OmniBride™ & TWC: New Beginnings & Fond Farewells
The Wedding Chat has been a labor of love and a launching pad to something new and exciting for the entire online wedding community. You see we discovered a black hole…
As bloggers in the wedding industry we adore the vast blogosphere but, for a while, have felt such a deep void when attempting to research and find great content. Oh, we know it’s out there. In fact we take pride in the topics we’ve covered. But think about it-when you try to find something it’s often a time-consuming, hit-or-miss experience. There is so much valuable information out there and searching is like drifting aimlessly out in space.
Well, our frustration turned into opportunity. We connected with some tech virtuosos to help us create OmniBride, the first search-find-share destination solely for the wedding industry.
Our mission was to bring the entire online wedding community together so none of us has to wander aimlessly through the Internet to find great ideas, inspirations and resources.
We are just beginning to officially launch OmniBride and say a fond farewell to The Wedding Chat. We are sad for TWC to end as it has been steadily growing in popularity but feel our mission to bring together the entire online wedding community is the best use of our energies. We felt it even more when blogger Kelly Gribben, Keg Design, landed on us while she was randomly checking her site meter…”I discovered OmniBride as a referring site and one that is solely devoted to wedding-related things. What a cool concept! It’s definitely something the online wedding community can use.” We hope you think so too!
For brides: You’ll find that OmniBride is the most comprehensive destination for researching and planning your wedding.
For bloggers: Your voices will be heard by an exponentially greater audience. If the community loves your content, your stats will grow—and so will your fan base.
For industry: You have the opportunity to find out what the online wedding community is saying (or not saying) about your goods and services. You can engage in the community dialogues.
For journalists: This is your tool for researching and uncovering the latest buzz and resources.
You have the power to rate the value of a search result by either “loving” or “trashing” it so, unlike a general search engine, the community determines what rises to the top. So participate often and let your voice be heard throughout the wedding universe!
But there’s more to OmniBride—check out our feeds for the daily news and the most current wedding-related contests and giveaways. And if it’s being talked about—we’ll find it!
You may have noticed that this is a BETA version of OmniBride. This means that Version 1 is ready for take-off. But our vision doesn’t end here—count on an explosion of features and functions in the near future. For now, enjoy your exploration…and let us know about your experiences of finding it in the wedding cosmos.
Boy Marries Girl at The Beverly Hills Hotel
On May 21, 1983, newlyweds Dave and I arrived at the BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL for our wedding reception. Like an old Hollywood movie, it was a beautiful beginning to our boy-meets-girl fairytale romance. Twenty-five years later, at the exact moment I walked down the aisle, we checked into the hotel to celebrate our silver anniversary.
When deciding what to do for our 25th, we considered New York (we love theater!) and Paris (a favorite destination) but in an inspirational moment thought “The Beverly Hills Hotel!” We hadn’t been back since our wedding day and even then didn’t have the chance to spend any time enjoying the hotel, other than dancing and dining the night away in the Crystal Ballroom. So it was off to 90210 and Hollywood.
The Beverly Hills hotel was built in 1912 by developer Burton Green who hoped to lure wealthy Easterners out west to retire in the open fields north of Los Angeles. Built for $500,000 – a staggering sum at the time – in a Mission Revival style on twelve acres of land, Burton named the hotel after his “Beverly Farms” home in Massachusetts. The investment paid off as some of the most famous Silver Screen stars, including Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, made Beverly Hills their homes. The hotel soon found itself surrounded by prime real estate. Today, it still feels as though you are stepping back into the glory days of old Hollywood. After a major renovation that closed the hotel from 1992 to 1995, it still maintains the style and timeless beauty of a glamorous bygone era. Even decorator Don Loper’s striking banana-leaf design wallpaper has survived and still looks fresher than ever.
The landscaping, tended by fourteen gardeners, is lush and tropical – I have never seen Birds of Paradise so immense! Walking the grounds, you feel as though you are in a private oasis totally secluded and hidden from Sunset Boulevard, one of the busiest streets in Beverly Hills.
Since its inception the hotel has been the place where stars met to see and be seen, as well as to conduct discreet affairs. We stayed in Bungalow 20A, a luxurious suite that is part of the back garden two-story bungalows. According to the hotel’s lore, it’s the room where Leslie Caron and Warren Beatty had a romantic tryst. Updated since their clandestine rendezvous, the suite felt like an individual home that was spacious, timeless and elegant. Decorated in a sophisticated English country style, the sitting room had a sofa, two comfortable chairs and a wood burning fireplace. The bathroom was fashioned in green marble and Italian granite replete with plush bath linens, terry cloth bathrobes, slippers and custom-blended amenities. Our bedroom was luxurious and opened out onto a private patio surrounded by dense tropical plants. We even had a sunny kitchen with a back door – we could move in forever!
The service was impeccable and everyone treated us as though we were stars or movie moguls. After taking a walk around the gardens, we returned to find a bottle of Perrier Jouët champagne on ice with four enormous chocolate-dipped strawberries, compliments of the hotel for our anniversary. It was an unexpected surprise, and just the beginning of our five-star treatment. When we made our reservations, we opted for the hotel’s Spa Package. This included our stay in a bungalow guestroom plus one spa treatment per day in their exclusive Hotel Spa by La Prairie. I had a Swedish massage shortly after our arrival to work out the kinks from our long day’s drive and Dave had a massage on day two. The package is a great way to add a bit of personal pampering to the trip.
On our first evening we dined in the renowned Polo Lounge where every table feels intimate and special. In fact, Dave and I were sure that movie deals were being brokered at the next table. The food was sublime. I chose the Warm Laura Chenel Goat’s Cheese, a mélange of flavors with the smooth cheese mixed with baby beets and green beans in a tarragon dressing. Dave enjoyed the Tuna Nicoise salad to start. For the main course, I selected the Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallops with shaved Perigord Truffles and Dave chose Braised Lamb “Osso Bucco” with a cassoulet of beans, creamed chanterelles and root vegetables. Both of us smiled after each tender taste sensation. We finished by sharing a famous Polo Lounge soufflé, a decadent chocolate experience.
The next day we looked forward to playing “tourist” but not before we indulged in a traditional breakfast in the hotel’s Fountain Coffee Shop. This counter-only restaurant is a historical landmark with restored bar stools that originally surrounded the classic curved soda fountain counter built in 1949. It was a favorite stop for Lucille Ball on her way to the Desilu studios. We spent the day touring but my favorite highlight was a visit to the Griffith Park Observatory, built as a gift to Los Angeles by Griffith Jenkins Griffith in the 1930’s. He wanted it to be an inspirational and educational resource for all society. Forget the science, I relished the Art Deco architecture and the incredible views including a bird’s eye view of the classic “Hollywood” sign.
On the second night, we ventured into the heart of Hollywood to dine at Citrus at Social¸ a new restaurant returning chef Michel Richard back to the city that helped launch his career at the original Citrus on Melrose Ave. Richard teamed up with restaurateurs Jeffrey Chodorow and Melissa Richardson of China Grill Management to bring a sense of timelessness, playful flair and world-renowned culinary technique back to Hollywood. They transformed the old Athletic club into part night club, part crown jewel restaurant. While we dined in the restaurant, InStyle Magazine was hosting a starlets’ affaire in the adjoining night club hot spot.
Amid the vintage architecture and fresco walls sits vibrant lemon and lime-hued décor fashioned by award-winning designer Mark Zeff. The decorative play of old with new is visually refreshing and sets the scene for Chef Richard’s inspiring California-French cuisine – a culinary play of old and new too. The sorbet furnishings help to cleanse the atmosphere and prepare you for the tasteful masterpieces to come.
Upon discovering it was our anniversary, the chef sent out petite onion tarts and glasses of champagne to start. Delicious! Dave followed with the Mosaic, a carpaccio of surf, turf and earth including salmon, tuna, scallops, beef and roasted peppers and had the chef’s specialty 72 hour short rib for his main course. These are prime boneless beef short ribs, slowly braised in port reduction for 72 hours for an amazingly tender bite. Dave adored the accompanying French fries, cooked to perfection in clarified butter.
I savored the tartine crab “robaire,” followed by the bone in prime rib-eye steak seared and roasted, another house specialty. It was served with a red wine sauce, oven roasted tomatoes and artichokes and a “fuzzy’ potato, a playful Michel Richard twist on traditional potato gratin. Too full for dessert, we made our way back to the hotel for an evening by the fire and more champagne.
Soon it was time to leave the glamour, fine dining and pampering behind, and we began our journey home. We took our time to motoring up the coast stopping for a visit at the Hearst Castle to see how one man built his dream. In four days, we had a chance to escape, spend a few precious moments together, reminisce about our beginnings and have our own dreams about the next twenty-five years – JM
Resources:
The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows
9641 Sunset Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90210
310.276.2251
www.thebeverlyhillshotel.com
Citrus at Social
6525 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.337.9797
www.chinagrillmgt.com/social
Something to bark about…
is this company’s catch phrase when it comes to pets in their hotels!
For many of us dog owners, we find it difficult to go on even a small weekend vacation, because we dread having to leave our much-loved furry friends behind with a sitter. Too, when it comes to special occasions and family affairs, they are practically counted as a guest. Laura, Jack, and….oh, yeah, Spud! So, where is a place you can go to have your wedding ceremony and reception AND have your dog be included in some of the festivities, or even walk you down the aisle?
KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTS is a leader in the boutique hotel industry, offering a VIP (Very Important Pets) Program. “Dogs, cats, monkeys, birds….[they] love them all. Pets are all welcome at any Kimpton Hotel. [They] understand that pets are part of the family and need vacations, too. From welcome amenities, to pet psychics, and packages designed to pamper and spoil, [they] provide the same elements of care, comfort, style, flavor, and fun that [they] give to humans.”
KIMPTON HOTELS have done their research and found that according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s latest studies, 53.8 percent of all households in the United States own at least one pet. And their survey on U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics states, “Pets were considered family members by 46.9 percent of all pet-owning households.”
Click here to get a glimpse of Kitai, a local SF Bay Area well-known Doggerati and Mutt of Honor, walking the groom down the aisle, featured on The Flirty Guide’s Wedding Ideas. This wedding celebration took place at KIMPTON’s SILICON VALLEY CYPRESS HOTEL. Side Note: Just how famous is Kitai? Check out his red carpet struts and visit www.cutestdogever.com.
For those of you who have no pets and are feeling a little left out, no worries…KIMPTON HOTELS offers an option of “Guppy Love.” A pet goldfish can be borrowed for the duration of your stay to keep you company while you are away from home!
Click to View Kimpton’s Pet Friendly Videocast
KIMPTON HOTELS has over forty locations across the U.S., from New York to San Francisco. KIMPTON is a trendsetter and force to be reckoned with in the boutique hotel industry, as they are always looking for that perfect something to create an environment for your overnight stay with a home-away-from-home feeling. They offer a variety of unique services and programs, not only catering to your pets, but catering to YOU!
Click to View Kimpton’s Cities & Hotels
Bring a little something blue to your wedding and learn more about KIMPTON HOTELS locations, accommodations, amenities, wedding and event services, programs, or to make a reservation; visit www.kimptonhotels.com
