Jingle Blog
EXTREME CHRISTMAS TREES ON TLC PREMIERES THIS SATURDAY
December 7, 2011
We received word that the 10-foot-tall Sugar Art tree will be among those featured in Extreme Christmas Trees on TLC. The show premieres this Saturday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. We're so excited to see the tree and how the show's producers included the Children's Center for the Visually Impaired in the segment. Be sure to watch!
AND THE WINNERS ARE...
December 2, 2011
Updated Dec. 5, 2011
Best in Show and Merchant's Choice:
A Joyous White Christmas
Chef Pamala Lair, Sweet Bliss Cakery
People's Choice Award and Second place:
Whimsical Holiday Belvedere
Chef Ginny Pilarz
Third place
Gingerbread Park
Chef Cheri Elder, Sweet Bliss Cakery
Country Club Competition:
Santa's Mansion
Mission Hills Country Club, Chef Meghan Leary
THE FUN STARTS TONIGHT
December 1, 2011
Have you stopped by the Crestwood shops to see this year's Gingerbread Lane line-up? We'll be announcing the winners tonight so be sure to stop by and see if your favorite won a prize. Evening in Crestwood begins at 5:30 p.m.
Check back tomorrow for photos of the winners, except for People's Choice which will be announced Monday. People's Choice voting is open through Saturday.
IT'S ALMOST TIME
November 28, 2011
We're wrapping everything up with a big shiny bow in preparation for Holidays in Crestwood featuring Gingerbread Lane!
Local celebrities will cast their ballots tomorrow and the competition looks to be tough with many of the top winners from 2010 returning for this year’s battle. We’ll announce the top winners Thursday, Dec. 1, during Evening in Crestwood with the People’s Choice Award winner announced Monday, Dec. 4.
This year's judges include:
Kathy Boos |
Gary Lezak NBC ActionNews |
Karen Fuller KCTV-5 |
Lora Moritz KMBC Channel 9 |
Kellie Houx KC Studio |
Karli Ritter FOX 4 |
Chris Hernandez |
Carol Rose The Hills |
Laurie Ingram The Independent |
Katie Van Luchene KC Magazine |
Be sure to stroll along Gingerbread Lane during Evening in Crestwood to see if you agree with our judges!
FILLING UP FAST
November 7, 2011
Hard to believe we'll be visiting with Santa soon!
The Holiday Luncheon at Cafe Europa is sold out as are the 9:15 a.m. Breakfast with Santa seating at Cafe Europa and the 10 a.m. BWS seating at Aixois. Thanks to everyone who already made their reservation! If you haven't made yours yet, there's still time to join us at either the 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. Holiday Luncheon at Aixois or the 8:45 a.m. Breakfast with Santa seating, also at Aixois. Make your reservations by calling CCVI at 816-841-2284.
We have much to be thankful for this year. Please visit our Sponsors page to view all of our generous event sponsors. We thank the Crestwood Merchants for their continued support and generosity as well.
And we're excited that FOX 4 Chief Meteorologist Mike Thompson is planning to join us for Evening in Crestwood! If you can't make it out to the event, be sure to watch Mike's live weather casts from the Crestwood Shops during FOX 4's 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts on Dec. 1.
THINKING BACK TO LAST YEAR
September 15, 2011
Our dedicated committee is hard at work. We have 14 fabulous pasty chefs lined up for Gingerbread Lane but just a quick update about that 10 foot tall Christmas Tree that was inside Crestwood Flowers. You remember it, right? The Sugar Art Tree that The Learning Channel (TLC) was on hand for? There's a photo below in case you've forgotten. We've received word it will be included in their Extreme Christmas Tree Show running in late November. We're excited to see how the tree looks on TV and enjoy the memories of Crestwood 2010. We'll keep you posted on when the show will air.
Photo courtesy of Peggy Lawrey
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
December 6, 2010
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Holidays in Crestwood! What a wonderful weekend we had seeing old friends, eating delicious food and doing our holiday shopping!
Congratulations to our Gingerbread Lane winners!
Best in Show and Merchant's Choice:
The Semprez French Chateau
Chef Ginny Pilarz
Second place:
Winter Wonderland
Sweet Bliss Cakery, Chef Cheri Elder
Third place:
Christmas in Crestwood
Nellie’s Custom Cakes, Chef Nellie Metcalf
Country Club Competition:
Happy Holidays
Mission Hills Country Club, Chef Jimaly Peterson
People’s Choice Award:
Christmas at Rockefeller
Indian Hills Country Club, Chef Laura Comer
BIG HAPPENINGS AT CRESTWOOD
December 1, 2010
We're one day away from our favorite weekend of the year! Gingerbread Lane judging is complete and we’ll announce the winners tomorrow during Evening in Crestwood. Be sure to stop by the Crestwood Shops and find out who won!
And we have big news! Gingerbread Lane Chef Mike Elder has whipped up the ultimate Christmas tree cake especially for us! The 10 foot creation will be unveiled tomorrow during Evening in Crestwood. The Learning Channel (TLC) has been following Mike through his creative process and will be filming tomorrow night’s big reveal. Be sure to stop by Crestwood Flowers to see the tree and who knows -- maybe you’ll be interviewed by TLC!
The extreme tree is also part of the Gingerbread Lane Silent Auction so place a bid -- it could be yours! Tall ceilings required.
Hope to see you at the Crestwood shops. And remember, the generous merchants donate 10 percent of sales back to CCVI so bring your holiday shopping lists!
MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR
November 24, 2010
It’s Thanksgiving Eve and we have much to be thankful for this year – our generous event sponsors, our hard working committee, our lovely honorary chairwomen and our genius Gingerbread Lane chefs. Holidays in Crestwood wouldn’t happen without their help and commitment to the Children's Center for the Visually Impaired and we thank them.
Monday is Gingerbread Lane judging day. We have 13 local celebrities and chefs ready for the challenge:
Kathy Boos |
Diane Mora Diane Mora Cakes |
Karen Fuller KCTV-5 |
Donna Pitman KMBC Channel 9 |
Kellie Houx KC Studio |
Karli Ritter FOX 4 |
Laurie Ingram The Independent |
Skid Roadie 101 The Fox |
Keitha Kaminski Webster House |
Carol Rose The Hills |
Gary Lezak NBC ActionNews |
Ann Spivak Kansas City Star |
Katie VanLuchene
KC Magazine
Stay tuned to find out the winners!
GETTING READY FOR GINGERBREAD LANE
November 18, 2010
Be on the lookout for some fantastic gingerbread houses moving into the Crestwood shops next week. Local chefs will begin placing their creations in the shops Nov. 22.
The students of CCVI got in on the holiday spirit recently helping Argosy Chef David Rodriguez decorate his creation for Gingerbread Lane. Home for the Holidays is one of 15 houses along Gingerbread Lane up for bid through a silent auction. Shoppers can also vote for their favorite house to win the People’s Choice Award ($1 per vote).
Local celebrities will cast their ballots on Nov. 29 and the competition looks to be tough with the top winners from 2009 returning for this year’s battle. We’ll announce the top winners Thursday, Dec. 2, during Evening in Crestwood with the People’s Choice Award winner announced Monday, Dec. 6.
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Holidays in Crestwood Past
October 28, 2010
Happy Halloween (almost)! The Children's Center for the Visually Impaired held its annual holiday parade today and wow, was it chilly outside. The chill in the air got us to thinking about the upcoming holidays and the wonderful support we've had for past Holidays in Crestwood events.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we're recognizing our previous Chairmen. We wouldn't be planning our 2010 event without their support and guidance. We're thrilled this amazing group of women agreed to be Honorary Chairmen this year. Thank you for everything, ladies. We look forward to seeing you all very soon!
Marlys Haverty
2001 and 2002
Jeannette Reintjes
2002
Marianne Kilroy and Liz Uhlmann
2003
Jill Dean
2004 and 2005
Suzanne Donnelly
2006 and 2007
Nina Hollabaugh
2008
Thank you to our sponsors
October 15, 2010
We welcome the Michael & Marlys Haverty Family Foundation & Kansas City Southern Charitable Fund as the Title Sponsors for our 10th Anniversary Holidays in Crestwood featuring Gingerbread Lane. Marlys served as the event chairmen 2001 and 2002. We thank her, the Haverty Family Foundation and Kansas City Southern for their continued support of the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired.
We also thank Discover Vision Centers, the Atterbury Family Foundation, Joe and Suzanne Donnelly and Nicola Heskett and Walt Cofer for signing on as sponsors for our Crestwood events. We’ve had lots of Gingerbread Lane and Snowflake sponsors come on board, too. Please visit our Sponsor page to view a full list.
If you can't stand the heat
August 20 , 2010
Wow, it’s hard to even think about the holidays in this heat but December will be here before you know it.
The weather is keeping most of us out of the kitchen but we have 16 area chefs ready to do some baking for Gingerbread Lane. Last year’s big winners are returning and we have several first-time chefs ready to heat up the competition. Gingerbread Lane 2010 should be the most spectacular yet.
The houses will be on display beginning November 22 and remain in the Crestwood shops through December 4. Make plans now to stop by and vote for your favorite for the People’s Choice Award. And remember, you can take your favorite home by putting in the highest bid in the Silent Auction!
Celebrating 10 years of Holidays in Crestwood
July 29 , 2010
Make plans now to join us for our 10th Annual Holidays in Crestwood featuring Gingerbread Lane. It’s hard to believe we’ve been celebrating the holiday season with our Crestwood friends for 10 years. Many thanks to the generous Crestwood merchants for their continued support of CCVI.
The Holiday Luncheon and Breakfast with Santa always fill up fast and we’ll begin accepting reservations for both events on Sept. 15. Check out the home page and sign up to receive a reservation reminder.
Thank you to VML for designing and creating our website. Visit often to learn more about what’s to come including fantastic gingerbread houses made by local chefs and new ways we’ll celebrate the season in 2010.