Today in TechCelebrity event planner Jes Gordon uses tech for work and play
If you think creativity on the internet doesn't go beyond funny pictures of cats, think again. The internet is home to all manner of crafty content — if you know where to find it. We caught up with designer and event planner Jes Gordon — you might know her from Rocco's Dinner Party, a reality show on Bravo on which participants try to assemble the perfect dinner party — to talk tech, party planning, and finding inspiration online.
Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets
Gordon is no stranger to gadgets, but what are her favorites? "Aside from my everyday gadget crush, the iPad, I adore my laser electronic measuring tape and my wireless LED light panels for lighting my events and my home, if I am in an entertaining mood," she says. "I also adore my MacBook Air, which is really easy to travel with on all of my excursions."
On the go, Jes carries an iPhone and an iPad — which means, of course, she's packing plenty of apps. "My fave apps are Flipboard, The Weather Channel, Kindle, Open Table, Bejeweled 2, Words with Friends (ha!) Facebook, Twitter, Shazam," she ticks off. "Also Pages is a must for proposals ... Google Calendar, The Onion, my ovulation calendar, and Dropbox."
Tech for every aspect of business
But these gadgets aren't just toys; they're essential for Gordon's day-to-day work. "I use my iPad constantly for showing pictures and videos of our work to clients," she explains. "I also use the Notes app a lot when meeting with clients, which helps us execute the proposal process quickly through Pages post-meeting. I cannot remember a time before the iPad was brought into my life, and I don't want to."
Staying organized, too, is done with tech. "For me, Google Calendar and Dropbox are major pieces of my life," she declares. "I have employees on both coasts, and if the calendar is not synced perfectly, it could be a disaster. As events progress and evolve, it's so incredibly important to use something that can constantly update our event files, so Dropbox is an awesome way for my team and I to keep current with the changes our clients want for their events and have us all be on the same page, no matter where we all are."
There's an application for every possible task, and Gordon walks us through the ones she uses most often: "Popular program Filemaker Pro is great for guest lists, as well as Excel. I am still a die-hard Word lover, and my brides use this a lot to write their vows, etc. I work a lot with a program called Live Interior 3D. This program allows me to pre-design all of my events perfectly to spec before loading in, so there are no major surprises during load-in day."
Planning your own party
Trying to give your home parties more polish? "Lighting is everything," Jes advises. "Using remote control LED light bulbs as stand-ins for your everyday lighting bulbs will take your living room to a level you never thought possible. Using submersible LED lights in your flower arrangements or your serving platters will make everything glow from within. Who doesn't love that?"
"Double-faced Velcro is one of the best things that has ever happened to me," she continues. "You can re-cover your couch for your party just by holding the new fabric together with sticky, double-faced velcro, and avoid putting staple holes in your favorite furniture! Also, AirPlay from iTunes can instantly give you a great music system in your home, with satellite sound in several rooms at once."
Where does she get all that inspiration? "I am an internet troll," Gordon admits. "I adore Gizmodo, Fab, Pinterest, Etsy, etc. I look for new sites all of the time that are not even event-based at all."
[Image credits: jesGORDON/properFUN]
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