Last weekend I performed magic during a wedding reception in Seattle. (FYI: having a “wedding magician” is actually very common in Great Britain and some other areas of the world.)

This trick is a perfect example of the kind of magic that works best during a cocktail party or reception. When I’m hired to perform strolling magic, I always choose magic tricks that don’t require a table and can be kept in my pockets.

But most importantly, I want tricks that are fast, visual, and totally impossible. Like this one. I hope you enjoy it!

I just spent the weekend in Seattle, where I performed some strolling magic right on the ocean. We had a terrific time, as you can see from the photo above (that’s me in the vest).

I was hired to perform at the wedding of a old college friend of mine. He also put my wife and me up at their beachside home in Puget Sound for a few days so we could go sightseeing in downtown Seattle. It made for a wonderful vacation. I’ll make sure to upload some more pics and a video or two when I have the chance.

It was a beautiful wedding and I’m happy I could be a part of it!

After my weekend magic show and some sightseeing on Sunday, my wife and I caught a 6am back to Los Angeles on Virgin America. I always fly Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic whenever I get the chance, and I wholeheartedly recommend them.

We upgraded to first class so we could sleep on the way home, and it was totally worth it! I LOVE VIRGIN! (end of shameless corporate plug)

Isn’t this photo COOL? I gotta give Sarah credit… she took an incredible shot. My wife rocks.

When people think of a magician, they often picture a magic wand. Magicians have used magic wands for centuries, and the image of a magician holding a wand is as iconic as it gets.

As you would assume, a magician has lots of options when buying a wand. Kid show magicians usually opt for the traditional black and white wand. They’re cheap, plastic, and an easy giveaway for the birthday boy.

Corporate magicians and those of us who perform for adults usually prefer something a bit more… special. This is why I use a handmade wand from Stephen Levit.

A few months ago I purchased this incredible magic wand from my magician friend Jonathan Levit. It was hand-made by his father Stephen and it looks stunning! It’s made of rosewood and ebony, with two thin bands of faux ivory. Everyone who’s seen it has commented to me about how beautiful it is.

Sure… a handmade magic wand won’t come cheap (these wands go for around $150), but IMHO, if you do quality magic… you should use a quality wand.

If you’re in the market for a magic wand, or just curious, check out the Levit Wand website. You can even build your own!

This Monday, I’ll be hanging out poolside with some of my event-planner friends from Wedding Happy Hour at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Culver City. All proceeds will go to Autism Speaks.

Wedding Happy Hour is a boutique bridal cocktail hour featuring some of the BEST wedding vendors in California. There’s free drinks, awesome appetizers, and NO salesmen or booths. You’ll have a great time AND you’ll get a lot of planning done too!

FYI: I’ll be performing some strolling magic here and there as well.

If you or anyone you know is getting married soon, check out the Wedding Happy Hour website to attend this really fun event! Bring your friends and say “hi.” Hope to see you there.

I was hired to perform some magic at a partner retreat for a law firm tonight. They wanted some strolling magic during the cocktail hour, followed by a show.

I’m no stranger to performing at partner retreats… but this show was different: The employees were bringing their kids.

Situations where the magician has to entertain BOTH kids and adults are tricky (pardon the pun), because the type of magic that adults like isn’t always the type of magic that kids like. While the adults at this event outnumbered the kids 4 to 1… I knew I was going to have to customize my scripting to maximize the entertainment value for everyone there.

I immediately removed all gambling routines (kids don’t know what a royal flush is). I also added a simple teach-a-trick segment where I taught a the kids a magic trick they could do for their friends at school.

The important thing is to keep it accessible for all ages without “dumbing it down” to the point where you loose the interest from the adults.

All in all, I’m very happy with how the show went. All of the employees were a complete joy to perform for. While I got a lot of wonderful compliments at the end, the REAL proof was in how the children were running around afterward, trying to duplicate the magic they had seen on stage.