
Prepare to Host Amazing Barbecues this Summer!
With the 4th of July right around the corner, there's no better time to prepare to become a grilling extraordinaire. Learn how to grill like a pro, offer refreshing salads and sides and create amazing condiments to wow friends and family this summer. Featuring...

Great Summer DIY Projects
What's summer without a little fun? Try some Do-It-Yourself activities that will amp up your summer! Peg Board Wall Organizer Leaf Art! Create Outdoor Seating Faux Ceramic Napkin Rings Copper & Wood Side Table

Wines for Summer
REDS Inman Family 2014 Endless Crush Rosé of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Boeger 2013 Walker Vineyard Zinfandel (El Dorado) WHITES 2014 Paolo Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2013 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc Joseph Cattin 2013 Pinot Blanc Alsace SPARKLING & ROSÉ...

Summer Cocktails
Summer in the City means it time for excellent drinks. Your friends will want to visit you more if your drinks are better, so here are some great summer recipes to enjoy! (Click the images for the recipes) Berry Mojito Zen Sangria (Non Alcoholic) Pimm's Cup Michelada...

Festivals, Conventions and Summer Events In Chicago
Everyone knows that Chicagoans put up with the winter just for our awesome summers! June is alive with endless festival and summer event options. Events 12 is a great resource of all the festivals in Chicago: http://www.events12.com/chicago/june/ But don't forget...

Prepare to Host Amazing Barbecues this Summer!
With the 4th of July right around the corner, there's no better time to prepare to become a grilling extraordinaire. Learn how to grill like a pro, offer refreshing salads and sides and create amazing condiments to wow friends and family this summer. Featuring...

Great Summer DIY Projects
What's summer without a little fun? Try some Do-It-Yourself activities that will amp up your summer! Peg Board Wall Organizer Leaf Art! Create Outdoor Seating Faux Ceramic Napkin Rings Copper & Wood Side Table

Wines for Summer
REDS Inman Family 2014 Endless Crush Rosé of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Boeger 2013 Walker Vineyard Zinfandel (El Dorado) WHITES 2014 Paolo Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2013 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc Joseph Cattin 2013 Pinot Blanc Alsace SPARKLING & ROSÉ...

Summer Cocktails
Summer in the City means it time for excellent drinks. Your friends will want to visit you more if your drinks are better, so here are some great summer recipes to enjoy! (Click the images for the recipes) Berry Mojito Zen Sangria (Non Alcoholic) Pimm's Cup Michelada...

Festivals, Conventions and Summer Events In Chicago
Everyone knows that Chicagoans put up with the winter just for our awesome summers! June is alive with endless festival and summer event options. Events 12 is a great resource of all the festivals in Chicago: http://www.events12.com/chicago/june/ But don't forget...
Gallus Events
All bloggers know it's important to check out other people's blogs. So today, I encourage you to check out this UK group's blog on getting a great audience to your event. ...
Building Positive Business Relationships: Be Open and Ask Questions
It's easy to get caught up in the politics of day to day business. We see people go about things the wrong way, be pushy, selfish and unfair yet often times it seems these people get rewarded for their bad behavior because they end up getting what they want. Right...
BizBash Idea Fest 2012
BizBash is one of my favorite event planning information resources. I find it to be really interactive via the LinkedIn forums and also very informative. I like that it's broken up into regions/major cities that allows for local information with a general,...
Social Media Monitoring Tools
Today, I felt that I must share this really great article for following your analytics. Julius Solaris Event Management Blog is one of the most informative information tools out there in the event planning world. This article by Corina Mackay is an easy...

4 Tips for Planning an Event in Chicago
Each city has it's own vibe. A great event planner can create the feel of that city for his or her clients, whether or not (s)he lives there. While all the obvious things like venues, transportation & decor are important knowing how to plan in a certain city is...
4 Tips for Tipping
People often wonder about the etiquette for giving tips and gratuity. "How much do you give someone if...?" "Do you tip someone for that?" In some professions, tips are expected, particularly in service industries like restaurants, hotels, salons, etc. But what...

Corri McFadden for Gateway Green’s Annual Fundraiser: OfficeMax’s Green Tie Ball
Have you ever realized that the Chicago expressways always seem to be very clean? Did you know that it's not government, but rather private organizations maintaining it? Chicago Gateway Green beautifies expressways with plants and sculptures while keeping them...
Great Articles on Conference Planning: Trends, Going Green, Common Mistakes & Marketing
I'll have to thank my LinkedIn friends for their wonderful posts on things to know for conferences. While that is not the specific area I work in (I'm hospitality), there are MANY conferences in this city and it is important to keep up with trends, ideas and optimum...
Cvent Ranks Chicago in Top 5 Destination Cities
Well Chicagoans, out of 50 cities, Cvent ranked Chicago #5 after Orlando, Florida #1 (they do have Hogwarts, Disney World AND Universal Studios), Washington D.C. #2, Las Vegas #3, & Miami, Florida #4. I think that's pretty good, considering there are lots of...

10 Things To Do Before the End of Summer
You look at the calendar and repeat the date back to yourself. August? And it's almost over?! Before you know it the Chicago snow will be rolling in while the temperature drops and the sun goes away for everything but late morning and afternoon. It always seems...