More Pics of Cocktail/Dinner

Open House at The Art Studio

Every year we host a big dinner for our friends who come in for the annual B-H meeting. This year we started Saturday night off at Andy Peter's Art Studio -- as so many of the guests know Andy but had never had the opportunity to see his work. And since his studio was within a mile of Barb Schlott's B & B (as the crow flies), we decided to start off there.
Andrew Peters, Artist, moved back from the Scottsdale area about 2 years ago and purchased an acreage for his studio on the outskirts of Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he'd grown up. Andy has been a wildlife or landscape artist since he graduated from Iowa State many moons ago. He is represented in the finest galleries throughout the Western United States and does commissioned pieces as well as areas he seeks out himself. His website is www.andrewpetersart.com.



Andy in front of one of his
pieces.

Sue Knight, an Omaha Artist and Faith
Sheridan, an Interior Designer from Seattle.

Saturday Night Dinner At Five Oaks B & B

We had the best weather ever for our annual B-H dinner! We moved venues this year to Barb Schlott's home -- Five Oaks B & B on 113 glorious acres on the outskirts of Council Bluffs. We set up outside and our table, with its fresh and fragrant lilacs was to die for -- don't you think! Everyone wanted to steal my lilac colored tablecloth I bought at the Yves DeLorme store in Paris in 2000!


Over 35 people were in attendance (and two dogs!). Thanks to Joe Bob & Lily Hitchcock who shipped in a case of Behrens & Hitchcock wine from their cellar in Calistoga! (Yes, he's the Hitchcock in Behrens & Hitchcock). The most wonderful wines --we blew through the case in no time!
On the left is Mark Reed from Chicago, Scott Peters from Council Bluffs and Dick Phelan from Omaha -- all in front of the appetizer and bar table. And here we have the two dogs in a classic wait and see what they drop pose! Below is Mary Jo (from the store on the right) and I doing cocktails and pics!

Friday Night Cocktails For Berkshire-Hathaway Annual Meeting

We had a great weekend!


We had great wine and cheese and visitors from all around the country Friday night. As always, there were over 40,000 people in town for the annual meeting and it seemed like most of them were in our mall Friday night for cocktails! Mark Reed, our Sferra rep, was in all weekend conducting seminars and one on one's on "Lose Thread Count" -- which focuses on the importance of all the factors that make up a great sheet -- not just thread count. The highlight of MaryJo's evening was when a women came into the store and said she'd been voted from her cocktail group to come in and tell us that we had spelled "Loose" wrong on all our signs. So, to Paul Hooker of Sferra, you need to change the name of the program to "Loose Thread Count"!

Thanks to all the customers who stopped by for the seminars, to see our store and register for our drawing for a set of Celeste sheets. Thanks again to Mark for all his valuable help and the new iron!

Berkshire-Hathaway Weekend

It's that time of year again -- when over 10,000 people will descend on Regency Mall for the annual Berkshire-Hathaway stockholders meeting events. This Friday night is the annual cocktail party hosted by Borsheims jewelry. We'll be open and serving wine and cheese -- stop by and have a glass and introduce yourself to us. Meet Sferra Rep Mark Reed. He will be conducting daily informational sessions on "Lose Thread Count" -- the importance of all facets of a fabric -- not just the thread count. These sessions will be daily at 1:00 -- Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And, Mark will be in the store during the entire weekend to meet with you and answer your questions about Sferra -- and their wonderful linens.

Special savings are available -- up to 20% off through Monday. These savings are in store only -- so you must call the store to get this special pricing. Store hours over the weekend are: Thursday 10 - 8, Friday 10 - 9, Saturday 10 - 5, Sunday 10 -5 and Monday 10-8. Call toll free 1-877-399-5242 for assistance.

As part of the festivities, we are having a drawing for a free set of Celeste sheets from Sferra. To register, email the following to linensanddown@aol.com: Name, email address and phone number. We will add you to the drawing.

Day Five: The Day of Enlightenment

Woke up extra early today and decided I needed to walk the beach -- a task I had yet to do. The boats pictured come into the bay and moor -- but have to stay outside the area of the resort. There is an abandoned resort (right after the scarecrow) that we could probably lease from the Barbuda government --any investors???? On the return trip, I ran into someone else out for a morning stroll and we had a great conversation on the way back.
Joann and I played tennis -- but it was really hot at 10:30 am so we didn't last too long. We had a big group photo at noon and then it was time for lunch again (it seems like all we do is eat!). Unfortunately, I had a little wine for lunch and I went back to my room for a fifteen minute nap and woke up 2 hours later. Missed all but one hand of bridge!

Then I began to paint my starfish -- on canvas this time and I'll finish tomorrow morning bright and early (has to have time to dry). Followed with a set of doubles and then cocktails on the beach. As a thank you to Joann and Carmen for organizing this wonderful trip, it was announced that a fund for women's health would be established on the island.

And then there was our assigned reading -- The Happiness Project. Interesting book (if I ever finish it).

And-- as with any trip with 35 people, there are only two degrees of separation. Pictures me is Karen Mandy from Rye, NY, who's daughter is friends with the only people I know outside Manhattan -- Sharon and Greg Hawkins. Sometimes I'm amazed! (She's also one of the few volunteers who said I could put them on the blog! Thanks Karen!).

At dinner, we celebrated Joann's 50th -- and sang two songs written specifically for her. Followed by dinner and a good night's sleep! We de camp at 11:00 on Friday! And will miss this paradise!

Day Four: A Beautiful Day on the Beach

It started out raining and we feared the worst, but by 9:30 it started to clear. First things first, I took the resort manager to sea my starfish as they can clean it (I researched on the internet -- it is a Cushion Sea Star), but , it moved and turned out to be still alive. We got a tub of salt water and put him back in. As the weather started to clear, we figured out snorkeling was on for 10:30. I hurried up and sketched my star for an art project and biked over to the docks for the snorkeling expedition.What fun -- once you get the hang of it. First I jumped in, put on my fins and while I did that, my mask and tube promptly sank to the bottom of the sea. One of the girls located it and we determined it was probably 15 feet deep (felt like 30) and I swam down to get it. Then I was out of breath for 10 mins. Took me quite awhile to figure out the breathing tube thing, but once I got the hang of it I was off!!!!!! Saw lots and lots of coral reefs, little pools of colorful fish and although I didn't see it, a large group of baracuda. Now I'm determined to borrow the goggles and mask and just swim out a little ways and see what we have on our shoreline. (That's Ann Harris to the left picking up large conch shells on the Atlantic side for art projects).

Before lunch we took the starfish back to the ocean -- hoping he is still alive. We placed him in a bed of sea grass/weed and he is largely hidden from view. The internet never gave me a straight answer about how long they could live out of water -- probably has brain damage.
After lunch (it seems like all we do is eat and drink) I joined a bridge table -- beginner and played some preset hands with newbies and one of the bridge instructors. Learning a lot!
Tennis followed bridge -- a rousing game of doubles and then a dip in the sea to cool off.We had a cover band last night and everybody, including the resort staff jumped in and danced (got some great video). Dinner was a great buffet -- but I ate some things I'm still not sure what they were (in an island accent, mussels sounded like mushrooms to me). Another great evening at the resort!

And I promised Joann that I wouldn't name any names on the blog -- as some people might be sensitive about being "out there on the internet", but I must say what an amazing group of talented and interesting women! I feel like I am getting 35 new friends -- it's great (and it's a women thing)!