Blog posts tagged with 'nes news'

The impending United States Government Shutdown has far reaching impact on tourism, first time home buyers seeking government backed mortgages and IRS taxpayer services to name a few. What most may neglect to see is the effect the shutdown will have on events such as political fundraisers.

While I wish I had better news on this issue, this unfortunately is not a pleasant post to write. With the government shutdown, fundraising events put on by both the Democratic and Republican parties will come to a standstill.

So what does this mean to caterers, party rental companies and event venues such as hotels, golf courses and banquet halls?

Politico, a publication focused on tough, fair and fun coverage of politics and government, interviewed a Democratic fundraiser that stated “The caterers are still going to charge for food and possibly labor – some could charge 100 percent of estimate if you cancel less than 72 hours. They have already ordered the food by now and in a union shop the staff has likely been scheduled so depending on the cancellation policy they likely will get paid”. The same should ring true with event venues, and party rental companies – assuming they have contingency plans built into their contracts such as cancellation policies and non-refundable deposits.

To read more on Politico regarding their thoughts on the impact of the government shutdown on events, click here.

The BC Connect Show is a brand new trade show combining the successful BC Foodservice Expo and the BC Hospitality Industry Expo into one big show! Everyone here at National Event Supply is excited at the prospects of the new show and we want you to be just as excited about the BC Connect show as we are. Here's our top 5 reasons that you should attend this year’s BC Connect Show in Vancouver.

The BC Local Food Pavilion

Everyone knows that fresh is better. Many restaurants, hotels, and caterers have turned to sourcing local ingredients to maximize the quality and flavour of their food offerings. British Columbia is lucky to have many great local products prefect for your spring menu. Are you interested in seeing what local flavours are available right here in British Columbia? If you are, the BC Local Food Pavilion is a must see at this year's BC Connect Show.

It’s in Vancouver

Okay, so I realize if you live in the lower mainland area of British Columbia, the prospect of traveling into or around the Vancouver area may not seem like a great idea to you. If that is the case consider this, not only is Vancouver one of Canada’s largest cities, it is also one of the world’s most livable cities. That's right, coming in just ahead of Toronto (4th place), and Calgary (5th place, tied), Vancouver was ranked as the 3rd most livable city in the world by The Economist. Don’t you just love to beat out the folks in Toronto and Calgary! Still not enough? Add in that the fantastic selection of restaurants, cafés, world class hotels, and fantastic setting and visiting the BC Connect show becomes a pretty exciting proposition.

Free Attendance

That’s right! CRFA members get to attend the BC Connect show for free. Compare that to the Toronto CRFA Show which costs $50 to attend and it is a no brainer! The BC Connect show gives you a great opportunity to visit with new and existing suppliers, talk to others in the industry, and maybe even learn a few things.

The Industry Lunch

The Industry Lunch features a keynote speech from Kevin Brauch, an Iron Chef America personality and Food Network Star. Kevin, on his TV series The Thirsty Traveler, explores food and drink in exotic locations. Having spent years in Toronto’s hottest night life establishments and restaurants before making the jump to TV, Kevin has extensive knowledge of the Food and Beverage industry.

The Beverage Showcase Pavilion

Looking for a new British Columbia based craft beer to serve? What about an award winning British Columbia wine? If you are, you have found the right spot! The local craft beer scene across Canada has been a hot market for a few years now. Most restaurants and hotels are offering at least 1 local craft beer with many more offering 5 or more. If you are not offering any craft beer selections you are missing a great opportunity! You will want to be sure to check out the Beverage Showcase Pavilion at the BC Connect show to sample a variety of beverages that you may want to add to your menu.

Now that we have convinced you to attend the BC Connect Show, it only seems reasonable for you to visit our booth # 340/441. We look forward to seeing you October 27th and 28th, 2013 at the BC Connect Show in the Vancouver Convention Centre!

"Vancouver Skyline And Stanley Park" courtesy of Rosemary Ratcliff / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Day 88—September 4, 2013

The last time we looked in on our long-term table test, our 4-foot NES Rectangular Plastic Folding Table was going strong while the top layer of our 4-foot NES Rectangular Wood Folding Table was starting to peel badly. Now that summer is over, we thought it would be a good time to look in on our table test and see what August’s heat and humidity has done to both of the tables. We were really curious to find out if the peeling had progressed on the wood folding table, and whether the weather was starting to deteriorate the plastic table. So after almost 90 days, how are the tables holding up?

As you can see from the picture, the layers of the plywood have continued to separate with the top layer curling and the layer below starting to buckle and form waves. The tabletop continues to discolour from exposure to the elements. However, while the wood deteriorates, the metal hardware on the table has not begun to rust and the powder-coated table legs are still in pretty good condition.

The plastic table is still showing no ill effects from its time out in the elements. One would merely need to wipe the table off and it would be suitable for use at an event. Again, the metal hardware on the table has not taken any damage from the moisture in the air, or the rain storms that we have had.

After the last check in on the tables, I was wondering if we would see more peeling on the top layer of plywood or if it would completely separate as the glue holding the layer together weakens. The top layer has continued to separate, but it is still firmly attached to the table. The buckling of the second layer sort of surprises me. I didn’t expect that we would see deterioration of an inner layer simply because it is somewhat protected by the top layer of plywood.

I’m not surprised by the lack of deterioration of the plastic table-top. I was sure that if anything was going to survive a test of the elements, it was going to be thee plastic top. I am very happy that they metal table-legs on both tables are coming through this test in with flying colours. It will be interesting to see what happens to them as the temperature decreases this fall, and what effect snow will have on the tables.

We’re back with another jam packed post of interesting articles sure to spark your business into a busy fall event season. To showcase what National Event Supply has been up to and in preparation for any permanent or temporary classroom setting, we featured our wood folding training tables and plastic folding training in a Back to School training table blog post. We also posted about the Top 5 Restaurant Dinnerware Manufacturers, their differentiators and what makes them leaders in the restaurant dinnerware supply industry. Around the blogosphere, fall trends have been making their way onto the scene.

Event planners can struggle with finding the perfect centerpiece to top off the event. There’s only so many times flowers, candles and vases can be used. Next time you’re struggling for ideas, why not call on your catering contacts for a dose of something unique? Check out Special Events Magazine’s inspirational photo gallery of salad centerpieces, edible herbs and dessert courses sure to spark a whole new variety of event plans.

In the restaurant business, success can be a far-fetched goal. With lots of moving parts in a restaurant, it’s hard to pinpoint what to focus on to ensure your restaurant’s success. Restaurantcentral.ca put together a fantastic article on the top 20 factors for success in the restaurant business including but not limited to location, quality food, and flawless execution. Check out the rest of the article for additional ways to succeed in the foodservice industry.

With school already started, it seems like we’re on the slippery slope downhill. Before we know it, Christmas will have come and gone and that means everyone’s favourite trade show, The Rental Show will be upon us. To help with everyone’s planning, Rental Pulse put together Orlando attractions to plan now for your February trip. Perhaps a team building event is in store before you hit the show floor.

Big charity benefit galas can bring out the brightest and best in fall decor trends. BizBash has pulled together what to expect for this fall’s upcoming season of big-name fundraisers and what’s in store in decor, entertainment and more. Check out this article on the trends in technology-driven events, Latin American flavour and more.

That’s it for the last favourite finds of Summer 2013. We hope you’ll check back here to see what we loved when we saw it this month! And if you need anything for you fall events, why not contact National Event Supply for a quote?

Hope everyone's July went well - we're back with our monthly round up of the best articles and blogs in the event planning, party rental and catering industry. There were so many good reads this month it was hard to choose just a handful! Here at NES, we've been testing the durability of our wood folding tables and plastic folding tables to see how they hold up against the elements. If you're interested in seeing the results, check out the current winner of the folding table durability test.

Many dream of having events outdoors during the warmer weather - but sometimes the anxiety associated with lack of control of the weather can deter those from actually making a go of it. While you can take the route of a more controlled indoor event, adding control to outdoor events is possible. Check out this article in Special Events Magazine on tips to ensure you select a caterer experienced with the outdoors.

The Food Channel has released its 2013 Trends Forecast. With tea, agave, "smokin' hot" meats and traditionally seasonal foods being stretched year round, 2013 is a cornucopia of variety sure to not disappoint the adventurous of caterers, chefs and clients. Here's a look at what Canadian Special Events sees happening in the world of food for 2013.

Struggling to find the perfect venue to satisfy your client's every dream? Event Solutions posted an amazing article on a unique type of venue that can hold an intimate or expansive event and is sure to impress even the most cynical of guest. Head over to Event Solutions to hit your next event "Out of the Park".

Over at Restaurant Central, the NPD Group, who sources consumer data to identify trends in the Canadian foodservice industry wrote an article to help better understand the foodservice industry marketplace. Are Canadians eating out more or less often? If they are, where are they eating out, and when during the day are they eating out more, or less, often? "Read this article" to gain a fuller perspective on what's happening in the Canadian marketplace.