Venues of the Southland~The Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific

This week we are going back down to the water in Long Beach and feature the Aquarium of the Pacific. This year they are celebrating their 10th anniversary. When they opened in 1998, they started the revitalization of the waterfront in downtown Long Beach. It is a fantastic aquarium, something we can be proud of.

Anyways you can have also your wedding there. There have a list of don'ts. You do want to preserve the beauty of the place and keep the fishes healthy. However, if you really want a spectacular venue, plus give your guests something to do this is the place. SMG Catering is the exclusive caterer to the venue. So for all you lovers of the ocean and ocean life this is the place for you.

The Great Hall. You sit underneath a full size model of a grey whale.

The Blue Cavern. You can have your ceremony in this area.

How about cocktails on the terrace?

Enjoy,

Traditions & Superstitions-The Engagement & Wedding Ring

• It represents a formal agreement to a future marriage.
• The engagement ring, or betrothal ring dates from the earliest days of marriage by purchase. It was partial payment for the bride and a symbol of the grooms honorable intentions.
• The first ring is from a mythological legend. Prometheus smelted a ring from the forbidden fire of the gods for the love of mankind.
• The engagement ring at first, was for both the betrothal and wedding.
• The diamond was first discovered in India. It was valued more for its durability and strength than for its beauty.
• The word diamond is from the Greek word adamas "unconquerable". In Latin the word is diamas.
• Egyptians thought of the circle, a shape that does not have a beginning or an end, as a reminder that life, happiness, and love do not have a beginning or an end. Eternity.
• The tradition of placing the wedding band and engagement ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is from ancient times. It is believed that particular finger contains the vena amoris or "vein of love" and that it leads directly to the heart.
• With Romans, the tradition was established to give a ring as a public pledge that the marriage contract would be honored.
• Plain rings of gold, silver or iron were what couples used first.
• One of the first recorded accounts of an engagement ring was in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria presented Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring. Maximilian wed Mary within 24 hours.
• Diamonds were reserved for royalty and the wealthy until 187o, when they discovered the diamond mines in South Africa. That's when diamonds became more accessible and affordable to the rest of us.
• Posy rings, which were inscribed with love poems and messages, were popular betrothal rings from the Middle Ages until Victorian times.
• The smallest engagement ring on record was given to two-year-old Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VIII. She became betrothed to the infant Dauphin of France, son of King Francis I, in 1518. Her tiny gold ring was set with a diamond.
• Hearts were favorite motifs for engagement and wedding rings during the 17th and 18th centuries.
• Some couples in the 17th century wore their wedding rings on their thumb.
• Colored stones were the gem of choice for engagement rings in the 18th and 19th centuries.
• The Victorians believed in the hidden means of gemstones.
• An opal brought good fortune.
• Rubies are the color of the heart.
• A sapphire is the color of the heavens.
• An emerald helps with fertility.
• A garnet meant you would be life-long best friends.
• An amethyst helped the wearer avoid drunkenness.
• Pearls were avoided since they resembled tears and were formed in the "tears" of the oyster forming them.
• The "Tiffany" or solitaire setting was invented in 1886.
• Platinum was the metal of choice for engagement rings during the early 20th century.
• In 1947, DeBeers started their ad "A Diamond is Forever" in the United States.
• During World War II platinum was declared a strategic metal and wasn't allowed to be used in jewelry. This led to the rise of both yellow and white gold in bridal jewelry.
• By the end of World War II the diamond engagement ring was what most American couples choose.
• The double ring ceremony is from a failed male engagement ring campaign by American jewelers.
• Then in the 1920's jewelers decided to focus on just the wedding ring, which wasn't a common Western tradition.
• During the 1940's images of soldiers wearing wedding bands were shown to Americans as a way to show the soldiers commitment from afar.
• After the war the groom's ring became a symbol of masculinity. The ability of a man to provide for his wife and children.
• The wording of the wedding ceremony was changed from ring to rings for this new tradition.
• In 1981, DeBeers came up with the two months salary ad.
• In the last few years platinum has become popular again.

Happy Reading,

Cool Candy

Lollyphile is a new and unique lollipop company. They only offer the two flavors for now. But what flavors they are. Who would have thought of absinthe or maple bacon lollipops? I can't wait to see what other flavors they have in store for us.

Thank You to Polka Dot Bride for letting us know about this.

Bridal Showcase on the Queen Mary.

Here are some photos of A Joyeux Day's booth at the Bridal Showplace on the Queen Mary, August 17th.

Posing with my 'assistant' before the show. I am the one in black. Thank you so much Angie for helping A Joyeux Day with our 1st Bridal Show.

I did all the elements in the booth including the flowers. I also displayed some of the inspiration boards I put together for this blog. My business card holder is an Eiffel Tower martini glass. The letters are white wooden ones that I modified. The apothecary jars held salt water taffy. My custom made brochures are in front with the pink or black bows.

This is Juanita Molina the winner of our door prize entry. A pair of Vera Wang Toasting Flutes.

Thank you to all of you who came by our booth on Sunday.

Go for the Gold, Silver & Bronze. Beverage Monday.

Since we're right in the middle of the Olympic's, how about some Olympic cocktail's.

We'll go for the gold, silver & bronze. Enjoy.

Gold Cocktail
2 1/2 oz Stolichnaya elit vodka
1 1/2 oz Malibu Coconut Rum
1 tsp shredded coconut
Garnish: Coconut flakes
Edible gold powder (available at bakery/cake decorating outlets)


Coat bottom of martini glass with gold powder. Combine remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice and strain into gold-coated martini glass. The gold powder should float to the top. Sprinkle extra powder to deepen color. Garnish with coconut flakes.


Silver Cocktail
2 oz Malibu Rum
2 oz Cupuacu puree
Splash of fresh lime juice
Edible silver powder (available at bakery/cake decorating outlets)
Garnish: Lime wedge

Coat bottom of martini glass with silver powder. Combine remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice and strain into silver-coated martini glass. The silver powder should float to the top. Sprinkle extra powder to deepen color. Garnish with lime wedge.


Bronze Cocktail
1 1/2 oz Kahlua
2 oz Monte Cristo 12-year
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
Edible bronze powder (available at bakery/cake decorating outlets)
Garnish: Coffee beans

Coat bottom of martini glass with bronze powder. Combine remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice and strain into bronze-coated martini glass. Sprinkle extra powder to deepen color. The bronze powder should float to the top. Garnish with coffee beans.


Recipes courtesy of Cocktail Times.

Happy Reading,

Venues of the Southland. Greystone Mansion.

These two photos are courtesy of the Greystone Website.

Today I am going to talk about Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. I know it is a little ways away from Long Beach, but I just had to share. It is also called the Doheny Mansion. Vern Roscoe in There Will Be Blood is loosely based on Edward Doheny.

Weddings and special events are only held on the grounds and not inside the mansion. The grounds comprise 18 1/2 acres and they are beautiful. You can have your event on the Terrace, Inner Courtyard or Pool area. You can have your ceremony in the Formal Gardens. There is a site fee and you do have to bring a caterer here. If you reside in Beverly Hills they give you a discount. It is a beautiful site to have your outdoor ceremony & reception.

Quite a few films have been filmed at the mansion. Here are a few besides There Will Be Blood. National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Spiderman 3, The Prestige, X-Men Batman & Robin and Austin Powers: Goldmember. Also, for those of you who are General Hospital fans. Luke & Laura's wedding was filmed at Greystone. It was the 'Mayor's Mansion'.

Here are some photos that I took while I was there on Wednesday.

The gate & address

The front of the house as seen from the street

The house from the gardens.

The Front Terrace

Views from the terrace. Not an especially clear day, but I could see the outline of the Palos Verdes peninsula.

The pool area. They filled in the pool.

Cypress Lane

The photos below are of the Formal Garden area. (ceremony area)

Happy Reading,

My 50th Post.

This is my 50th post. Fifty is on my mind this month since we would be celebrating my parent's 50th Anniversary on August 30th if my mother was still here, but we lost her to lung cancer three years ago.

So, starting on August 25, it will be gold week here in honor of my parents Golden Anniversary. I will end the week with a gold inspiration board. Here's a little peek at what the board will have on it.

Happy Reading,

Photo courtesy of The Knot.