one man's trash: las vegas vintage industrial shopping at #NMX

Before I reveal the next retro shop tour, let's talk about BlogWorld - New Media Expo 2013 #NMX from last week. A session that made a HUGE impression on me  was +AmandaBlain's talk on Google+.  Amanda is the creator of AmandaBlain.com and is a Google+ expert. Yes I know. Yet another thing to check, do, and/or not understand. And, I have gotten mixed messages from the mass media who accuse Google+ of being a ghost town. Here are the reasons to give Google+ a try:

1. Google+ has over 500 million members. Facebook brags about 1B and Pinterest has about 40M depending on who is counting so 500 million is okay.
2. Google+ Hangouts are a great way to have virtual private or public meetings, and record them (Albert says he uses them with his guys at work). I would like to try them with a little blog work group. 
3. Google is working to tie content together all over the web and continue to improve search. Google+ Authorship is an important mechanism to achieve this and a critical tool for bloggers. 
4. Final reason, Google+ is still early, and influencers on Google+ are still accessible. Which means you could be a bigger fish, in a smaller pond. Great article here about using Google+ for influencer outreach as well as SEO.

Now for the retro review.

Circus Circus, Las Vegas, NV #NMX 

I used my conference down time to check out  Antique Alley in the Las Vegas Arts District. One of the last shops that I found open on Sunday at 4pm was One Man's Trash. It took a minute  for me to figure out what was going on. Everything looked brand spanking new. BUT IT WASN'T. What?!?

One Man's Trash
Mid-Century Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

1300 South Main Street, Suite 140
Las Vegas, NV 89104

(702) 778-7988

One Man's Trash

more #nmx #blogworld and the pick a masthead winner!

Before I reveal the winner of our Help Us Pick a Masthead Contest from last week, let's talk about BlogWorld -New Media Expo 2013 #NMX (held just prior to #CES) in Las Vegas. Tuesday night's key note was @LeoLaporte. In the United States, Leo is a beloved radio personality known as "The Tech Guy" who also runs podcasts and video shows. He knows everything tech. Everything.

Leo Laporte photo compliments of  Joe Manna on Flickr

Geeks dig him, both guys and gals alike, probably because he never makes fun of anyone, no matter how dumb the question. And, he is rarely stumped ("Let's ask the chat room"). Leo Laporte is just as friendly and personable live as he is on the radio, although a tiny bit more sarcastic. But, to be honest  not as sexy in person, as his voice sounds (okay, a tiny bit disappointing).

patina decor: mid-century modern shopping in vegas and blogworld #NMX

I am spending the early part of this week in Las Vegas attending BlogWorld -New Media Expo 2013 #NMX. This morning one of the key note speakers was @GuyKawasaki, who is as about as down to earth as you can get for a technology thought leader and successful venture capitalist. Here are four big things I got from his interview:

1. He owns no IOS devices (but loves Apple)
2. He thinks Google+ is THE BIG THING and we can all be in on the ground floor, 
3. He believes, for all intents and purposes as far as relevancy, Microsoft is dead. "If you wait by the river long enough, you'll see your enemy come floating by,"
4. He is also fore-telling the end of big publishers controlling the book market, as evidenced by his book on self-publishing APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book (I bought it on impulse during his interview, it is actually really interesting butI don't have any plans to self-publish a book -- yet). 

Iconic Stratosphere, Las Vegas, NV, off of Las Vegas Blvd.
as seen from Main Street.

Las Vegas is also a hot bed of new mid-century modern, retro and vintage stores. I took this opportunity to run down to Main Street and Casino Center to see the shops, some less than a year old, that have been established in Antique Alley in the Las Vegas Arts District.

First up was Patina Decor. Honestly, I was beyond impressed.

Patina Decor
Mid-Century Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

1211 South Main Street
Las Vegas, NV 89104

(720) 261-9290

Patina Decor

vote on a masthead and be entered to win a mid-century modern vase - CLOSED

As part of my regular New Year's resolutions (exercise more, eat better,  blah blah blah), I decided it was time to upgrade the blog's look in preparation for more mid-century modern musings in 2013. But I need your help. Please vote for your favorite masthead by leaving a comment below. Also, please add any editorial comments you see fit as well. I reserve the right to choose the top vote as the masthead or revise the drawings based on feedback and pick some alternative combination thereof.

Yes, you CAN win this authentic mid-century modern turquoise vase by both entering a comment on this post and VOTING for your favorite masthead below as well as "liking" MidCenturyModernRemodel on FaceBook. Details of the drawing at the end of the post.

levitated mass, warhol, and holiday school projects at lacma

The tree is packed and the lights are down. Best feeling of the year. Seriously. And, then thoughts turn to holiday school projects

assigned by unsympathetic teachers, with contributions invariably required by parents.

the office holiday pole decorating contest

Yep, you read that right. In our office this year, we held our second annual Holiday Pole Decorating Contest. We work in a retrofitted 1960's office building (very mid-century). The cubes and office walls have been moved here and there over the decades. The most recent remodel about six years ago left ugly black structural poles exposed and sitting in the middle of the aisles.

Last Christmas the whole floor (I.T. team) had a pole decorating contest. I covered mine in Post-its.

christmas lights mid-century modern style

I think if I had to pick my absolutely favorite thing about Christmas decorations, I would have to pick the lights. Christmas lights on homes are just so darn pleasant.

But in Southern California (and I assume Florida and Hawaii), light wrapped palm trees kick off the holiday decorating season and are particularly awe inspiring.

mid-century minimalist christmas decorations

Last weekend was our gitter done weekend for house decorations and other important Christmas tasks (I warmed up a bit the previous week). I finally banged out the Christmas cards and got them mailed.

I love the Christmas card tradition. I enjoy and appreciate every single card we receive. So I send a fair amount. Then, as my reward, Albert brought in the tree and the boxes of Christmas decorations.

xcape: vintage modern design in long beach

My wanderings down 4th Street in Long Beach (a veritable retro paradise) on Shop Local Day got briefly interrupted for Christmas. Not to worry. We are back on track.

Can you say more high end vintage furniture then you have ever laid eyes on in one store? Sure you can.

Xcape
Mid-Century Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

2236 East 4th Street
Long Beach, CA 90814

(562) 433-9911

Xcape

christmas begins in corona del mar, california

Since I began blogging, I read a lot of home blogs. Around this time of year, the "shelter" bloggers break out their Christmas posts. Immediately after Thanksgiving, there is post after post of beautiful Christmas homes. It seems like they snap their fingers and voila! It's Christmas.

I have to ease into it and I can't be the only one. (Yes, we really do have a dolphin door knocker. It came with the house.)