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sellhousefast323 · 4 years ago

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9 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Roanoke, VA

Roanoke is a popular tourist destination, whether you're a culture vulture seeking out unique museums and attractions or an active vacationer seeking out outdoor adventures. The city is a four-season destination for avid hikers, rock climbers, recreational boaters, and sportfishing enthusiasts, and is located in the picturesque Roanoke Valley in southwestern Virginia. In-town greenways, cultural diversions, diverse dining, and unique shopping discoveries await urban explorers. Whatever your vacation style, keep our list of Roanoke's top attractions and things to do handy.

1. Mill Mountain Park & the Roanoke Star

Mill Mountain Park, which is home to the famous Roanoke Star (also known as the Mill Mountain Star), has more than 10 miles of multi-use trails (hiking, walking, and biking) where visitors can experience the region's all-season natural beauty.

Take the Mill Mountain Star Trail, a 3.5-mile round-trip from the base trail, to the summit of Mill Mountain, the city's highest point at 1,703 feet, for a moderately challenging hike. Hikers are rewarded with two scenic overlooks atop the mountain after climbing 838 feet in elevation. The Star Trail parking lot, located just off Riverland Road SE at the Star/Wood Thrush Connector, has plenty of free parking and clear signage.

Connect with the short Watchtower Trail for the best panoramic views and photos right at the base of the Roanoke Star, one of Virginia's most famous landmarks. The National Register of Historic Landmarks has listed this unusual landmark, which was built in 1949 as a temporary Christmas decoration by the local merchants association. The giant star, at 89 feet in height, is America's largest star. It is visible from up to 60 miles away and is lit every evening until midnight.

Hikers are welcome to bring their leashed dogs, and there are picnic tables, restrooms, and water along the Mill Mountain Spur Trail en route to the Discovery Center, a naturalist centre with exhibits on the park, local wildlife, and trail maps. Mill Mountain Zoo, a small but lively enclave with local critters such as the Indian crested porcupine, red wolf, and yellow-spotted side-necked turtle, will appeal to children of all ages.

2. Carvins Cove Natural Reserve

Carvins Cove Natural Reserve, with more than 60 miles of trails surrounding an 800-acre reservoir, is known among locals as a haven for off-road mountain biking. The reserve, which is the second largest municipal park in the United States, spans nearly 13,000 acres, the majority of which is protected by the state of Virginia's largest conservation easement.

Trail maps are available for purchase, and bikers can get local advice on which trails are best suited for their experience level at Just The Right Gear, a cycling shop near the Bennett Springs parking lot (one of three reserve entrances — the others are Marina and Timber View). There are also rentals of high-end bikes and gear.

On the Easy Street, Kit & Kaboodle, The Skillet, and Enchanted Forest trails, beginners will find a gentler rise and more flats. On the Comet, Gauntlet, Hoe Trail, and Clownshead, riders seeking more difficult challenges will get exactly what they want. On the most difficult trails, expect to gain up to 2,400 feet in elevation.

Along these well-kept trails, riders will encounter packed dirt, loose gravel, and tamped soil. Canoeing (equipment rentals and instruction are available) and fishing are also popular activities at Carvins Cove.

3. Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake, one of Virginia's most popular — and the state's largest — has nearly 500 miles of shoreline, earning it the title of "Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains." Because state fisheries keep the lake well stocked, SML, as it's known by locals, has an especially impressive striped bass population. Anglers can book half- or full-day charters with a number of licenced guides who have plenty of experience traversing the 21,000-acre lake. They'll provide bait, equipment, and all of the necessary expertise to ensure that those fishing have a safe and enjoyable time on the water.

Crappies, bluegills, largemouth and smallmouth bass, as well as stripers, are among the tasty fish that make freshwater fishing at SML a popular tourist destination.

Waterskiing and wakeboarding, boating and sailing, and jet skiing are all fun activities to do on the lake. Swimming is also available at a family-friendly beach, and there are several golf courses nearby.

4. Roanoke Valley Greenways

The interconnected Roanoke Valley Greenway allows visitors to walk or bike along miles of trails in the area, which are safe, well-populated, and well-maintained. A popular trail in and around Roanoke is right along the Roanoke River, where deer, herons, geese, and other wildlife can be seen even in the city. Vic Thomas Park, just off Memorial Drive south of the river, is a great place to start your exploration. From there, you can easily join the Roanoke River Greenway.

A short distance away is the well-known Black Dog Salvage. Every visit to this nationally recognised purveyor of reclaimed architectural, commercial, and industrial fixtures and elements yields a fascinating, one-of-a-kind inventory. Visitors come from all 50 states to see Black Dog, which specialises in doors, windows, wrought iron, period lighting, garden statuary, and other specialty home components.

Head southeast on the Roanoke River Greenway towards Wasena Park after visiting Black Dog. At the Wasena Skate Park, kids can be seen hanging ten on their longboards. The park is always bustling with activity, and the locals' fancy footwork on their skateboards and blades is entertaining to watch.

On your way to the Tinker Creek Greenway, continue on the greenway and cross the Mill Mountain Greenway. Follow that road north for less than a mile and reward yourself with a picnic at Fallon Park's picnic area.

5. Taubman Museum of Art

The Taubman Museum of Art, one of the city's newest attractions (it opened in 2008), is a must-see for art lovers and casual culture consumers alike. The museum's permanent collection of 2,000 unique pieces is spread across 11 different galleries, including works by Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins, Purvis Young, and John Cage, and is housed in a stunning modern design by renowned architect Randall Stout.

Visiting exhibits featuring work by some of America's best artists, including John James Audubon and Norman Rockwell, to name a few, are common. Photographic, folk art, and design-related exhibits are among the other highlights.

If you're travelling with children, look into children's programmes, such as hands-on workshops and interactive displays. On-site amenities include a café.

6. McAfee Knob

McAfee Knob is one of the most photographed places on the Appalachian Trail, thanks to its incredible vistas and spectacular rock overhang perch. The 3.5 miles of intermediate-to-difficult trails that lead up to the knob from the Virginia 311 parking lot are popular with hikers.

Climbers know it for the more than 70 gnarly sandstone and slick quartzite boulders that make for days of mini-summits. The majority of boulders are between 10 and 20 feet tall, with many crimps, jugs, pockets, and edges. Bring pads, lunch, and a buddy; it's never a good idea to go rock climbing alone, and McAfee is often deserted.

Another popular recreational area in Roanoke is the recently re-opened Explore Park, which is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park features 1,100 acres of breathtaking scenery, numerous walking and hiking trails, as well as thrilling ziplines and a treetop adventure course that is appropriate for families with younger children. It also has a visitor centre and a gift shop, as well as camping and rustic cabins.

7. Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve

Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve is a popular destination for birders, nature lovers, and photographers. Bottom Creek, located less than 20 miles south of Roanoke, is one of the most important headwaters for the Roanoke River, and it offers visitors several well-marked trails to enjoy the vast hardwood forest, unspoiled landscape, and Virginia's second highest waterfall.

For the best vantage point to photograph the 200-foot cascading waterfall, the second tallest in Virginia, photographers should take the Red Trail (the longest trail here, at five miles round-trip). Bring a long/telephoto lens because the overlook at the end of the trail offers a clear, open shot, but the falls are a long way away. A side path off the Yellow Trail leads to other viewpoints of the falls.

8. Roanoke City Market

The historic City Market, also known as the Farmers' Market by locals, is open all year and offers boutique shopping, local produce, flowers, meat and cheese, local dining favourites, and some of Virginia's best people-watching. Pay close attention to the market's four mosaic tiled entrances, each of which contains over 2,000 pounds of porcelain tiles that reveal a little bit of the history of this storied public space.

9. Roanoke Pinball Museum

We’ve recently started a new family hobby – vintage record collecting! In keeping with this new found connection over the beloved old, we were delighted to take our girls to the Roanoke Pinball Museum and show them how we entertained ourselves long before the internet.

From the 1932 styles to the slightly more modern Munster’s machine which had a baby pinball inside the bigger one to play, you could get lost in here playing over 65 machines for hours.

Prime Home Buyers is a real estate brokerage firm based in Roanoke, United States. We are known for offering an easy and quick house-selling experience to our clients.

We offer upfront selling solutions to our clients, satisfying their requirements. We have been serving as real estate investors for over a decade and know all the tricks of this trade. Prime Home Buyers can provide you with the best real estate offerings and prices. We are the experts you are looking for if you want to sell your house fast and at the best price. Besides our expertise in buying houses, we also provide commercial property investment.

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#sell your house fast

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aesoswrit · 6 years ago

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Smoxin Smash

A LONG overdue fic for a dear colleague here on Tumblr. @daretina, this one is for you. I hope I got Toxin right... ;) thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoy this little bit of fluff.

(Rated G - Fluff, Comfort, Mild suggestive)

—————

Toxin walked into the common room, shared by the SAS crew. She was beat, exhausted and sore all over her body. Their mission was a success, but only just barely. One misstep nearly cost them the mission.

She hadn't bothered to change out of her jumpsuit, and she didn't really care to right now. It wasn't even dirty, per say. She slumped into a plush single seater, and practically passed out. The female operator wasn't there more than five minutes before Smoke and Sledge walked in from the hall. Sledge noticed Toxin first, and gently backhanded Smoke on the shoulder and silently pointed to her. Smoke smiled at the sight of her, relieved that she was alright.

Sledge mumbled something about leaving a coffee machine on, did an about face, and left the room. Smoke shook his head, but silently thanked the Scotsman. He made a mental note to buy the man a drink next time they were down at the pub.

Smoke took off his fingerless training gloves and stuffed them in his back pocket as he walked up behind Toxin. She didn't even budge when he leaned over the back of the chair and gave her a peck on the forehead. That made her stir a little, but it didn't wake her up. His hands settled on her shoulders, and he gently started to massage them. This outward display of affection was both awkward, but so very welcome right now.

She hummed, as his hands squeezed at the sore and tense muscles. Some of the tension she had been holding on to immediately started to ebb away from her. He kept massaging while he leaned back down and kissed her cheek from the side. “You look a little worse for wear love. Don’t worry, I’ll get you right sorted.”

“How’s it that you know just what I need, Porter?” Imogen asked, her eyes still closed.

“Gotta keep my lady satisfied, right?” he replied cheekily.

“Oh, you do… no need to worry about that.”

“Then what’s got you so knackered?” he asked, hoping she would talk to him, and get it off her mind. “Who do I have to kill love… just say the word an’ I’ll…”

“No one, James.” She smiled and cut him off, chuckling lightly. “It was just a stressful mission, more so than usual.”

“Why’s that then?”

“Just… I don’t know. It’s like the team wasn’t meshing. Something was off, and it was affecting everything. Comms were faulty too, so that didn’t help us at all. Twitch tried to fix what she could, but…” She groaned, clearly exasperated. “We almost set the bloody detonator off, accidently even. Would have killed half the team too. I just don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“No worries, love.” Smoke thought a moment, and came up with a solution. “Come on… Let’s get you out of your jumpsuit, into something more comfy.”

“Not now James, please.”

“No no… not like that. I mean just get you out of your gear. I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where’s that?” Toxin asked, not wanting to get up because it meant that this wonderful massage would end.

“If I told you, it would ruin the surprise now, wouldn’t it?” Smoke grinned. She was going to love this.

“Fine… I’m in.” she sighed and reluctantly got up.

He walked her to her room and then just waited outside her door, leaning up against the wall. Any other time of day, and he would have followed her in, but it was chow time, and there were operators everywhere, on their way to the mess.

“Almost ready!” came Toxin’s muffled voice from inside her room. She’d changed out of her gear, and into some relaxed civvies. The tank top she wore was a muted blue, set with her charcoal capri pants.

“Lookin’ as fine as ever, love.” Smoke grinned.

“Keep it in your trousers Porter.” she jokingly warned.

“Won’t be able to for long with you lookin so grand.” Came his husky reply.

“Seriously James…”

“I am!” he retorted, sounding mock offended. “Now, let’s go, before the others catch wind that we’re leavin. The cab’s waiting outside.”

Jumping in the waiting cab, the pair sat as close as they could in the back seat. Their hands intertwined, and it was a wonderful comfort for Imogen.

“Here we are then.” The cabby stated, as he pulled up to a curb. They were outside a nondescript building, in the middle of town.

Smoke payed the man, and they both got out. He grabbed Toxin’s hand again and let her down a set of stairs, and through a doorway. There was no signage, or anything.

“Where the hell are we James?”

“Patience love. Almost there now.”

After walking down a well-lit hallway, they came to the front counter. Behind it, on the wall were the words ‘Rage On!’ in an angry, red font.

Toxin’s eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Smoke, confused. He winked at her and took out some cash, to pay the teen behind the counter.

The kid looked up after sorting the change. “Smocks are over there, goggles on the counter. Suit up while I go set up for you.”

The pair walked over and Smoke handed her a suit. It was pretty much a hazmat suit, but not as contained, like the kind the clean-up techs wore after Rainbow had cleared a building. True to the teen’s words, there were some lab style goggles on the counter. They each grabbed a pair, and put them on. The teen walked out a few moments later, and motioned for them to enter through the door he was standing in.

Smoke let Toxin go first and she walked in.

Inside, the room was filled with objects. Breakable ones. Plates on little stands, mugs, vases, even an old tube TV… There were more things in here than she could count.

Hanging on the wall to their right was an assortment of bludgeoning objects. A baseball bat, crowbar, hockey stick, lead pipe and even a sledge hammer. Not quite as big as Sledge’s, but still pretty hefty.

Smoke crossed his arms and nodded his head to the wall. “Pick your weapon.”

Toxin just stood there and stared for a moment. “What?”

“Grab something, and start swinging. This is a rage room. Everything in here is meant to be destroyed. Take your frustration out on the things in here. Scream, yell, vent away love.”

Catching on, Toxin smiled and walked over to the weapons wall. She looked at each of them and settled on the crowbar. She picked it up and hefted it, testing its weight. Turning around, she gazed at the objects. Pulling the crowbar behind her, she swung low. Three plates fell beneath the blow. Smoke just stood in the corner and watched. This was all for her.

With a yell, she swung for a nearby vase. It was obliterated, shattered pieces of ceramic flew everywhere. The crowbar became a blur.

“Stupid technology.” A mug soared across the room and shattered on the wall.

“Fucking terrorists!” Two small figures met a swift end.

Her next yell devolved into an incoherent garble as she headed for the massive TV. The curve of the bar split through the screen, and the crowbar wedged inside. She put her foot on the TV and wrenched the bar out. She went back to the wall, set the crowbar on its hook and grabbed the sledge.

Her ferocity picked up again, and she barreled for the TV, hammer trailing behind her. With the momentum she had gathered, she swung the hammer up, and brought it down satisfyingly hard, crushing through the plastic of the casing.

Again, and again, she swung, destroying the old electronic.

When she couldn’t heave the hammer anymore. She set it down, head first on the ground. Her hands came to rest on the base of the handle. “Now I know why Sledge loves his hammer.” She told him, between pants and huffs of breath.

“Feel better now?” he asked her, taking the hammer and placing it back along the wall.

“I do, actually.” She breathed a sigh of relief. She put her arms around Smoke’s waist and snuggled in. “Thank you James. That was exactly what I didn’t know I needed.”

“Well, you said it yourself… I always know what you need.” He remarked, holding her close.

“Do you know what I need next then?” she quipped, looking up to his eyes through the silly goggles.

“That, I do, love… but we can’t do that here.” He replied with a wink.

#r6s #rainbow six siege #r6s oc #rainbow6siege #r6siege #fluff #r6s smoke #r6s sledge #r6s toxin

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perfectirishgifts · 4 years ago

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Nordstrom Tries New Ideas And Becomes A Shining Star Of The Holiday Season

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/nordstrom-tries-new-ideas-and-becomes-a-shining-star-of-the-holiday-season-2/

Nordstrom Tries New Ideas And Becomes A Shining Star Of The Holiday Season

The Nordstrom store at Maryland’s Towson Town Center is fully decorated for the holidays on December … [] 3, 2020.

Coronavirus has certainly changed the way merchants sell and customers shop. As COVID infection rates soar, retailers, large and small, fear anticipated mandatory closures during this ever-important selling season. It’s been a challenging, often devastating, year for many businesses. But Nordstrom has found that the combination of its legacy and traditions, along with new ideas and an expanded internet presence, will leave it well prepared for 2021.

It’s not to say that the retailer hasn’t struggled since the first COVID wave hit last March. The company’s New York City flagship was open for barely five months before temporarily closing its doors.

The downtown Toronto Nordstrom closed for in-store shopping on November 23, 2020. Canada’s largest … [] city and much of its suburbs were placed under lockdown beginning November 23 due to the spread of Covid-19. The restrictions include a ban on indoor private gatherings, will last at least 28 days. Retail businesses in the city have been restricted to curbside pickup only. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)

Last summer, Nordstrom permanently shuttered 16 of its full-line namesake stores. Designated as “suboptimal” performers, officials called their closures “long overdue.” COVID-19 only accelerated the company’s decision to pull their plugs.

Despite COVID-19, Nordstrom went forward with its annual Anniversary Sale, a long-standing sale event. In contrast to most retailers who focused on excessive summer stock clearance sales in August, Nordstrom offered new, specially curated merchandise.

Back-to-school sales, traditionally the second largest selling season of the year, were largely abandoned in 2020. Instead, many retailers pushed up their calendars and offered holiday bargains as early as October. That wasn’t the case at Nordstrom. The retailer held firm and didn’t jumpstart the holidays. A company spokesperson explained, “In keeping with our 119-year tradition of celebrating one holiday at a time, our stores [didn’t unveil] their holiday decorations [until] November 27.”

The Towson, Maryland Nordstrom is fully decorated for the holidays on December 3, 2020.

Though the Christmas decorations weren’t hung until Thanksgiving weekend, Nordstrom has worked hard behind the scenes and developed plans that address customer COVID anxieties.

The company has expanded its curbside pickup service designed for “the safest and most convenient holiday ever.” The contactless service includes complimentary gift wrap with all curbside purchases. Special surprises and gifts are frequently offered to the first 50 curbside pickup customers each day as a gesture of thanks.

Nordstrom’s directional signage promotes shopping ease and efficiency during the holiday 2020 … [] season.

Nordstrom has stressed convenience in its stores this holiday season. Stores are stocked with specially selected pre-packaged merchandise designed for quick checkout, extensive toy shops, prominent directional signage, and in-store “pop-up” gift departments.

The retailer says the 2020 season features “a number of exclusive collaborations, launches and partnerships for holiday.” The retailer is test marketing three of these collaborations at 21 designated locations throughout the country.

Nordstrom is test marketing in-store “tree lots,” featuring an unique collection of highly-crafted Balsam Hill artificial Christmas trees, a special assortment of L.L. Bean winter clothing and footwear, and a “Five Two by 52” home assortment of cookware, dishware, and kitchen essentials.

Over the past several years, the company has slowly expanded its home department. Though it is still lightly stocked, it helps fill a void left by its recently-closed competitors.

Nordstrom has significantly increased its online investment and the results have been fruitful. Last week’s third quarter earning call stated that digital sales have reached 54% of the entire business, up 33% over pre-COVID levels. CEO Erik B. Nordstrom told investors, “we are a majority digital business right now.”

Nordstrom stores feature Make Merry pop-up shops during the 2020 holiday season.

The company launched its Holiday 2020 website, under the Make Merry theme, on October 19. The site states, “Holiday cheer looks a little different this year, but at Nordstrom, festivities are in full swing.” The internet promotion includes links to video Santa chats, virtual Santa mailboxes, and festive craft ideas for the family, in addition to hundreds of gift selections.

The retailer’s Cyber Monday sale was touted by Marie Claire magazine as the “Best Cyber Monday Sale of the Year.” With over 1000 items specially priced at up to 50% off, Marie Claire encouraged readers to search the site and look for “items that [you have] been meaning to try for years.”

Nordstrom has devoted significant areas of floor space to “Service Bars” that accommodate needs such … [] as customer online pickup and gift wrapping.

The company’s online footprint has also expanded into its Nordstrom Rack JWN store format. The retailer has competitively positioned Nordstrom Rack into the only off-price merchandiser with a significant digital presence. 80% of the company’s top brands sold at its Nordstrom stores are presently carried at 248 Rack locations.

COVID-19 has provided a restart at the company’s opulent $700 million New York flagship. COVID temporarily closed the store shortly after it opened. But as shoppers and visitors eventually make their return to midtown Manhattan, the store will have a second chance at a grand opening.

Absent of traditional display windows, the New York Nordstrom is embracing elaborate holiday decorations. Over 253,000 lights, 150 trees, 700 ornaments, and an exterior flashing light show welcome weary shoppers in need of some festive cheer and normalcy.

Nordstrom promotes its 2020 Holiday “Make Merry” theme in a recently expanded home department.

Nordstrom was forced to abandon one beloved annual tradition at its downtown Seattle flagship store. Harking back to the building’s former life as the Frederick & Nelson department store, the Santa Lane exhibit, featuring Santa Claus in a street front window, was cancelled for 2020. Considered the nations’s first Santa Claus photograph concession, generations of Seattleites have posed with the store’s “Real Santa Claus” since 1943.

The retailer is somewhat of a Johnny-come-lately as a large-scale clothing retailer. Founded in 1901, Nordstrom, over the course of 50 years, developed into the largest shoe retailing business in America. Its 1963 purchase of Seattle-based Best’s Apparel, greatly expanded the company’s merchandise assortment. By 1980, it became the country’s third largest specialty store, behind Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor.

Workers assemble a Christmas tree at the Nordstrom Inc. flagship store in New York, U.S., on … [] Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019. Nordstrom’s new Manhattan flagship, a 320,000-square-foot store opened last month, reflected a strong customer response with 85,000 visits during the first weekend. Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg

Nordstrom remains somewhat of an anomaly in today’s retail market. Exceeding expectations, it plans to enter 2021 with $1.5 billion in liquidity, including $900 million in cash.

COVID-19 has brought numerous bankruptcies and liquidations to an already-battered retail industry. The new year promises more names to be added to the retail casualty list. Nordstrom’s present success and optimistic forecasts are refreshing.

From Retail in Perfectirishgifts

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neolite-blog1 · 4 years ago

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Traditional Neon Signs

Neon signage is like sweet candy treats for the eyes. This amazing hand crafted medium has captivated, excited, motioned and promoted everything from cafes, coffee shops, cinemas, car dealerships to the seedy underbellies and back streets of Sydney’s nightlife. Developed by Claude Neon in 1923 this beautiful creation took hold, quickly becoming a fixture in outdoor advertising.

Neon’s wide range of beautiful colours range from light soft pastels to deep bold colours that roam the colour spectrum and can evoke a huge range of feelings to excite and entice the heart of your audience.

One of the best ways to be seen Day or Night is using traditional neon signage. Neon glass signage has the warmth and character that can’t be achieved with LED or Faux Neon products.

Our custom-made traditional neon signs are world class, our inhouse team of glass neon benders will make you a 1 of a kind illuminated masterpiece. These types of neon light signs are the perfect solution to advertise your business effectively making your store front a beacon to your customer base & the passing crowds, in a busy street or shopping centre.

Neon adds more visibility in & outdoors

No matter the location of your business, shopfront or showroom a neon sign can attract attention from street level or several floors up, no matter the situation a neon sign can attract the attention of busy shoppers, pedestrians and passing traffic.

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Business Neon Sign Types - As the leading and largest neon maker in Sydney, New South Wales & Australia, Neolite has a huge variety of neon signage options available. Speaking to one of our designers you can develop the perfect sign for your business shopfront or showroom. We have a many premade & off the shelf options available but most of our traditional neon is custom made. Some examples of our off the shelf units can be found on our website neolite.com.au Our most popular neon signs are the Open Neon, Burgers, Beers, Now Open, and many other generic illuminated signs, which are cost effective solutions to attract attention, notify your customers of your hours, or available products & services. If you can’t find what you’re looking for order a custom neon instead.

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LED Flex/Faux Neon Window Sign – A more modern type of sign is the LED Neon window sign, made with a colourful flexible silicon rope. These sign are great for short term applications, events anything under 20,000 hours. They are vibrant and bright but have a limited colour range of 12 solid state colours. They come in RGB also which is Bluetooth controlled or can be programmed at extra cost. LED Flex needs to be mounted to an acrylic backing panel. Great for events and promotional uses.

Neon Logo Sign – Brand recognition is the key to customer loyalty. Whether your brand is already a household name — or aspires to someday be one — these neon signs convey professionalism, consistency, and longevity. The way to endear yourself to your growing customer base is to introduce yourself, and there’s no better way to do that then with a glowing logo that gives them confidence in their choice of where to do business.

Traditional Neon Lighting – Decorative neon, architectural or art deco. Traditional neon dates to the 1920’s. It was the first choice for architects and designers when they wanted to ad ambient lighting, highlight or illuminate features that couldn’t be illuminated using incandescent bulbs. Neon tubing and lighting can be fine tuning to match the most precise colour point with over 170 neon colour variants available you can find the right colour and tone for you interior project, neon artwork, sculpture, signage, illustration, or graphics package. Neolite is the first choice when it comes to neon.

For almost 100 years traditional neon has been the first choice for outdoor signage and advertising

Basic Neon Signs – The basic neon sign has a thin aluminium frame to support the neon, the neon is usually single stroke basic text with a small electronic transformer mounted to the rear of the unit. These signs are usually hung in windows, about entry ways, and can be used as a directional or wayfinding signage system or to notify your customers of amenities or highlight services that you offer. They are highly durable, and the simplicity of makes them the first choice for bars, and public spaces.

Restaurant Illuminated Neon Sign – The way to your patron’s hearts are not only through their stomachs, but their senses. A custom designed, visually pleasing neon sign for your restaurant will not only welcome night-time diners — but it will also look great during the day. Our neon restaurant signage can be produced in any combination of shapes, sizes and colours that will make your arriving customers hungry for more. Its makes the perfect backdrop for all

Neon Marquee Signage - The sight of a glittering marquee heralds the excitement of a Broadway show, an exciting new film, the glitz and glamour of a night out and the displays’ trademark appearances defines the look of many major cities famed theatre & entertainment districts. This bright, eye-catching neon signage hangs over the historic theatres that have been lighting up Sydney and capital cites for more than a century. Partnered with Wagner Lettering and illuminated lightboxes, flashing lighting this marquee signs are impossible to ignore. Our inhouse design team can assist you bring something truly spectacular to life.

Pylon Neon Signs - These steel powerhouses are the inviting gateway to your business providing bright and powerful exposure for all passing traffic. Neon is the ultimate enhancement of Pylon signage creating a bright and bold first impression. With a superior presence & strategically located and designed a neon pylon sign will increase the visibility of you brand and maximise the recognition of passing trade.

Neon Repair Services – Since 1948 we have been servicing, repairing, and replacing neon all over Sydney and New South Wales. In addition to being Australia largest supplier of spare parts, transformers, cable, boots and technical advice to the majority of neon benders nationally. With a full time on the road service crew of qualified electricians & our neon bending studio located 15 mins drive from Sydney’s CBD. We are the first choice for all neon repairs and maintenance for any neon sign, no matter how big or small.

Top Neon Designers - At Neolite, our staff of highly skilled industrial designers possesses the necessary creativity, along with an eye for consistent quality that can put together the perfect sign just for you. We will work with you on completely original designs, faithful reproductions of your own graphics or combinations of the two. Not only can we craft original signs from scratch, we can also flawlessly incorporate existing logos and artwork into a new project, to provide consistent branding for your business or organisation. Our team can provide full construction drawings for your neon, with all the relevant technical data and details to provide to architects, council, designers, or builders.

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4rt-e · 6 years ago

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Business of Fashion interview with James Jebia https://ift.tt/2CVFTNH

I just horribly scraped this off BOFs site. You need a membership to actually read. Formating may be messed up and images are missing so please don't complain.

BY CHANTAL FERNANDEZAPRIL 3, 2019 05:30

NEW YORK, United States — In mid-March, Italian police, acting as part of operation “Golden Brand,” released a video showing a storeroom stacked high with boxes from which officers pulled products covered in shiny plastic sleeves. Most of the items — T-shirts, sandals, even skateboards — were branded with the distinctive box logo made famous by Supreme, though, of course, none of them were actually made by the New York-based streetwear giant. In a statement, the Italian authorities said that, in total, they had seized 700,000 counterfeit items worth €10 million as part of an investigation into the sale of counterfeit streetwear, which they characterised as a “new insidious phenomenon.”

Supreme knock-offs, from T-shirts to cigarette lighters, can be found all over the world, from Canal Street in New York City to the souks of Marrakech. The market for these counterfeits has thrived in part because distribution of genuine Supreme product is so tightly controlled. Its goods are available only at the brand’s 11 stores, via its website and at Dover Street Market, often in small batches released in weekly “drops," meaning that demand often far outweighs supply. Most items sell out online less than 10 seconds after they are made available.

Manufactured scarcity is a key part of Supreme’s incredible success. Over the last 25 years, the brand has grown from a single store on New York’s Lafayette Street that served as a de facto clubhouse for local skaters to a billion-dollar streetwear juggernaut that, in 2017, attracted investment from private equity giant the Carlyle Group, which paid around $500 million for roughly 50 percent stake in the business. Its red box logo, itself inspired by the signature style of artist Barbara Kruger, is now recognised worldwide.

But Supreme’s global profile, coupled with the scarcity of its product, has also exposed the company to sophisticated opportunists. The biggest thorn in Supreme’s side is Italy’s International Brand Firm (IBF) and a series of up to eight affiliated companies, known primarily as Supreme Italia and Supreme Spain to consumers. The company has brazenly set up Supreme-branded storefronts and websites in Italy, Spain and China that look real enough. It has filed trademark registrations using the word “Supreme” and versions of its logo in as many as 50 countries including Spain, Portugal and Israel. It has challenged Supreme for its trademark in international courts, and it has promised to open 70 more stores selling look-a-like Supreme goods.

All told, IBF appears to be doing swift business in what some call “legal fakes” because, according to Susan Scafidi, founder and director of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University's School of Law, the items fall in a legal grey area of trademark squatting. Even before IBF targeted Supreme, the streetwear brand faced an uphill battle in trademark registrations: its name has been considered too general and descriptive by some courts.

In 2017, IBF generated £514,000 (about $679,000) in revenue, according to public filings for part of its business. But if its plans to open new distribution channels go ahead, that number could grow significantly.

IBF’s activities made international headlines last December when Samsung announced a product collaboration with Supreme at a press conference in China. The South Korean giant welcomed someone it believed to be the chief executive of the streetwear business to the stage. “Today is Supreme’s official debut in the Chinese market,” said the person on stage with Feng En, Samsung’s head of digital marketing for Greater China, promising to open several stores in the country including a seven-story flagship in Beijing. Only later, after a backlash on the internet, did Samsung seem to discover that they were dealing not with the New York-based Supreme, but with the IBF-controlled Supreme Italia, and canceled the partnership.

In March, a Supreme-branded store opened on Middle Huaihai Road, one of Shanghai’s busiest retail streets, attracting a line of curious consumers wondering if the world’s most coveted streetwear brand had finally set up shop in China. Inside, shoppers can now find T-shirts and hoodies branded with oversized logos and tagged as “Supreme Spain” for 599RMB (about $90) to 1,599 RMB (about $240), as well as skateboard decks, backpacks and other accessories.

“I don’t think another company has really had to deal with this like we have,” said Supreme founder James Jebbia in a rare interview. “This is a whole new level with this criminal enterprise — these complete imposters and impersonators. This is a company that was able to convince one of the biggest companies in the world [Samsung] that they are the real thing.”

It would be sad if a new generation thinks that’s actually legit.

“People should know that the idea of legal fakes is a complete farce,” he said. “It would be sad if a new generation thinks that’s actually legit,” Jebbia added, likening IBF’s ability to spread disinformation to how “fake news” can easily be spread online today. “We don’t do a ton of press and we are quite quiet. These guys are taking full advantage of that… We haven’t had the time to basically go on this massive disinformation tirade or press thing that most people would.”

Some have chalked up Supreme’s counterfeiting woes to its failure to register its trademark faster than imposters in global markets — where trademarks are often awarded to companies that are first to file them, not first to use them — as the streetwear label grew more quickly than it was able to professionalise. Others say Supreme has little choice but to accept the situation.

But the truth is more complicated. For over two years, Supreme has fought its counterfeiters in the courts as it lobbies for trademark recognition in China and with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, jurisdictions in which no company yet has these rights. (Supreme has registrations in several European countries, parts of Asia and the United States.) In China, for example, Supreme filed for trademarks five years ago, though its application is still pending. Supreme Italia and IBF also have pending applications in the country that were filed in March 2018.

For Supreme, this is a highly inconvenient and expensive problem. Though the company was unable to provide an estimate in dollar terms, the cost is not only felt in lost sales and legal fees but in damage to the brand's reputation. And it comes just as Supreme enters a post-Carlyle growth phase which is believed to include expansion into China, the world’s largest fashion market. (Firms like Carlyle, which do not hold businesses indefinitely, typically aim to rapidly grow their investments and then sell their stakes within five to seven years).

In 2017, the same year as the Carlyle deal, Supreme hired its first general counsel as part of a wider professionalisation drive that has included poaching Converse's ex-chief marketing officer and hiring the Boston Consulting Group to evaluate its supply chain. General counsel Darci J. Bailey is overseeing the company’s multi-pronged trademark registration and anti-counterfeiting strategy. Supreme said it now has over 350 trademark filings around the globe.

“There is not a jurisdiction in the world that’s said what [IBF is] doing is lawful,” said Bailey. “Opening stores is only going to yield a bigger victory once we are able to shut those down.” She said that in addition to copying its products, opening fake stores and impersonating Supreme executives, IBF has duplicated Supreme's invoices, shopping bags and signage. “They are really after our DNA,” Bailey said, adding that IBF offered to “sell our trademarks back to us,” but Supreme will not consider payoffs as a way to solve its trademark issues.

“We will not stop, we will not relent,” she said. Supreme has made the most progress in Italy, IBF’s home country, where Italian and San Marino courts have prohibited IBF and its affiliates from using the trademark, and police have conducted over 100 seizures of counterfeit Supreme goods.

IBF and its lawyers declined multiple requests for comment from BoF.

Supreme's lawyers created this graphic to demonstrate that Supreme Spain's mark (far right) will be confused with Supreme's logo (far left) | Source: EUIPO

For years, brands from Nike to Chanel have faced sophisticated counterfeiting operations and trademark squatters. But the tactics used by IBF reflect a new level of sophistication. “I’ve never seen any brand subject to press conferences where there are people who are hired to impersonate the CEO,” said Bailey. “I think that there is a lot of confusion in the marketplace.”

The confusion is particularly palpable in Spain and China, where IBF has actual stores and the genuine Supreme doesn’t. The New York-based label’s cautious approach to expansion — which goes hand-in-hand with its carefully cultivated street cred — is a powerful part of its appeal to consumers. But as the company grows its customer base beyond longtime devotees, who have studied message boards and Supreme fan accounts for tips and tricks on how to buy its releases, the label may become a victim of its quiet approach if new consumers are duped by the likes of IBF. Or if, even worse, they knowingly settle for counterfeits that, in the case of items like logo T-shirts and hoodies, may not appear radically different from the originals to more casual admirers of the brand. “I don’t think we have a difficult time communicating to our core customer — they know how to get it — but any expansion is where it becomes difficult,” said Bailey.

David Fisher, founder and chief executive of influential streetwear and youth culture title Highsnobiety, said that shoppers who only see Supreme as the fashion trend it has become in recent years are less aware of the history of the brand and can’t as easily discern between real and counterfeit items. “They are probably going to buy one T-shirt and hoodie and that’s it… I’m sure there are thousands of people who have that level of engagement with the brand,” he said.

A first-time shopper coming to Supreme’s website — which offers e-commerce for customers in the US, UK, Japan, most of Europe as well as Russia and Iceland — can see a list of the brand’s retail stores, for example, but would not know that new products are released on Thursdays. Or that in order to manage long lines outside its stores, Supreme now assigns shoppers a 15-minute time-slot via text-message lottery that allows them to enter the store on what longstanding customers call “drop days.” The website also does not warn shoppers about the proliferation of counterfeiters.

While the company is likely contemplating opening more retail channels — online and off — in new markets, many of its products (including its coveted box logo items) are still virtually impossible for many consumers to buy, especially in places like Spain, Italy and China, where Supreme does not have stores and where IBF has taken root.

In the 13 months ending in January 2018, Supreme generated £63 million ($83 million) in sales in the UK, Europe and other regions outside the United States, up 156 percent year over year, according to public filings in the UK.

“These fake Supreme [pieces] that appear now make the real Supreme not as popular as it once was,” said a college student in Madrid, Beltrand Montauzon, who has purchased Supreme items on the resale market when traveling abroad. “[Supreme Spain] is way more accessible for people who weren’t able to buy it, which is 99 percent of the population.”

Supreme is believed to be considering new stores in Milan, Berlin and San Francisco, but Jebbia declined to confirm any concrete plans. Existing stores include two in New York (the original Lafayette location is closed for renovations, but another store is open nearby on Bowery), one in Los Angeles, one in London, one in Paris, and six in Japan. “We certainly wouldn’t say, ‘Let’s open in Spain because these fakers have opened up a fake shop,’” he said. “We do look, but we aren’t in any massive rush; it can take years to find the right space,” Jebbia continued. Supreme generated £1.8 million ($2.3 million) in sales between 2013 and 2018 in Spain through online sales, according to documents filed by Supreme's lawyers with the EUIPO.

We certainly wouldn’t say, 'Let’s open in Spain because these fakers have opened up a fake shop.'

IBF was incorporated in November 2015 by Michele di Pierro, a Barletta, Italy native who was previously affiliated with an apparel distributor Grew Sport. His biography on Twitter states, “No one is indispensable” and on Pinterest, “Thirst for innovation.” IBF has boasted that it registered Supreme’s trademarks in Italy before the New York brand could. But in fact, IBF filed a month after the real Supreme did, in November 2015. Then, in January 2016, Supreme Italia is thought to have made its debut during menswear tradeshow Pitti Uomo, where attendees reported the company had set up a booth.

The real Supreme started fighting back in July 2016, taking its case to the Italian courts. After a series of civil and criminal suits in 2017, Italian and San Marino courts ordered an injunction against IBF and its use of the Supreme or Supreme Italia marks, and police started seizing counterfeit product the same year.

IBF, in response, began shifting its business to Spain, where it filed for a trademark in April 2017, five days before Supreme did, and started opening stores in Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Ibiza and Formentera the following summer. Supreme also filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, where the trademark is still pending registration. Later in 2017 and 2018, IBF filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), where it has two active listings.

Meanwhile, IBF has been able to score points in the press. In July 2018, an Italian court in Trani unfroze IBF’s websites, even though the company was still barred from producing and selling products featuring Supreme branding. In October 2018, the European Union Intellectual Property Office said it would continue to consider Supreme’s trademark application, which IBF contested. Both of these developments were spun as wins for IBF by Italian streetwear blogs, particularly NSS and TheStreetwearMagazine.com, the latter of which Bailey said is published by IBF.

Supreme's new shop on Bowery in New York | Source: Courtesy

But Supreme isn’t backing down and is focusing on getting the EU-wide mark approved. “We are very confident we are going to get the trademark registration with the EU,” said Bailey.

Meanwhile, Supreme has obtained several trademark registrations in Spain, which IBF has opposed, but the proceedings are suspended until the EUIPO makes its ruling. Supreme is also trying to get Spanish courts to close IBF’s stores, but the relevant authorities have denied this request and Supreme is appealing.

Bailey said Supreme is also persevering in China, where she said the brand has been working closely with officials and is now “months away” from getting its trademarks registrations about four years after the application was first filed.

“It’s highly likely Supreme will create a lot of difficulty for Supreme Italia moving forward and may win,” said Scafidi. “Trademarks are born global; they cross borders without being stopped at customs and yet there is no way to simply protect a trademark globally.”

"We are doing every single thing that we can do to stop [IBF] and I think we are going to prevail,” said Jebbia, adding that although the complexity of running Supreme has certainly grown and the company was still in the process of bringing its operations up to speed, he was still animated by the same principles that guided him at the company's start. “I don’t think of it any differently today than I did 20 years ago. We’ve still got to make great products that hopefully people like and sell well. All we can do is go on instinct.”

Additional reporting by Zoe Suen and Sam Gaskin.

submitted by /u/whalingman [link] [comments] April 03, 2019 at 05:29PM

#hype #streetwear #streetfashion #hypebeast #aesthetic

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backroadblues · 8 years ago

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May 26th, 2017 - Bellagio, Italy

May 27th, 2017 - Venice, Italy

Having spent a beautiful day and evening in Bellagio on Lake Como, we must now say goodbye. Our itinerary takes us today to beautiful Verona and then on to Venice. The drive from Bellagio directly to Venice would take us about 4 hours, so we decide to break the drive up with a quick stop in the beautiful city of Verona.

Before we can get our trip underway, we must first have breakfast in the beautiful little dining room at the hotel. A breakfast is provided with our room. The offering is quite nice. There is the traditional yogurt, pastries, breads, fresh fruit, juices and cured meats, but we are also treated to soft or hard boiled eggs. Trent, Elisa and I join each other for breakfast while Carolyn packs her “small” bag to get ready for the trip to Venice. When Trent, Elisa and I finish we go to check-out and load the car up while Carolyn has breakfast.

With our bodies now fully refueled, we set off on our European road trip. To get to Verona, we must first navigate our way out of Bellagio by going back down the narrow mountain road. This time we are leaving fairly early in the morning at a little past 9:00 am and fortunately for us traffic is sparse. However, there are more bicyclists on the road at this hour than there are automobiles. The Giro Di Italia bicycle race is going on right now, and it it passing near here. This seems to have inspired every amateur cyclist to hit the road. To bad for us they had to do it on this narrow mountain road. We in turn must dodge the cars that are dodging the cyclists. Once again, we make our way down into the town of Lecco without incident. As we reach Lecco, we change direction heading toward the larger city of Bergamo where we will pick up the Autostrada that will take us to Verona. After about 2-½ we are pulling into Verona. Both Carolyn and Trent have slept most of the way and as they awaken as we are pulling into Verona, the both say, “gee that didn’t take too long”. I say in my head, “of course not, you were both snoring”.

Verona is a very large city that has sprawled well beyond the walls and monuments within the ancient part of the city. We make our way through this sprawl with the ancient Roman amphitheater as our targeted destination. It is now about 11:40 AM and it is clear that many tourists have made the ancient part of Verona a key destination. It is crowded. As we drive, we pass near a McDonalds with its Golden arches blazing. Although none of us really care for McDonalds food when we are back home, we find ourselves yearning for some of this classic American comfort food. We pull in and immediately, we find that this McDonalds is not like the ones we have at home. This one has a McCafe in the front half of the store that has an Espresso machine that is huge. Also, the selection of pastries and cakes and tortes is huge. We struggle to make our way past it to the counter where we can order some burger and fries. Here the ordering process is different than we are accustomed to. We must first place our orders at computerized kiosks. The menu is mostly similar to what we see at home - with the usual suspects - Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, Fries, etc. We place our orders on the kiosks and are then issued a receipt with a number on it and we go to pick up our food at a counter that is more reminiscent of what we see at home. As we collect our food, we are are chuckling at the sight of us eating burgers and fries while we are traveling in one the the worlds best countries that is noted for its cuisine. Instead, we much on these burgers amongst the locals. Except for the language we could be sitting any any other McDonalds restaurant back home.

Once again being refueled, we are back in the car and quickly find covered public parking near the Coliseum. The space available is like the streets leading to Bellagio - narrow. I wedge the mini-van into the space and somehow contract my body so that I can get out of the car. We make the short walk to the ancient monument and stand i awe. Verona is home to one of the best preserved ancient amphitheater. This theater was built in 39AD.

It is rumored that it was constructed for the people of Verona when the nearby Bergamo Spartans - a gladiatorial team became dissatisfied with their ancient amphitheater in Bergamo. They had requested that the city of Bergamo build them a new one, but when the people declined, the team up and moved to nearby Verona, whose citizens were willing to take on the tax burden of building this lovely Roman amphitheater.

Perhaps I’ve taken some literary liberties here to highlight the point that there really is no future - it is simply the past repeated. What is the most stunning fact about this amphitheater that seats up to 35,000 attendees is that it is still in use today. It has been lovingly preserved - not restored. On this day, workers are preparing for a major performance inside of the arena. Think about this. This structure is almost 2000 years old and it is still serving the people of Verona just as it did in 39AD. In the states, we declare stadiums obsolete and demolish them after 50 or 60 years. It really is a crazy thought.

We could go into the amphitheater, but the line for tickets is long and we are short on time as we must arrive in Venice as a prescribed time to pick up the keys to our Air B and B apartment. When we were last here in 2009, there was no admission to the key sites such as the amphitheater and the cathedrals. Now the cities are searching for all forms of revenue. Residents and tourists alike must now pay for access - even for the public and many private restrooms. It is unfortunate.

After we see the coliseum we then make our way towards the home of Juliet - of Romeo and Juliet fame. You see, the old tale of Romeo and Juliet that is so cleverly told by William Shakespeare in the late 1500’s was actually influenced by tale of tragic love that was based on a true story here in Verona. The story of the feuding Montague and Capulet families actually took place. Juliet had been betrothed by her parents to another, but alas, she was in love with young Romeo. Like me, Shakespeare took some literary license with the original tale and his rebelling was a much bigger seller than the original tale - it is still read by virtually every high-school student in the world. When we last here, a visit to the ancient home of Juliet and its fabled balcony was somewhat of a side trip that was not on the key list of sights to see in this town. Once again, Rick Steves has ruined it (just kidding) this little alcove is now swarmed with tourists of all nationalities. Also, now for a few Euro’s tourists can pay for the opportunity to stand on the very balcony where Juliet sought out her forbidden lover chanting those immortal words, “Romeo, Romeo, where forth art thou…”. now today we get to see those words uttered in every possible language by shabbily dressed tourists. Somehow this particular site has lost a lot of its past charm - I feel like I"m in Disneyland.

Another interesting thing about the city of Verona is that they have done a very clever job of merging the new with the old. To get to the home of Juliet and many of the other ancient sites, you now navigate a wide pedestrian mall that is lined with high-end shops. It is sort of like a “Rodeo drive” of Beverly Hills fame has been transported to Italy. We make a quick stroll to some of Verona’s other key sites, its Duomo, the Ancient Roman stone bridge build in about 100BC - again it is still in use today. Those romans really built things to last back then. After getting about 15000 steps in with our walking tour of Verona we make our way back to the car so we can head on into Venice. This led will be about 1-½ hours to get us to where we will park outside of Venice. We will then need to take a couple of different modes of transportation to actually get to our apartment in Venice. Our host has suggested we consider parking in Piazzale Roma as that will be nearer to where we will need to catch a boat that will take us to the St Marks area where our Apartment is. Trent is driving us there on this leg and he does a great job getting us there. As we are a seeking parking, the place is a madhouse of cars everywhere. Clearly it will be crowded in Venice. We are promptly advised that there is no long term parking available here and we must head back to the Tronchetto area to park. So Trent manages to maneuver us through all the traffic so we can make a u-turn and get back to Tronchetto. We quickly find parking but getting out of the garage with all our luggage is a bit tricky. There is no signage anywhere directing tourists like us how to get to transportation that will take us into Venice. We finally figure out that we must buy a ticket for a people mover that will take us back to Piazzale Roma, which is were we just were. From there we can either take a private water taxi or the Vaporetto (public water bus) to our location. We opt for the charm and relatively in expensive Vaporetto. We must go to the Arsenale stop where our hostess Marta will be meeting us to take us to our apartment. It takes us about an hour but we finally get there. Marta is a young girl that works for a company that has about 100 different B&B apartments here in Venice. Our apartment is modest but located very near to St Marks square. We get settled and decide to head out to take is some of the sights. We stroll along canals and through different squares and then make our way out to the Grand Canal. We stroll past the Doges Palace and into St. Marks where we see the beautiful Cathedral.

Surprisingly, the crowds in Venice seem to have thinned a bit. It looks like some of the tourists from the 4 cruise ships that are in port have headed back to their berths for the evening. We welcome the relative calm that has begun to fall over the city of enchantment. Eventually, we find a restaurant - Vecio Canton that our hostess had recommended. We all cool down with some beverages. It seems that coldest beverage one can order in Italy is Birra ala Spina - or beer on tap. We all partake and welcome the refreshment. This evening, Trent and Carolyn both order the sautéed scallops as their starters, and for their mains Trent orders a steak with creamy green peppercorn sauce and Carolyn has the Spaghetti in meat sauce. Elisa has a salad as a starter and Spaghetti (gluten free) Carabonarra, a egg and cheese sauce with pancetta or smoked ham. I have a small pizza with spicy salami. The food is good, the water charming and the beers nice and cold. You can’t ask for more. We decide to skip desert in the restaurant and opt instead to head back St. Marks Square where we can sit and have a gelato.

We make our way back to the square that is modestly occupied by tourists and locals. Everyone is sitting at a cafe table outdoors. There are many that have live musicians playing contemporary and classical Italian favorites. It is interesting, the bands are positioned all along the square and each takes turns playing for the guest sitting before them. We hear Andrea Bocellis’s classic Conte Partiro about 4 times, each played by a different band somewhere along the large square. It is thrilling each time.

With desert finished we take inventory of our step count for the day - we are well over 20,000 steps as we call it a night. We are weary but happy. We did and saw a lot on a day that was punctuated with 4 hours of driving. No wonder we are tired.

That’s all for now. More later. Ciao!

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dailykhaleej · 5 years ago

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Dubai’s Reel Cinemas Drive-in evaluate: On the right track

Reel Drive-in Cinema at the rooftop parking area of the new The Dubai Mall Zabeel extension Picture Credit score: Virendra Saklani/DailyKhaleej

For these of us who’ve been starved for some leisure that stretches past Netflix, Prime Video and Zoom calls, the information of one other drive-in cinema in Dubai in a span of few weeks comes as a breath of virus-free air.

The Dubai Mall Zabeel expertise is the newest version to the drive-in cinema resurgence in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which had seen an upswing in the US and Europe. After UAE’s legacy theatres corresponding to Rex Drive-in shuts its doorways in the 90s, swanky multiplexes stuffed the void with state-of-the-art Dolby encompass sound, 4DX screens, IMAX and films with a three-course meal.

Some might name the drive-in idea too retro for the UAE’s brilliant lights and cutting-edge tradition, however at a time when social distancing is the phrase of the hour, this simply makes good advertising sense. Which is probably why Vox Cinemas was the first to leap on the bandwagon with its drive-in at Mall of the Emirates, with Sharjah quickly to observe with its very personal. Alongside the manner, Abu Dhabi too has had a couple of pop-ups, with the hearsay mill abuzz {that a} mission is in the pipeline.