Each year we get the privilege of working with our good client Denese at Rustoleum to help her plan their annual company-wide picnic. For many years, the Rustoleum Picnic has taken place at the North Bay Pavilion at Independence Grove. But when the picnic grew a bit too big for the picturesque space, we worked together to find an alternative event venue that would be suitable for the company’s growing needs.

Eventually, we decided on Banner Day Camp.

My client Denese is incredible at executing a vision she has for an event. Once she gets an idea in her head, it’s impossible to get in her way. We knew Banner Day Camp would be the perfect venue to allow her to really spread out and execute any theme she had in mind.

After talking back and forth to develop the theme for the event, we came up with some great ideas and elements:

• The dude ranch-type welcome sign was a hit.
• The décor throughout the space included thematic elements, such as haystacks, barrels, ropes, a couple of ranch-type lounge areas, rustic florals in galvanized vases, and pallet tables for the extensive raffle offerings
• We had actors dressed up as old-timey Western characters (one of whom was a lasso expert!).
• We catered Western-themed food, including pulled pork sandwiches, baby back ribs, roasted corn on the cobb and baked beans.
• Our caricaturists drew on pre-printed, fun and logoed paper.
• We also had pony rides, and tasked our hayrides to be valet transportation for remote parkers.

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Have you met the lovely Cynthia (call her “Cindy”) Senecal? She’s an amazing member of the Catering by Michaels team, working in the Accounting Department as the Accounts Receivable Specialist since 2008.

It’s always fun to see what makes our staff tick, and Cindy had a lot to say about her time at Catering by Michaels, and what she likes to do outside of work!

What did you do before working here?

Did I even have a life before CBM?  Honestly, what I did was nothing exciting: Banking, Management Office of Currency Exchanges.

I will say that regardless of where I’ve been and where I’m going, I’m all about Accountancy – only.  Accountancy is my life. I wouldn’t be as happy in another role!

What does a typical work day look like?

It involves lots of computer time divvied up between bookkeeping, invoicing, accounts receivable, and assisting with accounts payable. But I make sure to take breaks as I need them to sample the delicious dishes being cooked up in the kitchen!

What’s the best part of your job?

I love my team – from the executive level on, they are great people to work with! It wouldn’t be the same without the amazing people I share my time with.

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Juno is Chef B.K. Park’s answer to Chicago’s need for a contemporary sushi restaurant. Nestled in Lincoln Park, Juno is popular for its amazing sushi, sophisticated ambience and top-notch service.

After closing for 8 months in 2014 due to a fire that destroyed most of the restaurant, Juno continues to reinvent itself and its dishes. The renovated bar space located at the front of the restaurant features warmer tones and Japanese-inspired lighting fixtures. The bar serves small dishes and drinks like beer, wine and sake, which is considered Japan’s national drink and is the base for most of their cocktails.

When you walk by the restaurant, you might often see a near-empty bar, but don’t be deterred. At the back is a minimalist formal dining room which is often packed with eager diners waiting to see what Chef B.K. (formerly of Arami) has to offer.

While the restaurant serves its share of sliced sashimi and maki, the side of raw fish is elevated by Chef B.K.’s remarkable skill and creative flair. For instance, the Special Smoked Hamachi is something that has never been seen before. The nigiris, which come with some shiitake and sweet corn, are smoked right in front of you. Other must-try nigiris are Juno’s signature King Nigiri (spicy king crab and tuna with crunchy potato toppings) and Queen Nigiri (spicy scallop and salmon with crunchy potato toppings).

(Photo Credit: Juno Restaurant)

For hot dishes, most patrons recommend the Confit Chicken Wings, which are more like bite-sized pieces of chicken with sweet pepper marmalade, kohlrabi and togarashi.

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Summer is the perfect time for a picnic! Picnics are a great way for corporate businesses to give back to their employees and show their gratitude for all their steadfast hard work. If you’ve been chosen to plan your company’s annual picnic, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together the below tips to help you save time, money, and unnecessary headaches.

Here’s how to plan a company picnic with as little stress as possible.

Plan ahead as much as possible.

Easier said than done, right? We understand that it’s not always realistic to carve out extra time to plan a company-wide event when you still have your regular job duties to attend to. That’s why we strongly recommend putting together a schedule that realistically addresses the complexity of putting together such a large-scale event. This will ideally go back 5-6 months before your planned picnic date to give you enough time to secure a venue, hire a rock star caterer, and give employees enough notice to clear their schedules.

The trick here is to find a caterer who has the experience needed to take this off your plate. And it’s a bonus if they have partnerships with picnic venues — that way you can scratch two important to-dos off your list right away, and then breathe a sigh of relief!

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We’re pretty notorious for our ability to cater many Jewish holidays in style, with respect to traditional foods and their cultural significance. While we take pride in the menus we put together specifically for holidays like Passover, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah, there’s something special about being asked to take part in the Jewish coming of age celebrations for boys and girls: bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs.

We recently catered perhaps the coolest bar mitzvah, ever. The whole event revolved around a baseball theme, and was over the top in the best possible way.

All photos provided courtesy of Jai Girard Photography.

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