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Archive for category San Francisco

Nourish The Children Event & Press Club

Feb 18

Posted by michael in Fun Stories, San Francisco | No Comments

I recently photographed an event there for Nourish the Children (www.NourishtheChildren.com) and had an amazing time!   I really want to thank Debbie Chan (mavenwealth.com) for allowing me the opportunity to join the event and take pictures.  The crowd that came was amazing, the event was festive and I learned a great deal about how dire the need is to help children around the world, and what a small amount of money that takes!

The Press Club in San Francisco is a wine country experience in the heart of San Francisco, offering an exclusive array of wines direct from eight of Northern California’s most acclaimed wineries. The luxuriously modern interior features dedicated tasting bars, social sipping lounges and a retail store. 

If you are looking for a 5-star wine experience in San Francisco that is filled with great food and service check out the SF Press Club (20 Yerba Buena Lane).  The entrance is just off Market under the Four Seasons.

sfpress-club-map

And of course if you are looking to host an event be sure to contact Le Concierge SF, an amazing SF Event Planner and SF Concierge Service.

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Fun With Le Concierge SF and Learning Portuguese

Feb 4

Posted by michael in Findling Thoughts, San Francisco | No Comments

Personally, I’m having fun with life right now.  For the last 6 months I have been having the most amazing time with this nice Jewish girl from Sao Paulo, Brasil – Silvia.  When I met Silvia she just seemed full of life and talent.   The idea started as soon as we met, with all her great talents and experiences, she should start her own company.  I would never tell anyone to go do this while the economy is in such a fragile state – well, I would never tell anyone…except Silvia.  Last week, we officially launched the main corporate site for Le Concierge SF (leconciergesf.com), an on-call concierge company in San Francisco,

It occurred to me, I am having so much fun coming up with new ideas for Silvia to go create awareness of the company I forgot that I personally have been living with the some of the great benefits on the company: personal organizing, event planning, personal assistant and a host of other amazing talents.   I see how her clients respond, you can see it in their faces – the stress level in their lives exponentially drop instantaneously. 

Now, I do have to mention the best part of Silvia working with her clients, not only to do I get to learn get to cook with my best friend and love – I get to learn Portuguese.  And lordy can Silvia cook, see this amazing quinoa tabbouleh she made me for the week – munito gostoso (very yummy in Portuguese).

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I hope everyone is having a great week, I’m going to do my best to write in here – if anything I feel the need to share the amazing food that we cook every week!  I am also off to Brasil in April for 2 weeks, so I’m thinking I might even post some fun words to learn each week, like como se falla “nickname"?

 

1 Million Pennies Project Party Pictures!

Dec 15

Posted by michael in San Francisco | No Comments

http://1millionpennies.com, What an amazing party, event and cause. We came, we bid, we drank and we gave pennies. Great job Tova! And thank you to all the volunteers!!

Thanks to the 1 Million Pennies Project team:
Stu Berman, Frank Brodsky, Amy Bryan, Julie Cowley, EcoJews of the Bay, Michael Findling, Silvia Oppenheim, Ilana Gauss, Gelena Grinberg, Tova Grunes, Dina Jacobs, Robby Kaufman, Stephanie Lim, Alexis Marina Kershner, Nicole Miller, Gina Moltyaner, Ellie Pelc, Maria Rodriguez, Ryan Smith, Mark Schulman, Eli Spector, Jessica Stern, Sam Strauss, Rebecca Trobe, Kevin Waldman, Joseph Yeh.:

1 Million Pennies Party Announces Silent Auction Items

Dec 10

Posted by michael in San Francisco | No Comments

We are very excited that you are joining us for the 1 Million Pennies Party next Monday December 14th at Apartment 24.   The response from the San Francisco Community for Silent Auction items has been overwhelming – proving small actions make a big difference.  To date the following gifts have been donated (and more are pending!):

Again, the cost of admission is a minimum donation of one penny. 

This event came together because a small group of people truly believe in positive change in the world.  And with that, we hope you will bring your friends, energy and of course pennies.  And of course if you are not able to attend the event we hope you will donate online at the 1 Million Pennies Project website,  http://www.1millionpennies.com.
 
See you Monday night at Apartment 24!
 
Thanks,
One Million Pennies Project Team*
 
 
Thanks to the 1 Million Pennies Project team:
Stu Berman, Frank Brodsky, Amy Bryan, Julie Cowley, EcoJews of the Bay, Michael Findling, Silvia Oppenheim, Ilana Gauss, Gelena Grinberg, Tova Grunes, Dina Jacobs, Robby Kaufman, Stephanie Lim, Alexis Marina Kershner, Nicole Miller, Gina Moltyaner, Ellie Pelc, Maria Rodriguez, Ryan Smith, Mark Schulman, Eli Spector, Jessica Stern, Sam Strauss, Rebecca Trobe, Kevin Waldman, Joseph Yeh.

Create In Clay Ceramics Party – November 19th!

Nov 17

Posted by michael in San Francisco | No Comments

Come have fun with us and help our vision come to life with your donations! 

 

We can't wait to see you at the Create In Clay School of Ceramics Launch Party this Thursday November 19th, at the Mecury Lounge. We hope you'll help us spread the word about the event and the school – feel free to email your friends about the event, post our video to your profile and brings frriends Thursday night!

You can buy an advanced ticket at:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/88347

With a donation of 60 dollars at the event or online, you will receive a free one hour scheduled lesson at Create in Clay with Chris. In addition the evening will include:

* Hors d'oevres and drinks
* DJ and music/dancing
* The ability to buy art and objects to help out the school

The silent auction and raffle will include:
* Art by the artist Christian Moffat
* Wine and wine related objects including:
* Specialty items from selected wineries
* An overnight stay in St. Helena
* Winery tastings from the same places shown in "Sideways"
* Dinners at top restaurants in Napa
* The satisfaction of helping a good cause!

AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

Check out our Small commercial:

Won't you join us in launching this school to meet such an important need in our community?!?!!? We hope to see you there!!!

Create In Clay School of Ceramics

The school is a non-profit that will teach ceramics to both autistic and non-autistic individuals. Having both a creative outlet and a constructive social environment can be very meaningful and life-enriching for individuals living with autism. This school aims to provide these sorts of skills and experiences for those that are interested.

And just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a community to launch such a venture. As a result of this event, the school expects to have enough money to finish the customization of the space and to provide the starting materials required for the first classes.
 

Great Fun With Camera Lighting

Nov 16

Posted by michael in San Francisco | No Comments

During a walk in the Presido here in San Francisco over the weekend I got a chance to play with my new camera and some of the fun settings.  Check out how you can so easily change the feel of a picture just by bringing out some of the reds & oranges of the changing leaves.

 

 

Steelers, LinkedIn and Late Shabbat

Nov 10

Posted by michael in San Francisco | No Comments

What is this week turning into?

I first had no plans , calendar clean.  Now I'm looking for a way to keep up with everything.  Parties to plan, holidays to look forward to, missing my Brazil and of course volleyball.  Last night, 7-3 at the end of the half and then BAM!  Nothing happended in the first half, and then we just came out guns blazing.  I have to admit, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers last night reminds you of this little tihng called teamwork.  Even the talking head guys on ESPN said sometihng nice to the effect of "what makes the Steelers different from all the teams in the NFL is that they are a team, a family, from the owners down to the kicker, they stick together and are always there for each other…"  And growing up in Pittsburgh you knew that ,and that is the type of values you take away from living there, growing up there – and I try to do everyday. 

 

It's really weird that all of these "SPORTS" folks don't place Ben in the Top Ranks of QB's, shame on you.  I'm trying to get in the habit of more blogging, or at least more blogging than just pictures.   Certainly after I heard that Twitter and LinkedIn are going to be intergrating services.  I think whatever the platform, communications are becoming more decentralized – on the other hand, there will be many more options to find what you are looking for!   I hope to see you at Late Shabbat tihs week, Friday night, Temple Emmanuel, here in SF.  Come on, come all, Jewish or not – come for the good times, stay for the sushi!

Speaking of LinkedIn – check me out here: http://www.linkedin.com/mfindling

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I told you so, you did? No you – did you?

Nov 24

Posted by Michael Findling in San Francisco | No Comments

Last night around 5pm I was blessed to be driving along Lincoln Blvd (or Avenue, or something) here in San Francisco, watching the sun set over a blinding palate of red, yellow, purple, blue – and to be honest, colors I do not know how to describe.  My lord, it’s November, I am in shorts, I have this amazing job, meeting great new friends – and what do I to show for it?  I would like to say that determining the social media campaign for database tools and application development professionals is the answer – but to some extent it really is what gets me going right now.

From the time of the that I write this post, it will just be a few hours before I get on a plane.  I feel like when I go on a trip or the holidays come around that it is only when you return that life issues you had will then magically be resolved when you get back.  Those issues, problems, situations I leave behind in San Francisco, will be here when I return.

I am trying to determine the best way to ramp up the enterprise software industry – buy, trial, download – whatever it takes.  I am learning to live my new life, lose 20lbs, go back to school, learn about wine.  We make this effort, day in and day out. How do we measure the return, by money?  By friends?  By joy?  Joy and pleasure are two distinct measures – I want that which will sustain, the short burst of pleasure has not effect on the spirit.  Find that which brings you joy, and if you find yourself in a place where there is none, change it, really, how hard can that be?

Ramblings by Findling are brought to you by the letter V and 3 cups of Starbucks, 2 Pete’s and soup.

Gobble, Gobble.

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Simply put, there is a joy to living

Oct 17

Posted by Michael Findling in San Francisco | No Comments

It is Friday afternoon in San Francisco, California.  In 19 days the world will change – for better or for worse.  Friday in San Fran means getting your best weekend plans in place – be that wine tasting, movie, culture, arts, music, the beach, the mountains, the air, or simply put, nothing.

In less than 100 hours I will have completed a journey.  I left New York City after years in order to pursue a personal mission.  I was going to change the life that at the time, I knew was worth living, I just did not find much worthiness in it.  I was driving, hammering, pounding away at my life in New York – but no true joy.  I read recently joy comes from within, pleasure is the fleeting moments of external events.

Nearly five months since I moved from New York City I am about to turn 31 years old.  Lets see what has changed, or better yet, what has remained the same?  Monday morning I will start a new career in the software world of San Francisco and the Silicon Valley (I will have an office In Scotts Valley so I can say I have a Valley world!).  I now wonder, why did it take 5000 miles, a new world, a new life to realize that life is pleasure.   When certain parts of my personal life faultered in California many asked “are you ready to come back New York City young Jedi…?”  No…I have learned that golden lesson: the bigger the risk, the better the reward.  I am really excited to get started at Embarcadero Technoloiges, www.embarcadero.com, a database software company.  New home, new apartment, new job, bike – and hopefully an ever shrinking waistline!

Simply put as time has gone on here, each day I see a new reason to just live it, love it and take every joy and pleasure with me with each new experience.  The wind, the sun, the air, the moutains, beaches, ocean, trails, bikes, dogs, people, women, food, music….after 30 years, I’ve found peace.

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Memo to All Lazy People Out There

Aug 12

Posted by Michael Findling in San Francisco, World Travels | No Comments

Dateline 35,000 feet:
$2 for headset, $7 for a blanket and pillow – economies of scale have reached my limit, solution: fly less or fly where you REALLY want to. Just a few weeks ago a slight change in timing resulted in me flying from my bike on to Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Leaving the CalPac medical center I was not in such bad shape, but there were parts that were sore. The nurses said to me “given the nature of your injuries, you will need 4-6 weeks in order to recover.” Hogwash.
As I was leaving San Francisco last week the inevitable went down, Jet Farve. As the Pittsburgh Steelers are found next to my white blood cells in my veins, I could only imagine the fate those fans were left with – as if their own Achilles was traded to Troy. Then Dana Torres came along – no revelations, no light bulb went off, I really just had a good kick in the ass. Brett Farve is 38. Dana Torres is 41. Dana Torres is an Olympic swimmer in which at the start of the last leg of a 4×100 relay race the United States was in a solid 3rd place. By the end, at the completion of Ms. Torres leg, the US took Silver.
As I ride this plane back to San Francisco, where ideas are innovated on birth, so is redesigning my thought process. If anyone ever says “can’t” or “I’m getting to old for this…” – they are lying, pure and simple. Now granted our Dana Farve friends have personal trainers and the powers to sculpt this new found birth, but nonetheless, there it is, just because you are hovering the middle age mark or even ten years below it, that is no reason to sit back and relax on the laurels of mediocrity. I am in awe.
Clichés come and go, challenges are opportunities, but so are achievements. I wonder what the next day will bring, as sure as the sun will rise, what will I achieve tomorrow. A once knew an Air Force Colonel who once screamed in my face “excuses are only delaying failure.” Apparently Brett Farve and Dana Torres didn’t get the memo.

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