Leadership Styles, Transformation, and Success in the Business World

  Planning the Halloween party this year fell under my parameter of responsibilities.  I went a little out of the box and decided on a costumed tea party at Mountain Oaks Manor. Our team, plus my daughter, all put on Halloween costumes and had a lovely high tea. Just what we needed, to get out of the office, relieve stress, be silly, and fancy at the same time!  We each ordered a pot of tea and scones for the table. The lemon curd that accompanied the scones had a delicious and tart taste with fresh cream whipped to perfection. Each pot of tea came out steaming hot in beautifully unique teapots, with sugar cubes and cream. Precisely what I had always imagined a tea party would be — elegant, intimate, and relaxing. Sitting with the Queen, a blue alien, and a pirate clown was different but perfect!  We talked about travel, work, and of course, the Queen while sipping our tea waiting for our entrees. Our plates came with beautiful and fresh food. Our group ate every bit...

  Excellent food takes time. Deep within the walls of Portofino’s Italian and Greek restaurant exists a beautiful painting by Sandra Babb that embodies this very saying. Juxtapositioning age with quality, the very nature of European Cuisine is embodied within this painting. This painting consists of an older man with a glass of wine on the table. The glass of wine symbolizes how quality takes time. Similarly, fruit turns into wine after the passage of time. In this same vein, really good Italian and Greek food takes time-the gyros simmering in the kitchen, the fragrant Alfredo sauce being stirred. Thousands of years of civilization go into every dish. There is no substitute for such a high level of quality. The painting also depicts the older gentleman holding a bazouki, or Greek musical instrument. This representation expresses how an older person can better express the changes of music over time. In essence, the old and new are being compared as well as contrasted within the pai...

Different states have varying DUI processes.  Depending on the severity of the offense, offenders may have a different set of requirements than an offender with a similar conviction in a different state. Depending on a particular state, the process one must go through following a drunk driving (DUI) conviction varies. In some cases, an offender may be required to install an ignition interlock device. “An ignition interlock device or breath alcohol ignition interlock device is a breathalyzer for an individual’s vehicle. It requires the driver to blow into a mouthpiece on the device before starting or continuing to operate the vehicle.”   (1) In order to discover what is required of an offender in a particular state, it is essential to look at a particular state’s laws.  DUI laws vary according to state, county, and city. In order to find out if an ignition interlock device is required, an offender receives a court order or letter containing final offense information. ...