Exotic Flowers in Boston

For many of us, we show our love for mom on Mother’s Day with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a sentimental Hallmark card or maybe even a gift certificate to her favorite spa.  These great gift ideas certainly rank high for holiday presents but the number one choice still holds at taking your special lady to brunch.  Boston has no shortage of fabulous restaurants with menus that include delicious cuisine fit for a queen but maybe you’re interested in another route?  What if what if we put a homespun feel towards this year’s festivities?  The truth is, brunches prepared by families at home are becoming more and more popular, resonating back to traditional Mother’s Day celebrations.  After conducting a few comparisons, I’ve got to tell you, there are a lot of benefits tied to this new trend.  For starters, there are no reservations to be made, no disappointment with ingredients or diet concerns, no traveling required and first and foremost, no excessive food charges that will skyrocket the bill.  Cooking your own feast for mom does however allow flexibility within dish selection, an open door to whomever you wish to invite and the opportunity to personalize the event with your mom’s favorite foods, decorations and flowers.    If you’re interested in hosting your own Mother’s Day brunch instead of dining in one of our city’s eateries, here’s a sure fire way to make all of your guests (and most importantly the guest of honor) enjoys this special day!

The Menu

Make the meal as simple or as sophisticated as your culinary skills will allow you to.  Croissants are a great way to start along with other pasties and muffins.  Recipes containing eggs are another smart beginning where you can make easy scrambled eggs or more elaborate dishes such as Martha Stewart’s Ham and Egg Crepe Squares.  Roasted meats such as ham or roast beef are also popular for an impromptu carving station.  Scalloped potatoes will also be a hit but if you’re looking for a lighter meal, spuds infused with olive oil and rosemary are a superb substitute with fewer calories.  Don’t forget the beverages, too making sure a tray of coffee, juices and tea are available for guests.  Mimosas should also be pre-made because it is after all Mother’s Day-she deserves it!  photo credit marthastewart.com

The Setting

You’re going to want to dress things up a bit since it’s Mother’s Day so plan a trip to your local florist for a fresh bunch of peonies, garden roses, lisianthus, scabiosa or French tulips.  Arrange them in the center of the dining table in one of her favorite antique vases or urns and she’ll appreciate the effort to make Mother’s Day even more special with spring blooms.  Linens don’t have to be fancy either just make sure they don’t distract from the centerpiece or the food being served.  Older serving trays are perfect for this look particularly platters resonating an English appeal.  Serve formally or buffet style but make sure you recruit some helpers to clean up afterwards because it’s mom’s day off!  Happy Mother’s Day!

photo credit: Flower Factor

Mother’s Day is only a few weeks away and there are still a lot of preparations to make!  The reservations have been made for a scrumptious meal at one of Boston’s finest eateries and the kids have all decorated bright and cheery cards so what could we be possibly missing?  Our holiday pre-orders to our local florists!  Now if you even entertain the idea of waiting for the last minute to pick up a bouquet, you should really rethink that decision because Bean Town’s talented designers are already whipping up inventory requests for buyers to make sure they have exactly what they need for this year’s arrangements to mom.  Walking into a flower shop the day of Mother’s Day could be disastrous and at the very least hectic so take the time to surf your preferred vendor’s website to find an appealing floral product and call ahead.  After all, you don’t want to get stuck with a dozen red roses from the supermarket.  You want something nice for that special mother in your life!  These styles and varieties are what’s hot this season and will definitely be making a splash on Sunday, May 10^th!

Peonies

You just can’t go wrong with a big and bountiful bunch of peonies for Mother’s Day.  Their soft texture and large array of pink shading perfectly emanates the essence of the holiday and the spring weather couldn’t be better for imports from countries such as Holland, California and Ecuador.  This variety is extremely easy to intertwine with other appropriate holiday stems but honestly, they’re better off on their own because the sweet smell alone will plow mom over with a smile.  Sarah Bernhard, Coral, Charm and Shirley Temple top my list for most beautiful types of peonies.

Popcorn Hydrangea

Popcorn Hydrangea isn’t just any old hydrangea-we’re talking the fancy stuff when dealing with this stunning and unusual variety!  With sepals resembling actually popcorn kernels, their plump heads have an interesting texture that is more durable than it’s mother plant allowing them to last longer.  Colors of white, purple, green and blue are available but if you really want to gift something extraordinary, ask for the pink, which is grown in a delicate, blush shade.  Like most up scale varieties, popcorn might cost a bit more than the average hydrangea but I assure you, it’s worth it.  Opt for a few stems instead of the traditional mixed bouquet and say “thanks” to mom in style!

Suzie Canale

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10^th so Bostonians are making their plans to honor their favorite person in their lives-mom!  Restaurants, flower shops and candy stores will all be bustling, stocking up on inventory that will make perfect presents for loved ones.  Of course, the holiday guests of honor adore a delicious brunch with family, beautiful bouquets of spring blossoms and boxes of decadent chocolates decorated with a bow but what if we tried something different this year?  Keep in mind Bean Town mom’s do considerable heavy lifting when it comes to contributing to their households, raising children and well, everything else in between.  Maybe this year, we should gift our superwomen with a gesture reminding them of how we appreciate all of their hard work!  Boston natives are in luck because it just so happens this city is home to some of the best spas in the northeast!  Whether you’re looking for a manicure, facial, pedicure or package deal, you can bet that Boston beauty locales are preparing their salons for spectacular treatments and services.  If you don’t know where to start your search, meander through this elite list of spas we have situated in town!

G20 Spa and Salon

278 Newbury Street

Boston

617-262-2220

The G20 Spa and Salon on Newbury Street is one of Boston’s highest regarded facilities because of their impeccable reputation and cutting edge beautifying technology.  Besides that, it’s just a really cool place to visit!  Offering rooftop lounging deck, brine inhalation therapies, waterfall rooms and even a skylight hot tub, there’s something for everyone and lots to do for the entire day.  Along with other traditional services such as nail and hair care stylists; this Boston spa tops the chart as also being one of the forerunners in “green” spa living.

Bella Santé

38 Newbury Street

Boston

617-424-9930

Bella Sante should be another priority website to visit when considering a spa package for Mother’s Day!  Located in the Back Bay, this salon offers the basics plus a multi variety menu for packages including “Hand and Foot” massages, “Head to Toe Body Ritual” pampering and a “Be Radiant” treatment bundle.  If dad wants to get in on the action, Bella Santé will change any of these services into a “couples” experience adding romance to any mommy’s special day!

Chuan Body and Soul

250 Franklin Street

Boston

617 451 1900

If you’re looking for something contemporary, check out Chuan Body and Soul, which provides new age treatments promoting relation and inner meditative healing.  This upscale facility bases their services on ancient Chinese medicine, utilizing both natural and spiritual therapies throughout their spa menus.  If you want to try something fun, add the Tao of Detox to your gift certificates that prepares patrons with algae body wraps and acupressure massages.