Home Blog Page 128

Memorial Day: Always Remember

This is truly a special time of the year. When you think of Memorial Day weekend, it pretty much kicks off the start of a warmer weather season. Or at least you hope so, depending on what part of the country you are from.

Many will enjoy Memorial Day and have time for a long fun weekend, a day at the beach, and some great barbecues.

As I write this, I currently have the blessing of spending a few days in Connecticut, the state where I grew up. The weather has been gorgeous. On Friday night, I was able to enjoy a wonderful concert. I was blessed to see Lynyrd Skynyrd and had the opportunity to meet the band members. I was thankful that they took the time to honor America and all those who served our country. I’m also thankful for the time I was able to spend with some wonderful friends.

This Memorial Day, I will continue my tradition of spending time at the beach club with my family. The forecast is calling for a hot day, a perfect time to spend at the beach. There will be music, swimming, and lots of fun in the sun. This is a day I am really looking forward to.

The traditions are wonderful and I hope that each and every one of you have a special and blessed day as well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying Memorial Day. However, the most important part of Memorial Day is to remember.

It is easy to fall into the trap of taking our freedom and blessings for granted. We live in a wonderful country. America is the greatest country in the world. We are blessed to have freedom and the ability to pursue wonderful opportunities. America is and always will be the land of opportunity.

We all know a price comes with freedom. Freedom is certainly not free. Many have gone before us and paid the ultimate sacrifice for such.

My dad was a World War II and Korean war veteran. He passed away over 20 years ago. Dad was part of the greatest generation. He rarely spoke of his experiences in the wars but when he did tell stories, anyone who listened was on the edge of their seats, including myself. He was blessed to come home after the wars but it bothered him that many did not have that opportunity. Many veterans can relate to this.

On this Memorial Day, take a few moments with your family and friends, and have a time of gratitude for all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can all be free. Never ever take their sacrifice for granted. Pray for the families that have lost loved ones. This is a very difficult time for them. If you know families that have experienced loss, reach out to them and be there for them.

One of my most favorite songs to sing is a song by Billy Ray Cyrus called “Some Gave All.” I will end this week’s motivation with the chorus.

“All gave some and some gave all. Some stood through for the red, white, and blue and some had to fall and if you ever think of me, think of all your liberties and recall……Some Gave All. Some Gave All.”

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Why Do We Have Contempt of Court Laws?

Alexander Falconi

There are two types of contempt; that which occurs in the immediate presence of the court, and that which does not.

The former is obvious. If there is no contempt of court statute, somebody can simply show up in court, throw things at people, laugh, scream, interrupt people, all with impunity. The court would not be able to function without a mechanism by which to punish the offender.

The latter not so much, and mainly comes into play in child custody proceedings. Imagine this. You have certain rights that have been infringed. You go through the stressful, expensive (money if represented, time if not) court system. You win. The judge renders a decision in writing. The other person simply ignores the decision. Why? Because in this alternate reality, there is no contempt statute. For the court to have any true meaning, its decisions have to be enforceable, lest they are ignored.

Alex Falconi, Administrator at Our Nevada Judges (2014-present)

VIRGIL’S Las Vegas

Shelley Stepanek

VIRGIL’S, straight from New York City, has been at the Linq for 5 years.

Three stories high, this world-famous barbeque place is a sister to the chain, Carmines. Virgil’s combines all the major smokehouse favorites from across the country. Want southern Atlanta cooking? They have it. How about Kentucky? They have it? Want Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma’s or Louisiana, just ask the waiter and it will be on the menu.

Featuring homemade buttermilk biscuits and cornbread, as starters, they offer Mississippi catfish, a combination of pulled pork, chicken and brisket smothered with jalapenos, hushpuppies, soups, and burgers made any way you want.

There is a Virgil’s BBQ salad with pulled pork, the famous trainwreck fries covered with yes, basically a train wreck of side items, and trash riblets. A side of cheese grits, which I have a hard time finding in Las Vegas, burnt end dishes, and side dishes of collard greens are some of my favorites.

There are two massive smokers that go 24 hours, pumping out the massive amounts of meats. If you have a few in your party you can order the pig out platter, which consists of a little of almost all the meats that they feature. The top floor has a private dining room and a great view of The Linq. Mashed potatoes, homemade mac and cheese, hickory smoked baked beans are some of the other sides, where two of them come with every order. The dessert menu is just as extensive.

Doors open at 10 a.m. daily and of course, they take walk-ins. Prepare for plenty of sauce on every order. 702-389-7400 Real BBQ Live Music. www.virgilsbbq.com

MON AMI GABI Las Vegas

Shelley Stepanek

THE EIFFEL TOWER RESTAURANT is one of the most beautiful rooms in the city.

In the Paris Hotel, of course, this superb place has a view of the whole Las Vegas Strip. Opened 20 years ago, it has maintained its place as one of the best-kept places to dine. Seating 265 people, the management of Sharon Boudreau and Lyle Tolhurst keeps its high standards. We started with The Eiffel Tower, Brut Reserve MV, (Cremant d’Alsace) champagne, and went for appetizers, among which was Duck Strudel.

Also, in the Paris Hotel is the ever-beautiful Mon Ami Gabi, overlooking the Fountains of Bellagio. With inside and deck seating, this is really one amazing place.

We had dinner that went on for 2 1/2 hours. Starting with a carrot spread for the French baguette, there was an elegant chilled seafood platter, with lobster, shrimp, oysters, and raw salmon. Next was a cheese, nut, fruit, olive and pate tray with plenty to pick from, including three kinds of cheese and 3 pates, with French Dijon mustard. Next up was baked goat cheese in a tomato-based sauce on garlic bread, along with baked scallops, escargot, and amazing French onion soup. We followed up with their most well-known dish, steak, and fries. The filet mignon was cooked to perfection. They also have trout, salmon, skate, and pasta dishes. There was not a single seat in the house open, as this restaurant is truly a 5 star. Sides can include, spinach, green beans, macaroni, and cheese, or sautéed mushrooms. Try the steamed artichokes or steak tartare.

Open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. call 702-944-4224. Catering also. Truly amazing!

General Manager Nancy MacAulay and Michael DeLaPena is the Manager for Mon Ami Gabi – Las Vegas

How Do You Represent Yourself in a Family Court (Pretrial/Trial)?

Alexander Falconi

I represented myself throughout a highly acrimonious child custody proceeding; if I had to put a percentage on it, I would say I had counsel 5% of the time. The adverse party had counsel through most of the proceedings; if I had to put a percentage on it, I would say 95%. I started out with visitation, supervised, 2 hours per week. I now have primary physical custody, sole legal custody, and the adverse party has only supervised visitation which is currently suspended.

You can turn the Titanic around, it just takes work.

Since you asked how, and not whether or not you should, I’ll skip ahead to that part.

First, find your State’s statutory scheme. In Nevada, this would be The Nevada Revised Statutes. Then, find the relevant chapters. There may be several. Just in case, check and see if there are administrative code mirroring any of those chapters. In Nevada, this would be The Nevada Administrative Code.

Second, the State’s rules of civil procedure. In Nevada, this would be The Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure. Then, work your way down in context. For me, this meant the District Court Rules, and the local Washoe County District Court Rules. Keep an eye out for the Supreme Court Rules or other rule structures that apply to your local jurisdiction.

Third, research case law. Google Scholar is free and will actually contain published opinions. Make sure you don’t use ordinary Google searches. Even better would be if you had access to Lexus Nexus and legal software like that.

Fourth, look at pleadings filed by attorneys and assimilate their style. Be careful not to assimilate their mistakes.

If you haven’t spent at least 100 hours doing steps 1 through 4 you’re not doing something right. The lazier you are, the more you leave things up to luck.

Learn the context of each proceeding. Mediation. Settlement Conference. Pre-Trial. Discovery.

Learn the tools. Motion. Petition. Complaint. Extraordinary Writ.

After you’ve done everything right, start to emotionally detach yourself from your case. Analyze it logically. Put yourself in adverse counsel’s shoes and think of how you would win if you were them. Analyze the law carefully to see if your case has flaws.

Finally, after doing all of this, expect to lose. If you win, you are elated because you expected to lose. If you lose, you expected that anyway, and you’re already moving on to the next step. Appeals.

Carefully read the rules of appellate procedure. In Nevada, this was the Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedure. I won two appeals in the Supreme Court of Nevada. I also filed a writ petition that published under Falconi v. Secretary of State, 129 Nev. ___, 299 P. 3d 378 (2013).

Don’t be cruel. Don’t harass the adverse party. Don’t harass the attorney. The judges expect this. Be different.

Alex Falconi, Administrator at Our Nevada Judges (2014-present)

https://www.washoecourts.com/ind…

30 Day Success Challenge

Richard Norton

Many people talk about success, and there are questions that come up as to what are the keys to becoming super successful. I think of our business and look at the top representatives within our company, and I can say that they all come from different walks of life and many different backgrounds.

Some have had very little sales experience, if any at all. There are others that have been in sales pretty much their whole life. The one thing they all have in common is true determination. They are committed to doing what it takes to become successful. Like everyone else, they go through challenges and have to overcome obstacles. Yes, sometimes they may even get a little down, but they never stay there. They realize that in order to be super successful, they have to make a commitment and no matter what happens, they refuse to give up. They understand the importance of goal setting and they make a success plan and they simply go for it.

Today, I have a one month challenge for all of you. The first question I have… are you ready to take the challenge? The second question… are you willing to make a one month commitment? My goal, as I post these questions, is for all of you to say a definite YES and YES!

The key is to get started, so let’s start today.

The first thing I would like for you to do is write a plan out on what you would like to accomplish in the next month. Be specific in this area. Write out your production goals, your ministry goals, your health goals, your relationship goals, etc.

As you begin each day, and please do this every day for the next month, name five areas that you are truly thankful for. Also, if you are a praying person, pray for a minimum of three people each day. This can also be done as just wishing good thoughts for them. Also, call one person every day for the next month just to encourage them and let them know how much you appreciate them. What a positive way to start the day!

As you’ve written out all of your goals, write a plan that is very specific on how you are going to attain these goals. If you are committing to exercising for the next month, start small but do it every single day and work your way up.

Okay, now let’s get serious about our business. Do you really want to have an abundant life? Are you ready for true success? Here’s my point, it does not matter where you are, how long you have been doing this, or how inexperienced you may be. The key is to get on a super success schedule. Starting today, there are no more excuses.

I hope you are 100% serious about this. This is going to be life-changing. Make a commitment to wake up early then work with 110% effort for the next month. I’m talking about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Take your weekends off and enjoy them and go right back at it with the same schedule. Map out a plan on where you are working each day and let’s go for it. As you are driving through your area, listen to some positive inspirational messages and get yourself in the proper mindset. Make sure that each day you are giving yourself uplifting and positive self-talk. For example, “I am great. I am successful. I am a winner. I take advantage of these great opportunities. Nothing will stop me. I will persist every day until I succeed.”

Make a commitment to work a full day and treat this like a job. Every person that you encounter, you owe it to them to give them the very best version of yourself. That means you’re going to give them your best smile, your best handshake, your best appearance, and you are committed to helping them. Starting now, for the next 30 days, you are making a commitment to give this business opportunity your very best.

Every day, understand that the difference between mediocrity and success is an additional 10% effort. What that means, as soon as you’re ready to close your day, talk to 10 more businesses. That gives you 50 more opportunities for each week. It’s incredible what you can do with those extra opportunities.

For the next 30 days, you are going to be the most positive person that anyone could ever meet. You also understand that during these 30 days, you will come across some challenges but you are making the commitment that nothing is getting in the way of your success. You are committed to the cause. These are going to be some wonderful and amazing days.

You now have the challenge. Let’s all do this together. I guarantee that you will have a lot of fun along the way, and at the end of the month, you might just say, “I’m loving this.” This is your new life. I’m rooting for you. I believe in you. Let’s do this!

Success and blessings!

RICH NORTON
Regional Sales Manager RMSNPC

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

Have You Ever Represented Yourself in Civil Court?

Alexander Falconi

If so, what was your experience like?

I’ve represented myself through child custody proceedings, appeals, summary eviction proceedings, district court civil actions, justice court civil actions, towing complaints, and certain administrative tribunals. Ironically, never in small-claims actions.

Early on, things feel chaotic, totally random, as if you’re at the mercy of this powerful machine. Later on, when you find you’re not the center of the universe but an insignificant grain of sand tumbling through the machine; you find inner peace and you learn to navigate the machine. Even then, there will be frustration, because judges are human, and they do not always follow the rules.

Finally, when you learn how the appellate process works, and if your appellate court is fairly consistent and logical, you will be able to smooth over some of the chaos of robed personalities by having their errors reversed.

Ultimately, the experience is very time consuming, but also rewarding. It teaches you the merits of our Constitutional system, as well as how to respect adversaries, opposing points of view, and can hopefully give you some appreciation as to how much power the individual can have in our American system.

Alex Falconi, Administrator at Our Nevada Judges (2014-present)

SMITH & WOLLENSKY REOPENS IN LAS VEGAS

Shelley Stepanek

The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, Inc. (SWRG), a collection of American steakhouses with headquarters in Boston.

They reopened this week on the Las Vegas Strip with a new Smith & Wollensky Las Vegas restaurant, in the Grand Canal Shoppes in the Venetian. The fabulous icon we all have loved for years is shining again.

The grand opening was filled with over 500 people–with numerous wine tastings and food stations throughout. They were formerly on the strip, in their free-standing location just north of MGM.

“We would like to thank all of our loyal guests who have been patient with us the past year while we searched for a new home in Las Vegas. We are excited to share that we found the perfect location inside the Grand Canal Shoppes,” said Michael Feighery, CEO & President of Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group. “It was important for us to join a like-minded brand to debut the next generation of Smith & Wollensky and with that, we will be able to offer a memorable destination for conventioneers and tourists, and a go-to favorite for locals and industry professionals alike. We look forward to reliving old memories and creating new ones with you soon!”

This is a huge space, with over 14,000 square-feet and two-stories tall. Smith & Wollensky features dry-aged and hand-butchered USDA Prime steaks, premium seafood, and award-winning wines. The original restaurant opened in 1977 in New York City and has since become an institution. They have expanded to 10 locations across America, including Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Houston, and Miami Beach. They have one international location in London.

They have an impressive wine wall and small glass viewing section to see the dry-aging butcher room. Along with several all-glass private rooms overlooking the bar and promenade.

America’s classic steakhouse, Smith & Wollensky has served the finest of USDA Prime steaks, dry-aged for tenderness and flavor and hand cut on site daily. Smith & Wollensky has received numerous local and national awards, including the “Best of Award of Excellence” from WINE SPECTATOR® and the “Award of Excellence” from Distinguished Restaurants of North America. Their list of wines is one of the reasons so many people return time and again.

Follow Smith & Wollensky on Twitter at twitter.com/smithwollensky. www.smithandwollensky.com. Open 7 days a week, from 11:30 a.m. 702-637-1515.

ESTIATORIO MILOS Las Vegas

Shelley Stepanek

ESTIATORIO MILOS is beyond the best. I dined for the first time there yesterday and see what I have really been missing.

This elegant fish house has an open patio room and our party of 12 enjoyed the air and superb view.

We did a media tasting, starting with Tselepos Amalia Brut rose NV for whole fish sashimi. The second course had a 2016 Gerovassiliou Viognier wine with a Greek salad. Almost everything is imported from Greece, and they only feature the very top in wine and food. Fish is flown in daily from Greece, Spain, and Portugal. The Milos special, with light fried zucchini, eggplant tzatziki, and cheese, along with grilled mushrooms, Holland peppers and octopus was the third course with a 2016 Venetsanos Mandilaria. The main course for the whole table was a huge salt encrusted Lavraki, our equivalent to a Mediterranean Sea Bass baked in a salt crust, served with steamed vegetables. The waiter had us all watch the demonstration of removing the crust and fileting the large fish. Next out was Colorado Prime Lamb Chops with Greek fried potatoes and a 2013 Driopi Memea Reserve Agiorgitiko.

We finished with a huge selection of Greek desserts, including Baklava, Greek yogurt, and fruit.

I cannot wait to go back. They have a luncheon that is 3 courses for the price of the current year, thus $20.19. The main dining room looks over the fish and vegetables in the fresh fish market. You simply pick a fish from the bed of ice, they weigh it and prepare it. Fish change daily. The chefs are in view of your dining. The first Milos opened in 1979 in Montreal. They have expanded across the U.S. including New York, Miami, Athens, and London.

Located on the 3rdfloor of the Cosmopolitan resort, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd. 702-698-7930 for lunch or dinner

NYC LIFE, CITY’S OFFICIAL BROADCAST NETWORK, WINS FOUR NY EMMYS

NSAEN Magazine

Four groundbreaking television series featuring iconic institutions, women entrepreneurs, Alvin Ailey dance professionals, and hard-working immigrants in NYC win coveted prize in television

NEW YORK — NYC Life, the City’s flagship television channel, was recognized for four prestigious New York Emmy awards on Saturday night. The 62^nd Annual NY Emmy Awards were presented at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

Three of the winning shows are original productions of NYC Media, the City of New York’s broadcast network and media production group. The fourth was produced by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and airs on NYC Life. All are available on-demand at nyc.gov/media.

Blueprint: NYC – Coney Island claimed the top prize in the Nostalgia Program category. The half-hour episode explores the iconic part of the Brooklyn coastline dubbed the birthplace of American leisure by some historians, and how Coney Island was transformed into one the earliest great amusement parks. This is the second Emmy award for Blueprint: NYC, a documentary series exploring some of NYC’s most well-known architecture and institutions.

Her Big Idea, Season 2, Episode 3 won the NY Emmy in the Lifestyle Program: Program/Special category. Her Big Idea, features inspiring profiles of NYC women entrepreneurs who have transformed a simple idea into a thriving business in New York City. This episode features Dannijo co-founder Danielle Snyder, Ovando founder Sandra de Ovando, Try the World co-founder Kat Vorotova and Soko Glam co-founder Charlotte Cho.

A Day’s Work, Season 1, Episode 2 – Dance won the Emmy for Arts: Program/Special. Viewers of this series spend the day with New Yorkers in various jobs, getting to see what it’s really like to make a living in these roles. The Dance episode shows the life of a dancer, a lighting director, and a dance physical therapist, all at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.

We Speak NYC, Rolando’s Rights took the prize in the category of Informational/Instructional. We Speak NYC is produced by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to empower the English language with tools to strengthen their language skills and become more familiar with City services. The winning episode featured Rolando and Silvia, a couple learning about their rights as workers.

All told, NYC Media received 15 NY Emmy award nominations this year – including four for Her Big Idea; and three each for Blueprint and A Day’s Work.

“We are honored to be acknowledged by the NY chapter of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences with the four Emmy awards this year,” said Janet Choi, General Manager of NYC Media, and Executive Producer of the award-winning shows. “The recognition confirms we are true to our mission: to celebrate the rich diversity of our city’s people, history and neighborhoods with engaging and compelling content.”

###

About NYC Media

NYC Media is part of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and is the official broadcast network and media production group of the City of New York. As a network, NYC Media’s goals are to inform, educate, and entertain New Yorkers about the City’s diverse people and neighborhoods, government, services, attractions, and activities.

NYC Media’s flagship channel, NYC Life, explores arts and culture, entertainment and lifestyle, and history and education, and features the people and places that make NYC unique. NYC Life is available on channel 25.1 OTA and all major cable networks in the tri-state region. Viewers can also now watch our content on the NYC Media apps found on iOS and Android platforms, most streaming media players and smart TVs.

The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment also includes the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting which encompasses film, television, radio, theatre, music, advertising, publishing, digital content and real estate as it relates to creative industries. It serves as a one-stop shop for the entertainment industry, which has seen explosive growth over the last year in New York City, contributing nearly $9 billion and over 130,000 jobs. The Office promotes New York City as a thriving center of creativity, issuing permits for productions filming on public property, and facilitating production throughout the five boroughs.

1...126 127128Page 128 of 128

LATEST

MUST READ