Besides drooling over beautiful typefaces, amazing graphic designers, and the creative work featured in Communication Arts Magazine, I LOVE classic cars. The design, innovation, history, craftsmanship – I’m fascinated by all of it thanks to my awesome Dad who introduced me to their timeless beauty as a young girl. So I couldn’t be more flippin’ excited to announce the annual Tiburon Classic Car Show on Saturday, June 19th, 2010!
For the price of…well, nothing…Dad’s get to drool over the most rare and beautiful classic cars ever built while taking in the beauty of the most picturesque waterfront community on the San Francisco Bay. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Tiburon Waterfront Park (with amazing views of San Francisco and Angel Island), the Tiburon Classic Car Show is a BEST BET for a fun, family-friendly way to celebrate Dad’s Day weekend.
After the daytime Tiburon Classic Car Show festivities, evening celebrations abound as the event moves a selection of their stellar cars to downtown Main Street. All attendees will receive fabulous budget-worthy coupons from local merchants (that will last throughout the night and into the following week!) Drink, eat, shop, celebrate, and ogle over the last remaining 1950’s factory team XK D race car – one of the most rare and extraordinary Jaguars ever built. Sure beats getting Dad a lame tie again, don’t you think? Oh, and did I mention – it’s totally FREE.
Details, Details:
Neighborhood: Tiburon, CA
Ticket Price: FREE!
Event Date: 6/19/10
Time: 11am-9pm
Street address: Shoreline Park/Tiburon Waterfront Park, Tiburon, CA (Paradise Drive – near ferry landing)
Phone number: 415-297-2615
Email: tomaoneill@comcast.net
Website: http://www.tiburonclassiccarshow.org
(originally appeared in SF Examiner 04/27/10)
Growing-up, I had a friend whose Mom took her to the zoo quite often. But rather than looking at the actual animals, the Mom was way more into the people watching. Just picture it: the little girl pulling on Mommy’s sleeve begging to see the zebras while Mommy whispers, “I’ll show you stripes. Take a gander at the woman behind you in that god-awful, skunky-striped outfit! What was she thinking!”
People watching can be a great source of amusement, especially when observing those with bad taste. It can also be a well-spring of inspiration.
For example, I was recently stuck in the airport during an unusually long flight delay. Rather than getting my panties in a bunch (like most of my fellow passengers…), I became enthralled with the people watching. For the entire three hours my buttocks was planted on those uncomfortable, orange terminal chairs, I had a blast doodling airport folks, creating caricatures, and thinking about them in whacky “what if” scenarios. From the stressed out guy on his cell phone to the young Carly Simon look-alike to the funny-looking dude slumped in his own uncomfortable orange chair, I came up with nearly a dozen new concepts for my clever card line, She’s SO Creative. Now that’s time well-spent in my book!
But more than just for “artsy types” people watching can be just as valuable for entrepreneurs, marketers, and business people alike. Seeking the next great product idea in the gazillion dollar pet industry? Just observe pet owners in any situation – they’re a tad, well…weird. But weird is good! (Flattery helps their egos). For starters, when it rains watch how the funny human-types hover their umbrella over little Fido so he doesn’t get wet, while they themselves get drenched from head-to-toe in the process. Now there’s got to be a better way – and BAM! You’ve got yourself the first-ever “Dog-Gone Rainy Day Umbrella Kit”. Sure it’s a kooky idea, but that train of unconventional thinking will no doubt lead to innovative ideas.
Thus, there’s more to people watching than just “the watching.” The real “art” is in the observing andthe thinking, brainstorming, etc. In essence, creativity is about looking and thinking about things from a fresh, new perspective. And what better way to turn the ordinary on its head than by observing human beings from an objective distance rather than our conventional mode of interaction. And by “conventional” I mean “talking to one another in person” (for all you emailing, text-messaging, Twittering, FaceBooking and/or socially awkward types).
So the next time you’re seeking creative inspiration or on the hunt for the next big idea, pull-up a seat on an old park bench. But instead of watching the pigeons bobble their tiny feather-heads, focus on us silly, bobble-headed humans. And let your imagination fly!
(originally appeared in SF Examiner 8/26/09)