Blog - Mark Marchand blog

Viewing 20th century America through Norman Rockwell’s eyes

Post published:January 15, 2019

Before he passed away in 1978, famed illustrator Norman Rockwell offered the “secret” behind how he crafted his amazing paintings: “I love to tell stories in pictures,” he explains in a biographical video at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. He adds that what he was trying to do wasn’t “fine art.” His legions of fans would probably disagree. “The story is the first thing and the last thing,” he concludes. A visitor to the wonderful museum dedicated to Rockwell’s life and work doesn’t really need to hear those words. Each…

Driving U.S. Route 1 from Northern Maine to Key West; a new book

Post published:May 22, 2018

During the summer of 2014, I embarked on a solo drive that had roots stretching all the way back to epic road trips with my family as we followed my Air Force father on assignments here and abroad. In late-June 2014, I set out from my home in upstate New York to drive the entire length of U.S. Route 1 from remote, forested northern Maine to artsy, bucolic Key West. As it snakes along the East Coast for over 2,400 miles, this famous -- but somewhat ignored -- highway winds through some…

Actions speak louder than words; Starbucks and crisis communications

Post published:May 2, 2018

Below is my Op Ed on the Starbucks arrest matter in Philadelphia, and how the company handled it. This column originally appeared April 27, 2018, in the Daily Gazette in Schenectady, N.Y. (Photo credit: AdWeek) ------------------ Starbucks Backs it Words With Actions Actions speak louder than words. Just ask Starbucks about the value of this old adage. The large coffee house company is driving home a lesson many of us learned when we were young. To learn about responsibility and accountability, teachers, mentors, parents, and others employed this old saying to help…

Cutting the cable TV cord: Our experience

Post published:March 10, 2018

(photo credit above: AARP) We reached the end of our rope with cable TV in December. It seemed that every month our bill from Spectrum (or Time Warner or Charter...it's pretty confusing) was higher. When we asked about it, we were basically told that rates were going up, and would continue to increase to $200 per month later this year. That's a lot for a family that buys the basic cable TV package with one set-top box, phone and internet access. We don't buy any premium services like Showtime or HBO. The…

The Guggenheim walk

Post published:February 6, 2018

(This is the second in a series of posts about hikes I've taken through New York City and elsewhere) New York City. There is, in my opinion, no other city in the world that so easily reveals an eclectic mix of history, arts, entertainment, business/finance, retail, architecture, and simply people from literally every corner of the globe. All are slowly unveiled while walking the avenues, streets, bridges, and alleys of The Big Apple. Over the last decade, I have embarked on many New York City hikes to experience the wonders of this…