It's always nice to step away from busy schedules to share holiday cheer with colleagues and friends.
Our annual company luncheon was held yesterday in New York City. More than 145 employees representing 18 different labels from Marquee Brands Inc. attended the event at the midtown Manhattan establishment, Tanner Smith's. Attendees enjoyed a variety of small bites, cocktails, and great conversation. It was a wonderful time to celebrate the year's many accomplishments and boost everyone's energy for 2026!
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Following an all-employee meeting, our company hosted a luncheon at Tanner Smith’s, a casual establishment styled as an early 20th century pub in midtown Manhattan.
Everyone was happy to attend. Here are Katina Monteith, Marquee Brands Senior Human Resources Director and Ujjwal Dhungana, Payroll & HR Operations Associate.
Here are two of our designers, Sydney Yiu and Claire Basile.
Enjoying good conversation and laughs – Marquee Brands VP Associate General Counsel Eric Winchel, my Books Editorial Director Susanne Ruppert, and Hubert Dorsainvil, Marquee’s Director of Legal Operations.
Sitting here are Royal Compliance Analyst Bilun Inun and Nataly Chaca, Manager of Digital Marketplaces.
Some of the small bites included crudités and a creamy dipping sauce.
Here’s a tray of hamburger sliders on mini brioche buns – always a big hit with hungry crowds.
And here’s a tray of vegetable flatbreads – hot and ready to serve.
Spreading good cheer are VP of Creative Services Ryan Mesina and Senior Director of Brand and Integrated Marketing Ben Luckadoo.
Digital Marketplaces division lead Golda Painten, Jenny Levtchenko, Senior Fashion Trend Director, and Allison Darling, Art Director for Ben Sherman stopped for this quick snapshot.
… And so did longtime Associate Editor Mike Winner.
Here are Anthony Tutrone, Global Head of Neuberger Berman Alternatives & Managing Director and SVP Corporate Development Nancy Jo Cassidy.
At this table are Brand Manager Kate Kelly, Senior Marketing Manager Sophie Roche, Culinary Manager Emily Greene, and Culinary Producer Alex Utter.
Here are Strategy Director Kim Dumer, who has worked with me for many years, and Video Editor Sean Petell.
SVP of Brand Management & Strategy Meegan Colgan with Media Producer Abby Lengyel, and my longtime Special Projects producer Judy Morris.
Here are Marketing Manager Jessica Ketterer, Assistant Art Director Olivia Crutchfield, and Jodie Laroche, Social Media & Digital Marketing Manager.
A fun photo of Marquee Brands Chief Financial Officer John Hayes, Ryan, and SVP Finance Ellen Yip, enjoying Buffalo wings fresh out of the oven.
Here’s our Marquee Brands Legal Team under Chief Legal Officer, Heather Greenberg – Asha Davis, Hubie, Nicole Porter, Heather, and Eric.
In this photo – Ellen with Ivy Spargo, EVP Brand Management.
… And don’t forget the sweet treats. Here’s a platter of s’mores – the popular campfire snack consisting of toasted marshmallows and chocolate on graham crackers.
… And a platter of mini carrot cakes.
It was a delightful gathering for everyone. Happy Holidays!
Magnolia, Dahlia, Lilium, and now Chrysanthemum - four elegant Persians at Cantitoe Corners.
This year, I welcomed four beautiful Persian cats into my home. Three were adopted through Rock 'N Rescue, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Bedford Hills, New York, not far from my farm. All live in my Winter House - my silver shaded Persian Magnolia, my dilute calico Persian Dahlia, my brown Persian longhair Lilium, and the newest to join the family, my chocolate Persian Chrysanthemum.
Enjoy these latest photos.
Magnolia has been with me since January. She has beautiful golden-copper eyes and a friendly disposition.
She’s about three years old and so curious – roaming from room to room, upstairs and downstairs, keeping an eye on everything that goes on.
Here she is in the laundry room on top of my large ironing table that was still warm.
And here she is in my sitting room stretching in a “play bow.” Do you want to play, Magnolia?
Is this a yawn, a meow, or both? Do you know… cats meow primarily to communicate with humans? It’s their way of expressing their emotions, wants, and needs.
This beauty is Dahlia. She has captured everyone’s hearts here at the farm.
Dahlia loves company and attention. She’s the youngest of the Persians at about one year old.
Dahlia is fond of following anyone around the house hoping for a rub.
Sometimes Dahlia likes to lounge in one corner of my enclosed porch where she gets full views of the outdoors through floor to ceiling windows.
Dahlia plays hard and sleeps hard. Kittens six months and older, and adult cats, sleep about 16 to 18 hours a day on average. And, kittens have a similar routine to adult cats, napping throughout the day. They are usually most active at dawn and dusk. Dahlia enjoys napping on this settee in my sitting room.
This is Lilium. Lilium is about three years old with beautiful facial expressions and markings.
Lilium traveled all the way from Doha, the capital city of Qatar in the Middle East. I adopted Lilium and Magnolia through Rock ‘N Rescue.
She fits in so nicely with her new “sisters.” She’s playful, confident, and very friendly.
She’s also quite curious. Here she is checking out the holiday decorations.
And here she is in the enclosed porch where the “kitty buffet” is kept for all the cats in my Winter House.
And this beautiful chocolate Persian is Chrysanthemum. She also traveled all the way from Doha and came to me through Rock ‘N Rescue.
Her gorgeous coat is chocolate to smoky brown.
I adopted Chrysanthemum on Halloween. She has just started to explore more of my home. She also loves company and rubs up against all who stop to say hello.
In fact, she is quick to walk towards anyone looking for an ear scratch.
The hanging icicle ornaments on a tabletop tree caught Chrysanthemum’s attention long enough to get this photo. All four cats get along quite well and are wonderful additions to my furred family.
I've been covering my boxwood specimens with burlap since I first started to garden. Burlap covers protect the tender branches from splaying and breaking from the weight of snow, while shielding the foliage from freezing windburn. I think it also provides a cozy and pretty look to the winter landscape. Yesterday, my outdoor grounds crew enveloped my entire Boxwood Allée, transforming its appearance for the season.
Enjoy these photos.
The burlap gets reused from year to year whenever possible. When it is removed in spring, it is rolled up, labeled and then stored in the dry stable barn until it is used again. This is one of last year’s burlap covers – still in excellent condition. Depending on the quality of the burlap, these covers can last through two seasons, sometimes three.
The framing for the burlap covers was already completed. These are the metal pipes typically used for building hoop houses.
Phurba and Adan unfold the ends of one burlap cover and make sure it is matched properly to the boxwood the way it was made.
Then the burlap is slowly draped over the boxwood one section at a time.
Here’s Phurba placing the fabric over a tall boxwood shrub…
… and then over the metal frame. It takes a couple of crew members to get the burlap over the frame peaks.
Adan carefully pulls it over the metal ends, so the fabric doesn’t snag and rip.
Boxwood grows every year, but these covers still fit the shrubs with plenty of room.
Here is a section of the allée completely draped with burlap.
Scraps of wood can be repurposed for various projects. Here, Pete cut small strips from unused wooden pieces. The strips are about six inches long – just long enough to accommodate two screws that will keep the burlap secure. Pete secures crews into the strips to quicken the process.
Meanwhile, Adan holds the fabric taut over the framing and wooden stakes at the bottom.
And Phurba screws the strips to the stakes, sandwiching the burlap in between.
It looks very tidy once several strips are well attached. Both the metal piping and wood stakes can be seen through the fabric.
At the row ends, the burlap is pulled snug and jute twine knots are positioned to keep it closed.
Phurba sews an opening closed and snug.
All the sewing is done using five-inch or eight-inch long craft needles specifically made for working with jute – every member of the outdoor grounds crew has his own needle. These needles have large eyes and bent tips.
Here is what the end sections look like all sewn together. The fabric is pulled taut and secured – all by hand.
Some of the sewing is still intact from last year, saving lots of time.
Here is one finished section of the Boxwood Allée. The burlap still allows the boxwood to “breathe”, and get sunlight, which is important even during the colder months.
Here is a view with the stable at the end. I’ve been “burlapping” for many years and find that this is really the most reliable way to protect my hedges and shrubs. Covering this allée with burlap gives me comfort that all will survive the winter unscathed.
And here is the full length of my long Boxwood Allée. It is so pretty to see all done. And this is just the beginning. There’s a lot more to cover up.
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