Diane James Designs Blooms at Winterthur -- Spring 2010

Norwalk, CT (PRWEB) November 18, 2009

Diane James Designs is pleased to announce that it has joined Winterthur Museum & Country Estate's Licensed Products program to design and produce permanent botanical arrangements and plants inspired by the home and gardens of Henry Francis du Pont (1880 - 1969). The new collection, which will debut at the New York International Gift Fair next January, evokes the timeless beauty and unparalleled quality and style that are the essence of Winterthur.

Equally known for his gardens as for his antiques collection, du Pont frequently decorated with cut flowers, sometimes using up to 20 bouquets in one room. A guest once commented, "We shall long remember the feast of flowers! The most beautiful combination of colours, in both the house and garden." To capture this historic home's elegance, Diane James Designs pairs delicate garden blossoms, from pale peach roses and hollyhock to vibrant pink peonies and apple green hydrangeas, with hand-painted Chinese porcelains, crystal Revere bowls and silver-plated cups.

"We are honored to be representing Winterthur in the floral category," says Diane James. "Our elegant bouquets and orchids are the perfect finishing touch for every decor and complement the du Pont aesthetic beautifully." The company will introduce 19 bouquets and two orchids in the Spring/Summer 2010 Winterthur Collection and plans to add more designs on a seasonal basis.

Diane James Designs is today's couture resource for decorative floral arrangements, orchids, trees and topiaries. Hand-crafted for every style and setting, from a country estate to a contemporary loft to a chic hotel, these florals are so close to the real thing, one can almost smell their sun-kissed fragrance. The designs are available online at http://www.DianeJamesHome.com, in fine stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, and through interior decorators.

The Winterthur Licensed Products program was launched in April 1982 to make available high-quality furnishings and decorative accessories based on antiques in the collection of the world-renowned Winterthur Museum & Country Estate. Winterthur licenses more than 25 companies to reprodcue, adapt, or interpret designs from its collection. Revenues generated by the sale of the licensed products support education programming at Winterthur. For more information on the program, contact Kristin L. DeMesse, Director of Licensed Products, at 302-888-4861.

###

New York City Announces Highlights Of 2010 Holiday Season

New York City (PRWEB) August 5, 2010

Every holiday season New York City transforms into a winter wonderland. The City radiates with holiday spirit as the five boroughs offer world-renowned performances, shopping, dining and more. NYC & Company, the City?s official marketing, tourism, and partnership organization, encourages visitors to plan their holiday travel now to take advantage of all the City has to offer.

?There?s no better time to experience New York City?s five boroughs than during the annual holiday season,? said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. ?Each year the City opens its arms and welcomes visitors to experience some of the world?s most stunning holiday decorations, events and entertainment. This year will be another opportunity to enjoy the City?s unique energy, excitement and vibrancy.?

The holiday season kicks off when soaring balloons, beautifully crafted floats and of course Santa Claus himself arrive in Herald Square during the 84th annual Macy?s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25. Be among the millions of spectators watching the parade as it begins at 9am on 77th Street and Central Park West. The parade then makes its way to Columbus Circle, turns east toward Seventh Avenue and continues on to 42nd Street. Then it turns east toward Sixth Avenue and goes down Sixth Avenue to 34th Street, where it travels west until it ends at Seventh Avenue (macys.com/parade).

Now in its 78th year, Radio City Music Hall?s Christmas Spectacular continues to amaze both visitors and residents alike. From November 5 to December 30, experience the joy of Christmas with outstanding performances by the world-famous Rockettes, along with stunning special effects, costumes and excitement that will create lasting memories. Enjoyed by all ages, the show is sure to become an annual tradition for you and your family. Ticket prices start at $ 45 (radiocitychristmas.com).

The Theater at Madison Square Garden will host Wintuk, a Cirque du Soleil production, for its fourth and final season this year. The holiday show shares the tale of a boy?s quest for snow in an imaginary wonderland called Wintuk. With exciting acrobatics, theatrics and music, you will not want to miss this production?s last season, November 17, 2010, to January 2, 2011. Tickets range from $ 30 to $ 220, with a special 30 percent discount for select children?s tickets (cirquedusoleil.com/wintuk).

The Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting is one of the most popular draws for holiday visitors from around the world. The annual tree-lighting ceremony, which takes place this year on November 30, is an exciting star-studded event. Decorated in festive LED lights and topped with a Swarovski crystal star, the tree, which has become more eco-friendly in recent years, can be viewed till early January (rockefellercenter.com)

The New York City Ballet will present one of the season?s favorite annual productions, George Balanchine?s The Nutcracker. Featuring marching toy soldiers, a glowing one-ton Christmas tree, crystalline snowflakes and some of the most glorious dancing the City has to offer, the show is truly a magical experience?whether it?s a family tradition or a once-in-a-lifetime event. The show runs from November 26, 2010, to January 2, 2011; tickets range from $ 20 to $ 135 (nycballet.com/nutcracker).

The City twinkles with holiday spirit, particularly as its famed stores and iconic hotels strive to outdo the previous year?s celebration. Bloomingdale?s, Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Macy?s spruce up their window displays with beautiful holiday-themed decor that awes visitors year after year. Indoor and outdoor holiday markets at Columbus Circle, Bryant Park, Union Square and Grand Central Terminal have become a new must-go for shoppers looking for unique gifts created by local artists and vendors. The lavish Midtown hotel Le Parker Meridien will host its second annual Gingerbread Extravaganza, during which local bakeries display their large-scale confectionary creations from December 1, 2010, to January 9, 2011. For $ 1, vote on the best gingerbread design and enter to win a prize (parkermeridien.com). All proceeds will benefit City Harvest, an organization that rescues food to feed hungry New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs (cityharvest.org).

The Big Apple Circus celebrates its 33rd season this year with an all-new show, Dance On! New York City?s circus returns to the big top at Lincoln Center, complete with unicyclists, contortionists, animals and the hilarious clown Grandma. Seats are never more than 50 feet from the ring. Performances run from October 21, 2010, to January 9, 2011; tickets range from $ 15 to $ 92 (bigapplecircus.org).

Visit The Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side to view The Hanukkah Project: Daniel Libeskind, on exhibition from November 21, 2010, to January 30, 2011, featuring Hanukkah lamps from the museum?s collection, each with a rich and beautiful history (thejewishmuseum.org)

NYC & Company will once again launch its annual Harlem for the Holidays promotion, which runs from late November through the New Year. Harlem is a remarkable area to visit during the holidays, as it offers the finest in culture, dining, shopping and more. Further details on this initiative will be available closer to the holiday season at nycgo.com.

In the Bronx, visitors can experience the Annual Holiday Family Day at the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum on Saturday, December 4, from 10am to 2pm. Get into the spirit with the whole family at the festively decorated 19th-century mansion and participate in programs and activities for children, including photos with Santa. Reservations are requested; call 718-885-1461 or email info@bpmm.org (bpmm.org).

Also in the Bronx, at the New York Botanical Garden, is the family favorite Holiday Train Show, featuring toy trains that zip through more than 100 replicas of NYC landmarks, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium and the George Washington Bridge. Handcrafted by award-winning designers, the set is made from natural supplies such as orange slices, cinnamon sticks, bark and pinecones. The show will be on display between November 20, 2010, and January 9, 2011 (nybg.org).

In Staten Island, the annual Candlelight Tours will take place on Saturday, December 11, and Saturday, December 18. See the sights and sounds of Historic Richmond Town, which will be lit by candles, oil lamps and blazing fireplaces. Tickets cost $ 22 for adults and $ 10 for children 12 and under; prepaid reservations are required. Call 718-351-1611, ext. 281, for tour times and reservations (historicrichmondtown.org).

Brooklyn comes alive for the holidays with the Lights of Dyker Heights. Truly a sight to behold, the spectacle attracts thousands of visitors during the holiday season. The best displays can be seen on the blocks between 83rd and 86th Streets from 11th to 13th Avenue in this small neighborhood between Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst.

During the week of Hanukkah, be sure to visit the Menorah of Brooklyn in downtown Brooklyn at Columbus Park, right outside Borough Hall. And in Manhattan, don?t miss the lighting of the World?s Largest Menorah at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, right in front of the Plaza Hotel.

In Queens the Queens Historical Society presents the Annual Historic Holiday House Tour on Sunday, December 12, from 1pm to 5pm. This guided trolley tour includes stops at five festively decorated museums and historical sites, including the Queens Historical Society at the Kingsland Homestead, the Flushing Quaker Meeting House, Flushing Town Hall, the Voelker Orth Museum and Lewis H. Latimer House. A local historian will narrate the tour. Visitors will have access to all exhibits at each site, which will also feature holiday refreshments and family activities. Tickets cost $ 10 for adults, with children under 12 free, and can be purchased in advance at any of the sites or at the door the day of the event (queenshistoricalsociety.org).

For more information on planning your holiday visit to New York City, please visit nycgo.com/annualevents.

About NYC & Company:

NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For all there is to do and see in NYC, visit nycgo.com.

###

Find More Bergdorf Press Releases

Bergdorf Goodman Unveils 2010 Holiday Windows "Wish You Were Here"

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 23, 2010

New York loves a spectacle, and each holiday season one of the best in town is the elaborate windows at Bergdorf Goodman. Known for their artistry, detail and sly visual wit, the holiday windows attract thousands of New Yorkers and visitors every year. The 2010 windows, entitled "Wish You Were Here," take their inspiration from fantasy travel to far-flung places? and some unusual ways of getting there.????"We are in the surprise business," said David Hoey, Bergdorf Goodman Senior Director of Visual Presentation and Window Design, advising viewers to anticipate an array of wild mash-ups of unexpected arrivals and departures, each with visual influences as diverse as Roman mythology, 1940s Hollywood musicals, the original Penn Station, and the very first science fiction film. "This job is part architect and part cake decorator."

Each of the five main Fifth Avenue windows represents a different destination and a special method of conveyance:

Reminiscent of a patinated Vaudeville stage set, "The Scenic Route" features an antique caboose pulling out of the station. A hand painted moving backdrop animates the scene while a mannequin dressed in an Oscar de la Renta gown makes her exit stage right.

"Full Speed Ahead" takes viewers inside a ship rolling gently on a sea voyage. Amidst a lavish collection of nautical antiques, a mannequin clad in a one-of-a-kind striped outfit by designer Naeem Khan keeps company with an international cadre of miniature antique sailors...

"Day Tripping" invites viewers to come along for a spur-of-the-moment jaunt to the moon. The glittery lunar dreamscape is inspired by the 1902 silent film, "Le Voyage Dans La Lune" by Georges Melies, plus a generous dose of mid-century touches a la Flash Gordon and an aquatic nod to Jules Verne.

In "A Guided Tour," a gigantic gold and ivory wooden Pegasus set against a hand painted medieval-style mural illustrates an especially glamorous method of air travel.

In the final window a Victorian-style flying machine has been inventively concocted out of bicycle and carriage parts and components from a vintage hot air balloon. Attended by a team of uniformed simian grease monkeys, it's clearly "Ready For Takeoff."

And it's not just inside the Bergdorf Goodman windows where old-world inspiration mingles with emerging technology and a nod to the future. This year, for the first time, QR codes on several windows enable shoppers and passersby to view an online Holiday Gift Finder and a video depicting the making of the displays by scanning the codes with their handheld digital device. Produced entirely in-house, the 2:30 minute behind-the scenes video features the song "Follow Me" by 17-year old emerging Sony artist Audrianna Cole.

Bergdorf Goodman partnered with Polyvore, a creative-based social networking community, to host a Holiday Windows Challenge inviting members to upload their own window designs with fantasy destinations in mind. The winner, CJF Design, was selected from more than 2,800 entries and received a prize including a private guided tour of the holiday windows and a $ 2,500 Bergdorf Goodman gift card.

This holiday season also marks the debut of the new limited-edition Assouline book, Windows at Bergdorf Goodman, which features a decade of Bergdorf's legendary windows in a covetable handmade collectors' edition with slipcase. A surprise performance by Prince Poppycock delighted the more than 600 guests who gathered for cocktails at Bergdorf on November 18 to celebrate the book.

The Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows will remain on display through January 3, 2011 and can be enjoyed by everyone on 5th/58th, the Bergdorf Goodman blog, and on Facebook. This also is covered by our lively twitter account, @bergdorfs, and through the hashtag #BGWindows.

About Bergdorf Goodman: Bergdorf Goodman, founded by master tailors Edwin Goodman and Herman Bergdorf, is located on the corner of New York's Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, the former site of the Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion. The store has been a one-of-a-kind destination for exclusive fashion and unparalleled service since 1901.

###

More Bergdorf Press Releases