Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Champagne & Cake Celebration

36 years ago...yes, I said 36... a child was born! That beautiful, miracle of life, happened to be yours truly! My birthday was last week, October 23rd. To celebrate, my very own National Holiday, I put together a last minute celebration.



The following pictures are of my Champagne and Cake Celebration. It was held at the home of someone who answered my ad off of Craig's List. I am a testament that you can get almost anything off Craig's List and for a great deal. If I told you how much I rented the home for, you would not believe me!!

I want to thank my friend, Mrs. Shakur-Harris, for assisting me and putting up with my idea of a small affair! :-) I would like to thank my friends who came to help me celebrate as well! During these occasions of your life, it is very satisfying to know that you have family and friends who love you! So THANK YOU and I love you!!!

Now, on to the pictures!!!


Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Event Space, Continued....

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the establishments highlighted.
Continuing with the theme of Event Space in Atlanta, the next establishment that I want to highlight is LIT Kitchen.





Location: 433C Bishop Street Atlanta, GA 30318
Contact: 404-249-4300

Per the LITKitchen website: LITKitchen specializes in planning and hosting private parties and culinary events for businesses, organizations, associations, and private groups.
We offer a wide variety of hand's-on, interactive events and services designed to educate, entertain and demonstrate the Art of Culinary Excellence. We provide an atmosphere where participants learn more than just the preparation of fine cuisine, they attain the fundamental skills and knowledge of the true Culinary Art.

LITKitchen offers a wide variety of culinary activities throughout the Atlanta Metro Area.
Interactive Hands-on Cooking Classes - We bring the food, the wine, the cookware and the Chef. You prepare the food right along side the Chef with hands on instructions. Afterwards you get to enjoy the culinary masterpieces in a fun and comfortable dining setting with your friends. This event is not only entertaining but educational as well!!!

Private Events - Let LITKitchen provide you with the ingredients for a perfect event. LITKitchen private events are great for – Wedding Showers, Birthday Parties, Catering Events, and much much more!
Meal & Take Out Services - LitKitchen offers a variety of Meal & Take Out Services for Dinner Parties, Romantic Dinners, Lunch, and more.

Field Trips - Come join us on culinary adventures all around town. We will be taking you to hidden markets, teach you how to pick the right kinds of foods and where to buy the best ingredients for all your Culinary pleasures.
ChefWars - You & your friends can compete in a war of Culinary Art & Skill. You will have 45 minutes to prepare as many dishes as possible using ingredients which will only be presented to you once the event begins. Afterwards your dishes will be judged by a panel based on presentation, originality and taste. The winners will be awarded the Customer Chef War Champion award!!!





Photos retrieved from LITKitchen's website.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Event Space in Atlanta, GA

Atlanta is still one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and happens to be where I was born and raised. I have lived her most of my life and can not fathom living any where else.....at least not today!

Atlanta does not lack for much. We have a diverse culture of people, great theatre, a music and movie mecca, many attractions, shopping, sports and recreation, along with a deep multicultural heritage. Granted, we can improve on some things, but we make up for it in Southern Hospitality. Visit http://www.atlanta.net/ for the What To Do, Where To Stay, & Where To Eat.

Before I start to sound like I am name dropping about of the famous people who were born or got their start in Atlanta, I will just move along and get to the real reason for my post. I wanted to start another posting regarding event space rental in Atlanta. The places I will highlight, will not be the usual hotel ballroom, historic home or park/garden. I want to give the places which present a different look and feel for you event. Though my personal tastes are more transitional (traditional and modern), I like to offer the modern woman or even the traditional one, a different approach to the location of her nuptials.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of the event establishments listed.

The first place I will highlight is The View at Kings Plow.
Located at 955 West Marietta Street, Entrance # 7 (just a 5-10 minute drive from Downtown Atlanta)
Contact Information - 404-541-9060

There is a list of preferred caterers: Bold American Catering, Legendary Events, Gloriosa and Regency Caterers.

Per their website: The View at King Plow Arts Center presents a special events space that blends a 1930s structure with modern technology. Boasting 5,000 square feet of unadulterated event space that can be easily transformed to suit individual client tastes and needs, The View's pared-down design has been fully equipped with the latest in audio, visual and lighting production equipment.

Part of the King Plow Company complex, in the late 1930s, the building that is now The View was home to Kewanee Boiler. From 1902 to 1986, the King Plow Company manufactured equipment, and during its prime, employed more than 300 people. The Complex serves as a significant architectural example of utilitarian industrial designs used in manufacturing facilities in the 20th century. The King Plow Company complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today the space called The View contains three fantastic levels, and with its breathtaking top level view across downtown Atlanta, The View stands alone among Atlanta event venues.










Photos retrieved from The View at King Plow website.

With the exposed duct work and loft-like feel, this space can be decorated any way your heart desires. However, a minimalist approach will work better on your wallet as trying to fill up the empty space can be costly. In a space like this, you can use your creativity and flexibility to create the vision of your dreams.

Monday, October 13, 2008

AHHH...the Change of Seasons!

It seems my ambition for posting was marred by the reality of actually finding time to post. As I am winding down from a long weekend, and home alone (today is Columbus Day and I had the day off), it dawned on me that the seasons are in the midst of changing. It has gotten cooler here, but this weekend was overcast and very windy. I am starting to notice that the leaves are shedding their green hue. I am so excited!!! Fall is one of my favorite seasons (Spring is the other). It represents a cleansing of the old and preparation of things to come. Plus, the next major Holiday to be added to the calendar, my birthday is soon. OK, so it is only a major holiday for me...but I intend to celebrate as such!!!!!

Moving along...I posted (seems like ages ago) regarding the current Fall and Winter trends and wanted to follow up with a color board with some inspirations. I will start by sharing some ideas back on a theme I started earlier this year, colored wedding dresses. Though there are plenty of traditional wedding ideas, I want to continue displaying ideas for the modern woman, who wants something a little different for her wedding. Also, with more people being getting married in their 30s and 40s, or on their second (and third) marriages, wearing a white or ivory dress just does not suit their tastes. Plus, it pushes the envelope and adds to the "wow" factor, leaving a lasting impression on your guests. And in my opinion, who wants to spend $$$ on a white dress you will never wear again and which may not be what your daughter envisions for her own wedding dress. I am all about recycling and having the value of my $ last since our economy is not the greatest. I will digress on this subject (be sure to VOTE on November 4th).

Let's start with Gray, a neutral. Most pigments of gray, have a cool and warm aspect to them. Pairing gray with yellow, orange and red creates a "warm" tone. Using green, blue or purple creates a "cool" tone. Take a gander at these dresses. I will try to post a few inspirations boards, using the cool and warm tones to emphasize the color.






Top, left to right: America Ferrera, SAG '08 Awards, Monique Lhuillier; Charcoal dress, Monica Byrne; Silver Gray dress, Jenny Packman. Bottom, left to right: Carolina Herrera, from Perfect Bound blog. Gray Dress; Kyra Sedgwick. Emmy '06 Awards, Armani.