GETAWAY

Yesterday, my family and I relaxed in the park. We had a fantastic picnic! We silenced our hunger with turkey sandwiches and quenched our thirst with lemonade. We played catch and threw our frisbee. The park was our sanctuary. There was peace and plenty of quiet. It was an adventure. Our day was null and void of glamour and it did not hint at the pomp and circumstance which I love so much. It was simple and simple can be, oh so, appealing. We enjoyed our day, our way -- and still, it was a getaway.

-KW

Backyard BBQ

Two ideas for this summer's backyard barbecue:

1. Set up one long table (which may require using several tables together, connecting the short ends). This is great for a smaller party with 20 or so guests. Everyone can eat together passing the food "family style".
BONUS - neatly dress the table with linen and set the table with festive plates and glassware.

OR

2. Lay blankets and pillows around in different sections of the backyard and set up a table (maybe two depending on how much food is being served) where all of the food can be served "buffet style". Guests may grab their food and chill out on the blankets.
BONUS - color coordinate blankets and pillows for a pulled together look and feel.

This summer is going to be great. Enjoy!

-KW

Flowers

Flowers really do set a positive tone for my day. The great thing about flowers is that they can be custom made to fit any budget. You can pick up a lovely, inexpensive bouquet at your local grocer. Recently I saw an arrangement displayed in an unusual setting -- the flowers were inside a tall and skinny pitcher (nothing groundbreaking about that but to choose to use this particular pitcher as a vase, GENIUS!). Honestly that brought me back to the reality of one's vase not having to be ultra unique or sleek to achieve a sophisticated look.

Flowers are certainly used for event planning, but for a more "everyday" feel try placing a small arrangement by your bedside or on your desk at the office. It's uplifting! With all the madness going on, we all need some sunshine. Try flowers. Flowers really can set a positive tone for your day.

-KW

Snow in April

Don't you love it? Just when you think spring is about to grant us warmth and sunshine, old man winter brings a dose of reality. Here are four neat ideas for keeping your indoor events fresh and enjoyable:

1. Have a potluck gathering with your neighbors and friends
2. Have a costume party (for example, an 80s theme) and invite parents and their children
3. Have a poker party - FOR LADIES ONLY!
4. Have a cozy movie night with your immediate family

Warm weather is soon to come!

-KW

Fall of the Underdog

Ohio State lost. Had we made those 3-pointers, free throws, and easy layups down the stretch, we would have walked away victoriously. Lesson for next year's Road to the Final Four: The underdog never dies. We fall, we get up, we brush ourselves off, and we get back in the game.

Consider this, you have never thrown a party. You attempt to surprise a loved one with a special birthday party. It doesn't work. Not only does he/she find out about your plans well ahead of time, but the meal you cooked doesn't taste good. What do you do? You improvise. You order pizza, run out to your local grocer and pick up ice cream, sundae fixings, and ingredients for salad. Once back at home, toss the salad in a large wooden bowl (you do have a large wooden bowl, don't you?), place a stack of plates out for the pizza and salad, and serve the ice cream in martini glasses with the fixings positioned so that guests may create their own sundaes. Nice! Lesson here: The underdog never dies. We fall, we get up, we brush ourselves off, and we get back in the game.

-KW