Shelburne Vineyard received the Sustainable Farm of the Year award on February 14th at the NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) Winter Conference. Shown accepting the award, from left to right are Ethan Joseph, the Farm Manager, and Scott Prom, Gail Albert and Ken Albert, Shelburne Vineyard co-owners, with Linda Berlin, Director of the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, which selected Shelburne Vineyard for the award. They were presented with a large plaque/sign which Scott and Ethan are displaying in the above photo. The award also honored Doe's Leap Farm in Bakersfield, a goat dairy and cheesemaker.

Awardees are selected to honor those farms that exemplify the Center's mission of cultivating understanding, innovative practices and policies to advance sustainable food and farming in Vermont and beyond. Shelburne Vineyard was selected for its plantings of new, northern grape varietals, that are hardy in Vermont's cold climate. Also for their sustainable and organic farming practices, and for their state-of-the-art Winery and Tasting Room and its surrounding site on Shelburne Road in Shelburne, which were designed to meet LEED standards for energy efficiency.

Shelburne Vineyard is also one of the few agricultural tourism enterprises accessible to staff and visitors by public transportation with its location on the regular commuter bus route. Gilbert also noted the Vineyard's work supporting community-based not-for-profit organizations. The most recent example of such support happened on February 13th, when their Vineyard Valentine event, in collaboration with Lake Champlain Chocolates, raised almost $400 for the Shelburne Food Shelf. 

Shelburne Vineyard is located at 6308 Shelburne Road, in Shelburne, Vermont.

Deanna of d.d. Nickel ~ Makeup Artist is pleased to announce her exciting noteworthy news.

Two photo shoots featuring her work  in 2009 have become regional and national ad campaigns!

Congratulations Deanna!

To visit her website for more information, or to book an appointment for your big day, click HERE.

Photo: Justin and Mary Marantz

From opulent homes to rustic farm stands to fresh breezes and crashing waves at the beach, spring and summer in the Hamptons provides a perfect backdrop for a romantic destination wedding. Delight your guests and keep the memory of your special day alive with handcrafted treats from local businesses and artisans.

Offering such stuffed treats is Sara’s Gracious Goodies.  People coming in from out-of-town for your wedding will delight at discovering these little surprise gifts in their hotel rooms. Sara’s Gracious Goodies, a new Long Island company, will deliver the snacks right to their hotel door!

Sara's Gracious Goodies is also excited about their new Map Totes which is available in several different cities and sizes (Grocery Totes as well as Wine Totes).  These are amazing on their own or filled with Sara's own unique goodies!

Reform yourself...

Nestled in the heart of Amagansett, The Reform club invites you to immerse yourself in our understated elegance & retreat into our comfortable surroundings.

We offer 7 suites & 3 private cottages in a serene English garden setting. Have your event in our Sunken Garden, amongst walls of fresh lavender & nickel blue hydrangeas.

There really is no place like it.

Allow us to make your event truly special!

For more information contact Erin or Noelle at 631.267.8500 or by email at eharris@reformclubinn.com

Rochester Travel Group, located in the Wegmans Chili Plaza at 3175 Chili Avenue, has recently earned the prestigious Disney Earmark Specialist designation. This award is bestowed only to agencies with the highest degree of professionalism and knowledge of the Disney product.

The Agency is also a Preferred Sandals and Beaches Specialist, separating them from other agencies with advanced knowledge and destination inspection experience. As a member of Vacation.Com, Rochester Travel Group sets themselves apart from other travel agencies in the Rochester area.

Put your trust in a professional agency with travel specialists who know the most about your destination!

Call 585.889.9090 or visit the website for more information on their FREE Bridal Registry!

For the past 6 years Grand Finales has participated in The Chocolate Ball to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation - a chocolate competition for local chefs to show off their talents.

Over the years, they have won several gold, silver & bronze medals for taste as well as the Chef's Choice Award. This year Grand Finales is the proud recipicent of the People's Choice Award!

Some of the stunning cakes Grand Finales has produced have appeared in Victoria Magazine {November 1990}, Lady's Gallery Magazine {Volume 2  | Issue 4} & Rochester Magazine {January - February 2008}.

For more information contact Jane of Grand Finales at 585.223.1117.

Prepare for the holidays with festive decor by Sebastian Li.

Fresh flowers, fragrant greenery and spectacular Christmas trees are available for private homes, commercial settings and holiday events.

A selection of handmade wreaths will be available in November. Look for another announcement soon!

To view Sebastian Li's updated website click here.

Photo by Annie Schlechter for Veranda magazine

One of Long Island’s brightest shining stars is coming to the Finger Lakes. Heron Hill Winery is excited to announce the arrival of their new Winemaker, Bernard Cannac. Bernard is a renowned Winemaker, recently of Castello di Borghese.

Bernard began his wine making career at a family owned vineyard in France where he grew up. He worked at the family winery until he received his Enology degree from the University of Bordeaux, which allows him to carry the distinguished DNO designation, Diplôme National d'Oenologie and his MBA in International Commercialization of Wines and Spirits from the Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Dijon. While at Galluccio Family Winery, his Chardonnay scored 90 points from Wine Spectator and as winemaker for Comtesse Therese Winery he was awarded “Best Merlot in NY” at the NY Wine & Food Classic.

Owner and grape grower, John Ingle, welcomes another great addition to the winery team. “I’m very enthusiastic about Bernard’s arrival. The staff as well as the Ingle family is ecstatic about the expertise and world-class experience he’s bringing to Heron Hill Winery.”

Bernard will also be a regular contributor to the winery’s already active blog. He’ll take the lead with keeping the readers up-to-date with cellar news, new releases and special events he’ll be participating in. For more information about Heron Hill Winery, one of Travel & Leisure’s ten most spectacular tasting rooms, visit www.heronhill.com.

Experts in the art of the party, Hamptons premier catering & event planning team - Art of Eating Catering & Hampton Event Management International {HEMI} - have unique insight into the glittering benefits, intimate dinner parties & extravagant weddings that make up the backbone of the Hamptons social scene.

The husband & wife team of John Kowalenko & Cheryl Stair, who own & operate Art of Eating and HEMI, finely tuned their partnership to rise to any challenge. Since they started catering & event planning in 1986, Kowalenko & Stair have handled parties for the likes of Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Katie Couric, Steven Spielberg, Tommy Hilfiger & Martha Stewart who raved, “The food was great & everything looked beautiful. You could not have done a better job!”

They have also managed corporate events for Manhattan Mortgage, Polo Ralph Lauren, Hamptons International Film Festival & Stony Brook University. Art of Eating & HEMI actively give back to the community by supporting & donating services to many benefits throughout the year. From fashion shows & the Concourse D'Elegance, to breakfasts at the Hampton Classic Horse Show to the US Open & countless galas honoring CEOs, they are experts at developing the most impactful & memorable events.

Kowalenko and Stair are staunch advocates of local & organic produce & organize many eco-friendly weddings in the famed Hamptons. They offer the following tips for green brides & grooms:

DÉCOR & NATURAL SURROUNDINGS

{1} Any way that bamboo can be brought into the theme, e.g., furniture & decorators, is a plus. Bamboo is a great renewable resource & if you've ever had any bamboo, you know just how quickly it can grow. Make tiki huts, bars & other summer theme items out of it.

{2} If spraying for bugs, get a company that uses organics. There are a number of non-toxic bug sprays, including 'skin so soft.' The old citronella candles are always helpful.

{3} Lawn, shrub & tree treatment before & after the wedding to keep the stress level low on the green property are key. We use Roger Feit at Treewise in Montauk, NY - he has organic treatments for the property.

TIMING

{4} Having a wedding or party during the late afternoon will help cut down on electric use, also a fall wedding vs. summer will help with air conditioning needs.

INVITATIONS

{5} Invitations on recyclable paper, napkins, cups {if using paper}.

FOOD

{6} Using local, fresh organic produce is one of the most respectable environmentally sound ways to go. Local fish, cheeses, wines, flowers, chickens, turkeys, herbs & produce are abundant in the Hamptons when in season.

{7} Don’t order endangered species of fish to be served at the wedding. The Audubon Society & The Nature Conservancy will know what current bans exist on LOCAL & imported fish.

Photos: David Seaver