That Swingin' little Git-tar man !

Hello all ! Wow ! First I have to ask, "Where did January go?" 2018 is already on the fly .... LOL

I'm excited about all the things I have going on. I hope you are getting YOUR ducks in a row for a fantastic 2018 or as we are calling it at home 20 Great Teen !

This month in the ETA spotlight, we have a little twist. This gentleman WAS an ETA yet has moved into a different kind of Tribute. A sound engineer by trade and a bass player in many shows- leads us to the talented
EDDIE STEPHENS !

EDDIE STEPHENS

He was 4 years old and his parents took him to Knotts Berry Farm . For fun, they went to an Elvis event. So an event within the event ! LOL.... It was then and there that Eddie Stephens fell in love with Elvis.  For many Summers they would visit the same place and wind up at the Elvis event, sometimes 5 nights a week ! For a time, he was made fun of for his love of Elvis and that memory didn't sit too well. As he got older and began to understand more and more about the Elvis Legacy, that other stuff faded away and his love for Elvis remained in his heart and on his mind.

When Eddie was 25, he found the ETA World and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 2012 Eddie started doing shows...he dabbled in the artistry that we know as the ETA or the Elvis Tribute Artist yet he found his niche performing in the shows on his guitar !

With Legends shows popping up and competition in the field, in 2015 Eddie did his last show with ETA Dwight Eisenhower.  Dwight has been recognized at Graceland and has made a career out of being one the best ETA's in the business.

Now, just a few short years later, Eddie is back doing shows and doing what he loves. We need people like Eddie who put their heart and soul into keeping the Elvis memory alive. I appreciate what he does as an event coordinator myself.  Coming to it from this angle puts Eddie in the unique position of meeting other ETA's and working in an industry that is filled with Elvis !

Find Eddie on Face Book at  Elvis Show socal

If you are in the Southern California area, check out the Event coming up this weekend featuring one of the ETA's I've seen and blogged about, the fabulous DOUG CHURCH. Also featured will be DAVID ALLEN....and of course you will see EDDIE STEPHENS

On Feb. 18th... find out about the 1st Annual Elvis Remembered show taking place in Texas with all the deets at Face Book

Eddie also keeps things moving with Face Book live events on Elvis featuring various artists and discussing topics related to the King !

I am so thrilled to be able to add Eddie Stephens to our list of  the Elvis Spotlight Blog posts ! Thank you , Eddie , for doing what you do !

Seen above with ETA Dave Hoover

Enjoy !

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The Universe is talking....are you listening?

Wow ! Hi. all.... hope your Sunday and your weekend were fabulous. Great weather, great Football, and great company for me this weekend !

So I was thinking about some of the "Uncanny" things that have happened lately.... whatever you believe is fine yet for me, I feel the Universe speaking.... I'm hoping THIS is the year that the listening pays off ! LOLOL

So I touched a tiny bit on this in the last blog post about connections ....from the fabulous Richie Santa and his manager Kathy, to the beautiful and talented Geri Petito and also the beautiful and talented Danny Coleman and Maryann Castello....

It always amazes me when things happen like that and great connections and friendships are made... like the connects to Frank Perri  (aka Fankie Sweets) , Dave Weiskopf, Dave Ziler, and Gene Piero to name a few.... yet now I want to touch on the Universe and how it speaks to us.... these are just a few things that happened recently....

1. I get invited to a wonderful event supporting HABITAT FOR HUMANITY from the lovely Ana Roberti... ( another crazy story of how WE met and became lifelong friends).....
At the very end of the event, I meet.  the again beautiful and talented. Steve Basserman.... yes I said it about a few of these awesome Men !   Steve is with AriJoe Productions and does documentary films.... You can even see Steve holding one of our Ava's Eye Bagz....Woo Hoo
Now.... my good friend and business associate Mari Dattolo is doing a story on the train wreck of the 1800's in Mays Landing....she wants to eventually make a documentary.....hint hint...see where it's going????   So I tell Steve I have someone he needs to meet..... the rest is history and the documentary is in the works..... Thank you Ana Roberti ! Oh and Steve was sitting at my table. I met him and found out what he did in the last 10 minutes of the event....
On top of that, I want to make HABITAT FOR HUMANITY one of our charitable give backs from our bags !

STEVE BASSERMAN

MARI DATTOLO

ANA ROBERTI

OF SOULSCAPE INTERIORS

2. And I love this  shit.... LOL....  I was out with Michelle checking dates for our Night if Firsts, the Eyes on your feet Dance a thon, the Cross the line event etc.... and I stumbled on this event called "Fire and Ice".... this is a yearly festival that takes place in Mt. Holly NJ... just so happens it falls on my Birthday this year, Sat. Jan 27th... It seems so cool yet I don't want to give away all the deets as we will be doing a special blog post on this festival....How do I know this??? I already reached out to the coordinator.... and here it comes.... she was so cool too..... she says she will meet me at the festival, gives me her cell # and all so I can interview her....then she says in her email, OR we could meet at my friends restaurant the ROBIN'S NEST.....

Well, let me just say this much.... my Dad had one of his businesses called Cher-Holly enterprises... that was my Sister's Middle name CHERYL and my Middle name ( that I now use professionally) HOLLY..... yet prior to me being born it was just my Sister, Robin..... and the business was called ROBIN'S NEST .....

 

shout out to our departed Shaun Stephenson..... blue eggs and all..... ( yet another Universe Story)

PRIOR FIRE AND ICE FESTIVAL PHOTO

                  PHOTO COURTESTY OF THE VILLAGE IDIOT BREWING COMPANY


So I ask you to listen to the Universee.... it's going to be a great year !!!!!

Enjoy !

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What's your story???

Good Monday morning and Happy New Year to all of you !  Monday is usually a day I take off yet it gives me the flexibility to adapt and adjust as we say at our eWomen meetings !  I have been viewing January as a "planning" month for several years now and that has worked out well.... Of course, there are still things that need to get accomplished and get KICKED OFF come January and a New Yeaar yet if you think about it.... by the time mid December hits....you are in Holiday mode no matter what, right?  Then I feel you NEED that time in January to clean up, re group, re set and motivate yourself realistically to kick off your year without too much stress.  Things will carry over so it's a time to  create a strategy, a plan and a feel good way to start your New Year.... That all said, let's take a look at the story !  It's time for me to kick off MY year by filling you all in on the journey if you don't already know.... and even if you do, maybe you can pick up something for yourself.... By the way, if you want to share YOUR story with me..... maybe I will consider adding it one of my blog posts !

So  many of you know you can always reach out to me at www.4astar.com for any questions or advice you may be seeking. Now let's hear how I come to that.....

So to start, I studied music and theatre at Penn State University and then continued studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Herbert Berghof  studios in New York City. During that time, I ran several businesses for my Dad at the Jersey Shore ( along with my Sister for some time). I also worked as a mobile Disc Jockey, a radio disc jockey, and began honing skills in network marketing and in Networking in general.  As a young child, I got involved in poetry and honed my writing skills ever since. I have several published poems and I am also an author of my own book as well as helping others get noticed in the industry.

Pulling all these areas of experience into my current status in life has made me become an expert in many areas of the Arts.

Today, I host an on line TV show with the WBTVN that airs on the 4th Thurs. of each month at 2:00 EST at www.wbtvn.tv    I also post the link at Face Book . 

For some years I have had a few visions to add on to this enterprise. One is a Magazine that encompasses Business/Entertainment and Fashion. That is in the works as we speak..... a tour of some kind that has now turned into EYE ON THE SHORE BRIDAL TOURS.... with Mari Dattolo and a few others involved, and a line of "Eye Bags" which has turned into Ava's Eye Bagz that you may have heard me talk about before.... So these bags are made in the USA right here in Pleasnatville, NJ by Mark Legrand ! (Yet another WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP) Each bag is adorned with real crystals. Each bag comes with a hand selected gift inside and each bag gives back to a different charity. So we will make a difference in the World with every bag sold ! Stay tuned on FB at the Ava's Eye Bagz page for all the cool things coming up including our scavenger hunt later in the year !

Much of my energy is devoted to the bags these days yet the other aspects of the business are taking root in this New Year.  Through my segment of getting the "Elvis" section of the blog going I've built a relationship in the business with the fabulous Richie Santa and his manager Kathy. Through that relationship I've met the amazing Geri Petito , radio host and consultant. Through her, I've been able to hook up our Video expert, Marco Panting, to host his own radio show that starts in April.... Through a client meeting, I met Dave Ziler who introduced me to Danny Coleman , also a radio host and we have started to build some great ideas together. ( Including City of Angels as part of our charity give back with the bags) Check Danny out at www.facebook.com/DannyColemansrockonradio2

On top of all that, I have a beautiful daughter that I am thankful for everyday and I met the love of my life on the internet !  I have gained a certain sense of family with people along the way like Marcia Moser, Evelyn Licona, Linda McLaughlin, Raymond Tyler, Michelle Verbit and Marco Panting to name a few.... cherish all that in your life !

Through some other connections I've been able to build relationships with producer Kevin Tooley, Ritesh of Awesome TV, producer Vince McCartney, producer Steve Basserman, Writer David Zucker,  Writer and Radio host Maryann Castello, the beautiful Alyssa Lego, Tirusha Dave, The amazing Terrence Kingg, Shea Vaughn, Robert Williams, Leonard Dozier, Cakes by Nadia, The Brigantine Aquatic Center  and countless others..... There's just no way to get everyone in yet you know who you are both in the inner circle and in the building stages !

I say all this to share with you the importance of building GREAT Relationships. People do  business with those they KNOW, LIKE AND TRUST. 

I've been able to grow this blog to over 55,000 viewers .... it's staying consistent, planning your work and working your plan and learning how to adapt and adjust accordingly..... I also feel that I am guided by a higher power. I feel that whatever you believe in, it comes to you in ways you can only know by staying in tune with yourself and the Universe.

Thank you all for letting me share my story.... stay tuned for Ava's Eye Mag, Ava's Eye Bags, Eye on the shore bridal tours and of course all that we offer in 4 A STAR.

Now what's YOUR story and how will you make your mark on the planet !!!

Enjoy the Journey and thank you all !!!

Are you in the Zone yet ? A look back and a look ahead...

Well hello , hello, hello... welcome 2018 ! Are you in the zone for it yet?  So what do I mean by that?
Let's take a look back , first on this amazing year... in part... and then let's see how we can navigate moving ahead.... I know, I'm not in the zone yet and we will look into this below....First let's take a look back !

2017 came with it's challenges yet also came with the most amazing experiences.... The extension of Ava's Casual chat onto the WBTVN.... A press visit to Graceland and the addition of our ETA Spotlight.... We have opened you up to the Amazing Richie Santa, Jimmy T. as Elvis, Doug Church, Peter Alden,  and Walt Sanders for starters ...

At Graceland.....

Richie Santa

Jimmy T. as Elvis

Doug  Church

Peter Alden

Walt Sanders

Find these amazing entertainers on Face Book and also in the archives here so you can visit their web pages and check them out.... They are all so amazing.....

This year took us to cupcake wars winners, the great bagel debate, Comic-Con and the Atlantic City Air Show.... Meeting great people like Actress and Entrepreneur Shea Vaughn, Motivational Spekaer Craig Duswalt, Wrestler Frankie Flow, Author Ron Hall,  Blogger Elayna Fernandez, Designer & manufacturer Mark Legrand, Geri Petito, David Weiskopf, Danny Coleman, Maryann Castello,  AriJoe Productions Steve Basserman, Scott Petinga and much much more.... we spoke about Atlantic City Fashion Week, New York Fashion week, Shop sell strut for Autism, Our first Dance a thon for Brain Cancer Research and the launch of "Eyes on your feet" with Terrence Kingg... the Arts Garage, Terrence Kingg and the "Kingg of Urban Design", "Where's George"  and the launch of Ava's Eye Bagz !  We started Eye on the Shore Bridal Tours- made partnerships with Mr. Panting Photo and Video,  Lisa Diane Hall, Michelle Verbit, Mari Dattolo , Linda McLaughlin, Raymond Tyler,  Aweome TV and more..... take a look back on some of the great photos....and this is just a portion of what we did this past year along with growing our blog, apporaching 55,000 Viewers.....

Wow, tired just talking about it ... LOL

We are looking forward to great things with Dori DeCarlo of Stadium Bags, More Elvis ETA's, back to Graceland,  More from the WBTVN and the Arts Garage ,all the fabulous Women and men at eWomen Network, South Jersey Network, Galloway Twp. Business Association.and the Atlantic City Ballet...Collaborations with Shore Local, Danny Coleman, Maryann Castello, Geri Petito,
 and more.... With special thanks to Richie Santa, Marco Panting,  Alyssa Lego, Lisa Diane Hall, Jayne Rios,Ana Roberti, Mark LeGrand, Geri Petito, Danny Coleman, Simone Simone, Raymond Tyler , Linda McLaughlin, Audrey Wiggins, Mari Dattolo, Rosemarie DeSaro, Sharon Snyder, Cassandra Shober the National Brain Tumor Society, Robin Taylor.... to name just a few who have helped me grow this year....
Of course, I couldn't do any of this without the love of my life Art Korth....

Wow...what a year....Now I'm looking forward to taking all of this to their next levels in 2018. So How do you get into your zone? Are you a list maker, a note taker or work out of your phone.... Do you speculate, calculate or use a bit of all of the above....

I used to think that January would make or break your year.... THAT IS TOTALLY OUT THE WINDOW... By the time the holidays hit and the catch up on anything in the firsts week of January we are ALL a little "spent". ( Burned out, exhausted and the like)

So I view January as a planning month...a chance to clean up from the holidays, take a little break, clear your mind and sit down with a good old fashioned pen and paper......( ok, you can use your phone if you must) and plan out your goals both long term and short term.... figure out how to use your time to the best of what life can give you.....and always do it with a smile....smiles trigger your happy nerve...they make you feel better and remember someone is always in a darker place than you when things don't always go right....

That all said, let's make 2018 great ! Let's start to get in the zone, plan your work, work your plan and we will see you next week !!!!

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www.4astar.com

www.avaseyebagz.com

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