The St. Regis Hotel in New York

Honestly folks, this blog is going to be short and sweet.

Bottom Line...If you can afford to stay at the St. Regis or host your wedding celebration here...you should do it. There are absolutely zero reasons why you shouldn't. It is a world class hotel in a the greatest city on earth.

Visit www.stregis.com/newyork to get a little look at this beautiful paradise in the middle of the concrete jungle.
XOXO, Tamara

New York Palace Hotel

When you land on this beautiful hotel's page you will see the following flash across the screen alongside stunning photographs of a legendary place.

"Iconic Address, Inherent Charm, Exceptional Service, Luxury at Every Turn, Truly NY"

Well, I could go on and on, but that just about sums it up! This hotel is my second favorite behind the Waldorf...maybe because of it's unique Ballroom space with a beautiful domed ceiling, the hip bar in the middle of a completely traditional environment or pehaps it is the beautiful view of St. Patrick's Cathedral from the courtyard. I imagine it could be all the amazing history that you feel the minute you enter.

Now, of utmost importance and absolutely no relevance, I had my first celebrity sighting at the Palace when I moved to NY. My older brother, Mark, told me I had to call him immediately (no matter the time of day) when I saw my first official celebrity. Well, there I was on a Sunny Sunday afternoon after being in NY for a week, when I was passing by The Palace and nearly ran right into...MR. T. Yep, as a child of the 80's and a girl with two brothers who were totally addicted to "The A-Team"...this was a HUGE sighting. Of course the call was immediate to Mark who whole heartedly approved of this initial experience!!!

Now, the only challenge with the Palace is that it is a smaller ballroom. They can hold 150-200 (if everyone's skinny), but it is a beautiful place and the people I have come to know in our industry that find themselves working there are always warm and kind. The guest rooms are touted as the Biggest and Best in NY and although I have not had the privilege of staying there I believe it and I always recommend this hotel for friends visiting the city!!!

Take some time and visit http://www.newyorkpalace.com/ I am sure you will be impressed.

XOXO, Tamara

Waldorf=Astoria Hotel

I would normally end my week of blogging with my favorite, but this week I will begin with my #1 pick for NY Hotels. Debs and I do indeed have a certain loyalty to the Waldorf=Astoria after working there for over 11 years combined, but we do honestly believe that the Waldorf is the most incredible hotel we have ever had the privilege of working in.

They have the most beautiful facilities, an unparalleled culinary team and a great staff. The spaces are beautifully appointed, very elegant...although from the picture to the right you can see you can certainly achieve "over the top" if that is what you are going for. From grand events to intimate settings the Waldorf has it all. The spaces are seperated brilliantly, so even though you are in a large facility with potentially several events taking place, you will feel a real privacy alongside very personalized attention.

The photo to the right is of one of my favorite weddings!! I had the pleasure of working on this wedding at the Waldorf=Astoria in 2005 with an incredible team of people. This photo can be found in Preston Bailey's book "Inspirations" in Chapter Four where this entire wedding is highlighted. It was an incredibly detailed event with on of the most gracious families I have had an opportunity to work with! We were all proud to be such a big part of this special celebration.

You can find more photos of weddings at the Waldorf on their website http://www.waldorfweddings.com/ and also on http://www.insideweddings.com/ Weddings were featured in Inside Weddings Magazine in the Fall 2007 Issue "A Secret Garden" and also in the Winter 2006 Issue "Made in Manahattan". Enjoy!!!

If you are planning a wedding in NY you should definitely spend some time with the wonderful wedding crew at the Waldorf=Astoria hotel. Contact Alan Shukovsky, Director of Social Catering with any inquiries at 212.872.4766.

The Waldorf=Astoria has truly created a Legacy built on Romance, Precision and Glamour!

XOXO, Tamara

New York Magazines...

Well, the new issues are not on the stands yet, so you all get a break from me for a week!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day and we will chat again Monday the 28th!!!
XOXO, Tamara

Calling Mr. Winston...

Is there anyone out there that does not know of the Diamond King Harry Winston?? It goes without saying that his jewelry is constantly sough after and his diamonds are the biggest and the most beautiful...STUNNING is probably the best description of this gentlemans designs!! oh...and EXPENSIVE!

I have had the pleasure of meeting one of the Winston men in 1997 in Beverly Hills. I was with on of my best friends Arian on our Texas Tech University Choir Tour and we were admiring the Harry Winston window on Rodeo drive when we were invited in by the security guards! We were then greeted by a wonderful gentlemen who asked us what we were looking for...obviously in our matching choir tour shirts and jeans we were not in the market for Harry Winston, but he was wonderful to us and asked us if we wanted to see something he had just gotten in?? We obliged and he brought out the most stunning diamond necklace valued at over 5 million dollars that had just been flown in that morning. I was far to scared to touch it...Mom always told me not to touch anything in a store I couldn't afford to buy, but Arian was so gracious and brave and he placed it right around her pretty little neck. It was one of the largest diamond pieces I have ever seen close up and I was amazed by it's extraordinary art deco design. I had never seen anything like it before. The gentleman finally removed the necklace and then told us to make sure to watch the Oscars as one of the most famous women in the country would have it on that weekend. Both of us think Madonna wore it as that was the year Evita was out and we both remember it being a huge music idol...but 10 years and a few kids later our memories are a little worn, so that's our Harry Winston story and we're stickin' to it!

You are CRAZY if you don't take a few minutes to explore the world of Harry Winston at http://www.harrywinston.com/ My personal favorite is the Marquesa Aquamarine Cocktail Ring shown in the Colored Stone Rings category!! Enjoy the beauty of Mr. Winston.
XOXO, Tamara

Jude Francis...or is it Frances??

Jude Frances is jewelry designed by women for women creating a really beautiful style!! With a vintage feel these two wondeful ladies have hit home with me!!!

"Although they admit that they are as different as white and yellow gold, when Jude and Frances met at a charity dinner in 2002, they instantly knew they would make ideal business partners. Today, not only have they become best friends, they have turned their line into a multi-million dollar company. "We are there for each other through thick and thin. Not a day goes by when we don't talk," says Jude.

Frances, mother of two and former owner of an interior design firm, oversees design and operations for JudeFrances. She was born in the English countryside and favors the more romantic, classic styles. Her favorite piece in the line is a JudeFrances diamond monogram necklace that Jude designed especially for her as a birthday gift. Frances is inspired by architecture. In fact, the new Venetian Collection launching in June 2007 was inspired by a trip she and Jude took to Italy for Frances' 40th birthday. "The iron grill work I saw in Venice inspired our new diamond overlay designs."

Jude, mother of three, leads sales and marketing. This Texas native inspires the edgier side of the line. Her favorite piece in the line is a white gold cuff bracelet with a diamond cross that Frances gave her as a birthday gift. Jude is inspired by fashion and style and has a knack for staying ahead of fashion trends. "

Their jewelry can be found primarily in Neiman Marcus stores. For more information and a look at the beautiful jewelry these women create please visit www.judefrances.com
XOXO, Tamara