Per Annum Company Blog | The Forward Thinker

Fun at the Fat Cat

There's something to be said for a good bar where you can down some beers, hang out with friends, watch people come and go, and all the usual things -- but such bars are so commonplace that they can get dull after a while.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a bar where you can do all of those things... and play ping-pong, too?  Fortunately, such a bar exists in the heart of NYC's West Village:  FAT CAT.

Walk down the steps and into the Fat Cat's lair and you are greeted with a veritable smorgasbord of activities.  There's ping-pong, of course, as well as billiards, shuffleboard and foosball -- plus board games, including chess, backgammon and my personal favorite, Scrabble.  The bar charges a fee to access the games, but it's not unreasonable.  Fat Cat is also renowned for its live jazz, which occurs every night -- usually three acts per night, plus a late-night jam sessions which last until the closing time.

As for the drinkage, Fat Cat does not sell booze, but has an eclectic collection of beer on tap, plus various malt drinks.  (Beer is more conducive to gaming, anyway, I think!)  There's a small cafe with bar snacks, various tables, couches & booths scattered around, and the bar is also an internet hotspot, so feel free to bring your portable devices!

All in all, Fat Cat is a great place and typically draws a fun-loving crowd.  So, if you ever have a hankering for a crazy German beer and a heated game of foosball, you now know where to go!

Fat Cat is located at 75 Christopher St. and can be found online at http://www.fatcatmusic.org or on page 43 of your 2009 Manhattan Diary.

Don't Miss Out on Deals, Discounts & More

Hello there!  I know, it's been a couple of weeks since our last blog update, and for that, I apologize.  It's been busy here in the world of Per Annum, which, I'm sure you'll agree, is a good thing!  But since you've been waiting patiently for our return to the blogosphere, I'd like to reward you with some tips & tricks on how to save your hard-earned cash when you order from us....

•  Your best bet, first and foremost, is to make sure you're on our mailing list.  We send out periodic e-mails (not TOO often, so don't worry) that include special offers, coupons, new product announcements, holiday deals and more.  You can find the mailing list sign-up form on our website at www.PerAnnum.com... or just CLICK HERE and fill out the form!

•  Next, if you haven't already started following Per Annum on Twitter or become our fan on Facebook, now is the time!  We frequently give out special coupon codes specifically for our Twitter & Facebook friends -- not to mention various musings, product highlights and whatever strikes our fancy.  Find us on Twitter at twitter.com/PerAnnum, and on Facebook at tinyurl.com/PerAnnumFB.

•  Another great way to save is to keep your eyes peeled when you are placing an order on www.PerAnnum.com -- towards the end of the checkout process, we offer specially-priced BONUS BUYS, which feature Diaries, albums, scrapbooks and more at major discounts.  You can add them to your order on the spot and save big!

And of course, there is this very blog that you're reading right now.  I mentioned coupon code BLOG in my last entry, and it is still active -- be sure to use it while you can!  And stay tuned for more deals & discounts as we make our way through the summer months.

(P.S. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all you dads out there!)

City Diary Reminders

It's been a while since the last time we talked about our good ol' City Diaries in this blog, so I just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone of two great Diary-related deals that are going on right now.

First, if by chance you haven't yet purchased a 2009 City Diary, or if you lost yours and need a new one, or if you want to buy a gift for someone, or if just want collect the entire rainbow of colors (hey, we can dream, right?), now is the time to do it!  2009 City Diaries are now 50% OFF -- that means simulated leather is only $9, genuine leather is $15 and the leather deluxe is a mere $16.50.  Be sure to grab them while you still can!

Second, there is still time to pre-order your 2010 City Diary and save some cash.  We are currently offering FREE SHIPPING on all pre-paid pre-orders through the end of July.  Reserve your copy now and receive it as soon as the Diaries arrive in stock towards the end of the summer.  Remember, our supply may be more limited than usual this year due to the economic climate, so pre-ordering is the best way to ensure that you get yours!  (Plus, you can never go wrong with free shipping.)

As an added bonus, feel free to use coupon code BLOG to take an additional 10% off all City Diary orders.  Here are some quick links for your convenience:

2009 City Diaries (50% Off):
http://www.perannum.com/search/K/BT/21/0/0/94/0.aspx

2010 City Diaries (Free Shipping till 7/31):
http://www.perannum.com/search/K/BT/21/0/0/112/0.aspx

Do you Tweet? What’s Your Status?

Have you jumped on the social media bandwagon?  Are you on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or any other social networking site?  Why or why not?

If you keep a daily journal, like to write or wish you were better at it, microblogging might be a good place to exercise your creative writing skills.

With a limited number of characters in a tweet or status update, you are forced to be concise.  And unless you want to bore your friends to death, a little bit of wit can be fun and engaging.

One way to get started is to follow others with similar interests on Twitter or to join some fan clubs on Facebook.  By reading what others like you have to say, you’ll catch on, and by getting into the conversation you’ll find your own voice.  You may even make some new friends.

Still wondering what you should post?  Here are a few examples.

• Just the basics – “I am really hating today’s weather.”
• Share a favorite quote – “Dolly Parton once said ‘The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.’"
• Share a random thought or observation – “I hate the smell of wet denim, so why did I wear this jacket today?”
• Share a favorite product or web site – “I love my umbrella, it makes me happy - http://tinyurl.com/6tbwtt.”

(Tinyurl.com is a site that will turn a long web address into a short link so it will fit into a tweet!)

Although it can be addicting, you can set aside a mere 10-30 minutes a day to update your status and check in on your friends and fan clubs.  I think it is cool to be able to look back on your posts and get an instant snapshot into your life and interests at a given point in time.  You can even create a scrapbook page of your monthly tweets and/or posts, or you can print them and add them to a journal!

We recently began tweeting.  You can follow us here:
http://twitter.com/perannum


Join one of our Facebook fan clubs for product updates and conversations with other fans:

Per Annum:
http://tinyurl.com/PerAnnumFacebook

Manhattan Diary:
http://tinyurl.com/ManDiaryFacebook


Here are some helpful tools for you:

Getting started on Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/925rod

Getting started on Twitter:
http://tinyurl.com/dysc2n

Twitter FAQs:
http://tinyurl.com/ahdnrq

Twitter Dictionary:
http://www.twittonary.com

Take a class on MicroBlogging and Scrapbooking:
http://tinyurl.com/dabxwg

Raika Leather Albums: Timeless Classics

Over the years, we've seen lots of products come and go.  We add new products to our website regularly, and sometimes they thrive (yay!), or sometimes we end up removing them before long (boo!).  But there are a few items that have remained constant bestsellers, and right now I'd like to reintroduce you to one in particular:  The Raika Leather Album.

Now, Raika offers a lot of different albums, and all of them are very nice, luxurious, high-end leather products.  But I've noticed that the ones that people keep coming back to are the classic photo albums with slip-in pockets.  These oldies-but-goodies continue to be popular because they are, quite simply, perfect albums!  The slip-in pockets make them easy to use, of course... but it's the beautiful, colorful, multi-textured covers that are really striking.  Whether you're looking for a plain, smooth, glossy cover or a funky, red, crocodile-print, Raika will have what you need.

The albums are post-bound and available in 2-up, 3-up, 4-up and 5-up sizes, offering storage of anywhere from 120 to 250 photos (plus, they are refillable so you can add even more pages).  Choose from a variety of leather textures and colors, and rest assured that you will be able to display your treasured photos in style for years to come!

Click the links below to find these albums on our website:

Raika 2-up Album:
http://www.perannum.com/products/R102.aspx

Raika 3-up Album:
http://www.perannum.com/products/R127.aspx

Raika 4-up Album:
http://www.perannum.com/products/R178.aspx

Raika 5-up Album:
http://www.perannum.com/products/R105.aspx