houston fashion frenzy
In: Events| Inspiration
12 Oct 2010Lately this blog has been reading more and more like a “Where’s Waldo: Houston Edition!” So where’s A Fare Extraordinaire this week? You can find our tasty treats at the Laura Mercier VIP Lounge all four nights of Fashion Houston 2010.
That’s right, New York, Houston is giving your fashion week a run for its money! And as an attendee last night, I say that with all sincerity.
Cesar Galindo blinded us with his navy sparkles and Lyn Devon made us want to go tennis court chic everyday of our lives, but Project Runway winner, Christian Siriano, was the true main event!
His edgy frocks made our jaws drop! Literally. There’s Rachael and me in the front, far left corner!
If you ask me, the most spectacular part of his show were the shoes…our display in Laura Mercier even had hot pink high heel cookies as a tribute to these fancy feet!
Look forward to Elaine Turner tonight and Irina Shabayeva tomorrow, and if you can’t make it to the Wortham for the live display, join me in stalking the fabulous galleries of Houston Press, reporting the daily stylings of these up and coming designers.
Photos by Jay Marroquin of Houston Press.
behind the scenes…again!
In: Events
8 Oct 2010After Monday’s sneak peak of Hairspray, who knew we’d be catching another Houston pre-opening event just two days later!
Wednesday night The Museum of Natural Science hosted 900 guests for a VIP event celebrating the opening of a National Geographic’s exhibit, Real Pirates.
ARGGGG! Our staff was VERY lucky we didn’t have them use phrases such as these, although our “Shiver Me Timbers! Sliders” and “Pirates Booty Pasta” were a huge hit! Well, they were a close second to the tattoo artist, island music DJ and entertaining crowd, whom 10% of came in full costume.
The actual exhibit is a walking tour through the real stories of people who populated the Atlantic during times of slavery and piracy, closely chronicling the story of a short-lived ship, Whydah, who sank to the bottom of Cape Cod in 1717. “A story more compelling than anything dreamt up by Hollywood.” – National Geographic
The exhibit opens to the public today and runs until February 6th. The next Pirates of the Caribbean movie isn’t out until next summer, so I would go ahead and get your fill of buckaneers and bandits in the meantime!
hairspray
In: Inspiration
5 Oct 2010Itching for some artistic culture to spice up your everyday life? Lucky for you, tonight is the opening night for the charming Theatre Under the Stars musical production, Hairspray!
AFE snagged tickets to last night’s dress rehearsal, and it was pretty obvious this group is ready for their October 5-17th run!
The Hobby Center transformed with fantastic builds and lighting, then the actors brought the story to life with their clever quips, understated (and not so understated) innuendos and impressive dance sequences. Not to mention, the powerful story line tugs on your heart strings, reminding you of the true meaning to life.
A big thank you to TUTS for the invitation! I can just about guarantee A Fare Extraordinaire will be singing Hairspray’s praises (and tunes) all over town!
women in black
In: Events
1 Oct 2010Forget Men in Black! When we’re in full-swing party season, we’re Women in Black! Running from party to party in our black suits with our hair swept up in ponytails and comfy flats on our feet. This is why Wednesday was an extra special occurrence for A Fare Extraordinaire.
We wore our funky, high-heeled Manolos…
Then ran over to Neiman Marcus (a unique change from our every day events) to have the famed creator himself, Mr. Manolo Blahnik, sign them!
What a fun office adventure (and a nice break for our poor, poor flats). Parties resumed shortly thereafter, but we all knew what were in our closets at home waiting for us…shoes made and signed by a legendary man! Thanks for visiting Houston, Mr. Blahnik!
gather your thoughts
In: Inspiration
28 Sep 2010Do you have a habit of flipping through a cooking/fashion/home decor magazine, finding something you absolutely LOVE then resuming to flip, never to see that beautiful piece of work again?
Well, break that dirty habit! We did, and we couldn’t be happier…Those moments of sheer inspiration don’t belong lost in ancient memory land, they belong on an inspiration board:
Our inspiration board lives in our office hallway, giving us a place to stop, browse and discuss trends collectively!
The idea originated as a way to foster creativity, but then it expanded into so much more! It has become a place to share encouraging notes from clients, exciting recipes, beautiful pictures and occasionally little notes to each other! Not to mention, it’s the perfect (and productive) way to break up the work day.
Go ahead, give those scissors a workout!
audra and paul
In: Events| Food| Inspiration
24 Sep 2010From the moment we met Audra and Paul, we knew they were a couple that radiated style. They were minimalists at heart, yet weren’t scared off by color, trends or food with flare!
The happy couple wed on June 26th, then celebrated the occasion with a rockin’ AFE bash at The Gremillion. Luckily Brooke Schwab was there to help capture the moments and memories.
Audra’s color scheme of yellow and gray set the look for the evening (and the tone!) Turns out the color duo translates to a meaning of “genuine optimism.”
The decor made the space pop…and the food wowed.
Already the owners of apparent style, Audra and Paul are now also the proud owners of a lifetime of happiness and “genuine optimism.” Congratulations on your 3-month anniversary Sunday!
outside looking in
In: Inspiration
21 Sep 2010Every once in a while it’s nice (and even crucial!) to take a step back from your day-to-day business routine and allow someone on the outside to shine some perspective your way… An enlightened glance in the mirror you all too often forget to check.
That was today for A Fare Extraordinaire.
Once a year we call together our Board of Advisors, compiled of clients, colleagues and experts in the field, for an open and constructive roundtable discussion. Today’s meeting was held at RDG + Bar Annie, as esteemed Chef and Restaurant Owner Robert Del Grande serves as one of our trusted advisors.
The setting was beautiful, the food delicious, the Jonathan Andrew Sage centerpiece breathtaking and the conversation immensely motivating.
Although it takes time and energy to put together occasions such as these, the end result is more than worthwhile. At A Fare, we have built an amazing support group over the last 25 years, and to be able to call upon this group of top Houston professionals is no blessing in disguise. It’s a downright blessing.
Thank you to those who offer us constructive criticism, brilliant ideas, and most of all, your unwavering support, both on and off our Board of Advisors. We value each and every one of those quick glances in the mirror…who else would tell us if our hair was out of place!?
flowerless centerpieces
In: Events| Inspiration
17 Sep 2010While crystal and silver vases overflowing with gorgeous, romantic and aromatic flowers may be the traditional way of adorning your dinner table, we realize not all atmospheres (or budgets) permit this type of decor.
Instead of viewing potential floral cuts as a negative problem, view it as a positive challenge to tackle head-on with your arsenal of creativity!
Saturday I worked a sweltering afternoon event where we embellished outdoor cocktail tables with vases of rocks and weather-resistant cacti. Then Sunday I filled a client’s tables with a meaningful stuffed animal array for their Baby Naming celebration.
A lot of the time, lighting alone will do the trick…candles and votives being the only necessary elements!
And with the savings you incur, you can splurge for a floral encrusted St. Andre to satisfy your craving for petals and posies!
Food Coma - Definition: (n) A state of discomfort and drowsiness caused by overeating.
Yes, this is definitely what we experience at A Fare Extraordinaire on tasting day (which just so happened to be today!) Tasting Day is when our oh-so-talented chefs display dish after dish to our entire team, allowing us to sample, enjoy and critique each plate.
These tastings can be sparked by just about anything…the changing of seasons, the changing of trends, experimentation in different cultural cuisines and delicacies, a large upcoming event, the list goes on and on!
Today we got to indulge in several culinary inspirations, mainly action stations and holiday dessert! Believe me, the food coma ensued.
We morphed our old favorite, Truffle Grilled Cheese (above), into an effortless action station with an endless choice of grilled sandwich ingredients. Then followed it up with a hot rock station to cook skewers of lemongrass sausage, pork or tenderloin!
Then came the whirlwind of vanilla bean and chestnut sandwich cookies, pumpkin chiffon tarts, fig and apricot chutney, chocolate bread pudding, white chocolate and snickerdoodle ice cream… A long list of dishes we can’t wait to put on this year’s holiday menus!
Some may say it is a perk to this job- I just call it another long day of hard work at the office!
say cheese!
In: Events
10 Sep 2010The thing about trends is they become so overused that they end up deemed too, well….trendy, i.e. the death of Doc Martens, mullets and acid wash jeans!
So when you’re planning an event a couple months to a year ahead of time, how do you know your incorporated trends won’t end up “so-last-month” by the time the big day arrives? You can 1) pick something timeless (and potentially boring) or 2) splurge and pick something so fun and original that you know it won’t suffer from sudden extinction. Our recommendation?! The Modern Day PhotoBooth!
I haven’t seen a form of entertainment this unique in a good long while, so I know it has staying power. PLUS it gets people out of their chairs and laughing (even the reserved ones who refuse to utilize the dance floor for this purpose).
Photo Con Queso and The Smilebooth both do awesome spreads for all types of Houston events. This, dear I say, trend is not just reserved for weddings either. The picture above is from a United Way Chairman’s Club and Young Leaders reception we did a while back!
Have you ever been told “you should smile more?” Well, if that good-ole saying hasn’t lost its charm, I’m fairly certain this trend won’t either.
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About us
Welcome to A Fare Extraordinaire's blog! We are a Houston based event planning and catering company. 25 years of culinary and event production experience has proven that practice makes perfect! Follow our blog as we seek edgy, innovative ways to throw weddings, galas, mitzvahs and more!