If you’ve ever seen – or heard of – the famous movie “Miracle on 34th Street”, you know it’s all about how something wonderful happens at Macy’s in New York City, on Christmas. While it certainly isn’t the Christmas season now, I think I can claim to have had my own “something wonderful” recently.
When my assistant told me that the wonderful people from Macy’s Special Events were inquiring about my availability for this year’s Macy’s Flower Show at Herald Square, I paused for a moment to reflect on the significance of the date. It would mark five years to the day when my dearest friend and flower aficionado Edward passed away. It seemed fitting in a way, since the Flower Show and Spring both symbolize re-birth. Of course, I told my staff to clear my calendar and make it happen. Just thinking about participating in this world-renowned and iconic show made my heart skip a beat. Edward would be so proud of this achievement as it was he who pushed me to follow my passion.
That said, this years theme “Spring Is In The Air” transformed Macy’s into a wonderland of spectacular gardens where magic reached new heights and floral fantasies took flight! The motifs were butterflies and hot air balloons. I was so honored to be chosen to participate, I felt like I was in my own hot air balloon, and with Edward’s memories by my side, I knew I would not be alone.
As I entered Macy’s, I took a moment to stroll through the enchanting gardens and vignettes, feeling inspired and lucky that I have a wonderful part in it all. This year’s show featured 10 different garden environments, including the new Hot Palm and Topiary gardens, and over 30,000 different varieties of exotic trees, flowering plants, with brilliant colors as far as the eye can see. The fragrance alone must represent what heaven would smell like! The aroma of Mother Nature’s beauty was captured not only as a vision but the complete essences of mother earth that unfolded as you wondered throughout the store.
As I prepared to set up, my assistant came over and said, “Take a look at the program Mar, as you’re in good company.” Listed in the group of featured gardeners and designers was Martha Stewart. (Hmm; I noticed her, do you think she also noticed me?) I was in amazing company, happy to be in the program among all the other amazing talent and experts.
My spirits soared with excitement, looking forward to doing a memorable presentation in the world’s largest store. Combined with how great it was to work with the Macy’s Special Event staff, I am excited for an opportunity to get invited back and extend my opportunities to work at other events with this terrific team. This was fun work, but like everything I do, I was going to be at the top of my game, ready to deliver a presentation that would hopefully inspire people to visit and experience a little bit of what Life On Mar’s is all about.
What did I talk about? I created a new presentation for this special Macy’s Flower Show event: a hands-on demonstration that was complimented with a slide show demonstrating how Mother Nature inspires design applications for the home. Rosebrook Gardens were the backdrop for this journey to Mar’s!
I asked two volunteers from the audience to help me as I showcased several simple signature casual luxury projects that they could reproduce at home, projects that help anyone bring Mother Nature indoors. I used Macy’s fabulous items to help accessorize the examples, making them even more beautiful and breathtaking.
The event was a huge success as it was standing-room only, and those who arrived a half hour early got the best seats. The magic of Macy’s was in the air, making it an experience of a lifetime for me.
Can you tell I enjoyed it? Great people, gorgeous flowers, a fun presentation, a kick-off to Spring, and the anniversary of a date that made me feel even more proud of what I was invited to do. Can you blame me for thinking I got my very own personal miracle on 34th Street?
