Linen Obsessed Part 1: Hot Color Trends

I am totally obsessed with linens.  Those glorious pieces of fabric that drape tables in all kinds of colors, textures, patterns and sizes make me so happy.  They are, without a doubt, one of my favorite elements of the events industry.  And, in my opinion, they play one of the more important roles when it comes to design.  Linens express theme and feel, create ambiance and communicate color choices. They are typically one of the first things I notice at an event - I immediately investigate the color, fabric, how they fit into the event as a whole, how they are displayed (is there an overlay, are they tied around the center, etc.) and my personal favorite: whether or not they touch the ground. 


And so in honor of my love, or shall I say obsession, with linens, I am going to be providing some of the hot linen trends - coming straight from The Special Event Conference - a leading source of event planning knowledge around the world.  So here you have it my fellow linen lovers... the hot color trends: up through early spring, the hottest color to be had is any variation of silver (pewter, titanium, platnium, etc).  This is reflected currently in the Hollywood awards season - best observed with the Golden Globes.  Pair these silvers with neutral tones and crystal accents. 


Moving into the spring of 2011, the color spectrum is referred to as "Exotic Journey" (oh, I'm getting goosebumps), as set by pantone.com.  This inspired collection includes colors like Coral Rose, Lavender, Peapod and the ultimate hot color for the year: Honeysuckle.   


Photo courtesy of shaylacopas.com

Stay tuned for more information on hot linen trends and my continued gushing over how awesome they are.

Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.

Celebrate Valentine's Day... Without the Tradition

photo courtesy of bostonherald.com

I will be honest: despite my love of romance, Valentine's Day is not at the top of my list when it comes to favorite holidays.  Sure, the decorations, candy and flowers associated with it are nice (glitter-covered hearts, roses and candies that say "text me") - but I wonder... are they necessary?  For me personally, it's all about celebrating the love on any and every day of the year - because it's always special...  And, there is the romantic in me.  It's not that I dislike Valentine's Day, I'm just somewhat indifferent to the hoopla that surrounds it.  Trust me, I'm not about to throw an "I Hate Valentine's Day Party" any time soon - speaking of which, have you seen the movie Valentine's Day?  The scene where Jennifer Garner beats up a heart shaped-pinata at her annual display of Valentines dislike is quite entertaining. 

OK, all things aside... let's talk Valentine's Day celebrations that don't focus on the traditional.  At the end of the day, why does this holiday have to be focused primarily on romantic love or couples for that matter?  Even though Jennifer Garner's annual party was a gathering to bash the day itself and ill-fated episodes of love experienced by the attendees - the idea behind it had merit, and it kind of looked like fun.  I'm not going to promote dislike of Valentines Day in any respect - but let's look at some avenues of celebrating the holiday that take it outside of the Valentine's " chocolate box" so to say.

With a holiday that's focused on couples, where does that leave groups of friends and those who are single?  Epicurious.com suggests throwing a mixer with great cocktails, food and your closest friends.  Come to think of it, I like that idea across the board.  Why not make Valentines Day a party instead of a one-on-one celebration - couple or single?

Even ehow.com gives pointers on how to celebrate the day in a non-traditional manner either as a couple or single.  Why not take a late-night trip for breakfast to Denny's in PJ's, I ask?

But seriously - here is a great suggestion for celebrating the holiday: giving back to the community.  Suite101.com suggests multiple non-traditional options, all of which, contribute to the greater good.  Buy gifts where a percentage of the expense goes back to a charity, spend time with family, give and/or plant seeds instead of purchasing a bouquet or donate to charity in someone's honor... all of the above celebrate love in a different capacity.

At the end of the day Valentines doesn't just need to be about romance, dinners, chocolates and flowers - it can be about celebrating the love we feel in partnerships, with friends, with family and for our community.  Try viewing the holiday this year through a different set of lenses and experience it from a new angle.

For other not-so-traditional Valentines related activities, visit letspartymagazine.com and learn how to throw a DIY Valentine's Day soiree for children. 

Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.

New Year's Resolutions: Consider Your Health Conscious Guests in 2011

Happy New Year!  As we step into 2011, we are faced with exciting new prospects, journeys to embark upon, challenges to overcome and lessons to be learned.  And as part of the traditions that come with a New Year, we set goals, hopes and dreams for ourselves - known as the New Year's Resolution.  The concept of the resolution is important to keep in mind as we head into a new season of events and entertaining; for without fail, for many, the top resolution is a goal for weight loss, usually accompanied by eating healthier and exercising more.  So, as you move into 2011, you should be considering your health conscious guests when putting together a menu - whether catered or something you prepare for personal entertaining.

I would imagine this resolution has been in the lineup for many of us year in and year out, just out of general awareness for our health.  And let's face it, it sounds like an excellent idea following the indulgences of the holiday season.  And the good news is, we don't have to sacrifice an amazing meal, appetizers or even Super Bowl Party goodies for our weight-loss initiatives.  I hosted a Super Bowl get-together last year while on Weight Watchers and prepared a few dishes that much to my surprise, and that of my guests, were tasty and reminiscent of typical football appetizers, while being on the healthier side.  Here is one of my personal favorites (recipe originally from weightwatchers.com):

Photo courtesy of weightwatchers.com

"Fried" Onion Rings 
Ingredients:
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp. Dry Mustard
1/4 tsp. Table Salt
2 large Onions, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and separated into rings
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
  
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, dry mustard and salt.  Add onions and toss to coat.
Pour buttermilk into another large bowl, add onions and toss to coat (use your hands for the best result).
Place bread crumbs in another large bowl, add onions and toss to coat.  Transfer onions to prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.
Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes.  Serve hot.


Flavor Booster: Give onion rings more crunch and fiber by using homemade multi-grain bread crumbs.  Place 2 slices of toasted multi-grain bread into a food processor or blender and mince using on/off pulses.


Be sure to also checkout letspartymagazine.com's article on partying healthy with ideas from Chef Anthony Rea of Creations in Cuisine.

Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.