Casual Living Blogs
It's all about the onion
You probably know May is National BBQ Month. It turns out May also is National Vidalia Onion Month so I thought I'd pay homage to the onion in my very first Casual Grilling blog. Who doesn't love onions? Shrek thinks they are worthy and I do, too. So I searched high and low for onion recipes and finally found one online that I wanted to tackle. Eureka! Grilled onion rings. Fun and yum, not to men... More
About this blog
Ronda has been Casual Living's Graphic Designer since 2007 and Furniture Today's Graphics Manager since 2000. She just recently bought a home with grandiose thoughts of entertaining in her back yard and fantasizing she is a gourmet cook. The backyard is a long way from being an entertainment mecca but with this blog she's looking forward to trying new recipes to share while improving her novice grilling skills.
What Elephant?
I should have guessed it when I got my first faint whiff of peanut breath. I had suspicions when the chair cushions in the room were all badly pancaked. The bales of hay everywhere finally tipped me off. There was an elephant in the room and it was manufacturers were going into retail. The most recent entry into what is arguably the hardest way to make money in the world is Brown Jordan. Last wee... More
About this blog
Bruce Aronson and his family have been in the outdoor industry since 1952. Their single location store is the largest specialty outdoor furniture retail store in the New Orleans area. Although Bruce has served as VP of The Casual Furniture Retailers Association and has been active in the industry for many years, he does not claim to be any less confused by retail than any other retailer out there.
Aspirational shopping gains strength
A few weeks ago, Furniture/Today produced a special section that took a look at the opportunities for selling high-end/luxury furniture.The impetus for the section was prompted in part by a headline I spotted in a recent issue of the Wall Street Journal that read: What Recession? Americans Regain a Craving for Luxury. I was also intrigued by the luxury/high-end segment because even during the toug... More
About this blog
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the editor-in-chief of Furniture/Today, sister publication to Casual Living. In that role, I oversee the editorial content of our publication and our Web site, www.furnituretoday.com, I create content for the paper and the Web site, I pen a weekly column, maintain a blog, create the content for an annual Leadership Conference, and try to stay as plugged in as possible to every aspect of the residential furniture business.
Sun or Shade?
National BBQ Month officially kicks off the grilling season this month. Most of us know by now the barbecue season extends year-round for many grill owners across America. Are you hosting grill-related events at your store to draw attention to and capitalize on the annual event?Even if you're not selling grills, have you personally invited friends over to share a meal hot off your own grill at hom... More
About this blog
Cinde W. Ingram: Casually Speaking
Hi, this is Cinde W. Ingram and I'm the Editor in Chief of Casual Living and Garden Decor. Each week I hope to use this blog space to stay in touch with our readers. I want to know what you think about new products, markets, the retail climate and, most of all, Casual Living. Let me know what's going on. Check out my latest below.
Come on, answer the phone!
I am writing this with a deep level of frustration. I just tried contacting a retailer by phone, and got an answering machine - at a retail business - during business hours! It wasn't the first time today, which is what compels me to bring this topic up again. What's truly unfortunate about this situation is, it's not isolated. It's a very frequent occurrence. It sends the wrong type of message to... More
About this blog
Bruce Bjorkman is the director of sales and marketing for Dallas, Oregon-based MAK GRILLS, an award winning manufacturer of wood pellet smoker-grills. Bjorkman has been part of the wood pellet grill industry since 1991, and is considered to be one of the nation's leading experts in barbecuing, grilling and smoking. Bjorkman has just begun his eleventh year of hosting Cooking Outdoors With Mr. Barbecue, a weekly radio program heard on 15 radio stations through out the Northwest. His career path includes more than 30 years in advertising, marketing and media. He is also the author of The Great Barbecue Companion, published by Ten Speed Press, now part of Random House Publishing. You may email him at bruce@makgrills.com.
Too Little Too Late
I got a call recently from a business owner who was in trouble. First we got through the stories about his big mean bank. Then we talked about how great and glorious his business would be if only he could borrow another $800,000. Then we looked at his balance sheet and discussed the lack of rich uncles or friends who might lend him the $800,000.His bank is actually a little mean bank but they can... More
About this blog
Turning Points is dedicated to helping industry leaders survive the current recession and to prepare for success in the inevitable economic recovery.
The Circle Game
I have to admit it is a bit surreal to return 20 years later to the industry where I kick-started my editorial career - home furnishings - a business that I have always had a passion and curiosity about, and one that has always had a special place in my heart.I stepped into the role of furniture editor for Fairchild Publications' HFD (Home Furnishings Daily) and as a contributor to High Points mag... More
About this blog
Jamie Sorcher, senior editor at Casual Living, is a multimedia reporter as well as a word nerd, lifestyle expert and tech enthusiast. In broadcast, Sorcher has earned recognition as a go-to techie during more than 1,000 TV and radio interviews and originated the role of the Gizmo Girl on ESPN's Cold Pizza. She has written for publications as diverse as ShopSmart, Premiere, Home, Ty Pennington at Home, Sound & Vision, amNewYork, Robb Report, Consumer Reports, Maxim, Unlimited, Cafemom.com, The Huffington Post, Etown.com and ElleGirl.com. A graduate of Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism, Sorcher has studied at the London School of Economics and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Capturing the holiday spirit
Unquestionably, the holiday season is one of ambiance. It is a time where we all gather our closest friends and families and celebrate the blessings in our world. Inevitably, we aim to do so in an environment that lends itself to togetherness and gratitude. During this time of year there is nothing more satisfying than the warmth of a fire, the nostalgia of a classic holiday film and the scrumptio... More
About this blog
Erin Gonzalez is an interior designer who has worked in the outdoor industry with Marcia Blake, founder and president of Outdoor Interiors Inc., for the past year and a half, working with outdoor furniture manufacturers and clients to create inspired outdoor living spaces. Her experiences in the design world have taken her across the pond, where she worked for a design firm in London. Erin will be sharing her passionate views on all that inspires the outdoor room.
Defining design
Our homes should be a place where we can be ourselves. Where what we value and appreciate in this world matters and takes precedence. We are all so driven to give in to the demands and expectations of our society as soon as we walk out our front doors that we have a tendency to forget what is important to us. It's when society becomes a bit muddled that we finally can take a step back and look inw... More
About this blog
Marcia Blake is President / Creative Director of Outdoor Interiors® a design firm specializing in creating outdoor living spaces. She also provides design and consulting services for outdoor furniture manufacturers and has launched a new collection of soft goods and accessories she designed called Outdoor Couture®, she is an active member of the Color Marketing Group, ASID and ICFA.
