Party Like a Rock Star

Minimalism with a POP!

2012-01-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

If you want to keep things simple but surprising at your wedding keep a neutral palate and bring in some colors or graphics that POP! For a more graphic look, wrap chunky striped ribbon around your bridal bouquet or add a little pizazz to your reception tables with a striped runner. Napkin holders are a great way to incorporate graphic detail, but if you’re looking for a bigger effect try a striped wedding dress or cake!

If you have a sweet tooth, add a pop of color to your favors by adding a candy bar. Adults LOVE this festive favor.

If you’re into floral accents stick to monochromatic arrangements:

Modern: Yellow Craspedias

Classic: White Peonies

Fun: Pink Gerber Daisies

Party Like a Rock Star: Ruckus and Romeo

2012-01-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Prowling the offices of jesGORDON by day, living like kings by night we’re the watchdogs of all things fun. We’ve seen our owners throw some fabulous soirees, but it’s time we come out of the shadows, because we can’t deny that we party like Rock Stars too. So we hope your in the mood for something fabulous, because its raining Ruckus and Romeo in the office today and we’re going to share our tips on how to Rock Out your next canine celebration.

Diva Dog Entertainment

It’s the question in the back of every pooch-party-planner’s mind: How do I keep these fabulous dogs happy? We have a few ideas that’ll keep any pooches pleased throughout an evening.

Puparazzi

What dog doesn’t like the limelight? Set up your own step and repeat with a red carpet and background that reflects your party’s theme. The photos can be given away as favors too!

Goodie Box

Fill a basket with tug-o-war ropes, balls and squeezers. Stuffed Kongs are always a hit too. Try filling them with treats and cheese. If you’re outdoors peanut butter is great too.

Let Them Eat Cake

Canine chow is a fundamental aspect of any pooch party. If you have a dog bakery in the area stop by to check out your options, but if you prefer to stick to homemade snack, try a Peanut Butter Carrot Cake:

1 Cup whole wheat unbleached flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 Cup peanut butter

1/4 Cup vegetable oil

1 Cup shredded carrots

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 Cup honey

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift the flour and baking soda, mix in the rest of the ingredients. Spray two 4-inch cake pans with oil and divide half of the batter into each pan.

Bake the cake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake on a cookie rack.

XOXO

Ruckus and Romeo

Party Like a Rock Star: Ruckus and Romeo

2012-01-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

Prowling the offices of jesGORDON by day, living like royalty by night, we’re the watchdogs of all things fun. We’ve seen our owners throw some fabulous soirees, but it’s time we come out of the shadows, because we can’t deny that we party like Rock Stars too. So we hope you're in the mood for something fabulous, because its raining Ruckus and Romeo in the office today, and we’re going to share our tips on how to Rock Out your next canine celebration.

Prep for Your Pet Party

Like any other good event, location is everything. If the weather is anything like we’re bearing in NYC today, stick to indoor venues or else you’ll have pup-sicles to defrost later. Prepare your lounge area for your four-legged friends. Anything you don’t want us to eat, needs to be put away, because we WILL eat it. Anything you don’t want us to sniff, put it away, because we WILL sniff it. Basically pup-proof the whole damn place.

After you’ve pup-proofed, you’ll need to prepare a four-legged friendly lounge; unless you want us all over your immaculately kept furniture. Remember to keep the dog beds fluffy, yet stylish. If you don’t mind us on the couches, but prefer to keep the clean up easy, invest in some doggie-blankets, they’re a simple throw-and-go approach. The water bowl is an essential aspect of the lounge because no one wants a parched pooch, right? Keep in mind the size of your guests because a little wiener will not be able to reach the bowl of a Bernese Mountain dog. To keep spills to a minimum, add a doggie placemat; your floors will thank you later.

And what could be more rock star than The Kinks? Correct answer, nothing. So rock it out British style. Don’t forget to invite a few Corgis to take your English bash to the next level.

If you prefer a modern approach, choose bold patterns and sleek structures.

Check in next week for our ideas on proper pooch entertainment!

P.S. Have an idea for a rockin’ canine celebration? Post it below!

XOXO

Ruckus and Romeo

You Can’t Judge a Book by its Cover

2012-01-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever found the perfect space for an event, but couldn’t look past the dirty wall, scuffed surfaces and bland ceilings? It’s a circumstance that occurs all too often in the world of event planning and design; however there are a few ways to turn a run down venue into an attractive space.

If the walls are screaming for a new paint job but you don’t have time, pipe and drape your venue. If you need floor to ceiling coverage or just partial, the drapes come in a variety of colors, textures and designs to choose from.

If you have a surface that can’t be pipe and draped, invest in vinyl. Bar tops, pillars, glass, walls WHATEVER you need to cover, vinyl is your man. Although it can get expensive, if you need to bling-out a column, add logos, or wrap up a bar into a chic new station, vinyl can get the job done. There are numerous grades to explore and unlimited textures and colors, so have fun with this tool because it’s completely customizable

If concrete floors are giving you the chill, look no further than carpet. Something cozy underfoot can add just the right amount of warmth. Carpet also does double-duty acting as a form of heat and sound absorption. If your expecting snowy or rainy weather at your event, carpet can help keep the mess to a minimum, and no one wants sloshy, snow tracks across slippery floors, right?

The ceiling of a venue can either leave you breathless or make you cringe. If your venue’s ceiling needs some TLC turn off the lights and create some illumination of your own. Splashing colors or patterns on a ceiling creates an instant facelift. You can play with shadows and spotlights and even skip the wiring with wireless LED lights. Hanging votives or paper lanterns from the ceiling are attractive lighting elements that add depth as well.

Location, Location, Location

2012-01-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Finding the right venue for your party can be one of the most challenging parts of the process. It’s like finding an apartment to live in, except you are only going to spend about 5 hours of your life there. When it comes down to finding that perfect glass slipper of a venue, if you are not going to be hiring someone to help you through this process, then here are a few key pointers to keep in mind:

Size is Key - Find a venue that provides just the right amount of square footage for the number of guests you are expecting. If the venue is too big, you are not only paying for more space than you need, but you all need to fill that space. If the venue is too small, you will be limited to how many guests you will be able to invite and how much seating you can put around the space.

Proximity - Consider the location and who your guests are – if they are coming in from out of town, make sure there is nearby and adequate parking or that it is easy to get to from public transportation.

Style - Does the venue fit the look and feel you want the party vibe to be? We find most commonly the venue type falls into one of the following categories:

Modern - usually characterized by lots of windows, technology and an overall chic appeal.

Classic – usually in old building, thick concrete walls, and more ornate trimmings – many of these venues have been updated to include some built-in technology but some are still in the stone ages.

“White Box” – usually plain white loft spaces which can look like anything on the outside because you will have to completely set the tone with your décor on the inside. They are usually less expensive (in some cases) but often require more in décor to create the right feeling.

Inclusions – Find out what is included with your rental. Some venues include furniture; some do not which puts the added expense of renting furniture on your party budget’s bottom line. Is heating and cooling included? Is there lighting built in? Is there a sound system built in? Does the venue provide coat check, bathroom attendants and security? There are always more questions to be answered, but those are some of the basics.

Rules and Regs - Gain a clear understanding from the venue manager on things like security requirements, insurance, restrictions and exclusivity with vendors – you may select the perfect venue and find out you may NOT bring in that favorite caterer of yours.

Once you settle on the right place, half the battle is won. Now you can really start planning the rest of the party, sending out your invites, figuring out where you want things to go and hiring all your vendors. Do not forget to call jesGORDON for your design and flowers.

Bye Bye Poinsetta

2012-01-10T07:20:00.000-08:00

Now that January is upon us, I have a new vision for my home that strays far from the poinsettias that I can never seem to avoid acquiring around the holidays. White flowers can give your home a fresh and contemporary vibe this month while creating a clean and simple transition from the bold reds of December.

Try arranging queen anne’s lace and white gerber daisys in modern vases.

For a classic aproach this January, mix white spider mums and peonies.

White orchids are the perfect twist to a clean yet exotic arrangement. They’ll look fabulously chic in a vase, but for a longer lasting display, pick up a potted orchid at your local florist.

If your looking for a flower with fragrance arrange white sweet pea in ceramic or glass vases. The scent will be a sweet surprise for guests!

Want to keep it simple? Pick up some pussy willow branches and pop them into a silver vase. Voilà! Instant arrangement!

Creativity is the key with these arrangements so let your imagination run wild with white!

It's Tea Time

2012-01-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

A cup of tea is the perfect solution for frosty fingers. As the tins accumulate in your pantry this winter, consider tapping into your inner DIY skills and turn those timeless tins into household items.

Fill old tea tins with candles for a romantic twist on lighting down the length of your dining table.

Need a place for your flowers? Tea tins add vintage charm to any arrangement.

Create a cool herb garden using different colors of the same tin.

Keep your pencils or art supplies from running away.

Or, turn them into magnets, then they become multi-purposeful. Instead of just sitting on your desk, they can hold up important notes too.

It’s time to put the kettle on, so if you have your own tea tin craft, post it below!

Leftovers anyone?

2012-01-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

What do you do with all the leftover holiday gifts that you know you will never touch but feel too guilty to throw away? Here are a couple of ideas:

Trade party – Throwing a “Trade Party” is a great way to get over the post-holiday blues, not only do you get to extend the festivities of the holidays, but you also get to liquidate your gift inventory and trade the unwanted for something unexpected. All your guests need to bring is just one thing at a minimum that they are willing to trade. Trading is not a guarantee either. You only have to give up your gift if what you are being offered better suits your needs. The invite list should be eclectic. This is a great opportunity to invite friends who may not know each other too well or ones that you have been dying to introduce. The trading aspect opens up conversations through out the night and guests may end up trading phone numbers too!

Donation – If there are no Trade parties in the near future or you just want to offer your unwanted goods to someone who may really have need for them, try Donation Town (www.donationtown.org). They have an interesting donation process. First, they accept almost everything (household items, toys, clothes). You register on their site, tell them what you have to donate, they will give you a list of charities that want what you have. Then, those charities will come to your home and pick them up.

Out with the old, in with the new – For the items that are too good to let go, keen organization skills will come in handy after the holidays. You now have more “stuff” in your house or apartment than you did before the holidays, but most likely the amount of space you have to store it in has not changed. So you are left with an organizing project on your plate.

Gayle Jacobs has turned organizing into her career with her company Actually Organized (www.actuallyorganized.net) and offers readers the following advice:

· Think of your closet like real estate and weed out the items that no longer serve you.

· Hold to the ‘1 item in, 1 item out’ rule

· Make sure to DONATE the unwanted items

· Get “cubic” and look at the actual dimension of your storage spaces and the items you need to store. The height of a particular space is often overlooked, so don't forget to measure all the way up.

· Extra space can be created by adding a shelf, or stacking shelves, adding over-the-door hooks or by stacking in a way that used the space more efficiently.

· Group like items together in the same container (i.e. scarves and gloves). Use containers that fit well the particular shelf or storage area.

If you have other great organizing tips for our readers, please post below.

Happy Liquidating.

POP by these amazing Pop-Up stores in NYC

2011-12-21T07:03:00.000-08:00

Raise your hand if you are still stressing over finishing up the holiday shopping.

If you are in NYC, print this blog entry, grab your bag/purse/wallet and leave your office or apartment right now! I am about to share FIVE AMAZING pop-up stores in NYC that will solve all your problems.

Beats by Dr. Dre

67 Greene St. Soho(Open through Jan 15, 2012)

JG team happens to be one of the biggest fans of dr. Dre headphones. Check out the brand's first ever Beats by Dr.Dre store. TIP: You must try the sound-proofed listening room for the Beatbox Speaker system (which is on my wish list).

Wired Store

42nd St. at Broadway St. (Open through Dec. 24, 2011)

You will definitely get lost as you enter this hip, tech magazine's seventh annual holiday pop-up shop, where you can test out everything from headphones and household items to the latest gadgets and electronics. TIP: touch, smell and test out all the products. I was like a kid in a candy store! (Photo source: unplggd)

Artists & Fleas

88 Tenth Ave. (Open through Dec. 31, 2011)

You will feel like you just walked into a Williamsburg art market. Located in an industrial space at beautiful Chelsea Market, you can find anything from fashionable wears to art pieces by 30 exciting artists and designers from Williamsburg.

TIP: Each pieces has a unique stories behind it! Don't forget to ask what it is!

Gaga's Workshop at Barneys NY

660 Madison Ave. (Open through Jan 2, 2012)

What can I say, it's GAGA! Everything in the store has a lot of Gaga in it. Welcome to Lady Gagao's world, where inside it is broken up into eight separate stores including the Toy Shop, Candy Shop, and Boudoir. Barneys will donate 25% of sales proceeds to Gaga's Born This Way foundation. So you can feel good about spending your money there, you are doing a good deed at the same time :) TIP: take a moment to check out giant sculptures in the store. They are Gaga museum worthy pieces. (Photo Source: accessAtlanta)

Jingle: A Holiday Pop-Up Store in Chelsea Market

75 Ninth Ave. (Open through Dec. 23, 2011)

The "Jingle", a holiday pop-up store was established by Jill Schwartz of Elements/Jill Schwartz. This is the 5th year she brings Jingle back to Chelsea Market with 20 companies included in the store. One of kind art pieces, hand-made jewelry, gourmet chocolate, and other wonderful products won't disappoint you and your loved ones. (Photo Source: Jingle's FB page)

After you become exhausted from shopping, take a break at the temporary pop-up indoor park called "Park Here' at Open House Gallery (201 Mulberry St.). This is Open House Gallery's 2nd year of bringing the park to Noho. You can zen out at this cozy, warm, and comfortable indoor park. It is an oasis from the cold and the crazy NYC life (especially during holiday time).

Papers

2011-12-19T10:18:00.000-08:00

While wandering the corridors of the invitation show a few months back, we came across the Bell’Invito booth. Two beauties from Texas smiled brightly eager to show us what they have to offer. In our day-to-day, we see it all and are rarely blown away, but there was something artisanal about their paper that showed a lot of care went into the design, which we found to be a nice blend of contemporary and classic. Visually, the layouts all had a harmony to them that carried through from the invite to the rsvp card to the informational card. And from talking to them for just a minute, we got the feeling they know exactly what the market needs. This is not the DIY invitation, but is really a hands-on and streamlines approach to make the process super easy.

As we got talking further, our conversation took a turn that I did not expect. Never in our history had we thought about taking on invitations as something the company would sell. We work closely with our clients to design and oversee the process, but we leave it to the professionals to speak the technical stuff.

The Bell’Invito team took the time to talk through the partnership and has made it super easy and now, clients can come directly to jesGORDON and we will walk them through the entire process of designing the perfect invite.

Beautiful books offer our clients a tour of all the “suites” that previous clients have used. For those of you who do not know what a “suite” is, like I did not before this process, it is the entire invite package (envelope, cards, etc). The books are great tools for those who just want to see something they like, point at it and be done.

For the client who really wants to pick every little detail, we can walk you through that process with ease. And there are so many choices to be made right down to who stuffs and mails the invitations for you.

· Envelope size, shape and color

· Liners (you would be amazed at the selections)

· Paper thickness, color, border, edge treatment

· Fonts, Calligraphy, letterpress vs. engraving, colors

· Wording

· Graphics

· Layout

· Stuffing and Mailing – who does it?

Lastly, as part of our many services as event producers and designers, when you hire us to produce your event, we will manage your RSVP’s for you so you have a stress free time and can focus on everything else, like the cake!

jesGORDON's Perfect New Years Eve Party

2011-12-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

jesGORDON’s Perfect New Years Eve Party:

New Years Eve is right around the corner and I’ve compiled a list of essential items and ideas of how to make your New Years Eve party one for the books….

Invitations:

Invitations are necessary to provide all the details and they give the receiver exactly what to expect from your party. If you want the party to have a running theme, this is the place to express that. If you just want to set a fun, quirky tone, try something different like making an origami invitation that you can mail.

Lighting:

Fun lighting is essential to set the tone for ANY party, however New Years Eve to me has a thirst for sparkle that I quench with rope lights. Rope lights are a fun way to light a room and are available in various colors so you can really express yourself - stay classic with White lighting, or change it up and use Blue, or Green! Jamali Garden in NYC sells 18’ of rope light for about $12 bucks. Not bad. (www.jamaligarden.com)

Food:

Serve Mexican food at your New Years Eve party. I love Mexican, it’s spicy, fun, and easy to cook! Trust me, I know what it’s like to have a hard time with cooking, but if you take the time to plan ahead and try out the recipe a few days before, you’ll know what works and what doesn’t so that you are not spending all day laboring in the kitchen. Mexican food is always a hit with guests and it is cheap too so you can put your money toward other provisions like the alcohol!

The Bubbly:

New Years Eve is not the same without something bubbly. Here’s a list of some of my fizzy favorites ranging from around $75 per bottle down to $10 per bottle:

Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or Brut, 2001

Veuve Clicquot Brut

Prosecco Frozza

Cordorniu Napa Brut Cava Classico

As for the rest of the bar, keep it simple. Unless you go all out in providing a full bar, but frankly I find that to be a complete pain. Stick with lots of bubbly and one hard alcohol like vodka. Provide a bunch of unique mixers like Lorina’s soda and some fresh juices and guests will have a blast mixing up something festive.

Music:

Finally, you want your guests to relax and just have fun. As a lover of music, I know that a great playlist can make the party. If you are fortunate enough to know your guests well, you have the edge and can provide a mix of upbeat music that strikes a cord with most everyone at some point in the night. If you do not know your guests, keep it safe but most importantly upbeat. Here are some of my favorite songs that I know will be playing at my New Years Eve party:

1999 – Prince

Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones

Stayin’ Alive – The Bee Gees

Rock and Roll All Nite – Kiss

Like a G6 – Far East Movement

Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen

All of the Lights – Kanye West

Tubthumping – Chumbawamba

I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas

Feeling Good – Michael Buble

Own Your Holiday Decoration

2011-12-07T09:41:00.001-08:00

Decorating for holiday party is important to create a celebratory environment, but you don't want to offend certain groups of employees so here are some tips in keeping it "neutral".

Easy Breezy Beautiful Four Step Instructions:

Step One: Find COLORFUL construction paper. Cut two 12" strips, two 10" strips and one 8 3/4" strip with each strips width approximately 1". Feel free to play with the lengths of the sets of strips, but be mindful that the length of the middle strip demines the overall size and shape of the finished product - meanting a longer center strips yields and larger finished product. One important note: Don't be limited to the Holiday colors (Red, Green, Blue and White) - EXPRESS YOUR SELF!

Step Two: Place the shortest strip in the middle as the anchor and pair the rest by like size (length.) Starting with the shortest pair, take one of the strips and affix it to the top and bottom of the middle anchor strip so that it bows outward creating an elliptical patern. We used double stick tape (spongey kind) to bind the ends. Once you have affixed both of the shorter pieces to the opposite sides of the anchor, do the next longest set, affix them the same way so that it creates the outer layer of the ornament.

Setp Three: Wire the ornaments with fishing wire on one end so that you can hang the ornament. Cut the wires in varying heights fo rosme visual interest!

Step Four: Find boring corners, windows walls, or doors to hang the ornaments near.

Now put your elf hat on and get started!

Jes' eventoftheMONTH

2011-12-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

This past month, the JG team put together an amazing rockstar bar mitzvah at Gotham Hall. Gotham is one of my favorite event spaces to work in because the architecture inside and out is absolutely gorgeous and screams old, chic New York City. Having previously been a bank, Gotham Hall’s interior is truly something else with its teller walls still in place and an awe inspiring glass domed ceiling.

For this bar mitzvah, we really wanted to incorporate Gotham’s vibe into the party’s atmosphere. Our design was inspired by a supper club environment and incorporated various textures, illumination, patterns, and lighting to add depth.

Since this was for a 13 year old boy, we kept the color palette in hues of Silver, Blue, Violet, and White. The combination of color gave off a fabulous balance of modern with the old-world chic venue.

We used some amazing décor elements that combined made this bar mitzvah’s aesthetic unlike any other bar mitzvah New York City has seen. Some of my favorite things we used were:

Luminaries:

I don’t think I can put into words how fan-freaking-tastic this lighting installation was. We’re all still talking about how gorgeous it looked. Raised high above the room and affixed to the dauntingly huge oval truss that hangs from the ceiling these votives gave off the feel the one was looking off into the skyline of a magical cartoon city. And “city” was an underlying theme the bar mitzvah boy wanted us to incorporate, so that was our interpretation as it fit into this venue. We lowered the truss some 35 ‘ to the floor and hung the luminaries at various lengths that, once the lights were lowered and the truss raised back up, looked like they were floating on air! Using LED lights to illuminate the luminaries, the dimness was perfect. It was so one of those moments where you had to take a step back and have a moment because it was really THAT amazing to see.

Infinity Votives:

Here at the JG studio, we have A LOT of votives to work with but these infinity votives are my absolute favorites! The chemistry they add to a table setting or a bar is truly stunning. These votives worked perfectly with our floral displays on every table. The combination with the floral displays that consisted of Mini Calla Lilies, Hydrangea, Anemones, and Orchids provided an outstanding exuberance on those tables!

Lounge Furniture:

For the teen’s area, we used amazing lounge furniture that gave a very clubby chic appeal for the younger attendees. The White furniture was able to pop in an area where we used lots of darker colors in the accessories, including blue custom made pillows with the bar mitzvah logo. In using a mix of couches and ottomans, the differences in furniture style gave off an eclectic vibe for the bar mitzvah boy and his friends!

It’s been a few weeks and this party is still resonating inside of me. I’m continuously showing my friends and family pictures from this event. It’s events like these that really show how awesome my job can be!