" When Your Own Initials Are Enough "

A Botega Veneta ad campaign back in ...the 70's perhaps?
How sage and how ahead of their time. Years later I , still, find myself
drawn to life's little pleasures which don't wear business cards all
over them.

A more recent campaign, over the last school calendar year, arose
in the suburbs of Westchester when school officials chose to
place limitations on the rights of students to wear custom print
giveaway sweats to school. Most schools remained neutral on the
wave of fleece , in any given color, washing over the foyers on a
Monday morning following a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. However, a handful
of school administrators and staff members deemed the display of such
as unkind in nature to those who had not been asked to attend the
events. Their rulings allowed the clothing items to appear from
Tuesday on after the buzz had died down and the focus was on
the printed word in the form of a textbook or homework.

I can see both sides of the argument.

I , for one, loved , and still do, the concept of wearing something
which cannot be directly identified by those looking on.
However, I like the ability to use dress as a form of self expression and, yes, even
indulge in certain branded items for the art behind them (as opposed to the
price tags).

As for the kids? Three years of preparation and commitment to
serving as an adult in their given community is something to be celebrated.
Two or three initials on the front of back of hoodie
don't seem over the top...to me. After all, kids of all ages go
to practices and weeks of tryout in order to make the teams of their choice.
More often than not, the athletes sport sweats in unison.
They wear them as soon as they come off of the iron presses.
Their names, numbers, school and team affiliations are in plain view for
all to experience. Yes, there are those who do not make the team for
whatever reason, but the ones who do are not limited as to how, where or when
they will announce their affiliation.

Let us know what you think, please!
We are always listening to our clients and our followers.

Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions jo@jorosenfeld.com www.jorosenfeld.com
914 - 419 -2368 Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions on FB

3 Quick Holiday Fixes For, At Least, 3 Holiday Parties!

1. SHADES OF THE SEASON: Lamps...tall , short , deco , neo-classical...whatever
turns you , and the lights, on for Holidays 2010-2011. Our decor experts
are brightening homes with shades draped with scarves, wrapped up in crystal
chains and/or based in a base of berries and beads. So pretty , you'll want to
keep the lights on even during broad daylight!

2. IT'S A CINCH: Fabrics swagged and draped for drama. Our most creative decor consultants
are blending colors, room to room , in order to create a perfect cocoon
for staying warm through the winter. Romantic and realistically priced as
it all breaks down easily when you want a change!

3. LIGHT A FIRE: Fireplaces ,mantels , outdoor hearths and more. Our
mood mavens come with cars filled with all of the trims. Custom
treatments which will allow for intimate gatherings and large
family traditions. See how feathers blaze in a room this season in line
with the latest fashions! Photo opps are eye catching !

This and much more! Let us celebrate the holidays with you at home!

Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions www.jorosenfeld.com 914 - 410 -2368
jo@jorosenfeld.com jo rosenfeld major occasions on FB

" FOR SALE." No sign on the lawn!

When the first house which I called "home" sold, it did so thanks to the
talents of Karen Eastman-Bigos. Karen is "the girl next door" in every sense.
She grew up just a property away from mine with the ability to look over my
lawn in order to see the bigger picture spanning out over the suburb in N.J.
She went to high school in town, grabbed a slice at the same haunt which still stands
on the main drag and worked side by side with her mom to build a business
opening houses and closing deals. So, who better to market my home than
someone who truly loved it and the community in which it stood? Truth be
told, Karen was talented enough to have sold it twice in about the same number
of years for me. By her second sale, I was finally ready to move on from the
town in which we'd both made memories. She could have sold it a third time had I
asked her to!

The same " For Sale " feeling exists for those vendors who have
carefully chosen to set up shop in their own hoods.

One of my favorite hometown heroes is a photographer now located in
a small northern Westchester town. He and his family grew up on the
streets of Chappaqua. He owned homes and businesses in sister towns.
When he finally put up his "For Sale" sign in event photography it was
not on the lawn. Rather, people were drawn to his ease, talent, photographic
eye and love for their neighborhood. Why race to NYC when a prized
photographer was drinking a vente drip while catching the winning shot in a
middle school game made by a Bar Mitzvah boy whom he was contracted to
shoot in only a week's time?

Just a stone's throw and picturesque drive away lives a woman who
knows the ins, outs and inlets of the quiet Connecticut suburb in
which she works. She walks the New England walk, talks the New England
talk and sees beauty, her biz, in the eyes of all of the women
who stop in for her advice. She stopped to smell local roses just
long enough to have developed a passions for her patrons' events.
She is also on call to another talented photographic "townie" gone
international. Her lens is most comfortable when working at
home in photo journalistic mode. Cosmetics enhance the beauties
of the burbs and dessert decor reflects the flavor of the locals.
A sweet deal!Their talents, on a "two for one" basis, need no curbside calling
cards as they speak for and sell themselves. Both women work from an appreciation for all which exists within walking distance.

No need to travel the ends of the earth in order to
put together a top tier team of experts for your next
event. Let us introduce you to your neighbors! You'll eliminate " Buyer's Remorse!

Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions 914 - 419 - 2368 jo@jorosenfeld.com
www.jorosenfeld.com Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions on FB

"SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED..."

Something old, something new.
Something borrowed is this Fall's blue!

Fall 2010 event venue trends are all about trading spaces.
The generation which cashed in on share houses in Fire Island, time shares in
San Fran and rented homes from LBI to Barcelona is now
opening its doors to party planners.

A "real" estate in Greenwich, Ct. will soon escort guests over winding paths to
waterfront views at sunset. It will be and Eden for dining by-the-bite. The sultry sound of a jazz soloist will fill the air as the season's first stars come into
sight. The family behind the lease will linger over coffee and reviews
of the local press the next morning from a ski home in Vermont.

A first home sans the mortgage payments! A young couple will exchange wedding vows
and front door keys with their long married siblings. The bride and groom
will take pass on a three tier cake. Instead, they will rise to new and
exciting heights in a fully furnished NYC penthouse. Wrap around views in
a venue which is their dream home for the future. Owners of the
apartment will be guests in their own home and then leave to
take a long weekend in a Carolina golf condo.

A renamed, renovated and revamped restaurant will open its doors on
a Monday night. By invitation only, diners will have a
chance to raise a glass and awareness for the charity of their choice.
An eclectic menu will be served with live music and a taste of
local artistic talent. In return, the artist will , personally, deliver the
funds raised to a "home base" office for those in need.
In the best of taste. In the best of space.

Let us take you on a house tour !
Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions www.jorosenfeld.com jo@jorosenfeld.com
914 - 419 - 2368 Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions on FB

POLAR PHILANTHROPY

Pay it forward.
Give back.
Whichever way your heart's G.P.S. takes you, charity is the
event of the season. Destination? Greenwich, Ct.

Fashionistas and artists are taking it to the streets
once again. The boutique bound will find much satisfaction on
Fashion Night Out (Sept. 10, 2010). Buying in the name of Breast Cancer Awareness/Research will be the deal of the night.
Al fresco art unveilings will shower the streets all month long. They are
galleries for all to meet neighbors who spend both their time
and money celebrating the ability to make a difference.

Just down the road (Sept. 11, 2010), E.C.A.D. is kicking up
its denim, heel, boots and tails for the "real" heroes.
Waterside wait staff will take care of those
raising funds for the future of our veterans , their families and
our neighborhoods.

Need directions on how to get on the guest list
of any one of the many celebrations taking place in
Connecticut? In search of someone to coordinate
your an event for the charity of your choice? Let us guide you !

Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions 914- 419 -2368 jo@jorosenfeld.com
www.jorosenfeld.com Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions on FB

WHEN IN ROME

Guilty - a slave to what the international runways send down preseason to see what's in style in France and Italy. It's all over the top and too much fun to watch. A luxury item is a luxury item. Prices are predictably high in any given country.
So, I am taking a look at what is happening at the end of another runway - an airport one. How are people celebrating in France and Italy all year long?

On any ordinary day the men and women of Paris are beautiful to behold. I have to laugh
( to myself as I am, after all, in France where everyone is not only beautiful but soooo reserved) as I drink my coffee. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with others, outside of the Cafe Duree, the posture of the Parisians is one sitting facing the street and "viewing" life in a very different manner than I am accustomed to.
My French is fragile but I attempt to chat with a fellow coffee lover. I now have
a handle , pun intended, on what I will coin as "fete forward."

Less is more. The economy has seen to that . The cost of both living and celebrating
is enough to take one's breath away. So, churches and hotels see their fair share
of events while museums and other alternative venues do not. Wine flows and food is served in a most traditional fashion. Flowers are plentiful and are easily found
courtesy of Mother Nature. So, in good weather, parties take place in courtyards.
One birthday celebration at the Georges Cinq is set up with a number of small tents.
Iron bases have soft canopies tied atop supporting poles with cascading , filmy
ribbons. Table settings are smaller and more intimate. There appears to be less of
an emphasis on a focal point and more on the ambiance. Felicitations , Catherine!

Fete fit for a Roi. My tour guide in Versailles, Anne Marie, says that only large
companies plan events at the palace. The gardens have fifty
landscaping crews working on them day in and day out. A staff of fountain keepers
keep the same hours. So, a world wide player, such as Microsoft, can easily extend
invitations to hundreds of guests for a launch. Formal attire and entertainment.
Private families, however well off, do not look to take over the palace an its
surroundings. I am thinking that brides choose not to accept stress as part of
the planning process. There is a venue for everyone and there are , even in a soft economy, 365 days in a year.

When in Rome... and I am. My guide , Daniel, who is a native Italian with catering work experience in N.Y., Miami, Vegas and Colorado, explains to me what a fly on the
city walls of Rome gets to see and hear.

Life and its joyous moments are celebrated with dancing in the streets. I
am busy staring at a nude which I know well from my art history days in
college. Behind me a bride , her family and friends are draped in silk
and striking their own poses for impromptu pictures. Simple fabrics.
Simple surroundings. Simple foods. Like the statue, her memories will be
carved in stone and survive the years.

Get me to the church on time! There is one on every corner...maybe two?
In Florence, the land of luxurious leather, elegant gatherings are scaled down
to be intimate much like that of the French. I am struck by the attention to both fashion and fare. Stunning copies of original dress designs line the streets of the city. The menus I find are prefixed and delicious. Local wines are offered and , I think, worth raising one's glass to. There are string musicians
who create a most romantic mood. Boutique hotels offer rooms for private
gatherings and their price points are both non negotiable and flexible.

"No worries. " The Villa Scacciapensieri which is named with that in mind. I discover that foreign dignitaries and local politicians will, from time to time, escape to celebrate a meeting of the minds in style. French service in the Tuscany valley makes me laugh ( aloud this time as , in Italy, volume is encouraged)! Lemon trees are natural bounds set
for gatherings. Paola, who indulges me an iced coffee, a la America, shares
tales of weddings and anniversaries which are being celebrated at the villa.
Sculpture gardens and stone patios are old world settings for new , and returning, guests. On a clear day, one can see miles and miles into the distance.
Event coordinators do not appear with headsets. The details are handled in advance
and then a most seasoned staff takes over. A celebratory meal at one end of the patio lingers for hours. The group sits and sits...and sits... "last call" is the last thing anyone has on their minds. Every moment is one to be savored. A simple menu of foods and wines. I note the absence of a drycleaning service and , so,
it occurs to me that a change of wardrobe from ceremony to reception will
not be a dramatic one. My blood pressure drops and so stress is not
an invited guest in Sienna.

I'm heading home to see what the dollar buys and if it is worth celebrating
at home !

Let us give you a first class destination event. Let us help you to celebrate
at home.

Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions www.jorosenfeld.com jo@jorosenfeld.com
914 - 419 - 2368 Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions on FB

There's A College for Everyone

"There's a college for everyone."

Upon first glance , I am sure that, the above statement seems completely
random and unrelated to anything , even remotely, related to the
event industry. Upon second glance, the statement seems to be calming.
It relives the stress of feeling the pressure to commit to any of the
"top, hot and booked out for the next three years " venues or vendors.
Besides, how could looking at colleges with an incoming high school
junior be considered anything shy of a life event?!

Two summery months until college craziness moves into my universe.
Two summery months to take advantage of slower days...days
during which I can , casually, help my friends and clients to see
that there is a college for everyone. There is a venue and a vendor
for everyone. It 's a matter of making a short list to look at and into
a representative of each option and figure out what "feels"
best for the person doing the looking! Not a new concept but one
which is best revisited when the days are longer and the pace of life
is slower.

Just last week I had the pleasure of escorting and interviewing
representatives from both boutique and big business ends of the
event industry. My clients sat back in the comfort of their home
and got a feel for what their options are and what would make
them want to attend their own celebration.

"Boutique" is another word for "family." One very special V.P. of
an entertainment group drove several hours in order to bring
her "family " into the family room of my clients. She sat with
a small laptop equipped with big impact. Time . Attention.
One party in a 24 hour span. Everyone working with her was part of a well
oiled machine (and from the looks of the video clips they are
very , very well oiled)in order to keep the momentum going
from beginning to end. Emotion. Bonding. Blending. Even the contractual
agreement she shared was written as if my clients were related to
the group and nothing in the world mattered more than they did.

Big business pulled up, hours away and days later, with
a history of successes in the passenger seat. A bigger screen
for viewing, high impact and top tier performance. His family
was and is much more of an extended one. Some have been with
the group for over two decades and others have come aboard to
be mentored by their predecessors. Smooth. Seamless.
He offered my clients the assurance that, in the event of any
emergency, there would be many to step in and see the party
through with flying colors.

The two entertainment options cater to different people, for
different reasons at different times. And, at the same time,
they take the guess work out of what the party will be
when it grows up. My clients became college applicants
of sorts. Their decision was one based , purely, on personal
preference. A college for everyone. A venue and a vendor for everyone.
Stress was not ever invited along for the interview process or the
decision making one.

As for the concept of Early Decision in college and in event planning?
I am one who puts much stock in trusting one's gut and shortening the
"to do" list. So, if it feels right then put in an application and
hope for the best. Sweatshirts and bumper stickers?? Now, those best be
left for college. For a party, both the boutique and big biz
groups will wear any custom print tee or hat which would bring
the family and crowd to their feet!

Let us bring the excitement into your family room !
Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions 914- 419 - 2368 jo@jorosenfeld.com
www.jorosenfeld.com Jo Rosenfeld Major Occasions on FB