Reminder: Fall 2013 Blogfest is TOMORROW!

As originally posted by co-administrator Gort:

Northeastern Pennsylvania Bloggers will be hosting the 8th semi-annual Blogfest at The Red Mill

• 340 S Main St
• Pittston, PA 18640-2367
• Friday September 27th at 6PM

This is an informal gathering of bloggers, candidates for office, elected officials and anyone interested in politics or blogging. There is no charge for admission.

Since it's inception 3 years ago Blogfest has been described as the best political event of the season. No speeches are allowed and the rule is agree to disagree but don't be disagreeable. Many local and statewide candidates will be attending.

RSVP on Facebook

Blogosphere Happenings: Vintage Fall Ball

The Vintage Theater has a  fundraiser going on this evening that they wanted us to share with you.  In the past, The Vintage Theater has been extremely supportive of the local arts and literary scene.  It has hosted such events as Tweet-ups, Pecha Kucha Night and the Scranton Story Slam.  If you are looking for something to do this evening, I'd recommend heading downtown and checking out the Fall Ball!  

 

 

RSVP on Facebook

 

 

Original Email Message:

 

Hi there!

Hope you're having a September that's filled with everything apple, cinnamon, and pumpkin. Fall certainly has The Vintage feeling in the spirit of things and in honor of just that, we'll be hosting a Fall Ball event on Saturday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m. in our venue at 326 Spruce Street in Downtown Scranton. We'd love if you can join us, stop in, enjoy some delicious local eats and wares, and hopefully, help us spread the word about our organization and event.  (P.S. - we still have vendor spots available!) 

The Vintage is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas and we're always looking for support from our community to keep our arts, literary, and performance venue alive and well. We're encouraging all of NEPA to attend the Fall Ball as well as make a recurring donation to keep us going strong. 

Any help you can give us in promoting the Fall Ball is very much appreciated and we hope to see you there! Please let me know if you have any questions at all - I'd be happy to provide photos, quotes, or other details to spread the word about this event :)

Thank you again for all of your support!

Mandy Boyle

Chairperson, The Vintage Advisory Board

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

______________________________________________________________________

Celebrate the Start of Autumn at The Vintage's Fall Ball

We love a good party. We love the fall. We love seeing new and old friends. Let's do all of that on one night.

The Vintage Theater, an all-ages arts space and performance venue within downtown Scranton, is approaching its fifth year of operation and could not be more ecstatic and proud of its hard-work towards its mission of accessible and affordable arts of all mediums, styles and genres. The Fall Ball is our way of saying thank you to the community and welcoming the season - we hope you'll join us!

The event will be held on Saturday, September 21st, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5-$10 (give more if you can) at the door. The Vintage's Fall Ball will showcase food from local farms, mulled wine (for 21+ patrons only), spiced cider, delicious fall-inspired chocolates, artisan wares, live music and much, much more. 

An array of local vendors and artisans will be on-site, including Bella Faccias Chocolate Creations, offering gourmet chocolates and OM in The Attic, featuring hand crafted, one-of-a-kind, vegan, wooden jewelry, infused with love, made using fallen branches from Northeast PA. Additionally, The Vintage will be partnering with several local farmers who will be offering fresh produce, as well as samples of food, wine, and desserts. 

Artists Diana Perciballi, Heidi Van Lueven, and Brent Pennington will also have work on display and available for purchase.

If you're looking for the ideal way to welcome the season while support arts, culture, and local businesses in Downtown Scranton, The Vintage's Fall Ball is the must-attend event of the season.  

For more information, visit ScrantonsVintageTheater.com or join the official event page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1406913696195263/?ref=22

What: The Fall Ball

Who: Hosted by The Vintage

When: September 21st 2013; Doors open at 7:00 pm

Where:The Vintage Theater, 326 Spruce Street, Scranton, PA 18503

Tickets: $5.00 – $10.00 (give more if you can) - At Door

Contact: Conor O'Brien, info@scrantonsvintagetheater.com or 570-507-9671

Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scrantonvintage

Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vintagetheater

Donate: https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/profile?id=8397

Our Website: http://www.scrantonsvintagetheater.com

Blogfest Fall 2013

Northeastern Pennsylvania Bloggers will be hosting the 8th semi-annual Blogfest at The Red Mill

• 340 S Main St
• Pittston, PA 18640-2367
• Friday September 27th at 6PM

This is an informal gathering of bloggers, candidates for office, elected officials and anyone interested in politics or blogging. There is no charge for admission.

Since it's inception 3 years ago Blogfest has been described as the best political event of the season. No speeches are allowed and the rule is agree to disagree but don't be disagreeable. Many local and statewide candidates will be attending.

RSVP on Facebook

From the Mailbag: The Lake Region Something

Happy Labor Day NEPA!  We all know that blogging can be a "labor" of love and one of our bloggers just started a third....you read that correctly....third blog!

NB-

I have a new monthly blog/online magazine titled THE LAKE REGION SOMETHING at http://lakeregion.blogspot.com/.

The LAKE REGION SOMETHING is for those who live in the region and those who visit, or would like to visit, the region.

It will feature lots of interesting "stuff" on entertainment and popular culture, taxes and personal finance, travel, etc, etc, etc, as well as information on local events and activities.

Please pay us a visit.

RDF

http://robertdflach.blogspot.com/

http://wanderingtaxpro.blogspot.com/

Read my tax articles at -http://www.mainstreet.com/category/authors/robert-d-flach-0

You may remember we previously linked to Robert's tax related blogs back in December.  Give Robert's newest blogging adventure some respect by checking out the Lake Region Something.

Upcoming Blogger Events

There are some interesting upcoming events in the Blogosphere...

Mark your calendars.


Tuesday, August 20, 2013 (tomorrow) @ 6PM:  Whiskey Bacon's "Traveling Circus" of foodies will convene at Aurant's in Duryea.  RSVP here.


Sunday, August 25, 2013 @ 7PM:  Dale Wilsey Jr. invites you to .... Katie Watkins Wisnosky and her Breaking Ground Poets have been bringing some class acts to the area to perform.  Andrea Gibson was here, Buddy Wakefield is coming and on August 25th, Anis Mojgani will be performing at TwentyFiveEight studios in Scranton.  The arts scene in NEPA is strong, but we need to maintain that strength by supporting one another and keeping events like this a possibility.  Everyone is welcome.  If you're new to poetry or spoken word, this isn't "Roses are Red shit".  This is the real deal.  Anis will lay down life lessons.  RSVP on Facebook.

Also, Dale has a new blog that he wants you to be aware of:  http://dalewilseyjr.com/blog.  Check out the new digs when you get a minute!


Saturday September 14, 2013 @ 7PM:  Scranton Story Slam Fall 2013: Jessup.  Come out and hear true, five0minute tales about life in Jessup at St. George's Restaurant in Jessup.  For speakers and ticketing information, visit http://scrantonstoryslam.com/SSLM/home/upcoming-slam/fall-2013-jessup/


Friday, September 27, 2013 @ 6PM:  SAVE THE DATE!  NEPA BlogFest will be held this evening at a location to be determined.  More information will be forthcoming.


Saturday, October 5, 2013 @ 9AM:  The second annual NEPA BlogCon will be held at Luzerne County Community College's Educational Conference Center.  Tickets are $30.00 and go on sale this week on Wednesday August, 25.  All proceeds from this year's event will go to the Blue Chip Animal Refuge in the Back Mountain.  More details can be found at http://nepablogcon.com.

If there are events you'd like us to know about and share, drop a line to nepablogs[at]gmail.com.

Upcoming Blogger Events

There are some interesting upcoming events in the Blogosphere...

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 7pm - The innaugural meeting of the Northeast PA Wordpress group at The Vintage Theater in Scranton.  For further details and to RSVP visit:  http://www.meetup.com/nepawp


Thursday, February 28, 2013 6-8pm - Cocktails and Coupons Savings Mixer at Bella Faccias in Scranton.  There will be door prizes and favors provided by Good Cook. Jenna Urban, author of Bucktownbargains.com and a Savings.com DealPro, will host end of the month Coupon Workshop, with a short presentation followed by an organized coupon swap.  Sign up using this NEPA Cocktails and Coupons link and share with friends. Must be 21 years old  to attend. 


Thursday, February 28, 2013 6:30pm - Whiskey Bacon's Traveling Circus Food Event at the Ipanema Grille in Scranton.  It's a real meat treat - all you can eat Rodizio with more than 12 combinations of savory cuts of fire-roasted meats presented on skewers and carved table side.

A note about the Traveling Circus events from Leni of the Whiskey Bacon blog: "As part of our goal to change the way people eat and think about food locally, we organize at least 2 meet ups a month at delicious restaurants. It's a good time for anyone who likes food, to connect with other foodies, or just try something new (some of our regulars are fast foodies expanding their palate). Yes you have to pay for your dinner unfortunately, but we try to get the whole table in on any check in or Groupon deals - but we also bring the fun. Events are open to everyone and your human guests. We ask that guests RSVP on the Facebook page so we can warn the restaurant ahead of time. :) A few of the past events we've gotten around to blogging about are here http://whiskeybacon.com/category/stomping-grounds/traveling-circus/ so we do, actually blog about these events (Though as you can see, we're very behind :P)"

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/497251950319082


Saturday, March 16, 2013 12pm - Whiskey Bacon's Traveling Circus Food Event at Canteen 900 in Forty Fort.  Design your own flatbreads, fresh squeezed juice, regular fresh specials and a menu that never disappoints.

RSVP here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/297727653687161/


Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 9pm - Whiskey Bacon's Traveling Circus Food Event at Bernie's Pizza in Dallas.  Great pizza that stands out for flavor and a solid crust out of all the others in the Back Mountain.

RSVP here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/341006746009464/


Saturday, April 13, 2013 12-7pm - Mark Mysterrio's Million Dollar Producers Relay For Life Team announced that they will be hosting a tricky tray at The American Legion located at 201 E.5th Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.  Admission is $5.00 and includes starting tickets, door prize and more..  For more details visit:  http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagician.com/charity-events/



Friday, April 19, 2013 6pm-??? - Northeastern Pennsylvania Bloggers will be hosting the 7th semi-annual Blogfest at Rooney's Irish Pub, Friday April 19th at Rooney's Irish Pub, 67 S. Main St., Pittston, PA 18704 starting at 6PM. This is an informal gathering of bloggers, candidates for office, elected officials and anyone interested in politics or blogging. There is no charge for admission. For more information please visit http://gort42.blogspot.com/, , http://nepablogs.blogspot.com/ , http://www.pittstonpolitics.com/ or call 570-823-4508.

Since it's inception 3 years ago Blogfest has been described as the best political event of the season. No speeches are allowed and the rule is agree to disagree but don't be disagreeable. Many local and statewide candidates will be attending.  For more details and to RSVP visit:   https://www.facebook.com/events/423897131028808


Friday, April 26th 2013 6pm-??? - Mark Mysterrio's Million Dollar Producers Relay For Life Team announced that they will be hosting a Vera Bradley Bingo at The American Legion located at 201 E.5th Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. Doors open at 6 pm and Bingo starts at 7p.m. The cost is $25.00 in advance and $30 at the door if there are remaining tickets.  For more details visit:  http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagician.com/charity-events/


Fall 2013 (date, location TBA) - NEPA BlogCon is returning in the fall of 2013 to help educate Northeast PA about blogging and social media.  To learn more about the conference, please visit:  http://nepablogcon.com/nepa-blogcon-2013-here-we-come/

We hope to see you out there!  If you have an interesting event coming up related to blogging and want us to know about it, send an email to nepablogs@gmail.com.

Northeast PA WordPress

A new group has popped up in Northeast PA dedicated to all things Wordpress!  As you may already know, Wordpress is popular free/open source blogging tool and content management system (CMS) based on PHP and MySQL.  Similar to Blogger, it is completely customizable with plugins and themes (many which are downloadable for free).  Several bloggers from the area (including me) use this platform!


http://www.nepawp.com

From the About: So what is NEPAWP exactly? Well, according to our Meetup page, we are:

A place to talk about WordPress and WordPress-related topics in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

That seems about right. A while back Phil Erb and I (Joe Casabona, for the record) we lamenting about how there is probably a great untapped WordPress community right here in NEPA. We decided to start a WordPress Meetup to see if that were true. We hope to bring out the WordPress bloggers, designers, developers, enthusiasts, and users here in Scranton and the great NEPA area to have some good discussions about our favorite web-bassed platform. Hopefully we’ll learn a thing or two as well!

NEPA WP's first meetup is this week at the Vintage Theater on Tuesday, February 19th at 7pm!  You can find more details and RSVP at the Meetup event page here:  http://www.meetup.com/nepawp/events/101050522/

Event attendees will be able to purchase Joe's book "Building Wordpress Themes From Scratch" at a 50% discount. 


Do you know of any interesting events happening in the NEPA blogosphere? Send us an email or tweet to let us know!

Christmas magic with Mark Mysterrio

Magician and blogger Mark Mysterrio (http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagitcian.com/) is involved with two different Christmas magic events in the next week and a half.

The first is this weekend's 2nd Annual Magic Show for Toys for Tots (http://www.facebook.com/events/161955357281050/) being held at Brews Brothers West in Luzerne (75 Main Street) on Saturday, December 8 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. This show features numerous local and regional magicians. It's targeted towards children, but adults will have fun too! Admission is only $5 or a new, unwrapped toy.

Mark Mysterrio also has a magic show in honor of Frosty's birthday on Sunday, December 16 at The Living Room in Stroudsburg (522 Main Street, next to the Sherman Theater) at 2:00 PM.  Admission is $8, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Sandy in NEPA

When disasters strike the region, we often run roundup posts that collect posts from bloggers throughout NEPA presenting the disaster from numerous points of view.  We'll probably be doing that with Sandy, once the storm-within-a-storm has had its way with us. But in the meantime, we'll be using this post as a way of communicating critical information about the storm and its aftermath, and providing links to resources for preparing for the storm and dealing with its consequences.

Before the storm:

http://ready.gov/ - The Federal Emergency Management Agency website for disaster preparedness. Lots of useful information and good advice, and links to plenty of other government sites.

National Hurricane Center page for Sandy - This is one peculiar storm, a hurricane wrapped in a Nor'easter, something never seen before - at least, never seen to hit land. The predicted path of this storm is equally peculiar. The National Hurricane Center page provides twelve different ways of looking at the storm and its effects. You can check it frequently for frequently-updated predictions of the storm's path.

NOAA Storm Central - "Your one-stop source for Sandy news and information. Tracking Sandy? Be prepared: Get the latest forecast, advisories, radar images, fact sheets, links to preparedness resources and more on our comprehensive webpage." Tons of information, links, and resources.

Facebook Groups:

Wyoming Valley PA Alert Network - This was the old Wyoming Valley Flood of 2011 group, reactivated when it became clear that these "once in a lifetime" disasters might be happening on a fairly regular basis. The mission now is a to be "a permanent page to be used year round to share any type of serious community alerts and messages." Resources, news, and first-hand accounts.

NEPA Flood of 2011 - A site with a similar mission and similar name-change issue. Another great source for resources, news, and first-hand accounts.

NEPA Hurricane Sandy Watch - Set up by Penn State Meteorology students to track Sandy as it passes through NEPA. They've already thought about the future by spinning off a NEPA Severe Weather Watch page.

Information:

UGI Outage Center (http://www.ugi.com/portal/page/portal/UGI/Outage_Center)

PPL Consumer Outage Center (https://www.pplelectric.com/my-account/outage-center.aspx)

Susquehanna River Flood Forecasting (http://www.susquehannafloodforecasting.org/)

Susquehanna River Level at Wilkes-Barre (includes predictions for upcoming dates)

More to come...

NEPA BlogCon Launch Party is TONIGHT!

The Squirrel Girls of the Fearsome Foursome of NEPA BlogCon would like to invite you to their website launch party this evening from 5-7pm at the River Grille in Plains.  Directions and a menu can be found by visiting http://rivergrillenepa.com.  RSVP on the Facebook event page here.


Disclaimer: This event is to get people pumped up for the actual BlogCon but this event is not the BlogCon itself

We’re ready to launch our website (*ahem* http://nepablogcon.com) and give one of those super cool press releases about our event! Come get a drink and enjoy free appetizers, door prizes, and cool people!

The Launch Party is a free event but there is a suggested $5 donation. All proceeds benefit 2 local charities (The Arc of Luzerne County and the NEPA Veterans Multicare Alliance). But you don’t have to pay it! And we won’t make you feel guilty if you don’t!

Come socialize with the Fearsome Foursome, Michelle, Mandy, Karla and Leslie.

(Click above image for bigger pop-out version)

NEPA BlogCon is a day long conference held on September 29th at LCCC that’s so much more than your average “Hey, let’s talk about blogging,” event. If you’re looking to learn the REAL scoop behind what makes the blogosphere the place to be nowadays, then this is the event for you. Besides offering you a chance to network with your fellow post slingers, NEPA BlogCon will include panels and sessions related to blogging and Internet things. Don’t worry if you’re not old hat – NEPA BlogCon is for bloggers of all walks of CMS. Not a blogger? This may be the perfect event to get your start with.

We hope that we'll see you tonight!  

~Michelle

Scranton Zine Festival

Scranton Zine Festival
http://scrantonzinefest.wordpress.com/


Following my meeting with my writing group (The Northeastern Pennsylvania Writers' Collective, which does not have a blog...yet) yesterday, a few of us hiked a few blocks to grab a late lunch. Along the way, one of our company brought up the matter of Zine Fest, and wondered if I might know when it was. I didn't, and had only been vaguely aware that such a thing was going on. In fact, I had almost forgotten about zines entirely since my college years, until a conversation with blogger, zine publisher and enthusiast Erin Delaney a few years ago reminded me of their existence.

I'm lookin' behind us now, across the count of time, down the long hall, into history back...

Imagine a time before the Internet. Before blogs, and podcasts, and tweets, and YouTube, and Facebook, Before iPods. Before cell phones, at least cell phones small enough to put in a pocket, and cheap enough for everybody to own. Back when photographs were taken on chemical emulsions, and having fifty-seven channels on TV seemed like a lot.

In such an environment, how would you share your opinions, your ideas, your brilliance, and your creativity with the world? One answer, for those with the right combination of talent and resourcefulness, was - and continues to be - the zine.

"But what is a zine?" you might ask. Well the good folks at the Scranton Zine Festival have anticipated your question, and answered it here:  http://scrantonzinefest.wordpress.com/about/what-is-a-zine/

I remember reading zines in my college days, usually ones I picked up at a second-hand bookstore downtown. (I believe it was the Scranton branch of "Mostly Books.") I haven't run across any in the years since, and thought that perhaps the labor-intensive act of creating a zine had passed away in favor of the relatively low-effort act of updating a blog. But as Erin reminded me, zines do still exist - and there's enough interest locally to result in the Scranton Zine Festival.

And almost as if they were trying to make a point about the relationship between zines and blogs - the Scranton Zine Festival has a blog!

Scranton Zine Festival
http://scrantonzinefest.wordpress.com/

The Scranton Zine Festival is Saturday, June 9 at the New Visions Studio & Gallery, 201 Vine Street, Scranton. (For a quick image of the place, see here; for the New Visions blog, go here; and for the New Visions Website, go here.)

Reminder: Arts on Fire Festival is next weekend!

The Arts on Fire Festival 2012 will be next weekend, kicking off Friday, June 1 in conjunction with Scranton's First Friday celebrations! See the Festival's blog for details!

Big thanks to Jill from Jilly beansTALK for letting us know about this great festival!

Press Release - Reading the Leaves: Tea, Text and Tarot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UPDATED INFORMATION
Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion
434 Center St.
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
http://www.jtartsinmotion.com/

Friday, April 20th Doors open at 7:30, Reading at 8:00 p.m.

ADDITIONS TO OUR LINE UP: We are proud to announce Philadelphia poet and spoken word artist Alllisss will be joining the Friday night lineup!

Alllisss was born and raised in Philadelphia and Willow Grove, PA. She has performed at different venues. Alllisss is also a musician/singer and has performed at The Arts Bank, Kimmel Center and Liacouras Center. She has opened for nationally known singer Jaguar Wright and Levi Little of Blackstreet. Alllisss is a member of the women's collective Wings of Worth. A mother of two, Christian, scholar, composer and writer, Alllisss continues to reach many that hear her works. She continues to let God use her as a vessel so that others willse e Christ through her. She is currently featured on an upcoming CD alongside Will Downing and Eric Roberson
Also local musician and songwriter John David Abrose will give us an acoustic set of his music and talk about the new music he is releasing this Friday, April 20th!

This is the ONLY event of it's kind in the Jim Thorpe area!

Reading the Leaves: Tea, Text and Tarot. April is Poetry Month! Come celebrate with a night of readings by area artists, tarot readings, open mic, specialty teas and light refreshments! After a very successful March event, Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion will continue with this monthly event aimed at bringing experienced poets and authors together with those who write or perform as a hobby to share their work! Poetry, prose, musicians, playwrights, etc. welcomed! 18 years of age or older. $10 online or $12 at the door includes all readings, open mic and refreshments. Limited Seating.

--
Rachel DeMicco
Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion
434 Center St.
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
(570)483-8640
http://www.jtartsinmotion.com/

Blog Fest recaps

I will update this post as the reports come in. I'm still working on my own post.

Blog Fest 2012 Spring Edition was another rip roaring success with an estimated 200 people attending.

Bill Wellock of the Citizens Voice spent the entire night and filed this report
NEPA Blog Fest draws candidates' attention

Gort42 put up a teaser last night
Pink pig parked in Pittston

Another Monkey gives his initial impression
Blog Fest Spring 2012 report, part 1

My photos are available at this Facebook public link

Pittston Politics has a Photo Bucket

NCFE

Steve, a Giant Pig and Gene Stilp.

It's Personal

About Spring Blog Fest

The Lu Lac Political Letter

SPRING BLOGFEST REVIEW

Pittston Politics

Spring Blogfest draws over 200

Gort42
Another Blogfest success



More to come. Email me at gort42@yahoo.com if you write up the event.



UPDATE 4/1 5:15 PM (by Harold):
Some more views of Blog Fest, from two non-political bloggers. See if you can spot a common theme in all the posts! We're going to have to make sure Gene Stilp and Pignelope come to all of our future events!

Crafternoon Tea
NEPA Blogfest

Darling Stewie
Blogfest 2012! Big Pigs, Big Wigs, and Sweet Digs!



UPDATE 4/2 1:23 AM (by Harold)
I finally finished off my full-er report on Blog Fest.

Another Monkey
Three Blogtastic Days, Day 2: NEPA BlogFest


UPDATE 4/2 10:47 PM (by Michelle):
Don't forget about the lovely Mandy Boyle and her recap which can be found right here:
NEPA Blog Fest, Story-Filled Weekends, and Feeling Reinvigorated

The news that's fit to spit

Good morning everyone! We have some exciting news to report about NEPA Blogs this morning. I've been storing it up for a few days, but now I'm ready to burst!

NEPA Blogs Featured in the Weekender

Why should you attend NEPA Blog Fest? That is a question DB, Gort and I are often asked while trying to put together and plug the bi-annual Blog Fest gathering. We were lucky enough to garner the attention of fellow local blogger/Weekender journalist Nikki Mascali who dedicated a large section of this week's edition of the Weekender to talk about Blog Fest...and why you should attend.

You can read the article online right here…or perhaps, go and pick up a print version of the Weekender. Here's a picture from the cover:











You can also read our press release about the event right here.

Gort42, Joe Valenti, DB Echo, LuLac, NEPArtisan and yours truly have all discussed Blog Fest on our blogs. We are trying to build up a buzz about the event. Our hopes are to draw a larger crowd than the last time.

Please stop by and join us! Here are the details:

NEPA BLOG FEST (Spring 2012 Edition)

Date: Friday, March 30th, 2012
Time: 6pm
Location: Rooney's Irish Pub; 67 South Main Street; Pittston, PA 18640.
**A menu can be found here.

This is a free event open to local bloggers, lurkers and anyone else interested in hanging out with the "cool kiddies" of the local blogosphere.

***You can RSVP to the Facebook Event Page right here.

---

NEPA Blogs Potential Award??

We received an email to the nepablogs@gmail.com inbox on Tuesday night inviting us to the Morning Call's "MyChoiceVoice" Best of Blogs of the Lehigh Valley awards ceremony. The ceremony is being held this evening at the lovely Allentown Symphony Hall in Allentown. DB and I decided to make the trek down to the Lehigh Valley this evening to attend the event. We are unsure whether or not our little blog is winning any awards. However, we figure (at the very least), it is a good opportunity to network with other area bloggers...the likes of which we would probably never get to meet otherwise.

Here's a picture of the invite!



As I'm sure you have noticed, Harold just recently added a bunch of Lehigh Valley bloggers to our blog roll as a part of "Blog March Madness". Where did we get them from? Hmmmm....I wonder.

Psssst. http://www.mcallcommunity.com/mychoicevoice/end.php

---

Nominate us!



I found out about this at the last minute, but anyway, The Weekender is having a 2012 Reader's Choice poll which encompasses several categories of local interest. Wouldn't you know it? There's a category for Best Local Blog! It is #62. If you would be so inclined, we'd be honored if you would vote for our Blog.

Here's the link: http://www.theweekender.com/stories/Weekender-Readers-Choice,106591

Again, that's #62 - Write in NEPA Blogs - http://nepablogs.org

No pressure, or anything...

You can vote until tomorrow (Friday) 3/30/12. Hey! I warned you that this was last minute notice!

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Scranton Story Slam

Both DB Echo and I were approached by Pamela McNichols to see if we could participate in/attend the Scranton StorySlam.

What is the Scranton Story Slam?

Excerpt taken from the 570 article at http://the570.com/index.php/2012/03/bookmarks-scrantons-first-story-slam/

Storyslam is the project of local high school student, Madeline “Zoe” McNichols, who is being mentored by Maureen McGuigan. With the event just around the corner, I caught up with Zoe to talk about this exciting new event in the Electric City, and her inspiration for the project.

The Scranton StorySlam is a night of storytelling similar to those hosted by The Moth, an organization based in New York City dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. On this particular evening, The Vintage Theater will serve as a stage for 10 incredibly talented personalities, each telling a five-minute true story from memory. In Moth tradition and to tie the night together, each story will adhere to a theme. The theme for the first Scranton StorySlam is “Warning Signs.” The theme is intentionally very general, allowing the storytellers to take the audience in any direction, from pants-peeing hilarity to soul-wrenching heartbreak. It’s called a “slam” because it’s presented in the form of a competition, which results in a high energy and engaging environment.

We are privileged to have some of the Electric City's most interesting characters in our evening's lineup of storytellers. You can expect to laugh and be captivated by these writers, actors, and performers:

Alicia Grega,
Amye Archer,
Conor O'Brien,
Jeannine Luby,
Rosemary McGuigan,
Sarah Stachura Regan,
Tim McDermott,
Tom Blomain,
Tom Borthwick,
Zoe McNichols,

Master of Ceremonies: Conor McGuigan.

The event is a unique storytelling competition in which ten performers will each have five minutes to tell a true story from memory, in the tradition of old-fashioned storytelling.The stories must relate to the theme of the night: Warning Signs

Four judges will help to determine the winner, including University of Scranton Professor Michael Friedman, NEPA Blogs' Michelle Hryvnak Davies, and Abington Heights High School's Mr. Zach Monahan and Mrs. Marilyn Pryle.

When is it?

Saturday, 3/31/12 7pm-10pm
@ The Vintage Theater
119 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503

**You can RSVP for the event on Facebook RIGHT HERE.

Let's all help Zoe ace her senior project by attending. It will be an interesting night of story telling with several local bloggers in tow.

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That's all that I have for now. I'll be back later with today's latest Blog March Madness offering. Until then, have a great Thursday!

~Michelle

Press Release: Reading the Leaves: Tea, Text and Tarot

As received in the nepablogs@gmail.com inbox:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion
Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion <contactjtaim@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 9:57 AM
Subject: Special Poetry event coming to Jim Thorpe--first in monthly series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion
434 Center Street Jim Thorpe, PA
www.jtartsinmotion.com
(570)483-8640

Reading the Leaves: Tea, Text and Tarot

Friday, March 23rd at Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion Doors open 7:30, Reading at 8:00 p.m.
A night of poetry readings by four featured area artists: Brooke Au Buchon, Jacqueline Hyde, Jennifer Hill and Rebecca York Moll. Tarot readings by AnneMarie Balog. Open Mic time following scheduled readings bring your work to share! Exotic handcrafted teas and light refreshments provided by Jacqueline Hyde Emporium. Admission includes scheduled readings, tarot, open mic, tea and light refreshments. Limited Seating. Purchase E-Tickets online for $10.00 at www.jtartsinmotion.com or $12.00 cash at the door. Ages 18 and older. First event in a reoccurring monthly series, looking for area artists to feature their poetry, storytelling, music, performance art, etc.

-- Rachel DeMicco
Jim Thorpe Arts in Motion
434 Center St. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
(570)483-8640
www.jtartsinmotion.com

artsonfirefestival

Here's a blog we were notified of via email:

artsonfirefestival is the blog of the Arts on Fire Festival, which is being held June 1, 2, and 3 at the Scranton Iron Furnaces.

http://artsonfirefestival.wordpress.com/

So what's the Arts on Fire Festival? From the "About" page:

The Arts on Fire Festival idea emerged in September 2009 at the Wake Up with the Arts Breakfast sponsored by the Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department. Artists and organizations convened to discuss what they wanted to see happening in Lackawanna County. Several people mentioned an arts festival. Bob Savakinus, Lackawanna County Arts, Culture and Education member and current Chair of the Arts on Fire Committee, desired to see more events at the underutilized Scranton Iron furnaces. It so happened that Keystone College had received that year a Lackawanna County ARTS Engage! grant for high school iron sculpture program with the culminating pour taking place at the iron furnaces in the summer. These three elements were the catalyst for the Arts on Fire Festival and instantaneously people began to talk to each other about creating an industrial arts festival at the furnaces that would showcase the area’s history, but celebrate its creative future in the arts.

Check out this blog, and keep your schedule clear for June 1, 2, and 3!

Pecha Kucha Night is TONIGHT!

Back in November, I told you about an upcoming event called "Pecha Kucha Night" which was to happen after the beginning of the new year. The time has come.....Pecha Kucha Night has finally arrived!

Pecha Kucha Night Scranton

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 7:30pm at The Vintage Theater

What is Pecha Kucha Night?

In a nutshell, Pecha Kucha Night Scranton is a quick-fire presentation format where local thinkers, dreamers, artists, and storytellers can come together to share in conversation with the community. You can read more about the format here.

Several of the NEPA Bloggers have stepped forward to present at the event, Harold and myself included. There will also be presentations by Gerard Hetman and Mandy Boyle as well as many others. If you are looking for something to do tonight, stop on by!

Here are additional details: http://www.facebook.com/events/138110756288979/
For Anti-Facebookers: http://www.navybook.com/PKNS/index.shtml

You can also follow them on Twitter: @PechaKuchaScran

Also, check out the articles about tonight's presentation in The Weekender and Scranton Times Tribune.

~Michelle

Save the Date: BlogFest 2012 Spring Edition

There has been some chatter recently between our political bloggers and co-contributor Gort42 about setting a date for our next BlogFest. Normally, BlogFest has a very political overtone - but it doesn't always have to be that way. We would like it to be a social event where all of our bloggers from Northeastern Pennsylvania feel welcome to attend (...and network with politicians, if they so choose). DB Echo has an extended post coming up about that in the near future.

If you are interested in attending our next BlogFest in the spring, please "Save the Date" by adding these details to your favorite calendar application or the one that is hanging on your refrigerator.

Date: Friday, March 30th, 2012
Time: TBD, but usually at 6pm
Location: Rooney's Irish Pub; 67 South Main Street; Pittston, PA 18640. A menu can be found here.

This is a free event open to local bloggers, lurkers and anyone else interested in hanging out with the "cool kiddies" of the local blogosphere.

***You can RSVP to the Facebook Event Page right here.

Hope to see you there!
~Michelle, DB Echo & Gort42

The Scranton #BlueKey Tweetup

On December 14, one of our fellow NEPA bloggers, Mandy Boyle, will be hosting a #BlueKey Campaign Tweetup at The Vintage Theater in Scranton. It's a fundraiser, but more importantly, it's a chance for you to network with Twitter users from NEPA.

What is The Blue Key Campaign?
The Blue Key Campaign is part of USA for UNHCR, an organization dedicated to helping refugees worldwide. The symbol of the campaign is a "blue key" pin or pendant; a key, because it's the one thing that refugees may never hold in their hands again.

Purchasing your own key for just $5 is a great way to show support for refugees, as well as for the tireless work of more than 6,000 UNHCR staff worldwide, who work 24/7 to provide the protection, food, shelter and relief refugees need.

To learn more about The Blue Key Campaign and the work of USA for UNHCR, visit http://www.thebluekey.org/


Why a Tweetup?
Tweetups are great ways to meet people from the community, both locally and on Twitter. So, if you're an active participant on Twitter and want to meet some of your fellow tweeps, this event is a great opportunity for you to introduce yourself, network, and have great conversations with some of NEPA's Twitter glitterati (or just really nice people who happen to be social media geeks). Plus, it'll be an opportunity for you to show your support for The Blue Key Campaign.

What are the Event Details?
The #BlueKey Tweetup will be held on Wednesday, December 14 at The Vintage Theater in downtown Scranton from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Vintage Theater Cafe will have some delectable goodies and beverages available for purchase during that time, so stop in for a nice cup of tea and some conversation.

In the meantime, you can register and purchase your very own blue key by checking out the event on EventBrite: http://bluekeyscranton.eventbrite.com/

The cost to register is $6.12 and it includes your very own blue key pin or pendant to be picked up at the event, as well as EventBrite's service fees.

Questions?
Any questions? Contact Mandy Boyle at boyle(dot)mandy(at)gmail(dot)com.

~Michelle (although, this post was written in it's entirety via Mandy)