Monday, October 31, 2011

A Halloween Hoot For Vegetarians: How to Celebrate the Holiday and Maintain a Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarians seeking a kid-friendly alternative to Halloween’s emphasis on high fructose corn syrup and sugar laden candy, and other unhealthy snacks, are turning to the past for a solution according to Mindy Rosso, Director of Marketing and Community Manager at Greeting Card Universe.

San Ramon, CA, October 31, 2011 - “A hundred years ago,” says Rosso, “American communities as well as individuals hosted Halloween costume parties for youth and adults, and it became fashionable to attend these events as trick-or-treating was virtually unknown until after 1941. Even then, the practice didn’t become widespread until relatively modern times.”


While the ritual of trick-or-treating remains the highlight of the year for many children and teens, vegetarian parents can have concerns about candy consumption, as well as their child fitting in with their peer group. The solution? Host a Halloween party.

“One of the best ways to help your child’s peers accept a vegetarian lifestyle is through holiday parties,” writes Mary Clifford, a registered dietician, in the Vegan Handbook. “A chance for kids to sample vegetarian food in a fun, relaxed atmosphere can help take the mystery out of your child’s eating habits. A Halloween party with games and diversions is a particularly good time to start the ball rolling.”

Tailoring a Halloween party to a child’s interests with age appropriate decorations, entertainment and activities will ensure a hit, as will getting their input on the menu.

Creative parents on a budget whip up ghoulish delights that include textured vegetable protein in chili, corn dogs or Sloppy Jo’s. Ultra-stylish moms and dads with deep pockets host catered events for kids as young as two or three-years old. Even vegetarians or vegans with babies plan a Halloween get-together with other like-minded parents.

“Organizing a party is a big task,” says Rosso, “and people are already overburdened with demands on their time. Whatever the theme, Greeting Card Universe offers a treat to busy party hosts with fast, easy Internet ordering of Halloween party invitations, including customizable photo invitations.”


About Greeting Card Universe
Greeting Card Universe is the world’s largest custom greeting card store. Our artists have created over 500,000 cards, from custom Christmas cards to holiday photo cards, to fit all of your special occasions. Personalize your message and we will ship your card anywhere in the world for a great price. Explore our selection of cards today!

Contact:
Mindy Rosso
Director of Marketing and Community Manager
Greeting Card Universe
2594 Bishop Drive, Suite 211
San Ramon, CA 94583
(925) 866-4110
mindy.rosso@bigdates.com
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com

Q3 2011 Marks 10 Consecutive Quarters of Growth for Smartware Group

Top line revenues up nearly 60 percent between Q3 2010 and Q3 2011 for Smartware Group. Maker of Bigfoot CMMS also yields 17 new customers, adds enhancements, new foreign languages to flagship maintenance automation solution.

Center Harbor, NH, October 31, 2011 - Smartware Group, Inc., www.bigfootcmms.com, the premier provider of Bigfoot CMMS (computerized maintenance management software) for the maintenance management of facilities and production equipment, today announced that top line revenues grew 58 percent compared to the same quarter last year and 17 percent since Q2 2011. Q3 2011 results add up to 10 successive quarters of growth for the company.


Smartware Group also brought on 17 new customers from manufacturing, including the largest privately held steel producer in the U.S., hospitality and healthcare sectors.

“We attribute Smartware Group’s significant growth during the last 12 months and continued growth since 2009 to our founding principles of placing as much importance on customer service and retention as we do on customer acquisitions,” said Paul Lachance, Smartware Group founder and president.

“Facilities managers and production maintenance teams use Bigfoot CMMS because they experience the product’s benefits almost immediately after installation, and they continue their relationship with us because we make help desk staffing a top priority and we regularly incorporate their feature ‘wish lists’ into Bigfoot.”

During Q3 2011, Smartware Group added the following new features requested by customers:

- Parts Express – Bigfoot’s enhanced replacement parts inventory program now lets repair technicians grab a part; scan the barcode into Bigfoot which matches up the correct work order with the same barcode, then adjusts the parts inventory database

- Bigfoot now also manages ad hoc spare parts

- Integration with Active Directory – security data from employees using Bigfoot are automatically transferred to active directory for global IT control

- Bigfoot is now available in Mandarin and Hebrew, as well as English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Bigfoot’s technology is built on the philosophy that “real world users know best” and has gained a reputation for issuing frequent updates that incorporate customers’ suggestions, as well as running a top-notch customer help desk. Smartware group hires help desk personnel more frequently than sales to ensure customer satisfaction. Even in a tight job market Smartware Group will not cut operations.

About Smartware Group, Inc.

Smartware Group, Inc., headquartered in Center Harbor, N.H., develops and sells Bigfoot CMMS (computerized maintenance management software) for a variety of business environments, from manufacturing plant floors to convention centers and stadiums.

Since 2002, Bigfoot has helped more than 1,400 customers worldwide improve facility and equipment maintenance operations with advanced capabilities that include preventive maintenance (PMs) and predictive maintenance, work order scheduling, maintenance requests, asset life cycle management, parts replacement inventory, and built-in reporting. Bigfoot CMMS’s native functionality paired with its intuitive design allows maintenance professionals to implement the solution and get results quickly, often in a matter of weeks.

Bigfoot is quick to implement, quick to learn, and quick to deliver results.

Contact:
Shelly Gordon
Smartware Group
PO Box 188
Center Harbor, NH 03226
(603) 574-4520
sgordon@g2comm.com
http://www.bigfootcmms.com

A Marriage of Two Brands to Promote the Luxury Travel Category to Australia, and Other International Cities

Luxury Travel and The Cape Club have established a joint venture to provide fully escorted luxury travel services into Vietnam/ South East Asia.

Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi, October 31, 2011 - With new luxury hotels and world class golf courses newly opening, luxury trains, exclusive cruises and upscale private tours spanning the length of the country, Vietnam is fast emerging as the world’s latest luxury destination.

Vietnam has a French colonial influence with unique architecture, tree-lined boulevards and baguettes and croissants to rival any Parisian cafe. They also boast many attractions, including beautiful resorts, spas, majestic scenery, a rich traditional culture, easy going and welcoming locals, great cuisine and an improving tourist infrastructure. This makes Vietnam a more attractive destination for travelers seeking the best value for their money.

Luxury Travel Vietnam, the leading tour operator in Vietnam and South East Asia, and The Cape Club, a division of More Collections Pty Ltd, Australia, today announced that they have reached an agreement to establish a joint venture to develop fully accompanied concierge services for the travel industry across Vietnam and South East Asia.

The new joint venture will be trading as Cape Lux Travels, providing “A dedicated concierge with every group.”

The parties agreed to their basic division of functions; Luxury Travel Vietnam (LTV) will essentially be the tour operator and The Cape Club (TCC) will essentially be the tour manager. The area that Cape Lux Travels will initially do business is across South East Asia countries, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Cape Lux Travels aims to provide High End Tours in a specified “keeper of the candle” Comte des Cierge category. Some existing Tour Products on the drawing board are: Revive, Restore – Re-awaken Escapes, Golfing, “Meet the Photographer” Tours, Cookery and Wine Tasting Across S.E Asia, Art and Antique Appreciation Tours, High end Rail Journeys, The Makeover & Pamper Girls only Trip, A Concierge for the Connoisseur, Retracing French Colonial Charms and custom categories to your requirements.

To start this joint venture, Jean Wethmar – Representative of TCC will visit Vietnam to meet, greet and have further business talks with LTV about their scheduled Vietnam Trip this 1st – 15th March 2012. For a full itinerary and further details of this Reawaken Senses Tour, please contact Mrs. Jean Wethmar jeanw@thecapeclub.com and Mr. Nguyen Cuu Hung hung@luxurytravelvietnam.com.

On this 15 day trip, travellers will journey through Vietnam, exploring world heritage sites in style, discover delicious Vietnamese cuisine, stay in gorgeous luxury accommodation and villas, uncover many hidden charms amongst the highlights of an amazing country: Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Hoian, Hue, Hanoi, Halong Bay, combined with Golf Courses for golfers, Cooking Classes for culinary delights, and Spa treatments – a total Reawakening of all senses. Crisp white linen suits, dark mahogany wooden furniture, panama hats, “Pearl of the Orient” - “Paris of the East? Vietnam!

Their tours start in Saigon (HCMC), with her million scooters, where simply crossing a road is a huge challenge. A stroll down Dong Khoi Street, with its alluring silk stores is sure to set the pace. They end the tour in Hanoi.

“Our tours are aimed at taking a glimpse into the French Colonial Splendor of an era, where clearly opulence was the order of the day. We’ll meet chefs, photographers, authors, bamboo boat makers, potters, get to stay in amazing 5* luxury French Architectural hotels – Park Hyatt, La Residence, Metropole Sofitel Hanoi, Ana Mandara Six Senses to name a few. Plenty of time for Spa treatments/ shop. Good morning Vietnam!” said Mrs. Jean Wethmar – Co-founder of The Cape Club and a Colonial Romantic.

Exclusive, discreet attention to fine detail, ensures a journey of a lifetime. 1-15 March 2012 – $US4418 per person. The price include all land services: tour manager, luxury accommodation, private English speaking tour guide, all private transfer and transportation, meals, domestic flight tickets.

“This is an important step of Luxury Travel’s plan to expand the travel industry in the South East Asia. Sophisticated travelers are looking to have the best travel experience with Cape Lux Travels,” said Mr. Pham Ha – Founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Vietnam. “With a major partner, we’ll largely expand our presence in Australia to create products that reflects the needs and desires specifically of Australian travelers. We look forward to collaborating with The Cape Club to develop the travel industry in South East Asia and a happy marriage.”

The first luxury tour operator (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) and full travel service agency based in Hanoi with offices throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, Luxury Travel is exceptional in designing tailor-made tours and providing unique travel experiences. Opened in 2004, the Luxury Travel Company Limited has its own offices, luxury vehicles, luxury travel advisors, and sales offices in California, Paris, and Melbourne. The company’s depth of experience and large infrastructure enable it to create unique itineraries with the operational confidence to fulfill client expectations. Luxury Travel Ltd won numerous travel awards for excellent performance including the most recent award: Best Luxury Tour Operator in Vietnam.

About Cape Club
It’s easier to deliver to a stated purpose, if careful and structured thought precedes the planned statement of actions.

Why do we travel? We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate... we travel, in essence, to become young fools again – to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more - Pico Iyer

Be creative, Take chances, Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, for its from this that we learn, recover, renew, regain. Many travelers prefer the camaraderie, convenience and fun of small group travel and The Cape Club’s style is simply unique. And it is from this need that The Cape Club began. Starting in 2008 in Sydney, Australia, director Jean Wethmar became aware of a great niche market to provide high end travelers with a unique traveling opportunity. Limited to small groups of like-minded travelers who relish learning and discovering, these classic escorted journeys offer unparalleled flexibility, personal attention and smooth, discreet travel arrangements. Connoisseur fully escorted packaged tours with personal assistance from the time you arrive until your departure. A concierge with every group.

Contact:
David Nguyen
Luxury Travel Group Ltd
5 Nguyen Truong To Street
Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi
Vietnam 71000
844-392-74120