Google Canada Rewards Newmarket Businesses with E-town Award

As mentioned in a photo-op / Era newspaper article, Google Canada visited the Town of Newmarket Ontario, Canada recently to congratulate the town's businesses and present an E-town award, having been singled out as one of five communities from across the nation as top users of web based technologies, applications and social media to better their businesses.

The Town's Mayor as well as select invited guests,  I'm assuming at behest of the mayor since we hadn't been informed even though TPE is a registered Google+ business  which most chamber's businesses are not yet, were invited to be so recognised. Nice, however it left out 90% of the businesses which Google were honouring and recognizing. In fact, most chambers of commerce would traditionally encourage options within their own group which may not necessarily be the best option, so Mayor Van bynen is in no position to credit anyone with anything,  
Google already did that.

Entry - Newmarket - for Myers Costumes wall mural contest

So don't be smoke screened by the town's mayor taking credit or crediting the chamber of commerce either, as it is to the businesses using the technology  for furthering their value to which Google is referring in it's tribute to the town's businesses, most of which actually work outside the chamber or don't even sport a physical address for doing transactions but maintain a web address that's registered to a Newmarket land address. The chamber's model, with it's parameters, works well in-house. Google's Search engines and Google+ don't "disseminate" however, and include all - especially if they are registered with Google+ as a business.


...And the town supports technology use? Ha, the legal department threatened to sue for (Google) blogging about an event I volunteered at! Of course they did stop when I revealed a staffer had encouraged me to.


I recall Newmarket's longest running family owned business, Myers Costumes on Main, being ignored in her pleas to have temporary costume stores from popping up on every corner at Halloween. Her family was here helping during the war fronting hungry people.... Now we ticket her for youth graffitiing up her place.

Stellar Hall formerly known as D.C. Hall

The internet's online ordering saved them no doubt, but no thanks to the town.


To give a simple demonstration on how the Google thing works, it's like this, Google has massive "search engines" with wide reach, and their web reach includes owning blog and video host sites now. It's not enough to have a website if you want to increase traffic / visitors, they must be interrelated online and you need to have interesting, relevant, related, "intelligent" info added regularly. It is all relatively simple to do and self maintain after it's set up and linked together. 

How does Increased Search Engine Recognition affect a business?

Example: When TPE first got involved with Delihouse Catering in Newmarket a little over a year ago for our online streamlining service, D.H. ranked sporadically in computer engine searches. By adjusting the website's word content and titling, then adding / attaching blogs & Videos, combined with the added ability to add new relevant content regularly, and by using effective titles, we created more awareness and qualified online traffic; and so now if you do a web search for Newmarket for Catering, they rank 1 or 2 regularly...

Should management have time from all the extra business to also blog or add more facebook and other content than they currently do, they could maintain # 1 likely, and rank even higher for relative search terms. To ease the load, Deli House Catering were recently recognised as a Google + business through TPE's application on their behalf 6 months ago. This gives them an alternate URL address, as well as Deli House Catering will now also enjoy increased search engine recognition. That's something you can gauge also.


The next challenge D.H.C. has is the branding of their hall as STELLAR HALL where TPE has seen, booked or promoted many of an event already at this stellar, live venue and banquets hall facility! TPE can even backtrack blogs which are already written to stand to test of time and add relevant links or change names like adding Stellar Hall as TP's blogs are read 2-300 hundred times a day naturally by people who want to - just like you just did!

New Year's Eve revelers at Stellar Hall in Newmarket

It's one thing to have a wonderful website or one set up steam-lined and ready to do business, but wouldn't you want your company / product / website being the one that comes up in searches or stumbled upon naturally, and not just when someone is tricked or you've sent them there?

It only makes sense. In fact, I guarantee it does.

TP Out!

New Venue for Live shows in Newmarket

Deli House Catering has been enjoying their busiest year ever thanks to loyal repeat customers and new clients as well. With more and more businesses discovering the full service catering company - and the fact they also now sport a beautiful hall - they have finally begun to reap the benefits, allowing them to make a few changes to appease their Chef, such as in-house baking, and install new flooring in their smaller meet / greet room, as well as add a new dance-floor for the main hall.

The gorgeous, 200 seat room on Stellar Lane in Newmarket has been used primarily for live event functions, banquets, weddings, and business luncheons but not to the capacity and variety that owner Johhny Cutroni was happy with, so the idea of giving the hall it's own identity was born.

TPE has held several events and booked some live entertainment into the hall already as well as informed the locals of its existence and through various ongoing promotions such as what you are reading now! New Year's Eve was certainly a blast and a testament to how rockin' this place can get when it needs to be and other times elegant enough for a wedding.

One variety of event looking to be planned for the future is a brides guide folder launch party that features an industry " Headliner" for the cover, such as a dress designer, with full colour front and back covers, and other wedding industry companies fill up the interior and act as informational as well as promotional tools for brides and all those listed in the folder. The folder-guide launch will also feature samplings, demonstrations, and info on the businesses in the guide and will be open to select invitees.

Stellar Hall will hold a Grand Opening Party to kick off officially in July and will include invited guests made up of their neighbouring businesses, as well as residents, friends, past clients, and off-work staff. Live Entertainment is also on the slate for the Stellar  kick-off party, as well as samplings of their famous Deli House food-fare, and of course host a bar as well.

If you'd like to attend the Grand Opening for Stellar Hall, drop Johhny an e-line or call Deli House Catering at 905-830-4208 for more
TP OUT!

March Break, What to Do in Newmarket New Event Location

Old Poster same message..GAME on!

Having a dilemma about what to do during the March Break? How about taking a walk back in time for a day? Or if you're a teenager a week practicing road hockey until the Sat break ending tourney and event.

Like when I was a kid..in a simpler time, activities meant your mom yelling,  

  "Get out from Underneath my feet!" and you'd reply, " I'm not under your feet" and she'd say, "Get outside and play" and you'd be forced to create something to do. 

Depending on your age, friends, time of year and imagination, you may take a number of options into consideration - like building a snow fort or tree-house, maybe putting on a goofy play to music in a friends backyard or perhaps planning a neighbourhood fundraiser carnival or pick-up soccer or organizing a road hockey game. Sometimes kids would get even more anmbitious and form a team by knocking on friend's doors and seeing how many we could get, then challenging another street or neighbourhood to play.

That's the kind of spirit the annual Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road hockey Challenge has tried to harness over the past 10 years as we continue to offer youths 13-18 and now 6-12 some free road hockey tourney play as well as pick up for all ages and free hot chocolate and nourishment as well as a chance to compete against their peers - and in recent years added "pick-up" games for all ages.

2005 tourney right on the street!

For 2014 the event will take place at 395 Mulock Dr Newmarket Town Office parking Lot.

Winterfest Carnival in Newmarket

       WINTERFEST IN NEWMARKET 

 Well I had the bright idea of running a Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road hockey Challenge booth at the Newmarket Winter Carnival, and so I guess you get what you wish for as it was most certainly a cold day! Brrrrrr!

How to fit two full nets in a van

Despite the deep freezer of a day which likely affected attendance - although I'd guesstimate a thousand people or so dared the weather- the event was a lot of fun with lots of freebies and deals too!

Wow! What's this?

The $1 Lions Club Pancake Breakfast is always popular whenever I've attended but after setting up the road hockey booth & ensuring our  food and drinks were on target, it was already 10:45 a.m. with pancake service only to 11, so I hustled over but alas..too late. Sniff.

Can I play?

No matter, I managed to snag some free chili from the Rotary Club! Mmm..Then I took some

Yes, of course! Games on!

as well as some pizza slices to Ashleigh & Jeff and Jason who were die-harding outside at the road

Mmmmmaple candy made on the spot!

 hockey challenge booth. It was so cold I decided to forgo any Don Cherry-like outfits and rants and just concentrate on promoting the road hockey event to anyone interested.

Deli House Catering  who we had come in to serve up our outdoor fare to the public showed up with the hot food and hot chocolate in the nick of time and we scurried to get everything in place. Pickles literally froze on the condiments table and as well had to put up with an overzealous health inspector who

Looks suspiciously like the wood carver! Ha

stood by in the sub zero temperatures checking temperatures of the hot dogs and burgers before they could be served....and of course he just had to come when we'd just gotten a rush of people!Doh! I wonder if the girl guides serving pizza got this kind of scrutiny! Yikes! But they got through it and despite no winter gloves for the cook who was placing his hands directly on the cover of the b.b.q. to keep warm, pumped out some goods although power to keep the hot chocolate hot seemed an issue at one point - nevertheless a fun time for all was had.

The attendees were mostly families - not too many youths but some, and the ones who came played  shinny and signed up as well, so it was a win win all day! Plus we used up leftover xmas presents including books, hats, stuffed animals and cd read-alongs donated as prizes making the day fun for all - including some surprised but happy parents.

It's cold but bear with it!

 One girl of about 12 was reluctant to play but after her brother did and came back with a prize I told her all she had to do was participate and she'd get one too. Well she stepped up and went through all the obstacles scoring the 1st try and as I yelled "scores!" a big smile came to her face and I said, " Okay grab your ball and take it ti Ashleigh at the table and pick out a prize!

Who's next! Prize every time you participate!" I yelled to no one in particular as the atmosphere and the cold seemed to merge, creating a peaceful existence with the elements and as the sounds of laughing and a woodcarvers chainsaw filled the air I left the reigns to my cohorts and wandered about.

Orb!

The carving was way cool as was the making of some kind of maple candy in snow troughs, but the orb was a bit of a disappointment. Orb you say? What's that you say? Well I thought it was something like a ball one could run around in on snow but ..perhaps...it needed ....snow!!!


At any rate from the live onstage/ice entertainment to the displays and participation type events to the food and wintry themed booths the Newmarket Winter Carnival had a little bit of wintry something for everyone it seemed!

TP

Jeff and Ashleigh

Amber Changing, Everglo, Salads play Stellar Hall

What a great live show put on at the Stellar Hall Saturday!

Sat Dec 15 2012 - The 1st entertainers of the evening were for an all ages show featuring great young talent from acoustical / folksy to borderline punk - a great range - and some really solid acts. The Amber Changing Reunion show was really something and had the room buzzing, with some die-hard love-struck male fans seemingly fawning over the lead vocalist a bit.Wow, this new generational role-reversal thing may be going slightly too far! Ha! We're not worthy! We're not worthy!
Speaking of the room, with the production company supplied back-drop stage framing acting as a sound

Josh right has some Salads and friends!

blanket along with the detailed sound check done, the audio has never been better in "The House". Just a fantastic venue for sound / bands/ theatre.

Using two stages, one smaller suiting the duet acoustical sets, was perfect, almost acting as atmospheric ambiance in between the louder / bigger bands on the main-stage while giving time for instrument switches between acts as well without a lull, or having the audience's attention kept on it whilst the changes occurred. Well done.





The unique evening featured an after 9PM 19+ show as well headlined by THE SALADS who'd returned to Newmarket to play for the 1st time in 3 years and they did not disappoint.


You can tell how comfortable they are onstage, with their cross-stage banter & manner, even if it did seem to at times be devised so they can have quick guzzles of their chosen beverages! Ha.


At any rate, the sparse crowd on a night when freezing rain likely dampened attendance a bit, was treated to an electric, energizing show that almost embraced their in-between banter as a comedy act. The bits are fairly humourous, and I loved the wacky cartoon-like voice the guitarist uses for a 'skit" where he claims to be gay  but perhaps the banter was slightly overused - not than any of the salad heads noticed - as they were too busy soaking up the fun,  bobbing and weaving to the tunes when they did play, which of course they did, and with fervour.

When the red breasted double-neck guitar was broken out & the song announced, you could hear a slight murmur in the room and as he hit the first note recognition leaped into play & the crowd fevered itself to its highest pitch yet!

I really liked their energy and it's obvious they enjoy playing and being onstage which subliminally reigns in the crowd. The lead singer has enough of a rasp to keep it edgy, and the tunes get heavy enough for my liking enough to raise my energy level and solicit a grin - and not from the humour. 
The Salads stood apart from all the other acts on the night with their professionalism and you can tell how at ease they are onstage now with the experience of hundreds of shows under their belt, while their antics and wit paint them as kind of intellectuals but oddballs, an image that works for them! Really good show.

I chatted up a few of the guys at the end of the evening and let them know I was the one who identified and booked their local  promoter Josh who had a reputation of putting on good shows with no problems of patrons destroying the place - Ha and on that I must say, again, I was right! Hey man, hate to toot my own horn but someone has too! 

See you next time!.
TP Out!