Exotic Flowers in Boston

The Christmas season is all about magic, mystery, dreams, memories and inspiration. Evergreen boughs, scented candles and Christmas keepsakes are just a few small tokens that can transform your white wedding into a holiday wonderland. Try adding a few of my simple Christmas wedding ideas to make your Boston Christmas wedding magical.

Ask your guests if they coud wrap their gifts in holiday gift wrap or if their wedding card could be a Christmas card. In lieu of a flower arrangement on the gift table, set up a decorated Christmas tree and guests can leave their Christmas wrapped wedding gifts under the tree. A great decoration for this tree could be photos of the bride and groom hung as ornaments.  If your wedding is the week after Christmas then you can score a great deal on Christmas trees and decorations.

Another great way to include the spirit of giving is to insert a game into your Boston wedding. How about setting each table with a small gift wrapped box. Then underneath one of the place settings, leave a gold star. The guest who has the gold star, wins the Christmas present.   Or you could even put a larger gift on the table in lieu of flowers. Of course, nothing takes the place of fresh flowers at a wedding. Not something that the staff at Exotic Flowers in Boston would recommend for any wedding. HeHe. :)

Another idea for fun would be a karaoke like game of singing Christmas Carols. You would be surprised what a punch bowl of spiked egg nog can do to get guests to sing. Not only is this feature fun for all the guests, but can also serve as free entertainment.

Suzie Hearl Canale

@SuzieCanale on Twitter

www.beantowntales.net

The Christmas season is filled with hope and possibilities. The season of wishes and dreams forces us to extend the season as long as we can; hence the arrival of Christmas music on Boston radio on November 11. In Boston, we hang garland, bake cookies and even mount Christmas wreaths on our cars. The aroma of vanilla, pine and cinnamon brings us back to our childhood. Even Boston brides try to recreate Christmas magic for their weddings. 

Christmas is all about lights. Twinkle lights, LED lights, twinkle lights, sphere lights, musical lights. You can never have enough lights for Christmas in Boston. Lights can hang from the ceiling, on archways, over mantles and on trees outdoors and indoors. Not only electrical lights, but how about candle light ? Tea lights, hurricanes, tapers, pillars or even battery operated candles will create Christmas romance for your wedding. Another favorite of mine is candle lighting your church with no electric light. Call up the fire marshall and illuminate your church with hundreds of candles along the aisle and altar.

Another essential for any Christmas wedding are evergreens; boughs, garland, wreaths, kissing balls and trees. Holiday garland beautifies chairs, banisters, mantles and can even be draped along the aisle of church pews. Christmas garland may also be accented with berries, pine cones and ornaments as well. Candle rings are also a cost effective centerpiece. A candle ring is just like a miniature Christmas wreath; add a cream pillar candle to the center and you are done. Christmas trees are also a great wedding prop. Six to ten Christmas with white twinke lights on a church altar will give you your own indoor forest. This tree scape is an ideal backdrop for timeless wedding photos. 

Suzie Canale

www.beantowntales.net

follow me at www.twitter.com/SuzieCanale

Ask most people about their favorite major holiday and Thanksgiving is likely to be their response two out of three times if not more. After all, what other day combines all of the wonderful elements of the December holiday season (family, food, and flowers) without the added pressure of gift shopping or seasonal decorating? ... Nuff said.

Fall is drawing to a rapid close, and so we must bid a reluctant adieu to all that amazing seasonal splendor. The year is rapidly wrapping up. Christmas lights, wreaths and poinsettias are popping up all over Boston. My friends at Exotic Flowers have even started delivering garland and holiday plants all over Boston. Holiday music is now playing on WODS 103.3FM and WROR 105.7FM. So before we get mind-numbingly bombarded with sonic good cheer, I say we use this time to look back on the year that was and reflect. And as long as I’m making up the rules as I go, I would like to turn our collective focus to one of my favorite topics – SANDWICHES !

 To that end, I bring you The Sandwich Guy’s 2011 Sandwich Hall of Famers. The only parameters for this year’s class are two: first, the nominees being inducted must come from somewhere I ate in the last 12 months, and second, the sandwich must be comprised of ingredients inspired by the Thanksgiving holiday. After all, the only thing better than Thanksgiving dinner in my book are the sandwiches that ensue in the days that follow.

 Here are my favorite turkey-centric sammys of 2011:

1)   The Black Russian from Concord, New Hampshire’s Beefside Restaurant. This place gives the concept of Surf’n’Turf a New England blue collar spin with its combination of meat oriented sandwiches and fried seafood. The results are unquestionably worth the trip, in case the packed parking lot and full dining room didn’t tip you off. I recently lunched on the Black Russian, a combination of fresh cooked and tender turkey and rare roast beef served on grilled pumpernickel bread with melted swiss and russian dressing. This combo serves up all kinds of fresh flavor, nicely blending salt, tang, and a touch of crunch. And the thick sliced, ruffle-cut “french fries” were awesome, and amazingly, for something that thick, not greasy. Definitely a sandwich experience deserving of gratitude.

2)   The turkey sandwich from Meredith, New Hampshire’s own George’s Diner. This unassuming spot resides in the shadow of the area’s better-known Hart’s Turkey Farm, but in terms of the fare, there is no contest. George’s turkey sandwich uses fresh baked bread, fresh roasted turkey, and a combo of cold, crisp tomato, lettuce and sweet mayo to pack a knockout flavor punch. I stumbled across it by accident the first time, and I could think of little else lunch-wise until I got back there to confirm what my taste buds experienced. The fresh cut homemade fries deliver as well. Be sure to ask for George’s special dipping sauce – a combination of mayo, horseradish sauce, ketchup and Cajun spices. A creamy and surprisingly subtle enhancement to the whole experience. Basic homemade ingredients, delicious results.

3)   The Gobbler from 4 Aces Diner in Lebanon, NH. This is one of their “Specialty Sandwiches”. Special, indeed. Fresh roasted turkey with cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy and mayo on a Brioche. This is literally Thanksgiving dinner in a sandwich, and the results are comfort food heaven. The turkey is not only cooked on site, it’s lightly peppered and browned/grilled on the flattop in the kitchen. The fresh brioche is grilled as well. The stuffing is homemade. The cranberry sauce and gravy are proportioned just enough to lend their flavors to the proceedings, without creating a soppy mess. It’s an original twist on a classic, and the result is sandwich lover’s bliss. Don’t hesitate to accompany it with the seasoned homemade gravy fries with cheese. Do make sure to reserve a couch nearby afterwards for the most blissful food coma ever!

This Thanksgiving, these three all stars have given me much to wax rhapsodic about from the gratitude side of things. Happy holiday to you and yours, and let me know what makes you grateful!

Oh yeah. And would it kill you to send some nice flowers to someone special this holiday?Didn’t think so. Nuff said.

 Sandwich Photo Credits: Jon Bornstein

you can follow Jon at www.twitter.com/zucrow

Thanksgiving remains New England's most celebrated holiday. Whether in Boston or Beverly, Portsmouth or Peabody, we embrace our heritage as the home of the pilgrims. One of the first three Thanksgiving feasts took place in Plymouth in 1621, (the first Thanksgiving feast took place in Virginia in 1619,). Boston residents have been practicing this feast ritual for almost four hundred years. We design menus and decorations with homage to the pilgrims; these decadent spreads of food, flora and fauna pay homage to our ancestors.  This celebratory holiday inspires both brides and wedding planners alike. If your wedding is in Boston, Newport or Cape Cod - here are a few tips to get your Thanksgiving wedding on track.

Let's Eat -  A wedding dinner can be fully repliacted for a Thanksgiving theme. Thanksgiving dinner is the focal point of the holiday. Sharing a meal with friends, family and loved ones creates wonderful and lasting memories. Remember they are loved ones, no fried turkeys. Serve healthy flavorful dishes that harken back to days of the pilgrims. Some traditional and flavorful appetizers include stuffed mushrooms, butternut squash dip, baked brie with apples. Main courses not only feature a gigantic roast turkey but a plethora of side dishes like mashed potatoes, yams, corn bread and stuffing. Tradition might call for wedding cake for dessert, but how about a small dessert plate of miniature pumpkin, apple and sweet potato pies. Several Boston  bakeries offer these mini pies. 

Flora and Fauna - Thanksgiving offers New England brides a host of colorful flowers from the season. Vibrant fall hues allow brides to ignite their wedding with an infusion of fall colors at the reception, for the bride's maid dresses and the wedding centerpieces. Purple, gold and burgundy create a romantic back drop for the oranges yellows and lime greens that illuminate the wedding. A great choice for linen is a gold table cloth with an arrangement of bronze deco mums, all yellow sunflowers, and green cymbidium orchids. Boston wedding planners can even go the extra yard by having flower filled cornucopias on the table. Your guests with be thrilled with warmth and love of your Thanksgiving themed wedding celebration. 

Suzie Canale

http://beantowntales.net

@SuzieCanale on Twitter

November, 2011

Dear friends,

I remember going to Mass at Sacred Heart in Roslindale every Sunday as a youth and during the service the priest would always remind us what to be thankful for. At Exotic Flowers in Boston, we are very thankful.  We appreciate being such a special part of your lives. Your birthdays, weddings, proms, and funerals give our jobs as florists meaning. You give us a huge responsibility. You entrust us to convey your emotions. We will never take that job lightly.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  My day starts with breakfast with my boys. I head into our flower shop in Roslindale at 730am. Yes we are open for walk in customers. What better hostess gift than flowers for the table ? We close about 2pm and I head with Suzie and the boys over to my mother in law Murphy's home in West Roxbury where I feast on turkey with all the trimmings.  After digesting this feast, I move onto my parents home for a spread of homemade ravioli, meatballs, sausage, lasagna and bracciole. Family, food, wine and flowers.

Thanksgiving is about spending time with family, friends and tradition. If you cannot be there, please call or even better send flowers.  Start your own tradition.

Thank you for loyalty. Thank you for your referrals. Thank you for spending your hard earned money at Exotic Flowers & Lombardi Florist.

Sincerely,

Rick Canale

Nothing says autumn weddings in New England like a clever fall wedding favor.  New England is known for its abundance of rich fall hues during this time of year, party planners have an enormous spectrum of wedding  gifts  to choose  for guests.   The key to selecting a memorable party  favor which reflects  your pride for Boston lies in considering the region's traits which are best shown throughout the months of autumn.    Two of the area's most dominant features include opulent historical landmarks like Faneuil Hall or the gold dome of the Boston State House ; and the most eye catching pinwheels of color that drape the trees of the city.   By combining creative instincts with a seasonal Bostonian flair, your bridal favors will surely be the talk of Beantown! 

A few suggestions;

Salem, MA  draws  thousands of tourists yearly to partake in Halloween festivities.  It is no wonder why many Boston brides are enticed to thematically capture a bit of this enchantment within their own wedding.   One of the tastiest ways to achieve  sweet tooth ambiance is to offer specialty candy or chocolate in shapes of pumpkins, ghosts and witches.  Gather three to four pieces in a clear wrap bag and fasten with an orange, purple or black ribbon.  Other sweet treats can include satchels of personalized candy corn monogrammed with the bride and grooms initials.  These special favors are not only reasonably priced but can be easily ordered through many of Boston’s talented chocolatiers  or your party planner.  Milk chocolate Halloween pops are also a scrumptious indulgence.

If you are looking for a memorable keepsake that captures  New England’s picturesque scenery then consider gifting the view through autumn themed  key chains.  The streets of Boston are just covered with gold, red and green spectacles of delight.   It is  difficult to evade the splendid grandeur that blankets most of our neighborhoods during this time of year. Whip out your cameras and start snapping!   Once you have selected your favorite autumn picture, visit QLT.com and order photo ready key chains in the style and quantity that you desire.   Not only is this an affordable novelty  but it will leave your friends and family with a stunning remembrance of New England’s greatest pride, her autumn season.

Suzie Canale

follow me at Twitter.com/SuzieCanale

www.beantowntales.net

The Allandale Woods is Boston's second largest woodland. Allandale Woods maintains a wildlife sanctuary right in Boston.  Allandale Woods is on the Jamaica Plain West Roxbury line. There are marked trail entrances on Allandale Street, the VFW Parkway and Hackensack road. "The acquisition of a portion of the conservation land at Allandale Woods in 1975 represented the first step in creating the Charles-to-Charles Open Space Corridor, an 8-mile open space belt of existing parkland, private estates, and wetlands that stretches from the Fens and the Charles River Basin, along the Boston/Brookline boundary, and through the Sawmill marshes to the Charles River in West Roxbury." The wooded area houses many tree species primarily oaks, maples, and pines. The trails are well maintained by the city of Boston and run throughout the site leading to various areas of interest including a scenic Rock Pond, an extensive Depression-era stone boundary wall, a cattail marsh, intertwining streams that form the Bussey Brook headwaters, underground springs, an historic spring house, and a certified vernal pool. 

As a an avid gardener, florist and neighbor of Allandale Woods in Boston, I frequent the trails often. In the spring and summer, the mallards along the streams outnumber the female ducks four to one. In the fall, the woods are filled with fallen leaves and the views are spectacular. The winter snow falls exhbits one of the more pristine and unvisited natural resources in Boston. You would think you were in the Maine woods. 

The Allandale Woods often get overshadowed by their high profile neighbor, Arnold Arboretum. If you are looking for a more adveturous, smaller scale and less inhabited nature hike then the Allandale Woods beckons you. The city of Boston is diligent in maintaining this wildlife sanctuary where you will see deer, foxes, rabbits, ducks and multitude of birds. This wooded reserve is a photographer's dream.

The city of Boston has gone to great length in preserving this natural resource. They keep the trails clear and even tag the trees so that visitors know which trees are which. There are even discoveries like broken stone and bricks walls that lead to the mystery of the reserve.

If you like flowers, plants, animals or nature. This Boston sanctuary is a delight.