A Greener Way to Illuminate…

Posted in Anatomy of a Party, Brands, Sites + Technology We Love, Decor + Style, Weddings by

Event lighting is a relatively small investment that yields a significant impact on the overall décor and ambience captured by your event.  Perhaps the least expensive and most common lighting option is candles.  But have you ever given thought to the amount of energy that is consumed making tea light candles only for them to burn for 2 hours and be discarded?  What about the amount of wax and wicker that goes into large votive candles? Depending on the number of candles you burn annually, you may be leaving behind a rather impressive carbon footprint.

A greener and safer option, which has been growing in popularity over the years, is the flameless and rechargeable candle. Until recently though, I’ve thought that what flameless candles made up for in cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness, they’ve lacked in design…that is, until I came across these ideas.

While all of these are touted as the perfect decorative light addition to your home, office or child’s room consider them for use the next time your event calls for the soothing benefits of a soft candle.

Milk Glass Cup Shaped LED Night Light Lamp

This energy saving LED Light is designed to look like a glass of milk and even comes in a fun cow-inspired package.  Standing at 5.43 inches high and weighing only 4.6 ounces, this fun lighting alternative is powered by 3 AAA batteries and an ON/OFF setting that is concealed on the bottom of the glass.  When set to ON, the light inside of the glass will turn off automatically whenever it is tilted sideways or placed upside down. Unlike the Sun Moon Jar (shown below), the Milk Glass Cup Shaped LED Night Light Lamp is not water repellent and will need to be kept dry if used outdoors. You can buy them on Ebay for about $4.97 each (includes shipping).

Sun Moon Jar LED Solar Mood Lamp Light

Aren’t these adorable?  The Sun Moon Jar LED Solar Mood Lamp Light is a completely waterproof and weatherproof lighting option – making it the perfect outdoor solar light solution that comes in blue, amber or pink.  Like the Milk Glass Cup Shaped LED Night Light Lamp, the Sun Moor Jar also contains an ON/OFF setting but the batteries are replaced with 2 solar panels which automatically charge by day and give off a welcoming glow at night. The Sun Moon Jar LED Solar Mood Lamp Light also doubles as a storage solution, and is large enough to house candy, coins or collectibles. The least expensive unit price located online for the Sun Moon Jar is $13..24 at CZRH but keep in mind you’ll be paying for international shipping and will require additional time for delivery.

Soji Modern Rechargeable Solar Lanterns

The Soji Modern Rechargeable Solar Lantern is where design meets sustainability, making these the perfectly elegant lighting solution for an elegantly posh event.  Created in a layered wave-like form on hand formed weather resistant plastic, these green lighting alternatives are unique, portable, and efficient and will never require stringing of unsightly electrical wires. Creating the effect of a solar powered chandelier the Soji Modern lantern will turn itself on at dusk to cast a stunning golden glow that can last up to 6 hours.  They are available in 3 beautiful patterns: Pure White, Pearl Motif (white with white floral pattern) and Mineral Motif (white with grey floral pattern). If you order them from LampLust, you’ll pay about $36.99 a piece but will enjoy the discounted rate of $34.99 if you purchase 4 or more and the benefits of free shipping for all orders of $99 or more.

Targetti Art Light

Created by Australian born designer, Simon Crilley, this Targetti Art Light is actually a ceramic plate that contains living, breathing, and growing turf.  Yep, you read that right…it’s alive and as it grows it changes the nature of the light cast by the lamp.  Sadly, this item isn’t for sale.


Calling All Brides…Lace Up Your Sneakers for the 2011 Running of the Bride Event

Posted in Events + Contests + Giveaways by

BRIDES, are you in the NYC area, tomorrow, February 18th?  Then get on your mark…get set…and head over to Filene’s Basement for the most intense bridal gown extravaganza of the year.   Yes, I’m talking about the Running of the Brides, a special one-day sale where thousands of gowns, normally retailing up to $9000, are drastically marked down  to prices ranging anywhere from $249 to $699.

If this is your first time hearing of or planning to attend the Running of the Brides, you’re in for a experience unlike any other you’ll encounter along your bridal journey.  Many women will camp out the night before to ensure they are first in line when the doors to Filene’s Basement open at 8am.  And when they do, it’ll be every woman for herself as the frenzy to empty racks of dresses, in hopes of finding that perfect wedding gown begins.  And forget the concept of dressing rooms as dresses will be tried on in aisles while helpers roam the floor to trade sizes, colors and designers with other teams.

It will be every bit chaotic as it sounds but if you implement simple steps, like: arrive early; recruit your team early and provide them with examples of the type(s) of dresses you’re looking for; pack light for the day, leaving your handbag and makeup home for the day; and making sure you wear boy shorts and a strapless bra, you could very well find your dream dress in no time.

The Running of the Brides event is also scheduled to take place in a Filene’s Basement in the following markets:

  • New York City, NY – Broadway and 80th St. (Friday, February 18th, 2011 – 8am to 10pm)
  • Boston, MA – Hynes Convention Center (Friday, March 11th, 2011 – 8am to 8pm)
  • Atlanta, GA – 3535 Peachtree Road NE (Friday, March 18, 2011 – 8am to 9pm)
  • Chicago, IL – One N. State St. (Friday, April 8, 2011 – 8am to 9pm)
  • Washington, D.C. – Mazza Gallerie (Friday, April 29, 2011 – 8am to 9pm)

MAC Cosmetics Goes Super Hero Glamourous

Posted in Fashion + Beauty by

This Spring, MAC Cosmetics wants us all to banish the thought of being a Plain Jane and will be channeling the SHERO in all of us with the launch of their Wonder Woman makeup line.  This limited edition line is scheduled to hit stores nationwide on February 10th and features a legendary line up of super-sized Mineralize Skin finish, bold Eye Shadow quads, Pigment, Opulash, Lipsticks and over-sized Lipglass, jumbo-big Powder Blush and Penultimate Eye Liner, Nail Lacquer and Lash inspired by the larger-than-life Bold Babe.  The packaging is so much fun and with prices spanning $14 for nail polish to $49.50 for a bag and brush set, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a fabulously adult way to remember our favorite comic book  super-heroine and tap into your inner diva.

EXPOSED: Michelle and Lauren Grossberg of TopstiX

Posted in Brands, Sites + Technology We Love by

Michelle Grossberg (Creator) and sister Lauren Grossberg (Marketing / PR) are the owners and creative designers of TopstiX – plastic chopsticks that are hand decorated in 164 Swarovski crystals and personally customized to bling out your Sushi dining experience.  When I first heard about the concept, I immediately thought they were a very cute favor idea for a Dim Sum brunch celebrating the Chinese New Year. And thanks to Twitter, I was able to catch up with Michelle and Lauren for this very sparkly installation of EXPOSED.

Company Snapshot:

  • Name: TopstiX
  • Established: 2010
  • What is Your Main Line of Business? We hand make Swarovski covered chopsticks, delicately placing each stone one by one for a fun and unique gift.
  • Why TopstiX? It is a play on chopsticks (what we cover in rhinestones!) and since we do it on the top of the stick, it fits perfectly with our product!
  • What Was The Inspiration for TopstiX? Our love of everything bling! We already owned blinged out phones, ipods, and other accessories, but not a pair of chopsticks! That, combined with our love of sushi, inspired us to create a product that no one has ever done before.
  • Explain the day in the life as a business owner: We spend many hours on social media sites and outlets, trying to reach out to our fan base, and also build new connections and relationships with future ones. Not only do we spend many hours producing our product, but we brainstorm new color combos and pattern ideas.
  • What is the best business advice you’ve ever received? To never give up and keep trying. We always remember to keep our heads up and pushing the product. Since we believe we have a great product, we are always working hard to spread the word!


Reflections

  • Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • School Creds: We’re both graduates of the University of Florida.  Go Gators!!
  • Our First Job: After college graduation, we were fortunate enough to tag along on a business trip to China to one of their father’s business trips to China with their father. While there, we were able to take part in his export business, East West Trading Company. It was there, where we were inspired by the many colors, styles and culture of the country.
  • What keeps you up at night? We are constantly dreaming big of what is up and coming for our business, sometimes losing precious hours of sleep!
  • What are some wise words that you live by? Get in the Mix and Grab some Stix!
  • What was/is your best career decision? Starting our own business! We realized after working for others, in order to really get our ideas out there that we must take charge!

Diversions

  • Reading now: Kardashian Konfidential (we absolutely adore these empowering businesswomen!)
  • Reading next: A Shore Thing. We love reality TV and Snooki is a hot client that would be PERFECT for Topstix!
  • Last fun purchase: Hello Kitty Compact Mirror
  • When you’re not working you can be found doing what? Blinging out chopsticks! But we both love to travel, shop, read gossip magazines and eat good food!

Playing Favorites

  • Hotel: Fountainebleau  South Beach
  • Getaway: LA  (home to many of our clients *wink*
  • Entrée: SUSHI!
  • Drink: Skinnygirl Margarita
  • Guilty pleasure: Perezhilton.com

Looking For More Information

Hostess Hints: Super Bowl XLV

Posted in Food + Drink by

Super Bowl 2011 countdown banner
I’m a huge football fan (E-A-G-L-E-S…EAGLES!!!!) and while I’m still a little vexed over my teams playoff defeat, I’ve opted to root for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they go helmet-to-helmet against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.  Joining me will be a few of my besties (and their lovelies) for what I’m sure will be an entertaining evening of friendly yet fiery sports fun.

IMAGE COURTESY OF BALLOONFANTASTIQUE.COM

Whether you are a skilled party planner or hosting your first, in home event, you too can host a stylishly sports appropriate super bowl celebration with just a few of the following hostess hints:

KNOW YOUR TEAMS…and once you do, incorporate details about them into every element of your party. Unless you’re a diehard fan of either team, mix and match both teams colors into your party decor, including plates, table clothes, napkins, and party streamers. You may want to consider purchasing NFL posters or team banners to use as the event backdrop; however smaller items such as balloons and football shaped trays can be purchased at many local dollar stores as other sports-savvy accessories.  If you’re looking for something a little more feminine and fun try purchasing pom-poms and piñatas for your Super Bowl party.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IVILLAGE.COM

A MEMORABLE MENU IS A MUST-HAVE.  You don’t have to be a pro in the kitchen to provide your guests with a menu that is not only fun and fancy but also budget-friendly and surprisingly easy to make .

Upgrade your menu from pizza and wing-dings and consider providing your sports fanatics friends this delicious menu of items from ivillage.com’s list of 50 Big Game Party Recipes.

    IMAGE COURTESY OF KRISPYKREME.COM

    A few other items that need to be considered when finalizing the menu are a salad and fruit option, and most importantly, dessert.  I, personally, will be providing a mixed spring salad (with a variety of dressing options) and fruit kabobs, consisting of strawberries, pineapples, red grapes, blackberries, kiwi and cherries alongside low-fat vanilla yogurt.  And no, the fruit kabobs are not dessert.  Krispy Kreme football shaped donuts are and if you call your local store at least 48 hours in advance, they will customize your entire order in your favorite team’s colors.

    You’ll also want to make sure that the bar is stocked. After all, it IS a party.  My besties and their lovelies represent a versatile group of beer, wine, cognac and cocktail/mocktail drinkers; therefore my bar will contain equal parts Corona and Heineken, Merlot and Riesling, and a DIY Bar of fruit juices (Orange, Pineapple, Cranberry,Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime and Pink Lemonade) that can be combined with, or without,  Champagne (or Seltzer) to make their own custom-flavored Champagne Cocktail/Mocktail.

    Team cocktail flags (shown left), like the ones shown on MakeMerryEvents.com,  are a simple and easy way to decorate your drink and still pay homage to your favorite team.  Remember, as the hostess of any event, you are ultimately responsible for the well-being of your guests.  Avoid having a good evening end in tragedy by:

  • Ensuring guests are eating in addition to drinking.
  • Not offering to refill glasses until they are a little more than half-empty.
  • Closing the bar at least 45 minutes prior to the scheduled event end time.
  • Not allowing intoxicated guests to drive home.  Either appoint a designated driver or allow them to spend the night.

Game Time Food Prep Reminders:

  • Do as much food prep the day before the event to cut down on the day-of to-do list. Cut veggie and fruit slices in advance and store in Ziplock bags for easy access.
  • Finger foods drastically cut down on the number of dishes that need to be used and washed following your event.
  • Don’t forget the ice.  One bag of ice is typically enough for a party of 20.
  • If your party is a BYOB, make sure to alert guests up front.

FUN AFTER THE HALF-TIME COMMERCIALS. While the half-time commercials are often a memorably entertaining relief from the pressure of an intense game, keep the competitive adrenaline going with a little half-time trivia.  IQFB.com is a convenient online resource where you can find an array of historical facts on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers that can be asked in true/false or fill in the blank form against individuals or pre-determined halftime teams. Up the ante by making losing teams take a shot while winners take home a bottle of fine  wine or other bar-related gift items.

DON’T SEND GUESTS HOME EMPTY-HANDED. Favors, however small, are a event must-have.  I like to think of them as your hostess calling card and necessary reminder to guests of the great event experience they just had.  Ideally, your favors should be trinkets that can be used during the event, i.e., pom poms, miniature footballs, candies wrapped in organza sachets but if you’re feeling a little daring, try making these Football Inspired Air Fresheners, inspired by Alison Kontour of Body Bath Supply.

HAVE FUN!! After all, isn’t that the primary goal of any party?

Tell us, better yet, SHOW US your Super Bowl decorating ideas and we’ll share them with our twitter family.

Looking for additional Super Bowl resources online:

Do We Love It? Real Housewives of Atlanta, Cynthia Bailey, Wedding Dress Revealed

Posted in Celebrity Weddings by

If you follow Bravo TVs drama reality series, Real Housewives of Atlanta, then you know the season finale will finally reveal whether or not self-confessed runaway bride, Cynthia Bailey actually says “I do” to 50 year old fiance, Peter Thomas.

Thanks to my bestie [@JenayeMarnique] I learned that the February issue of Essence will include an entire spread of the Bailey/Thomas wedding day but not before a leaked photo revealed the the statuesque fashion model draped in her custom-designed, gunmetal silver, Rubin Stinger wedding dress.

 

PHOTO COURTESY OF WETPAINT.COM

My initial reaction upon seeing the dress was one of shock, after all it is fiercely larger than life. I love the exaggerated style of the dress and the gunmetal/chocolate brown/white color combination. I even think she looks fabulously stunning in the nontraditional gown but they remind me more of a couple that is about to step out on the red carpet than one about to say their vows.

Cynthia and Peter did, however, tie the knot in a formal ceremony that took place on July 24th, 2010 at the Fernback Museum of Natural History (Atlanta, GA).  The couple, now 187 days into their new life together, posted a simple wedding website (which is disappointingly lacking in wedding recaps) and registered at Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Tiffany and Co. Despite recent rumors of possible marital challenges, we wish Cynthia and Peter all of the joy in the world in their new marriage.

The season finale of Real Housewives of Atlanta airs this Sunday, January 30th at 10:00pm on Bravo TV.

December 1st is World Aids Day

Posted in Holiday Spirit by

Here’s an alarming statistic: Nationwide there are approximately 33.4M people living with HIV and approximately 2M die each year from the disease.

World Aids Day is a worldwide movement that seeks to raise money, increase awareness and education, and dispel myths and prejudices surrounding HIV and Aids.  More importantly, it is a reminder for all of us that HIV is still prevalent and there is still much to do in improving the lives of those infected and minimizing the number of new cases reported each year.

The 2010 theme for World Aids Day is Universal Access and Human Rights – two very important components in ensuring that those infected with HIV/AIDS have the same access to medical care and treatment as those without it and are treated fairly, without bias or discrimination, regardless of sexual orientation or medical history.

Remember….there are 33.4M people living with this disease which means there are fewer degrees of separation in who is impacted, either directly or indirectly by HIV/AIDS.  That also means that we all have a responsibility to take actions that protect human and civil rights and demand that appropriate measures for preventing, treating and caring for those affected by HIV/AIDS are taken.

If you’re looking for ways to show your support of World Aids Day or show your support and care for HIV/AIDS, here are a few ideas:

  • Wear a red ribbon (exactly like the one in the photo above)
  • Attend a World Aids Event.  A searchable database of events nationwide can be accessed here.
  • Host a candlelight vigil at your church or community center
  • Volunteer at your local hospital to read to children who were born with HIV/AIDS
  • GET TESTED!!!  To find a listing of facilities offering free HIV/AIDS testing visit www.yourstdhelp.com/free_clinic_locator.html

For more information on HIV/AIDS, visit the DHSS web site at www.nj.gov/health/aids or call the DHSS AIDS hotline at 1-866-HIV-CHECK.