Efforts Intensify to Save Franklin Cinema; a slice of Franklin's history

Read the story by Valerie Nutt in the 11/5 edition of the Williamson Herald.

Events Aim to Keep Franklin Cinema's Projectors Rolling

Supporters Plan Two Parties, seek preservation


Read the Story in the November 2 Tennessean.

FRANKLIN RALLIES AROUND THEATER WITH "SAVE THE CINEMA" EVENT AND BLOCK PARTY

For Immediate Release

Famed Event Planner Randi Lesnick at Helm of Heritage Foundation’s Special In-Theater Event

FRANKLIN, TN (October 30, 2006) -- The public is invited to a block party and special “Save the Cinema” event on Thursday, November 9 in downtown Franklin, Tennessee to rally support for -- and provide education on -- efforts to save the town’s historic Franklin Cinema.

Produced by the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, the Downtown Franklin Association and the Williamson County Cultural Arts Commission, supporters can attend a block party on Main Street between 4th and 5th Avenues from 6:30-9 p.m. A $10 donation is requested for admission to the block party, which includes a showing of the film The Majestic on a giant screen in the middle of Main Street along with a video about saving the Franklin Cinema. Block party participants will enjoy soft drinks and popcorn with the movie.

Supporters can also attend a special “Save the Cinema” event inside the theater from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Designed by famed “Party Planner to the Stars” Randi Lesnick, guests will be treated to live performances, hors d’oeuvres with a theater theme, and a “Save the Cinema” video. Only 200 tickets for this special event inside the Franklin Cinema are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. They can be purchased for $50 by calling the Heritage Foundation at (615) 591-8500 or by visiting its office in the historic Five Points Post Office at Columbia Avenue and Main Street.

“The Heritage Foundation has heard from many citizens who are concerned that we will lose our historic movie theater at the end of the year,” said Heritage Foundation Executive Director Mary Pearce. “We are providing these events with the help of the Williamson County Cultural Arts Commission to make people aware of what it is going to take to keep an independent movie theater in our historic district.

“We suspect from the amount of interest this issue has generated that there will be more people than we can accommodate inside the theater so the block party is a way to include anyone who might be interested in this very important effort.”

Money raised will go toward expenses such as real estate appraisals, consultants from the League of Historic American Theaters and certified public accountants that specialize in preservation tax credits for which the cinema building is eligible.

“It will take much more to save the cinema," adds Pearce, "but we believe when enough people realize what a treasure the theater is to our downtown, the right person or people will step forward to keep the theater in operation.”

For “Save the Cinema” event designer Lesnick, it’s a rare opportunity to take part in an event in her hometown. “This is my home,” she says during a break from planning three simultaneous post-Country Music Association Awards events. “I love Franklin and I love the Franklin Cinema. I’ll do whatever I can to support the town and contribute to its historical charm.

“Most importantly, if you feel the same way and attend the special event, I guarantee you’re going to have a great time.”

The renewal and success of the historic downtown area of Franklin and its accompanying rising property values have threatened the future of the cinema. In need of renovation, the revitalized cinema could help meet demand in downtown Franklin for corporate, civic and church meeting space during the day while continuing to provide the cultural and community value to the area that it has for 70 years.

For more information about the Nov. 9 events, please call the Heritage Foundation at 615-591-8500 or visit its website at http://www.historicfranklin.com.

About Randi Lesnick

Randi Lesnick’s Franklin, TN-based company Hospitality Consultants is a full-service meeting planning and event production management company in business for over 10 years. It represents a wide range of corporate, entertainment and personal clients. From concept to completion, it delivers creative, well-managed successful events, executed with precision, professionalism and attention to every detail. Hospitality Consultants can be reached at (615) 662-3539

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Joe Pagetta
Fully Dressed Communications
joe@fullydressed.com
http://www.fullydressed.com/index2.htm

EVENT PLANNING TAKES CENTER STAGE DURING CMA WEEK; After the Awards, Randi Lesnick’s Party Planning Makes Music City Rock

October 23, 2006 (Nashville, TN) - For Nashville event planners, CMA week is clearly the Super Bowl of partying in Music City. While it’s a chance for the music industry to gather and celebrate its accomplishments, from performing rights organizations ASCAP, BMI and SESAC to all the major record labels and publishers, it’s also an opportunity for the town’s top event planners to strut their stuff in front of a who’s-who of musicians, music-business decision-makers and influential members of the media.

Randi Lesnick, president of Hospitality Consultants and Nashville’s “Party Planner to the Stars,” has been dealing with the pressure of this week for ten years. There’s never a dull moment for the Franklin, TN resident, and this year’s post-CMA bashes will include Lesnick-designed events for Lyric Street Records, Warner Brothers Records and a joint-event for Big Machine Records and Equity Records -- all in one night.

“I’m busy all year long,” says Lesnick, who was recently profiled in The Tennessean. “But CMA week is definitely crunch time in my office. Every client’s requirements are different, and every event has to capture that client’s unique vision and aesthetic. This is the music industry’s week to celebrate, from the people who run the companies to the artists they represent, and it’s my job to make sure they all have a good time.”

Making sure artists like Faith Hill, Little Big Town and Jack Ingram enjoy themselves at their respective parties might fluster the average event planner, but for Lesnick it’s familiar territory. She’s designed events honoring some of Music City’s biggest stars, like Tim McGraw, Wynonna, Shania Twain and Reba McIntire, and she’s worked with some of the town’s top entertainment names, like Leadership Music‘s Pat Embry, Lyric Street’s Doug Howard and William Morris’s Greg Oswald.

“Sometimes the person who hires an event planner, whether it’s the head of the event committee or the president of the company, has a hard time enjoying the event themselves because they are worried about so many details, “ says Lesnick. “Whether it’s a wedding or a corporate entertainment event, we always assure our clients that they’ll be able to go to the party and experience it like one of the guests.”

As far as who she’s rooting for at this year’s County Music Association Awards, Lesnick isn’t revealing much. “I love them all,” she says. “They’re all so talented and work so hard. Whether they win or lose, when they walk through the door to one of my events, they’ll be treated like the Entertainer of the Year.”

The Country Music Association Awards takes place on Monday, November 6 at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville.

About Randi Lesnick

Randi Lesnick’s Franklin, TN-based company Hospitality Consultants is a full-service meeting planning and event production management company in business for over 10 years. It represents a wide range of corporate, entertainment and personal clients. From concept to completion, it delivers creative, well-managed successful events, executed with precision, professionalism and attention to every detail. Hospitality Consultants can be reached at (615) 662-3539

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Contact:
Joe Pagetta
Fully Dressed Communications
joe@fullydressed.com
http://www.fullydressed.com/index2.htm

RANDI LESNICK: Coming of age a revelation for party planner

Helping with bar mitzvahs gets mom more involved in community

Read the story about event planner Randi Lesnick, written by Kathrin Chavez, in the Tennessean's Williamson A.M. section, 10/13/06.

Mark Levine in the Jewish Observer

Nashville Photographer Mark Levine is featured in the new issue of the Jewish Observer in Nashville.

EMMYLOU HARRIS HONORED BY LEADERSHIP MUSIC WITH GALA TRIBUTE

Award Program Features Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews, Steve Earle And Allison Moorer, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch And David Rawlings, Rodney Crowell, Sam Bush And Buddy Miller. Event designed by Randi Lesnick of Hospitality Consultants.

Stories:

Musicdish
Nashville Scene

CORRECTION: Mark Levine Cover Photo

MEDIA ADVISORY

Please note that the photo that Nashville Photographer Mark Levine took of Sheryl Crow, appears on the cover of the October issue of Canadian Horse Magazine, not Gaited Horse Magazine, as previously announced. Canadian Horse Magazine is an international publication promoting Canada, its equine athletes, Canada's National Horse and all horse disciplines. Our multi-faceted publication is high quality, full colour and unique, so that we can entertain and educate horse enthusiasts.

Nashville Gets Cocky; University of South Carolina to take over Music City’s Global Cafe

Nashville, TN (September 18, 2006) - A sea of garnet and black will wash over downtown Nashville on October 20 when University of South Carolina alumni and football fans gather for a pep rally social at the Global Café the night before the Gamecocks take on the Vanderbilt University Commodores.

Famed Nashville event planner Randi Lesnick will transform the Global Café into the premier party place for USC fans on Friday night, October 20 from 6:00-9:00 pm. Fans from around the country are invited to attend and enjoy food, drinks, giveaways and the company of fellow USC alumni.

“USC fans should feel right at home in Music City,” says Lesnick, President of Franklin, TN-based Hospitality Consultants. “Imagine the perfect tailgating party moved indoors to a unique venue with a great vibe and world-class food, and you’ve got a fabulous event.

“The USC cheerleaders will be there to rally the crowd. And what USC pep rally would be complete without Cocky, the Gamecocks mascot? Of course he’ll be there!”

There is no charge to attend the pep rally, but organizers ask that fans RSVP to Andrew Christopherson at christoa@gwm.sc.edu or 800-476-8752. All attendees will have the option to purchase food and drink tickets at the door.

The Global Cafe, located downtown at the corner of 4th Avenue and Broadway in the heart of Nashville's entertainment district, is a one-of-a-kind venue with a metropolitan vibe surrounded by all of Music City's Hot Spots For directions or questions, please call 615-726-2011.

About Randi Lesnick

Randi Lesnick’s company Hospitality Consultants is a full-service meeting planning and event production management company in business for over 10 years. It represents a wide range of personal, corporate and entertainment clients. From concept to completion, it delivers creative, well-managed successful events, executed with precision, professionalism and attention to every detail. Nashville’s “Party Planner to the Stars,“ Lesnick’s client list has included some of the giants in the entertainment industry, including Tim McGraw, Wynonna, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, among others. Hospitality Consultants can be reached at (615) 662-3539

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Joe Pagetta
Fully Dressed Communications
joe@fullydressed.com
http://www.fullydressed.com/index2.htm

The New Fully Dressed Web site is up and running

FullyDressed.com has been reborn as the site for Fully Dressed Communications. Check out our services and clients at http://www.fullydressed.com.

Mark Levine at Yahoo News

The Mark Levine item pops up at Yahoo News and in the 9.14.06 celebrities column in The Tennessean.

Lesnick Goes Global; “Party Planner to the Stars” to Lead Events at Nashville’s Global Café

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASHVILLE, TN (September 12, 2006) -- The Global Café, a unique restaurant and multi-use venue in the heart of downtown Nashville, has tapped the city’s “Party Planner to the Stars,” Randi Lesnick, to coordinate its events.

Located on the corner of 4th & Broadway and surrounded by Music City's hotspots, the Global Café’s metropolitan vibe offers the perfect ambience for any event. In announcing the partnership with Lesnick and her company Hospitality Consultants, the venue’s special events coordinator Faeda Setser says she has found the perfect person to take the Global Café to the next level.

“We’re Nashville’s best kept secret,” says Setser. “We have such a unique space here and we all agreed that we needed someone whose name and credentials would provide that extra recognition factor to our special functions. With Randi’s record and talent, there was no doubt that she was the right person. She has a gift. On a professional level alone, I've never seen anyone consistently produce events of such high caliber and make it look so easy.”

Lesnick, called the "Best of the Best" by Wynonna in her book Coming Home to Myself, is ready to make the most of the partnership.

“This venue offers an attractive setting for a variety of groups and events -- from artist showcases, industry galas and corporate meetings to bar mitzvahs, weddings, holiday parties and more,“ says Lesnick, who has designed events for entertainment stars Tim McGraw, Orlando Bloom, Shania Twain, Toby Keith and countless others. “I’m thrilled to lend my expertise to a facility with such endless possibilities, and want the city and the region to know what a great destination they have in the Global Café.”

Lesnick has already secured the location for a post-CMA Awards party, events during both the Country Radio Seminar and the CMA Music Festival, and a pre-game celebration for University of South Carolina football fans the night before USC takes on Vanderbilt in October.

About the Global Café

In addition to an espresso bar and wireless-enabled café serving soups, sandwiches and pastries, the Global Café offers 15,000 square feet of event space with large presentation screens throughout and an auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art sound. It houses two kitchens and can accommodate a variety of special event services. It is located at 322 Broadway, at the corner of Fourth Ave., in Downtown Nashville and can be contacted at (615) 726-2011. To book a special event, contact Faeda Setser at 615-522-2100

About Randi Lesnick

Randi Lesnick’s Franklin, TN-based company Hospitality Consultants is a full-service meeting planning and event production management company in business for over 10 years. It represents a wide range of corporate, entertainment and personal clients. From concept to completion, it delivers creative, well-managed successful events, executed with precision, professionalism and attention to every detail. Hospitality Consultants can be reached at (615) 662-3539


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Contact:
Joe Pagetta
FULLY DRESSED COMMUNICATIONS
jpagetta@avantguild.com

Crow Saddles Up for Gaited Horse Magazine; Nashville Photographer Levine Captures the Cover Shot

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (September 8, 2006) -- Local photographer Mark Levine has captured Sheryl Crow atop Lady, her Tennessee Walking Horse, for the cover of the September issue of The Gaited Horse magazine. Photographed on her farm outside of Nashville, the photo accompanies an article about Crow's relationship with Lady and a stable of close to a dozen different horses.

Levine, a Nashville location scout and photographer, had never formally photographed horses before he got the got the call from Crow last month, but he jumped at the chance to shoot the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter indulging in her passion. He also learned a few things about riding.

"It was as honor to be there and capture her love of horses and riding, and in such a gorgeous setting," says Levine, who came to the singer's attention after one of his prints was given to Crow as a gift. "There's a lot I didn't know about horses and the proper form when they're bowing or rearing up. Sheryl is extremely knowledgeable and taught me a ton about what to look for. But with Lady, it wasn't that difficult. That horse loves the camera."

The September issue of The Gaited Horse arrives in early September.

A Nashville native, Mark Levine is one of the top location scouts and production still photographers for films and videos shot in Middle Tennessee. His photography has appeared in Film Industry trade magazine, CD releases and the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.

The Gaited Horse magazine is the "one magazine for all gaited horses." A multiple award-winning publication, it has received honors for General Excellence and the Merial Human-Animal Bond Award from American Horse Publications.

Contact:
Joe Pagetta
Fully Dressed Communications
Jpagetta@avantguild.com

Lesnick's Retirement Party Survival Tips on Major Search Engine News Sites

Randi Lesnick's Tips on Surviving the "Boomer Retirement Party Fallout" have popped up on major search engine news sites like Yahoo News.

Forget about the economy: Tips on surviving the baby-boomer retirement party fallout.

Lesnick Out to Rescue Retirement Parties

Forget about the economy; Nashville’s party planner to the stars offers tips on surviving the baby-boomer retirement party fallout.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE -- With the first baby boomers turning 60 this year, federal economists are predicting a significant slowing of the economy over the next decade.¹ Then of course, there’s the burden that millions of retiring boomers will place on the generations that follow. Insurers are warning that “those same aging Baby Boomers will need retirement benefits, health care and nursing homes in unprecedented numbers as they age into the high-priced, high-maintenance category. The financial burden can be onerous.”²

It’s easy to understand why economists and insurance providers industry are concerned. But for Randi Lesnick, president of the Franklin, TN-based Hospitality Consultants and Nashville‘s “Party Planner to the Stars,” there is a far more daunting question to answer when discussing the boomer retirement fallout:

Who's going to throw all these retirement parties!?!?

For an event planner, it's tantamount to a crisis, so Lesnick is on a personal mission: to make sure our retiring workforce gets the recognition and party they deserve.

“Every occasion is a good occasion to throw a party,” says Lesnick, who has planned events for country music stars Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, Wynonna and Toby Keith, among countless others. “A retirement party can be especially important. These people have spent their lives working hard to support their families and, in many cases, contribute to the growth of the companies they have worked for.

“A retiree deserves more than coffee and bagels on their last day of work,” Lesnick adds. “Many boomers have spent their entire careers at one company, and if that company isn’t going to celebrate their contribution, than we’re going to have to do it for them. With a steady flow of boomers retiring over the next decade, not only is my industry going to have a lot of work to do, but the friends and family of retirees are going to have to get busy too.”

She says her 10-year-old company can't do it all, so she’s sharing her knowledge about some key things to consider when planning a retirement party.

Why hire an event planner?

“If you hire an event planner, we handle everything from beginning to end, “ says Lesnick. “If we do our job right you’re able to go to your party and enjoy it as a guest.

“We know where there’s room to negotiate with venues and caterers and every other aspect of the event. Plus, when you alone approach a venue or vendor, you most likely are a one shot deal for them. When an event planner approaches them, we would have either dealt with them before or can promise them lots of events in the future. They know that if we’re pleased, there’s a potential for more repeat business.”

What questions should you ask a potential event planner when planning a retirement party, or any event for that matter?

• What kind of events do you do?
• How many events do you do a year?
• Can you guarantee me that you personally will be at my event?
• What areas do you work in? Are you strictly local, or do you plan events regionally and nationally?
• Will you handle everything from beginning to end and along the way make recommendations?
• Am I going to pay more if I use you than if I did it myself? Am I going to pay less if I use you?
• Can I see a list of your clients and references? Can I call some of those references (including brides if it‘s for a wedding)?

If you decide to throw it yourself, what are some ways to make it special and memorable for the guest of honor while working within a budget?

“First, close your eyes and imagine you’re walking into your party,” says Lesnick. “What do you see? That is your vision. Now work within your budget to make your vision happen.

“Determine how much money you have to spend, and how many people you want to invite. What time of day you have the party can have a huge impact on your budget; it will determine what kind of food to serve. If you can do something at 7:30 instead of 6:00, you can forego a full dinner and just serve hors d'oeuvres because the guests will have already eaten. This saves you money.

“If it’s a retirement party, ask yourself what the purpose of the party is and what you’re looking to accomplish. You want to celebrate the guest’s years of employment and what that person has given to his family, friends and society as a whole. Celebrate the person’s age and the era that he entered the workforce, along with the life and times he has seen.

“Lastly, if you’re going to serve alcohol at the event, it's always best to have the party in a place that allows you to supply your own. That can be a huge savings.”

About Randi Lesnick

Randi Lesnick’s company Hospitality Consultants is a full-service meeting planning and event production management company in business for over 10 years. It represents a wide range of corporate and entertainment clients. From concept to completion, it delivers creative, well-managed successful events, executed with precision, professionalism and attention to every detail. Lesnick’s client list includes some of the giants in the entertainment industry, including Tim McGraw, Orlando Bloom, Wynonna, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, among others.

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Contact:
Joe Pagetta
Fully Dressed Communications
jpagetta@avantguild.com

References:

1 Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, “Boom in retirements could slow economy, Fed report predicts; If conclusions prove correct, 'it changes everything' “ By MIKE MEYERS; May 1, 2006

2 NewYorkLife.com, “The Retirement Dilemma of Generation X;” accessed online on August 7, 2006

Lesnick Promises a Party “Fit for a Queen” When Leadership Music Honors Emmylou Harris in September

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - AUGUST 3, 2006

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - Event planner Randi Lesnick promises a party fit for a queen when Leadership Music honors Emmylou Harris with the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award at a Gala Tribute Banquet at Schermerhorn Symphony Center on September 19.

Lesnick, a "Party Planner to the Stars" and the "Best of the Best" according to Wynonna in her book Coming Home to Myself, has been featured in InStyle Magazine for planning star-studded events like Wynonna's wedding, Shania Twain's legendary "Up" record release party at Luke Lewis's farm, Orlando Bloom's "Elizabethtown" premiere and Tim McGraw's 'Friday Night Lights" premiere and after-party bash. As the event coordinator for this year's Leadership Music gala, Lesnick isn't revealing much about the invitation-only event (invites will go out this month) but says "Leadership guests should expect a grand event and a party worthy of Emmylou.”

“I’m excited about this event because it’s one of the first Music City events to be held at the new Symphony Center,” says Lesnick, the president of Hospitality Consultants in Franklin. “I’ve always said that Nashville needs more venues to hold world class events, and the Schermerhorn is simply stunning.”

Lesnick is equally excited about working with Leadership Music and Harris.

“Emmylou has crossed so many musical boundaries and bridged so many musical styles,” she says. “Leadership Music encompasses that diversity and brings together a group of people who work at different ends of the spectrum, many of whom have been influenced by Harris. That makes the event the perfect gathering of the people and music that make Nashville such a unique city. Place the event in a world class listening venue and the stars truly align.”

Lesnick’s company Hospitality Consultants is a full-service meeting planning and event production management company in business for over 10 years. It represents a wide range of corporate and entertainment clients. From concept to completion, it delivers creative, well-managed successful events, executed with precision, professionalism and attention to every detail. Lesnick’s client list includes some of the giants in the entertainment industry, including Tim McGraw, Wynonna, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, among others.

Leadership Music is a non-profit organization providing programs designed to further communications among facets of the entertainment business and to assist established leaders in their roles as decision makers. More than 600 alumni have been graduated from annual class programs since its founding in 1989 in Nashville. The Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award, named for the first executive director of Leadership Music, was created in 2004 “to recognize a music industry leader who exemplifies the highest quality of leadership and leading by example.”

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Contact:
Joe Pagetta
Fully Dressed Communications
jpagetta@avantguild.com