Roger Smith in Spain
Posted on 21. Jan, 2010 by admin in Community, Hotel
The long relationship between the Roger Smith Hotel and Spain continues. Phoebe Knowles, Marlenny Paredes and Ek Wongleecharoen are now in Spain furthering new relationships and making new ones. They are now in Madrid taking part in international tourism trade fair FITUR, where the Roger Smith Hotel is represented. They will also be spending time in Barcelona connecting with past Roger Smith interns and meeting new people as well. Stay tuned for pictures and videos from their travels.
Roger Smith to Spain
1969 to 2010 and Still Building
Cinemonde: Wonderful World
Posted on 20. Jan, 2010 by admin in Arts, Community, Events
In December, James Knowles of the Roger Smith Hotel presented the Rogé award at the Cinémonde film event. Cinémonde is all about great drink, great food, and great film. The screening on December 14th, at the School of Visual Arts Theater (on 23rd Street, bet. 8th & 9th Aves, in NYC) featured WONDERFUL WORLD, directed by Josh Goldin, starring Matthew Broderick, Sannaa Lathan and Michael K. Williams.
It was a smashing event. Not only did we have the pleasure of watching two fantastic films but we were able to engage some of the people who make this soiree possible. One such person was the director of the School of Visual Arts Theater, Gene Stavis.
James Knowles speaks with Chef Nata Traub about her childhood summers in France, and her love of Mediterranean flavors. Nata Traub has amazed and excited Cinémonde’s guests with her delightful dishes and exquisite taste.
Last but certainly not least we spoke with the director, Josh Goldin. Lets go Behind the scenes and check it out.
Investing in Connections: Wiring RSH up on Skype
Posted on 23. Dec, 2009 by AdamWallace in Community, Hotel
James Knowles, president and CEO of the Roger Smith has started and initiative to get everyone and all of the Roger Smith spaces linked up on Skype. The ease of communication with this medium is fantastic and it is a great way to connect globally.
James is “ArchingBridgeJames” on Skype, please leave your Skype name in the comments and we will connect with you.
Looking forward to the ongoing conversations and the connections.
Tech Toys The Team @RSHotel Thinks You Need For The Holidays:
Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by BrianSimpson in Community, Hotel
The holidays are upon us and the talk of ‘toys’ at the hotel is crazy. A year ago it was about golf clubs, vacations and Flip cams. Now, after a year of being ‘social’ and doing everything we could to create, capture and share content our, our lists have changed. Grown if you will…
Here is a glimpse at what some of us think you need for this holiday season.
Mr. Knowles, CEO and Owner of Ther Roger Smith Hotel
Tech gifts that I think are worth what we pay for them and are useful to us:
1. Check out the Sony mdr-g75
2. The scribe device with paper and ocr recognition
3. How about the Leica LUX-4
4. Zoom H 4
Ek Wongleecharoen, Assistant General Manager
This is what I would like to have in my pocket when I travel:
1. Kindle: Reading Device
2. Panasonic DMC-ZS3K or DMC-ZS3A
3. Dell Latitude XT or Mac Book Air
Adam Wallace, Director of New Media
This is what I would suggest:
1. A Netbook (don’t know a specific kind)
2. Mophie iPhone extra battery pack
3. Kodak Zi8
Brian Simpson, Director of Social Hospitality
What you can’t live without for twenty-10:
1. Wireless Sony headphones
2. Cannon 7D
3. Macbook Pro
John Birdsong, Professional Videographer Panman Productions & All-Around Amazing Guy
Saving the best for last ~ Our resident gadget expert chimes in with:
Refurbished MacBook Pro 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
4GB memory (add another 4gb yourself and save $800)
250GB Hard Drive
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
SD card slot
Built-in 7-hour battery
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
Illuminated keyboard
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac
$1,299 – save $200 off of list. fully guaranteed with one year of apple care.
Netflix subscription (if you don’t have one get one!!!)
as little as 7.99 a month includes one unlimited disc and unlimited streaming content
connector for laptop to flatscreen TV
around $20
BEST inexpensive speaker systrem – I have these and they are INCREDIBLE. 200 watts THX certified
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/home_pc_speakers/devices/231&cl=us,en
$169.00
Air mouse iphone app
$2.99
Control your computer from your iphone. Best wireless touch screen mouse around. Control volume, select netflix and hulu content, surf youtube, and email. It just works.
Happy Holidays From ALL of Us
@RSHotel ~ the roger smith hotel
Inspirational, Stylish, Dramatic, Progressive, Sophisticated, Artistic, Detailed.
Posted on 10. Nov, 2009 by AdamWallace in Arts, Community
Interview with Dave Prutting
173 Park Street, New Canaan, CT.
“Prutting & Company’s Attention to detail and budget has created excellent relations with our clients. David’s strength of character permeates through his staff; As a result, the construction process is organized, personal and clear. We can recommend Prutting & Company to our clients and fellow architects without reservation.”
- Malcolm Robertson
Robertson + Landers, New Canaan, CT
Joeb Moore + Partners Interview
“This is more than Sculpture, were interested in really thinking about architecture as a social medium, as a social art and a performative art.” -Joeb Moore
Joeb + Partners Architects, L.L.C. is a firm specializing in architecture, interiors and design. The focus of the office is to provide owners with highly personal and powerful design solutions that merge practical everyday needs with beautiful spaces and construction details.
James Knowles Sculpture Installed
It has been several months since James Knowles started working on this bronze sculpture, and today he releases it and sends it on the next leg of its life. The piece is now installed at 173 Park Street, New Canaan, CT. and is settling into its new watery home.
Living modern — Green design brings intrigue to downtown
http://www.prutting.com/
http://www.rogersmithlife.com/
Roger Smith Hotel Social Media Re-mix
Posted on 14. Oct, 2009 by AdamWallace in Community, Hotel
In a conversation with John Knowles @RShotel, president of the organization James Knowles asks, “So how do we reach out?”. John: “You let other people do it for you.” James: “How does that work?”
The concept crowd sourcing content becomes a great way to allow for others to share your virtues. The idea of others taking your brand into their own hands might seem scary but when the public personalities embrace your identity the reach of your message spreads farther than you can anticipate.
The understanding and embracing of others to tell the story of your identity creates new levels of branding opportunity. The most important thing to understand is that our satisfaction is in you. The exciting moment of social media and the social internet is when an online engagement translates into a face to face interaction.
It is important to thank our friends both old and new for making the Roger Smith Hotel the place for everything Social Media. Thanks for being part of the Roger Smith Culture.
Follow us.
http://rogersmithlife.com/
http://twitter.com/RShotel
Please Share, Comment, Respond and Engage!
Thanks
John Knowles
FIRE: James Knowles Pouring Bronze
Posted on 26. Sep, 2009 by AdamWallace in Arts, Hotel
Exploring the Elements. James Knowles is hard at work with Fire in the foundry. The ability to transform molten bronze in a solid sculpture. The heat from the sand-molds is released as the artist begins to break the mounds. The ground smokes. This is one piece of 19 that will become the final sculpture.
The sculpture will be installed in a fountain at 137 Park Street in New Canaan CT.
James Knowles Pouring Bronze
A note from James Knowles’ project journal:
I have had one pour. The problems I encountered, some have been addressed. There was a break in the wall of the steel container. I had to work through welding issues similar to the ones you faced the other day. I went back to the books, the Lincoln bible on welding and studied what rods are used for what. Then I stopped in to the welding supply shop on Bruckner blvd where I bought the welder for Feng. We discussed it briefly and he assured me that what he gave Feng was precisely what I should use. It was not what I had figured out in my research. Feed wires long enough. Welding rod ok. New chain fall. Let’s try a melt. I’ve not figured out the lighting of the furnace very well so when I light the thing with air blower going and Propane torch on top to ignite. A volume of gas and air accumulates in the furnace and whaaaaboooom it explodes as it lights. Not good. But it gets the thing going. So I slowly add air and then gas to bring it up to a roaring intensity pchhhhhwhhhhhhhhhhhhh kind of thing. But hot gases are flowing out through the furnace lid joint in many directions. Furry green blue flames. Losing heat and making it difficult to approach the furnace as the flames are waist high. I shut it down to consider how to resolve that. I attempted to remove the lid. Hooked up the steel jig i welded up. Took too long over the hot furnace. Removed the lid. Found the refrractory joint loose and friable. Stop consider. I need a means to apply a soft refractory mud between the Lid and the fire box. Consider: what do I have? Clay to bind and silica sand a refractory. I made up a slurry of the two and put a drooly layer on the joint and replaced to top. Seemed to sit well. Cranked up the heat. Flames look ok. Some fuzz but ok. Metal slumping as the temperature rises. Start up the second blower, add more gas. Feisty robust full bodied flame and gutteral roar. Look up. Uhoh. Looks like I wired the whole. Barn just over the furnace area. Fire and heat impinging on the cord and then zap. Blew a fuse somewhere. Consider: Shut down all breakers. Cut the wires. Re direct them around the pouring system. Devise heavy wire connectors. Isolate the joints with electricians tape. Reset all breakers. Test. OK. Now redesign the lid removal system which takes too long to remove. Consider: Pipe rigid top and bottom. Pipe sliding over the rigid pipe. Weld moving pipe to the lid (with new welding sticks) Rig up a lever and counterweight to lift the lid easily and rotate it to the side. Test it. Fix it. Test it. Fix it…….. Works. Heeehaaaa. Order metal 250 Lbs. Order castable and ramming refractories. From a good group in Lancaster pa. That is where I am. Molds ready to pour. System now redesigned. Getting closer. I have one casting In hand. 19 to go.
Roger Smith Shorts ‘09 (Festival Workshop) Winner: Dmitry Povolotsky
Posted on 01. Sep, 2009 by AdamWallace in Arts, Community, Events, Hotel
Congratulations to Dmitry Povolotsky, who was presented the Roger Smith Shorts ‘09 (Festival Workshop) Bronze Sculpted Creativity Award for his film “Clean the Room” on Saturday, August 22nd. The Judges Panel, which included James Knowles (President, Roger Smith Hotel), Ben Famiglietti (The Weinstein Company), Neil Alumkal (5WPR), Adam Neuhaus (Original Media) and Tommy Popps (Independent Producer) based their decision on 3 criteria: vision, craft and execution.
After deliberation, the judges decided on “Clean the Room” for it’s simple but concise execution; as with all the films, this modern day Cinderella story takes place all within the hotel, in which a dream comes true while a maid cleans the room, all under 6 minutes.
About the Director
Dmitry Povolotsky is a writer, director, and choreographer living in Brooklyn. At the age of ten, he was selected to attend the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow to study classical ballet. After graduating from the academy nine years later, Dmitry was awarded a full scholarship to Juilliard in New York City where he received a BFA in modern dance and choreography.
Dmitry remained in New York City to perform with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for eight seasons and to teach ballet and choreograph for inner city youth at the Harlem School of the Arts.
After making his first short film in 2003, Dmitry left the dance world to study film at Columbia University Film Division. PAL/SECAM, his thesis film, has played at 40 film festivals all over the world, has won several prestigious film awards and was sold to 6 territories so far.
“Clean the Room”
Written and Directed by Dmitry Povolotsky
Story Idea by Bilge Ebiri
Executive Producers
Brendan Crane
John Knowles
Cast
Maid – Susan Brady
Bobby – Michael Mason
Superstar – Sarah Lilley
Crew
Director of Photography – Christina Voros
Art Direction – Julia Cairo
Assistant Director – Rebecca Conroy
Sound – Marin Conroy
Editor – Julia Kots
Wardrobe Provided by CMarchuska and The Green Room NYC
Special Thanks to the Roger Smith Hotel
Who is Roger Smith? James Knowles explains
Posted on 12. Aug, 2009 by AdamWallace in Hotel
The Roger Smith Hotel in midtown Manhattan is known for its creativity, comfort and hospitality. This boutique hotel is a perfect hotel for just about every traveler.
The question often arises, Who is Roger Smith?
James Knowles says the identity of the hotel builds off the idea of Who Is Roger Smith?. “We see him as an inventive and adventurous visitor to the city.”
He adds “Who Roger Smith is to you is different than who he is to me”
Become part of the Roger Smith Culture.
Giving 3D Life to the Urban Crystals
Posted on 11. Aug, 2009 by admin in Arts, Hotel
This series of videos show three dimensional rendering of the Urban Crystal sculptures by Artist James Knowles, president and CEO of the Roger Smith Hotel.
1. The creation of these animations involve a two step process. The first step is to model the parts of the sculpture in a computer environment. The second step is its animation, showing how they are formed and placing them in their environment.
2. The building of these piece involve bending and twisting the piece, like Mr. Knowles does in stainless steel.
3. One of the most fascinating things about the Urban Crystals is their ability to interact with built environments. This animation show the formations of the pieces and their interaction with an urban environment. It is a rendered image built in a 3D modeling program.
4. This is a 3D modeling of some of Mr. Knowles scultpures. The idea is to show how it is built. It shows the movement of the peices, how they are bended and twisted, giving life to the sculpures.
