

	*December 11, 2007* TPIE TIMES TPIE – The Only National Tropical Plant Show Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) January 17 – 19, 2008 Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain TPIE is the optimal event to explore, dream and discover in the world of tropical plants! With houseplants and tropical plants and all things green, catching the consumer’s attention more than ever, TPIE is the place you can find the coolest, newest, most diverse collection of tropical plants for your clientele. Look who is talking about houseplants! Recently (November, 2007) while a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Mehmet Oz, co-author of a series of health books and a favorite Oprah guest, promoted houseplants as healthy tools to improve indoor air quality in homes. This follows similar information he included in the book You The Owners Manual where he encourages readers to “Go to the nursery!” The Oprah Winfrey Show is considered one of the most influential television programs in America and is watched by millions of Americans daily, particularly women. “In My Opinion” – Click Here to read TPIE’s guest blog by John Trax, Jr. of Northwest Nursery Buyers Association Rhododendron, OR and current president of Garden Centers of America (GCA). John offers words of wisdom and a practical sense of humor to cope with change, technology and keeping life interesting. TPIE is where business and fun meet! TPIE declares its opening day, Thursday, Jan. 17 as Tropical Plant Shirt Day. No coat or tie required for the relaxed atmosphere of TPIE. Wear your favorite flowered/palm tree/beach shirt (we know you have one) to the show on Thursday and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win some fun, tropic-related prizes such as Jimmy Buffett cd’s, gift cards to Bass Pro Shop and Ron Jon’s Surf Shop. As they say in the tropics – It’s All Good! More Fun On Thursday evening at the TPIE Opening Night Reception! Buy your tickets now to attend this fun event taking place at Thursday, Jan. 17, 6 – 8 pm, GulfStream Park Racing & Casino, considered one of America’s most important venues for winter horse racing. The reception will be a picnic format, track-side, with a complete array of food and drinks, from ribs and burgers to potato salad and corn on the cob. Plenty of beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks for everyone. Transportation is provided. Register before December 28 for the lowest ticket prices. Arrive early to catch the last races of the day (approximately 5 pm) and see the horses in action. Register Now For Discounted Prices! Take advantage of discounted prices and avoid registration lines by registering online. Your badges and tickets will be mailed to you approximately 2 weeks prior to the show. Early registration deadline is December 28! Click Here to register now! Don’t Forget To Book Your Hotel Rooms For TPIE! As you can imagine, January is a popular time to visit Fort Lauderdale, Florida and hotels fill up quickly. Take advantage of all the TPIE Housing Bureau has to offer and make your reservations at one of TPIE’s host hotels. Although the December 6th reservation deadline has passed, the housing bureau will continue to receive reservations and help with placement based on availability. Click Here to go to the Housing Bureau.
	The Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) is sponsored by: Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA) 1533 Park Center Drive - Orlando. FL 32835-5705. Phone: 407.295.7994 - 800-375-3642 - 407-295-1619 (fax) website: www.fngla.org - email: info@fngla.org All Rights Reserved.