Over the next few posts, I’d like to introduce some of the fantastic folks who make our events so… well… fantastic!

I’ll start with myself. My name is Jen Lamb. I am the new Catering Sales Manager at Restaurant Associates at Winterthur Museum & Country Estate.

I have worked meetings, special events, and concerts at locations throughout North America for nearly 15 years. I have had the pleasure of working with musicians and actors like Jimmy Smits, Don Johnson, Jesse Bradford, Boyz II Men, Alan Jackson, Everclear, Soul Asylum, Kracker, and Taylor Swift. Do these people remember me? Not likely! I was the short brunette escorting them from place to place, taking photos, checking on guests and VIP’s, and generally behind the scenes.

Art Alexakis from Everclear and me after a lakeside summer concert in Missouri.

I am married with two kids (13 and 10, both girls, lots of drama) and a dog (5, a rescued pit-lab mix, very loving, often forgets he’s not a lapdog). The family has always wished I could find the work I love closer to home. Something didn’t require a plane ticket or a two-hour commute. As a Delaware native and resident, I am very excited to be working in my home state!

I started with Winterthur in late April and spent my first “Winterthur weekend” in training at Restaurant Associates headquarters in NYC. My first impression of RA was, “Wow!” Angela, Nina, Jeanine, Andrew, thank you for everything you did that first weekend and beyond to help me jump right in!

Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with more than 15 families on their wedding days, met with countless others in preparation for their upcoming weddings at Winterthur, and talked to about a billion more about trusting us with their weddings for 2012 and 2013. Recently, the mother of one of our brides asked me if I would be here on the day her daughter gets married. My response? ”I haven’t NOT worked a wedding since I started. It’s too much fun!” (Yes, I used a double negative. My high school Advanced English professor would be so ashamed.)

In case you’re wondering the same thing, a manager is onsite for all events. I do realize that at some point, I will need to take a vacation. However, I’m enjoying myself far too much to stay away. Maybe in January!

A few of the couples getting married here at Winterthur have asked me to add dogfish onto their beer list for their wedding evening. And I do this, with great trepidation! I have never gotten my order of Dogfish delivered - never.

This past Sunday in the business section of the New Journal I finally got to know why - not just rumor- a whole story on dogfish production and delivery. Sam Calagoine speaks to the News Journal about how they are looking to reign in where they are selling in an effort to deliver what is ordered. Here are a few of the key facts, as I see them…

Dogfish is distributed in 30 states

Production has increased 303% in the past 5 years; last year was 20%; it is still not enough!

“To ensure no store was completely cut off, an allocation system was adopted” - what’s that mean - as one store owner says in the article - “it is not uncommon to order 40 (cases) and get 5 or 6″

So I will continue to add dogfish to your orders but buyer beware - with this demand and not enough supply - there are no guarantees. To read more please visit delawareonline.com for the full article by Eric Ruth.

Taste and select your wine - then pick your food! It is so much easier to change your food and add or take out an ingredient - you can’t do that with your wine.

When cooking at home - taste your wine - write down specific tastes you can pick out - then add those items to your dish. Taste your wine - then taste your food and wine together - there should be some great compliments happening.

Finally take it up another notch - taste your wine - write down specific tastes - then cook with opposite taste - such as sweet and salty. See how the wine and the food really balance each other out.

And even if you don’t get perfect at it - a night with friends, food and wine is always a good night to me!

Tastings coming up

March 4, 2011 - 6pm - Full and Closed

April 8, 2011 - 4:30pm - Space Available

June 2, 2011 - 6pm - Space Limited

July 7, 2011 - 6pm - Space Available

August 11, 2011 6pm - Space Available

As a general reminder or for planning purposes you want to be selecting a tasting approximately 6 moths to 4 months in advance so that you have all of your menu selections prior to meeting with your stationer to prepare your invites. Please let Lauren and I know which one you would like to attend!

Anybody out there have some? Kindly respond to the blog or to Lauren or I via email so as can help some other brides in need

Thanks!

Spring fever is here. I think every tour I have for the next few days is thinking Spring 2012 and with the temps at 60 degrees or higher I can’t blame them.

We are totally booked for our March 4th tasting and almost booked for April. Once we hit June we do host a tasting every single month through the end of December - right before we close again. Let Lauren or I know if you need to schedule a tasting time.

We have met with almost all of the brides through August. Once we get open Lauren and I will be contacting those of you in September to start planning meetings. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have questions in the meantime.

Started the week on Sunday with a quick dip in the ocean for the Polar Bear Plunge that benefits the Delaware Special Olympics - they raised over $550,000 that day and whats 37 degree water anyway?

Tuesday was the NACE meeting and this months topic productivity - turns out - I am already pretty productive but everyone can use an extra tip here and there right?

Tomorrow morning I start at Thersa Florals to see her new workspace and check out her inspriations and new design ideas for this coming year. I can’t wait.

After that I am in for a bit then over to Longwood Gardens again for more safety training - but I am going to steal a few minutes and check out their newest displays.

Saturday all day with wedding tours - we still need our boots to cover the snow at the reflecting pool but at least it is supposed to break 40 - wahoo - how many more days until Spring?

Lighting - George and Rian told me lighting is hotter then ever. As more and more brides and grooms go to more and more weddings you are noticing a lot more lighting. You might not notice if you don’t have lighting but you always notice when you do - and in a very good way. Rian and George are working on a package specific to the Visitor Center. We all just love what the lighting adds to the space.

Mary and I have lunch at the super cute and chic Pizza by Elizabeth’s on route 52. The have a great area in the back that is private and can host private parties - perfect for a rehearsal dinner or shower FYI.

Mary and I are loving the new issue of Brides - the colors-the quick read articles. I specifically love the outstanding wedding cakes on page 230 - I personally love the varigated blue one in the top left corner- what great new ideas. I also love the stationary helpful hints. So many people ask my opinion on invites and while I am flattered, I know nothing about them! This is a great article that shows some sites and invites that go with them- not overly theme-y yet very cool. Check it out if you have not already!

I love to post about current questions I am being asked about. If 5 of you are asking me -I bet at least 10 more are wondering. This week - day of planners - do you need one?

Our team prides ourselves on working with you and taking great care of you once you arrive on the estate. That said - who is taking care of you before you arrive here? I think it could be nice to have somebody during the day checking your schedule, your flowers as they arrive, handling questions, working with the transportation. Day of planners can certainly help you with that.

A day of planner can only be as effective as they are involved. A true day of planner is going to come in after you have everything done and just work off a checklist. If they do not have a relationship with your other vendors they may not be as useful as you would hope for.

Some planners do not like to provide day of planning. They want to provide at least month of planning so they have a chance to speak with your vendors, look at your timeline and edit any crucial items they see as well as understand your desires for your wedding day. I had a planner just recently say to me that a day of planner is the fall guy - they have no control over anything, they have no part in the decisions you make, they have to hope they are good ones and somehow make it all work at the last minute.

We work with some great planners. If you are looking for that last minute help please use a vendor who has been to the estate before so they will understand the logistics and be able to provide you with the best possible service!