Category Archives: Boston MA

Parking in the Cultural District — Yes! There’s an App for that!

Leave a reply

Parking in Pittsburgh

One of the biggest complaints that I hear for not going to downtown Pittsburgh for events is that you can’t find parking. Now thanks to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and various partners including Carnegie Mellon University’s Traffic21 Initiative, there’s an app for that!. ParkPgh, which was launched in 2011, enables you to find parking spaces in the 10 parking lots that populate the Cultural District. The lots combined offer more than 5,000 spaces, roughly 25% of all parking in downtown Pittsburgh.

You can access the information in ParkPgh several ways. Try the web site http://parkpgh.org, Select the Cultural District destination from the drop down menu and it will show you the closest parking lots and how many spaces are available. It will also show using color codes if a lot has reached capacity, approaching capacity or what percentage of the lot is available. If you have an Apple iPhone or iPad then you can get the app from the App Store. If you have an android phone select http://m.parkpgh.org and get the mobile site. If you want, you can text “parking” to 412-423-8980 (standard message rates apply) to get a list of garages. The website also has a list of shortcuts for getting the information via text. Finally, you can phone 412-423-8980 and follow the commands to get the latest parking information.

Not only can ParkPgh give current information, but it can also tell you when it expects a bump in parking lot usage in certain lots. For example when there are multiple events going on such as the Pittsburgh Symphony performing at Heinz Hall and a play at the O’Reilly Theater on the same evening would certainly mean a crowded parking situation. If you have the information ahead of time, you can avoid the busier lots. This ability to predict the future usage is unique among other parking programs.

Since I downloaded the app to my cell phone, I have used it several times to find parking in the Cultural District. It was easy to use, and knowing what lots were more available than others saved time and attitude. It would be wonderful it this program was expanded to other city parking lots.

Mary Pam Kilgore,CMP, helps corporations and nonprofit organizations serve their target market with effective meetings and events. She is the owner of Kilgore Business Services, LLC, www.kilgorebusiness.com and teaches Event Planning As A Career at CCAC.  She may be reached by email marypamkilgore@gmail.com

Photo from daveynin

Business Etiquette is in season all year long

Leave a reply

The holidays are here. A time of great food and good cheer. And a time to remember our manners.

Business Lunch

A Business Lunch

1. Dress Professionally. It doesn’t always mean a suit, but clean and neat is necessary. Tip: Dress like the people you are going to meet. If you are attending a meeting on behalf of your client, ask if they have a dress code.
2. Arrive on time. Arrive 10 minutes early. If you are meeting for lunch, let the people know that if you arrive early you’ll get a table. Have cell phone numbers in case you are running late.
3. Have a clear agenda on what you want to accomplish with your meeting. It doesn’t need written down, although that’s a good idea.
4. Schedule as much time as you need and don’t short yourself. Allow at least one hour for a one to one meeting.
5. If you are the one who did the asking, offer to pay for the meal. The other person may say, “Dutch treat is fine.” If doing separate checks, say so when you are ordering.
6. Order food you are comfortable eating.
7. Do not order alcohol at lunch.
8. Remember all those things your mother tried to teach you as a child about chewing your food. Don’t talk with your mouth full. Butter your bread one bite at a time. Cut your meat two bites at a time. Don’t shovel your food; it’s not a race.
9. Remember that meeting a new or possible client for the first time is a lot like a first date.
10. Keep the table as clear as possible when you are eating.
11. Once the person you are meeting has arrived, put your cell phone on mute and put it away.
12. Keep the lunch conversation professional, but light. This is Pittsburgh. You don’t have know the winning play, but at the very least know the score.
13. Remember that a meeting is a conversation, not an interview
14. Listen to what other people are saying. Try not to formulate your response while they are responding to your questions.
15. Follow up with a Thank you note. Handwritten is best. Use a “fun” stamp.

Mary Pam Kilgore, CMP, helps corporations and nonprofit organizations serve their target market with effective meetings and events. She is the owner of Kilgore Business Services, LLC,www.kilgorebusiness.com and teaches Event Planning As A Career at CCAC.  She may be reached by email marypamkilgore@gmail.com

Photo from PhillipC

Email Interview: Beacon Hill Friends House

1 Reply

Beacon Hill Friends House

The Beacon Hill Friends House has several missions.  In addition to being the meeting place for Quakers where they can worship and conduct business, it also provides residence for people interested in community living.  It also plays a huge part in the education community.  Read on to know more.

What is your organization’s name?

Beacon Hill Friends House

What is your name and what is your affiliation with the organization?

Christy Little, Residency Manager

Please tell us a little bit about you.

I grew up in Maine and have worked at BHFH for two years.

How / why did your organization start? (Background, History)

BHFH

John Greene, a Quaker, donated it to the Society of Friends in 1957. New England Yearly Meeting, the regional grouping of Quakers, didn’t want to take on the responsibility, but a few Quakers were interested and agreed to start the house as a Quaker center and residence. The articles of incorporation state our original purpose: “to advance and foster the distinctive principles of the Religious Society of Friends, to provide opportunities for the development of leadership for the Society and especially to establish and maintain a center where members of the Society and persons sympathetic to its principles, including those pursuing programs of study at other educational institutions, whether undergraduate, graduate or special, may meet together and where such persons may live, and where the principles of the Society may be advanced and fostered by study and example.” We started out as a place just for students to live here for up to a year. Over time, we accepted non-students and increased the time to two years, eventually adding a potential 3rd and 4th year for exemplary community members.

What is your organization’s objective? (What does it do?)

Parlor

Meeting Room

Beacon Hill Friends House’s mission is to “embody the Quaker principles of faith, simplicity, integrity, community and social responsibility in order to nurture and call forth the Light in all of us.” We fulfill our mission by providing a center where Friends and others can meet, worship, and study; advancing and fostering the principles of the Religious Society of Friends; offering opportunities for the development of leadership; maintaining a diverse, ecumenical, residential community guided by Friends’ principles.

How long has the organization been around?

Since 1957

What kind of events / activities does your organization do?

We have an annual Weed Lecture to commemorate the second pair of directors, where we invite well-known Quakers to give a talk to the public. We have an annual holiday open house party. For ourselves, we organize two workdays (winterizing, spring cleaning) a year and two retreats a year. Retreats can be on or off-site, and vary widely in content; the purpose of retreats is to build community. In the past, we’ve explored anti-racism, community service, communication skills, relaxation and rejuvenation, and games and crafts.

How can people get in touch with your organization (or you)? (website, email, telephone etc)

bhfh.org

directors@bhfh.org

617-227-9118

Any messages to Boston?

Vacancies for residency become available throughout the year. If you’re interested in applying, please email us to request an application.

Catering Terms: Knowing the right terminology is half the battle

Leave a reply

Menu TerminologyWhen you are reading catering menus you will see terms that may be unfamiliar to you. Here are a few definitions to help you when planning the food for your next event.

Hors d’oeuvres: An appetizer served before a meal.

Displays: These are foods that are placed on a table and people serve themselves. Fruit and cheese are often presented in this manner at receptions.

Crudités: Raw vegetables cut into bite size portions and served with a dip. Usually presented as a display.

Canapés: Bite sized hors d’oeuvres served on bread or toast.

Butler served: Hors d’oeuvres passed by a server.

Stations: Think buffet, but broken up and placed around the room. Sometimes stations may have a theme such as Italian or Mexican. Others may be carving stations such as a turkey or beef carving stations. Or a station may serve mini burgers with all the fixin’s.

Heavy hors d’oeuvres: I am not sure how this term originated, but it has come to mean by some as a combination of different types of passed hors d’oeuvres, displays and stations. It is sometimes being used in lieu of a sit down meal. People sometimes think that having heavy hors d’oeuvres will be cheaper than doing the regular dinner, this isn’t true.

Reception: A reception is a stand up social event. In other words, you may not see a lot of tables with chairs. It may be held prior to a meal or banquet.

In conclusion, menu terminology are sometimes confusing, I hope the above definitions helped.

Mary Pam Kilgore, of Kilgore Business Services, LLC You may reach me through my website www.kilgorebusiness.com

Photo from Muy Yum

Email Interview: United Nations Association of Greater Boston (UNA-GB)

Leave a reply

UNA-GB

The United Nations Association of Greater Boston (UNA-GB) wants to have a stronger Boston by dedicating its efforts into setting up dialogues and educational programs.  With these efforts, a stronger network of world-class citizens is established.  They don’t focus on adults only.  They also have programs that cater to middle school students.  You know what they say about starting them early.  Read on to know more about this association.

What is your organization’s name?

United Nations Association of Greater Boston (UNA-GB)

What is your name and what is your affiliation with the organization?

Alexandra Picard, Communications Intern

Please tell us a little bit about you.

Recently graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Strategic Communications. At UNA-GB I focus primarily on media outreach, social media, and member communication.

How / why did your organization start? (Background, History)

UNA-GB is dedicated to building a stronger network of global citizens in the Boston area. From middle school students to business leaders, we facilitate dialogue and offer educational programs in the community and in the classroom to a broad cross-section of the New England community. For over 60 years, we have brought insightful global affairs programs to the Boston area, and today engage more than 4,000 participants annually.

What is your organization’s objective? (What does it do?)

Our programs are designed to:

  • INFORM all members of the Boston community about the critical global issues central to the work and mission of the United Nations.
  • INSPIRE our members to make the principles of the UN and its agencies applicable and meaningful in their own lives and communities.
  • MOBILIZE the community to connect with others with shared global interests and goals, to dialogue about solutions to global issues, and to advocate for a constructive US/UN relationship.

How long has the organization been around?

Was founded more than 60 years ago.

What kind of events / activities does your organization do?

Classroom: Model UN Conferences, Professional Development Workshops for Teachers, Model UN Consulting, Mini-Simulations, Model UN Summer Institute, Campus Ambassadors:

http://www.unagb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&Itemid=16

Community: Young Professionals For International Cooperations, Women’s Forum, Global Issues Forum:

http://www.unagb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=22

Signature Events: Consuls Ball, UN Day Luncheon, Global Voices Film Festival:

http://www.unagb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=27

How can people get in touch with your organization (or you)? (website, email, telephone etc)

email: info@unagb.org

website: www.unagb.org