You may be wondering what it means to be an “independent” florist: When we first opened, I admit that I had no idea what I was doing– I mean, I knew how to make pretty flower arrangements, I knew how to welcome and care for customers, but I had no clue about the intricacies of being the little guy on the block. Within days of opening we were not flooded with customers, but instead, with people that were seeking our business in advertising and promotions. Like any young, inexperienced, and scared new business owner I felt the pressures of the new storefront and the growing insecurity that I’d not have enough customers to pay the bills. Enter the wire service. For those that don’t know, Wire Services were established pre internet, when consumers really needed a way to have a network of florists so they could send flowers out of town. Think FTD, Teleflora, 1800 Flowers. All three of these big wire services approached me about joining within the first few weeks I was open. They promised me the ability to send amazing quality flowers nationwide with their partner florists, and that I’d be getting heaps and tons of business from the florists needing to send downtown. I thought it sounded great.

What they didn’t share with me was the fact that wire services take a huge cut out of every order they send you, and they also undercut the florist by pricing the arrangements at a rate you, as a small business owner, can’t really compete with. It ended up being a terrible relationship.  If you want to know more about wire-services, please read this third party website article on the Florist Detective: How Wire Services Work. I am constantly educating my customers on the importance and value to them of ordering flowers from local florists instead of using a third-party wire service. Everyone benefits from local-based orders: You will get a better product for your money, you will actually speak with a floral designer that can tell you what they have and what will look best, and you’ll be able to rest assured knowing that your order is being cared for by a real, living person.

When I decided to leave the wire service, I was back in the the throes of being the little guy on the block. I can’t tell you how many customers base their decisions soley on price– not the quality of design, of service, or of product– and how many times I’ve had to watch people walk out the door because they could get a $5 bouquet of (not the best) roses at Kroger. I used to be upset about it. I’m not anymore, and I’ll tell you why: we give a different, better product than flowers you buy at Wal Mart or the grocery store. We’re not a discount shop and we don’t do discount work. We pride ourselves on selecting the best quality flowers and plants, staying on top of techniques that keep the flowers fresher and better longer, and we try not to worry about what the “Bigger guys” are doing.

Over the past few years, I’ve been sad to see several local retail flower shops close. I understand how it happens: they can’t compete. I don’t want to see our sweet little studio space go down that same road. We love our shop and love our customers. We love doing what we do. And I feel it’s part of my mission as a small, independent business owner to encourage and educate our customers and potential customers about the value of small, local, independent businesses.  In order to do spread the news and to tout the value of small business ownership, we are members of the 3/50 project and Independent We Stand. Why? Because if we don’t do something now to assert the value of small businesses and small business ownership, we’re going to end up living in a world where everything is a franchise, chain, or big box store. Why is that so bad, you ask? Try to find the individuality in that kind of environment. Try to find customer service that is based on caring instead of being just a number.  What’s more– for every dollar you spend at your local, independent business you put more money back into your local community. And that’s something worth getting behind, right?

We are an independent floral shop and proud members of Independent We Stand and the 3/50 project and we are offering a 10% discount on all pre-booked Valentine’s Day orders! To see some of last year’s valentine’s pretties, click here:

More info on this very special holiday to come! Feel free to email us at hello (at) brocadenashville (dot) com  for a copy of the Valentine’s Day Menu in your mailbox!

If you are, then you probably have realized that I, like so many other internet-loving people out there, am obsessed with Pinterest. Not sure what Pinterest is just yet– well, allow me to introduce you: Pinterest is a magical place where you can “pin” inspirational photos from the internet in organized boards that you can share with the world. Not sure what to pin– no worries, there’s a ton of others out there with lots of pinned goodies, divided by categories from architecture to “other.”

Pinning has become a downright obsession of mine, one I freely admit. I have the app on my iphone and I’m constantly using my free moments to search for inspiration. Because that’s what Pinterest is all about, a great big ball of digital inspiration. I use Pinterest when I’m gathering ideas for events, shoots, weddings, concepts, even the renovation and decoration of my new home. I love reading other people’s ideas and fun finds on the variety of boards I follow— everything from cooking tips to the cutest DIY concepts.

This time of year, there’s ANOTHER super cool function of Pinterest, and that’s in the “gift” category. As a self proclaimed Christmas shopping procrastinator (I love shopping on Christmas Eve. It takes me back to cramming for exams in college– it gives me some kind of sick, horrible, procrastination-heavy rush when I get the “A” or all the shopping done after last minute prep. It’s a sickness, but it’s my sickness…ANYWAY)…. I have been spending my non shopping time gathering ideas for gifts.  One of the things that Don and I are wanting to add to our home are the components of a classic bar so that we can make fancy cocktails a la Patterson House or Holland House. I found this super cool ice cube tray I now want (and will have to buy early, but whatever) on Pinterest:

Pinterest has also inspired lots of holiday ideas, and I’ve spent many an hour coming up with concepts I can execute for the holidays:For example, I found this:

And made this:

It’s so fun, so if you are NOT on Pinterest, you should request an invite now, and if you ARE on Pinterest, well, we hope you are following Brocade as we journey through the vast land of inspiration!

We’re so honored to be published. Expect more wedding-related posts soon!

So, here’s the deets: We are going to reward our FB fans with cool prizes while giving to help a child have a wonderful Christmas.

When we hit 500 Fans, we are going to reward one of our local fan page friends with a FREE 4 in potted pointsettia for their holiday decorating AND support ONE Angel Tree Angel!

When we hit 600 Fans, we are going to reward one of our local  fan page friends with a FREE fresh 6 inch potted poinsettia  for their holiday decorating and support ANOTHER Angel Tree Angel!

When we hit 700 Fans, we are going to reward one of our local fan page friends with a FREE fresh 16 inch Frazier Fir Wreath and support ANOTHER Angel Tree Angel!

When we hit 800 Fans we are going to reward one of our local  fan page friends with a 50 dollar gift certificate to Brocade and support THREE Angel Tree Angels!

So, come on, help give to a Sweet Angel Tree Angel and potentially win some fab holiday prizes! We hope you will share the love and “like” us!

10. Pinterest:  I am obsessed. So thankful for this beautiful, wonderful site to inspire my inspiration. I hope you are following us!

9. Starbucks Christmas Blend: It’s back! And I know that’s an odd thing to put on your “Thankful Post” but in general, I’m thankful for coffee. I have a coffee problem, one I can happily admit to, and I don’t want you to judge me for it, for if I didn’t have coffee, I’d probably just be like a mute zombie shuffling around.

8. Awesome opportunities: Our florals were published in a Southern Living photoshoot with A Delightful Day and Amber Housley. A beautiful collaboration I couldn’t be more proud of, be sure to pick up an issue! (Be sure to check out Amber’s new lovely site + brand by clicking above– so proud of her!)

7. Our sweet new home: While it’s certainly a journey in the renovation/remodel department, I couldn’t be more thankful for our beautiful new space that we call our own. One day it will be done, and I can show more than just the outside photos. But I honestly can’t be thankful enough for all the lessons that our house has taught me already, lessons in patience, determination, and the value of slow progress. It’s a gift!

 6. Our newest team addition, Ms. Rickey Minder– who is incredibly talented and brings a wonderful freshness to the world of Brocade. We are so happy that she joined us! Rickey is an amazing actress t00 (some gals get all the talent) so be sure to check out her website

5. My awesome friends + family (some of whom are featured below). You guys rock my socks off, and I love you.

4. My fantastic sister: I don’t have a super great photo of her to post below, but I want to take a second to thank her for all she does and all she contributes to my life and my business. She is a blessing in my life and I am so glad she chooses to spend an inordinate amount of her time with me at Brocade

3. My Amazing Team. I couldn’t do this without them! (This is just an iphone picture, which reminds me of how much we need a professional shoot stat to show off these lovely ladies). I love you all and I am so, so, so thankful for you!

2. Our Brides, customers, and supporters: We’re so happy to have touched the lives of over 150 brides since I started Brocade. While our contribution in your lives have been small, your contribution in ours has been HUGE. Thank you all for your amazing support and for entrusting us with your floral and decor needs! We are so lucky to be able to do work in a field we love, so thank you for allowing us to do so!

1. My awesome husband. You are my foundation, my best friend, my constant cheerleader, and let’s face it, darling: you’re pretty good looking, too. 

I hope that you all have an amazing Thanksgiving holiday filled with love, laughter, good friends + loved ones. Enjoy!

Now, let me offer a disclaimer: this is a really in-depth, blow-by-blow, every single morsel review. If you’re not interested in that kind of thing, then this isn’t the Hello post for you Thanks for stopping in, though! Now, I’ll continue:

A few months back, we heard about the Catbird Seat. Situated right about Patterson House (one of our favorite places), the restaurant– which opened in mid October on a Wednesday– promised to die-for food served in a kind of kitchen roundtable: it’s shaped like a U around the action of the kitchen, where diners can interact with the chefs as they prepare your meal. As soon as we heard about the restaurant (then not yet even being built) I started a “Catbird Seat” fund. I knew I wanted to go, and I kind of stalked their facebook fan page and asked to be notified when their reservation system went live. As soon as it did, I made our reservation– for the one Saturday in October that was totally wedding free.

Now,that week, I had a minor setback– I was sick all week long. Like, dead-dog sick, so sick I wanted to cry and gnash the teeth. During my time off I read all of the Hunger Games books, watched a few television series on Hulu, and slept about 16 hours a day. On Thursday– when I felt absolutely no better, I was convinced I was going to miss my Catbird Seat experience (and pay a hefty $75 per diner cancellation fee– ouch). But with doctors visits, antibiotics, and prayers, I awoke Saturday healed and feeling really great. Hurrah! So, we journeyed on to the Catbird Seat.

Our reservations were for 6:30: We arrived, valeted (complementary) and  were promptly greeted by name at the door by the dapper front of house manager and led upstairs via elevator. The anteroom to the restaurant had this really cool glowing magenta wall treatment, and then you step into the dining area that is stark and modern: The walls are white, the U-shaped bar around the kitchen is a rich deep mahogany, and the only illumination around the dining bar is a u-shaped florescent lighting fixture. The focus isn’t on decor but the kitchen. This is a really great contrast to the  feeling of the Patterson House downstairs– which is dark and richly textured and so period it’s enviable– the Catbird Seat may as well bear no relation.  Two booths– seating what looks about a max of 4– are on either side of the U kitchen– with a great modern light fixture over each space, and the back wall is simply appointed with a variety of specialty glassware.

We sat, were offered water, and instantly introduced to the sommilier– Jane– who offered a few beverage options: One, a base libation pairing menu that pairs various alcoholic beverages with each course for $30,  a reserve offering with higher-end liquors for $75 per person, or a limited wine list with suggestions expertly paired with the menu. Since we were going all out, we decided to go with the reserve pairing. More on that later. After meeting Jane, we started off with a little black ricek and tandoori crisp, followed by a “snack” plate expertly prepared by Tom: three little morsels: A baby radish with a sea urchin salt,  the Catbird Seat’s take on a “hot chicken” : crispy chicken skin, a blend of seasonings (papricka, red pepper, and cayenne) dusted on top, with a dill salt on top and two little dots of pureed wonderbread, and a porchini mushroom and Parmesan cheese oreo.  This was paired with a Vin d’Orange, a house-made concoction of a base of rose wine with infused flavors, including juniper berry. I can’t recall all the other ingredients, but it was nothing short of divine.

The snacks themselves were a delight.  My favorite item on the plate was the baby radish with sea urchin: a salty, delicious nibble. The hot chicken was imaginative but to me lacked a great definition of flavor. The Porcini + Parm “oreo” was a savory bite that played with the mind: you felt like you were supposed to taste something sweet, but instead, it was just rich decadence in your mouth. All in all, I think the snacks were a great inviation for things to come in the meal.

<A quick disclaimer: all the images are courtesy my i-Phone, please don’t judge the less than stellar image quality!)

Following the Snacks course, we experienced the salad course– also prepared by Tom. This amazing dish had charcoal barbequed root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, rutebega, salsify, yukon gold potatoes, beets) and some of this incredible pheasant … jelly?… like stuff. This salad made me want to cry from the sweet joy of it’s existence. It was really that awesome. I’m not kidding. We sipped more of the Vin d’Orange and awaited the next course.

Now, let me take a moment to comment upon the immpecable timing of this meal: you had a pause in between courses, one to chat or just let your digestion happen, but you were never long awaiting your next plate. It was perfect. After our salad course, we were presented with a Miso Cured Haddock with shitaki mushrooms, a gel made from Ginger and Yuzu, and a little furikake cracker. Uh, yummy. It was paired with a cold Sake: the Sesshu Otokoyama Junmai Sake from Hyugo, Japan. The haddock was perfectly cooked with an excellent Miso flavor, and rested in a shitaki dashi broth and upon a Gomae circlet– a little spinach salad. The ginger gel was ridiculous– it tasted like an intensely flavorful ginger jell-o.  I don’t even like fish!

The Saki was delightful: it was cold sake, unfiltered, and had a beautiful cloudy look to it. The flavor was on the drier side and it was very refreshing– a great neutral like pairing to let the flavors in the fish shine.

After that course, we got a delightful little carbonated white tea with ginger, mint, and cardamon as a palette cleanser. And then we moved on to the poultry course: A Wedge Oak Farm Chicken, served witha smoked tea  (Lapsong) sauce,  and a butternut and spaghetti squash. The chicken was made with equal parts of the breast, thigh, and leg, and then was all wedged together (think Turducken style) and topped with crispy skin. This chicken was melt in your mouth delicious. It was the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. The squash was amazing as well, with notes of sage. Soo, soo good. It was paired with a 2009 Alsase based Gewurztraminer — Paul Blanck– full of really nice apricot notes and not too terribly sweet on the finish.

Both of the previous courses were prepared by chef Josh Habinger : His palate and flavor choices are incredible, and we both deeply enjoyed the courses and conversation.

Following up the poultry course, we had an egg and steak course: a poached egg served with Wagyu beef, a truffle sauce, and a potato cream. This was prepared by chef Erik Anderson and was paired with Gruet NV Blanc de Noirs from New Mexico. The egg was awesome (and my husband has been dreaming of it ever since he ate it), the steak expertly flavored and perfectly prepared, and the potato cream was divine.  It paired perfectly with the Gruet, a sparkling wine with complex flavors and a richness that met the egg and meat perfectly.

We rounded the corner with a Lamb dish: this was served with all these unique charred vegetables: charred eggplant, cucumbers, shallots, and parsley, along with the rich lamb. The dish was paired with a Chateau Musar 09 “Jeune” from Lebanon: the intense and enigmatic flavors of the wine– heady and rich with accents of anise– was a perfect complement to the lamb. I don’t think I could drink this wine with anything other than this dish, the flavors were almost too intense– but I definitely enjoyed the complement.

The following course was the cheese course: a Jasper Hill Harbison from vermont served with fennel and black walnut crumbles. It was paired with a triple Karmeuet beer from Belgium. I didn’t want to dance in the streets over this course– maybe because I’m not as into cheese, but my husband felt the same way. It was good, but not divine.

The final course was the dessert course: tiny wedges of vanilla cake with pineapple,cherry, burnt oak ice cream, and tiny little bourbon balls that exploded in your mouth with every bite. We enjoyed this course with a 2008 Royal Tokaji “Mad Cuvee”– a late harvest wine, with a glass that was rinsed with a black maple hill whiskey. Yumm-y. The cake provided the perfect neutral complement to the sweetness of the pineapple and the strong flavor of the burnt oak ice cream.  A perfect ending to a beautiful meal.  The little exploding bourbon  balls were a delicious fascination.

In closing, I felt that the dining experience was nothing short of exceptional. It may take us a while to get back there, but we will one day and I can’t wait to see what the chefs have created. It’s most certainly the best restaurant in Nashville, and you should make every attempt to soujourn there at your earliest opportunity– it’s well worth the expense.  At the close of the dinner they give you a detailed menu to take home that documented your journey, along with a tiny morsel of peanut nougat… delicious!