Everything is harder in 2020, especially writing this end of year top ten. Every time I start to think back on the year, I feel like I am getting assaulted with everything we have faced this year. It is like being hit with snowball after snowball – in the face. I am sitting at my actual desk for the first time in months writing this, by myself, with just a small lamp, hot cup of tea, great music on, no distractions – the perfect setting to write a blog. I have been staring at my screen for 30 minutes and now have come back to trying to write this blog for three days. How do you put into words in a one-page blog what this year has been like? How do you explain surviving as a company in a year where you were forced to cease doing the very thing that your business is about? How do you properly recognize the resiliency and amazing teamwork our team has shown this year to survive?
Catering by Michaels – A Top Ten
What Will You Take With You?
It’s been a minute since I have written a blog. We opened back up and the business of being open and operating during COVID-19 took over. That is another blog entirely and I will get to it, but that is not what I want to talk about today. I read yet another fantastic MIBE (Make It Better Everyday) message from my friend and mentor, Anthony Lambatos, from Footers Catering in Denver, Colorado. Seriously – sign up for his weekly MIBE message, his words are gold and always thought-provoking. I read his MIBE message from last week (the inspiration for this post) and knew that I needed to do this same activity with our team. We brought our sales team back into the office this week on an alternating A/B schedule. This is the first time any of them have been at their desks or inside our doors since March 16th. I have a few tears in my eyes just thinking about the journey we have been on thus far.
My name is Lisa Ware and I am the Director of Business Development & Special Projects at Catering by Michaels. I have been writing each week about our journey through COVID-19. This is about my personal experience as we have been living through COVID-19 in our business. If you have not yet read the previous episodes – be sure to start from the beginning!
Chicago Venues We Love: The Fairlie
The team behind the shared-use commercial kitchen space, Kitchen Chicago, presents The Fairlie — Chicago’s newest wedding venue.
Located on Bell Avenue in the West Loop neighborhood, The Fairlie opened its doors to the public this spring, just in time for the summer wedding season.
Upon entering the space, you’re greeted by the floor-to-ceiling entrance vestibule, which provides a beautiful view of the outdoors.
As you advance further inside The Fairlie, you’ll find an event space that covers 15,000 square feet across the main floor and mezzanine levels. If you want to plan a grand entrance, you can actually drive a car inside: made possible thanks to the garage door entrance!
All of this space makes The Fairlie a great event space pick for corporate events and expos — though it was created to cater to weddings first and foremost.
The first level of the space can be used for a wedding ceremony. Conceptualized with an industrial-chic aesthetic in mind, the focal point of this space is the fantastic wrought iron staircase located front and center. It’s ideal for creating a dramatic entrance for the bride as she walks down the aisle.
Whether or not you have experience working with catering companies, it can be hard to choose the best service option for your specific event. What’s the difference between full service and delivery? Let’s break it down and take a look at each different service type and what they include.
Here’s a quick visual summary via an infographic:
And now we’ll take a more in-depth look at each…
