Caplan Miller Events Blog

Remember the good ‘ole nights when your parents left you at home with a sitter, some pizza and your best friend? And you had the power to do whatever you wanted? I have a pretty good memory, but I especially remember being obsessed with making friendship bracelets. I swear I had containers jam-packed with string in each compartment and buckets full to the brim with colorful beads that could last a lifetime. I guess you could say I had a friendship bracelet franchise and it seems as if fifteen years later someone has stolen my business!

Never got to make those precious childhood memories?? Well now’s your chance! Friendship bracelets are back baby and they are this summer’s must have. Who knew string and beads would be so popular again? (And expensive!!) I mean they are all over the place. Weather I’m flipping through US or walking down South Congress – they are taking over (literally – taking over your arm). Don’t feel like splurging on these babies? Don’t. Make them yourself! Come on – I know you remember how. If only I had saved all those over the years…

Personally, I could wear 100 at a time… all the way up to my elbow. I’m not even kidding – seriously, I’m obsessed!! Mix and match ‘em, go solo or stack ‘em. Choose braided, beaded or bedazzled and wear them with style. Get wild and crazy with different colors and combos. This isn’t just fun people… this is art and you are the artist!! Buy a pair of two and give one to your bestie or leave some up on your boy-toy’s computer so he gets the hint. They also make for the perfect bridesmaid’s gift. I am telling you that these will turn heads… don’t let your arm go naked this summer. So get on the shopping and hurry up and buy!

You know you love me!
Xoxo,
Gossip Girl

I had the great pleasure of revisiting my old friends at Word of Mouth Catering on Friday for a menu tasting and let me tell you we were all blown away! Everything was so absolutely delicious! Not only that, they considered every detail of the event with the menu, to the color palette, time of year, setting and the guest list. We all left completely full and miserable, but in a good way!

The highlight of the menu was a Wildflower Honey Glazed Fig and Brie on a Walnut Tuile Leaf. Incredible and absolutely perfect since guests will enjoy these tasty morsels while sipping fine wine under one hundred-year-old oak trees. If you think you have never had a tuile (pronounced twheel), you probably have. Think Milano cookie, but better.

Seeing these tuile cookies brought me back to when I was in high school when I wanted to be a chef in a big fancy restaurant. I was reading Martha Stewart Living while all my friends were reading Seventeen and Cosmo. Anyway, in one of her fall issues she featured how to make tuiles into the shape of oak leaves, and I feel in love. While mine did not really turn out in the beginning, over the years they have gotten better and better.

Try making them for your next event, or better yet, call Word of Mouth Catering and have them make them for you!

Thank you to Sarah, Myra and all the fabulous staff over at Word of Mouth Catering. It is a pleasure to work with you always!

Muah!
Sarah

Tuile Banner

Makes 16 Cookies
Ingredients
7 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions
Draw a banner onto 12-by-18 inch piece of foam board; cut out with a pair of sharp scissors. Set template aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (a French nonstick baking mat). Coat with cooking spray. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 4 egg whites and 1 cup superfine sugar; beat on medium 30 seconds. Add 1 cup flour and the salt; mix well. Add melted butter, 3 tablespoons cream, and the almond extract; beat until combined, 1 minute.
Transfer batter to an airtight container; refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make chocolate batter.
For the chocolate batter, in a saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine remaining 2 egg whites and 1/2 cup superfine sugar. Beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour and the cocoa powder; beat well. Pour in melted butter and remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Beat on medium until combined, 1 minute. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a number 1 plain round tip; set aside.
Lay two rolling pins parallel to one another on work surface. Place the foam-board template onto the Silpat. Using an offset spatula, spread the chilled batter onto the template. Lift template, and repeat several more times on the Silpat, wiping the template after each use. With the chocolate batter, pipe out desired words directly onto banners.
Bake four banners at a time, until edges begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Carefully remove from baking sheet; drape over two rolling pins to form undulating shapes. Remove when cooled, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batters. Store in a single layer, in an airtight container, until ready to use.
From Martha Stewart Weddings, Summer 1999

The summer is flying by and with 2 months left of this sweltering heat I present to you the TOP TEN FASHION MUST HAVES to collect before we breeze into fall. And with summer sales in full swing, you should be able to find some spanking good deals! So here it is…

TOP TEN BEFORE SUMMER’S END….

10. Layer a bright summer scarf to add a little touch

9. Colorful costume jewelry goes a long way in the glistening sun

8. Pick up a pair of neon Ray Bans – the blue are awesome

7. Throw on a light linen cover up to stay cool and chic

6. Mix and match your bikini – stripes on top and polkas or solid on bottom

5. Wedges for the pool and metallic Tory Burch flip flops for the beach…for a beach destination I suggest Captiva, Florida…paradise

4. Forego your lipstick and use lip stain for that natural look

3. Put on a floppy hat to keep the sun out of your eyes and look fabulous while doing so

2. Carry a patterned tote in one hand and a Corona Light in the other

And the number one thing to do before summer is… ready for it????

1. Attend TRIBEZA STYLE WEEK – Yours truly will be producing all events, which will not disappoint! September 21 – 26th. Stay tuned for more details.

Xx,
E

My post today has nothing to do with travel and nothing to do with events. SBI (sorry ’bout it).

I am not a makeup gal. I dont like wearing much more than a little blush, mascara and eyeliner. Now that I’m into my 30s, I probably/maybe should wear more, but again, SBI. Since my makeup routine is pretty slim, you better bet that I make sure what I do use is freaking great.

Look no further ladies (or gents if you are into this kind of thing) — I am going to let you in on the secret to my oh-so-smashing lashes: CHANEL INIMITABLE MASCARA.

I go through this stuff like water. It’s not cheap, but totally worth it. So dark ‘n lovely, doesn’t clump and separates my lashes. I dont love the waterproof, so get the regular stuff in black.

Before I glob this stuff on, I line my membranes with Lancome’s Le Crayon Khol in Black Ebony.

Put this all over your lash line (aka membrane) and sha-bam! Fab eyes!

Sorry for the creepy lace glove pic above (halloween costume) but good close-up view of my lashes!

M’wah!
CC

(most random post ever? yep!)

In Austin, our trash is collected by a company called TEXAS DISPOSAL SYSTEMS – “TDS”. TDS owns an exotic game ranch just South of Austin. This ranch has a gorgeous Pavilion used as an event venue and is given to charity/non profit organizations (at no cost). They do not host social events or weddings unless it is for family or very close friends. Luckily, my client is a close friend of TDS and last Saturday I had one of my most memorable weddings to date.

My partner in crime throughout the planning process on this specific event was AG/The Gossip/Amy Gilbert. Amy and I spent quite a bit of time at the TDS Exotic Game Ranch. Each time we would enter those gates, hysterical screeches and giggles would burst from our mouths! The place is incredible.

Justin Gregory and his family have over 2K acres of gorgeous hill country land with over 1600 species roaming freely. This blog post is dedicated to three of my favorite friends that I made as I drove in and out of those gates over the past nine months:

KING GEORGE
King George is a beast. This Buffy is BIG. King George is a huge male Buffalo. He is 15 years old and he is the daddy to most of the roaming buffalo on the property. He sits in the shade for most of the day right by the entrance gates to the ranch. He was always the first and last face we would see at the ranch. We never really got a good look at him. He was such a mysterious man with a dark face and horns, until last week when he came out of his love shack and walked right in front of my car. The sound of Amy’s yell is still echoing in my ears. We screamed and screamed for 5 minutes straight just staring at him and all of his glory. He is huge — in many ways.

ROWDY
TDS has a Rhino named Rowdy. This thing weighs a zillion tons and eats ground horse meat and snacks on hay.
Justin (the owner) took us inside Rowdy’s lair and tapped a brush against the railing so Rowdy would come say hello. He came right to us – just like a puppy. He covers himself in mud — his own natural sunscreen — and he loves to be scratched. Justin can even get Rowdy to lift his leg so that we could feel his super soft skin in his armpit (rhine-pit?). Amy and I decided if Rowdy was Jewish, his name would be Rhinestein.

SPOT + STRETCH (and the loaner giraffe we named GEOFF)
Three beautiful giraffes live at TDS. Justin owns two and is giraffe-sitting a third for a friend. Um, who has a giraffe that they ask a friend to watch? And who has a friend that can actually watch a giraffe? Anyway, Justin has no name for this third wheel, so we named him Geoff. These three love carrots. They walk right up to you, eat a carrot from your hand and let you pet them like a horse. We took the entire wedding party to this spot and got some great shots of them with the giraffes.

Although I spent most of my time singing annoying songs to these guys above, I was in awe of Justin’s three tigers, 5 monkeys, kangaroos, camels, ostrich and so many others.

And guess what’s next on Justin’s list to bring to TDS? A HIPPO!
Although this ranch is currently private, TDS has some exciting plans for the City of Austin, so one day, I bet you too will get to meet my new friends.

CC

As my role as yours truly, The Gossip, I would like to take it upon myself to tell YOU the biggest piece of news that has been floating around town. Are you ready for it? Well, it has been heard that there are not enough comments on the Caplan Miller Events blog. UGH!!! So I would like to start off by saying that we not only like our readers (i.e. you), but we are obsessed with YOU. We come in every morning eager to post our new words of wisdom and we do it all for YOU. Do you see a pattern here? It’s all about YOU YOU YOU and that’s the way we like it.

But let’s get down to business people… we want your feedback, lots and lots of feedback. We don’t just want comments from this post, we want them on all of our posts. Let us know how you feel. Get it all out girl (or boy). Don’t you know how good it feels just to type it all out? If you don’t, here’s your chance!

What is one thing you are dying to read about?
What has been your absolute favorite blog post so far that you just can’t stop yakkin’ about?
What is going to get your little fingers on that keyboard (or if your really cool – iPad) to leave us your thoughts?

Help me put this piece of gossip to rest and show these whisperers who’s boss!!! Answer these questions by leaving comments on each post. We know there’s the cool thumbs up/thumbs down button now, which is totes awesome and super irresistible to press, but we want your words too. If you can comment on Perez Hilton’s blog, why can’t you comment on ours? I mean, we are just as cool as him – if not cooler. We love YOU just as much as you love the blog. Thanks for reading and keep it up… it’s good for your eyes.

You know you love me!!
Xoxo,
Gossip Girl

Those of you out there who have known me for a while, know that when I was sixteen I almost lost my life in a car accident alongside my two best friends. The accident was completely avoidable, and was the result of an unnecessary distraction. My friend was putting on her lipstick at 80 miles per hour and lost control of the vehicle. Now, as an adult with a child of my own, I can only imagine what that must have put my poor parents through.

Today the number of distractions in the car has more than doubled, and over 2,600 people per year die in cell phone related car accidents in the United States alone. I challenge each of you out there to put a stop to this. Join almost 400,000 others and take the pledge to make your car a No Phone Zone on Oprah.com today. It’s a simple thing that you can do to save a life. Come on, no one needs to die because of something stupid!

http://www.oprah.com/packages/no-phone-zone.html

with love,
Sarah

If you are like the rest of the world, you are OBESSED with Uchi. So why wouldn’t you be counting down the days until Uchiko opens? I think I did 5 drive bys before they finally opened their doors. So I was pumped when I was able to get my crew to agree to Uchiko for dinner last Friday night. With first sight Uchiko definitely looks like it’s sister (aka Uchi), but I’m here to tell you it definitely has it’s own identity. Japanese Farmhouse is their approach. You will find a Southeast Asia influence in the menu. I found their menu to be super interesting and very unique. A few creativity elements that make an appearance: Tomatillo, Black Lime, Basil Blossom, Fuji Apple, Pickled Jalapeno, Fish Caramel. Intrigued? You must check it out!

Why only enjoyed Uchi or Uchiko while you dine out? Bring the sushi to your event with an action station with Tyson Cole himself!

Cheers!
Elizabeth

Apples, the “red” carpet and Coca-Cola are just a few of the things that come to mind when thinking about the color red. But first and foremost, I think of red lipstick. Red pops on any color of skin and is sexy as heck. There are so many shades and glosses to choose from – you are bound to find your match. Don’t even bother trying to make excuses ladies! EVERYONE can pull this off. I know, I know, you may think you can’t, but you can. So get out of your chair, go grab some reds, and pucker up!!!

My favorite celebs are always pulling crazy new trends out of their closet. I can’t seem to take my eyes away from magazine pages and photo spreads to see what they will wear next (and what I can buy next!!!). But one accessory I can always count on is the red lip. Beyonce and ScarJo rock this all the time and so can you.

Attention all brides…yeah I’m talking to you. Pair that gorgeous white gown and those stunning designer heels with none other than red lipstick. Picture yourself walking down the aisle with your glossy ruby reds…ahhh, breathtaking. “You may now kiss the bride” – yeah, he will – your groom won’t be able to resist those luscious lips.

You know you love me!
Xoxo,
Gossip Girl

Truth be told, I have never been a fan of wedding favors. They are usually expensive, a pain in the booty and most of the time they get left behind on the table at the end of the night, or are tossed aside only a few short weeks after you’ve said “I do”. If you are planning a wedding, please take note; none of your friends need another tiny picture frame, wine bottle stopper or candle in the shape of a wedding cake! However, let me be clear because I do love a favor that has a purpose, such as a chic hand fan on a hot evening or any favor that is edible and delicious. Here are a few of my favorite edible favors!

Enjoy!

Sarah