services of the
Grand-Parents Salute Foundation to assure that grandparents have the
resources they need to raise their grandchildren.
“We are very excited about launching our inaugural Red Carpet Press
Event and Fundraiser right here in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital
of the world,” said Michael Bass, Director of Operations of the
Grand-Parents Salute Foundation. “It means a great deal to the
Grand-Parents Salute Foundation that the people of Las Vegas have opened
their hearts to support this important cause. We plan to have several
annual events in Las Vegas every year.”
The Grand-Parents Salute Foundation (GPSF), soon to be headquartered in
Las Vegas, generates funding to ensure that grandparents receive the
assistance they need to raise their grandchildren through sponsorships,
donations, manufacturing, merchandising, and special events and will
honor and assist grandparents raising grandchildren with the development
of chapters globally.
GPSF is also associated with the Department of Public Information of the
United Nations and Orphans International Worldwide, and the organization
conducts informational and educational seminars and conferences agreed
upon by the UN and GPSF.
Emanuel LeBlanc
Emanuel LeBlanc, one of the founders of the group told me that, “the
Grandparents Salute Foundation was born out of my love and admiration
for grandparents raising grandchildren. I am a song writer and wrote a
grandparents song a few years ago. It motivated me to investigate the
plight of grandparents raising grandchildren.“
For information,
www.gpsalutefoundation.org or call 510-395-0579.
Aurelia and Walter Mason, former Las Vegas Hilton entertainment director
Thomas Pruitt and Phree Bartley
Kim Flowers and her daughter Chanel
Miss Dee and Sarann Knight Preddy
|
