The Clement Palo Alto offers Shopping Package with the Famed Stanford Shopping Center

The famed Stanford Shopping Center recently completed a multi-million dollar redevelopment project, with world-renowned Bloomingdale's moving to a new location to make way for the improvements.

Palo Alto, CA, July 09, 2016 - The famed Stanford Shopping Center recently completed a multi-million dollar redevelopment project, with world-renowned Bloomingdale's moving to a new location to make way for the improvements. The three-level, 125,000-square-foot reimagined Stanford Shopping Center store includes 68 designer shops, over 100 new brands, and a refreshed assortment of stylish essentials for women, men, children and home.

The 25 new retailers to set up shop in the new area include: Anthropologie; Allen-Edmonds Shoe; LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics; Luisa Spagnoli, a Italian women's fashion boutique; AllSaints, a British fashion house; lululemon; Everything But Water, a designer swim and resort fashion boutique; The North Face; Uno de 50, a Spanish jewelry shop; and Vineyard Vines, a clothing and gift store; Japanese lifestyle retailer Muji and girls' retailer Brandy Melville.

Three new eateries were also part of the renovation, including the vegan/vegetarian restaurant True Food Kitchen; Tender Greens, which features fresh local produce; and Minamoto Kitchen, a shop that will sell artisanal Japanese desserts.

Several of Stanford Shopping Center's existing retailers also moved to expanded locations in the mall, including Victoria's Secret, BCBG/MAXAZRIA, J. Crew, Solstice and Tommy Bahama.

A new outdoor plaza, which was part of the renovation of the shopping center's common areas, features gardens, a stretch of lawn where people can sit and a water feature with infinity edges.

One of the three anchor stores in the Stanford Shopping Center is the iconic Bloomingdale's. The Clement Palo Alto is now offering an exclusive shopping trip to this celebrated store. This exciting experience can include such things as:

Complimentary Style Advisor (personal shopper) appointments and beauty consultations (advance reservations required)
Little Brown Bag welcome amenity
15% off Savings Certificate (see in-store for details and restrictions)
Exclusive event invitations
Car pick-up service

Bloomingdale's is America's only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store and a division of Macy's, Inc. It was founded in 1872 and currently operates 38 Bloomingdale's stores and 16 Bloomingdale's, The Outlet Stores, in California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. In addition, Bloomingdale's has an international presence with a location in Dubai. Be sure to follow @bloomingdales on social media, become a Loyallist, and for more information, or to shop any time, visit www.bloomingdales.com.

The Clement Palo Alto can design this shopping experience specifically to the hotel guest's needs and desires.

The Clement Palo Alto's all-inclusive services and amenities include:
* All-inclusive breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
* All-inclusive wine, beer and cocktails (charges apply for premium brands)
* All-inclusive in-room dining
* All-inclusive mini-bar
* All-inclusive fully-stocked Guest Pantry available around the clock
* All-inclusive Business Center
* All-inclusive valet parking
* All-inclusive twice-daily housekeeping services
* All-inclusive overnight shoe shine services
* All-inclusive high-speed Internet
* All-inclusive personal assistants
* All-inclusive gratuities

The Clement Palo Alto is ideally located across from Stanford University and next to downtown Palo Alto, with its award-winning restaurants, world-class shopping and upscale spas. It is just 45 minutes south of San Francisco and only 30 minutes north of San Jose, not only making it convenient, but easily accessible to the world-famous sights and myriad activities of both cities.

Overall, The Clement Palo Alto offers a unique, one-of-a-kind 6-star experience in the heart of Silicon Valley with unparalleled personal service, all-inclusive luxury and privacy in a warm, inviting and luxurious residential environment.

To book a room and the shopping package, contact Oscar Gonzalez, our Guest Experience Specialist, at ogonzalez@theclementpaloalto.com, Monday through Friday or call (650) 322-7111.

Contact:
The Clement Hotel
711 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, California 94301
650.322.7111
www.theclementpaloalto.com

About Pacific Hotel Management, LLC
The Clement Hotel is owned and managed by Pacific Hotel Management, LLC. Pacific Hotel Management, LLC. is a privately-owned company that specializes in the development and management of high quality hotels using a variety of franchise brands. Pacific Hotel Management, LLC (PHM) manages all of the hotels owned by affiliates of Clement Chen & Associates, combining a focused corporate administrative staff with a "hands-on" management philosophy to operate profitable, well-maintained hotels. PHM is based in San Mateo, California, and can be visited on the Web at www.phmhotels.com.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.theclementpaloalto.com

Acclaimed Jazz-Rock Fusion Band Project Grand Slam to Release New Single “The Rescue” On July 1

“The Rescue” is the first single from the inspired new album, “The Queen’s Carnival”, out August 19.

New York, NY, July 08, 2016 – Project Grand Slam, the acclaimed jazz-rock fusion band led by bassist/composer Robert Miller, will be releasing the first single from their upcoming full-length album, “The Queen’s Carnival”, on July 1. This single, “The Rescue”, draws from a variety of influences and highlights Miller’s unique approach to blending jazz and rock into a totally new sound. While mostly instrumental, the new album features a guest appearance by vocalist Lucy Woodward on Robert’s completely reimagined cover of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” and will be released on August 19 via CEN/RED Distribution, a division of Sony Music

“The Rescue” features Project Grand Slam exploring an infectious funk groove, but Miller says the song did not start off that way. “This was the final song that I wrote for the new album,” he notes. “I started off thinking about “Crossroads” by Cream, which is one of my all-time favorite live rock songs.” But as Miller and the band worked on the song it morphed into a kind of James Brown style funk meets jazz-rock fusion tune. “I’m so pleased with the way this one came out”, adds Miller. “The Rescue” has been a fixture of recent Project Grand Slam live shows and is already a proven crowd favorite.

Following the successful 2015 release of their third album, “Made in New York”, which featured the hit songs “New York City Groove” and “Fire”, Robert’s highly acclaimed reimagined cover of Jimi Hendrix’s classic, Project Grand Slam returns with “The Queen’s Carnival”. This exciting and fresh take on jazz-rock fusion (Miller calls “The Queen’s Carnival” a post-fusion record) features eleven tracks, including nine original songs by Robert and both vocal and instrumental versions of the Kinks’ classic, “You Really Got Me.” This continues Project Grand Slam’s tradition of reinventing popular classic rock songs as jazz-rock fusion and featuring vocal and instrumental versions of the cover track. “I think that people can relate to covers of popular songs, and it’s very cool to try and reimagine them in a way that is both true to the original but which takes the song to a whole other level”, says Robert.

About Project Grand Slam:
Project Grand Slam – the brainchild of bassist/leader/composer Robert Miller – continues to create and perform their brand of jazz-rock fusion at the highest level.

PGS’s third album, “Made In New York”, was released in September 2015 and featured two hit singles, “New York City Groove” (Robert’s love letter to his NYC home) and “Fire” (Robert’s re-imagined version of the Jimi Hendrix classic). Both singles featured 2013 “The Voice” semi-finalist Kat Robichaud on vocals. The band and Kat also filmed videos for “Groove” and “Fire” that have been viewed over 150,000 times to date. The reviews of the album and “Fire” were incredible, with words like “fantastic”, “damn fine album” and “hard to resist” for the album, and “superb”, “brilliant”, “excellent”, “stunning” and “unbelievable gem” for “Fire”.

Robert originally formed Project Grand Slam in 2007. PGS’s first two celebrated albums, “Play” (2008) and “Spring Dance” (2012), had two top radio singles – “The Captain Of Her Heart” (feat. Judie Tzuke on vocals) from Play, and “Catch You Later” from Spring Dance. The band also had a featured role in the hit NBC-TV series “Lipstick Jungle” starring Brooke Shields and Kim Raver, with five of the band’s tunes featured in the soundtrack.

Follow Project Grand Slam:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
SoundCloud
BandsInTown

See Project Grand Slam Live:
July 15 Kirby Performing Arts Center - Wilkes-Barre, PA
July 23 The Groove - NYC
August 11 Tin Angel - Philadelphia
August 12 Garcia's at The Capitol Theater - Port Chester, NY (after YES)
August 20 The Groove - NYC

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of “The Rescue” or ‘The Queen’s Carnival’ contact:

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Central Valley Winery Offers Perfect Tongue in Cheek Wedding Wine for Brides and Grooms with Sense of Humor and Fun

It takes a lot of audacity to name a wine created to be served at weddings “Ball and Chain,” but Solitary Cellars Wine Co. is no ordinary winery.

Lodi, CA, June 26, 2016 — It takes a lot of audacity to name a wine created to be served at weddings “Ball and Chain,” but Solitary Cellars Wine Co. is no ordinary winery.

Owned by two California state correctional officers, Solitary Cellars is well known for not taking itself too seriously and having fun with the sometimes stuffy and too-proper wine industry.

The tagline for their winery, after all, is: “Solitary Cellars — Wines Without Restraints.” Their wine club is called the Chain Gang, with two levels, Minimum and Maximum Custody, and the tasting room is called the North Block Tasting Room.

Now winery partners Greg “Bergie” Bergersen and Rick “Q” Quesada are having a little more fun by offering brides and grooms with a sense of humor a new wine to serve at their weddings: Ball and Chain, a term that can be applied to both prisoners and wives. Facetiously and with a smile for the latter, of course.

“My wife, Syndi and I were approached by Curtis Williamson and he respectfully asked for our blessing to marry our daughter Paige,” says Bergersen, who retired from corrections in 2014 to start the winery with Quesada, who is still active. “We enthusiastically agreed and that began the conversation about wine served at their wedding dinner.”

Of course, his daughter asked for one of Dad's wines. But not just any wine.

“My daughter asked if we could develop a wine that no one had ever tasted and that would be unique to them,” says Bergersen. “We put the request in motion and developed a Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah blend. The wine was rich, full flavored and very balanced. We decided to call the blend Ball and Chain. The name seemed appropriate as the term has a prison component, as our blends do, but also has to do with a widely used phrase describing a marital relationship, as in ‘the old ball and chain.’

”The wine was not only a big hit at his daughter's wedding, it won a gold medal from the San Joaquin County Wine Growers Association, and Bergersen and Quesada hope other wedding couples take a shine to it.

“We plan on bottling the blend in large-format bottles, because our wedding customers can have the bottles signed by the entire wedding party,” says Bergersen. “We hope the new vintage of Ball and Chain, which is scheduled for a 2016 late fall or early 2017 release will be found at many weddings throughout the country.”

About Solitary Cellars:
Owned and operated by Greg Bergersen and Rick Quesada, two California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officers with more than 45 years of service in California’s most dangerous prisons, Solitary Cellars produces wines in Lodi, California (Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year 2015), working with renowned growers from Monterey County, Amador County, Lodi and Lake County. The winery's portfolio of premium wines features deep red wines that show off the essence of California's most-respected vineyards and wine growers.

The Solitary Cellars portfolio currently include the 2014 Code Three (a red wine blend) (Lodi); 2012 and 2013 Liberty Oak Tempranillo (Lodi); 2014 Solitary Cellars Albariño (Lodi); 2013 Evasion Syrah Rosé (Fresno); 2012 and 2013 Solitary Cellars Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi); 2013 Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah; 2013 Shenandoah Valley Barbera (Amador); 2013 Monterey County Pinot Noir.

The wines are targeted to consumers directly in the tasting room, online and in select restaurants and wine bars.

Solitary Cellars’ winery is located in Lodi and its North Block Tasting Room is located in Madera, California.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://www.solitarycellars.com/

Love and Madness Partners with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to Launch Jewelry Collections Celebrating DC Super Heroes

Love and Madness has announced that they will partner with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, to design a series of jewelry collections inspired by DCs’ iconic Super Heroes, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl.

New York, NY, June 23, 2016 – Love and Madness has announced that they will partner with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, to design a series of jewelry collections inspired by DCs’ iconic Super Heroes, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl.

Love and Madness, founded by industry veteran Heather McAvoy, has become widely recognized for its ability to merge pop culture and trend through an assortment of accessories that speak to both the geek girl and the fashion girl, alike.

“As a brand that emphasizes a passion for nostalgia and pop culture, there could not be a more perfect fit for Love and Madness. It is the unique opportunity and vision to merge the needs of both fan girl and fashion girl that drives and inspires us on a daily basis. This partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products enables us to explore new ways to marry the past, present and future through jewelry that speaks to all, taking licensing to an entirely new level,” explains McAvoy.

The empowered, female-run brand, which strives to connect women with their inner strength and influence through the stories told by compelling accessories, will kick off this new licensing partnership with a collection centered around Wonder Woman, honoring the 75th anniversary of the beloved Super Hero.

Rich colors and materials will merge with nostalgic symbols in an assortment of jewelry that exemplifies the Super Hero’s commanding qualities through modern design. The collection will include a tailored variation of the brand’s recently released piece entitled “The Crawl.” In response to the astounding attention garnered by this design, which quickly became a signature for the brand, the wrap will present words and phrases that embody Wonder Woman and all that she is. The style will be further carried throughout the partnership’s various collaborations, continuously evolving to represent each of the iconic characters.

The collections, beginning with the launch of Wonder Woman for Holiday 2016, will be available at a broad range of high-end boutiques and department stores worldwide. For additional details, please visit theloveandmadness.com.

About Love and Madness
Love and Madness merges pop culture and trend through an exciting assortment of jewelry and accessories. The female-run brand is constantly seeking to inspire and innovate through the evolution of both product and partnerships, providing cutting edge design and quality that is accessible to all women. Keep up with the brand at www.theloveandmadness.com and on social @theloveandmadness.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

WONDER WOMAN, BATGIRL, SUPERGIRL and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics. (s16)

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s16)

For Press Inquiries: Malorie Kaye, Cameo PR, 732-598-2236, malorie@cameopr.com

Contact:
Malorie Kaye
167 Madison Avenue
Suite 205
NY, NY 10016
(732) 598-2236
http://www.cameopr.com

Betty Lau, Val Markos, and David Peterson to Join Executive Development Associates’ Advisory Board

Executive Development Associates, Inc. (EDA), a global leader in top-of-the-house leadership development, today announced the addition of Betty Lau, Val Markos, and David Peterson to its advisory board.

Oklahoma City, OK, June 23, 2016 - Executive Development Associates, Inc. (EDA), a global leader in top-of-the-house leadership development, today announced the addition of Betty Lau, Val Markos, and David Peterson to its advisory board.

“As we look at the Trends in Executive Development research as well as broader business trends, we want to ensure that we are thinking about how to develop executives from a future focused, global orientation. In order to do this well, we seek the best and most diverse advisors in our field which is why we are very pleased to announce new members to our highly esteemed advisory board. Betty, Val and David will add thought leadership in the areas of international business, trends in development, and technology’s impact on leadership today. All of our Advisory Board Members are powerful voices in the development of leaders across the globe and each one adds an important component as we think through how to solve some of the most current and challenging leadership issues,” says Bonnie Hagemann, CEO of Executive Development Associates.

Betty Lau is the Global Learning Director of Unilever. She leads the Unilever Coaching Service and is responsible for the leadership development of the top 3,000 leaders within the organization, focusing on the design and execution of global leadership development programs. Before joining Unilever, Betty worked for Novartis where she spent five years as a Program Director at their headquarters office in Basel, Switzerland. In this role, she established Novartis China University, Novartis Russia Corporate University, and the CEO-sponsored LEAD program focusing on developing talents in emerging markets.

The Ministry of Manpower within Singapore’s government appointed Betty as a member of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency’s (WDA) Lifelong Learning Council in October 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science degree in Marketing from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Val Markos, Ph.D. has served in various executive development roles throughout the course of his career. His areas of expertise lie in succession planning, high potential development programs, executive education, assessment, selection, and development of future leaders. During his 20+ year tenure at BellSouth, Val led the organization’s leadership development efforts including the talent review process, high potential programs, staffing at the executive level, executive education and coaching, and the performance management process. Prior to joining BellSouth, Val worked as an internal consultant in the area of personnel selection and organization development in both the private and public sectors.

In 2006 Val founded Vmark Consulting and has worked with such organizations as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Lowes, Nationwide Insurance, Chick-fil-A, Cox Communications, Emory University, BJC Healthcare, and Ultimate Software. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, as well as a Master of Science and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Georgia.

David Peterson, Ph.D. joined Google in 2011 as Director of Executive Coaching and Leadership. He coaches senior leaders, manages Google’s network of external and internal coaches, and supports leadership, learning, and executive development initiatives at Google. Before joining Google, David served as leader of world-wide coaching services for PDI Ninth House (now part of KornFerry). In addition to coaching top leaders in organizations such as Salesforce, Sandisk, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Target, Wal-Mart, Shell, Genentech, Mayo Clinic, Harvard, and Stanford University, he provided consultation and thought leadership on how to design and manage organizational coaching programs, how to develop high potential leaders and critical talent, and how to accelerate learning and leadership development at all levels.

David earned his PhD in Counseling and Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Society of Consulting Psychology, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), and the Harvard Institute of Coaching.

Lau, Markos, and Peterson join current EDA advisory board members James F. Bolt, Yury Boshyk, Ram Charan, George Consolver, Fariborz Ghadar, Vijay Govindarajan, Jim Kouzes, Sandy Ogg, Chuck Presbury, and Gillian Stamp.

About Executive Development Associates:
Executive Development Associates (EDA) is a leader in creating custom-designed executive development strategies, systems and programs that help organizations build the capabilities needed to achieve their strategic objectives. EDA leads the way in the use of executive development to help organizations successfully address their marketplace challenges and accelerate the execution of their business strategy utilizing various approaches including custom executive development programs, c-suite and executive coaching, action learning, leadership workshops, executive assessment and more. For more information, visit executivedevelopment.com.

Contact:
Steven Infanti
Executive Development Associates
13431 Broadway Ext # 104
Oklahoma City, OK 73114
https://www.executivedevelopment.com/

AOA Lead ‘March against Monsanto’ with New Single and Music Video, ‘Paradise’ (ft. Deploi)!

"Astronauts Of Antiquity superbly deliver. Exquisite vocals and compelling grooves....always rocks the house!" -Time Out London

“Hypnotic listen that drips with beauty.” -Sonicjive.com

"A stunning crossover between urban trip hop and straight pop genres.....powerful lyrics...infectious beat...gets it's message across....now is the prefect time to get on the Astronauts hype train". - Real Music Network

New York, NY, June 20, 2016 -  US based alt­pop/ trip­hop collective, AOA (Astronauts Of Antiquity) debut their single, ‘Paradise’. The song’s recent release date coincided with the March Against Monsanto phenomenon taking place in major cities worldwide. AOA, along with artists such as Neil Young are at the forefront of the March Against Monsanto with their new single, ‘Paradise’, from their upcoming EP, ‘Beyond The Maze’. The track was mixed by Martin Cooke (Muse, Death Cab For Cutie, Flying Lotus) and was mastered by Ian Sefchick from Capitol Records.

AOA’s debut single has already received a considerable buzz. ‘Paradise’ was recently featured in the Huffington Post highlighting the band’s conscious musical efforts towards the harmful effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The single also debuted on the CMJ Hip Hop Charts at #36, climbed to #22 and continues to raise its chart position.

At the heart of ‘Paradise’ is Los Angeles based rapper and spoken word artist Deploi. Deploi’s expansive lyrics are delivered with urgency in matters concerning Monsanto,referencing George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and the obesity epidemic in the West. Tieing in with the core message of ‘Paradise’, AOA’s vocalist, India (Best Female Vocalist–Detroit Music Awards), offers up a distinctly swaggering vocal style with intriguing melodies that are hard to ignore. B. Rhyan (Bernie Worrell) throws dark, haunting guitars over Ivica’s (Sony­Epic) arrangement of electronic soundscapes sending tension and atmosphere throughout the track. ‘Paradise’highlights the many issues with Monsanto’s genetically modified food that has been stated in scientific studies to cause health and environmental problems.

The discussion around Monsanto is a lively one; GMOs remain a hot topic of debate for people everywhere. The March Against Monsanto movement continues to grow and has now garnered over a million followers on Facebook. AOA recently released their accompanying music video for ‘Paradise’, a satirical take on the dangers of corporate dominance. Aside from their quirky magnetism and bohemian charm, AOA has clear, strong messages laced with mesmerizing song craft, gaining attention from the likes of Rick Rubin and Jeannie Hopper.

‘Paradise’ sets the pace for a prolific array of upcoming releases from the talented group. Watch out for AOA as they catapult onto the world stage.

Watch “Paradise” Music Video

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-806-0400
https://www.aoamusic.com/

Unique Slow Flowers Workshop in Santa Cruz Features Innovative Bay Area Floral Designer Teresa Sabankaya and Internationally Known Outdoor Living Expert, writer, lecturer and Slow Flowers Founder Debra Prinzing

Innovative Bay Area floral designer Teresa Sabankaya will team up with renowned floral expert Debra Prinzing, founder of Slowflowers.com to offer an inspiring two-part workshop for floral professionals at a beautiful private garden in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz, CA, June 20, 2016 — Innovative Bay Area floral designer Teresa Sabankaya will team up with renowned floral expert Debra Prinzing, founder of Slowflowers.com to offer an inspiring two-part workshop for floral professionals at a beautiful private garden in Santa Cruz.

“Slow Flowers Creative Workshop,” set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, is designed to help floral designers and Farmer-Florists clarify, document and communicate their personal artistic message as a floral professional by focusing on brand-building, floral storytelling and media messaging.

Sabankaya, founder and creative director of Bonny Doon Garden Co. and creator of the unique Bonny Doon Posies arrangements, will work with participants to explore and expand their approach to garden-inspired design and identify the inspiration for their floral designs.

The will participate in her hands-on exercises that build support for their designs’ inspired floral elements and complementary elements and focus on how to make the mechanics that support their style work as they create an arrangement of their own.

Sabankaya, whose floral designs have become highly desirable due to their unique style of arranging and elegant garden appeal, is considered one of the most innovative florists in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Prinzing is a writer, speaker, outdoor living expert and advocate for American flower farming and author of “Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow and Farm” and “The 50 Mile Bouquet: Seasonal, Local and Sustainable Flowers.”

The website slowflowers.com is an online directory to help people find floral professionals who are committed to using American-grown flowers.

The workshop will take place over one and a half days in a private garden in the Santa Cruz area. Guests will receive location and map to the garden after they register.

Cost for the workshop is $525 and includes all instruction, materials, supplies, flowers, morning coffee/refreshments, two lunches and a cocktail reception in the garden. It also includes a guest's own gallery of images from the sessions and their design work.

In a safe, supportive and intimate setting, the small group will spend 24-plus hours focusing on Slow Flowers “brand building” and how each participant can find his or her own voice as a floral storyteller. Subjects that will be covered include:

• How to evoke and express your personal story as a creative individual
• How to play with words to describe the natural world’s color, texture and form
• How to tell your flower memoir as metaphor for your brand
• How to flex your sensory muscles
• How brand development can capture key distinctives in words and images that define you
• How to use storytelling in a media pitch — learn how to be a resource for targeted media

On the second day, Sabankaya will lead participants in a floral design exercise that identifies the essential spirit of “garden-inspired design.” They will learn how to build the support for the inspired/complementary elements and learn how to make the mechanics work.

After her presentation, participants will choose from local, seasonal roses, dahlias and other signature blooms and create an arrangement that expresses their personal take on garden-inspired design. Sabankaya will cover sourcing of botanical ingredients, growing decisions and foraging approaches. Coached by her, each student will photo-style her/his creation for web, marketing and portfolio use.

During the design portion of this module, Prinzing will interview each participant individually about their philosophy and provide them with tips on creating a floral narrative for their design.

Registrants will be sent a pre-planning packet of exercises created by Prinzing two weeks prior to the workshop. The goal for these exercises is that the more time and thought invested in the exercises, the more rewarding the 24-hour experience will be.

About Teresa Sabankaya:
Sabankaya is the founder and owner since 1999 of The Bonny Doon Garden Company, a full-service floral design studio, florist, and botanical gift shop.

Sabankaya holds an influential position as one of the most innovative florists in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has exhibited her floral art annually at the “Bouquets to Art” exhibition at the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, the National Trust Filoli’s Estate in Woodside, and various other floral design and garden shows.

Sabankaya's floral designs have become highly desirable due to their unique style of arranging and elegant garden appeal. Her wedding floral styles have been featured in numerous wedding blogs and magazines including Smitten, Sweet Violet Bride, Style Me Pretty and Green Wedding Shoes.

She has been featured in Amy Stewart’s “Flower Confidential” book as well as her blog, and was featured “like a florist from 100 years ago” in the PBS documentary “Botany of Desire,” based on Michael Pollen’s bestseller Botany of Desire.

Sabankaya's trademarked creations, Bonny Doon Posies, have been a core part of her retail business from the beginning, and have been featured in such media as “CBS Sunday Morning,” Romantic Homes magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Santa Cruz Sentinel and The New York Times.

She is a Certified Green Gardener; a member of Slowflowers.com, an online directory of florists who source their materials locally; and Greatgardenspeakers.com.

About Debra Prinzing:
Prinzing is an award-winning author, speaker and leading advocate for American-grown flowers. She is the founder and producer of the online directory slowflowers.com, a guide to American flower farms, and florists, shops and studios who source domestic and local flowers. She is the author of 10 books, including Slow Flowers and The 50 Mile Bouquet.Her book “Slow Flowers” (St. Lynn’s Press, 2013) received a Silver Medal from Garden Writers Association in 2014.

Prinzing is a contributing editor to Country Gardens magazine and her feature stories on architecture and design appear regularly in the Los Angeles Times’ Home section. She is a contributor to Garden Design, and her work has appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers, online publications and blogs.

A Master Gardener, the Seattle-based Prinzing has studied landscape horticulture and design at South Seattle Community College. She is the current president of Garden Writers Association and a member of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.

For more information, contact Teresa Sabankaya at teresa@bonnydoongardenco.com or by calling (831) 566-9925. To register for the workshop, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/slow-flowers-creative-workshop-tickets-25988990771.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://slowflowers.com/