Working at home – with our beloved pets!

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All of us pet lovers have always been wishing to spend more time with our “fur babies,” and for many of us this wish has suddenly come true as we are working from home. But – since we are home all day, our cats and dogs expect us to focus on THEM, so that arrangement turns out to be trickier than we had thought. How to keep Fido or Kitty entertained and happy while getting some serious work done? Because if they get bored, they might find “entertainment” themselves – and not necessarily the type we like…

The key is providing mental, physical and emotional stimulation, for example through “enrichment toys” that require a certain mental effort – preferably, in order to get treats!

You can also make your own simple toys, e.g. for tug-of-war (a tennis ball in an old sock, tie a knot – done); a rattle bottle (empty water bottle with a few small rocks or pennies); a little bundle of feathers or a ball of yarn for your kitty.

Also, consider adding a game into your work schedule. Take a few minutes and play hide and seek with your furry friend; you can also incorporate their favorite toy or a treat into the game. And – most importantly, at least for doggie parents: take them out in the yard,

on a walk or to a dog park (with proper distancing, of course).

Dogs have a natural need for running (most of them at least), so allow them that big joy at least once a day. It’s good for you, too; and once puppy is happy and tired, you will get in those necessary hours of work. Win-win!

The most beloved wedding songs of all time

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Call me old-fashioned – but when it comes to the wedding ceremony I always recommend “classics.” And the most beloved ones of them all are – Canon in D (chosen by at least 80% of all my brides for their processional), Mendelssohn’s Wedding March (a favorite for their recessional) and “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles.

Here they are!

The oldest one of them all is Pachelbel’s Canon. Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque composer and organist who enjoyed tremendous popularity in his lifetime (1653 to 1706). Most of his extensive body of work is nowadays forgotten outside of musicologist circles – some of you may know his Chaconne in F minor and his Toccata in E minor for organ – but the one piece of music that has survived is his Canon in D – it has literally become synonymous with wedding music.

Here comes the bride – Frank Lee Photography

For the recessional, the “classic” choice is Felix Mendelssohn’s Bartholdy’s Wedding March (from his incidental music to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummernight’s Dream).

Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. A true prodigy, he performed as a pianist at the age of nine, and he wrote his first symphony at the age of 15!! Mendelssohn’s compositions include symphonies, concertos, piano music and chamber music which are all still part of the standard concert repertoire; but even those without ties to classical music love the Wedding March! Here it is, played by the Berlin Philharmonic.

And for those who’d rather go a little more contemporary – but still stick with a timeless classic – for their wedding music, there is the last word on love from The Beatles, here played for us by our own Synchronicity Strings!

The Fairmont – an icon of San Francisco history

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Everybody knows “The Fairmont,” right? It’s one of those truly iconic San Francisco landmarks. But do you know where it got its name? And who built it?

I was curious, and here is what I found out (courtesy of Wikipedia and my personal contacts).

Gavin Farrington Photography

The hotel was named after mining magnate and U.S. Senator James Graham Fair (1831–94) by his daughters, who built the hotel in his honor.

The hotel was nearly completed before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Although the structure survived, the interior was heavily damaged by fire, and opening was delayed until 1907. Architect and engineer Julia Morgan was hired to repair the building because of her then innovative use of reinforced concrete, which could produce buildings capable of withstanding earthquakes and other disasters.

Gavin Farrington Photography

In 1945, the Fairmont hosted international statesmen for meetings which culminated in the creation of the United Nations. The United Nations Charter was finalized in the hotel’s Garden Room, and a plaque at the hotel memorializes the event.

Evonne and Darren Photography

The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel was where Tony Bennett first sang his famous “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in December 1961.

The Fairmont has been “the stuff of legends” – especially surrounding its famed Penthouse suite where all presidents visiting San Francisco have stayed.

Evonne and Darren Photography

The suite houses among other “follies” the Moroccan-themed Billiard Room – all walls adorned with artful mosaic.

Evonne and Darren Photography

The 2-story suite also houses a double-height library with a secret passageway to the roof (hidden behind a swiveling bookshelf on the upper level) which used to serve as an emergency escape route for the dignitaries lodging in the suite.

Photo: ADLNO

Rumor has it that the passageway was also used to smuggle President John F. Kennedy’s mistress, the actress Marilyn Monroe, in and out unseen when the president was in residence.

The Fairmont has been featured in many films, including The Rock, starring Sean Connery. My longtime friend and colleague, event planner Duncan Reyes, happened to be the Events Director at the Fairmont just then. I asked him what the most memorable event was when the movie was filmed. You will not believe this: for the escape scene (through the hotel kitchen) at the beginning of the movie, the entire hotel had to be shut down for a whole week!! Go watch the movie and enjoy!

Peonies…

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Today the peony blooms in my garden opened – in glorious pink and in white, reminding me of the wonderful summer weddings of years gone by – when peonies were the stars of bridal bouquets and centerpieces …

Janae Shields Photography
Andre Vega Photography

– and of the many brides of 2020, anxiously awaiting their postponed wedding celebrations – next year, maybe…?

Here is the first bloom of this summer on the peony bush I inherited with my garden…

… and here is the one I planted myself last year, unsure of whether it’d make it through the winter. Such beauty…

I read up a little on peonies and learned a few things I’d like to share you with you. Where did they get their name? In Greek mythology, actually. They are named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine who became deadly jealous of his talented student. Zeus, the supreme God, used his divine powers to save Paeon from his boss Asclepius by transforming him into – you guessed it – a beautiful flower. The peony!

Nowadays, the peony comes in 33 known species, mostly herbaceous plants up to 3 ft or shrubs up to 11 ft (!) tall, in colors ranging from white and yellow to pink to dark red. Peonies thrive in temperate regions of Asia, Europe and Western North America, and they bloom for only 7-10 days in early summer.

They have been prized for their beauty in many cultures for centuries – look at these examples:

Chinese watercolor
Chinese stamp

Botanical drawing, ca. 1809
Impressionist painting, Henri Fantin-Latour

They have become one of the most desired flowers for weddings – and once their blooming season in OUR area is over, we can still get them from (you would NEVER have guessed that!) Alaska – of all places – where unique growing conditions due to long hours of sunlight create availability when other sources have completed harvest. Late-summer brides, rejoice… we’ll get you your peonies!!

What’s the hype about Dalgona coffee?

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And what IS it, after all? So, I did some research.

“Dalgona” is a caramel-colored crunchy sugar confection that became popular in Korea in the 1970s and 1980s as inexpensive street food – a whole generation grew up with it. Fast-forward to 2020, during the COVID-19 period: an easy-to-make creamy coffee concoction becomes all the rage – first in Korea, now worldwide – named after the beloved childhood candy for its caramel color and sweet-and-bitter taste.

I had to try it!!

For one serving, whip

2 tbsp instant coffee, 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 2 tbsp water with an electric mixer until it becomes airy, creamy and turns a light caramel color, forming stiff peaks (1 and a half minutes with an electric mixer or 400 turns with a whisk – don’t do that to yourself!).

Spoon over a half cup of chilled or hot milk, stir as desired.

It’s THAT easy!

And it’s actually really good. I have begun experimenting with the flavor – a little less sugar, or adding 1 tablespoon agave nectar for more (soft) sweetness; you can even give it a hint of spice with cinnamon or nutmeg. Koreans top it with crushed Dalgona candy for a sweet childhood memory…

ENJOY!

The harp how you don’t know it yet!

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One of my longest-time collaborators, harpist Erica Messer, holds a very special place in my heart: she is one of the first brides whose wedding I planned with my then-startup company, A Day Like No Other. Erica and I have since done many beautiful weddings together, and over the years I have learned from her that my personal perception of her beloved instrument – as something that is mainly played by angels in Heaven, so to speak – is entirely wrong. Erica is one of those who have brought the harp into the 21st century and proven it the perfect accompaniment for contemporary tunes as well. Here is proof – and, oh, did I forget to say that Erica’s harp is HOT PINK?!!

Summer projects to keep the kids busy and entertained

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The governmental restrictions during the current COVID-19 pandemic – necessary as they are – have made the lives of young parents especially difficult, and with the upcoming summer break it won’t be getting any easier: no sports programs, no camps, and all public swimming pools closed. What to do to keep the kids happy, busy and entertained?

I have an idea – do constructive projects with them so that they feel pride in their accomplishments, and actually learn practical skills. I received tutorials from zillow.com and would like to share a few of their ideas here.

Here’s an easy one to start with: gardening! A garden not only gives you the benefit of fresh herbs, vegetables or flowers, it’s also a natural outdoor classroom for your kids — helping them learn measurements, basic botany facts and an appreciation of nature.

Raised garden beds are easy to maintain and allow plants to thrive, and they are a great beginner project for children to help with.

To make a 4×4 raised garden bed, you will need:

  • 8 untreated 2x4s (each 4 feet long)
  • 4 untreated 12-inch 4×4 corner posts
  • 1 package of 4-inch wood screws
  • A power drill 

To construct the square box, attach two 2x4s to each corner post (stacking them vertically). Have an (older) child hold the boards securely in place as you drill. When your structure is complete, children of all ages can help to pick a sunny spot in the backyard for your raised garden bed and to pour in the soil and plant whatever you like.

Need more inspiration? Take it from community activist and self-taught gardener Ron Finley who became famous for planting community gardens in a bleak part of Los Angeles – to make his neighborhood a better place. Ron has a totally relaxed and common-sense approach to gardening, and here is a little introduction to his “Masterclass” lessons.

Venue Spotlight: Thomas Fogarty Winery

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Many of you will know (and love) Thomas Fogarty Winery as an elegant wedding venue – a good number of you will even have worked there at one or more weddings.

It’s spectacular – on clear days the view encompasses everything from the Bay Bridge to the North, all of Silicon Valley to San Jose in the South. Sunsets – and even the fog rolling in – are sheer beauty.

I am certainly one of Fogarty’s biggest fans! And so I would like to share with you how all this came about – there is backstory to it!

The founder of Thomas Fogarty Winery is actually a famous physician, Dr. Thomas Fogarty Sr., who worked at Stanford University and who made an invention in 1961 that has literally saved countless lives around the world ever since: the Fogarty catheter. This device allows to remove fresh blood clots from arteries without surgery, and it has become a staple of cardiologists everywhere.

Charmed by the natural beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Dr. Fogarty built his family home up on Skyline Boulevard and began acquiring the surrounding land.

By 1977, he had accumulated over 300 acres of land, and in 1978, he planted his first vineyard – with that, Thomas Fogarty Winery was officially founded! The winery is now producing mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – and they are fantastic!

With the construction of the architecturally stunning open Pavilion,

where the majority of festive dinners are now hosted, the winery developed into an elegant event space with a capacity of over 200 guests, indoor/outdoor options and beautiful ceremony lawn.

And we all can absolutely not wait to be back there soon, celebrating love and the beauty of the gorgeous setting. You need not take my word for it: watch this video of one of my weddings at Thomas Fogarty Winery!

The new breakfast fun: pancake cereal!

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Not sure you’ve seen it yet – it’s all over the web and social media these days: pancake cereal! It’s just a new and fun breakfast item, and so easy to DIY at home.

I found this tutorial online:

Looks yummy, right? I made it for my family, and they LOVED it. Here’s the recipe I used:

And if you don’t feel like whipping up the batter from scratch – I have alternatively used Bisquick (their “enriched” pancake batter recipe on the box), and it worked just fine. Enjoy!