![\"(L-R)](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/thumbnail_photod-e1679258406432.jpg\")
<\/a>(L-R) Kyle Arrington, Karen Salkin, and Laura Saul.( One of this trio won a Super Bowl! Can you figure-out which one it is?) Photo by Kyle Arrington.<\/p><\/div>\n
To let you in on some gifting suite protocols, the VIPs at them often get an \u201cescort\u201d to help introduce them around, and sometimes carry their bags for them. When I was doing my TV show, I was given an escort all the time, because I was considered a \u201ccelebrity.\u201d But now that I’m in the category of \u201cmedia,\u201d (which I actually prefer\u2014it\u2019s much less pressure,) and one of my contributing writers is always working with me at the suites, (in this case, it was Laura,) we\u2019re happy to meet everyone on our own; we don\u2019t really need anyone to introduce us to the sponsors, nor carry our bags. You know me\u2014I feel bad to have anyone basically labor for me. But I still occasionally get a helper when they\u2019re available. And I was honored at this event to have the organizer herself show us around! How special is\u00a0that<\/em>?!<\/p>\n DPA was somewhat of a different sort of gifting suite in that most of the sponsors were just\u00a0showing<\/em>\u00a0their wares, rather than\u00a0gifting<\/em>\u00a0them, so we don’t have that much to tell you about in that category. Laura explains, \u201cThis was the most intimate gifting suite that\u00a0I’ve ever been to. It was more subdued than the others, which are\u00a0usually a bit more grand, and have more of a party atmosphere. This one\u00a0was still interesting; I enjoy seeing all the different ways gifting suites are done, and that no two are exactly alike.\u201d<\/p>\n Oscar winner Ernestine Hipper with Marvie Award winner Karen Salkin. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this article.<\/p><\/div>\n We were lucky enough there to meet, and spend some time with, Ernestine Hipper<\/strong>, who, two nights later, won the Oscar for Best Set Design, for the absolute best film of the year,\u00a0All Quiet on the Western Front<\/em>! She and her co-worker were lovely, and they were so grateful that I had lauded them to the max in my Movie Reviews<\/em> column that day! (If you missed it, but want to read the same story as an Oscar winner did, here\u2019s that link: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/movie-reviews-mini-movie-reviews-2023-part-iii<\/a>.) They adored what I had to say about their precious film, which made me so happy. Ernestine tried to introduce me to the film’s producer, Lesley Paterson, whom I had mentioned in that column, but we were both always chatting with others, so, sadly, that confab will have to wait for another day.<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n On top of that<\/em> specialness, we enjoyed some delicious\u00a0dishes\u00a0from local eatery Carvery Kitchen<\/strong>. I<\/em> loved the pulled pork, while Laura\u00a0enjoyed\u00a0their\u00a0mashed\u00a0potatoes and mac\u00a0‘n cheese,\u00a0and said of the latter, \u201cIt’s not easy to keep mac\u00a0‘n cheese creamy when it’s being served throughout the day, but they managed to do so.\u00a0 I’d love to know their secret.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are the highlights of the rest of our discoveries there:<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Historically Modern Designs<\/strong>\u2014We had just seen these glasses at a Grammys suite, so we were happy to meet the creators themselves, an adorable young couple from Colorado, this time. They were gifting a duo of their \u201csipping\u201d glasses that are perfect for drinking alcoholic spirits. My<\/em> non-imbibing self just admired their beauty<\/em>. (That of the glasses\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0the couple!) www.historicallymoderndesigns.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Geek Eyewear<\/strong>\u2014I was happy to come upon this chic eyewear company again, because I’ve met them a couple of times at other gifting suites, and I wanted to introduce Laura to them. But they really needed no intro because, as she explains, \u201cThis was the first time at a gifting suite that I\u2019ve come across a sponsor\u00a0of whom\u00a0I was already a customer, and\u00a0therefore,\u00a0I was very<\/em> familiar with their line.\u00a0 As someone who has worn glasses most of my life, many of them have been from Geek. My face is so narrow that I sometimes wear their kid’s frames, but they\u2019re equally as hip and cool as their adult counterparts.\u201d \u00a0www.geekeyewear.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n TheLabelSaba<\/strong>\u2014This lovely bag designer from Kenya, (whose name is the rhyming \u201cNthenya,\u201d which, of course, I love,) was gifting\u00a0colorful wristlets\u00a0made from…fish leather!\u00a0\u00a0They’re the perfect size for when you don’t want to carry\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0of your possessions, (which is usually unnecessary to begin with.) When all you need is\u00a0your credit cards, a bit of cash,\u00a0perhaps your mask, and,\u00a0of course,\u00a0your phone,\u00a0one of these beauties is the perfect choice! www.thelabelsaba.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Laura Saul.<\/p><\/div>\n Fallen Stars<\/strong>\u2014The very sweet husband of the woman who runs this jewelry company was on-site to help guests choose their favorite neck pendant made from Herkimer<\/em> diamonds, which are mined from quartz in New York. (That location means that no one gets hurt in the process, as they often do while mining diamonds in other countries.) Each stone is unique, and they\u2019re all shiny and beautiful, which made the decision of which one to choose a difficult one.<\/p>\n The author is the guy in the first picture in this article. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Piece it Together<\/strong><\/em>\u2014This colorful children\u2019s book is written by former New England Patriot and Super Bowl Champion, Kyle Arrington.\u00a0 As a former elementary school teacher, I appreciate how easy it is for the little ones. And, as Kyle explained to me, \u201cIt\u2019s not meant to be a long<\/em> read, but a powerful<\/em> one.\u201d I wish his kids had been my<\/em> students back then! Laura, who\u2019s a mom of two little ones, read the book and tells us, \u201cThis STEM-themed book sends the message that, individually<\/em>, we can build interesting<\/em> things, but together<\/em> we can build incredible<\/em> things.\u201d www.arr24.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Scent Si Bon<\/strong>\u2014This\u00a0eco-friendly laundry products company had one of the loveliest displays I’ve ever come across in a gifting suite! They were\u00a0gifting their luxury scented multi-purpose cleaning tablets. \u00a0Laura researched them a bit, and tells us, \u201cThis company is revolutionizing the cleaning industry, and I am here for it.\u00a0 They\u2019re creating products that eliminate the need for bulky plastic bottles that end up in landfill, and they also eliminate the need to use fossil fuels to ship heavy containers of cleaning supplies that are mostly water. The tablets are about triple the size of a large vitamin; they dissolve in water to form into a multi-purpose cleaner. And they smell amazing!\u201d\u00a0www.scentsiboninc.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Laura Saul.<\/p><\/div>\n Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work<\/strong><\/em>\u2014Randi F. Braun, the very pleasant author of this self-help book for women at\u00a0work, (duh–that’s exactly what the title states!,) was on site to tell us a little about her work, and sign the books for the guests who received them.<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Richard Garnier<\/strong>\u2014After researching this wellness practitioner, Laura deemed him to be \u201cthe most interesting sponsor\u00a0at the suite.\u201d She explains that his hypnomagnetism<\/em> \u201cfuses ancient energy modalities with modern neuroscientific techniques.\u201d He was gifting certificates for a session with him. \u00a0www.richardgarnier.com<\/a><\/p>\n Lisa Goldstein doing a palm reading for a guest. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Truth in Hand<\/strong>\u2014Laura said that receiving a palm reading from Lisa Greenfield, who\u2019s also\u00a0an intuitive coach, was her \u201cfavorite part of the suite!\u201d\u00a0 She adds, \u201cWhen Lisa perused my hands, she was able to tell me things about myself that were spot-on.\u00a0 I actually started getting emotional.\u00a0 Spending only a few minutes with her was such a positive and unforgettable experience.\u00a0 She’s incredible.\u201d \u00a0www.truthinhand.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>