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The Danube River

Adventures in Budapest

Earlier this month, after speaking at the MPI European Meetings & Events Congress in Krakow, Poland, I took the opportunity to visit Budapest, Hungary. Wow! I fell in love from the moment I saw the view above.  Taken from atop Gellért Hill, which was named after bishop Gellért who was thrown to death from the hill by pagans in the fight against Christianity, my guide Peter Gömöri, director of Welcome Touristic Budapest, said he wanted to give me the best panoramic view and of the city before we started touring the city. The Hill, along with the Banks of the Danube area, has been listed as…

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Some Food For Thought Before the Philippines MICE Conference

I’m writing this on a 16-hour plane ride to Manila, where I will present my “Food For Thought” session at the 2014 Philippines M.I.C.E. Conference (MICECON). I’m very excited to be part of an esteemed group of international industry experts from the U.S., Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Canada, who are going to share our trade “secrets” with members of the local Philippine meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry (M.I.C.E) and provide updates on global market trends and developments. The conference theme this year is “M.I.C.E. in 4D: Driving Passions, Developing Minds, Defying Limits, Designing the Future.” That means that M.I.C.E.CON…

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Food Allergies

Eight Ways Meeting Planners Can Advocate for Guests with Food Allergies

From employee picnics and business lunches to association conferences and corporate conventions, food-allergic employees and event participants have a lot to navigate when at work or business and social functions . As professional meeting professionals, we have a duty of care at all times. People must be able to trust us with their health and safety while they are at the meetings and events we plan. To justify that trust, we must make the care of our event participants, supplier partners, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors and staff our first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity and their needs. That includes ensuring…

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Jar and glass or milk, several brown egg and a six slices of bread on a plate on a wooden table egg allergies

A Closer Look at Wheat, Milk and Egg Allergies

A Closer Look at Wheat, Milk and Egg Allergies In Monday’s post “10 Things Meeting Professionals Need to Know About Food Allergies” I mentioned that wheat, eggs and milk are three of the top eight foods that cause 90 percent of all allergic reactions in people worldwide. As part of my continuing recognition of Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-18), I’m going to provide a closer look at wheat, egg and milk allergies and where they are found in meeting menus. So many foods these days are made with wheat, egg and/or milk that allergic individuals should pay close attention to…

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What is Celiac Disease?

In yesterday’s post, I wrote about gluten and all its disguises in packaged foods and catering menus. Today, I’m defining Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity. What is Celiac Disease? Celiac Disease is a genetic autoimmune digestive disorder (the immune system attacks the body when certain foods are eaten) that damages the villi of the small intestine, interfering with the absorption of nutrients needed for good health. Continued exposure to gluten can result in malnourishment—vitamin and mineral deficiencies—and other conditions such as anemia, osteoporosis, neurological disorders and more. Originally thought to be rare, celiac disease is now recognized as one of…

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10 Things Event Professionals Need to Know About Food Allergies

Event professionals and their catering partners must be prepared to meet the needs of food-allergic event participants. It could mean the difference between an enjoyable experience or the unfortunate death of an attendee. In honor of Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-18), here are 10 things you should know. FACT #1 Globally, researchers estimate 220-250 million people may suffer from a food allergy. In the US, nearly 15 million people have food allergies. In Europe, 17 million people are afflicted. FACT #2 A study released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2013 notes that the prevalence…

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What is Gluten?

What is Gluten?

Last month I sat in a session at a meetings industry conference on catering for food allergies. Since I had just given a similar session for the same conference (Serve This, Not That!), I wanted to see what this caterer had to say. In the session, one of the attendees asked the chef/owner of the catering company if it is possible to accommodate many different dietary needs with one menu item. He said yes and proceeded to describe a vegetarian, gluten-free barley salad they serve. STOP! Barley is not gluten-free. I told him this and he said, “Really? I didn’t…

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Meetings Industry Month

April is National Meetings Industry Month

There’s a lot to celebrate in April, according to this list of offbeat holidays—Humor, Guitars, Poetry, Honesty, Pecans, Scrabble, Tweed, my birthday, Passover—but I would be remiss if I didn’t add National Meetings Industry Month to the list. My friend Shawna Suckow, founder of SPIN and The Hive Network—taking cue from our meeting planning colleagues in Canada who have been celebrating the industry in April for the last 20 years— declared the first U.S. celebration in April 2013. Branches of SPIN held lighthearted “Cupcake Wars” across the country, bringing together planners to celebrate the hard work we do as meeting…

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Food-Color-Collage

Colorful Food Choices to Make Your Convention Meals Pop

When we’re planning events, we think carefully about the color and texture of the décor, presentations and tablescapes, but how much attention do we pay to the color of the food we serve? Did you ever think that colorful food choices could be used for decor or to make your meals pop? Karin Hosenfeld, RD, LD, a dietitian in private practice in Dallas says “studies have shown that people eat the same 20 foods or so over and over.” I think this theory translate to events as well. How many times have you seen the same continental breakfasts – pastries,…

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David Wilk Sport Clips 2014

Why Hiring a Professional Emcee Can Enhance Your Event

Remember a few years ago when Anne Hathaway and James Franco hosted the Academy Awards? They were brought into try and engage a younger audience. But by most critics’ accounts, it was disastrous, boring and “spectacularly bad”. Have you experienced a similar scenario at a corporate event or fundraiser? The host was boring, rambled on and on, seemed convinced that he missed his calling as a standup comedian (but sure as heck didn’t), or didn’t have the skill set to hold the attention of the audience. These scenarios can be so painful that unhappy guests get loud, start ignoring the…

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