But there was one thing missing... one more thing we needed to do... (drum roll please...)
Yes, that's right... this year, for the first time ever, Crushed Ice Events had a presence at the Catersource/Event Solutions Conference and Tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada! Myself and Erica were lucky enough and honored to go and represent our little catering company at such a huge international event -- yes, Europe had a presence at the conference as well!! HOW COOL!
If you've ever been to Las Vegas, you understand the magnificence of it... it being my first time, I had literally no idea what to expect. Old time gangster movies or Ocean's 11?!?! Let me tell you, coming from a Las Vegas newbie, it surpassed my expectations. The lights, the music, the extravagance... it can hardly be put into words, and even then, there's nothing like the feeling of being in Vegas.
We grabbed dinner with Alex and Paul from Fleur de Lis Events and Design on Sunday night. If you haven't checked them out, I strongly encourage you to do so! These guys are incredibly talented... and I'm not just saying that because we're buddies :) I've known Alex and Paul for a few years now, and they never cease to amaze me with their creativity and passion for this industry!
Monday morning we were at it, bright and early!! We registered, grabbed some breakfast, and headed to little-did-we-know one of the best sessions at the conference (in our opinion, obviously). Footers Catering out of Denver, Colorado hosted a 30-minute session entitled "The WOW Factor: 20 Easy and Inexpensive Ideas That Will Impress Your Clients with Something Unexpected." It stressed the importance of interacting and connecting with your clients... showing them you care the entire journey they are working with you, rather than just one or two days. It's easy to get caught up in the every day, sending out proposal mumbo-jumbo... but what we really love to do is get involved with our brides and our clients. A lot of the time we come out with new friends we're sad to let go, if not extra awesome acquaintances we love to see around town, and that's what it's all about. That's what the service industry is -- we are servants to those in need, and we take pride in seeing our clients that have entrusted us with something so important smile at the little things. We are so glad to see that others have the same passions we do, and we can't wait to implement some of Footers Catering's ideas here in Louisville!
We went to several other sessions on Monday (phew... my brain was full, and so was my camera's memory card!), but by far one of the best was with Meryl Snow from Feastivities. She discussed the importance of branding, target marketing, and social media for catering/event companies everywhere. It was encouraging to know that what we're doing is on the right track, but Erica and I both agreed we have a lot of room for improvement... which got our wheels turning, and we are beyond excited to put our ideas to fruition soon. Be sure to watch Facebook and our blog for more updates. Trust us, you won't want to miss it!
Of course we ate our tummies' worth of incredible food: thanks again to Fleur for their fabulous hospitality and a great behind-the-scenes look into the QUIETEST kitchen we have ever been in (seriously... absolutely silent, except for us -- of course). A small plates concept restaurant by Hubert Keller, everything was delicious. From the Seared Foie Gras to the Peking Duck Breast to the Brownie Lollipops, it was all gone as fast as it was put on the table.
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| Peking Duck Breast caramelized daikon, orange segments and apicius sauce |
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| Creme Brulee |
Tuesday's agenda held the tradeshow located at the Las Vegas Convention Center. A short little cab ride and we were ready to see what everyone had prepared to show us. Man, were we wowed! Especially by the showgirls suspended in the air...
On Tuesday night, we did it right -- we went to Lakeside in the Wynn and couldn't believe the amazing service we had. We met a wonderful sommelier, Norman Acosta, who introduced us to some fabulous wines as well as a bit of an education on the grapes that make up certain wines. Can you name them without looking on google? Can you guess which grapes are used to make champagne? We know! We know! The entertainment was great as well -- we sat right in front of a huge wall of water that displayed anything from a frog singing "Low Places" by my main man Garth Brooks and a woman's head popping out with tribal dancers going every which way. Truly a fantastic experience. Did I mention it was the best grouper I have ever eaten?? Maybe it was because I was hungry, but it was cooked to perfection!
Overall, Vegas was a wonderful time -- we learned so much from Catersource and all of the fabulous restaurants and hotels we were able to experience. We are so excited to bring what we learned to everyone here in Louisville.
Even though it is FREEZING here and it's sunny and warm in Las Vegas... Doesn't this picture make you long for summer??
"eat, drink & be merry"
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