Chocolate and Flowers... For me?

So imagine how happy I was last week when both chocolate and flowers were given to me as gifts! LOL... And neither by my husband. Ha ha ha...

When my friend recently went to Belgium on vacation with her hubby, they brought back some chocolate just for me... From Belgium. Now, if you've never had chocolate from Europe, and by Europe I specifically mean Belgium, Switzerland and France, you've never had some of the best chocolate in the entire world. Seriously, you don't know what you're missing out on. To quote Mr. T "I pity the fool" who has never had the opportunity to experience authentic European chocolate. What makes my love for chocolate kind of out of the ordinary is that as a child? I hated chocolate. Especially chocolate cake. I couldn't stand the stuff. Now? I Looooooooooove chocolate anything! Yes, "Love" with a capital "L."

So the week started out well with chocolate and ended with flowers! I came home Friday to find this GORGEOUS arrangement on my doorstep. I couldn't imagine who they were from. Though I was pretty sure they weren't from my hubby because he's not really a flowers kind of guy unless it's one of his own roses he grew here at the house. So back to my great day, I came home and found these beautiful flowers on my doorstep from one of my web clients who I had helped out of a bit of a jam a couple of weeks ago. I was so surprised! I Loooooooove my flowers! The mixed arrangement even had three of my favorites: Lilacs, Peonies and Tulips.

To top it off I'm almost over the cold I've had for the past 3.5 weeks. Yes, last week was a very good week in my flirty little world.

Win a Flirty Caketopper!

I've decided to try something new. The Treasure Hunt contest is evolving. Rather then 1 $50 prize each week I'm upping the stakes to 1 $300 prize per month. Well for this month at least. This month you can enter the contest once per week. At the end of the month I will draw one name to win one of my The Flirty Bride, Loop-d-Loop Flowers with Swarovski Crystal Centers, Custom Cake Toppers in your choice of custom colors.

If you've never played the Treasure Hunt just CLICK HERE to find out how!

Una Bella Sera

An elegant program by Cards De Luxe

Last weekend I attended and participated in the "Una Bella Sera • A Beautiful Evening" bridal showcase event sponsored by Casa Real at Ruby Hills Winery and YWD Magazine and designed by Florist Nicole Ha and Event Coordinator Crystal Lequang of Amazae´ Special Events. It was the first time I'd been to Ruby Hills Winery to see their amazing new event facility "Casa Real" Everywhere I looked there were gorgeous floral displays by Nicole, beautiful table displays by Crystal and custom lighting made just for the event by Fantasy Sound Event Services. Our friends at Enhanced Lighting and Sound provided the amazing draping and additional decor throughout the facility.

Not too shabby. I took this photo from the car as we pulled in.

The "Amber Room" is a bride's dream. Set up as if for a wedding this room was stunning!

At the end of the aisle is a ginormous limestone fireplace. 

Your name in lights. At most weddings it's the bride and groom's names in lights on the dance floor. Here the name of the event was beautifully scripted by  Fantasy Sound Event Services.

Another gorgeous lighting effect. Here autumnal branches and leaves create a subtle yet dramatic effect on the walls. From simple wall washes to shapes and objects a custom lighting company like Fantasy Sound Event Services or Enhanced Lighting and Sound can create a pattern to fit the theme of your wedding.

Here a combination of lighting within and in front of the tent created a stunning visual that had everyone oooohing and ahhhhhhing. 

This beautiful display designed by Amazae' Special Events was a crowd favorite. The chandeliers above are a recent addition to Enhanced Lighting and Sound's inventory.

Nicole went all out. Is this centerpiece decadent or what? 

There was champagne . . .

And orange water. . .  Guess which I had? LOL I will say this, the oranges were a nice change from the typical lemon or cucumber in a glass of water. It's definitely my new favorite lightly flavored water.

That's me out in the courtyard with Nicole Ha, one of the show designers, and Flirty Guide photographer Claudia Akers.

Finally! I was able to capture some close ups of one of the table covers by Wildflower Linens.

Have you ever seen anything like this before? As a tablecloth? It was so amazingly gorgeous!

This pink paillette table cover was one of my favorites. Probably from all of the years I've worked with beads I have an affinity for these unusual sequins and love when I see them because they are pretty rare. I once found an evening bag at a second hand shop made up of green, square paillettes. I bought it, took it home and cut all of the sequins off. I haven't used them for anything yet but someday I will.

I ran into Armando from Get Your Do Up! and wedding photographer Augie Chang on my way out with my show gift box. I already knew one item in the boxes given to each guest as they left.

There it is! Tucked beneath the other goodies . . .

A set of our Flirty Guide postcards!

 It was a wonderful afternoon that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'd also highly recommend going to take a peek at Casa Real especially for couples planning a large wedding. This spacious venue will not disappoint in it's beautiful details and well designed floor plan that can accommodate both ceremony and reception indoors and has a large, gorgeous courtyard that will allow your event to spill outdoors to enjoy a beautiful summer evening .

Beautiful Bridal Bouquet Handles

After seeing this beautiful bouquet designed by Karen Hsu of Grandiflora I've decided her latest work must qualify her as a couture floral designer. I had never seen a bouquet handle that looked like this before. And the incredible and meticulous craftsmanship used to create it made me ooooooh and ahhhhhhhh out loud. I truly couldn't help myself.

To see two additional leaf design bouquet handles, one with broad leaves and the other with thin stems of grass visit The Flirty Guide Idea Page.

I just love this photo. It shows the underside detail work perfectly.

Photo by: Claudia Akers

Miraglia Catering

I love salmon.

I love capers.

I love caviar.

Let me tell you, these were not your typical smoked salmon on a piece of toast or graved lox on a piece of bread with dill and capers kind of appetizer. Miraglia Catering, located in San Leandro, has stepped things up and uses a thin, soft, Korean, pancake as the base for these bite sized morsels.

So how could I not love them? Salmon is really healthy for you. Though I have been moving towards going vegetarian for a while now, salmon is one protein source that I'm torn about. The health benefits are tremendous, especially the omega-3 fatty acids. Capers I always add to any pasta I make at home. Caviar? I've had 3 times in my entire life. If you've never tried caviar before I can only describe the taste as light and that it tastes like the ocean. Not salty at all, just clean and fresh. To be honest I don't know anyone who enjoys caviar as much as I do but it's so decadent I rarely have the opportunity to sample it.

Combine all of these ingredients together and you have one blissed out Flirty Girl. Especially when the catering staff at a Bay Area Wedding Network meeting I was attending told me to "eat as many" as I could before we stepped into the Tien Megadome Theatre at the Chabot Space center the for the days presentation. I needed no further urging. I stood at their display and ate as many as I could. It would have been rude not to right?

photo by: by Suzanne Jamieson

Martini Madness at the V Bar • Hotel Valencia • Santa Row

Mr Martini Madness himself, Duncan Reyes, did the most magnificent thing tonight. He pulled off the first ever, South Bay, Martini Madness wedding industry networking event in grand style! The V Bar at the Hotel Valencia couldn't have been more perfect. The spacious bar and lounge areas held the capacity crowd with just enough room to walk and mingle.

I got there early, and watched as the guests arrived. Some were familiar faces I see often at industry events up in San Francisco. Others were friends and colleagues that I hadn't seen in years. And of course there were plenty of new people to meet. It was a veritable who's who of many of the industries elite.

The Bar

And FUN! Oh my gosh I had the best time. I'd been sick for the past week so even though my voice was barely there I had some great conversations. To give you an idea, a few of the many discussions I had ranged from:

• Comments on blogs: self publish or moderate them?
• Cody the crazy bear.
• Cure for a sore throat: Coke, fresh ginger and lemon juice. Heated.
• To blog or not to blog.
• Stepping up your business card.
• Spin Control when you end up on the news in not a good way. LOL
• Of course: Kitai my dog
• The benefits of collaborative effort vs. going it alone.
• My colleagues have hidden talents.
• The latest everyone has been up to.
• Shopping at Gucci (Yeah, um, not me... Aramndo shops there.)

The Bar and one lounge area.

To make it even better. My super sweet hubby popped in to make his first ever appearance at an industry event. People were so happy to finally get the chance to meet him. It wasn't really his scene but he had fun chatting with people and it meant a lot to me that he was there.

If you came to the event tonight I just want to say THANK YOU. The South Bay has been looooooooooong overdue for someone to come along and stir the pot. There is no doubt that Duncan was the man for the job. My hope is that Martini Madness is the beginning of what will become a lasting revitalization of Silicon Valley Networking.

The Flirty Guide was well represented with Robbie Schlosser from the Mangolia Jazz Band, Officiant Rev. Ed Holt, DJ Ron Grandia, Wedding Photographer Joe Homsy, Floral Designer Karen Baba of Plan Decor, Photographer Claudia Akers, Armando from Get Your Do Up, David Ethridge from A Video Reflection and I think I saw John Woods from Enhanced Lighting and Sound from across the room. Thank you all for being fun and flirty enough to come out to a swanky lounge on a Tuesday night!

Nicole D'Ambra is already planning the next event in June so last night was only the beginning!

And thanks to Robbie Schlosser for taking the picture of Duncan and I with my iPhone.

The ultra cool metal beaded curtains that make up the entire "wall" into the lounge.

Interpreting Ancient Fashion with Colleen Quen

As many of you who read the blog know, one of the people in this world I am fortunate to be friends with is couture evening and wedding gown designer Colleen Quen. Not only did I wear one of her GORGEOUS wedding dresses at my own wedding, a few weeks ago I was thrilled to attend an exhibition of her latest collection at the Mark Wolfe contemporary gallery in downtown San Francisco. 

Right after my wedding I spoke to Colleen on the phone. She had some very exciting news to share with me. She and another designer from SF, Jude Gabbard, had been chosen to be in an independent film being made by D3 Media Group titled Interpreting Ancient Fashion which will air in 2009 on PBS.

Colleen and Jude took a trip back in time to Guizhou Province, one of the most poor and remote provinces of China. There they learned about the traditional garb, both textiles and design, by living with the Miao and Buyi people. Colleen, a fourth generation Chinese American had never been there before. I will say I envy her in that I have not yet, but am certain that someday I will, make a trip to Japan to learn more about the true culture of the country my grandparents all immigrated from. Someday.

Of course her gowns were stunning. Her designs always are. I snapped a few photos of her collection and the story board she created during the inspiration phase of this collection.






Here's what SF Gate had to say about the event.

Visit Colleen Quen's The Flirty Guide Profile.

Visit her website by Clicking Here.

Wedding Photographer Joe Homsy's Latest and Greatest

Wedding Photographer Joe Homsy just updated his website with lots of new photos of brides and grooms... Here are my favorites! I LOVE all of them. In fact, I can't decide which one I love the most.

Copyright © Joe Homsy 2008

You can view Joe's The Flirty Guide page by CLICKING HERE

Or visit his Website by CLICKING HERE