Catering to the Stars…who knew?
When we started our business plan years ago in 2004 we thought we had everything all planned out! We would target the wedding crowd through the Seattle Wedding Show and the kind of gourmet clientele Scott, co-owner of White Linen Catering had been used to working for. His experience at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Georges Blanc Restaurant in Vonnas, France and the prestigious Rainier Club in Seattle had us convinced of this direction! Yet White Linen Catering is based in the small farming town of Enumclaw and in our first year we joined the local Chamber of Commerce landing us their annual auction dinner and then from that event the White River Amphitheater’s backstage catering contract!
Being very community involved has served us well and since then we have added contract’s with several other concert venues including The Gorge Amphitheatre, The Key Arena, Tacoma Dome and more. We have been honored to cater for bands in every genre from Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, Tim McGraw to Def Leppard and most recently a 3 day VIP Tent Serving 1000 each day at the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Gorge.
Working behind the scenes at concerts and being able to cater for the stars is always a fun and dynamic environment to work in! Another type of event we love to cater and do so frequently is Annual Dinner Auctions for non-profit corporations! It is an honor to work with these groups and help them to wow their guests while also achieving their important fundraising goals!
Over the years we have also had the chance to cater for Microsoft and other local companies often through Premier Event Connection which is a partnership we so enjoy! Their diversity in event management partners well with our diversity in catering skills and we truly enjoy working together.
We will say, while our business has definitely taken a different course than we initially planned we couldn’t be happier with the wonderful experiences we get to have and the diverse clientele we meet & seek to WOW! with every event we cater.
Scott & Olivia Megargle and the White Linen Catering Staff
To contact us we can be found at www.whitelinencatering.com, or info@whitelinencatering.com. Or via phone at 206-550-5773. Of course you could just contact Premier Event Connection and request our services at your next event too.
P.S. Thank you Trina & Jamie for being so fun to work with and for all the wonderful opportunities you have given us! It’s such a pleasure working with you both!
Going Green
March has become associated with St. Patrick’s Day and the “wearing of the green”. As a child I wouldn’t be caught dead at school without some color of green showing to avoid those awful, hurtful pinches. As an adult, I still proudly wear a bit o’ the green to proclaim my Irish heritage rather than to avoid a pinch or two. However, it wasn’t until recently that I felt curious about the history behind some of the things that have become so well associated with St. Patrick’s Day.
I discovered some very interesting things. Let’s start with the man the day was named for – Saint Patrick. I was rather surprised to discover that Saint Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was actually Scottish. Oh, and don’t make the mistake of combining the Scottish and Irish into the same category. You’d get backlash from either side. Anyway, the long and the short story of Saint Patrick is that he was once Scottish, sold into Irish slavery and later became a Priest.
Wrong again, the color that was originally associated with St. Patrick’s Day was Blue. Yes, you heard me right. It was Blue to represent their blue military uniforms. Green is actually considered unlucky in Ireland.
What about those cute little leprechaun’s that are the keepers of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? They are a perfect representative for the Irish aren’t they? Actually, in Irish folklore they are known to be grumpy, tricky and very untrustworthy. That certainly doesn’t sound like something I would want to be associated with.
Finally, let talk about the Shamrock. It is the symbol of the Irish, the symbol of St. Patrick’s Day and of course it is the pre-requisite vibrant green color. What I found out about the shamrock was a couple of varying things. Some say that the shamrock was selected by St. Patrick as a symbol to teach the Irish about the holy trinity as a true shamrock actually only has three leafs. The rumor is that if you find one with a fourth leaf it is a reminder of God’s mercy. Then there is the theory that the shamrock or four-leaf clover actually represents faith, love, hope and luck.
Whether you care about the history of the Irish or not St. Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide celebration that millions of people recognize. Some cities hold parades, other cities actually die their waterways with green vegetable food dye but if you are like most people you make a dinner of cabbage and corned beef and then head to the local pub for a glass of green beer. Any way you celebrate it – here’s hoping that the luck o’ the Irish stays with you throughout the year.
Henna Tattoos, A Brief History
One of the things PEC truly loves about being event planners is the AMAZING vendors we get to work with. We have met some of the best vendors in the event industry and we are thrilled to be able to share some of them with you throughout the year. Please meet Mehndi Maddnes:
The beautiful and ancient art of Henna has been practiced for thousands of years throughout Indian, African and Arabic countries. A paste made of the crushed leafs of the Henna plant is used to decorate the body in beautifully intricate designs.
The paste leaves a brown/red stain that lasts several weeks and disappears as the skin regenerates. Today you can find henna tattoos offered at parties, fairs and festivals all over the Puget Sound because people love to get Henna! Indian designs consist of fine line patterns of paisley, floral and animals that usually cover the entire surface of the hands and feet. In contrast, Arabic designs tend to be bolder with more negative space. My favorites are those from the African countries of Sudan, Egypt and Morocco where designs tend to be more geometric as well as fine lined.
Wherever Henna is done it is always done with the intent that it would bring good fortune, good feeling, happly beginnings and happy endings. Henna is used to bring about spiritual and material wealth, luck and protection. Henna is essential to these countries rites of passage, religious fasting, weddings, graduations and circumcisions. It is innate to their daily life. Henna, also known as Mehndi, has many other uses.
In the hair it is a permanent dye as well as conditioner. It is said to kill lice and prevent hair loss. Henna is a natural sun block and has cooling qualities. Because of these qualities it has been used as a deodorant. It reduces fevers and has general antiseptic and astringent properties. It is helpful in treating bruises, sprains, boils, burns, headaches and athletes foot. As a tonic it helps with sore throats and stomach pains. It has even been said to treat more serious ailments, i.e. cancer, jaundice, various skin diseases as well as reducing labor pains.
The origin of Henna is rather mysterious, having been used for many thousands of years. The Henna plant is thought to be a gift to India from Egypt where they painted their fingernails with it. Though there is evidence it was there centuries before, some say it came to India through Iranian lands. However it came, it is ancient and steeped in tradition. I like to think of Mehndi as the gift that continues to give for it has finally been passed on to us from its rich and varied cultures. It is now time to enrich our own culture with the magic and beauty. – Krysteen Lomonacoa, owner, Mehndi Madness
(link to gallery) http://www.mehndimadness.com/gallery.asp
(link to bio) http://www.mehndimadness.com/ourpeople.asp?teammember=1
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