I am in Vegas (internet access for only $25/day!) for MAGIC, the apparel trade show that has become the bane of my existence. My wife is here to unveil her new Moongirl clothing line that is doing fairly well, but sadly not making us rich. My years working for Comdex and LinuxWorld didn't prepare me for the intense boredom associated with staffing a trade show booth. And it's also made me reconsider my post from last week contemplating marketing vs. technology.
One thing I realized about the small apparel vendors is that there is very little community. There are definitely companies we made friends with and certain crews that run in the same circle, but there is no drive toward a greater good. That's one of the things that baffles me about this market, and continues to intrigue me about open source. It's also interesting when you consider the vast global network of suppliers who are involved in clothing production and the fact that its still quite difficult for a new business to navigate and that there is really no one targeting this problem, nor are there people readily sharing information.
All this stuff that we talk about regarding open source community and market development is applicable to many market segments. It's just a question as to when people will figure it out. Open source companies have provided many models that can be followed and built on for the future.
Now...my reviews of food and hotels in Las Vegas this week.
Hotel: Paris Las Vegas-Thumbs Down
I have never been to Paris, but I hear that people there are unfriendly (how dare you say the French are rude!) If that’s true then I am pretty sure that Paris Las Vegas is an accurate representation. I have also never been to a Vegas hotel that didn’t have an army of people working. This place was filled with a bunch of shiftless, lazy chumps.
Restaurants:
Bouchon at The Venetian-Thumbs Up
Without question the best, most consistent restaurant in this town.
Valentinos at The Venetian-Thumbs Down
Literally the worst service and food for the dollar that we have ever experienced. We at the one in Malibu and it was fantastic. The Vegas version sucks. Seriously. They suck.
Shibuya at MGM Grand-Thumbs Up
Very similar to Nobu, a bit over-priced but really good across the board.
Posted by Dave Rosenberg on February 24, 2006 12:13 PM
