Google Offers beta starts in Portland, Oregon tomorrow

(Cross-posted on the Commerce, Places, and Retail Blogs)

Portlanders know how to mix the urban (killer coffee, music and art) and the small-town (easy walking, biking and socializing). There’s no end to the city’s great restaurants, coffee shops, hot spots and places to explore. That’s why, when we started planning the Google Offers beta, we knew Portland was the ideal place to get it all kicked off.

Today, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and VP of Commerce Stephanie Tilenius announced at the D9 Conference that we’re launching Google Offers beta in Portland, Ore. tomorrow.

Our first Google Offer will be from beloved local java shop Floyd’s Coffee. Husband-and-wife team Jack Inglis and Cris Chapman opened Floyd’s seven years ago, offering up espresso, coffee, breakfast burritos and more. They now have two convenient locations—one cozy, brick-lined shop in Old Town and another Stumptown watering-hole in Buckman.

With Google Offers, we’re working with great local businesses like Floyd’s Coffee, Le Bistro Montage, Powell’s Books and Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade to help them reach more Portlanders. We hope to bring Google Offers to other cities soon, with New York City and the San Francisco Bay area as our next stops.

You can learn more about Google Offers and sign up at google.com/offers. If you’re a business interested in participating in Google Offers, you can let us know too. Finally, if you’re at the Portland Rose Festival this Saturday, visit our Google booth at CityFair to say hello to our team and learn more about Google Offers.

Posted by Kyle Harrison, Product Manager, Google Offers

What Would Jesus Do?

I found this book at a thrift store when E. was a baby, and knew that someday I would read it to him(& S.R.:o)

(found at Amazon.com HERE)

We started reading it this morning at breakfast, and my kids are hooked. We have made it to Chapter 6 so far. In Chapter 2, some of the children in the story are singing "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus." While I was reading the story, I sang this part.

So far, the story is emphasizing the importance of helping those in need.

Well mommy was in need this afternoon:o) 

Yesterday, E & S.R. thought it was a great idea to take all of the games out of the cabinet and "explore" them. Not a single piece was left in it's original box.

After lunch today, it was their responsibility to pick up all of the pieces.

I left them to do their work, and I heard E. start singing the song...and then S.R. chimed in. It was music to my ears. Just another reminder of why God should be and is the focus of our home.

My two little angels singing about their Jesus....can it get any better than this?:o)

 I guess board game pieces strewn everywhere doesn't really matter that much does it?

I didn't get a chance to record them, but here is a beautiful version that I found on You Tube.

I hope you enjoy it!

Summer Fun Fest Kick Off

It's time to kick off our Summer Fun Fest. I am so excited to see what all you guys have to share. Are you excited? Just think of all the fun things our children are going to get to do this summer! 

I'll start off with sharing what we have been up to....
Last week, plans fell through with friends, and there was a threat of storms, so I had to come up with something to keep the babies occupied.
My friend Deanna hosted a Christmas crafty party last year and served some yummy marshmallows. She posted a link to these Homemade Marshmallows(a Martha recipe) on her blog. My kids love marshmallows, and I knew they would be really excited to help make them. I took care of the mixing and spreading part.

 The next morning I let them cut out their favorite shapes. E chose a bat cookie cutter for "Batman."

 S.R. chose a heart...typical little girl;o)

 Once all of the marshmallows were cut out, I coated them with a little confectioners sugar to keep them from sticking to each other.

 (We added the sprinkles just after spreading the mixture out onto the cookie sheet.)

I sent the kids outside after we got through cutting out the marshmallows
(before the storm hit;o))
and I got busy making a tent in our bonus room. They were dying to come back inside to see what the surprise was.
Nothing fancy, but it did the job!

I set out a picnic blanket with their lunch

 and of course their desserts:o)

 Can you tell they were excited about their tent?:o) I wish I could have captured S.R.'s reaction as well:o)

 They got down to the business of watching Peter Pan and chowing down on some grub.

Not a bad way to spend a yucky day, eh?
So now it's your turn! Show us what fabulous things you have planned for your summer.
Make sure to include the linky button on the left sidebar!

Connecting businesses with customers: Google hits up Chicago’s NRA Show 2011

(Cross-posted from the Google Places Blog.)

Earlier this week at the National Restaurant Association’s convention at McCormick Place in Chicago, the Google Places team met with hundreds of business owners to share with them all the benefits of Google Places. Our goal was simple: show business owners how Google Places can help them get found online and engage with their customers.

After setting up free Google Places accounts for many business owners, we demo-ed some of the many useful features they receive when they sign up for Places:

• stand out with a business listing on Google.com and Google Maps when customers search for you
• see what search terms people are using to find your Place page
• upload photos and videos to your page, and encourage your customers to submit their own
• reply publicly to customer reviews to show you’re listening
• and lots more!

After claiming their business listings, business owners received our “Recommended on Google” window stickers. These interactive stickers have Near Field Communications (NFC) technology built right in, enabling people with cutting-edge phones like the Nexus S to simply touch their phones to the sticker to pull up that business’s Place page — containing relevant info about that location from across the web — on the map.

But perhaps the biggest hit at the conference? Our Google-colored bean bags! Many attendees stopped by just to take a load off in one of these comfy chairs:

A big thank you to the National Restaurant Association for having us, and to all the business owners we connected with at the convention. Keep in touch with us here on the blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.

Posted by Esther Brown and Margarita Vaisman, Google Places Community Team

Favorites to Fuss About

For the past few days, I have been scouring Blogland for fun ideas for this summer. Both E and S.R. will be heading to preschool in a little over two months, and I want to have a "fantasmic" summer.

Over the next few weeks, I will be hosting a Linky Party every Monday for you to share your favorite Summer time activities. I'll share some of mine as well:o)

I will be highlighting my personal faves, so get your activities together, and come share them with us all!!

These are some great ideas to get your summer started off right. 

I am definitely going to be making this board. 

Wendy, from Craft Goodies, shares her tutorial for this activity board over at CSI 

These are homemade bouncy balls...did you know you can make these?!?!?

See how these super cool Super Balls are made over at

Making Memories.

When I first saw these bottles, I thought they were for bowling:o) It's actually a 

Toddler Ring Toss Game.

Super easy and super cheap! Me like-y!

Head on over to Toddler Boredom Busters to check it out. 

These little monkeys are too cute. I wish that I had known about them when I had a Curious George birthday party for E many moons ago.

Head over to Serving Pink Lemonade for the list of supplies for these great cupcakes.

And last, but not least, Rhinestone Beagle shares a tutorial for a reusable Cloth Snack Baggie.

I will most definitely be making some of these. Wouldn't these baggies be great for a picnic...and no waste:o)

Thanks ladies for sharing your great ideas. Make sure to grab a "featured" button from the left sidebar to display on your post:o)

what do you think of my new "featured" button? 

I thought it was cute:o)

Teachers Gifts

School is out, and E couldn't be happier. I think he was a little bothered that S.R. got to stay home with mommy & do all sorts of cool things:o) But he really did love his teachers and made tons of friends.

Here are the gifts that he gave his teachers.

I love vinyl, and I will put it on just about anything. Teachers need to stay hydrated, right? So why not supply them with a cute cup to keep the hydration going?

One of his teacher's is a HUGE Bama fan. So her's was easy enough to figure out.

E was so funny about the next 2:o) He said that Mrs. J loved fingers...hahaha!

And he said that Miss C loved flowers:o) Too cute!

They really loved their cups. Mrs. S even sent me an email to tell me she had been using her cup all weekend. Score!

Nothing like making someone happy with a little something special!

***

Tomorrow I hope to be starting a little something new, so stayed tuned...should be fun!

How to succeed without a degree

While having a formal education is certainly a good way to break into some industries, don't fret if you didn't earn a college degree. There's still hope! Let's look at three qualities you must possess in order to get the job you want without a degree.

 I can do it ,then you can too

Soft Skills: These are skills not obtained by getting a degree. Some of these skills deemed most important by employers include the following:

Enthusiasm

Friendly personality

Punctuality

Ability to get along well with others

Professional appearance and mannerism

Genuine interest in the MLM job at hand

Making Connections: Great jobs are handed out every day to so-and-so's cousin or the head honcho's friend's grandson. If you want to meet with the same success, you will have to make and tap your connections effectively.

When you're trying to make connections, you have to step outside of your comfort zone and come to life when you meet others. Sometimes you simply have to strike up conversations in coffee shops or grocery store lines. Make a proactive effort to find out a little more about the people who

surround you in your daily life. You never know who might be standing next to you in line for a movie or sitting next to you on a train!

And don't neglect those contacts you already have. Take the time to analyze people you know and whom you have recently met. Who can potentially help you in your job goal search? Who have you forgotten to ask about job opportunities? If you feel at all embarrassed about networking, remember that it's never begging if you go in to speak to someone full of confidence, high energy, and optimism. In fact, you may be doing them a favor if they can put you in touch with somebody who actually ends up hiring you-this makes your friend look good! The bottom line is that you'll never know whether your connections can work for you until you try.

Market Research: Employers appreciate applicants who "do their homework." Market research can also help clear up any confusion. When you discover how the industry you're interested in works with other industries, you may find that some of unlikeliest contacts are the ones who can help you the most. So don't wait around for a job to find you. Go out and do you research, talk to your contacts, and bring the job to you!

Back from a Mini Vacay

The hubs and I spent a fantastic weekend at Callaway Gardens. It was kid-free & uber relaxing:o) He arranged everything, and I'll have to say, I don't think he could have done any better....it was PERFECT!

When we first arrived, I got sick...(not so perfect).

  I have been on antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection, and it's been making me icky at times.

We were supposed to start the trip off with a 2 hour bike ride, but I wasn't feelin' it, so we toured the gardens by foot & car.

Inside of the butterfly house:

 The Chapel:

 Entrance to chapel

 Stained Glass Window in chapel

 View of Lake from chapel

 Lots of pictures of the chapel, eh?

 Me taking a break to keep everything down....was that T.M.I.?:o)

 This bunny was so cute:o)

 This little guy was cute until he started blowing his chin out at me to back off....not cool! 

 The hubs and me:o)

 It's hard to see from this pic, but there were around 30 turtles coming towards me(that little red dot at the end is me). They thought I came baring gifts. See that dispenser to the right? It's full of turtle food, and you could buy some for a quarter. I felt so bad b/c we didn't have any money on us...poor turtles!

 This is one of the restaurants that we ate at.

 We sat at the far right corner. They had an amazing Sunday brunch...I had a Vegan meal. It was FATABULOUS.!

 This my friends is the post office in one of the neighborhoods of Callaway Gardens....isn't the cutest thing?!

 We eventually got around to the bike rides, and it was so much fun!

 My favorite flower!

 Cute little nook.

 Us after surviving the bike trails....we were still smiling:o)

I almost forgot to mention the 4 hours I spent at the SPA while hubs was playing golf....It was heavenly. Massage, pedicure, steam room, relaxation room, &  haircut. A girl could get use to this:o)

I am so thankful that we were able to take a weekend for ourselves. We definitely came back relaxed and ready to take on the world:o)

Google Places Heads to Chicago for the NRA Show 2011

(Cross-posted from the Google Places Blog.)

Starting today, Google Places will be at McCormick Place in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association’s four-day annual conference of restaurant owners and managers.

Here’s what we have in store:

• We’ll have a booth on the convention floor, so swing by to meet the team and learn about all the great ways Google can help you better manage your presence online using Google Places. Haven’t claimed your Place page yet? No problem, we’ll get you started right then and there so you can start getting more customers in your door.
• On Sunday, we’ll give a keynote address about our suite of local products, including Google Places for business, our ratings and reviews tool, check-in offers and AdWords online advertising. Don’t miss it!

We’re excited to team up with the NRA Show this year, and look forward to meeting all you business owners out there to hear your feedback and questions. See you in Chicago!

Posted by Sameer Mahmood, Local Marketing Team

Google Apps highlights – 5/20/2011

This is part of a regular series of Google Apps updates that we post every couple of weeks. Look for the label “Google Apps highlights" and subscribe to the series. - Ed.

Over the last few weeks, we made improvements to instant messaging, increased capacity for saved contacts, added powerful data analysis with pivot tables in spreadsheets and introduced more flexible management tools for Google Apps customers.

Better AIM interoperability in Gmail and beyond
Google Talk is built on open protocols for instant messaging, making it possible for other IM networks to connect seamlessly with Google Talk. Yesterday we rolled out improvements to make chatting with your AIM buddies even easier in Gmail, iGoogle, Orkut and Google Talk on Android devices. Now you can invite your AIM buddies to chat from any of these places just by entering their AOL screennames, even if you don’t have or use an AIM account.



Room for 15,000 more contacts in Gmail
We’ve heard from a surprising number of super-connected people who wanted to save more contacts in Gmail than its 10,000-contact limit allowed, so a couple weeks ago we made Gmail better by supporting up to 25,000 contacts. You can also save even more information with each contact, so if you were previously bumping up against the limits, you should have a whole lot more extra space for your contacts now.



Pivot tables in Google spreadsheets
Google spreadsheets now has another tool to help serious dataheads make sense from large data sets: pivot tables. With pivot tables, you can easily summarize rows and columns of information, helping you quickly spot patterns in the information that you might not have noticed otherwise. If you’re new to pivot tables, we made a short video to show what you can do.



Customizable administration options for Google Apps customers
IT staff members in large organizations don’t all need the same level of control in their Google Apps environment. For example, a university IT help desk should be able to reset lost passwords for students, but probably doesn’t need to modify school-wide email settings. On Monday, we made Google Apps much more flexible by introducing delegated administration, which lets full administrators assign partial administration privileges to other individuals.

Who’s gone Google?
In the last three weeks, we’ve seen more than 60,000 organizations choose our cloud products for their communication and collaboration needs, and this week a couple international customers stood out from the crowd. Oxygen Design Agency based in Toronto, Canada chose Google Apps and avoided a big investment in traditional email servers when their previous email solution started to break down. With Google Apps, their downtime woes have disappeared, designers can stay in contact when they’re meeting clients and the system is much simpler and more affordable to manage.

EAT. has more than 100 restaurant locations and 1,700 employees in the U.K. They serve fresh, healthy food—as well as kilobytes to customers through technology programs like an iPhone ordering app, free in-store Wi-Fi, a Twitter feed and a tap-to-pay system. EAT. selected Google Apps to replace their old system to get away from complex, costly upgrades, achieve hassle-free scalability as their business expands and securely support a wider array of mobile devices.



I hope these product updates and customer stories help you and your organization get even more from Google Apps. For more details and the latest news, check out the Google Apps Blog.

Posted by Jeremy Milo, Google Apps Marketing Manager