Enjoy the end of 2011 and bring on 2012! Oh, and don’t forget your designated driver and make sure to buy them some wings and curly fries to go with their soda! To the unsung heroes of tonight – thanks for getting us home safe!

Be responsible and safe tonight!  Cheers!

Denise

Be safe and enjoy your time with family and friends this holiday season – cheers!

Denise

Just a few reminders:

• Meet and Greet Reception is Tuesday, Sept 6 starts at 5 pm.
• Shot Glass Collector Party is Wednesday, Sept 7 starts at 6 pm.
• HRC Strip Breakfast Buffet is Thursday, Sept 8 starts at 8:30 am
• HRC Paradise/Harmon Breakfast Buffet is Friday, Sept 9 at 9 am

If you’re just attending the Shot Glass Collector Party, it’s free to attend.  If you want to participate in the other activities (including selling and trading) you will need to buy a ticket at www.ticketweb.com!

After the event, some of us are driving down to the Phoenix cafe and expect to be there on Friday, Sept 9 at 7:30 pm.  We’re hoping others can join us so if you’re wanting to meet up with us, let me know by email (below).  There will be fireworks later that night after the ballgame so expect it to be a busy night downtown (read:  scarce pricey parking!) but I hope you’ll still join us.

On Saturday, Sept 10 we are invited to a pool party at Karen T.’s house.  If you’re in Phoenix and want to meet up with us for that, let me know by email (below) and I will provide more details to you.

After the pool party we’re heading to the ballpark to see the Diamondbacks!  It’s a World Series 10th anniversary night complete with an intro to the World Series team before the game and a replica ring to the first 10,000 fans!!

Anyway, I can’t wait to hit the slots, the pool and meet up with everyone.  Thanks to the Las Vegas Strip Cafe for inviting the shot glass group to the event – going to be a blast!

Cheers!

Denise

webmaster@hrcshots.com – let me know if you’re coming!

If you’re heading to DC for the Pindependence Event this weekend, you’re sure to have a blast!  There will be 4 (yes, that’s FOUR) event shot glasses and 1 exclusive shot glass as part of a 4 fairy pin set.  Going to be hard to get so make sure you pick yours up!

Make sure to say hi to Floyd for me while you’re there.  For a list of the event activities, see below.

Cheers!

Denise

===============================================================

Washington, DC GM AJ Laban and the incredible staff of the DC Hard Rock Cafe want to give you an experience this July that you’ll never forget! Join them the weekend of July 22nd for Pindependence 2011! A pin collectors’ event proudly sponsored by the Hard Rock Cafe Pin Collectors’ Club and the Hard Rock Cafe Washington, DC!

This is one event you don’t want to miss!

Schedule of Events:

Friday – July 22nd
6:00PM – 12:00AM

6:00PM – 9:00PM – Welcome Reception (Including complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a signature cocktail)
7:30PM – Pin & Bear Prototype Live Auction to benefit Flight 93 National Memorial (www.honorflight93.org)
10:00PM – 12:00AM – Riverboat Cruise on the Potomac to see the sights under the moonlight.
Saturday – July 23rd
9:00AM – 4:00PM

9:00AM – Breakfast Buffet with omelet station
10:00AM – Live Auction to benefit Flight 93 National Memorial (www.honorflight93.org)
11:00AM – 4:00PM – Pin Trading Floor Opens (Mezzanine level reserved for pin traders)
11:00AM – 2:00PM – Silent Auction to benefit Flight 93 National Memorial (www.honorflight93.org)
4:00PM – Pindependence event concludes

Charity Information:

Hard Rock’s 2nd Annual Pindependence pin collectors’ event will benefit the Flight 93 National Memorial. On September 24, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. The memorial is outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew. For more information about the Flight 93 National Memorial, please visit www.nps.gov/flni. For information on how to support the building of the memorial, go to www.honorflight93.org. Please donate generously to help this great organization.

Packages are as follows:

$35 General Admission includes:

• Meet & Greet Party / Buffet on Sept 6
• Shot Glass Party on Sept 7
• Breakfast Buffet on Sept 8
• Event laminate and pin

$50 VH1 Charity Pin Package includes:

• Meet & Greet Party / Buffet on Sept 6
• Shot Glass Party on Sept 7
• Breakfast Buffet on Sept 8
• Event laminate and pin
• VH1 Save the Music Charity Pin

$75 Dealer Package includes:

• 6 ft Dealer table for Wednesday and Thursday Sept 6/7
• Meet & Greet Party / Buffet on Sept 6
• Shot Glass Party on Sept 7
• Breakfast Buffet on Sept 8
• Event laminate and pin
• Dealer Pin

So get that credit card out and go buy your tickets!  Hope to see you there!!

Click here for tickets:   www.ticketweb.com!

Cheers!

Denise & Paul

We’re in Baby!  We’re going to Vegas (told you so)!

Here’s the break down of the schedule (as currently posted, subject to changes):

Tuesday, September 6 – Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip

3 pm to 5 pm – Event Pre-Registration

5 pm to 6 pm – Meet and Greet Reception with cocktails

6 pm to 7 pm – Buffet

7 pm – 1rst Pin Release

8 pm to 9 pm – Get ready for Tuesday

Wednesday, September 7 – Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip

9 am – Dealer Registration and set-up

10 am to 5 pm – Buy, sell and trade

5 pm to 6 pm – Live Auction

6 pm to 9 pm – SHOT GLASS COLLECTOR PARTY, shot glass released

Thursday, September 8 – Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip

8:30 am to 10 am – HRC Breakfst Buffet

10 am to 5 pm – Dealer set-up and Buy, sell and trade

11 am to 12 pm – Order lunch

5 pm to 6 pm – Raffles and Auction

Friday, September 9 – Hard Rock Cafe Paradise and Harmon

9 am – Monthly pin meeting/breakfast buffet 

Hope to see you there!  Cheers!

Denise

Although it is always sad to see someone sell off their collection, I’m here to advertise that there is one heck of a collection currently available.  If you’ve been chasing a shot for years, collect variants, want to pick up some rare shots or just more traders, well, Dick probably has ‘em for sale!

Right now until April 18th at midnight EST, Dick is accepting silent auction bids on his collection.  Currently his shot collection from A to K is available and that’s over 1,500 shots!  Opening bids are below retail in many cases, the exception being on some of the harder to get shots.  If you’re looking to fill some gaps in your collection, check it out.

A few Question and Answers have been added to the page so make sure to check it out.

** An updated bid list has been added to the site containing the current winning bids received so far.  Please refer to the webpage for more details. **

Good luck to everyone!

Denise

After a few missteps, we are going to head to Las Vegas for the PinSanity event.   This is an annual rocking event, put on by the Las Vegas cafes that is one of the best events that HR does.  Hope you can join us!

Now this is being announced to get out the dates so people can make plans.  To be clear, there are some details that we are not able to share at present ‘cuz they are not finalized.  However for everyone that is in need of booking time off, hotels, flights etc… here’s the basic info that we can share.  The rest will come out - *stay tuned here* – when it’s official.

Las Vegas PinSanity is September 6th, 7th and 8th – hosted by the HRC on the Strip!

If you’re interested in hanging out with group members longer than the 3 days, there will be a road trip to Phoenix, following the PinSanity event.  It is approximately a 4 hour drive, we will hit the cafe in Phoenix as well as a Diamondbacks baseball game.  We will be staying overnight and then heading back to Las Vegas, via the world’s biggest ditch (Grand Canyon).  So if you’re game for the road trip, plan accordingly (head home on Sunday).  More details on this road trip to follow as well as who to contact if you want to be part of the caravan, group baseball game tickets etc…  If enough people are interesting in the road trip, Phoenix may become the official Post Event.  Again, more details to follow.

Cheers!

Denise

Anyhoo, in case you weren’t aware, 2011 is the 40th Anniversary of the Hard Rock Cafe.  There are already at least 3 or 4 pins per cafe but don’t fret, there is a cordial 40th anniversary shot expected to hit the cafes too.  So far there is no info if all cafes will get a shot glass or if it will be limited to North America.  First one to get one from a non-USA or Canada cafe wins a prize… okay, not really.

Orlando hosted the collectors last week and 2 40th Anniversary shots made their first appearance!  HRH has no city name on the shot and the other one has Orlando.  Although just a black printing, it’s actually a nice artful design instead of just a different color logo like the 30th.  Call me pleasantly surprised.

So your mission over the next few months is to keep me appraised of when the 40th shot arrives at your cafe!  And while you’re there, take a glance at the other shot glasses on the shelf please:

• Is there a small font red circle shot?
• Is there a small font red circle dessert shot?
• Is there a new 2011 city shot?

Appreciate the help.  Cheers!

Denise

On to other events, these are upcoming events.  I am looking for confirmation on whether or not shot glasses will be released but will update this post as the info comes in.

**I’ll note it here to be clear:  I fit states a shot is going to be released, the Cafes fully intend to have shots and this was confirmed with the cafe.  However, if it happens that there are quality issues or the shots don’t arrive – don’t shoot the messenger.  The shot group is not involved in ordering the shots. **

I was in Toronto for a day in January and got to meet and chat with the retail staff.  Great bunch of people!  Best news was that the Toronto cafe will be hosting their first ever official pin event on April 22 to 24th.  A shot glass has been designed and ordered for the event. Woot!  Registration is expected for this event.

Spring in Berlin is normally in May.  I don’t have dates and a shot glass release is not typical.

Chicago’s Pindy City event is June 17 and 18.  No shot confirmed yet.

Washington, DC – always great to the pin and shot glass collectors – will be hosting the Pindependence event,  July 22 – 23.  The DC GM normally has at least 1 shot glass but has spoiled us with multiple in the past so I will get this confirmed asap.

Las Vegas – PinSanity should be September 6 – 8.  Always at least 1 shot glass.

So mark your calendars and get your traders ready!

Cheers!

Denise