Love is in the air: Your room overlooking ESPN's setup in Sundance Square the week of the Super Bowl could be as low as $499 a night at the Embassy Suites. Didn't think so, but maybe you've got guests in town? Newz-E-Letter couldn't get you a room one of those nights, but how about this incredible super Romance Package some non-Super-week night? It includes a large and luxurious two-room suite (hey, bring some friends), a cocktail-and-appetizer happiness hour, a cooked-to-order breakfast, flowers, chocolate strawberries, champagne and keepsake Embassy Suite glasses. Hostesses with the mostest Jodi and Bridget even threw in complimentary valet parking. Where the West begins: Gloria and Jim Austin founded, worked long and hard and succeeded with the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum, which educates and offers a complete historical perspective of the people and activities that built the American West. They are celebrating the museum's 10th anniversary Friday night at Casa Manana with 10 acts, headlined by Cuba Gooding, Sr. and The Main Ingredients. The honorary hosts are Mr. & Mrs. Bill Lively; Mr. Lively is head of another host committee in two weeks, a little thing called the Super Bowl. Jimaustinonline.com bowled us over with two VIP tickets to Friday night's festivities; the tickets include the show, a Buttons-catered after party and open bar.

Tarrant County College Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley told the lunch crowd she was reminded of Tina Turner’s hit, “You Better Be Good to Me,” with “me” being TCC. Because TCC students are good to (and for) Fort Worth. Why? For one, because 9 of 10 first responders - fire academy, EMS, RN’s - are trained at TCC. Pictured also is new Texas Wesleyan University President Fred Slabach. See more photos here.     Sponsored by

A little motivation: Michael Lee Stallard, author of Fired Up or Burned Out, is the Jan. 26 Tandy Executive Speaker Series guest. (At this point of 2011, we're just fired up that we're not burned out.) Stallard is a guy with connections and he speaks around the world on networking and leadership. Managers and salespeople that are early risers -this is a 7:30 breakfast at TCU -- shouldn't miss out on this chance to sit at the Chamber table.

Oh, quit wining: We love it that Julie Lovett is the continuing education educator at TCU. She continues to educate us on wines, wines and more wines. And to educate, you must test and test and test...wines, not students. Three wine classes coming up are Tour de France Jan. 25, Green Friendly Wines Feb. 22 and Porch Wines March 29. You'll be lovin'-it, too, when you win two seats to one of the classes.

It takes teamwork: Chelsea and Carter Hord are hoteliers, she the sales manager at TownePlace Suites Fort Worth Downtown and he the chief engineer at the Residence Inn Fort Worth Cultural District. And they'll be laboring in February and March--first with the Super Bowl invasion and then with little newborn H in March. 

Super rescue: Super this, Super that and you're probably thinking Super traffic mess, right? Not if you plan ahead with the City of Fort Worth's website: http://www.fortworthgov.org/superweek/ It has street closures, maps, shuttle info, events, announcements and links to partner organizations for everything Super in Fort Worth.

Add this to Linked-In: Brant Ringler, four-star general of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, doesn't need to go far for a testimonial on his leadership abilities. Unsolicited from volunteer Rene Knox at Cash America: “Brant Ringler is just tearing up all kinds of records and receiving major kudos for bringing this bowl to the stature that it is now receiving on a national level. He is some kind of great leader!

Toy story (x) 3: Natalie Parish of EECU is still digging out from Christmas. Because of parental divorces and re-marriages, her kids have lots of grandparents. “We make ALL the rounds,” she said. “Looks like Toys 'R Us here.”

But they only visit, then leave: Doug Will of Willco says you won't really understand chaos until you've spent time with his 14-month-old triplet grandchildren, who are walking gingerly and talking eagerly.

Buy low, sell high: Don Hankins, President of Alamo Corporate Group, knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. That's what happens when you're in the business brokering industry. He offered some insight at a Chamber breakfast at Colonial Country Club last week:

• Only one in five businesses with annual sales less than $2.5 million sell. One in three for business with sales up to $10 mil.
• The best time to think of selling is BEFORE you buy or start a business. Have an exit strategy. Exit strategies should affect most of your business decisions.
• “Repeatable Cash Flow” is the No. 1 value driver. Your business had a great year or has been great for a while, but can that success be repeated?

Law and order: Mr. B loves Zorro's buffet restaurant. He always leaves full-and-wider. Which is probably how interim Fort Worth City Manager Tom Higgins feels when he gets a legal earful from Sarah Fullenwider. She's got so much knowledge that Higgins has recommended her to City Council as the next City Attorney.

Red Carpet season: The Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award is celebrating its 25th anniversary this February by honoring Auburn's Cam Newton at the Fort Worth Club. Did you know it also honors a top high school student/athlete with a $20,000 scholarship? Yep, thanks to the support of Cantey Hanger, Frost Bank and Luther King Capital Management.

Growing minds: Tarrant County College's Southeast Campus was built 15 years ago for 5,500 students. (5549 started because daughter MisBehavin' didn't qualify academically.) Now it serves 15,000. A new 114,519-square-foot Science and Academic Wing should help ease the crowding. It will be ready for spring classes.  

Only in Texas? Eric Jones of The E. Jones Agency (Nationwide Insurance) had quite the experience at Cowboy Church in Lipan, Tx. “Livestock in a play, dogs at church, a blue heeler sitting in the first pew next to some guy, and holiday lights on spurs,” he said. “Amazing!”

We've got horse sense: Another Super Bowl of sorts for Where the West Begins. The renowned Reichert Celebration is moving from Tulsa to Fort Worth for 2011-2015. This year's celebration is September 2-11 at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center. The Reichert is described as “the nation's No. 1 All Breed Horse Show and Futurity for its incredible payouts, innovative futurity programs and intense level of competition.”

Recession-proof: One of the more amazing feats during the recession is One West 7th, the building that houses Weaver and Fidelity, among others. It was built during the recession and is 80 percent leased, according to Jerry Bolz of Peloton Real Estate Partners.

Women only? Not! The Chamber's Women Influencing Business is not a misnomer. Heck, women influence EVERYTHING and the other 90 percent they are in charge of. Because they hold the cards does not mean they hold the keys. The seminars WIB put on are informative and they are open door to ALL Chamber members. So, join Mr. B Feb. 3 at Sarah Petty's marketing workshop. Sarah will share her tips on marketing and leveraging strategic partnerships for any business interested in marketing/PR/advertising.