Corporate Event Connections – Journey to Sonoma’s Wine Country

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Kathleen

Friday the 13th of May was not unlucky for a group of corporate meeting planners who were invited, and who journeyed to Sonoma County’s Wine Country.  The tour was spearheaded by Teddy, Stu, and Michael, the gracious and talented masterminds of Corporate Event Connections. Corporate Event Connections is a company which bridges the gap between corporate event planners and top Bay Area special event venues and service providers.  The purpose of our trip? To share with the meeting planners the results of choosing well, your sites, your services, and the structure of a corporate trip or retreat.

The day began in Marina Green, where San Francisco Mini Bus picked up the planners for their journey to Sonoma with Matt, Tours of Napa leading the way. First stop, a welcome from Jason and Gina at the Hotel Healdsburg and Dry Creek Kitchen, followed by a tour of this property, along with their “sister” properties, h2hotel and Spoonbar.

These luxurious but quietly understated hotels and restaurants, remind us why folks journey from all over the country and the world, to visit Sonoma. Knowing the group would be famished at this point, the folks at Spoonbar hosted an incredibly delicious and generous, 3 course luncheon as respite. How about that bacon on the burger?

   

 

   

Onward, to see what is created when one of film’s most talented directors, combines his and his family’s love for friends and family, guests, wine, food, vineyards, historical items, and a pool. That, would be Francis Ford Coppola Winery. James welcomed us to this “Wine Wonderland” which, reopened in July 2010. Unexpected, magical, mysterious, surreal, and welcoming are just a few of the adjectives I would employ to describe this remarkable spot.  You might think you can enjoy it all in an hour or so. My advice? Take the day.  Oh, and the wine is excellent.

   

One more stop. Victor Trentadue, along with Jennifer and Alyssa greeted us with flutes filled with their icy cold Trentadue California Champagne, Charmat Method, made from French Colombard grapes. I must repeat myself and my adjectives, in describing this wine as unexpected and magical…a perfect combination of acidity and of delicate sweetness. Yum, and good on you, Victor!  We boarded gondolas, pulled by a tractor, and traveled east to Trentadue Winery, for continued wine, chocolate, and cheese tasting, a
tour of the Sala del Leone Event Center, and of the grounds’ gardens and picnic
area, located beneath a grove of redwood trees.  They say that certain locations will make time stand still and increase deep breathing. This would be one of those places.  Wine tasting, corporate meetings, and weddings, Trentadue Winery can welcome all.

              

The day was bound to reach its conclusion.  Before the planners boarded the air conditioned bus, bags of cool stuff were given to each corporate meeting planner. Oversized, burlap market bags, compliments of Shane, Offbeat Productions, were filled with wine, playing cards, reusable water bottles, candy, and succulent-grass gardens planted in terra cotta cubes from Kate’s Blossoms.

A special thank you to Miss Shelly Gerrish, founder of Captura Photo for her special touch as an artist and as a photojournalist in documenting our trip. Below, that would be Shelly, 0n the left. Cheers, literally and figuratively to the grace and your talents with shutter speed and aperatures.

Posted in Corporate Events, Road Trip!, Sonoma, Trentadue, Uncategorized, Wine Country, Sonoma | Leave a comment

Celebrations at Marin Art and Garden Center

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Kathleen

Having recently designed events at the Marin Art and
Garden Center, we share some highlights of yesteryear, and of the past
month, about this gem of a wedding, event, and educational center located in
the heart of Marin County.

Going back a bit in time, to November 14, 2010, the Center
celebrated its 65 years with a birthday celebration.  At this event, the
Board and Staff honored the Center’s founding families, with several of the
founding families’ descendants present for the party.  Kate’s Blossoms was
asked to design flowers for the event, and Kate coordinated a one-time
project: With the approval of the floral societies housed at Marin Art and Garden, Kate and the Board picked flowers and greens from the Center grounds, for Kate’s design of the day’s centerpieces and displays.  Most all of the product had been kissed by rain and frost by mid-November, so the designs were a bit on the dramatic side of things.

        

In late April, we assisted a family with floral designs to
honor a beloved wife, mother, daughter, and friend, who had passed from this
life.  The wishes were for bright and vibrant spring flowers, to celebrate
the life and spirit of a woman who shall be dearly missed. Special thanks to
Teresa, Delicious Catering, for her thoughtful and detailed coordination
of our work with our client.

           

Last week, Katharine and Carlos married before the gazebo at
the Center. After a week of rain, the skies cleared for the couple, and their
friends and family. Here’s also to Martha, Katharine’s dear 2nd mother and
pastry chef extraordinaire of the wedding cake shown below.

   

 

Posted in Marin, Marin Art and Garden Center, Sympathy and Memorial, Uncategorized, Weddings, Bouquets, Weddings, Centerpieces & Display Designs | Leave a comment

Corporate Designs and Timelines

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Kathleen

Since our last post on The Bloomisphere, in late April, we have had the pleasure of helping many new and many return clients with a wide variety of floral designs and services. We thank each and every person, group, and company for their continued trust in our work.  We love what we do and we thank you for your business.

In reviewing the portfolio photos we snapped these past two weeks, we are reminded that sharing photos of our work is instrumental in our design work with you: close up shots from various angles; multiple designs shown together in a group; the design and its “show” on site and on a table.

We also extend a spotlight to Press Club, Four Seasons San Francisco, Cavallo Point, and Balboa Café, Mill Valley.  Each site’s parking-security office always manages to find room in their generally full loading zone for our van load of flowers. Once in the property, each site’s food and beverage staff takes and assures the time to confirm set up for our client.  They say it “takes a village.” We would agree, with fond thanks.

Lastly, in between the corporate work, we also helped clients with gift services: honoring a new baby; get well wishes; engagement congratulations; a birthday.

Posted in Corporate Events, Floral Gift Services - Happy Birthday, Anniversary, Congratulations, Thinking of you, Marin, Balboa Cafe Mill Valley, Marin, Cavallo Point, San Francisco, Press Club, San Francisco, W Hotel, Uncategorized, Weddings, Centerpieces & Display Designs | Leave a comment

Carin and Eric, Cavallo Point

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Kathleen

I am delighted to share the story from our first, Springtime wedding, celebrated by Carin and Eric at Cavallo Point.  Carin and Eric’s love for one another, and joy shared that day with their family, is what continues to inspire our work. I am grateful for this, and I am still smiling about this wedding.

Our heartfelt thanks to Janae Shields for her talents in capturing all that she did, the pure joy. A picture truly can tell a thousand words. We love Carin’s sassy shoulder strap and bodice on her dress, Eric’s kilt from Scotland, where all good kilts originate, and the loveliness of the Cavallo Point Mariposa Room. What the photos don’t clearly show, is the wind blowing about 15-20 knots, while we set up the Cecile Brunner and Bourbon rose altar with candles and moss, and the bagpipes announcing the start of the ceremony. The winds calmed, just a bit, right before the ceremony. I am glad we had our fleece coats and wool hats. Always bring your coat and hat, and all will be well. Good advice for just about anything. Wishing Carin and Eric continued joy, good health, and happiness.

 

Posted in Marin, Cavallo Point, Uncategorized, Weddings, Bouquets, Weddings, Boutonnieres, Weddings, Centerpieces & Display Designs | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Royal Wedding

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Kathleen

                                         

Admittedly, I am taken by the celebrations of England’s royal family. Last Friday’s wedding celebrated by William and Kate was no exception. The gentle grace shown by Pippa to her sister Kate during the processional and wedding; Harry’s blow-by-blow description of the processional to his brother, whose back was turned until Kate’s arrival to the altar; Grace Van Cutsem, the three-year old bridesmaid who indicated she was through with the day, by frowning wide and cupping both her ears with both hands on the balcony during the couple’s kiss.  It is the collection of all these activities, and surprises, which create the memorable wedding day.

The flowers?  In our studio’s humble opinion, they could not have been lovelier:  An “avenue” of English Field Maple and Hornbeam trees lined the aisle of Westminster Abbey; the branches, greenery, and flowers (azalea, rhododendron, Solomon’s Seal, jasmine), all from the family’s estate; the showstopper, Kate’s all white bouquet, each stem and blossom of hyacinth, lily of the valley, sweet William, ivy, and myrtle…individually wired before it was designed into its gentle, cascading composition.  We say “well done” and “brilliant” to the talented designer of this bouquet, Shane Connolly and his team.  Moreover, the flowers which Kate chose for her bouquet made reference to the “language of flowers” a language which Shakespeare often included in his works. You may recall Ophelia’s conversation with her brother, Laertes, in Hamlet:

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies. that’s for thoughts.”

Now, while Ophelia was continuing her spiral into madness when she said this, it is with joy that we remember the events of last Friday, and the virtue’s of Kate’s bouquet:  the signature lily of the valley means “trustworthy”, myrtle  “hope and love”, hornbeams “resilience”, and field maples “humility and reserve”.

Kate and William, cheers!

Posted in Uncategorized, Weddings, Bouquets | Leave a comment

Don’t You Be Fooled By The First Of April, Especially If You Are A Vine!

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Kathleen

As we open the studio for business today, I am taken by the change of weather this week in Northern California. Nights are still very cold, but the days grow warm quite quickly. The layers of shirts, vests, coats, scarves, and hats are being set aside, placed in drawers.

This date also reminds me of some things I did not know, until recently, as told by a grower in grapes in Sonoma’s Dry Creek.

One, April 1st is the official, first day of the growing season for vines, with October 31st serving as the finale. By April 1, the feet and the arms of the vines, both young and old, have begun to warm in the rich, mineral laden Sonoma and Napa soil. The breeze blows a bit warmer and a full day of sun, on most days, has returned.  Little shoots will soon green the vines, and it is truly spectacular to see.  All of these dramatic and mysterious looking vines, who have been hammered all winter long by rain and wind, and have served as command and scouting posts for many a bird of prey, are waking up.

Two, this event is followed in the next few weeks by something for one’s nose and heart: the bloom, actually, the loss of the vine’s Calyptra.  A Calyptra is the “membranous hood covering the spore-bearing capsule” of a plant. Upon the vines losing their little caps, this growth stage on a grapevine will fill a field or valley with the most exquisite and extraordinary spice-dirt-fresh-floral-citrus-grass fragrance I have ever known. Now, that’s a flower.  I was fortunate enough, once, to be in the right Chardonnay field, on the right evening, with friends and chairs nearby. Wine from year’s previous, in our glasses. Cheers to the day.

Posted in Uncategorized, Wine Country, Napa, Wine Country, Sonoma | Leave a comment

Come visit us at Marin County’s only Bridal Faire at Hilltop 1892!

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Kathleen

Kate’s Blossoms is participating with other local Bay Area wedding professionals at Marin County’s only Bridal Faire at Hilltop 1892 on Saturday, April 2nd.  Kate will be helping brides and grooms with their questions related to event styling, and wedding floral design.  Admission to the Faire is complementary, 11am – 3pm.

Hilltop 1892 is located at 850 Lamont Ave., Novato, CA 94945

We look forward to working with this year’s brides.

Here are some samples of our work from last year.

Posted in Uncategorized, Weddings, Bouquets | Leave a comment

Marin Magazine’s Spring Fashions……..

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Kathleen

Before the month of March concludes, be sure to visit Marin Magazine’s Fashion photos “Rainbow After the Storm” in the March, 2011 issue, volume 7, issue 3. Kate’s Blossoms worked with the talented Somer Flaherty (Editor/Stylist), Leah Marie (Assistant Stylist), and Frank Gaglione (Photos) providing a colorful bouquet of flowers, on a cold winter’s day, celebrating spring fashion.

You can also follow the link below to check out more of the photo shoot online.  http://www.marinmagazine.com/Marin-Magazine/March-2011/Rainbow-After-the-Storm/.

Posted in Marin Magazine, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Kathleen

Today is a busy day full of love and flowers at Kate’s Blossoms (however that’s everyday here!!) As I write this Kate is off delivering her beautiful “Cupid Creations”.    Here are a few of the lovelies that are on their way to make someone smile.

Posted in Floral Gift Services - Happy Birthday, Anniversary, Congratulations, Thinking of you, Holidays, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Here we go….

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Kathleen

Welcome to the “Bloom Blog” of Kate’s Blossoms!  We are excited to begin our blogging adventure.  We look forward to sharing some exciting things that happen in the “Bloomishphere”.   We hope you enjoy our photos and stories along the way.

Posted in Bouquets to Art, de Young Museum, Marine Mammal Center, Giving Back, Road Trip!, San Francisco, Press Club, Sympathy and Memorial, Two Bird Cafe, San Geronimo, Uncategorized, Weddings, Bouquets, Weddings, Boutonnieres, Weddings, Centerpieces & Display Designs, Wine Country, Napa, Wine Country, Sonoma | Leave a comment