Posts Tagged ‘Luminous ROC’

JULIAN P. GRAHAM/COURTESY PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY LAGORIO ARCHIVES

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – Part 2 – Marion Hollins was an incredible athlete and visionary.  I would call her the Brian Jones of sports.  (Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones played any and every instrument he ever picked up proficiently)  Marion was a master golfer who won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 1921.

Marion was considered the finest equestrian person of her day.  She also was an accomplished tennis player, marksman, swimmer and even a car racer.  No matter what sport she played she instantly became a dominating force.  What makes this more impressive is that she attained such greatness in the male dominated world of the 1920’s.

I think most of us are familiar with the cypress tree at Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula in California.  This is the home of the well-known Pebble Beach Golf Course.  The World Golf Hall of Fame architect, Alister MacKenzie designed the course.  But what is not commonly said is that Marion Hollins worked side by side with Alister to assist with design and approve Pebble Beach, Augusta and Pasatiempo.  What is amazing is that Marion Hollin’s name is not mentioned.

What’s even more amazing is at the time, Augusta’s Chairman, Clifford Roberts made it known to MacKenzie that Ms. Hollins was not welcome at Augusta.  To which MacKenzie replied:

She has been associated with me in three golf courses and not only are her own ideas valuable, but she is thoroughly conversant in regard to the character of work I like.  I want her views and her personal impressions in regard to the way the work is being carried out.  I do not know of any man who has sounder ideas.

Marion Hollins. From the George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress)

Alister MacKenzie came to develop the Pebble Beach Golf Course at the invitation of Marion Hollins.  The story behind the story is S.F.B. Morse was developing the Monterey Peninsula and asked Marion, who was now his athletic director, to help him develop a golf course.  Marion brought Alister MacKenzie in to design that course.  Together they worked side by side to develop one of the greatest golf courses ever played.  Today it ranks No. 2 on GOLF Magazines Top 100 in the United States and the World list.

In my opinion it was on the infamous 16^th hole that Marion solidified her place in golf history.  MacKenzie did not want to place the 16^th hole at that location.  He thought it was not possible to drive a ball to a green that far across the ocean.  So Marion said, “Let’s see.”  She dropped a ball, teed up and drove it over 219 yards across the Pacific Ocean to a spot where the 16^th hole now resides.  MacKenzie smiled and said, “OK, we’ll put it there.”

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – Marion’s accomplishments are vast and far reaching.  She was a champion in the world of golf as well as other sports.  She was trailblazer and the only known woman golf course developer who helped create three world class golf courses.  She was an amazing person and…

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – Long Live the Forgotten! ~ Sebastian St. George

 

Check out the previous Blogs in this New Series!

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The Blog Series

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The story of Harriet Quimby

Harriet Quimby with her Bleriot

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The Blog Series – Since Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The story of Harriet Quimby was a tremendous success I decided this should become a blog series.  If you have not had the chance or this is first introduction, please go back and read The story of Harriet Quimby.  She was an utterly amazing woman and trailblazer.

Honestly, there should be a motion picture made about her life story.  Harriet Quimby was the first woman to get a pilot’s license in the U.S.  She also was the first woman to fly the English Channel alone.  If any movie studios or production companies are interested, please contact me on my contact page.  I have been developing this for a while.  I feel there are a tremendous amount of women who receive no recognition at all.  Their contributions are immeasurable!  People may forget… but history never does.  And guess what… I’ll find you and do my best to keep you alive!

One of my favorite things to do is research.  It’s one of my preoccupations to dig into archives and discover long lost information or historical data on fascinating people or subject matters.  I could go on for hours about this.  I love People that history has long forgotten.  But, the question is, history hasn’t forgotten them, we have!  These gems are like buried treasure that teach me so much about life, art and the pursuit of happiness.  They are priceless gems to enjoy.  I hope you love these blogs as much as I love researching and writing them!

These Forgotten have LONG fallen off the radar!  Put it to you this way, you wouldn’t even find these people misplaced in the cut-out bin filed under X or Z next to Abe Vigoda Live at the Hollywood Bowl.  Side note:  I love Abe Vigoda BTW – he is great!

Abe Vigoda as Fish on Barney Miller

I also wanted to take the time to thank everyone for all the great tweets, comments, emails, responses and support!  I love to hear from you!  Also if there is anyone you would like to me to consider to research and blog about for this blog series I am open to your suggestions.

Somebody you don’t know, but you should – The Blog Series will begin this week.  Thank you again for your support!

Somebody you don’t know, but you should –

Long Live the Forgotten!

~ Sebastian St. George

Somebody you don’t know but you should – The story of Harriet Quimby is an amazing story of one of the most courageous people I have ever known.  Harriet defines the word pioneer.  Harriet exemplifies courage in the face of uncertainty and the fear of unknowningness.  But honestly, what I find most impressive about her is that she was a woman who did the impossible in a time in which women didn’t do these things.

Harriet Quimby was a trailblazer in aviation and a trailblazer in Women’s Rights.  More importantly, she was woman of tremendous strength and courage.  Again, honestly, I’m very impressed with her and I can’t say this enough.  She is someone that is a treasure to me and a pleasure for me to share with you.  Let me begin.

We all remember Ameila Earhart and her courageous efforts that she made in flight.  Long before Amelia, there was a courageous woman by the name of Harriet Quimby.

Harriet Quimby was the first woman in this country to get a pilot’s license.  She is also the first woman to fly across the English Channel alone.  What is even more amazing is this happened in 1912!

Harriet was a beautiful and vivacious woman in her 30s.  She was a drama critique for a New York Magazine called, “Leslie’s Weekly.”  She met a pilot by the name of John Moisant who also owned a flying school.  Her words to this glamorous flyer were: “Teach me to fly.”  Mosiant’s reply was: “Anytime.”  Unfortunately Mosiant was killed in a tragic plane crash, but Harriet had befriended Matilde Mosiant, John Mosiant’s sister.  They became fast friends.  Matilde, by the way, was the second woman to earn a pilot’s license in the U.S.A.

Harriet spent four months and thirty-three lessons at the Moisant School.  She studied in a Bleriot monoplane.  This plane was designed by Louie Bleriot, who was the first pilot to fly across the English Channel in 1909.

Harriet would fly the reverse route in the same type of plane in 1912.  She would fly alone.  I know this might sound pedestrian to you.  Let’s consider this, Harriet flew without instruments, the only instrument she had was a hand-held compass she had in her lap.  She also took off in fog, flew much of the flight in fog and had no radio communication.  Talk about taking off into total uncertainty.  Actually, it sounds quite insane!  Especially in 1912!

Somebody you don’t know but you should – Harriet Quimby was successful against all odds in her endeavor.  Her success would be heralded throughout the U.S.A and Europe.  Along with her triumphs as an aviation “Femme Fatale” was her flying suit: a plum colored “satin backed by wool” with a monk’s cowl “that kept her hair in place and her ears warm” with “almond shaped goggles” – years ahead of their time.  This was her trailblazing and fashionable flying outfit.

There was one person who thought that Harriet could not accomplish the Channel flight.  He was certain, but he saw her off by giving her a hot water bottle to keep her warm.  He even offered to fly the Channel wearing her plum flying suit.  She laughed him off, ofcourse.

Sadly, Harriet had a tragic accident at an airshow in New York shortly after her Channel flight.  She and her co-pilot were pitched from her Bleriot during a dive.  This plane had a history of this.  At this time there were no harnesses in the plane to secure the pilot’s safely and so prevent this.  Today’s pilots owe a tremendous debt of respect and admiration to these early aviation pioneers.  Without their sacrifices and courageous willingness to adventure into flying’s vast uncertainty we would not have the safety that we all share today.

Harriet Quimby contributed significantly to this progress, so much so that a U.S. Postal Stamp was issued in her honor and memory.  The Stamp was issued in 1991 in Plymouth, Michigan.

In 2009 The Los Angeles Times ran a short piece on a French pilot, Edmond Salis, and his attempt to recreate the first flight of Louie Bleriot across the English Channel.  Sadly, Harriet was not mentioned at all.

Somebody you don’t know but you should – Harriet Quimby is a remarkable and inspiring American woman who helped paved the way for American aviation and Women’s Rights.  She is definitely someone you should know.

How much fits into a FORD FIESTA?  Still to this day I’m constantly asked this question.  I guess it’s because I still drive a 2011 squeeze green Fiesta.  I now drive the American version but I truly loved and miss the European version.  Honestly, I would love to have a Zetec!  If you have a chance, check them out, they really are amazing!

Exciting news!  I am very happy to say I just received along with my Executive Producer, Parris Harris, a 2011 Telly Award for our work in the Ford Fiesta Movement.  This award is for the video: How much fits into a FORD FIESTA?

This my second Telly Award for producing and directing a commercial style marketing and branding video / commercial.  My first Telly Award I won in 2009 for a Budweiser Spec Commercial.

What’s a Telly Award?  “The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web” – Telly Award website.

How much fits into a FORD FIESTA?  I am very happy to say this video plays in every Ford dealership throughout North America.  Anytime you walk into a Ford dealership to check and/or purchase a Fiesta there is a kiosk that plays a few videos and one of them is: How much fits into a FORD FIESTA?

A big Thank You to the Brand Manager for the Ford Fiesta, Sam DeLaGarza and the Head of social media at Ford Motor Company, Scott Monty.  These gentlemen were very generous and dedicated to working with all of us Ford Fiesta Agents to make the Ford Fiesta Movement one of the most successful automotive marketing and branding campaigns ever!

A super big Thank You to my Executive Producer, Parris Harris.  Parris is the sole reason I got involved with the Ford Motor Company and the Ford Fiesta Movement.  I’ll never forget the morning of my birthday, a few years back, Parris woke me up at 7am on a Sunday morning.  He said that the Ford Motor Company has this amazing market campaign that they were asking him to be involved in and that he needed my marketing and branding skills.

Parris thought we could be an amazing team.  Parris’ vision couldn’t have been more right on.  Together we were one of the most successful Agent Teams in Chapter 1.  I gotta be honest with you, it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in the name of marketing and branding.  I think we helped to sell a lot of Ford Fiestas.  The amazing thing is Parris and I never once said buy a Ford Fiesta.  People just saw us having a good time with the Fiesta as we produced numerous Ford Fiesta Fashion Shows & Events.

Sebastian St. George and Parris Harris

Parris and I also created Ford Fiesta Fashion Week.  It was amazing experience and I will blog on that later.

I really appreciate being the only Agent to be involved in all aspects of the 14 month program from Chapter 1, Twitter Expert Program and Chapter 2.  It was a lot of hard work.  By the way, I really miss my European Fiesta.

Meet the new Salvador Dali – Vladimir Kush is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting painters in the art world today. His work is vibrant, vast, deep and overflows with a radiant abundance of colors, symbols and allegory. His imagery instills a wealth of dreamlike thoughts and visions. His craftsmanship while flawless and virtually seamless appears not to have any apparent brush strokes.

Vladimir refers to his art as metaphorical realism. In my opinion, he is the new Salvador Dali. He really has taken over where Dali left off.  It is surrealism at a whole new level.  I find that his work would best be described as a progenitor who dwells at the creative edge of our hearts and minds. (See his At the edge of the Earth painting below)

At the End of the Earth

Here are some highlights from Vladimir’s Bio courtesy of Kush Fine Art.

Born 1965 in Moscow, Vladimir’s parents learned that he at the early age of three or four had the “talent.” His father would start drawings and amazingly Vladimir would complete them.  Eventually, he would be formally trained at the Art Institute of Moscow under the Cezanne method, which he quickly mastered. After Kush’s first successful show in Germany in 1989 it brought him to Los Angeles and eventually Maui, his home today.

African Sonata

Vladimir sums it up for us: “Due to political and geographic restraints, I was forced to travel with my mind as a child, and it is this most of all that has shaped my artistic perception and voice, but I would likely never have painted the colors or clouds seen in my paintings if it hadn’t been for the sights of my tropical, second home.”

Fauna in La Mancha

Vladimir Kush explains further: “I want to touch my audience on a much deeper emotional or intellectual level than would be possible by painting a pretty landscape or still life where viewers are tempted to place themselves in the landscape, or consume the bowl of fruit—the goal of realism is also its limitation. I try to provide layers of meaning for viewers to explore and emotionally respond to the discoveries they find in my art.”

Take a Metaphorical Voyage into the World of Vladimir Kush.

Arrival of the Flower Ship

Sacred Bird of Yucatan

Horn of Babel

Divine Geometry

Hello Friends, I know many of you have asked me and told me that I need to blog more.  OK, I finally got the message!  So, get ready.  I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Skip.  Skip is going to start Guest Blogging from time to time. He’s a big automotive, baseball, Ford history and especially an aficionado of the Lincoln automobile.

Also check out the 3 new cool rotating banners at the top created by the cool and amazing @KeeperOfDreams Thanks Barbee!  You Rock!

LuminousROC.com has become a site that encompasses all things Luminous. Frankly, you never know what to expect from me and honestly, I like it that way.  Simply, I blog about what I am passionate about. By the way, if anyone has anything Luminous to share and would like to write a guest blog, please email me.  Thank you for your support.

Stay Luminous!

Ricky Gervais ROCKS the Golden Globes – It seems today that Hollywood is in an uproar over Ricky Gervais’ comedic performance last night at the 2011 Golden Globes. Honestly last night’s Golden Globes was one of the best ever! Let’s be honest again. The Golden Globes should be adamantly thanking Ricky right now. Nobody really watches the Golden Globes in the States. Ricky has put the Globes on the map with an amazing edgy and provocative performance.

What did Ricky really do? Why/how did he piss the Hollywood Elite’s off? He touched the untouchables and he mixed up the game! Bravo! He accomplished with brilliant precision what all the great comedians have done before him; he mixed things up and made you think. He crawled under your shield, he entered your safety zone and made you laugh!

In reality this speaks to a bigger problem. America has become so politically correct and such a litigious society that you really have to have balls to speak your mind today. Dare you say anything provocative and you will savagely attacked by numerous “special interest” groups. Frankly, it’s pretty lame and totally Un-American. That’s one of the great things about the internet and social media, especially Twitter. Branch out, speak your mind and stir the hearts and souls of Men and Women alike.

From the Luminous ROC marketing/social media perspective Ricky Gervais smoothly and effectively accomplished what the Golden Globes have always desired; he invigorated (a dead audience) and performed life saving CPR to their market share. Also Ricky Gervais did exactly as he predicted to “Do a proper job this time.” Today the hipsters in Social Media and Twitter are ablaze at how impressed, brilliant and happy they are with Ricky’s performance. Executives should take note. Take a look at what some of the top tweets are saying on Twitter:

While many rumors are floating around that Ricky Gervais may never host the Golden Globes again Christian Bale commented that “Ricky Gervais is a genius.”

The 2011 Golden Globes were fantastic! The most hilarious and entertaining Globes ever! Utterly brilliant!

Ricky Gervais wins the best comedic performance of 2011 for his brilliant performance at the 2011 Golden Globes. Thank Ricky Gervais! You ROCK!

WATCH Ricky’s Amazing performances below: