Boston.com's Drink Of The Week

In honor of the Kentucky Derby, the drink of the week is a Mint Julep. Boston.com does it right by creating three different ways to concoct this traditional drink.




Sparkling Blackberry Mint Julep




Courtesy of Barbara Kiebel (@creativculinary) of Creative Culinary
Makes 2 cocktails


Ingredients:
Small ice cubes
1/2 cup blackberries
4 tablespoons mint leaves torn in half
2 Tbsp simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar brought to boil just enough to melt sugar; cooled)
3 ounces bourbon
Prosecco or other sparkling wine
Mint sprigs and blackberries for garnish


Preparation:
Fill a julep or small rocks glass overflowing with ice cubes.
In a shaker, muddle the blackberries, mint leaves and simple syrup.
Add 1 cup of ice cubes and bourbon to the shaker and shake well. Strain the drink into the glass filling it 3/4 full.
Finish filling the glass with the Prosecco, gently stir to combine.
Gently press on the mint leaves for garnish to release their aroma before putting a bunch into each cocktail; finish with a blackberry and serve with a short straw.


Mint Julep Pudding Shots


Courtesy of Michelle Cordero of That’s So Michelle


Ingredients:
1 (3.4 oz) box of Vanilla or White Chocolate pudding
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Bourbon
1/2 cup Crème de menthe
1 (8oz) tub of Cool Whip
1 handful of fresh chopped mint


Preparation:
Mix your pudding and milk in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Will look semi thick.
Add your bourbon, creme de menthe and cool whip. Fold these ingredients into the pudding mixture until combined. (Don’t over mix it, just make sure there are no lumps). Cover and set aside in fridge until it’s time to serve.
Right before serving fold in your fresh chopped mint. (reserve some mint for garnish)
Pour into shot glasses and top with whipped cream and a mint sprig on top.


Blueberry Honey Mint Juleps


Courtesy of Becky Hardin (@cookierookiebec) of The Cookie Rookie

Ingredients:
American Honey Whiskey
1 pint of blueberries (for puree)
2 tablespoons honey (for puree)
juice from ½ lemon (for puree)
1 cup sugar (for simple syrup)
1 cup water (for simple syrup)
¼ cup fresh mint leaves (for simple syrup)
mint leaves for garnish


Preparation:
For the simple syrup:
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil.
Once boiling, take off of heat and stir in the mint leaves.
Let sit for 30 minutes or until the syrup has reached your desired minty-ness :)
Strain the syrup and discard mint leaves — or you can leave them in if you want them in the drink.
For the puree:
In a food processor or blender, blend the blueberries, honey, and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
For the juleps:
In a shaker, combine equal parts whiskey and puree (I chose one shot of each, about 1.5 ounces) and about 2 shots of the simple syrup. If you prefer you drink stiffer, use more whiskey and less syrup.
Pour over ice and serve.


http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/mint-juleps-three-ways/b4gpUHx4FKmLEx1GfyvzcI/gallery.html


Cheers and drink up derby-goers, but most importantly, devour the details.

Chippin, Dippin, and Sippin: Cinco de Mayo

Planning to have some friends over this Cinco de Mayo? How about hosting a chip-and-dip fiesta! Invite your friends to join in some tastey treats by each bringing a different kind of dip or salsa to the party. You will provide the decor, music, and drinks for all to enjoy.

Direct your guests to this awesome dip and salsa recipe website.

http://keepitsimplesweetieblog.com/salsa/

The decor should be bright and colorful. Here are some great tablescape ideas to work with.

http://www.babble.com/home/10-last-minute-cinco-de-mayo-diys/

http://www.bellenza.com/wedding-ideas/decorate/cinco-de-mayo-inspiration-for-your-wedding-party-tables.html

http://www.partycity.com/category/holiday+parties/cinco+de+mayo.do

Keep the fiesta alive with a fun photobooth. These Cinco de Mayo inspired props are perfect. Your guests can also dress up in sombreros and sarapes.

www.etsy.com

www.etsy.com

End the night with some sweet unexpected treats; margarita popsicles and piñata cookies!

http://bakersroyale.hardpin.com/tracker/c.php?m=HardPin&u=type12&cid=1524&hscpid=799818&url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.bakersroyale.com%252Ffast-and-easy%252Fstrawberry-margarita-popsicles%252F%253Fmedium%253DHardPin%2526source%253DPinterest%2526campaign%253Dtype12%2526ref%253Dhardpin_type12

http://www.curbly.com/users/capreek/posts/13771-bake-it-cinco-de-mayo-pinata-cookies

http://www.toppartyideas.com/pinata-cookies-for-cinco-de-mayo-or-mexican-theme-party/

Devour the details this Cinco de Mayo and show your guests how to fiesta!

My Best Friend's Wedding...Shower!

This girl, I've previously posted about. She is one of my close friends from Endicott, who let me share her engagement photos on my blog. This time I thought I'd share her wedding shower with my readers. I had no involvement in putting it together, that was done by her beautiful family and bridal party! (Plus a few friends outside the bridal party) The shower was held at Devens Common Center in Devens, MA. It was an elegant space fit for the classy woman she is. Check out what it was like in the pictures below and create a memorable experience like I had at your own wedding shower! And don't forget to devour the details!

50+

In case you didn't know, AARP is hosting their Life@50+ National Event and Expo in Boston next month. It is a wonderful opportunity for the aging demographic to gain a better perspective on life after 50 (retirement, discounts and deals. entertainment, etc.). AARP is taking full advantage of the event being in Boston this year, and are utilizing legendary members of different sports teams throughout their event.


Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino and broadcaster James Brown are leading a day of service in Boston on Thursday, May 8. Later that day. Soledad O’Brien will moderate a discussion between former First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter, Barbara Pierce Bush, followed by a panel featuring New England star athletes, including the Celtics’ Bill Russell, captain of the 1980 American Olympic hockey team Mike Eruzione, former Patriot Steve Grogan, and former Red Sox’s pitcher Luis Tiant. This is a great way for the 50+ attendees to interact with athletes they may have idolized throughout their lives and learn from their experiences.


Tickets are just $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers. For more information on how AARP devours the details visit http://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/events/national_event/boston/

Eat Cake, Be Happy

Whether you're buying, baking, or selling a cake here are some useful measurements you should know!

http://thenextweb.com/dd/2013/10/16/10-ways-use-infographics/

http://www.bombshellcupcakes.com/prices-and-serving-guide.php

These are just recommended servings but how you cut the cake is your preference. I think these measurements are especially useful when buying a cake so you can tell if you're getting your money's worth or are being overcharged. You can now devour the details while your guests can devour the cake!

What Meeting Attendees Are Expecting For WiFi

MPI features really interesting articles covering all topics including technology. This recent article is based on a survey revealing customer expectations of wireless connectivity at meetings and events. It reveals that in this day and age of technological takeover, that venues need to rapidly adapt how they provide and charge for wireless connectivity during meetings and events. As a planner this is crucial information in helping choose venues for your upcoming meetings and events. Read more here: http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/60053/survey-reveals-customer-expectations-of

Keep devouring the details and technological advances!

Where There's A Will, There's A Proper Way

It may be second nature to some who've worked in the hospitality industry but I bet most people don't properly know how to properly set a buffet table. Now, this is one of those instances where it can be set by personal preference but I do think having a general understanding is useful. So without further adieu, here's the proper way to set a buffet!

http://www.sasinteriors.net/2011/11/thanksgiving-table-settings-and-centerpieces-2/

Devour the details and create a flow for your guests with this easy setup!

How Social Media Can Boost Your Next Event

Here is a great piece on the use of social media in drawing attention to events. The infographic shared by JoinIn gives a great perspective of social media use surrounding events. Check it out!

http://jeffhurtblog.com/2014/04/04/four-blissfully-easy-ways-use-social-media-for-your-events-infographic/

These four helpful ways of using social media devour the event planning details. Spread the knowledge of how useful it can be!

Double The Fun

Having twins? Love Dr. Seuss? What could be more perfect than Thing 1 and Thing 2! Shower your twins with this whimsical theme. It's uniqueness will be something your guests will truly enjoy.

Rhyme for a reason with this Dr. Seuss inspired invite!

www.etsy.com

This simple clothespin line makes for a great gift display table for the theme.

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/631022

Bring out Thing 1 and Thing 2 in different ways to personalize the shower for your almost due two!

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/631018

This is such a fun theme because you can really get creative with color, crafts, and food.

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/1040172

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/1040244

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/103892

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/1095037

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/1040256

These next two pictures show a great variety of what you can do with this baby shower theme!

http://intertwinedevents.com/2012/09/pretty-parties-thing-one-thing-two-twin-baby-shower/

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/600x/6c/f6/09/6cf6096bee6b7affbccc3c24e870d928.jpg

And the cutest favors for your party-goers. Absolutely perfect!

http://catchmyparty.com/photos/1095125

Dr. Seuss knows how to devour the details and now you can too!

If you love Pinterest as much as I do..

I came across this awesome pin giving great advice on how to use strategic marketing through your profile and boards. There is a lot to learn from Pinterest, since it is in a different kind of social media category. If you do it correctly, your Pinterest can make you a valuable commodity. Check out what you can do below and create a brand for yourself!

 

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/08/64-pinterest-marketing-tips-and-tactics-infographic/

 

Pinterest is waiting for you to devour the details. So what are you waiting for? Build your brand now!

Destination: Wedding

Have you ever thought about what goes into planning a wedding millions of miles away from your home? The destination could be the Bahamas, Italy, or even Hawaii and would still need extreme focus on all of the details. That is where this post comes in to save the day! Read along on 'How to Plan a Destination Wedding' and don't forget to add your own personal touches if this is something you truly want to take on.

 

http://visual.ly/how-plan-destination-wedding?utm_campaign=social&utm_source=ar&utm_medium=pinterest

Step 1: Plan in Advance
Step 2: Choose a Location
Step 3: Combine Wedding and Honeymoon
Step 4: Check Weather and Local Calendar
Step 5: Keep Your Guests In Mind
Step 6: Seek Out Professional Help

These are great tips to take into consideration when planning a destination wedding. Stay on top of all of your to-do lists and don't forget to devour the details!

Borrowed & Blue Events

Came across a wonderful wedding blog today! My best friend recently got engaged so I think this post will suit her, and any budget-conscious bride.


Borrowed & Blue Events Wedding of the Week featured bride Nikole who only spent $1,500 on her wedding (including her dress and photographer). This bride was able to acquire many free items that would ultimately be the biggest cost of anyone's budget. Nikole breaks down her spending and explains each cost throughout the post but I thought I'd share how the money was allocated here as well.


Attire $400
Food $200
Photography $600
Decorations $20
"Flowers" $15
Ceremony and Reception Venues $0
Rings $0


It is an unbelievable feat to keep wedding costs this low but if Nikole could do it, so can you! Read more from her and Borrowed & Blue Events and devour the details without breaking the bank.

Cakes By Joselyn

My apologies to my dedicated readers for not completing four posts last week. As some of you may know, my great uncle passed away and there was just not enough time to keep up with the blog. On a lighter note, we also had my mom's surprise 50th birthday party last week that we were also very busy with (which is where this post comes in).


The party was sort of like a fiesta theme. We took a party bus to a tequila bar in Boston (that shall remain nameless because of the issues I had with them over reservations). My mom loves Patron, so this was the perfect way to celebrate her 50th. As you can imagine a couple rounds of shots and plenty of margaritas were downed throughout the evening. However, the best part of the night, which really brought the theme to life was dessert; a Patron bottle margarita flavored cake!


This was just about the most awesome thing I've ever seen. And it tasted even better than you can imagine. Lemon cake with a lime buttercream, who knew it would be so good?! The personal touches of sugar to look like salt and cut up limes with birthday wishes on the tag were absolutely amazing.

I found Cakes by Joselyn through a mutual friend and was so excited when she agreed to take on this challenge. Joselyn creates anything you can think of, from whimsical and realistic cakes to unique cookies and cupcakes. She is one of the most talented decorators I've come across locally that offers extremely reasonable prices. I couldn't have been more thrilled with how the cake turned out and highly recommend using Cakes by Joselyn when planning your next event!


For more information, please like her Facebook page here at https://www.facebook.com/CakeJoss


Or contact Joselyn via email at CakeJoss@gmail.com


Thank you Cakes by Joselyn for making this special night that much more awesome! And please don't ever stop devouring those cake details!

Poaching: How To Avoid Losing Out On A Room Block

Unknown to many, poaching has become a huge issue in the events management industry. There are businesses that actively seek to recruit or divert event attendees away from an official room block and into other hotel bookings. The outcome? It inhibits a planner's ability to fill a pre-arranged hotel room block, which in turn can (depending on the agreement with the hotel) generate financial penalties for the host organization, and also damage reputations and lessen future business overall.


Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has shared a great article featuring information from the Convention Industry Council (CIC) and the APEX Room Block Poaching Workgroup they created to raise industry awareness on the impacts of poaching. The overall goal is to develop best practices, tools, resources and education to aid individual meeting professionals in managing and protecting room blocks. For more information check out the International Meetings Review article and never let poachers stop you from  devouring the details!

Eventbrite Spotlight: Gray Matter Marketing

Gray Matter Marketing is a company based in Newport, Rhode Island that offers marketing consultation and event management to businesses and not-for-profit organizations throughout New England. Their expertise in lifestyle events and sports management, provides their partners with first-class experiences ranging from endurance road races to food and beverage festivals. With this, they have implemented different sponsorship programs that compliment these events through marketing, promotions, product sampling and extensive social media activation/campaigns. The end result is an integrated program designed to inform, engage, and drive business.

Eventbrite sent me an email with an upcoming Gray Matter Marketing event that they thought I might be interested in. The event they put on is the Craft Brew Races which are being held from May through September, all across New England. This event is a 5K beer festival. Races incorporating beer at the finish line are becoming wildly popular as of late and Gray Matter Marketing seems to have picked up on this money-making trend. It is an interesting concept that planners should learn more about.

To find out more about Gray Matter Marketing and what they do, check out their website here: http://www.graymattermarketing.com/about/

And to learn more about participating in one of their Craft Brew Races, click here: http://www.craftbrewraces.com

Devour more than just the details when planning your next 5K!

GLAM!

It would be really glamorous to throw an Old Hollywood themed party. Lights, camera, action, roll out the red carpet, there's a party going on that's fabulous! Here are some ideas to get you started.

For simple décor you can always use paper gold stars, movie reels, and clapperboards from your local party store.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=hollywood+theme+party+kit&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=gJo8U5zINIyG2AX8-oD4Aw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=599#imgdii

 

A red carpet is a must.

https://www.google.com/search?q=hollywood+theme+party+kit&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=gJo8U5zINIyG2AX8-oD4Aw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=599#q=glamorous+red+carpet&tbm=isch&imgdii

If you're looking to kick it up a notch and really go glam, I think these tablescapes are perfect. The black and white color scheme and use of feathers portray a drama that Old Hollywood is known for.

 

http://www.pinterest.com/cocochanellova/

 

http://www.pinterest.com/simplyshaydee/

There is no better way to incorporate this theme into desserts than with these utterly amazing Chanel-inspired cupcakes. I am obsessed.

 

http://pinmyimg.com/what-adorable-coco-chanel-cupcakes-a-way-cute-idea-for-your-old-hollywood-themed-wedding-day-or-for-your-bridal-party/

 

Dream big and devour the details with this show-stopping theme!

What The Event Industry Is Talking About..

On LinkedIn I am part of the Event Planning & Event Management - the 1st Group for Event Professionals group. Every so often they do a roundup of interesting news and discussions happening in the group. If you're not a member already, this is a great group to be a part of.

I thought it would be beneficial to share their discussion topics and what recent blog posts they found most informative. These readings are an important tool to stay up on industry trends and expand your knowledge. So, if the event industry is the career path you're wanting to take, or if you're already involved and want to learn more, I highly recommend checking out this group and the great information they share.

Discussions:

- Social Media Subgroup: What are the challenges you have had with Mobile Apps at your meetings?

- International Networking & Professional Development: Things to keep in mind when communicating in a global setting.

- Caribbean Subgroup: What professional associations provide value for Caribbean event planners?

- Latin America: 3 Tendencias tecnológicas que están transformando el mundo de los eventos

- Asia: LinkedIn has Launched its Simplified Chinese Beta Site


Blog Posts:

- Hiring a Speaker? Here’s How to Ensure You Get Change That Sticks! http://t.co/aEdNaZi1cn

- 20 Mistakes Events Make on Social Media and How to Fix Them http://eventmb.com/1iZ9m8r

- Team Building is not a 1/2 day Event http://bit.ly/1aWpmHu

- The Changing Nature of Trade Shows http://eventmb.com/1iZ9tkp

- Team Building: When & Where to Schedule it http://bit.ly/1fk8V8g

- Team Building: 12 Ways Executives are Missing the Mark http://bit.ly/1hKqzyU                


Never stop exposing yourself to new ways of learning and always, devour the details!

Ultimate Fandom: Harry Potter Convention

Now< I can't say I'm a huge Harry Potter fan (since I've only read some of the series and seen a few of the movies), but I can tell you one thing, I love a good event! While pinning, I came across a great find--Ascendio 2012: A Harry Potter Fandom Event.

This Harry Potter convention took place July 12-15, 2012 at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando; just moments away from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! What caught my eye was the awesome drink menu put together to fit this unique event theme. So without further adieu, I share with you the Harry Potter Drink Specials.

 

http://ascendio2012.tumblr.com/post/25391334092/the-more-i-arty-recipes-by-the-folks-at

 

To find out more about this event visit their website http://hp2012.org/. Maybe it will inspire you to create your own Harry Potter themed event, where you can devour the details one snitch at a time!