Time to revive the company holiday party

There is some good news on the economy today. Jobless claims dropped to a three-month low, indicating a the nation's labor market is rebounding. One thing we can do to help the economy is to revive the company holiday party.

To some people the Company Holiday Party is a dreaded occasion where bosses are watching how employees interact, spouses are uncomfortable because everyone else is talking about work and you really can't enjoy it because, well, you're at work but maybe in a fancy location.

We like holiday parties that people actually look forward to. A well-executed (i.e. not-too-formal) event can really make people feel  appreciated. 

Here are some tips on how to throw a Company Holiday Party that people will remember and look forward to next year:

• Keep it relatively casual: In modern times (not "Mad Men" times) people want to come as they are. That said, as a host, don't be afraid to rock a reindeer tie.
• Good food and drink: This is an essential for entertaining period. Don't give people an opportunity to gripe about the basics of a good party. Work with your event planner on the menu.
• Play upbeat music: Don't overdo the holiday cliche music, but play some uplifting jazz or pop at just the right volume to make an impact, but low enough so everyone can comfortably conversate.
• Serve alcohol: We're all adults here. We can handle some libations. You are not responsible for those who are foolish enough to overindulge. But don't leave designated drivers and those who choose not to drink alcohol with just water. Create a delicious non-alcoholic beverage choice.
• Keep it short: Don't make party goers feel like they have to stay a long time because it's a work event. If they choose to stay longer, great, but keep the official time just for a few hours and let it run long.
• Keep the speeches short: Go ahead and acknowledge the reason for the gathering. Give thanks and recognition, but, by all means, keep it concise. People are here to enjoy food and conversation, not sit through a meeting.

If you and your co-workers have really worked hard this year, a company holiday party is a small gesture than can go along way if you execute it properly.

Eat locally

 

OK, so you’ve read that eating locally sourced food is a good idea. It’s green. It’s supporting the local economy.

In an article from Treehugger.com, John Ikerd, a retired agricultural economics professor, says local farms need not give priority to packing, shipping and shelf life issues and can instead “select, grow and harvest crops to ensure peak qualities of freshness, nutrition and taste.” Eating local also means eating seasonally, he adds, a practice much in tune with Mother Nature.

At our restaurant Stone House at Stirling Ridge, we like to use our own locally grown ingredients whenever we can because it simply tastes better. Located on site, Dancing Goat Farm (pictured) are where we grow our own vegetables and herbs. We are in the Garden State and we believe that our places of dining should reflect that heritage.

Employee appreciation on the water

Still tempting 70 degrees in late October, on Monday we celebrated what really makes this company work: our employees. With the sun setting against lower Manhattan, the Landmark Hospitality family embarked on a harbor cruise. It's times like these where we get to give thanks to our team of Memory Makers, a term that embodies Landmark's commitment to creating life's great memorable moments.

From l to r: Janet (Crave Caterers), Daniella (Liberty House) and Millie (Crave Caterers)

Look at that view from The Valiant!

If you're interested in booking your own party aboard our yacht, please visit the Valiant site.

Stone House Tasting at Bloomingdale's

Stone House at Stirling Ridge was one of the featured restaurants at the Love Where You Live event at  Bloomingdale's, Short Hills.  Chef Jerry Villa treated hungry shoppers to a wonderful tasting of Veal Ragu Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms. Owner Jeanne Cretella, and Bloomingdale's Culinary Event Coordinator Sajal Hamilton, take a quite moment to pose with Chef Jerry and his team. More to come...

Explore the new Tuscan garden at ExpoItalia

With Italian saxophone tunes and pastry aromas in the air, Staten Islanders will get a sneak peek at the borough's new Tuscan garden during a family-friendly festival.

ExpoItalia will showcase food, wine, crafts, art and music of Italy, Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Richmond County Savings Foundation Tuscan Garden and the South Meadow of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden.

Entrance is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors and children ages 5 through 18. Kids younger enter for free.

The new 1-acre garden is modeled after the Villa Gamberaia, a 16th-century garden outside Florence, Italy. It features terraces, pools, fountains, topiary, statuary and citrus trees in pots, and was designed by the Milan-based landscape architect Enrica Buccioni.

Though the $1.5 million garden, in the planning stages since 2002, has been used for by-invitation fundraisers over the last year, ExpoItalia will mark the first time the public can explore the grounds.

"This is in celebration of October being Italian heritage month," said JoAnn Mardikos, interim president of Snug Harbor.

The Tuscan garden, is slated to officially open with regular hours -- 10 a.m. to dusk -- and an admission fee of less than $5, next month. It will offer four seasons of programming throughout the year.

"It's a major attraction because you have a very large Italian community Staten Island," said Ms. Mardikos. "If you can't get to Tuscany, this is just about the next best thing."

The 13th Congressional District, which encompasses Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, has more Italian-American residents than any congressional district in the country.

But the Tuscan garden unveiling is only a small part of the ExpoItalia, said Ms. Mardikos. Most of it will unfold on the South Meadow.

"It's like a San Gennaro festival for Staten Island," said John Sollazo, honorary chairman of the event.

Aside from food such as calzones, sausage and peppers and pastries, the event will serve up cooking demonstrations and tastings by the Port Richmond High School culinary department and the cultural center's caterer, Celebrate at Snug Harbor.

Children will be able to craft their own Leaning Tower of Pisa from pasta; bounce around in an inflatable giant blow-up coliseum, fashioned after the Coliseum in Rome; have their faces painted and take in a puppet show courtesy of the Rosebank-based Garibaldi-Meucci Museum.

Among the entertainers will be a saxophone quartet from the province of Bari, Puglia, Italy, performing music by Italian and American composers such as Bernstein, Copland, Nicolau, Annunziata, Zannoni. Tres Bella, who sing three-party harmonies, will deliver classic ballads in Italian and English such as "Mala Femmina," "Sorrento" and "Io Che Non Vivo (You Don't Have To Say You Love Me)," along with Rat Pack standards and doo-wop.


Source: SILive.com

Restaurant Review: Stone House at Stirling Ridge

The best part about moving? New restaurant choices. Last week, we decided to visit the Stone House Restaurant at Stirling Ridge. I had seen this advertised in NJ Monthly, and the venue looked gorgeous. The reviews on Yelp were pretty good, so we took a little drive over.

The pictures don’t lie. The venue is absolutely beautiful. The Stone House Restaurant is managed by Landmark Hospitality. The Web site isn’t very clear about this, but I’m guessing Stirling Ridge is the events section, as they do have a Grand Ballroom and wedding options. There was also a beautiful outdoor patio that would probably be very lovely when it’s not 50 degrees out. I’m sure having an event there is expensive, but it really is beautiful.

Now, on to the actual restaurant, which was also very elegant without being stuffy. The kitchen is open, and the whole interior features natural stone, as well as a beautiful floor to ceiling wine cellar. We sat in a booth close to the door, which I was worried about at first with noise and drafts, but it actually proved to be quiet and comfortable. Table seating was a bit cramped, so I’m glad we had the opportunity to sit alone instead of on top of other patrons.

The wait staff seemed young, but exceptionally knowledgeable. The wines by the glass list was pretty versatile, considering it seemed like a place where they would push the bottles. I started with a cheese platter, and Jared had an antipasta-type appetizer. Our server gave us a selection of cheeses that complemented one another very well. While the platter was a bit much for a one person starter, he was kind enough to wrap it up for us to take home. Honey, fruit and bread made nice additions to the platter.

Dinner was absolutely phenomenal, and well timed. The Stone House prides itself on creating meals based around local, market driven food buys. The wait staff does an excellent job pointing out which dishes feature local vegetables, meat, etc. Even though the kitchen seemed busy, the pace of the meal moved at very comfortable rate. I had the pork chops with maple glazed sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts. Pork chops are my usual, since they often come in a fabulous glaze with sweet potatoes. Can I just say that these sweet potatoes were to die for? And the brussel sprouts were fantastic-usually I’m not a huge fan, but these were like little baby ones that complemented the dish very well. Overall, a fabulous presentation that matched the taste.

The dessert menu actually proved to be better than we thought. Sometimes at restaurants like this, they only feature the usuals, with some seasonal fruit dessert that doesn’t appeal to us. However, there was no way we were passing up the S’mores Brownie with ice cream. A rich, chocolate brownie topped with some kind of marshmallow hardened glaze? To die for. And the tea and coffee list did not dissapoint either.

While the Stone House ended up becoming more crowded towards the end of our dinner, our server and the wait staff in general did not seem to ignore anyone to the point of annoyance. It’s nice to go to a restaurant that takes care of your needs from start to finish, keeping things moving, while also giving you time to relax and enjoy a lovely Friday evening.

My Rating: 10/10

Stone House at Stirling Ridge
50 Stirling Road
Warren, NJ 07060
908-754-1222

http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com

Source: Adventure Ales and Trails

Top 10 Marriage Proposal Spots In New York City

Thinking about popping the question in New York City? Make it a romantic proposal to remember at one of these New York City locations, selected by Brides New York as the top ten proposal spots in NYC.

1. Central Park Boathouse

Enjoy a romantic dinner by the lake and then spring for a gondola ride so you can propose the the sounds of a warbling gondolier.

...

7. Staten Island Botanical Garden's Chinese Scholars Garden
Who knew Staten Island could be romantic? This tranquil Asian garden offers a very Zen atmosphere for your marriage proposal.

...

See the rest of the list at: http://bit.ly/9OV1fs

Liberty House Restaurant - New Website!

Check out our sleek new website for Liberty House Restaurant.

Don’t forget to hit refresh! Happy browsing...

Stone House - Dinner in the Fields

Gathering clouds and a sudden shower did nothing to dampen Stone House at Stirling Ridge's first Dinner in the Fields.

The food, all sourced from local farmers and the Stone House's own beautifully laid out kitchen garden, was simply too good for us to abandon just because of a few raindrops. We diners grabbed umbrellas and kept right on eating--and what a repast there was to be had!

Garden vegetable soup, perfectly showcasing the best of what Chef Villa's garden had to offer, roasted pork with fennel, sausages, roasted chicken, stuffed tomatoes, the last of the garden's beets, peach crostada--it all just kept coming, and we all kept eating, washing each course down with wines from Hopewell Valley Vineyards and beers from the New Jersey Brewing Company.

Once the last coffee was drunk and the last s'more toasted over the nearby open fire pit, we bade new acquaintances goodbye and went home, satiated, with a box of leftovers that carried us through the week and reminded us every night of that wonderful al fresco dinner.


Source: http://bit.ly/b0AsDr (New Jersey Life Health & Beauty Magazine)

Katie & Semmes get married at Stone House

Katie and Semmes get married at Stone House...

The bridal party surprised bride Katie with a choreographed dance to Flo Rida's "Club Can't Handle Me"... and the rest is history. Happy couple... FUN Wedding... Check out the video...



Video courtesy of www.alexiparizeau.com.

Landmark Hospitality Customer Appreciation Boat Ride

Recently, several Landmark Hospitality employees set sail aboard the Valiant Yacht with a group of our longtime customers as a way of saying thanks for being such loyal patrons! The night was a huge success with beautiful hors devours and drinks at sea while, more wonderful memories were created by Landmark's memorymaking team.

* Please visit our Valiant Yacht Facebook Page to view the rest of the photos, and don't forget to Tag yourself in the photos!

Some nice feedback from a recent event at the Liberty House Restaurant

Some nice feedback from a recent event at the Liberty House Restaurant:

"We were very pleased with our event at the Liberty House. Our international visitors, as well as our regular attendees, expressed to us the delight, pleasure and abundance of delicious food they experienced at your restaurant. And, as you probably could guess, our international visitors took great pleasure in the awesome view of the city and Lady Liberty. You truly have a wonderful property. Thank you for your great assistance. Have a great day… "

-Joann Miranda-Wallace
Manager, Corporate Public Relations & Trade Shows
Brother International Corporation

10 Destinations which would complete anyones Dream Wedding

Wedding is one of the most important days of our lives and all of us want the day to be perfect not only in the photographs but also in our memories.  In planning any wedding, the first thing that needs to be finalized is the location. If destination wedding is in your mind, there are numerous breathtakingly beautiful locations to choose from hills, palaces and beaches. Let’s have a look at the ten destinations which would complete anyone’s dream wedding...

Source: http://bit.ly/ah4V5h

American Idol taped at the Liberty House Restaurant!

J-Lo hasn't been spotted yet.

But American Idol is definitely taping at the Liberty House Restaurant in Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

Crew members are walking around with American Idol T-shirts, according to Journal staff writer Brett Wilshe who is on the scene.

There's plenty of trucks, cameras, and cable around the restaurant. Apparent contestants have name tags with the "American Idol" logo.

One person who identified herself as a contestant -- and definitely seemed prepped not to talk to the press -- told Wilshe the show will be there until Thursday.

"We're not having press right now," a publicist said, declining to confirm or deny that the popular Fox network show was taping at the restaurant.

Recently, the show announced that Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler will join Randy Jackson at the judges' table when American Idol kicks off season 10 in January.

Source: http://bit.ly/beTfdQ

TheKnot.com Launches “Wedding with a View” Contest

From Love Affair and An Affair to Remember to Sleepless in Seattle, the Empire State Building has become synonymous with cinematic love stories. Now 14 couples can turn their dream of a Valentine’s Day "I do" at the landmark dubbed “the nearest thing to heaven,” thanks to TheKnot.com and The Empire State Building’s recently launched “Wedding with a View” contest.

Through October 25, 2010, couples can submit a story about their romance. Fourteen pairs of fiances will win based on the originality and creativity of their submissions, as well as their connections to the world’s most famous building. Thirteen couples will win wedding ceremonies within the Empire State Building, while one grand prize-winning pair will pledge their devotion on the 86th Floor Observatory before embarking on a honeymoon getaway to Sandals Resorts in the Bahamas.

Winners of the wedding ceremonies will be announced on November 1, 2010. Voting by the public for the grand prize winner will take place between November 1 – 5, with the one lucky couple revealed on November 9, 2010.

For more information, please visit http://www.theknot.com/empirestatebuilding


Source: http://bit.ly/clFRay

Stephanie Rose marries Jeffrey... A reception followed the ceremony, at Stone House at Stirling Ridge

Stephanie Rose marries Jeffrey... A reception followed the ceremony, at Stone House at Stirling Ridge.

Source: http://bit.ly/aXVfK0

Liberty House Restaurant Wedding – The Indian Wedding of Monica and Mahesh

I love photographing Indian weddings and was super excited when I was hired to cover the beautiful wedding this past Labor Day of Monica and Mahesh. They got married at Liberty House Restaurant (just through the tunnel into New Jersey with a great view of downtown Manhattan) which provided the perfect backdrop for a warm, sun filled late summer wedding.

Mahesh took a ferry from Manhattan to the Liberty House and began the traditional Indian wedding processional before the ceremony. I love photographing Indian wedding ceremonies as they have such beautiful details and traditions..when Monica came down the aisle, looking just lovely, you could just feel how excited everyone was for them.

They were surrounded by beautiful friends and relatives. Everyone was smiling, laughing, and having a good time. From the adorable children to the spirited dancing and speeches, to the intricate details in the Indian clothing.. I think we caught some amazing wedding photographs through the day.

Enjoy!

Source: http://bit.ly/ca4ygK (Daniel Krieger Photography)