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.
Get Buttercream Tips from Cake Coquette on Chow
Get great tips from one of my favorite wedding cake designers, Gabrielle Feurersinger of CAKE COQUETTE, on chow.com!
To learn more about Gabrielle Feurersinger of Cake Coquette and her delectable wedding cake artistry, visit www.cakecoquette.com
TWC Podchat – Cake Coquette
Presenting another episode of TWC Podchat, an interview with Gabrielle Feuersinger, an incredible cake designer and owner of CAKE COQUETTE, a custom wedding cake and specialty cake design company in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Gabrielle has coined the term “Cake as Art”–and from what I have seen in person, it is really beautiful and absolutely an edible art. Listen to our chat and learn more Gabrielle’s art influence, her inspiration for creating cake masterpieces, her opinion about buttercream vs. fondant and which is her favorite to work with!
Photos Courtesy of Allure West Studios
Gabrielle is very passionate about cakes, and she prides herself in her perfection for details. Her cakes are truly an edible art! See for yourself and visit her cake gallery at www.cakecoquette.com. She also has a blog with details and more pictures of some of her favorite cakes. You can visit her blog at www.cakecoquette.blogspot.com
From Bowling Balls to Pork Belly – Chef Brad Kraten
If BRAD KRATEN isn’t bowling with his two little girls, then it is likely you will find him firing it up in the kitchen of Park Place Restaurant in Cupertino, where he resides as the Executive Chef.
When I sat with Brad for this interview, he ordered a few items for me from the menu to sample. One of the menu items was a smoked and seared Pork Belly with a Sweet Balsamic Gastrique. Now, you are probably thinking…Pork Belly? Don’t second guess…it was outstanding! One of Brad’s self-taught passions is the old world culinary art of Charcuterie (1). Very often, Brad experiments with making his own sausages, pates, smoked fishes…and pork belly! When it comes to his smoked salmon, most guests just can’t resist asking for more!
BRAD KRATEN worked his way to the top and honed his culinary techniques through well-known SF Bay Area kitchens, such as The Agenda, Viaggio, and the former Spago. Brad has a soft spot for helping children in need and supports and serves on the board of a nonprofit that helps at-risk youth, The El Cajon Project. As you can see, Brad Kraten is a culinary inspiration; and lucky for us, he has shared a few of his fiery kitchen secrets and favorites! Read the interview below!
Q: What is your favorite comfort food that you eat at home?
A: BBQ Short Ribs.
Q: What food are you most known for?
A: Definitely, my Smoked Salmon.
Q: What piece of kitchen equipment can you not live without?
A: A good, sharp knife. I recommend the Shun or Wüsthof brand carried at www.surlatable.com
Q: Do you have a kitchen tip for the home chef?
A: Clean as you go! There is nothing worse than having a pile of dishes and not being able to relax and enjoy your guests company.
Q: What culinary book do you enjoy reading and recommend?
A: The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan-This book can be found at www.amazon.com.
Q: Do you read any food blogs?
A: I have a few ‘foodie’ blog favorites. Check out the following blog links:
Playing with Fire and Water, Ideas in Food, and Chadzilla.
(1) Charcuterie – IPA:ʃarkütəˈri/ -is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork. To read more about Charcuterie, visit the definition at Wikipedia
