Holiday Lights

Since in my last post I talked about Stan Hywets lights, I thought I would continue to talk about all the Christmas lighting events in Cleveland.  This week the Lolly the Trolley with begin their Tinsel, Tales, and Trees tour around Cleveland Ohio.  This tour will include a history of Cleveland, a stop at Progressive field to view their new event "Snow Days" and the last stop will be at Clevelands Playhouse to view their tree displays. Lolly the Trolley is a classic way to tour Cleveland and I loved it when I was little!  So I definitely encourage you to take your friends and family along for the ride :)  Below is a little more information about this even. Enjoy!
   

Tinsel, Tales, and Trees!

The best of Trolley Tours and the Holiday Season merge as you experience our nationally known narrated One Hour City Sightseeing Tour featuring the past, present and future of Cleveland while viewing the available lights. You will see and learn about North Coast Harbor, Public Square, Downtown, the Warehouse District, Gateway and the Playhouse Square Theater District. Then it’s off to the Cleveland Play House Festival of Trees to stroll indoors among the delightful decorator-designed “themed trees” and to gather ideas for your holiday house! The public tour is approximately 2 hours long. Your tour will also include a stop at Progressive Field to take a quick peek at Indians Snow Days - the newest holiday event in Downtown Cleveland! NOTE: You will not go into the event, but you will see it from the special viewing windows by the entrance gate. (No tours or charters Dec. 24, 25 or 31.)

• Available: Dec. 3-4-5, 10-11-12, 17-18-19 and Dec. 26th
• Departure Time: 7:00 PM (2 hours long) from the Powerhouse @ Nautica
• Adults: $18.50 (Ages 18+) includes tax
• Children: $12.00 (Ages 6-17) includes tax

There are no rides or tours Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. All fares are now subject to a 7.75% State Sales Tax.

Reservations required for all tours.
Call 216-771-4484 or 1-800-848-0173
Press "0" for a friendly voice!

Stan Hywet Halls and Gardens

Thanksgiving is over and I can finally start posting about Christmas events.  One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is driving around and seeing all the Christmas lights.  One of the best displays of Christmas lights is at the old Stan Hywet Mansion located in Cuyahoga Falls.  When I was younger we took a field trip to the mansion to learn about the people who lived their and to observe the architecture, but every year I love to visit and see their fabulous light display.  At the bottom is a little description of the event and which days it will be open.  Don't miss out!  There are so many great holiday events going on, one should never be bored during the Christmas season.


   




Deck the Hall, 5-8 p.m., Nov. 26-28 and Dec. 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 21-23, 26-30. Theme is "A Dickens of a Christmas," with rooms in the Manor House, 714 N. Portage Path, decorated to portray Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Christmas-tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. every evening in the Carriage House Courtyard. Tickets are available at 330-315-3287 or at Stan Hywet. Prices; $16, house and grounds tour; $10, gardens and grounds only; $5, youth and college students with I.D. for the house and grounds tour; $4, youth and students for the gardens and grounds only; free, children 5 and younger with an adult. Member prices are available. For more information please visit http://www.stanhywet.org/dynamic/default.aspx 

How Was Your Thanksgiving?

Since Thanksgiving is such a big event, I wanted to ask all of you how your Thanksgiving went.  How was the food? the company? and atmosphere?  Everything and anything you would like to share about your Thanksgiving.  Any tips for a better Thanksgiving or do you think if something was different you would have had a better Thanksgiving.  Its your turn to give me some tips on planning a great event, so go right ahead :)

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy's Parade is probably one of the biggest events held on Thanksgiving.  This year Macys will be celebrating their 84th Parade and it will be held like always in New York City starting on 77th street near Central Park.  You cannot purchase tickets for the parade and visitors are advised to get to the parade by 7am to get a good seat.  Also make sure to make reservations at any of the restaurants to ensure you have somewhere to ear because the restaurants will be packed after the parade.  The parade will start at 9:00am and will be aired on NBC.  Here is some history to give you a bit of background if you dont know much about the parade. Be sure to tune in an watch while you are preparing Thanksgiving dinner :)  Hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving!!!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States, tied with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than the 6abc IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia. In the 1920s many of Macy's department store employees were first-generation immigrants. Proud of their new American heritage, they wanted to celebrate the United States holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festival their parents had loved in Europe.

In 1924, the inaugural parade (originally known as the Macy's Christmas Parade and later the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Christmas Parade) was staged by the store. Employees and professional entertainers marched from 145th Street in Harlem to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street dressed in vibrant costumes.There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first parade, however, the Jolly Old Elf was enthroned on the Macy's balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then "crowned" "King of the Kiddies. With an audience of over a quarter of a million people the parade was such a success that Macy's declared it would become an annual event.

For more information visit their official website at http://social.macys.com/parade2010/#/home

      

How to Build a Disney Thanksgiving Center Piece

Thanksgiving will be here in 2 days and I cannot believe it! Events are all winding down and Christmas will be here before we know it.  So I just wanted to write about Thanksgiving for a couple more day before Christmas throws up everywhere.  I have mentioned more than a few times that I love Disney and I was wondering what Disney is doing on Thanksgiving. If you did not know Disney World is open 365 days a year and they always celebrate holidays in unique ways.  So I looked up special events in Disney World and was shocked that there are no special events for Thanksgiving.  I did however find the official Disney blog and they posted a video about how to decorate for Thanksgiving.  Its a great video about how to build a centerpiece.  Visit http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/author/jvolante/ to watch the video and learn how to make a Disney centerpiece!!! Enjoy :)

Turkey Trot

Just wanted to remind everyone about the 29th annual Turkey trot in Cleveland on Nov 25.

Registration begins at 7:30AM

1-Mile fun walk begins at 8:45AM

5-Mile chip-timed run begins at 9:30 AM

The 2010 Turkey Trot will begin and end at the Galleria at Erieview, located at 1301 East 9th Street. 

Dress to impress because their are a ton of different prizes you can win for best dressed!

Get more information at http://www.hermescleveland.com/roadracing/turkeytrot/index.php

Register ASAP so you can join in on the fun :)

Christmas is Everywhere!

So I know I just wrote about Thanksgiving yesterday and yes I believe Christmas should not be mentioned until after Thanksgiving, but everyone/everything is screaming Christmas around me.  Anyways, I have an interview tomorrow at the Cleveland Playhouse, (wish me luck!!) and I saw that they have an annual tree lighting event.  So I had to tell everyone about it :)  Their annual  tree lighting event is called "Light the Night" which is held on  Monday Nov 22 from 630-830.  This event jumps starts the tree lighting week to kick off the holidays. Below is a little more information about the tree lighting.  So If you are one of those people thats ready to skip Thanksgiving and go straight to Christmas, this is the perfect event for you!!

Cleveland, OH (November 4, 2010) – Cleveland Play House invites the Northeast Ohio community to enjoy the 14th annual Festival of Trees from November 22 through December 30, 2010. Over 65 uniquely decorated trees and holiday displays line the promenade, rotunda and lobbies of CPH and provide a great backdrop for holiday family photos (cameras are welcome). This festive display welcomes young and old, and is free and open to the public. The tree-lined halls are also sure to enhance the experience for those attending our unique holiday comedy, This Wonderful Life (the family-friendly, heartwarming one-man adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life runs from November 26 through December 19, 2010).

The Perfect Thanksgiving

Now I know that Thanksgiving is still a little more than a week away, but to plan the perfect Thanksgiving dinner you should start planning a week in advance.  If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house it can become very stressful, but as long as you have a plan for your event your stress will quickly dissolve.  First lets handle the atmosphere.  There are not many decorations for Thanksgiving unless you want to start decorating for Christmas, but in my opinion anything that has to do with Christmas should not be used until AFTER Thanksgiving, at least that's what I think. Anyways great centerpieces are baby pumpkins, small cornstalks, or fake fall leaves.  There should not be many decorations on the table because Thanksgiving meal should be the focus on the table.  Having fall bouquets of flowers are always a great way to decorate, just remember to order them a week ahead so the florist has them in stock.  Next is the guest list.  Of course everyone in your family will be attending, just make sure you clearly state what time dinner will be served and what time everyone may arrive.  Also if you are doing a potluck Thanksgiving, make sure everyone knows what they are suppose to bring.  Now to the menu.  So just like any other event food is always the main focus, especially on Thanksgiving, so pay special attention to the menu.  Make sure to shop ahead, so you are not running around the day before to get the proper ingredients.  Like any other event the more prepared you are the better your event will run.  Focus on what your family enjoys at Thanksgiving and plan out appetizers and side dishes.  Make sure you allow enough preparation time the day of  your event so you are not rushing and dinner starts on time.  The key to a great event is to make sure everyone is on the same page and you are well prepared.  If you follow some of the basic steps above, there will be nothing to worry about. So start planning your perfect Thanksgiving now and you will have nothing to worry about next week!

Fabulous Food Show

So what is everyone doing this weekend?  Well if you have no plans, I would highly encourage you to attend The Fabulous Food Show this weekend Friday Nov 12 to Sunday Nov 14.  THe Food Show will be held at the Cleveland I-X Center Friday and Saturday 10am-8pm and Sunday 10am- 6pm.  Admission tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and an extra $10 for wine tastings.  This is a great event where you can walk around visit different booths.  You may even meet a celebrity chef!!  Below are a list of activities that will be going on during this event.

Celebrity Chefs:The 2010 Celebrity chef line-up for the show includes the Food Network's Anne Burrell, Guy Fieri, Alton Brown, and Giada de Laurentis as well as Cleveland's own Iron Chef Michael Symon. Audience members will be able to watch these chefs perform live in the 1500-seat Main Kitchen Theater. Each guest will be able to attend at least one of the six or seven daily celebrity events.

Cooking Demonstrations by Local Chefs:In addition to the celebrity chefs, a number of prominent local chefs will hosts cooking demonstration. Past participants have included Ohio City's Flying Fig and Heck's Cafe, Tremont's Grumpy's Cafe, and West Park Station.

The Grand Tasting Pavilion:The Grand Tasting Pavilion will be hosted by the American Wine School. This area features more than 250 wines as well as spirits and beers from around the world. The pavilion includes a Wine Shop where visitors can buy wine and beer, an International Wine Bar for tastings, and a Wine Theater. A $10 passport entitles visitors to a crystal souvenir tasting glass, six one-ounce tastings, and a tasting booklet for notes. Additional sampling tickets will be available for purchase.

Meet and Greet and Book Signings:The event also includes a section where you can meet and greet your favorite celebrity -- or have him or her sign a book for you at the Book Signing Pavilion. The table is open throughout the day and stocked books by all of the participating celebrities. Guest chefs and celebrities will take turns manning the pavilion. Autographs are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Chocolate Bar:The Dessert Pavilion features cakes, cookies, a chocolate fountain, and chocolate martinis, among other treats. There will also be live demonstrations by candymakers, chocolatiers, and cake designers.

Fabulous Food Marketplace:The culinary marketplace features more than 200 exhibitors. What a great place to start your holiday shopping.

For more information please visit http://www.fabulousfoodshow.com/

Public Relations Career Match Event

As the PR Club's Vice PresidentI would just like to thank everyone who came out for the PR Club's first event of the year.  PR Club's  Career Match event was held tonight in the Student Activities Center from 6-8.  Seven professionals attended and the event was set up as a speed dating networking event.  Students spent 10-15 minutes in groups with professionals and asked questions about their careers.  This turned out to be a great event!  Last year PR Club held a similar event with many more professionals, which was great, but this year we wanted a smaller group so students could spend more time with professionals.  I think our small  group atmosphere made a big difference this year, so I was excited our idea worked!  Another great tip to any event planners, when putting on an event always try and get a gift for anyone who volunteered to participate in the event.  PR Club bought Baldwin-Wallace coffee mugs and notepads to give as gifts to the professionals and they loved it.  It just added a special touch and let them know how thankful we were that they could attend out event.  I will keep you updated on any other PR Club events in the future.  Check out the picture below of the event.

Baldwin-Wallace vs Mount Union Football Game

So tomorrow is the BIG game.  The Baldwin-Wallace football team will play against their rival Mount Union! The game starts at 2:00 pm at the George Finnie Stadium in Berea, Ohio.  The football team has only lost one previous game this year and they have held their best record yet.  So make sure you go and cheer on the yellow jackets and show your brown and yellow spirit!  Make sure to dress warm though because the weather forecast is saying maybe snow.

Fall Wedding Tips and Ideas

So since Fall is the most popular time for weddings, I thought I would give some tips to any brides who are  debating which season is best for their wedding.  My vote is definitely the Fall.  Even before Fall weddings became so popular, I have always wanted to get married in the Fall.  The weather is usually cool and the sun is mostly shining.  Plus you get a perfect back drop to all your pictures because all the trees are changing such beautiful colors. Here are some ideas to sway or help you plan your Fall wedding.

Fall Wedding Color Palette

When we think of fall, we think of harvest time and all the rich yellows, oranges, golds, copper, maroon and browns.   I worked on a wedding during an internship and their colors were champagne and a dark maroon.  Simple and classic always looks the best. Plus it is easier to get away with a dark color palette in the Fall because Fall reminds everyone of warm, comforting colors.  Added bonus, dark colors are much for flattering, so your bridesmaids will be pleased with their dresses.

Fall Wedding Flower Options

Popular fall flowers include roses, orchids, gardenias, mums and dahlias. Consider using berries in rich shades to fill in your bouquet.  Cranberries make a great centerpiece while floating in water.  In addition to flowers, you can carry the theme of Fall harvest into your wedding by using pumpkins, bails of hay, maple leaves and cornstalks as well. Sunflowers are also a great flower to use because some sunflowers have  great dark yellow leaves.

Fall Wedding Decor

In keeping with the rich colors and harvest theme, consider using heavier fabrics like velvet for linens. Candles are great accents to autumn weddings as well; think along the lines of large hurricane lanterns as centerpieces wrapped in a base wreath of berries, foliage or miniature pumpkins. For stationery, metallic colors are a good choice for lettering.

Fall Wedding Fashion

Since you never know if its gonna be a hot end of September day or a brisk October day,  Fall brides can choose what ever style they want for their gowns.  Popular colors for bridesmaids are usually brown, dark gold, or dark orange, but adding a sash to the gowns always gives it that perfect touch.

Fall Menu Choices

Rich flavors and comfort food remind everyone of Fall.  Try to include seasonal vegetables such as squash and pumpkins to go along with the Fall theme, they may also be cheaper because they are in season :) For your entree chicken or turkey are great choices, think of a thanksgiving dinner.  Also for dessert consider serving gingerbread  or pumpkin cookies.  You may even want to skip the traditional cake and serve fresh apple, blackberry, pumpkin, or cherry pie.

Fall Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are always my favorite part of each wedding.  I love to see each bride and grooms creative side come out in their favors.  Usually they speak really well to the personalities of the bride and groom and are also themed with the wedding.  Tiny pumpkins are always great as a favor or a ceramic one filled with Fall scents is great too.  My favorite, which might have to be my wedding favor is carmel apples.  Nothing says Fall like a carmel apple and they look adorable sitting at each place setting.

Career Expo

So what kind of person would I be if I didn't highlight big events here at Baldwin-Wallace College?  I want to inform everyone about the Career Expo this Thursday Nov 4 from 530 to 8 in the Student Union.  I know everyone has probably gotten a ton of emails from Career Services, but lets me honest how many of you actually read those?  So if you do not know anything about the Career Expo its basically a number of companies from Cleveland come to Baldwin-Wallace to promote their company to graduating students.  Professionals line the entrance of the Union and all the downstairs rooms with tables containing all of their promotional material.  Usually professionals are looking for potential interns and sometimes even applicants for full time jobs.  Even if you are not a Junior or Senior, I would strongly advise you to attend.  I have gone to the Expo for the last two years and I have only benefited from it.  Its a great way to network, grab business cards, and start building relationships with professionals.  Who knows you may even get an internship from it.  Be sure to check register in the Qaurry room downstairs in the Union when you get there.   You will sign up, grab a name tag, and receive a program listing all the companies that are at the Expo.  I strongly recommend you visit the career services website to research which companies will be there, so you will be extra prepared.  It is always good to bring your updated resume, so you can pass them off to professionals.  If you need some help with updating or creating a resume, Career Services is offering a ton of classes this week to go over resumes.  This Expo is only once a year, so do not miss it. I know it can be awkward meeting professionals, I still get nervous! Just be yourself and try not to be nervous.  Just remember they are there because they want to meet students, so show them what you've got.  Visit Career Services if you have any other questions about this event.  Career.bw.edu
Good luck everyone!!