Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Flower ID, a Day at the Ritz & More!


You gals are the greatest! Yesterday, I was at a conference in Atlanta from sun up 'til sun down, and during breaks I managed to run by the business center to check my e-mail. "Coreopsis!" you said in response to yesterday's post, and yes! Googling confirms that's definitely what this is, and the frill along the petals matches exactly. Thank you so much for the help with identification. I am especially pleased to learn this is a re-seeding plant, because that means perhaps I won't kill it.

Yesterday's event in Atlanta was the annual conference of the Magazine Association of the Southeast, and Art Director Deberah Williams and I were attending from Newnan-Coweta Magazine. And it's a small thing, really, but I was pleased to see the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead offered Taylors of Harrogate teabags next to an urn marked "hot water." Alas, it should have been marked "warm water," Deberah and I agreed. So I felt totally justified in adding to my already-stuffed goodie bag and bringing home a few teabags to enjoy where the water is hot!


While Deberah attended the "design track" at the conference, I was in the "editorial track" all day. (I always think her sessions are more fun.) One of my sessions featured a panel of three women magazine editors, from Skirt, Jezebel and Travelgirl. When they handed out copies of Travelgirl, I was pleased to find a feature on taking tea in Germany. Who knew? I also won a subscription to Travelgirl during the business card drawing, so that was cool.

But coolest of all was when we attended the banquet last night and won FOUR AWARDS! (Sorry. Didn't mean to yell at you.) The GAMMA Awards are like the Academy Awards for our industry, and prior to them I am just a giant bundle of nerves. What if we don't win anything this year? What if I shame my company? What if I lose my job and can't afford to buy teacups anymore? You get the idea. But win we did! Can I just commend our folks for a moment? We got a Bronze Award for Best Photography and Gold Awards for Best Profile (my husband wrote that piece!), Best Single Cover and - the granddaddy of 'em all - the Gold Award for General Excellence. If we won only that last award I would be a happy woman, because I think it's an accurate reflection of the work our folks do all year long. I heard someone say yesterday that an editor is only as good as her staff, and as the person privileged to accept awards on behalf of ours, I can only say "Amen!" And now that I can finally relax, it's time to go have some of that tea I picked up at the Ritz!

9 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your awards! How exciting!

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  2. Since you are so excited about your Gamma awards, I'd like to award you something akin to the People's Choice Award. I must admit that I am not a blog reader by nature. While I realize that many people must be reading them, most of my friends/ acquaintances are not big fans. However, last week while serving for a tea my mother was hosting, I was compelled to talk about "Tea With Friends". Believe it or not, I just happened to have pictures to show the guests. Initial groans at the mention of a blog changed to interested murmuring. You were a hit! Thanks so much for providing such an imformative, entertaining, well-written blog!!

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  3. Thanks, Sis (that would be Rhonda) and Gerri! I am thrilled to hear TWF was of interest to the non-blog-reading guests. That is indeed high praise! Maybe they're like me: I used to roll my eyes when I'd hear about someone's "blog friend," but then I realized these really ARE real people out there, and some of the blogs are pretty neat! This makes my day!

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  4. You go girl! I am fortunate that I live in Newnan and can attest to all the other bloggers out there that Newnan-Coweta Magazine is great.It deserves to be awarded. It has wonderful stories, great ad work, fun things that you never knew about Coweta County and and it truly should have received higher than bronze for the photography which is just beautiful. Great job Angela & staff! You make Newnan proud!

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  5. That is great about your Gamma awards! I could feel your excitement all the way through your blog to where I live in Southern CA! I'm enjoying your "Friends With Tea" blog so much,and if the writing and photography in your magazine is anywhere NEAR to what you publish in your blog, I can understand why you won four awards. Congratulations! You obviously deserve it! ~~Carol in So.Cal

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  6. Congratulations on winning your awards! I'm sure it made the day a lot more fun! Enjoy you stash of tea with your own hot water!

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  7. Thanks to everyone for the kind comments about our GAMMA Awards! Teresa, I'm passing your comments on to the folks who earned them here at the office, and Carol in So. Cal., I'm so honored you share in our excitement from allllll the way across the country! Thank you all!

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  8. Angela-

    Way to go on the awards! Your magazine is a must read: the articles are so informative and the photography is beautiful. I look forward to each issue, Congratulations! Joanie

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