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To my cousin Roberto Pastuch

January 2017December 2022 in Blog

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OUFFF this month is dedicated to my late cousin Roberto Pastuch

Happy New Year to you all!!! May 2017 bring you HEALTH and tons of LOVE!!!

As for my start, well it’s been a rough one, one of my close cousins (same age) succumbed to liver cancer, @#$%^&*! Sorry but I needed to let it out … Cancer is always very difficult (I know been through it myself). However to lose a loved one so young and so fast sorry this is HARD to swallow!! “ROCK ON Robert ROCK ON”

Ok, moving forward, there was allot of work distractions to keep me busy this month.

First off I went on a three-day site visit to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; one word SPECTACULARLY SUBLIME (ok ok two words) and quite an eclectic spot, interesting to say the least.

Side Note: Gosh I am blessed, on behalf of my client’s needs I get to see and experience all this world has to offer … thanks universe (humbly).

Ok, back to Yellowknife … very rural and very naturally beautiful. You can read more about it on my weekly travel blog here is the link.

Also in the name of research and development we (Annie and I) did a few site visits this month for some of our clientele;
• Showcase 4Saison Event

• Bord’elle

• St. James Hotel site visit, including the luxurious penthouse suite, due to a client wanting to hold a private soiree there. OMG OMG no words can describe it .. one needs to see it.

• Intercontinental Hotel’s newly renovated GRAND Ballroom – FANTABULOUS it was…

As for my teaching ‘gig’ at Lasalle College , I’m very excited this session why you ask? Well started to teach Event Marketing (new class/challenges and LOVING it)… By the Way this is sooooo my true background.

I also traveled to Ottawa for an annual conference regarding the association market.
(I will share more with you next month on this)

One silver lining to my rocky January is that my health is fine.
All is healing and I’m feeling good.
I have a check-up with my oncologist end of February.

It’s been an action-packed January, to say the least. I’ll check back with you all in February!

a month of EXOTICISM

February 2015December 2022 in Blog

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(now now … get your minds out of the gutter, people!)

Yes, I know what you were thinking when you saw the title of this blog, and no, I’m not on a “50 Shades of Grey” high like the rest of the world (lol) and no I wasn’t referring to “Saint Valentine’s” day either ….

I was actually referring to the exotic destinations I visited this month “WOWISUM” of exotic travel.

Started the month with an “EXOTIC ADVENTURE” to the absolutely fabulously over the top Emirates, also known as United Arab Emirates (UAE). Specifically Abu Dhabi and Dubai , yes folks it’s all that and more. The conference we attended was mainly to meet with international suppliers. What incredible meetings they where, many partnerships/connections where established. (seriously … at this rate Montreal Event Planner will HAVE no choice but to expand Internationally).

We (client’s and I) were privileged to a personal tour guide, where she brought us EVERYWHERE in Abu Dhabi and Dubai:

– Grand Mosque	– Museums
– Yas Island	– Crossing the infamous Creek
– F1 Racing	– Spice & Gold Markets
– Camel Trekking	– Ferrari World
– Tallest building in the world	– Luncheon on a Yacht
– Roller Coaster ride (FASTEST in the world)	– Shopping at the infamous Malls
– Spectacular Beaches	– Indoor Skiing with penguin petting

Ended our exotic travel in historical Istanbul,Turkey ;
We (client and I) were invited to attend a MICE conference (how privileged and honored we where). Istanbul … talk about ‘walking’ into the History books … WOW what a place it was. The moment I walk off the plane I felt their history and no I am not being dramatic .. I truly felt it. Switching gears, off we went to meet and making concrete connections. Luckily we were able to squeeze in some site visits. Here are the MUST sees:

The Grand Bazar ; spectacularly grand and colorful (mind you if you want to buy something you HAVE to have your bargaining game on!! (these merchants are pros) …
Taksim Square ; the place to see and be seen … tons of people, tons of shopping, tons of bars/restaurants, tons of whatever you desire….
Bosphorus River ; splendor in it’s self here you are right smack in the middle of the Asian and European side just breathtaking thinking of all the history that went on here…

Believe it or not folks amidst all this adventure travel, I still managed to close a few more local corporate contracts including two more weddings. Also am working on two more client Incentive programs; one for this coming year and another in 2016 (makes a total of eight Client Incentives Program for the next two years … WOW) …

As if that wasn’t enough; the EMSB (English Montreal School Board) asked me to meet and greet some high school students for Career Exploration Day. These students were interested in the Events Industry … it truly was an honor; like I always say I Aspire to Inspire.

I also continue to give Event Management classes; online at iLasalle and as night courses at Lasalle College .

Yes Yes I know you are wondering; [how does she do it??] … well sometimes I too wonder the same thing … I guess I LOVE this too much … just don’t stop to think about it … I just do it…

This was my February. Hope your month was just as adventurous!

September – the ALL or NOTHING month

September 2014December 2022 in Blog

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September is the month of “back to’s”:

back to school
back to work
back to routine

You get the gist and for me, it means the realization of a lot of projects/events.

First: I did so much actual execution work (no, no not that kind of execution)… I mean the “carrying out” of actual client events/programs that have been in the planning stages for months:

Educational Conference at client’s premises
Bi-annual Medical Congress at the Palais des Congres (from set up – teardown)
Annual Association AGM at the Double Tree By Hilton in Regina, Sask
Weddings (four) at various locations in the city (here are some “inspired by photos” while I await their permission to use the photos – they’re a little “busy” off on their perspective honeymoons (wink, wink)

Second: Classes at LaSalle College started up again, both in the evening and online. I have awesome groups of students this semester!

Third: Yes folks it’s that time of the year… I’m in the midst of planning the usual corporate holiday parties.

As per the usual busy schedule, it included some travel. As mentioned I went to Regina, but prior to this I attended (for the first time) the WeddingMBA Congress always held in Las Vegas.

In typical unpredictable Vegas style it was an adventure. The congress itself was quite enriching with educational value. However, I must share with you some of our adventures:

One evening we (myself and 19 other Canadian wedding planners from WPIC) were invited to a VIP tour of the Vegas Wedding Chapels. One of our stops was the infamous Little White Wedding Chapel (this is where Elvis and Britney, just to name a few, got hitched). While we visited the officiant got word we were all Canadian wedding planners and asked if there was someone in the group that spoke French… well, they all looked at me saying, “Daniela speaks it,” so it happened that I was the only one there who could. So, I was asked if I could assist/help to officiate a renewal of vows for this couple from France… I gladly accepted and did it (talk about circumstances of life!).

As if that was not enough, on our way back, myself and some members of the WPIC went back on our party limo/bus that turned into quite the unbelievable ride (would you believe me if I told you the driver did a little G-rated pole dance for us ladies completely out of the blue?!). Only in Vegas baby… OMG!

Back to reality, for the first time I assisted the Montreal International Black Film Festival … WOW! I got to meet: Spike Lee (film director/producer/writer/artist) – PK Subban (hockey player extraordinaire from the Montreal Canadians) – Jamie Orchard (from Global Evening News). BIG BIG shout out to my former students and now colleagues (Marie Candelaria and Erica Jabouin for the invite!!! “Logistically Speaking” you ROCK!!!)

This month ends with my birthday celebration – I spent the weekend in Quebec City at the newly renovated Chateau Frontenac with my hubby and dog Max … WOW… I get asked if I will have a BIG BASH my reply is: “no no! I want to celebrate with my famiglia…”

And the craziness won’t stop there – September is only the tip of the planning iceberg. In fact, fall is just going to get busier and busier. I honestly don’t know how I survived September, but I did.

Looking forward to an even wilder October!

Call me the “FACILITATOR”

May 2014December 2022 in Blog

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No no silly, I’m not a new Marvel superhero… “The Facilitator: Facilitating Companies (my clients) AND Planners (my colleagues) ACROSS the GLOBE!!” (although I must admit it does have a cool ring to it) …

While I do consider myself a multitasking maven, this month has been non-stop coordinating and, well, acting as a facilitator for a whole variety of clients and colleagues. Add a little bit of travel and you’ve got yourself one hectic month of May!

Normally I’m coordinating/helping my clients out, however, this month I’ve been getting last-minute requests from colleagues who live out of town (we are talking USA, across Canada, and from Europe). to help them out on their events happening here in Montreal. They’re missing bodies here – they cannot be present at these events so they’ve asked me to represent them. (yes folks competitors asking each other for some help … it happens all the time)

Over the years I’ve built relationships with competitors (this is when I do my traveling). And there are moments we call on each other for HELP … it’s very rewarding to be asked by a colleague to represent them in their time of need: For example, I recently went to the InterContinental to help with an associate’s attendees’ needs as they were checking out or facilitating to find a specific venue space for an upcoming medical conference for a small group of doctors etc … etc…

The summer session at LaSalle College, where I teach, has also started. This month I attended an event that LaSalle holds every year called “Enterprise” where Fashion Marketing students present their business ideas, similar to the “Shark’s Tank” concept. Also, because the Event Planning program falls under the Fashion Marketing umbrella, I get the pleasure attending the
fashion design students’ showcasing all of their designs. And if you know me: anything to do with fashion, I LOVE!!

I had two client appreciation events this month – they were for the same client but from different departments. I also did educational programs for them.

I was lucky enough to have had a lunch with colleagues where I discovered the Bier Markt, a fantastic restaurant.

I also rediscovered Hotel Le Crystal Montreal .

And visited the newly renovated AML Cruise boat.

Because I was working constantly I didn’t do much traveling this month.

However I still made time to check out the wonderful Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont. Was invited to experience the property and it’s a gorgeous place.

I’d like to give a shout-out to my assistant Jennifer – she’s awesome and has been helping me out a lot with last-minute stuff. Thank you so so so MUCH Jennifer!

The event season has officially begun. Can’t wait to see what June has in store!

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To my cousin Roberto Pastuch

a month of EXOTICISM

September – the ALL or NOTHING month

Call me the “FACILITATOR”