Focus of SWFL - Hot New You

JAN/FEB 2014

FO C

us of S W F L

HOT NEW

YOU

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Joyce Giuard

Young, Thin & Rich

Content Co l l i e r Sa ra so ta Charl o tte Lee

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New Year's Resolutions Embracing Your Setbacks Inside Out Drop the Self Pity Juggling Family Right College Love Romance Get Focused Your Will Take Charge in Investing Smartphone Car Shopping Made Easy Absolute Performance Final Enactment At It's Best GRANDE! New Futurist Superyacht Enchanting Obsession Endless Motion Aaron Short Life, Love & Music

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www.focusofswfl.com

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Publisher: Focus Magazine of SWFL Cover Photography: Fadil Berisha Model: Joyce Giraud Dress: Sheri Hill Make up: Isabel Perez Hair: Paul Anthony Styling: Sheri Hill and Kara for Serendipity Prom Contributors:

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Terri Profetto, Susan Bennett, Samantha Ramos, Lina LaSalle, Ginny Grimsley, K eri G lassman , MS, RD, M eagan Parrado , C hef Roberta, D avid Burne, I an H owes , V incent G otti , T ania M endillo , K. B uchanan , S usana S ueldo , N ick Whelan, Stephen Prendiville, M.D., Maria McCutchen, Brooke Hudis, Burt Kellerman, Moony Mann, Lina LaSalle, Dan Myricks, Gina L. Battle, Norah Edward, Thomas Concordia, Dimitrios Kambouris, Mai Yomioto, Thomas Topinka, Colleen Crawford, Zack Tanck, Deb Reynolds, Cylla von Tiedmann, Olatoun Kolawole, Cortney Yod, TJ Philpott, Sterling

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Focus Magazine of SWFL is published Bimonthly. Articles do not necessarily reflect Focus Magazine of SWFL policy. Š 2010 Focus Magazine of SWFL, All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send all remittances and correspondences about subscriptions, undelivered copies and address changes to: Focus Magazine of SWFL at 105 Triple Diamond Blvd, Suite 101, Venice, FL 34275. Editorial, publishing and advertising offices. questions@focusofswfl.com

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Viva Italia!

Serene Design Energy-Efficient Solutions Simple Tips Lift Sagging Skin Skin Resolutions Green Market Aging in Place Mind Over Body Fight Eye Disease Ultherapy Posture Receding Gums Lost the Art of Medicine?

Wyvern Hotel Men of Distinction Redesigning Your Style

Revitalization From Australia with Style Technology Your Piece of Art The Art of Brandon Gould Creating Great Events Pots Past Their Prime?

Lucini Eat Hearty & Healthy Healthier Sweets Balanced Eating Routine Last Words

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News & Info

75 Mobile Rock Climbing 124 Dr. Prendiville - New Injectable Filler 130 Marilyn's Distinctive European Fashion 175 Spicing Up Sarasota Dining 175 Echo Vintage Books & Vinyl 176 Wellington Ward Art Sow 181 Anima Domus 15th Anniversary 184 Child's Painting Auctioned at Wine Fest

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Artist Gallery

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Juggling Family

Life and Business

By Ginny Grimsley

Larry Katzen forged an ambitious career as a leader at one of the world’s most prestigious accounting firms.

But he has been equally ambitious with his family life; he’s the father of quadruplets—three sons and a daughter. And he felt it was important to serve his community, sitting on more than 10 boards of directors.

“It was an incredible challenge and I don’t regret one minute of it!” says Katzen, author of “And You Thought Accountants Were Boring - My Life Inside Arthur Andersen,” (Larryrkatzen.com), a look at working in one of the world’s most historically important accounting firms while nurturing bonds with his wife and children.

“The quadruplets were born April 22, 1974, before multiple births became fairly common, so we were front-page news and featured on all the national TV news shows,” Katzen says. “But that also tells you there weren’t many other parents who could give us advice, and certainly no internet forums to turn to!”

At the time, Katzen was also working his way up the ladder and taking on new challenges at Arthur Andersen, one of the “Big 8” accounting firms. How did he and his wife, Susan, manage?

Susan reached out to moms of multiples to develop her own support system, and the couple hired a recent high school graduate to help care for their rambunctious brood a couple days a week.

“There’s no glory in not asking for support and help,” Katzen says.

• Combine business and family. Katzen traveled frequently for his job and, when his children were 9 years old, a business friend suggested he bring them along, one at a time, on his trips.

“The first was my daughter, Laurie. We flew to New York on a Friday and spent the weekend shopping, dining, taking in a show. For the first time ever, we were alone together without any disruptions,” Katzen says. “Neither of us ever forgot that weekend.”

• Consider buying a small vacation home. Traveling with four young children was extremely difficult, especially nights in motels, where the family would split up into two rooms – one parent and two children in each.

“It comes down to sticking to some basic principles: doing the right thing, for one, and listening to your heart,” Katzen says.

“When we discovered Sun Valley, Idaho, the children were 6. On our first trip there, they quickly learned to ski, and they clearly loved the snow – we could hardly get them to come inside,” Katzen says.

He draws on his 35-year career and family life to offer these tips for working parents with multiple children:

The family so enjoyed the vacation, they looked into the prices of condos.

• Cultivate support systems! One of the wonderful things about Arthur Andersen was the people who worked there, including his bosses, Katzen says. “They knew the physical and financial struggles Susan and I faced caring for four babies and, because I never gave less than my all at work, they did what they could to work around my situation,” he says. That included a heftier-than-usual annual pay raise that Katzen learned only years later was approved because the firm’s partners knew he would need the extra money.

“We found a furnished condo at a very affordable price and for the next 13 years, we enjoyed summers and winters in Sun Valley,” Katzen says. “It may sound like a big investment, but when you consider the costs of motels and dining out for a family of six, it works out well – and it’s a lot more comfortable.”

After graduating from Drake University in 1967, Larry Katzen started working at Arthur Andersen and quickly rose through the ranks to become the Great Plains Regional Managing Partner. An honorable, hard-working man who devoted his life to Arthur Andersen, Larry was there from the company’s meteoric rise to its unjust demise. He stayed with the firm for 35 years, serving clients globally until 2002. In his new memoir, And You Thought Accountants Were Boring - My Life Inside Arthur Andersen, Katzen details the political fodder in the government’s prosecution of Enron; how the company was unjustly dismantled for its supposed connections to the corruption; its vindication and why it came too late, and the devastating impact it had on 85,000 employees.

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Tiffany Suzette lock clutches (from left): navy/light camel/cotton smooth and grain leather and cotton haircalf and textured leather.

Tiffany Kensington bucket hobos in grain leather (from left): poppy/gold, camel/gold.

Tiffany Riley totes in silver metallic grain leather (small) and natural matte python print (large).

Tiffany accessories in grain leather (clockwise from top): card case in Tiffany Blue®, loop tassel key chain in light camel, loop tassel key chain in Tiffany Blue®, flip tab french continental wallet in navy, continental wallet in cotton, flip tab continental wallet in light camel.

Tiffany & Co. Spring’s Garden of Delights

This spirit of new beginnings is captured in distinctive handbags handcrafted by skilled Italian artisans working with leather in poppy, light camel, navy, cotton and Tiffany Blue. The leather is backed with gold or platinum foil, creating an interior with a beautiful color contrast. These details distinguish the supple Kensington hobo and Allee satchel that mold to the body in a soft, easy way, as well as the Dahlia, a smaller hobo, and the Lily clutch.

The Tiffany Leather Collection is created with time-honored techniques. Every clasp and embellishment, every pocket and seam is smoothly integrated into the overall design.

In addition, these original creations are finished with the hallmarks of Tiffany’s heritage, including custom-designed hardware, Tiffany Blue leather interiors and subtle Tiffany & Co. logos. Collectively, they represent the attention to detail that makes for a fashion essential of enduring style.

TRT: Tiffany Reversible Tote in cotton/onyx smooth leather with a crossbody detachable leather strap.

Tiffany Lily clutches in grain leather (from top): navy/ gold, cotton/platinum, light camel/gold.

Tiffany Cornelia lunchbox, zip phone wallet and Sabrina frame clutch in navy glazed crocodile

Tiffany Tulip should bag in smooth and grain leather (from left): light camel/light camel, cotton/onyx

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www.tiffany.com

Final Enactment

By Mai Yomioto

In June 2013 came the market launch of the two most powerful variants: the SLS AMG Coupé Black Series with 622 hp and the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive with 740 hp.

Now the grand finale: the SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION brings an impressive era to an end in exclusive style. The FINAL EDITION model, built in a limited run of just 350 units globally, represents the last opportunity for customers to order a SLS AMG GT – while at the same time re-flecting the unrivalled success story and unique scope offered by the first vehicle to be completely built by Mercedes-AMG. The super sports car, with its 583 hp AMG 6.3 -liter V8 front -mid engine, offers a fascinating combination of truly exceptional design and equipment features while exclusively developed optional Cup tires enhance its dynamic performance.

The SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION is celebrating its twin world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show and the Tokyo Motor Show (both: November 20 to December 1, 2013). The market launch will begin in March 2014 and the super sports car will be available as either a Coupé or a Roadster and once 350 units have been built, production of the SLS AMG model series will come to an end.

The super sports car celebrated its world premiere in its Coupé guise at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/Main in September 2009, with the market launch taking place in the spring of 2010. The spectacular gull-wing model was followed in 2011 by the SLS AMG Roadster and the customer-sport racing model, the SLS AMG GT3. With various titles in international championships such as the ADAC GT Masters, the FIA GT3 European Championship and the FIA GT1 World Championship, as well as over 100 victories in race series on five continents, the racing version of the gullwing model has impressively demonstrated its extraordinary performance.

In particular, long-distance successes in the Bathurst 12-hour race and the 24-hour races in Dubai, at the Nürburgring, in Spa-Francorchamps and in Barcelona have spectacularly confirmed the competitiveness of the racing gull-wing model. In 2013 alone, the SLS AMG GT3 2013 thus claimed the "grand slam" of classic GT3 long-distance races, with four victories in succession. In the hotly contested Blancpain Endurance Series, the SLS AMG GT3 similarly won the championship title in 2013.

that has been adopted from the SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" collector's model race car. In addition to the carbon fiber components, the unique design AMG forged wheels have a distinctly aggressive flair. To add to the visual impression when seen from behind, the struts of the rear apron are finished in high-gloss black.

The new aerodynamic components which are comprised of an exposed carbon fiber hood, a carbon fiber rear spoiler and a carbon fiber front splitter all function to increase down force on both the front and the rear axles.

As on the SLS AMG Coupe Black Series and the SLS AMG GT3, the carbon fiber hood of the SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION features a functional central air outlet. Apart from effectively dissipating engine heat, this outlet also increases down force at the front axle and improves the Cd value. The engineers at AMG have utilized the vacuum effect to deliver the double benefit of dissipating the hot air from the engine compartment at the same time as drawing up the cool airflow from the vehicle's underbody. The optimized aerodynamic balance not only improves the car's potential on the racing circuit, but also contributes to handling safety.

Opening the exposed carbon-fiber hood reveals the front mid-mounted AMG 6.3-liter V8 power unit set low down and well to the back. With an output of 583 hp at 6800 rpm and maximum torque of 479 lb-ft of torque at 4750 rpm, the high-revving eight-cylinder engine guarantees dynamic driving at its finest.

Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "As the first car to be completely developed by AMG, the SLS AMG marked the beginning of a new era for our company. And now, in the form of the SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION, we are offering our customers one final and extremely attractive variant of our super sports car".

The special design of the SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION ensures that it stands out in visual terms: the exposed carbon fiber hood with central air outlet, the carbon fiber front splitter on the front apron, the fixed carbon fiber rear spoiler that is reminiscent of the SLS AMG Coupé Black Series and the exclusive AMG forged light-alloy wheels make it a real head-turner. Particularly in conjunction with the designo magno graphite matte paintwork 10 FOCUS of SWFL 2014

AMG forged wheels on the Final Edition are available in two color variants, along with exclusively developed “Dunlop Sport Maxx Race" Cup tires in size 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear) are available on request as a no-cost option.

It is not only the exterior design and the engineering of the SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION that will satisfy the most discerning of tastes, but also the interiors ambience. Exclusive leather in a diamond-stitch pattern that is used to upholster the center panels of both the seats and the doors. Contrasting topstitching in silver coordinates perfectly with the black leather upholstery, the silver seat belts and the black floor mats edged in silver leather. High gloss carbon fiber trim comes as standard.

A particularly exclusive detail is the "AMG FINAL EDITION - 1 of 350" badge on the carbon fiber center console. A further high-quality detail of the dashboard is the unique "3D seam": a fine strip of Alcantara® set into the leather-covered upper dashboard. This high level of attention to detail is a signature hallmark of Mercedes-AMG. Contrasting topstitching skillfully hand worked in silver adds the finishing touch to the 3D seam, underlining the craftsmanship involved. The AMG Performance steering wheel in Alcantara® with a silver 12 o'clock marking features high-gloss black metal inserts which match the high-gloss black surrounds of the air vents. The sports seats feature an embossed AMG crest in the head restraints.

The SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, and can reach 124 mph in 11.2 seconds. The top speed is 197 mph (electronically limited).

Fast-reacting, variable and emotionally exciting – the AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission proves to be the perfect match for the V8 naturally aspirated engine. With four shift programs, RACE START and an automatic double-declutching function, the dual-clutch transmission mounted in a transaxle configuration on the rear axle brings with it the perfect prerequisites for top performance. The particularly dynamic shift characteristics, and the shorter reaction time when selecting gears manually, enhance the emotional experience for the driver. The AMG Adaptive Performance Suspension with variable, electronically controlled damping, includes the "Sport" and "Sport plus" modes.

Whether Coupé, Roadster, GT, Black Series, Electric Drive, the GT3 racing version, the new FINAL EDITION or – last not least – the Official F1® Safety Car in the Formula 1® World Championship: the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has been causing a stir since 2009. The output of the models with roadgoing approval ranges from 563 hp to 740 hp.

Since its world premiere in 2009 the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has won numerous awards of international significance. Not least on the basis of its breathtaking design and acknowledged superb driving dynamics, the super sports car from Mercedes-AMG is today already deemed to be a classic of the future.

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Enchanting bsession

By Norah Edward

Jewelry has been an important part of human life and especially very important for women. It is thought to be the most precious thing for women. Jewelry is made of a lot of dissimilar valuable metals that are found were rare in this world. More the metal is valuable more its jewelry is worth. It has been desire of everyone to have the most expensive jewelry but this is not possible. Most of the designers make too much expensive jewelry but others make more expensive than they had made.

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latinum jewelry is also one of the kinds of jewelry that are thought to be very expensive. Sometimes platinum jewelry pieces are said to so valuable that they cannot be bought by giving money. These types of platinum jewelry pieces are called master pieces and are used to gift them to some very special personality. That might be some well renounced celebrity or some person that has done incredible work.

that is also very smart and adorable. It has the same grace as any other platinum jewelry but the difference lie in the type of material that has been used in the designing of that jewelry.

As the jewelry piece has pure amount of platinum more expensive it will be. Platinum jewelry has been in fashion from a very long time and will remain in fashion because of its uniqueness that attracts everyone towards it.

Many jewelry designers only work on platinum jewelry and are much renowned for making some marvelous masterpieces.

Platinum jewelry is considered to be very elegant and exclusive when compared to any other type of jewelry. Its natural colour is so attractive that it needs no extra finish or painting it. Once a professional jewelry maker work on platinum jewelry and finishes the product then it is a very fine piece of jewelry. This is the only reason that platinum jewelry is not so common and it is seen in special classes of society. This is not the case that platinum jewelry is not at all affordable but the common people are not so interested in buying it.

People with special taste for jewelry like platinum jewelry and they also tell their jewelry designers that what type of jewelry piece they want. Platinum jewelry is not designed alone it is also designed by adding some other precious metals like white gold or silver to add up some extra beauty. This is done to lower the cost of platinum jewelry as other precious metals are cheaper then platinum. Also these metals provide some extra glow and attraction to platinum jewelry. The combination of platinum jewelry and diamonds is thought to be the best combination in jewelry. Whenever platinum is ornamented with the help of diamonds its grace is amazing and it is so eye catching that people cannot resist its beauty.

The cost of these types of jewelry is also very high but when it comes to getting something you like, then everyone is ready to spend money. Cheaper platinum jewelry is also designed FOCUS of SWFL 2014 13

Life

& Music

Love

By Lina LaSalle

An undeniably-stunning woman and an explosively entertaining vocalists, who has been dubbed Indie-pop’s “It Girl,” Darnaa, originally from Sacramento, California. Darnaa now resides in “The Big Apple” and is currently touring in Florida.

Having the chance to sit down with Darnaa, between her tour to speak about her inspirations and new release.

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Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashion

Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashion recently hosted a Private Press Party Preview on Wednesday, December 11 at its beautiful, new location at 375 Fifth Avenue South.

Over 60 guests attended this invitation-only event that featured a personal, guided tour of the new space by owner, Marilyn Hellman; a dazzling production from Mark and Karen Danni with Karemar Productions that included Broadway tunes and a delightful skit; delectable appetizers; and a champagne toast. This was the perfect occasion for Marilyn to unveil her newly relocated, but enduringly chic boutique and its incomparable selection of clothing, accessories, handbags, hats, shoes, jewelry, and more.

Distinguished attendees included Naples City Councilman Sam Saad; Phil McCabe; Monica Biondo, Development Director of the David Lawrence Center; Art and Bev Cherry; Patti and Ralph Miesel; Kat Smith, Managing Editor of Naples Illustrated; Teri Evans, Editor in Chief of Naples Illustrated; and many more. The Private Press Party Preview was hosted by owner, Marilyn Hellman, and Dawn Sulmasy; Jennifer and Bud Tash; Gene and Dianne Gardner; and Spring and Robin Haigler.

Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashion’s new location features an additional 2,000 square feet of floor space - making it three times larger than the previous location – and was designed to provide a chic, fun, and sexy environment that is exciting and always enjoyable to visit. The relocation allowed Hellman to expand the store’s incomparable selection of the very finest handbags, belts, and jewelry, from Spain, Italy, and France, while also adding some customer-requested items, including dresses and sportswear. The boutique also features larger, luxury dressing rooms, for more private fittings and wardrobe consultations; a chic showroom with a relaxing seating area; and a 24-foot runway ideal for fashion shows with guest appearances by European designers!

“This Private Press Party Preview not only allowed me to unveil the new location in grand style, but it also provided the perfect opportunity to thank the friends, family, fellow businesspeople, and media that have supported and encouraged me and my team from the store’s inception,” said Hellman.

Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashions opened in November 2009. After traveling for her role as a buyer for a specialty boutique in Chicago, owner Marilyn Hellman felt that there was a need for a boutique that sold luxurious, European goods paired with her special, personalized service in Naples. Not long after the store opened, Hellman received a request to offer a seminar about how to put an outfit together. Today she offers dozens of private and group seminars – where she’s always willing to give a tip or two - and fashion shows with select European designers each year. Hellman’s valued relationships with designers, manufacturers, and vendors from Paris, Venice, Rome, Madrid, London, and Milan allow her to offer exclusive pieces including handbags, belts, and jewelry, and also a large assortment of hats, including those by famed designers, Philip Treacy and Steven Jones. Additional niche offerings include a comprehensive collection of Italian and French blouses; exclusive jewelry lines that are handcrafted with inventive techniques using metals, stones, crystals, Venetian glass, and resins; and couture handbags made with exotic skins including python. Her passion for fashion reflects in her store with items that are within reach, yet beyond familiarity.

For more information about Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashions, please call 239.206.4460.

www.MarilynHellman.com

Chairs of Marilyn’s Press Party Preview Event included Dawn Sulmasy; Jennifer and Bud Tash; owner Marilyn Hellman; Gene and Dianne Gardner; and Spring and Robin Haigler.

Collette Beringer; Ann Renner; Owner, Marilyn Hellman; Kat Smith; and Teri Evans.

Art and Bev Cherry and Patti and Ralph Miesel at Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashion’s event.

Sam Saad, Naples City Councilman, Marilyn’s Distinctive European Fashion Owner, Marilyn Hellman; and Monica Biondo, Development Director of the David Lawrence Center

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Jacket: Sanctuary Body Suit: Nike Tights: Pretty Polly Bra: Victoria Secret Fur: Vintage (Stylist’s Grandmother)

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revitalization

By Deb Reynolds

Photographer: Lesley Pedraza Model: Jacqueline Depaul - Wilhelmina Agency Hair: Carla Ross - More Than A Slash Salon/Academy Make-up: Daniel Chinchilla Styling: Lauren Gold Location: More Than a Slash Salon/Academy

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Creating Great Events

By Chef Roberta

If you want be at the top of mind with your guests and media; create an “event” production from the moment your guests arrive. The successful ingredients include the theme and overall design look that has visual elements, entertaining food and the right amount of festive atmosphere.

Here is how our event planners create those events, while keeping an eye on the budget.

The Theme is the message or idea at the will be carried throughout the event. It may be a single topic, a destination, a period of time, or newest “hot” list, It can be subtle or over the top. The most important aspect is that all of the elements communicate the same theme. With a cohesive theme, your guests enter into a visual world from the moment that they receive the invitation to the last goodbye that creates and sustains an underlying buzz.

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irst “use what you got”. Start with the selection of a venue with the theme in mind, instead of the “how much” criteria. For example, does your local country club have a “Gone with Wind” ambiance with big Southern pillars and the grandeur of 2nd story winding staircases? A Great Gatsby theme is perfect for a local

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Train Depot. Historical churches and museums have magnificent Spanish courtyards. Botanical parks can easily be converted to tropical oasis. More importantly, if your venue enhances your theme, your budget can be reallocated for the entertainment and food.

Secondly, rethink the entertainment and music and when it is scripted into the event. A few trends that we see are the TV Reality genre which is driving themes to be more genuine. So instead of following the traditional cocktail hour, dinner, dancing drill, add an entertainment script so your guests feel that they are part of the show from the moment they arrive. Instead of a 10 person orchestra for the cocktail hour, consider a violin quartet (the music script) with strolling violists (the entertainment script).

Add a cappella choir to greet your guests with additional singers who stroll through the cocktail hour. Consider Tango or Salsa dance troupes that mingle and dance to the background of a Spanish band. Create a visual media documentary with plasma screens and techno rock music and create small flash mobs with character actors. Add interactive scripts with living statutes, palm readers, airbrush tattoo artists and photo cutout stations.

You can also just create a “menu nod” to the theme. For our 9.11 Tribute to Heroes luncheon for Manatee County Emergency Operations, we created an American Parfait for dessert, white chocolate mousse with raspberries and blueberries, but served in contemporary parfait cups.

Finally, the catering staff can be dressed in theme appropriate costumes. At the All Children’s Hospital Annual fund raiser, our strolling waiters were costumed in Moroccan shirts and fez caps to compliment the Casa Blanca theme.

We utilized serving trays that were tiled mirrors and diamond shaped crystals for that Moroccan theme.

By choosing the right venue, utilizing scripted entertainment and adding themed menus, your event will be a success, that night and for a long time afterwards!

Finally, select a caterer that can create themed menus that will spike your guests’ enthusiasm throughout the entire event. A menu theme is based upon complimentary ingredients for that period of time, the genre, the geographical area and the culture, and fits within our contemporary palettes.

We recreated the first class passengers menu for the Titanic opening exhibition. On April 14, 1912, the passengers dined on a ten course dinner including Consumme Olga, poached salmon with mousseline, lamb with mint sauce and pate de fois gras. To keep within the confines of the theme and insure that all of the guests ate, we recreated these classics. The Consumme Olga (boiled veal stock) was converted to pan seared scallops with a brown butter drizzle.. The salmon mousseline became grilled salmon lollipops served with horseradish crème fraiche.

The lamb with mint sauce was served with a mint and cranberry relish;. Pate de fois gras was served with pan seared apple Confit. This menu kept the buzz alive, the foodies were ecstatic and the cohesiveness of the theme kept the buzz alive.

Another catering concept is the food preparation that is a performance itself. For the MD Anderson Cancer benefit, the Old Florida cuisines included a Low Country boil, carving stations for BBQ ribs and a live oyster shucking bar.

The guests were able to interact with the chefs in action.

Another idea is to consider adding a different method of cooking, for example, a wood burning fire pit that cooks food in a novel way that will fascinate your guests.

We are a contemporary, full service catering and event design company.

We offer services for large galas (over 1,000) to intimate parties of 50, from Naples to Tampa Bay. Milan Catering has won several awards over the years and Hot List for Tampa Bay, as well as recipients of the Brides Choice awards from Martha Stewart’s Wedding Wire that represent the top 5% nationwide in wedding professionals. We are approved caterers at the finest Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota venues. Contact us at 941.312.0000

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tart where you stand and never mind the past, The past won’t help you in beginning new, If you have left it all behind at last Why, that’s enough, you’re done with it, you’re through; This is another chapter in the book, This is another race that you have planned, Don’t give the vanished days a backward look, Start where you stand.

Berton Braley

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