Colleen from Perry Ellis...boy do we love Louisville KY! Great people! Thx 4 a great event last nite guys, and we will look forward 2 coming back soon.

Thx to all the great folks from IndyCar racing...and good luck to our driver Mike Conway this weekend...fly like the wind Mike!

Colleen Adams here...check out my interview with Indycar driver mike conway on youtube next week! Very cool guy! We will be in St. Louis next, so stay tuned 4 more info.

Say hello to Mike Conway: get your raincoats on and head down to dllards!

Hey guys, it's Colleen! I got to sit in a real Indy show car. Very cool! Dillards St Matthews in Louisville. Come on down!

Attn Louisville! Perry Ellis IndyCar event 2niite @ Dillards St Matthews! 6:30...come on out and meet UK rookie Mike Conway! Music, prizes...we just need U!

Enter to win a new look for fall from Perry Ellis in the "PERRY ELLIS: MAKE ME OVER!" contest.

Applicants for the “Perry Ellis: MAKE ME OVER!” contest must send a ‘before’ picture and submit a minimum 200 word essay stating why they would like a ‘new look for fall’ from Perry Ellis.

Your essay will then be submitted to our panel of judges (which will include Perry Ellis Sr. Vice President of Design & Merchandising John Crocco; Senior Vice-President of Marketing Pablo de Echevarria; the founders of our New York based advertising agency Charles DeCaro and Rocco Laspata) to select the 10 national winners.

Winners will then go into a participating Perry Ellis retailer across the country and meet with our local Retail Coordinator to get their new fall look by Perry Ellis, and have their ‘after’ photo taken! Applicants will be judged based upon a minimum 200 word written essay that demonstrates need, persuasiveness, creativity and originality.

Applicants must be 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States. Click here to view contest rules (insert link to official contest rules).

Logon to http://member.perryellis.com/makemeover/index.html to register and review the official contest rules. Pictures and essays must be submitted to Colleen Adams at colleen.adams@pery.com no later than midnight Monday, August 31st to be eligible to win.

Pictures and information about the contest will be posted on the Perry Ellis blog, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites. Essays from the 10 winners will be posted at the discretion of the Perry Ellis panel of judges.

Winners will be notified by September 15, 2009.

REMEMBER: No applicant will be considered who does not provide all contact information: email address, mailing address, phone number.

DON'T LOSE YOUR SHIRT!

There’s nothing like a slice of pizza, that is until it lands on your shirt. To save the day, keep a stash of shirts in your desk drawer, and keep the following in mind the next time your pizza bib slips:

· Remain calm. Your best shot at removing a stain is just after impact, before it has time to penetrate the fabric and settle in the fibers.

· Suck it up. A liquid stain is going to spread, so your first move should be to put a cloth napkin under the stained section of the fabric, to absorb the liquid before your shirt does.

· Blot, don't scrub. Scrubbing frantically at a stain will damage fabric fibers and drive the stain deeper into the fabric.

· Use hot water on a grease stain. That will help the stain dissolve. Skip the cold water as it will actually help solidify grease stains.

· Spit on your tie. Sounds crazy, but we’ve heard that the enzymes in saliva break down protein-based food stains. For silk ties, don't fight stains with soap and water. Instead, gently rub in the saliva with a cloth. On your way home, drop the tie off at the cleaners to finish the job.

WIN A FREE SWIMSUIT FROM PERRY SWIM!

Win a copy of James Patterson’s new mystery thriller “Swimsuit” and the red hot Perry Ellis swimsuit featured on the cover…just send an entry to

PERRY ELLIS…RESCUE ME!
From my most embarrassing beach moment!

Applicants for the “Perry Ellis…RESCUE ME!” contest must submit a minimum 200 word essay describing their most embarrassing beach moment, which will then be submitted to a panel of judges to select the 10 national winners.

Applicants will be judged based upon persuasiveness, creativity and originality. Applicants must be 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States. Click here to view official contest rules: (http://member.perryellis.com/perry-ellis-now/patterson-summer/rules.html

Applications must be submitted to Kristen Pfund at Kristen.pfund@pery.com no later than midnight Monday, September 7th.

Information about the contest will be posted on the Perry Ellis blog, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites. Essays/portions of essays from the 10 winners will be posted at the discretion of the Perry Ellis panel of judges.

Winners will be notified on or near Tuesday, September 15, 2009.

REMEMBER: No applicant will be selected who does not provide all contact information: email address, mailing address, phone number.

Come to the IndyCar event with me on Thursday!

Hey guys...it's Colleen Adams, Director of Events for Perry Ellis...inviting you to attend the IndyCar event with me on Thursday in Louisville, KY via social networking sites!

I will be tweeting and posting remotely on Facebook during the event so that you can get the play by play scoop from the event site. We will be at Dillard's Mall St. Matthews starting at 6:30 p.m.

Mike Conway from IndyCar will be there signing autographs, and I promise you won't miss a thing! I might even take you to dinner with us afterwards! Hang with me...it will be fun! Bye for now, Colleen

MAXIMUM MILEAGE FOR YOUR MONEY!

Headed overseas or thinking about it? In case you missed it, we hear the dollar’s been taking a bit of a beating in the currency markets, so travel abroad is stinging American wallets more than usual.

Should you decide to take the leap to an exotic locale, be aware that the steak frites you had in Paris two years ago may cost you a pile more this time around.

How to not to get taken for a ride? Think outside the usual destinations, and go where the dollar takes you – so suggests a recent article The New York Times T Magazine.

Though it may mean a trip to Laos instead of London, it’s sure better than staying home. To determine the real cost of your next trip, head to xe.com, our favorite, super simple currency site.

Whether you’re daydreaming about Dublin or contemplating Copenhagen, xe.com can help you track the countries where your dollar will be able to get maximum mileage.

Hi...this is Colleen, Dir of Events for Perry Ellis. I will be blogging directly from our IndyCar event in Louisville this Thursday so u guys can attend with me! Login for the fun and I will update u on every exciting moment! See u Thursday!

WATCH IT: BETTER OFF TED

Ugh. It’s TV rerun season, and the new season is a long way off. To get thru the next few weeks of rerun purgatory, we recommend the zany new show Better Off Ted, airing Tuesday nights on ABC (check your local listings).

Featuring a lovably loony cast of characters, lightening-speed dialogue and the merciful absence of a laugh track, it’s packed with the kind of warped wit that’s sure to appeal to anyone who’s a fan of 30 Rock or Arrested Development.

Unlike the much-ballyhooed The Office, Better Off Ted’s characters are enthusiastic, successful and full of ideas, but happen to work for a soul-less multinational corporation, Veridian Dynamics, that makes “everything from lipstick to nuclear warheads.”

At the center of the show is Ted Crisp, an all-around good guy in charge of research & development who heads a crew of marketing executives and scientists as they try to develop products like meat in a test tube, chairs that make workers itch and pumpkins that kill.

Overseeing Ted’s efforts is his boss and ice-cold corporate killer Veronica (played for laughs) by the tough-talking Portia de Rossi.

So set the Tivo – this one’s a classic in-the-making. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_aw_T_Pma4

LET'S GET SMALL!

A McMansion in a gated community? A $10,000-a-month rental in the Hamptons? That’s so 2007. Safe to say, change is in the air and many people are getting into the small house movement – trading in sprawling manses for tiny retreats that cost little to build and do much of what larger houses do – minus the big carbon footprint.

Small, sustainable and in some cases even portable (!), the affordable “wee house” idea is on the march – literally – as many of them are prefabricated and can be driven right to your doorstep or favorite plot of land.

If you’re staying put, but looking to add a small office, guest bedroom or simple summer place without a ton of construction hassles and hold-ups, small may just be the way to go.

Our favorite small house sites are:

http://weehouse.com/flash/SFWA_index.html#/intro/

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

http://www.sweetwaterbungalows.com/

FIVE FASHION DON’T’S FOR DUDES

Being over-dressed for a backyard barbecue or under-dressed for a wedding, well, it just hurts.

Though most guys squirm at the thought of “fashion rules,” here are five ideas to consider if you’re trying to look presentable.

Our top five must-nots:

1) Short-sleeve shirt + neck tie = A very bad look. Acceptable only if you’re slinging burgers (professionally).

2) Business suit + backpack= Bunched-up shoulder pads. You’re going to the office, not Kilimanjaro. Schlep your stuff in an upscale briefcase or shoulder bag.

3) Dress shoes + athletic socks = Hey, Sporty Spice, get yourself some grown-up dress socks, and make sure they match your pants, not your shoes.

4) The Speedo + Michael Phelps = Gold medals. On you, not so much. The exceptions: serious lap swimmers and triathletes but only if paired with board shorts or trunks in between lap-lane dips.

5) Muscle-T’s + arms like anacondas = Tacky. Always. In the gym or out. Just say no.

Still not sure if your get-up is street worthy? Then ask yourself, could George Clooney pull this off? If the answer is no, then chances are, neither can you.

EXPLOSIVE FUN MONDAY!

To announce the arrival of the new Sony Bravia flat-screens a few years back, Sony commissioned a series of startlingly beautiful, light-hearted commercials, all centered around the idea of “color, like no other”.

Though they never actually lit up the screen on our 12-year old hand-me-down TV, once we found the commercials on YouTube, we loved them so much we watched them ‘till our head hurt.

Our two favorites? “Bouncy Balls” starring 250,000 multi-colored rubber balls shot from cannons, bouncing down the streets of San Francisco and “Paint,” which features a joyous rainbow of paint exploding (think liquid fireworks) all over a grim, scheduled-for-demolition Glasgow apartment complex. Have a look and start your week with a smile.

To view “Bouncy Balls”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bb8P7dfjVw&feature=related

To view “Paint”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwO-wo892pI&feature=related

COMEDIC CONVERGENCE

If you want to experience great weather, amazing food and more laughs per second than perhaps anywhere else on the face of the earth, then head to Montreal, where most of July is given over to the annual Just for Laughs Festival.

Now in its 27th year, the 23-day Festival (ending July 26), features some of the biggest names in comedy plus stars-in-the-making, all showing off their mad comedy skills in theaters and clubs across the city.

Add to that hundreds of street performers, screenings of short comedy films – and an exchange rate that knocks about 10 - 15% of the cost of everything – and you might just make Montreal your new Fun City.

For information and a complete list of performers including, Whoopi Goldberg, John Cleese, Lewis Black, David Cross, Bobcat Goldthwait, Caroline Rhea and David Alan Grier, visit: http://www.hahaha.com/

IT’S A MAD MAN WORLD

Like most TV junkies, we are not afraid to admit that we’re hopelessly hooked on Mad Men, AMC’s utterly brilliant original TV series that chronicles the high-flying, glamorous advertising business in 60’s-era Manhattan.

We can’t get enough of the swingin’ 60’s intrigue, back-stabbing, inter-office affairs, and pretty close-to-authentic client pitch meetings, all swimming in a haze of cigarette smoke and martinis.

Problem is, we’ve had a bit of a dry spell since Season 2 wrapped up seven months ago. It’s been so long, we can barely remember where we left off, so it’s with our martini glasses raised high we salute the July 14 release of Mad Men, Season 2, which should arrive at our door this week (we pre-ordered it 6 months ago).

If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, you might want to have what leading man Don Draper would call “your girl” place an order right before they sell out. To order, head to Amazon.com., so you’re up to speed in time for the start of Season 3 this August.

THROW A GREENER PICNIC

In the summertime, we try to eat outside just about every night. Whether it's barbecuing on the deck or picnicking in the park, it’s hard to keep us indoors.

With all this outdoor eating though, we were starting to feel badly about using plastic plates – at least until we found EarthShell® – the guilt-free, bio-degradable alternative to old school paper, foam or plastic plates.

Made primarily from vegetable starches like corn and potatoes, EarthShell® plates breakdown quickly and completely, without harming marine life. Better yet, they’re made in the U.S of A. so you’re not paying the freight on the plate’s round-the-world trip to your next picnic.

To scoop up some for your next outdoor gathering, click http://earthshell.com/store_finder.php
to have your next guilt-free, earth-sensitive picnic!

BUSINESS 101, MAFIA STYLE

Looking for some business advice from a real-life Tony Soprano? Then meet author Michael Franzese, one of the few mob bosses to um, retire from the organization and live to write a business book about it.

In his new tome, I’ll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse: Insider Business Tips from a Former Mob Boss, Franzese schools the legitimate business person on how to tackle everyday office challenges using lessons learned from La Cosa Nostra.

Franzese’s advice covers issues such as staffing (You Gotta Have Crew), money management (Cook the Pasta, Not the Books) and meetings (Master the Art of the Sit-down), with his mob’s eye view on how to get the job done.

A fresh spin on how to swim with the sharks so you don’t wind up sleeping with the fishes, I’ll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse is an amusing and memorable alternative to the usual business advice fare.

So pick up a copy. It won’t kill you. Available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

GET YOUR GROOVE ON!

With more than 7,500 songs on our Ipod, you’d think we’d have enough music to tide us over for a while, but somehow we still manage to get sick of our own not-so-infinite playlists.

Fortunately, it’s Grooveshark.com to the rescue.

Grooveshark.com is our new favorite music-on-demand and streaming site that lets us try out tunes, save playlists and embed them on our blogs and Facebook page, all for free!

Not sure about the latest Kings of Leon single? No worries, you can listen to it and roughly 7 million other tunes in their entirety (vs. a 30-second clip) before you buy, so when you’re ready to purchase, you can fill up on fresh tunes that are sure to be music to your ears.

All accomplished by logging on to Grooveshark.com...where a new world of music awaits you!

GET OUTTA TOWN!

By now we’ve all heard more than enough about the "stay-cation." We even planned to stay put ourselves. Then we got a little shack happy and decided we to had to get out of town.

Why the change of heart? Well, we couldn’t resist the awesome travel deals that are popping up all over the net. The difference now is that we don’t waste time thinking about where to go, we let Travelzoo tell us where to go based on their picks for the best hotel, airfare, package and cruise deals of the week on their "Travel Zoo Top 20" newsletter.

One of our uber-thrifty buddies turned us on to the newsletter back in October and since then we’ve saved over $1,000 on three long-weekend stays at some amazing, centrally-located hotels in Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. Add to that a few free flights booked separately with our frequent flier miles, and it feels like we pulled off a heist.

You can too by signing up at travelzoo.com. You'll enjoy it all the more because it is such a good deal!

Perry Ellis and IndyCar head for Toronto!

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing kicked off their return to road/street courses in style. The team is eager to get back on track and show everyone what they accomplished in Watkins Glen last weekend.

This will mark Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s first time to the streets of Toronto, and who better to do it with than exciting new rookie Mike Conway who will pilot the No. 24 Valspar.

Watkins Glen turned out to be a groundbreaking performance for Conway. The Brit went from 6th to 5th position in the first lap and continued to climb as the race progressed, running second for most of the time. With near perfect pit stops, Conway drove a good, consistent race.

Unfortunately, on the last stop he dropped to fifth position, but ran strong. As the race came to an end, he had some issues with the balance and on the last lap was passed by Marco Andretti, giving him a sixth place result.

This event marks Conway’s best qualifying and finish of the season. This weekend will not only mark Conway’s first time to the Toronto circuit, but he will also be running the No. 24 Valspar car this weekend for the first time this season.

Dreyer & Reinbold will be on track this weekend for the Honda Indy Toronto. The race will take place on July 12 and will air live on ABC.

Perry Ellis recommends: NOT-SO-EASY RIDERS!

Last year, on our birthday, we received a gift that we weren’t all that sure was a keeper – an 8-DVD boxed-set Collectors Edition of Long Way Round, Race To Dakar & Long Way Down – 24 plus hours of what we thought was a motorcycle travelogue.

Um, yawn. But one day the Netflicks didn’t arrive and we decided to have a look. Six hours later we got off the couch for a dinner break and went back for two hours more.

Two days later, we finished them, and have watched them all three times since. This enormous documentary/buddy film/travelogue/adventure series follows best buddies Ewan McGregor and Charley Booman as they ride motorcycles literally around the world, from London to Russia and the U.S., and from Scotland to Capetown.

Unscripted, spontaneous and often hilarious, each episode is a thrill ride through some of the worlds’ most far-flung locales, as well as a tale of true friendship in the face of danger, adventure and multiple mishaps (including a few near-death experiences).

Even if you aren’t a motorcyclist, you’re sure to have a great time touring the world with these dudes on three trips of a lifetime. All we can say is get yourself a copy and enjoy: http://www.amazon.com/Long-Round-Deluxe-Down-Dakar/dp/B001J2SFSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1246894715&sr=8-1

Be sure to stock up on beer and chips before you roll tape...it will save time later!

Perry Ellis eco hint: FIT TO PRINT, WITH LESS INK.

We as consumers have gotten the eco-message and we’re taking steps – some big, some small – to conserve resources wherever possible.

We’re buying local, driving less and, much as it hurts, turning down the air conditioning. At the office, we’ve even stopped printing all but the most vital documents, to help save a few trees along the way.

Try as we might to refrain from printing hard copies, we must admit, there are times when the old-school print-out is a meeting must-have. With this in mind, we were happy to find that we can now print out a bit smarter – and use 20% less ink every time – with Ecofont, an ingenious font that looks like classic Arial, but is elegantly shot full of holes, thereby using less ink to reproduce each letter on the page.

To start saving ink and putting a smile on the face of corporate bean-counters everywhere, download the font (for free!) from http://www.spranq.eu/

It all adds up ecologically...so take this easy step today!

Perry Ellis welcomes the soul man back...

It’s been more than 7 years since R&B neo-soul crooner Maxwell topped the charts, toured the world, made millions swoon and then promptly disappeared. Well, he didn’t disappear exactly – he hid in plain sight by cutting off his trademark flowing locks and dedicating himself to getting a life so he’d have something write and sing about.

Today (July 7), the results of all that living arrive in the form of his new CD, "Black Summers' Night," the first in a trilogy which delves deep into the mysteries, joys and sorrows of love.

Backed by a 10-piece band, Maxwell’s updated Al Green-tinged sound is smooth, soulful, and genuinely addicting. Among our mood-mellowing favorite cuts so far: "Stop the World," "Pretty Wings" and "Bad Habits."

Check out what life and maturity have done for this talented entertainer!

Perry Ellis 'get smart' tips.

At a loss for words? Not sure how to use the ones you’ve got? Then start training your brain and expanding your mind by clicking over to The Phrase Finder (http://www.phrases.org.uk).

There you’ll be able to enlighten yourself with the meanings and origins of more than 1,200 sayings, phrases and idioms. There's also a searchable archive of more than 50,000 postings about sayings and phrases, plus a handy online thesaurus to help you spruce up your next presentation, conversation or assignation.

More of a passive learner? Then sign up for Phrase Finder’s "A Phrase A Week" email (or news feed) to get newly researched origins of phrases and sayings delivered fresh and free, right to your inbox.

Perry Ellis recommends taking a REAL power trip.

In this era of high speed everything, we move fast, particularly when it comes to business travel -- flying in one day and back home the next. Between security pat-downs, middle seats and snacks-for-purchase, safe to say the airlines have sucked much of the fun out of travel.

We however, demand a little fun now and then, no matter whose dime we’re traveling on. Our new travel obsession? Bike tours. Instead of hitting the hotel gym, now when we’re headed to a new city, we’re getting our exercise in by signing up for bike tours and hitting the road on big, comfortable beach bikes, with a city-savvy guide to lead the way.

Among our most memorable rides so far: Fat Tire Bike Tours through the streets of Paris; London Bicycle Tour Company and Bobby’s Bike Tours in Chicago. Don’t like being led around with a guide? Then do it yourself next time you’re in L.A. Rent a beach bike Spokes N’ Stuff just south of the Santa Monica Pier, and pedal up the coast on the cement boardwalk. A two hour ride at a leisurely pace will get you within a few miles of Malibu and give you a temporary taste of the sweet surfer-dude lifestyle. http://fattirebiketours.comhttp://www.londonbicycle.comhttp://www.bobbysbikehike.com

Perry Ellis long weekend recommendation: DEPPS OF DEPRAVITY

Don’t feel like standing in the movie line to watch Public Enemy’s Johnny Depp “go make some money?”

Fear not – you can still get a giant dose of Depp at the local Blockbuster. There, buried and all-but-forgotten in the stacks, you’ll likely find plenty of his kooky, pre-Pirates of the Caribbean performances, back when Depp was making lots of quirky, slightly demented films.

Always magnificent at playing wacky characters, forget the occasionally nasty reviews, and just enjoy Depp’s out-there performances in one of our top five favorite Depp vehicles:

1. Ed Wood – Depp as the film-obsessed director Ed Wood, the “visionary” force behind some of cinema’s most legendarily awful films.

2. Edward Scissorhands – Depp as an alien-like youth with hands made of scissors, hair like Helena Bonham Carter on a bad day and a heart set on co-star Winona Ryder and extreme topiary.

3. Don Juan DeMarco – Depp as a mentally questionable (or is he?) romantic, who---convinced he’s Don Juan---starts to convince his therapist Marlon Brando, that it just might be true.

4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Depp plays the original gonzo dude himself, Hunter S. Thompson.

5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Depp takes the kid’s classic and hits it out of the park with it in a performance so over-the-top, that the original Gene Wilder version seems tame.

Don't fight the crowds at your local theater...just chill at home with Johnny Depp this holiday weekend!

Perry Ellis holiday weekend tip: UP A CREEK, WITH PADDLE

A couple of years ago while traveling in Nicaragua, we fell in love with the ocean kayak. Silently cutting thru the calm, warm waters of Lake Nicaragua in stealth, 14 ft. long boats was the ultimate smooth sail.

After that, we decided we must get one, that is, ‘till we found out that REI was selling the same model for about $1,000.

With no room to stash a kayak in our New York apartment, and cash reserves mired in a recessionary dip, we located the next best thing – a storage-friendly, easy-on-the-wallet, inflatable ”travel” kayak.

With prices ranging from about $80 for a starter version by Colman, to $400 for a high-end river ready Seyvlor, we’re planning on paddling our way through the summer without breaking the bank. http://www.westmarine.com/