Amazing Weekend of Diverse Events

I haven't blogged in a while because my time has been devoted to some really amazing events!

The first event I worked on this week was a classic Italian Rehearsal dinner. With 90+ guests and multiple stations it was not the typical rehearsal dinner. Made to order Italian cuisine and the songs of Frank Sinatra made for a memorable evening. Not many rehearsal dinners can boast impromptu waltzes to songs from the Godfather Soundtrack!

Saturdays event was quite a treat for us. It was our first Muslim ceremony on-premise. The brides parents told us many times that our diverse menu possibilities and willingness to work with their specific palates and sensibilities was a major reason for their choosing us as their daughter's wedding.

The last of three ceremonies was held at our facility before the reception began. The ceremony is called a Nikkah and is the contract between a bride and bridegroom and part of the Islamic marriage, a strong covenant (mithaqun Ghalithun) as expressed in Qur'an 4:21. Following the ceremony the reception followed with fruit drinks and teas of our creation in addition to appetizers like Vegetarian Samosa, Stuffed Mushrooms w/ Crab, and Basmati Rice dishes. The dinner was a four coarse meal ending with a cheesecake caramelizing station with unique fruits and nuts as toppings.

Tonight's wedding is still taking place and included a Korean ceremony in full dress. This stations themed included items such as Chabu Chabu Meatballs, Paella, Asian Short Ribs, and Pineapple Fried Rice. The pictures from both of these events (including the detailed ceremonies) are forthcoming.

Another amazing weekend that our staff pull off flawlessly. I can't wait for the next challenge!

Back Surgery

I have back surgery tomorrow morning so I will be out of the office for a week.

Wish me luck!

Sal Richetti's Boat Trip

Here's some pictures from a beautiful day on Sal Richetti from Big Day Entertainment's Boat:

October 27, 2007 Wedding Pictures

Here are some pictures from the October 27th wedding from last year.
How times flies!
All pictures are from Once Upon a Time Pictures.

My Wedding Album by Terry Clark

Terry Clark has completed my wedding album and I'd love to show it to everyone.

Click on the picture to see:

Congrats Mark and Larissa!

Congrats on the engagement Mark and Larissa!

You can't beat Italy for an engagment location!

600 Starbucks to Close in the US This Year

I took part in a poll online a few days ago that said:

Which sector of the restaurant industry will be most affected by the economy's downslide?

The poll went like this:

60% Fine Dining
16.67% Fast/Casual
13.49 Coffee Shops/Cafes
9.52% Quickservice


I picked Coffee Shops/Cafes because I thought the easiest item to eliminate from spending is Starbucks!

I've worked in a coffee shop, so I know that this type of specialty store is a luxury more then a necessity.

600 Starbucks will close by the beginning of 2009. Nationally, the state with the most Starbucks to close is California with 88, followed by Florida with 59, Texas with 57 and New York with 39. Pennsylvania is losing 21 stores.

The closures will affect about 12,000 employees. Starbucks says some will be offered positions at nearby stores that remain open. Those who aren't, both full and part time, will receive a severance payment based on job title and current pay. Starbucks stores average about 20 part-time employees.
The 600 stores represent about 8.5 percent of the company's U.S. total.

Starbucks stock closed in trading Thursday at $14.39 a share. A year ago the stock was trading at $25.87, and in mid-2006 was near $40 a share.