I went to Roanoke today with my family and saw the Taubman Museum.  I made some quick sketches like we have been doing in studio, so I’ll submit them as my entry into our “sketch off.”  I can’t claim that they’re better than Nick’s, but at least I was actually at the building – in the cold – sketching until my fingers started bleeding…

I still have a lot of room for improvement, and this isn’t the best building for practicing perspectives and proportions…

As I said before, I’m not really sure where to go with this blog, so I hope no one minds the randomness of it all.

Friday was my anniversary.  It’s been 5 great years with my wife.  I’ll save the gushy hearts and flowers stuff for another time.  We celebrated by spending an afternoon in Downtown.  We went to the Taubman Art Museum.  It’s a very nice museum with a good mixture of abstract, modern and classic art pieces.  We wandered around Downtown, just enjoying the day and each other’s company.  It’s something we really don’t get to do very often and it just felt very nice, no preset plan, no schedules to keep, just following our hearts around town.

After that, we went to Barnes & Noble.  I’m an avid reader, I always have to have a book.  As I am finishing one book, I’m already thinking about which one I want to read next.  Well B&N kinda sucked because they didn’t have anything I wanted, and those that did look interesting were way too expensive.

That, followed by dinner at Applebees was our anniversary celebration.  I know, when does the party ever STOP!  It’s really not that important to me what we were doing.  We don’t need some super fancy dinner and gifts, we just need to spend a day together, enjoying each other’s company.  McDonalds can be a 5-star feast if you are in the right company.  It’s these little joys in life that make everything worthwhile.

Last Friday was a busy day in Roanoke for bike – and there I was taking the day off on my new compressed work week schedule.  First there was Intermodal Love, of which the folks at the Taubman Museum got some great photos (you may need a Facebook account to see them) and for which many balloons were released into the wild.  Kieren Culture organized the city’s first Alley Cat race, which I understand drew a crowd of about 25 racers, some of whom were visiting from Blacksburg.  Finally, the night ended with the first Starbomb from the Mill Mountain Star, inspired by Portland’s weekly Zoobomb and a direct result of the film Veer having been shown at the Taubman a few weeks ago.

Tomorrow is World Carfree Day, and those RIDE Solutions has been emphasizing transit and walking, you can always take the Carless Challenge to continue the bike theme (though, one way or the other, please consider registering for the Meals without Wheels and support great local restaurant Blue 5 in their support of World Carfree Day).

The best part, for me, is when I browse the photos of these events and see so many faces that I don’t recognize.  The hard work of the region’s core group of bike advocates and enthusiasts is paying off, and its great to see new people getting involved and getting excited.

I apologize for the lack of posts this week – we were a little busy preparing for the announcement of the Blue Ridge Marathon on the parkway!

Those of you who know me know that I am not a runner – a biker and kayaker yes, but not a runner. I’ve pledged to definitely do the half-marathon and will make my decision on the full marathon in January. I invite you to run with me.  If you are going to run the race, or just thinking about it, share your thoughts below in the “comments” section.

Join the Blue Ridge Marathon Fan page

Continue reading to see the full press release!

The inaugural Blue Ridge Marathon on the parkway will be held on April 24, 2010, beginning and ending in downtown Roanoke, with a tour of the region’s highest peaks in-between. The event is being held in conjunction with the Parkway’s 75th anniversary. Organizers have designated Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway to receive proceeds.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte of Roanoke, Va., who helped organizers achieve their goal of holding part of the race on the Blue Ridge Parkway, made the announcement at the news conference held in the office of the Roanoke Regional Partnership.

“I am so proud that Roanoke has found yet another way to show the world that we are truly a jewel in the mountains,” said Goodlatte. “This race course will be like running through a post card.”

The Blue Ridge Marathon on the parkway is mapped out to connect the Roanoke Valley with the popular roadway and the tourists that travel it. “It will be beautiful, it will be difficult – even for experienced marathoners — and it will give people a chance to use the Blue Ridge Parkway differently than they’ve historically been able to do,” said event co-chair Pete Eshelman, director of outdoor branding for the Roanoke Regional Partnership.

Race director Ronny Angell is owner of Odyssey Adventure Racing in Salem, Va. Angell brings years of experience in organizing adventure races with an emphasis on difficulty. “We wanted to make this more than just another small city marathon,” smiles Angell. “The difficulty of this course makes it special. It will attract people from across the country.”

In addition to the mountains, runners will also pass numerous other Roanoke attractions. The course begins in front of the Taubman Museum of Art and ends at the Hotel Roanoke directly in front of the O. Winston Link Museum. The course also travels through South Roanoke, passes in front of the Virginia Museum of Transportation, and crosses the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge.

A half marathon will be held simultaneously with the marathon. Those covering the 13.1-mile distance will see many of the same attractions, but will not face the climb up Roanoke Mountain.

Hanukkah commemorates a miracle from God following the victory of Jewish fighters, the Maccabees, over a Syrian-Greek army. The Maccabees were fighting to be allowed to follow their faith traditions. The holy temple in Jerusalem had been desecrated by the Syrian-Greeks. During the temple’s restoration, it was discovered that there was only enough sacred oil to burn for one day in the perpetually lit oil lamp.

This special lamp, the ner tamid, was a reminder for Jews to follow God’s commandments. The miracle, says tradition, is that the oil lasted seven days longer. Rabbi David Wolpe of Temple Sinai in Los Angeles offers brief insights into the festival during the program. “First of all, the genuine miracle of Hanukkah is less about the oil. That’s not much of a trick for the Creator of all things.

The miracle is that for thousands of years, the light is still in our window,” said Wolpe, who was named the top pulpit rabbi in the country this year on a list compiled by a group of media executives for Newsweek magazine. Wolpe laughed when asked if he’s a dancing rabbi. No, at least not on this program.

But he is moved, however, by the performances. “We’re going into very difficult times. The only failure will be our failure of faith.

The message of Hanukkah is the music itself. It’s spiritual, very uplifting and beautiful,” said Wolpe. The performers are people from Taubman’s life, including his sister, Cantor Caren Glasser from Temple Kol Tikvah in Woodland Hills. Genie Benson, dancer and executive director of the San Fernando Valley-based Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble, is one of the eight dancers who make up the “living menorah candles” during the candle-blessing segment of the program. “Hanukkah is about the miracle to never give up hope.

There is light at the end of the tunnel,” said Benson, who has been with the dance company for 21 years. The Keshet Chaim (“Rainbow of Life”) dancers will perform a contemporary dance, choreographed by Kobi Rozenfeld, during the traditional Hanukkah song, “Maoz Tzur.” “Dance is festive and celebratory.

It can be very emotional and bring you into the mood of the holiday. This is a great show and I think it will have an appeal to a wide audience. This is also a big step for our community to be represented by PBS.” Each performer went over their repertoire with Taubman to find songs that could become just a part of Hanukkah as a plate of sizzling latkes and chocolate gelt winnings from the dreidel game.

A couple of tunes will probably have people wondering “what the Hanukkah is Taubman thinking?” as the musician wryly commented. One of these oddball songs is “A Convert Jig” performed by entertainer Mare Winningham. It’s clearly not a Hanukkah song, Taubman said, but it should get people thinking about who is, and how to become, a Jew. The other is “Over the Rainbow” performed by saxophonist Dave Koz.

Read the very informative post: here

The United States Trustee has appointed the members of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the bankrutpcy cases for Lenox Sales, Inc.  The members of the Creditors’ Committee are:

• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
• The Taubman Company LLC
• North American Color, Inc.

Download a copy of the notice of appointment and every other document filed in the Lenox Sales bankruptcy cases using netDockets.  Try it now for free.

Nicholas Taubman a plecat, ieri, din Romania, incheindu-si mandatul de ambasador al Statelor Unite la Bucuresti. Ambasada SUA va fi condusa de insarcinatul cu afaceri al misiunii diplomatice, Jeri Guthrie-Corn, a carei biografie se gaseste aici.

Diplomata de cariera, Guthrie-Corn a mai lucrat la ambasada americana din Romania in 1989-1991. Ea va fi sefa pana la numirea unui nou ambasador.

Taubman a ocupat aceasta functie din anul 2005. El se intoarce in Virginia, acolo unde are afaceri cu piese auto. Plus ca un muzeu ii poarta numele. Taubman Museum of Art se numeste asa fiindca fostul ambasador american in Romania a facut cea mai mare donatie pentru construirea noii cladiri a Muzeului de arta din Virgina.

photo by Kerry Skarbakka

In honor of the freshly begun school year.

Yearbook Yourself is another bit of viral goodness from our freakishly talented friends at Colle+McVoy in Minneapolis. These guys are getting way too good at this kind of thing. This time around, they’re selling shopping malls like Cherry Creek for Taubman Centers. And they’re doing it with your godawful yearbook photo.

So ok, yes, it’s a brilliant idea and everyone at Colle+McVoy should be lovingly dipped in a vat of melted down One Show pencils. But here’s the real question. Does this campaign — nay, can it — stand up to the Brian Test? Let’s find out!

What’s next? Wait, did someone just say FaceYourManga?

DISCUSSION TOPIC

Retail Development Prospects are Promising

TOPIC SUMMARY:

There are no doubt challenges to deal with but, by all reports, the mood at this week’s International Council of Shopping Centers’ RECon event was upbeat as developers spoke about real estate prices moderating and the credit crunch showing signs of easing.

Stephen Kieras, senior vice president of development at Taubman, told Shopping Centers Today, “There’s no slowdown. In fact, we’re seeing a lot of opportunities come to us.” Taubman is pursuing projects both domestically and abroad.

Discussion questions:  What does the upbeat mood of real estate project developers say for the retail industry moving forward? What trends (size of projects, geography, green building, etc.) do you see having the greatest impact on retail real estate development companies going forward?

My post:  I am quite excited about the future of the retail industry.  Significant downturns flush out weak performers and redundant concepts and allow the innovative and the strong to find great opportunities for concept development and growth.  Taubman is in a unique position due to international development that helps it weather the US domestic problems.  They and others will continue to invest in great projects and we will see the credit crunch ease and good deals will get done.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ^TM strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

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Go to the full discussion at RetailWire.com:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/12982    

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Asistăm, în aceste zile, la o demonstraţie de indignare a susţinătorilor celui care este gata, oricînd, oriunde, să îi facă “licuriciului mare” ce doreşte acesta, mă rog, tot tacîmul, împotriva preşedintelui Camerei Deputaţilor, Bogdan Olteanu, care a îndrăznit să comită un atac la adresa ambasadorului american.

Nefericitul liberal este pus la zid, cei care îl pupin…, pe cînd funcţiona alianţa portocalie, îi dezgroapă strămoşii, îl vopsesc în culorile cele mai dezonorante. Nu insist asupra comentariilor, nici măcar legat de cele care încearcă să explice ieşirea lui Olteanu, este drept, foarte puţine, însă trebuie să aduc în atenţie o altă întîmplare cu domnul ambasador Nicholas F. Taubman care, evident, corect, conform practicii de la Washington, şi-a plătit sinecura de la Bucureşti, unde îşi permite să se amestece oriunde îi trece prin cap.

Iată, recent, domnul Taubman a devenit din ambasador avocat al controversatei firme Bechtel, care se tot moşmondeşte la autostrada Braşov – Borş, folosindu-se de felurite scuze pentru a justifica întîrzierea lucrărilor. Pe această autostradă, încă din luna august, trebuia, pe o anumită porţiune, să înceapă asfaltarea. Nu s-a întîmplat aşa, ministrul Ludovic Orban a îndrăznit să atenţioneze firma “licuriciului”, drept care, excelenţa sa, domnul Taubman, a sărit în ajutorul Bechtelului, explicînd că nu se poate asfalta din cauza… frigului.

Care frig, cum a observat tot românul, a început în noiembrie şi nu în… august. Revenind la “cestiune”, mi se pare util să transcriu o prevedere a Convenţiei de la Viena, care priveşte relaţiile diplomatice: “Fără a le prejudicia privilegiile şi imunităţile, toate persoanele care beneficiază de aceste privilegii şi imunităţii au datoria să respecte legile şi regulamentele statului în care sînt acreditate. Ele au, totodată, datoria de a nu se amesteca în afacerile interne ale acestui stat”.

Simplu, foarte clar, într-o convenţie care este în vigoare. De care însă, domnul Taubman consideră că, la Bucureşti, într-o Românie cu mereu capul plecat ca sabia să nu-l taie, nu trebuie să ţină seama. Bechtel este o firmă de mare anvergură, care poate – şi a dovedit acest lucru, în ţări ca România sau mai necăjite – să dezechilibreze o economie naţională.

Domnul Taubman ar fi riscat foarte mult făcînd pe avocatul dacă Bechtel ar fi fost în competiţie cu o altă mare firmă americană. Cum s-a întîmplat de exemplu, cu un alt ambasador american, care, la vestitul meci de fotbal al clauzei, desfăşurat la Braşov, la începutul anilor 90, s-a băgat între Coca-Cola şi Pepsi-Cola apărînd la centrul terenului, pentru a da lovitura de începere, cu şapca uneia dintre cele două firme concurente. A fost ultima lui… lovitură. La Taubman nu este cazul. Mai ales că autorităţile române se fac preş, ori de cîte ori “situaţia” le oferă prilejul.

Am trait cu impresia ca Olteanu e un tip de viitor, un politician care isi construieste cariera cu cap etc. Acum nu mai sunt chiar atat de sigura. Desi ma enerveaza si pe mine atitudinea condescendenta a americanilor, care vin ei sa arate cu degetul si sa ne puna la colt…si in ciuda faptului ca e aproape stravezie ideea ca umar pus pentru el presidente(ca dovada ca americanii sunt la fel de ingramaditi si de usor de prostit ca si romanii – persoanele care citesc acest blog si dau din cap afirmativ sunt excluse!) …trebuie sa ii dau dreptate lui Taubman. Noul Cod Penal it’s a joke. Parerea mea, desigur! Omul avea perfecta dreptate ca e o mare tampenie sa il anunti pe unul ca urmeaza sa fie urmarit etc. Doar un tampit ar mai face vreo ilegalitate, sa fim seriosi! Ma gandesc ca Olteanu isi pusese in cap sa ii dea peste nas ambasadorului american sau oricarui strain cu functie in Romania daca se mai leaga de politica si legile interne. Doar ca nu cred ca asta a fost cel mai bun moment. Pe de alta parte, lasand la o parte motivul pentru care l-a pus Olteanu  la punct pe ambasadorul celei mai minunate tari de pe pamant, recunosc si ca am simtit oarecare satisfactie pentru lectia data acestuia. Mai scutiti-ne de predici si mai uitati-va si in gradina voastra, bai smecherilor!

Am aşa un mixed feeling legat de ce a zis Bogdan Olteanu despre ambasadorul Taubman. Adică, la nivel de intenţie (“mai dă-vă dracu de americani cu băgatul vostru în tot şi în toate”) sunt de acord cu el. Modul în care a făcut-o însă Olteanu cu gura este, însă, unul atât de dâmboviţean încât mi-a cam tăiat cheful de viaţă şi mi-a căzut axa strategică într-un rahat cu gust sălciu.

A greşit Bogdan Olteanu când l-a spurcat pe Taubman? Io zic că da. E bine că le se mai zice americanilor în buză? Io zic că da. Hai, cu mic cu mare, să mă contraziceţi.

Nu rataţi spumele pe care Traian Ungureanu le aruncă înspre Bogdan Olteanu. Dar şi articolul din Gândul. Sunt de referinţă pentru cestiunea în cauză.

Una bucata ambasador american, Nicolas Taubman, zice despre noul Cod Penal ca nu e chiar conform cu “bunul simt”. De ce? Pentru ca prevede o limita de 6 luni la cercetarile penale (si Taubman spuna ca un mare “don” nu e prins chiar atat de rapid nici in America) si pentru ca prevede perchezitii numai cu instiintarea celui perchezitionat.

Care a fost reactia domnului Olteanu? Citez: “Domnul ambasador Taubman şi-a obţinut postul în urma sponsorizării campaniei electorale a lui George Bush, nu ştiu care sunt standardele politice şi morale şi legale din America dar, în orice caz în România aşa ceva ar fi considerat un act de corupţie şi un act imoral”. Frumos, nu?

Cum ar veni: domnul Taubman nu are voie sa emita pareri despre legislatia din Romania pentru ca modul in care el a finantat campania lui G.W. Bush ar fi ilegal conform legilor din Romania, care bineinteles nu i se aplica domnului ambasador Taubman, care e putin american.

NU neg ca era nevoie de o reactie a Romaniei. Dar parca as fi preferat o reactie de genul “dumneavostra spuneti ca legile noastre nu sunt bune deoarece … hai sa va aratam noi de ce sunt bune…”. Atacul asta ad hominem nu ajuta deloc…

PS: Hai sa va mai transmit cateva reactii demne de o clasa politica de aruncat la cos. Gheorghe Funar crede ca Nicholas Taubman ar trebui expulzat, iar Nicolicea de la PSD crede ca cei care i-au dat acestuia “informatii false” ar trebui sa fie judecati ca tradatori.

PS2: Mi se pare tare interesant ca Bogdan Olteanu, dar nu numai, afirma ca ambasadorul SUA ar fi vorbit in nume propriu si nu ca reprezentant al Guvernului Statelor Unite. Nu vad de ce ar mai fi ambasador si reprezentant oficial daca ar vorbi in nume propriu…

PS3: Convex concav arata cat de mult seamna multi dintre ministrii cabinetului Tariceanu cuTaubman la capitolul donatii deci posturi obtinute dupa ajungerea la putere. Dan Andronic ii da dreptate lui Olteanu, ignorand faptul ca nu a dat ordine si nu a influentat direct procesul legslativ, ci doar a exprimat nistre ingrijorari. Iar Doc imparte, iar, bilete de papagal politice…