Wedding Wednesdays: I Dream of Jeanne Cakes

Happy #WeddingWednesday! Introducing, I Dream of Jeanne Cakes (just the cutest and most clever name we've heard in a while)! And we agree, who doesn't dream about cake? Another business owner we connected with at the Seasons Bridal Show was Jeanne Topham. Sweet just like her cakes and desserts, we couldn't wait to share I Dream of Jeanne Cakes as our Wedding Wednesday feature!

I Dream of Jeanne Cakes is known for creating deliciously memorable cakes and desserts. They've been fortunate to be recognized as a leader in the event industry when it comes to leaving guests with a sweet memory. They take pride in creating unique desserts for your guests to enjoy, whether a sculpted 3-D cake to impress your guests or making favors and late night snacks for them to swoon over. I Dream of Jeanne Cakes is a by-appointment bake shop, specializing in delicious cakes, cupcakes, cookies and desserts. If you want to celebrate a milestone (no matter how large or small!) with something delicious to eat, they can help with that!

Since they do not have items ready for retail sale; please allow 3 days notice for simple birthday cakes, desserts, cupcakes or decorated cookies. For other orders, please allow 7-10 days; wedding and sculpted cakes typically book 3-6 months in advance. I Dream of Jeanne Cakes creates unique, custom desserts for caterers and restaurants as well as reception venues. So if you’re looking for something crafted especially for you, give them a call!

At I Dream of Jeanne Cakes, they take pride in using only the best ingredients in their cakes and desserts; King Arthur flours, sweet cream butter, fresh eggs, imported white, dark and milk chocolates, real fruit purees. Their cake bakers use a smooth, creamy-rich Italian meringue buttercream that’s not too sweet and can take your favorite flavors and turn them into a masterpiece. I Dream of Jeanne Cakes are made with three layers of cake with one or two different buttercream flavors inside.

For the outside, you can choose their white chocolate buttercream, imported fondant (for a smooth, flawless finish) or a dark chocolate ganache or glaze. Some fabulous cake flavor suggestions from the pastry chef include:

• Lemon Lust: A lemon-zested cake brushed with fresh lemon syrup, and filled with delicious lemon buttercream. For real lemon lovers, they can add a thin layer of lemon curd between the cake layers.
• Spice: Fragrant with cinnamon, nutmeg, maple and cloves.
• It’s All About the Berries: A white cake layered with sliced fresh strawberries and vanilla pastry cream. Other berries or kiwi fruit added to the filling would be wonderful. For cakes on display for hours before being served, it is recommended to try a strawberry buttercream with chopped fresh strawberries mixed in. Yum!
• Carrot Cake: Simply the best there is! This cake converts even those who don’t like carrot cake! Dark, moist cake with pineapple, pecans and coconut, filled and covered with classic vanilla cream cheese buttercream.
• Irish Coffee: Rich yellow cake brushed with coffee syrup and filled with Bailey’s Irish Cream buttercream. It’s just as delicious with chocolate cake!
• Raspberry Truffle: A dark chocolate cake, spread with a thin layer of raspberry jam and filled with a rich, dark chocolate raspberry truffle. Other truffle flavors include Champagne, Hazelnut, and Mocha.
• Hawaiian Passion: The indescribable, positively addictive flavor of passion fruit (a tropical citrus flavor reminiscent of lemon and orange) is brushed onto layers of white cake, and filled with a layer of passion fruit buttercream and a layer of macadamia buttercream.
• Raspberry Lime Rickey: White cake splashed with key lime syrup, filled with a layer of raspberry and a layer of lime buttercream.
• Mocha Valencia: Dark chocolate cake with a kiss of Grand Marnier. A layer of chocolate-orange buttercream and a layer of mocha buttercream makes this a delicious and elegant cake.
• Golden Hazelnut: Rich yellow cake spread with a thin layer of apricot jam, filled with a layer of coffee buttercream and a layer of hazelnut buttercream.
• Or create a custom cake...the possibilities are truly endless!

Keep in mind, these are just a few of the choices available – feel free to ask if you don’t see your personal favorite listed above. What's better than picking a cake flavor? Picking the filling! Check out what I Dream of Jeanne Cakes offers!

• Bittersweet Chocolate
• Blackberry
• Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Caramel
• Coffee
• Champagne Truffle
• Chocolate Caramel Crunch
• Hazelnut
• Lemon
• Lime
• Macadamia
• Milk Chocolate Toffee
• Mocha
• Orange
• Passion Fruit
• Pistachio
• Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Tiramisu

Now we are definitely dreaming about cake (and drooling)! I Dream of Jeanne Cakes begs to ask the question: is it art or is it cake? And they in fact prove, it is both! Known for their creative and stunning cakes, their goal is to make your dreams come true by making your cake a delicious focal point and reflection of your taste and style to share with guests. So when you need your next cake created, be sure to make an appointment with I Dream of Jeanne Cakes and devour the details of a true masterpiece and sweet memory!

Drinkable Arts

Are you planning for an upcoming party? Birthday, bachelorette or a girls night out? We've got just the thing for you! Whether you host at home or at a venue, this crew knows just what to do. Check out partnering with Drinkable Arts for your next event!

Drinkable Arts, LLC. was founded when owner Cheryl Snyder decided to share her artistic ideas in a new and creative way with friends. She began by commissioning custom designed glasses and pet portraits (and yes, she still offers those)! From that idea, Drinkable Arts, LLC. started offering Drinkable Arts Home Paint Parties. They bring all of the supplies to help you and your guests create a unique and personal piece of art in the comfort of your home. And since 2013, Drinkable Arts has expanded to hosting these same events at any venue you desire: restaurants, banquet halls, businesses, etc..

Uncork your creative side and learn to paint your own glassware with Drinkable Arts! The best part? All designs are available to paint and the party comes directly to you! There are also a ton of options for their awesome home or alternative venue parties! Check these out:

• Paint A Pair - Paint 2 glasses of choice for $40 per guest
• Single Glass Painting Party - Paint 1 glass of choice for $30 per guest
• Vase Painting Party - Paint 1 glass cylinder vase for $35 per guest
• Glass Wine Bottles - Paint 1 wine bottle for $35 per guest
• Glass Blocks - Paint 1 glass block for $45 per guest
• Wood Door Hanger Parties - Paint 1 Wood Door hanger (prices vary)

You choose the party that works best for you and your guests!

If you don't have a party to plan, you can just attend on of their upcoming events! Check out the Drinkable Arts calendar for additional dates to paint. We know we'll be ready to devour the details of our next event with the help of Drinkable Arts. Book your party today!

Monday Mashups: Why More Podcasts Are Turning to Live Events

Over the past few years, thanks to a host of cultural developments (“Serial”) and technological ones (dynamic ad insertion), podcasting, as a business has begun trending upward, albeit from a modest starting point. Podcasting isn’t new, and neither is the idea of producing one in front of a live audience but it's more relevant now than ever. In fact, many podcast producers now consider live events to be an integral part of any show’s development and growth. With this, producers have learned that live shows are a great venue to try out fresh talent or new show ideas and have reported that when they do live shows, particularly outside the hosts’ hometowns, they reliably drive big spikes in downloads locally.

In the past week, both Midroll and WNYC announced major podcast festivals on opposite coasts: LA-based Midroll’s Now Hear This festival will take place in New York, while WNYC’s Werk It, a podcast festival focused on women, will take place at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. Later this month, Gimlet, the venture-backed podcast startup from Alex Blumberg, will present its very first live podcast at the Bell House, in Brooklyn; even podcast newcomers Spotify, which announced its first slate of original shows this week, is putting on live events for shows like AudioHQ’s recently launched scripted podcast Bronzeville.

 

While most of these events are powered by headlining talent like Midroll’s Marc Maron or WNYC’s 2 Dope Queens, producers have learned that live shows are a great venue to pilot a series. WNYC, for example, has begun using the Greene Space, a small theater across the street from its lower Manhattan headquarters, as a place for podcast trials and workshops, including newly launched shows from Michelle Buteau.

Events have all kinds of marketing benefits too. For proven shows, the road isn’t a bad place for advertisers, either. While a lot of the live shows mounted by established acts are sponsored via package deals that also include ads that run during regular episodes, a handful of brand sponsors, including Acura and Delta, have signed on to sponsor live podcasts and podcasters’ tours. Several other direct response advertisers, like Casper and Mack Weldon, have signed on to sponsor everything from one-off shows to multi-day festivals.

It’s not clear when, or if, live podcasts become a major money-maker unto themselves. But for the rest of this year, we’re going to see more and more publishers devour the details and using them to their full advantage.