Fashion Show Mall

Postcard US-3677822 to Brazil shows the Cloud, a plaza that faces the Las Vegas Boulavard in front of the Fashion Show Mall, an over-250-store shopping mall first opened on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1981. The main attraction is a 80-foot retractable runway in the central atrium Great Hall that can be used to host fashion shows.

Currently, in celebration of ReCon 2016, the global convention for the shopping center industry, fashion shows featuring 10 of the mall’s retailers are scheduled at 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, and 5:00 pm through May 30, 2016.

Friday, May 20: Lucky Brand
Saturday, May 21: U.S. Polo Assn.
Sunday, May 22: Vince Camuto
Monday, May 23: Lorna Jane
Tuesday, May 24: Under Armour Brand House
Wednesday, May 25: Robert Graham
Thursday, May 26: Calvin Klein
Friday, May 27: Macy's
Saturday, May 28: Macy's
Sunday, May 29: Beach Bunny
Monday, May 30: Lululemon

Digital dance shows and live performances art by Girl Power Digital Show and Uptown Dance Funk are scheduled at 12:30pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm on select days through May 30, 2016.

Another copy was sent to Finland as US-3682362.

Chocolate World Opens at New York-New York

Hershey’s Chocolate World opened at New York-New York on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. The 13,000 square foot, two-story flagship store features an 11-foot, 800-pound replica of the Statue of Liberty that was hand carved from milk chocolates. There is also a replica of the Empire State Building, made out of 1,800 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars. Customers can mix and buy their favorite Hershey’s candies, customize their candy bar wraps, and purchase a large selection of accessories such as T-shirts, stuffed animals, mugs and key chains.

On an unrelated note, one year ago, Edward Snowden revealed highly-classified National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance documents through Glenn Greenwald's report in the Guardian on June 5, 2013, sending a shockwave throughout the world. It is important for us to continue the debate so that the freedom and liberty can be preserved, and Lady Liberty wouldn't end up just being a prop.

Postcard US-2236311 to Ukraine and US-2566020 to Italy shows a half-sized replica of the Statue of Liberty in front of New York-New York Casino and Hotel. In 2011, The U.S. Postal Service issued a Statue of Liberty stamp, accidentally based on this replica in Las Vegas rather than the original in New York City.

Lovely Day For A Guinness

In this St. Patrick's Day, we present postcard US-2399729 to Japan that shows a classic Guinness poster "Lovely Day for a Guinness" produced by S.H. Benson's advertising with art works by artist John Gilroy. Along with other distinctive posters created in the 1930s and 1940s such as "Guinness for Strength", "Guinness Makes You Strong," "My Goodness My Guinness," "Guinness is Good For You", the advertising campaigns contributed to Guinness's success. On the card, "the Flight of Toucans delivering the Black Stuff !!" It featured toucans that had become a symbol of Guinness among other animals such as a kangaroo, ostrich, seal, lion.

The postcard was purchased at the Guinness Store, located in the Shoppes at Mandalay Place between Mandalay Bay and Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. It is the first official Guinness store opened in the U.S. and boasts the largest selection of Guinness merchandise in one place outside of Ireland.

St. James's Gate Porter Brewery

Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness (1725–1803) at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Postcard US-2489828 to Whitefish, MT shows a vintage advertising poster from circa 1890s. The upper illustrations have Guinness Gate & offices on the top half and Victoria Quay with jetty & barges visible on the bottom half.

The postcard was purchased at the Guinness Store, next to Rí Rá Irish Pub inside the Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas. It is said to have the largest selection of GUINNESS® merchandise in one place outside of Ireland.

Spicy & Bold

I received this Starbucks advertising card from a friend today. The card shows a colorful new look for the Starbucks Anniversary Blend: Spicy & Bold.  What unique about this blend is that it contains aged coffee beans from Indonesia.

According to their online store, "Long, long ago, coffee traveling from Indonesia to Europe was exposed to fluctuating temperatures in the wooden hulls of sailing ships. The unroasted beans took on intriguing flavors, much like the rare Aged Sumatra in this blend. Carefully aged for three to five years, these beans' cedary spice notes and full body combine beautifully with other Asia / Pacific coffees - a celebration of the passage of time."

The Original Starbucks Store at Pike Place Market

The first Starbucks store operated at 2000 Western Avenue in Seattle from 1971–1976. This store was later moved to 1912 Pike Place Market. I visited the Pike Place Market location around this time in 2010 during my Seattle stop of the JetBlue AYCJ trip. The store had retained its original feel through the hardwoods, furniture, lighting and store front.

You can read more about the Starbucks® Anniversary Blend online. StarbucksMelody blog also had a post Anniversary Blend 2013: A Colorful New Look!