Get Married

Do you know the fun Lifetime TV show Get Married hosted by celebrity event designer Colin Cowie? The show is best known for bringing the latest trends and inspirations to brides.

Well, in addition to their hit TV show and their great website, Get Married is launching a new national wedding magazine and the first issue will appear on newsstands in October, 2009. You can reserve your FREE copy now by sending Get Married an email.

More details to follow...

Yearbook Smiles Predict Marriage Success

Want to predict if you will stay married? Take out your high school yearbook. If you are smiling, you are more likely to have a long marriage. I did not make this up! A research study at DePauw University scored high school yearbook pictures based on a "smile intensity score". They found the top 10% of smilers had a 5% divorce rate, and the bottom 10% smilers (the non-smilers) had a 25% divorce rate. Their explanation? People with positive emotionality may attract happier people or interpret events more positively.

And keep smiling!

Don't Tell the Bride

Have you seen the BBC television show, Don't Tell the Bride? 

The premise is that a groom gets $20,000 and has a month to plan a dream wedding for his bride. The catch is that they can have no contact prior to the wedding and the bride can have no input. As with any (un)reality TV show, you have to suspend your disbelief. Who would risk everything going wrong on their wedding day? And, it's been rumored that the producers purposely undermine the wedding day just enough to (gasp!) create tension which can result in a happy ending. 

I admit that I've seen parts of two episodes and there are some nuggets we can glean.

Lesson #1: The grooms do much better than you might imagine. Afterwards, they have a much greater appreciation of how much hard work goes into planning a wedding.

Lesson #2: The brides are more forgiving than you might imagine.

Lesson #3: The biggest sticking point seems to be selecting a wedding gown. Brides have definite ideas about what they want, and the grooms are usually clueless. 

One groom designed the dress himself, complete with RED boning on the corset bodice and red lacing in the back. It had a slightly goth flavor. His mother counseled him that ivory would be more suitable, and to his credit, he wisely took her suggestion. His bride still hated the dress when she saw it the day before the wedding. So, he scrapped his plan and bought the dress of her dreams. Good man. This marriage might last.

Lesson #4: Weddings are as expensive in England as they are in San Francisco and the $20,000 budget doesn't go very far. If the groom rents the castle (literally) of his dreams, there is very little left to pay for everything else. The invitations are likely to be flyers printed at Kinko's (but sealed with red wax), the decor will be balloons not flowers, the linens will be paper tablecloths not linen, the cake will come from a supermarket and the meal may be a BBQ. But the castle, horse drawn carriage, elaborate lighting and belly dancers will be great. It's always a matter of priorities. And goofy priorities make for lively reality TV entertainment. 

Lesson #5: In the end, it's all about how well the groom knows his bride's preferences and taste and how well both the bride and groom understand that starting with the wedding, marriage is all about compromise and pleasing the other person.

Lesson #6: Those British accents are so darned cute.

Worst Wedding Invitation

The folks over at BrideTide posted the worst wedding invitation. Tragically funny.

Beauty in the Fog

San Francisco is so beautiful in all kinds of weather. So, when we filmed a wedding at the Legion of Honor a few weeks ago with the amazingly talented Michelle Walker, we were delighted to see the fog waft past the stately columns. 

On a wedding day, it's all about filming the action that's going on, so we had to let the fog keep rolling by. But, we wanted to capture some of that beauty so we returned to the Legion of Honor yesterday in the early morning hours to do just that. Here are a few still images. It was so quiet and serene.

Then, to our surprise, it was Free Tuesday. So we wandered the galleries of beautiful Rodin sculptures and were inspired by the special exhibition of Artistic Luxury: Faberge, Tiffany 

and Lalique (through May 31). The Faberge eggs are justifiably famous. They are exquisite miniatures creatively designed with fabulous precious stones, gold and platinum, enamels and pearls. Among European royalty it was the tradition to give the gift of a decorated egg to commemorate events such as the birth of a child, a wedding anniversary or an Easter or Christmas holiday.

There was always a surprise inside such as a hand painted 10-panel picture frame of the royal palaces where the Empress spent her childhood.

Or a miniature gold coach to commemorate the coronation of Nicholas and Alexandra. The coach has an imperial crown of rose diamonds on the roof, platinum tires, rock crystal windows and an imperial eagle on either door.

They really knew how to give gifts in those days!

Cute Overload

Every now and again you have to take a moment. I found these on cute overload.  There are many more - all animal related.

San Francisco International Film Festival Rides Again!

It's that time of year again. Time for the 52nd annual San Francisco Film Festival, starting tonight, Thursday, April 23. Before the last reel is shown on Thursday, May 7, over 150 films from 50 countries will be shown, and Robert Redford and Francis Ford Coppola will receive awards and chat with the crowds.

Rumor has it that there are a lot of must-see films including:

Bluebeard - killing your wives is cheaper than a divorce

Adoration - a teenager blurs the line between fact and fiction when he writes an essay portraying his deceased father as a terrorist

Ferlinghetti - local filmmaker's documentary on San Francisco poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti including interview with Dennis Hopper, Alan Ginsberg and other bohemians

La Mission - filmed in San Francisco in just 26 days, the movie stars Benjamin Bratt of Law & Order fame, directed by his brother Peter Bratt. Both Bratts will be in attendance

The Lost World (hot ticket!) - A silent film accompanied by an original score performed live by Dengue Fever, a Cambodian/American rock, country and African fusion jazz band. Based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's sci-fi novel, a group of explorers make the fatal mistake of bringing back a brontosaurus from an exotic locale.

See you at the movies!

Monterey Bay Otters and Sea Lions

         Monday was a record-setting scorcher in the Bay Area. You can't do anything about the weather except find a solution. So Chuck and I went kayaking on Monterey Bay.  We traveled several miles along the coast to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was calm, a sunny sky, and just a hint of a cool breeze. Here are a few of our companions.

First, there was the "barbershop quartet of sea lions. Nicely lined up. Nice harmony. Hard to understand the lyrics.

Then, although it's hard to see, there was the mother otter (white) grooming her pup (brown). They looked a little scraggly and in need of a grooming. But they were adorable.

What's amazing is how close they will come to you. They are curious and playful creatures. What a joy to share the planet with them!

Sonoma Film Festival

Looking for something to do this weekend that's fun and a little different? Go to the Sonoma International Film Festival known for the intimate and luxurious extended weekend of great food, fine wine, and film from around the world. 

The Festival, acclaimed as a "sun-drenched, wine-soaked cinematic magic carpet ride!" (IFC News), invites guests to enjoy some of the year's best new independent films, specialty events, luxurious parties, wine and food pairings - and casual mingling with top filmmakers and celebrities from around the world. Who knows who you might run into? There are still tickets to the Bruce Willis Tribute Gala at the Jacuzzi Winery on Saturday.

Are Wedding Gifts Optional?

Well, there seems to be a bit of a stir over the New York Times' March 14, 2009 article, Wedding Bells' Toll which stated, "...the only wedding event for which a present is absolutely required is the bridal shower." I always thought giving a wedding gift was definitely required unless explicitly told by the bride and groom "No gifts. I really mean it. Absolutely no gifts." What are your thoughts about this, gentle reader?

The gist of the article is that guests on a limited budget can give creative gifts such as concert tickets, a mixing bowl with a special recipe or even a dozen white kitchen towels from Ikea. Letitia Baldrige, the etiquette expert shares her money-saving secret. Go to an unknown antique shop, buy something inexpensive, and write a lovely note saying the item is very old and from Vienna. 

We've seen some creative ideas. Once, our services were the only item on the registry. As many guests as wished to chipped in and bought the couple their wedding movie. Or how about sending the newlyweds a bottle of wine or bubbly or dessert wine to celebrate their 1-month, 6-month and 1-year anniversary? One of our best wedding gifts was a cooler for all our picnics and outings. I think we use that more than any other gift we received. 

Bouquets to Art: Postscript

You never know what someone else has had to endure to create and present their art. 

I contacted my good friend Karen at Plan Decor to congratulate her on the floral art she created for Bouquets to Art. She told me her art was originally supposed to be in front of one of the Andy Warhol images that was currently on display at the DeYoung Museum.

Oooooh...so it was supposed to be standing up, not lying down and it was supposed to be in front of a Warhol image known for its repetition and color. Now it all makes sense. Context is everything! 

As fellow artists, we completely understand when art is taken out of context. It may be beautiful all by itself, but you miss a lot of the meaning, the whimsy, the intelligence, and the fun with which it was created. I'm glad that we could fully appreciate Karen's masterpiece  by viewing this photo which a friend of Karen's shot when her arrangement was correctly placed in the exhibit.

This slight change of location has elevated Karen's piece from just something lovely to being one of my favorites in the whole exhibit.  Bravo Karen!

Bouquets to Art Part III: Best of Show

Here is the most spectacular work of art in the Bouquets to Art 2009 flower show. In fact, it's the most incredible installation I've ever seen at a Bouquets to Art exhibit in the five years I've attended.

It was designed and created by Natasha Lisitsa of Waterlily Pond. Look at the scale of this piece! It was an interpretation of the smallest sub-atomic particles in the universe and the largest. Very thought provoking and beautiful from every angle.

 

Above is a side view and to the left is a view looking straight up from the bottom. It was spectacular! I'm sorry a photograph cannot do it justice. People definitely stood there for a long time, in awe.

Below is a close-up view of a few of the hundreds and humdreds of anthuriums Natasha used in the artwork.

Bouquets to Art Part II: Our Favorites

Here are our favorites at the Bouquets to Art 2009 show.

We found this pairing of painting and flowers in a quiet corner of the exhibit. This floral design brilliantly picked up the style and color of the maid's apron in the basket. With judicious restraint, the artist carefully selected just a few blossoms to represent the color of the maid's salmon shawl, and the items in her basket. Creating a simple work of art can be as difficult as or even more so than a large piece. Maybe the more personal scale that would fit into anyone's home touches us more deeply. It invites us to get up close and really observe every element the artist considered.

Neil Hunt of Hunt Littlefield took a whimsical approach to his art and cut out a door in the same shape and size as the goose in the painting that inspired his artwork. The white phaelanopsis orchids cascading downward represent the goose. Brilliant interpretation and one of the most creative in the entire show!

Phyllis Brady of Twig & Ivy took a big chance. This floral work of art on a dressmaker's form uses muted colors and is very subtle. In a roomful of arrangements that screamed "Look at me!", you would have to seek this one out. But if you did, you were in for a treat. 

In addition to bringing in the same colors as in the painting which inspired her, the texture and composition of the flowers perfectly represents the impressionist's way of using points of light and color to create a harmonious whole. It was not so obvious up close, but when you stood back, you could see you were in the presence of a brilliant piece of art.

Karen Baba of Plan Decor created a simple floral art design that 100% perfectly reflected Andy Warhol's style. Warhol was well known for his 1960's pop art style of repeating an image in bright colors. 

Brilliant interpretation, Karen!

Pico Design's Pico Soriano's hands must hurt. He pulled the soft buds off of countless pussy willow branches to create this cute 3-D dog which relates to the boy and dog in the painting. It was different. It was creative. It was charming.

These two colorful creations capture the spirit of the gumball dispensers and the abstract splatter of bright colors, respectively. They succeed by combining a minimum number of flowers with some wrapped wires or white-washed vases to make everything appear to be floating on air. 

Bouquets to Art 2009 Part I

Yesterday we had a marvelous time feeding our souls at the DeYoung Museum's Bouquets to Art. There's one day left to see the exhibit of floral designs which interpret works of art. Here are some photos of floral artwork of wedding professionals we know and admire.

Isabella Sikaffy, Florabella

Isabella used pastel colored flowers to respresent the airiness of the impressionistic painting, and topped it off with orange flowers to highlight the girl's red-hair.

Pat Gibbons of Pat Gibbons Florals created this refreshing arrangement of white phaelanopsis orchids with bleached white curly willow as both an element of the arrangement and an element of the container. It was one of the most restful works of art we saw.  You can definitely imagine this arrangement at a stylish wedding!

Here is the inspiration for Rhonda Stoffel of Grace Street Floral and Event Design. Now see how she interpreted the grace and cool elegance of the marble statue with white anthuriums and various greens. You can feel the same flowing texture in the skirt symbolized by the rings of bear grass.

Laurel Winzler, Laurel Designs

Laurel interpreted a Mayan rubbing, with her floral arrangement emphasizing the harshness of life where everytime you played a soccer game, you were playing for your life, with human sacrifices to follow. 

Mandy Scott, Mandy Scott Flowers

Mandy covered a picture frame in leaves to symbolize the bookstore window in the painting. Then, she used a variety of tulips to symbolize the books in the painting.

Paige Benjamin of Passiflora Designs is known for her use of color and fanciful balls of fresh flowers. Love what she's done with the curly willow to expand this creation's reach. Even the shadow it casts on the wall is artistic.

Best Inspirational Blog in the World

Ever find yourself under a black cloud or in a negative state and you didn't know it until a good friend held up a mirror? Well, if it's ever happened to you, here's the absolutely best antidote. 

I went searching for the best inspirational blog I could find and found One Year of Beauty. On January 1, 2009 Liv committed to blogging every day about the simple beauty she saw around her. Whether it was an icicle or a tag sewn into a hand-stitched garment, a little white dog peering through a car window, blueberries or dead flowers, she posts a picture and a few sentences to remind you to find beauty in your own day.

I can reflect back on a few times that I took a long hike and saw something of great beauty - like a 14-point buck. There were many joggers and runners zipping past this magnificent creature. I saw him. He saw me. And yet he was invisible to those who moved too fast. That's how I feel about Liz's blog. She's slowed down just long enough to see a rainbow. I think she is right - you can CHOOSE to see beauty if you try.

I Just Love a Good Book

With the spotlight on recycle - reuse - restore these days, here are some innovative artists who have a use for books that have been read and enjoyed.  

I'm staying out of the controversy as to whether it's sacrilege to cut up a book or whether it's a blessing to donate it to be re-purposed. Just enjoy.

This piece of art is a first edition Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson interlaced with plastic cord.

Art can also be functional. Here are some re-purposed books that are lamps!

For many more inspiring uses of books as art, click HERE.

DIY Your Own Wedding Faire

What are you doing today from 11 AM to 4 PM? The Hotel Cabana in Palo Alto is having a FREE wedding fair. But with a twist. 

Our good friend Stacie Tamaki of The Flirty Guide will be moderating a panel discussion of how to DIY four elements of your wedding at 1 PM. 

Joining her will be the fantastic Sabrina Moyel of Hello!Lucky who will talk about DIY invitations. Ron Grandia will talk about how to DJ your iPod wedding. Sachi Yamazaki of Fleurty will demonstrate how to DIY your flowers. And yours truly will be giving practical tips on how to DIY your wedding video so everyone will love it.

There will be food, displays and lots of good information and ideas. There will also be a fashion show at 2 PM.

Although it's free, your advance registration is appreciated. 

Register for a FREE VIP pass and FREE valet parking at...

Phone:  650.857.0787

Email:  sales.catering@cabanapaloalto.net

All The Best: Alltop

Remember in the movie "The Graduate" when Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) graduated from college and was uncertain of his future. At a backyard barbeque the neighborhood know-it-all friend of the family came over, put an arm around Ben's shoulder and said "I have just one word for you. Plastics." 

Well, in the same vein, Pssst. Come over here. I have just one word for you. Alltop.  If you haven't heard of it before now, let me tell you about it. Alltop is an outstanding website that stands for All The Top Stories = Alltop. The best blogs are neatly sorted by topic - any topic you can name. And that's what's so amazing and helpful! In a world glutted with data but no analysis, with information but no way to find or organize it, Alltop is your blog valet, butler and maid. As a professional researcher in a past life, I only wish Guy Kawasaki's amazing website had been born a long time ago. A little background info - Guy has the Midas Touch as a former Apple Fellow at Apple Computer, and now Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm.

Think of Alltop like an e-magazine rack. But bigger than any Barnes & Noble or Borders you've ever been in. Take our category WEDDINGS, for example. At most, there are 25 wedding magazines at the local Borders. But Alltop sports 168 hand-selected wedding blogs for your reading pleasure, and more than 10,000 blogs on all topics combined. The titles of the latest 5 posts for each blog are listed on Alltop so you can go for what interests you. [Note to self: dream up better titles for blog posts.]

So these days, I've given up reading the morning newspaper and instead get my news from Alltop as I sip my first cup of coffee. Thank you Guy Kawasaki!

2009 Oscars

Is it my imagination or did some of the actresses on the red carpet look like they were going to their own weddings? Lots of white ball gowns at the Oscars last night.

Let's not forget the bridesmaids' dresses - how about red?

Ethics and Online Reviews

A friend pointed out a recent article on CNN questioning the integrity of Yelp. Here's the gist. The East Bay Express claimed advertisers were being subjected to questionable tactics in order to get them to advertise on Yelp. The promise was that negative reviews would be taken down. The threat was that positive reviews would disappear or negative ones would appear if a business owner declined to advertise with Yelp. A dozen business owners said they experienced this form of blackmail. Some compare these tactics to the mafia demanding protection money. "The local neighborhood protection racket has just moved to the web," said one anonymous source.

Yelp admits that they pay "scouts" and "ambassadors" to write reviews. In some cases, businesses that received negative reviews from paid Yelpers were then asked to advertise.

This brings into question - how authentic and how accurate are the reviews on Yelp?  

And it isn't just Yelp that can manipulate the ratings. One irate customer can post an unfair negative review and encourage friends to also post negative reviews. One restaurant owner related that a customer was angry that the business was closed for a private event and went on Yelp, accusing the employees of being unsanitary. There have also been cases of one competitor slamming another. 

The biggest challenges faced by Yelp as well as JudysBook.com, Google Local and Yahoo Local is how to encourage ethical user behavior, high-quality reviews and still make money. Whether true or not, there is the appearance of a conflict of interest when the businesses being reviewed are the ones being solicited to advertise. But this is unlikely to change.

So, how can you tell when a review is legitimate?  The simple answer is you can't. That's all part of web 2.0. Everyone is free to have an opinion, but you don't necessarily have to believe everything you read. Be a critical thinker.

So here's what I do:

1.  Review the reviewer. I investigate the poster's other reviews to see if they are always positive, always negative, or if there seems to be a balance. If this is the only review from this poster and it's particularly negative, I weigh that information.  If the poster has posted a good number of reviews about a variety of establishments, with well-reasoned criteria, I give their opinions more weight.

2. There's safety in numbers. It's not as easy to manipulate the results when an establishment has dozens of reviews.

3. Severity of the "infraction".  Is the complaint that the waitstaff were surly or that there were multiple health code violations?

4. Compare reviews on several different websites.

And if all this seems too much trouble, then just throw a dart to decide where you will eat tonight.

Do you have a solution? Let us know.