Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

Bruised Purple Hearts by Jerry C. Blanton

“Bruised Purple Hearts: Ghosts of the USA” by Jerry C. Blanton is a historical tale illustrating what it was like to live through chaotic times in the 1960s and 1970s that include the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, and the rise of feminism, equal rights, the gay liberation movement, music and more. Blanton shares a different perspective expressing how hard the war was on the baby boomer generation and how everyone was suffering in different ways.

For more information click here

Love Your Body Love Your Life by Jenna Lisa Lobos

“Love Your Body Love Your Life: 52 Tips That Will Radically Improve Your Health” by Jenna Lisa Lobos as an expansive self-help book that establishes a road map for readers to find confidence in their own skin. With tips to take care of their inner body (physically, emotionally and spiritually), this book helps transform readers from the inside to change how they face the world outwardly. She discusses a wide range of topics from changing the way you consume food and liquids to connecting with your inner child. Lobos also provides personal insight about how she was able to transform her own life– which gives the reader proof that these tips are effective. She also includes her personal beauty ritual– which is a daily practice that readers can easily follow. It is broken down into “morning,” “during the day” and “evening” practices.

For more information click here

Hemingway’s Retreat by J. Michael Moriarty

“Hemingway’s Retreat: To Ireland” by J. Michael Moriarty is an imaginative exploration of Ernest Hemingway’s second chance of life after faking his own death on July 2, 1961. In the book, J. Michael illustrates the transformation of Hemingway into Irish man Matt Fitzgerald. Throughout his new journey, Fitzgerald (Hemingway), learns more about his Irish roots while meeting important people and seeing historical landmarks.

A Salesman! by Larry Dickman

“A Salesman! – Reflection On My Life” by Larry Dickman as an insightful memoir illustrating the life of an accomplished salesman. Dickman reflects on the hardships that he faced throughout his life as well as the many successes that he accomplished in his career.

Dandelion and Roses by Parand Alavi

“Dandelions and Roses: A Contemporary Persian Romance” by Parand Alavi is an imaginative story with real life influences that illustrates the devasting tragedies of living through the horrendous uprising in Iraq. Alavi introduces a highly respected Kurdish family of low income that go through brutal circumstances that eventually causes them to seek safety. Readers will get a glimpse into the eternal love a mother has for her children portrayed by heroic Ameneh and a devastating act of violence and difficult cultural transition depicted through Ameneh’s daughter, Rozhan, that leads her to a romance of a lifetime.

From Fear to Gratitude by Glenn Cossarr

Life and business coach Glenn Cossar has published his most recent self-help book: “From Fear to Gratitude: Affirmations to Build a Positive Future and Eliminate Those Negative Thoughts.” Developed for readers who want to work on personal development, such as improving their lives and overcoming loneliness and isolation, “From Fear to Gratitude” presents easy to follow steps for readers to reach a state of gratitude. By believing in themselves, planning to act and carrying out these actions, readers will feel empowered and begin making the necessary changes in their lives.

For more information click here

Skills that Pills Can’t Give You by Judy Cook

“Skills That Pills Can’t Give You” by Judy Cook, MD is an insightful guidebook about holistically healing mental disease rather than using medication to temporarily fix the issue. The author is a retired psychiatrist who has seen, throughout her career, an increase in prescribing drugs rather than therapy and an increase in overdosages and mental issues. She believes that there are better ways to heal mental disease than through prescription drug use and that prescription drugs can be used sparingly.

For more information click here

Party Pics – Scenes from NYE Gala at Kennedy Center

There are hundreds of options for New Year’s Eve – from Embassy-themed soirées, black-tie hotel ballrooms balls, sit-down pre-fixe all-you-can-hog, to plain and simple microwaveable celebrations in your PJs at home.

But when it comes to picking the best venue, ambience, budget, parking, dose of culture, and a true red carpet, nobody could beat the evening hosted by the Kennedy Center.

Our evening, generously hosted by Sam the GM of the rooftop restaurant and Rachael Stambaugh of the Kennedy Center, started with a richly-paired 3 course menu dinner followed by an amazing tribute to Aretha Franklin, a roarous sell-out crowd in tow.

Following the glowing performance, the evening spilled into the grand foyer where an exclusive collection of local gliterati filed in to live bands performing past three balloon drop making dressing to the hilt yet another memorable exercise reminding everyone that over-extended, over-priced libations elsewhere was not the only way to ring in a new century in a posh, affordable and refined way and that we were in the right place at the right time. The complimentary professional photo booths set up as guests were departing was the perfect goodie bag gift one could ever receive and cherish.

For more information click here

Happy 2020 New Year

From all of us here at Party Digest:

Have a very Happy New Year

We’d like to thank you for subscribing to our newsletters. Some of you joined by email, some by submitting your business card at an event we were covering, and others by subscribing on our website. No matter how you found us, we appreciate you! We hope you find our information useful in your planning.

This time of year we get a bit nostalgic. Celebrating over twenty years in existence, Party Digest has emerged as an alternative to elitist society and lifestyle publications that only further an establishment view. Here’s a look at our history, including snapshots of what our site has looked like at various times over the years:

Our website and e-mail newsletters list events happening in the metropolitan areas that would be of an interest to an everyday party-goer. We also publish product reviews and trending news of interest.

In this special New Years post, we’d like to introduce you to our team.


Lakhinder Jit Singh Vohra, M.S.J.

Lakhinder Jit Singh Vohra

Lakhinder Jit Singh Vohra, M.S.J. is a Rotary Foundation scholar who came to the United States on a full scholarship after being accepted as a graduate student of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He graduated in 1990 and was awarded a fellowship from the India Abroad Newspaper Foundation.

He has worked as a journalist for national publications such as Indian Express in New Delhi, India and Washingtonian magazine and Examiner.com.

 

book cover

 

Lakhinder wrote a book last year:

Turn Your Life Around in 30 Days: A Spiritual Practice & Primer for Today’s Generation.

Click the image to see it on Amazon.

 

 

 


Chuck Gregory

Chuck Gregory is the developer and webmaster for Party Digest. He’s responsible for product reviews, and also occasionally posts events and other items for the Fort Lauderdale area where he lives with his wife Lorraine.

Chuck’s website is cwgservices.com. He also publishes books as CWG Press (cwgpress.com) and hosts an internet radio show, The New American Dream (newdream.us).


Dena Lyons

dena small headshot

Artist and Jet-Set Entrepreneur Dena Lyons shared her Diaries as a special feature to Party Digest in 2015. We enjoyed her intriguing depictions of her adventures.

See her columns here.


Monika Majewska

monika smallheadshot

Business Student. Musician. Fashion spectator.

Monika Majewska has an international background and we are pleased to have her as our Party Digest correspondent for Paris. She covers events in and near that beautiful city and you’ll see her contributions here.


Ashley Brown

ashleybrown smallheadshotAshley Brown is our Party Digest correspondent for Philadelphia. She covers events in the Philadelphia area and you’ll see her contributions here.

 

 


Brittany Bell

brittanybell smallheadshotBrittany Bell is our Party Digest correspondent for Washingon, D.C. She covers events in the D.C. area and you’ll see her contributions here.

 

 


Lynn Osborne-Simmons

lynn smallheadshot

Lynn Osborne-Simmons is a native of Chicago, and we are pleased to have her as our Party Digest correspondent for Chicago.

She covers events in the Chicago area and you’ll see her contributions here.

 

 

Ohza Mimosa

Ohza Mimosas Launches Online Ordering and Shipping to Over 25 States

(Cambridge, MA) Ohza Mimosas, the ready-to-drink, reinvented mimosa in a can founded by a 25-year-old Massachusetts entrepreneur, has officially launched online ordering and shipping to 29 US states.

Ohza was previously only available at 750+ independent and local retailers including Whole Foods, Shaw’s, Star Market, Roche Brothers, BJ’s, Kappy’s, and BevMax in MA, ME, RI, and CT. Now, those located in the 29 available states can have 6-packs of Ohza’s mimosas shipped right to their doorstep for $14.59 + shipping, or $13.99 for 4 or more. Shipping costs vary and are calculated at checkout.

Redefining the ready-to-drink beverage, Ohza’s gluten free mimosas have the calorie count of a hard seltzer, but the bold punch of a serious cocktail – all while containing no added sugar, real juice, no artificial flavors, 5% alcohol for all day sip-ability, and a clean nutrition label. Crafted with premium Brut sparkling wine from the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York and real orange juice, one 6-pack of Ohzas is equal to 9 mimosa flutes, or 2 bottles of bubbly and 1/2 a juice carton.

Ohza was founded by 25-year-old Ryan Ayotte after attempting to mix mimosas with his friends on a tippy boat off of Cape Cod, MA. The result? A mess. From making a mess on the high seas, to lugging bottles, cartons, and cups to the beach – he knew there had to be an easier way. Based in Cambridge, MA, Ohza is set out to bring a taste of brunch wherever you wander using quality ingredients, sustainable cans, and always supplying a good time.

For more information click here

New Year’s Eve Grand Foyer Party

Tuesday, December 31 at 10:00 PM to Wednesday, January 1 at 12:30 AM
Grand Foyer, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC

Ring in the new year (and a new decade) at the Kennedy Center New Year’s Eve Party in the Grand Foyer. Admission to this event is FREE with your ticket to a December 31 evening paid Kennedy Center event (New Year’s Eve at the Kennedy Center: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin, Come From Away, My Fair Lady, A Jazz New Year’s Eve) or with your receipt from a December 31 dinner at the Roof Terrace Restaurant. The night is packed with festive dancing to performances by Brianna Thomas and Zach Cutler and the D.C. Soul Allstars, plus champagne bars, photo booth, a countdown to midnight, a big balloon drop, and more!

Heralded by the Wall Street Journal as the best young straight-ahead jazz singer of the new generation, Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead alum Brianna Thomas dazzles audiences with arrangements of old favorites and original compositions. She performs at 6 p.m. on the Millennium Stage and again at 10:30 p.m. Wear your dance shoes to join Zach Cutler and the D.C. Soul Allstars for sets at 9:45 & 11:30 p.m. Cutler is known around D.C. for his Trifling Tuesday and Misbehavin Monday musical jams, and will inspire you to groove with your favorite people into the New Year.

For more information click here