Delight in the Ultimate Prix Fixe Menus: Summer Restaurant Week

Restaurant Week starts next week (August 14th – 19th and 21st – 26th) and we’re breaking out menus and making reservations.  The only time to explore Boston’s best restaurants at a prix fixe cost – it’s one of our favorite bi-annual occurrences!   This summer, we’re celebrating by sharing our favorites with you:

• Courtney hands down picks Mistral, she loves their tuna tartar! Nom nom nom.
• Page is obsessed with the mac ‘n cheese and steak tips at Silvertone (albeit biased since when she’s not working here, she’s working there)!
• Battling it out in the mac ‘n cheese department, Amy picks South End’s Coda.  Perhaps a taste test is in order?
• Fleming’s on Stuart Street is Rich’s pick.  Filet mignon with baked potato & grilled asparagus – need we say more?
• Have you tried the beef carpaccio at Lucca?  It’s Vic’s favorite!
• Sonya’s loves Mamma Maria’s lobster pasta – can you blame her!?
• Because you can never get enough Italian, Jill picks Monica’s in the North End.  Her favorite dish?  The chicken liver gnocchi.
• Tamara can’t stay away from Met Bar’s Blueberries for Sal, her favorite liquid concoction (we’d never exclude a cocktail shout-out!) comprised of Shock Top beer, blueberry vodka and fresh lemon!
• For the best in veggie tasting menus – Laura raves about Ten Tables in Jamaica Plain and aspires to become a regular in the fall!
• Restaurant “newbie,” Red Lantern, gets Mary’s vote.  Make sure you try the amazing appetizers – mmm… duck buns & pan fried pork gyoza.

What Boston restaurant’s are you trying this month?  What’s your all-time favorite?

Outstanding Food in Cambridge: UpStairs on the Square

The Soiree Dining Room

Nestled in one of Harvard Square’s quaintest squares, UpStairs on the Square sits above Winthrop Square as a long-standing gem in the city’s culinary scene.  A temporary escape from the real world, Laura spent an evening in this joyful space filled with animal prints and jewel-tones, admiring funky light fixtures and lots of pink!

Starting with appetizers in the more casual Zebra Room and then venturing upstairs to chic the Soiree room for entrees, the meal was perfectly portioned and infused with creativity.  Each dish was surprising and delicious.  Have you ever had seared watermelon?  If not, you must try it!  It was fascinating how the fruit maintained its moisture when cooked – the perfect basis for a summer salad.

While the food is the real reason to visit UpStairs on the Square, the ambiance is youthful and jovial while maintaining a sophisticated feel.   The staff are especially gracious, knowledgeable and professional.  Their attention to detail was noticeable and their enthusiasm for the establishment, profound.

With such wonderful attributes, the opportunities for events are endless, with the varying decor and menu options in three different dining rooms, there is a space for every event.  From a small corporate lunch, to a wedding reception, it seems that UpStairs does it all and with exceptional flare.

CE’s Summer Outing

With all the hours that we’ve spent planning the most fun of summer outings – it was time for one of our own.  Creative masterminds, Courtney, Mary and Jill planned a day of fun in the sun for the ladies and Rich starting with a Boston Harbor Islands excursion and ending with creative cocktails.  It was a blast!

Boston’s Best Cruises took us through the Harbor to George’s Island.   Look at that view – we work in such a great city!

Boston Harbor from the Ferry

All aboard!  The CE team cruisin’.

All Aboard!

Check out that Hair!  Zakk holds the world record for the tweet with the most number of words beginning with the letter “P.”

Jill and Zak

Upon arrival at  George’s Island, it was time for a lunch by Summer Shack – yum!

Summer Shack Dining on George's Island

Then it was on to the Boston Athletic Club to work off the fried food!  We started with a lesson from a pro and finished with a series of singles and doubles matches.

Tennis at the Boston Athletic Club

The Beehive: the perfect ending to an awesome day!  Significant others joined us for drinks and bites at the bar downstairs.

Vic, Will, Kevin, Amy

Vic, Isabel, Taylor, Amy, Courtney

Vassar, Jill, Rich, Tom

Laura, Vanessa

Mary and Vassar had "dessert!"

Fill us in on what your company did over the last few months to celebrate summer!

Corinthian’s New Faces

It’s on everyone’s mind – when can we officially say that the recession is over?  Though challenging to predict, it seems like things are looking up.  There are signs of a comeback all around us and in order to cope with the industry-wide increase in business, event and meeting professionals are looking to add to their teams.  In a study conducted by Sheryl Sookman Schelter entitled “Meetings Industry Hiring Plans for 2010,” Schelter surveys a group of meeting managers regarding their intentions to hire anyone new in 2010.   Findings were overall optimistic with almost 65 percent of planners maintaining the size of their operation or department and an even more positive 29 percent intending to fill new full-time positions this year.

In keeping with Schelter’s observations that there is “a tendency for hiring to remain flat until the volume of business increases on a consistent basis,”  we have added a couple of fresh faces to our team and are prepared for the upswing in the industry!  Read on to learn about our newest employees.

Laura Keeler

Laura joined the Corinthian Events team in December and is elated to be a part of such a dynamic organization.  After graduating from Colby College in 2007, she applied her Art degree to a position in the New York City art world.  A recent transition to both Boston and event planning brings on bouts of enthusiasm about the vivacious city, the energy and creativity within the industry, and the everyday problem solving that she is faced with.  In her time away from Kingston Street, Laura enjoys all things artsy, blogging, scuba diving, and homemade pesto.

Vanessa Childs

A Corinthian Events team member since March, Vanessa is enjoying working for and learning from the three talented, multi-faceted and fabulous partners.  With over seven years of experience in corporate meeting and event planning, Vanessa brings her negotiating prowess and grace-under-pressure attitude to the Corinthian Events team.  A Boston native, Vanessa can often be found practicing Pilates, cooking for family and friends, and traveling.