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AVAILABILITY.
SE-01, Thurs., Apr. 3, 6:30 pm, $40
TWIG WREATH WITH SPRING FLOWERS: Thing spring… earlier
than any crocus!
Let a winsome wreath of twigs and fresh spring flowers evoke the optimistic
feelings of spring. Savor every moment with a wreath that shows off the best
of the spring season. Nothing brings the outdoors inside better than a collection
of branches woven into a wreath and accented with spring botanicals. So simple,
so special, this oversized wreath has a homespun touch, but is elegant and
serene. Because of its size, versatility, and long lasting durability, your
twig wreath will be a part of your home for years to come.
SE-02, Sat., Apr. 5, 9:00 am, $40
FROM OLD CHINA TO AN OLD FAVORITE: Water-Catchers
easy to make and incredibly stunning!
The old French art of "pique-assiette" offers a unique opportunity
to recycle china into a wonderful garden ornament for our feathered friends.
Using china plates provided, you will arrange into a mixture of reinforced
concrete an adorable water-catcher for your garden’s thirsty visitors.
Learn how to turn grandma’s chipped heirloom china into a true garden
keepsake, those items which carry great sentimental value and family memories.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-03, Thurs., Apr. 10, 6:30 pm, $45
SET FOR SUMMER: Someone’s in
the kitchen with Elsie….and it’s you!
As the fireflies flicker and the sun rests its head, the evening air grows
heavy with the sweet aroma of our best summer recipes. We know what you’re
craving; terrific new recipes that showcase summer’s sweet return. We
will arouse your senses with a bold array of zesty main dishes, exciting sides,
and lively beverages. Guests will: visit Chef Elsie’s kitchen; be tantalized
with Curtis’ trendy, new summer beverages; learn how to prepare for a
summer party; and, learn about quick and easy mouth-watering dessert ideas.
Come hungry because you will dine first, and then continue with a progressive
food event. This promises to be a favorite given that …….summer
never tasted soooooooo good!
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-04, Sat., Apr. 12, 9:00 am, $50
EUROPEAN BIRDBATH: Bathing is for
the birds!
Your feathered friends will dine and bathe in whimsical style
soon after arriving home with this beautiful concrete birdbath.
We have selected a 13" one-piece
concrete birdbath for you to age using techniques used by European gardeners.
Using a little latex paint, your birdbath can look like ancient marble statuary.
Daub an urn or wall plaque with a rag – instant verdigris. All it takes
is mastering a few basic techniques and some simple experimentation.Different
aging techniques such as glazing, pickling, and verdigris washing will be
demonstrated allowing you to choose the style you like best for your delightful
birdbath.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-05, Sun., Apr. 13, 1:00 pm, $45
ENGLISH GARDEN TROUGH PLANTERS with
LUNCH: An idea from the old country!
An old English technique of constructing garden troughs from
an "old world" recipe
(called hypertufa) is the focus of this workshop. Hypertufa looks like stone
but weighs less and takes whatever shape you desire. Starting with a pre-made
form, you will create a trough planter made from a combination of concrete,
vermiculite, water, and peat moss. Reinforcement with chicken wire will ensure
your planter will last for many years. Accent a garden path or patio with your
English planter, reminiscent of antique planters that adorned European gardens
of the past. After taking your creation home and brushing it with yogurt or
buttermilk, mosses and lichens will grow to enhance that "antique" look.
At the beginning of this workshop, you will be treated to a special garden-style
lunch prepared by Chef Elsie.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-06, Thurs., Apr. 17, 6:30 pm, $30
SALVAGE ON THE CHEAP: There is life after Salvage!
Do you want to make the most of secondhand bargains, tag sales, and flea markets?
If so, then this is definitely the workshop for you. Scott will show you how
to shop vintage sales with confidence, where to find sales, how to spot a good
buy, dicker and deal, and examples of how to transform newfound treasures into
decorative, useful objects. Spend an evening sipping Champagne while discovering
creative foraging. This is your chance to discover or enhance an amazing new
hobby of collecting inexpensive objects and transforming them.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-07, Sat., Apr. 19, 7:00 am – 11:00 pm, $150
CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN BUS TOUR: All
aboard for those who love antiques and gardening!
The Chicago Botanic Garden is actually 23 gardens in one! From
the romantic English Walled Garden to the vibrant Circle Garden,
specialty garden areas
show the diverse beauty of nature. Scott Stokes invites you to the annual "Antiques & Garden
Fair" where the best in classical and contemporary garden furnishings,
botanical art, and home and garden design from more than 100 exhibitors from
the United States and Europe will be on display. This is the Midwest show of
shows that features rare and one-of-a-kind items, from 6-foot fountains to
charming birdbaths, along with gardening tools, all styles of urns, pots and
vases, arbors, garden benches and outdoor furniture sets. Lots of plants, flowers
and small gardening gifts are also available. Scott’s bus tour leaves
Southern Exposure Farm at 8:00 am and returns at approximately 11:00 pm. The
cost of the tour includes: Travel to and from Chicago; Chef Elsie’s European
breakfast snack; Admission to this event; Dinner at Tosi"s in Stevensville
on the return trip; and, many refreshments on-board! Don’t worry about
the purchases you’ll make throughout the day. We have a large storage
area under the bus.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-08, Fri., Apr. 25, 6:30 pm, $50
A VINE AFFAIR: From grape to glass!
Dim the lights, pour the wine, and set the candles aglow. Imagine the setting.
An elegant dinner complete with candelabras. A culinary masterpiece, meticulously
prepared and artfully presented, rounds out this perfect dining and wine experience.
Mouth-watering food and delightful wine belong together, and the gratifying
part is tasting why! While Chef Elsie prepares one of our famous dinners, Curtis
will introduce six different wines, explain the variety and characteristics
of each, and emphasize the 10 rules-of-thumb for food and wine pairing. The
only thing standing between your taste buds and six wonderful glasses of wine
is a cork. We intend to make the cork history.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-09, Sat., Apr. 26, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, $55
A DAY AT THE FARM WITH LUNCH: A place where peace and quiet meet!
It’s springtime and all gardeners feel the ancient pull; the unshakable
desire to plunge ones hands into the soil to plant, nurture, and discover "Mother
Earth." Spend a day with garden expert and designer Scott Stokes, as he
gives practical advice and demonstrations in creating your own personal "Garden
of Eden." We will discuss, and you will be shown top picks for: Perennials
and Annuals; Garden Art and Statuary; Cottage Gardening, and Ornamental Grasses;
all demonstrated before your very eyes. At noon, Chef Elsie and her team will
set up an old-fashioned garden party buffet using summer décor and the
season’s hottest summer foods and desserts. At the conclusion, you will
take home recipes and a dozen plants as a remembrance of this special day.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-10, Sun., Apr. 27, 1:00 pm, $45
GARDENING FROM SCRATCH with
LUNCH: Can inspiration make your landscape more amazing?
Itching to get growing but don’t know
where to begin? The purpose of a landscape design is
to enrich the quality of life on the land that is under
your control, be it a small back yard in the city,
or acres of space in the country. To get the most from
trees, shrubs, and flowers, you must first decide how
you would like to use all the land that surrounds your
house. You will spend the afternoon rediscovering your
yard. We’ll show you how to sketch your own personalized
plan and design your landscape. You will also learn
about the easiest annuals and perennials to plant and
incorporate into your landscape design. But first,
you will enjoy one of Chef Elsie’s delicious,
delectable lunches and select ten plants for your new
landscape adventure.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-11, Tues., Apr. 29, 6:30 pm, $45
EUROPEAN HANGING BASKET and
A SPRING FEAST: Bring warmth and tradition to your home!
Baskets have a distinguished history and a thousand
uses. The Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in one,
Native Americans employed them as cradles, traps and
sifters, and early settlers wove large ones for storage.
More recently, hanging baskets have become a delightful
portable garden decoration when hung on a door, gate
or fence. Come and enjoy a wonderful Spring Feast prepared
by Chef Elsie followed by a delightful evening planting
a hanging wire basket filled to the brim with edible
flowers, herbs, and scented botanicals. Whether you snip
the plants for aromatic garnishes in drinks or mince
them for desserts, this attractive and multi-purpose
basket will be enjoyed all season long.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-12, Sun., May 4, 1:00 pm, $50
FOUR GARDEN CRAFTS with PICNIC LUNCH: Come nourish
the soul and spirit
Until the advent of popular photography in the 19th Century, enthusiastic
gardeners had their favorite blooms painted, pressed or immortalized in botanicals,
or
shared through the language of flowers. Bring this rich heritage into your
home and garden. You will: frame a reproduction Audubon botanical; glaze
a pot for a rosemary plant; create a spring floral arrangement to include
branches;
and, imprint a cherub’s face into a plaster impression. But first,
let us whet your appetite with a wonderful, mouth-watering spring picnic
lunch
prepared by our renowned Chef.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-13, Tues., May 6, 6:30 pm, $35
THE ULTIMATE CUTTING GARDENS: Stop and cut the flowers!
For anyone who must have blooms, a cutting garden is a necessity. It also provides
a means of integrating house and garden, of pulling the inside and outside
together. In this workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of growing cut
flowers – from the best varieties for bouquets to the best place to plant
a flower garden. You will learn all the tricks of producing abundant flowers
in a low maintenance landscape. You will watch and take notes as we establish
and prepare our own cutting garden for this growing season. At the end, you
will take home eight plants to get your own special cutting garden started.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-14A, Thurs., May 8, 6:30 pm, $45
SE-14B, Fri., May 9, 6:30 pm, $45 (workshop is full at this time)
LET’S GET GRILLING: This summer’s
hot spot is in your own backyard!
So how often do you get burned, have singed chicken or overdone steaks? Your
trial by fire is over. We intend to "fire up" your entertaining skills
with great grilling tips and recipes given throughout the evening. Grilling
stations for: flame-kissed meats; vegetables and fruit; and seafood are all
on the menu with demonstrations! A wonderful dinner will follow with a garden
party theme, so come hungry. Oh, …did we mention Curtis and his "beer
and wine selections" would be part of this wonderful experience? Bon Appetit!
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-15, Sat., May 10, 9:00 am, $45
ENGLISH GARDEN OBELISK: Heights of glory for your climbing botanicals!
Recreate the elegance of an English garden with an attractive garden obelisk
to add charm and purpose to your garden, in a container, or on your patio.
Built for its durability, an obelisk will support and display your favorite
climbing vines. Today, you will learn about climbing plants with colorful
blooms. You will tour our gardens viewing arbors and trellises that we created
by bending
branches, twigs, and rebar. Then, you will assemble a six-foot obelisk using
rebar crested with a finial. Your obelisk can be folded for easy transport
into a 6-foot bundle, so please drive a vehicle that can accommodate your
creation. You will take home sweet peas to accompany your obelisk.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-16, Tues., May 13, 6:30 pm, $35
THE LIVING WREATH: Wreaths that say, "Welcome!"
Adorn your door with this year-round textural wreath. Like true art, a "living
wreath" will enrich any home for years and bring life to an outdoor room.
Living wreaths are composed of living botanicals: they change with the seasons
as the plants grow, and, in some cases, bloom. You will explore plant favorites
for your wreath to include drought-tolerant succulents, mouth watering herbs,
and alluring floral for color and design. You will enjoy making a living wreath
from a wide variety of succulents, herbs, and flowers selected for you.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-17, Thurs., May 15, 6:30 pm, $45
CONTAINER GARDENING with A COCKTAIL PARTY: Power-packed planting can be a lot
of fun!
Spruce up your deck, patio, or garden space with a splash of character and
potted color by creating a dazzling collection of planters and other vessels.
This workshop is perfect for apartment dwellers or people with limited space
or those who want to enhance balconies, front stoops, and the kitchen windowsill.
You will make three containers: an English hypha-tuffa planter with red sedum;
aged terra-cotta with rosemary; and a French white-washed container with basil.
We will also be a hosting a cocktail party with a smattering of easygoing foods
and drinks for you to enjoy. Discover the charms of aged containers and the
pleasures of a European-Style casual patio get-together.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-18, Fri., May 16, 6:30 pm, $45
MARTINI MADNESS: So much fun….it’s illegal in most states!
We intend to "shake up your spring" with this contemporary workshop.
Your body is a temple, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have a little
fun! You’ll be shaken and stirred with the fun ideas presented at our
martini party! Whatever your tastes, you will have a fabulous evening at our
martini bars complete with food. In this workshop you will also enjoy "Martini-friendly" Hors
D’ Oeuvres. So, come enjoy the "Martini Buffet" that will astonish
even a seasoned martini connoisseur.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-19, Sat., May 17, 9:00 am, $45
FLOWER FOUNTAIN: More than a splash of color!
Brighten your garden or patio with a magnificent container composition by stacking
smaller terra-cotta pots into larger ones. This elegant, colorful 24-inch high
design creates a sculptural pyramidal display for your herbs, vines, and flowers.
The graduated containers amplify your design and the terra-cotta displays your
massive plantings. Scott saw these wonderful flower fountains recently in Vienna
and instantly knew their function and charm would be a great addition to your
garden or patio. In this workshop, you will plant and design your charming
flower fountain to enjoy for the entire summer.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-20, Sun., May 18, 1:00 pm, $45
FOUR GARDENS and a LUNCH: Idea-packed for the passionate gardener!
Spring is here and life is lush and full now as the longer days settle into
their own gentle rhythm. Like a song’s first note, spring begins with
one bloom at a time. Spend an afternoon learning about four different specialty
gardens (culinary, mass color, hummingbird and butterfly, and shade gardening).
At the beginning of this workshop, you will be treated to a special English
Garden-Style Lunch prepared by Chef Elsie and her staff. At the conclusion,
you will take home 16 plants, four from each of the specialty gardens.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-21, Thurs., May 22, 6:30 pm, $45
AN HERBAL WINDOW BOX
with MARGARITAS: Southern Exposure’s Spring
Classic!
A recent vacation to an Italian villa
near the Mediterranean Sea was the inspiration
for this workshop. The setting was a small sidewalk
Bistro with window boxes adorned with the scents
and color of fresh herbs. Throughout the evening
fresh herbs were picked and added to the menu
selection. Spend the evening creating a portable
garden, perfect for the kitchen window, balcony,
or outdoor table. During this workshop, you will
assemble and fill your 24x6x6 white wooden planter
with edible flowers and culinary herbs including
basil, rosemary, thyme, and many other culinary
delights. Curtis will be making and serving Margaritas
to indulge and keep you refreshed.
We're sorry but this
event is full.
SE-22, Thurs., May 29, 6:30 pm, $45
FAUX BOIS ANGEL: You don’t need to be told when something’s a classic!
While traveling abroad touring an assortment of private Parisian gardens, we
stumbled across a wonderful technique called Faux Bois. The Faux Bois statuary
added an old world appearance to the gardens we visited. Most pieces today
are handcrafted and will fit into any garden theme, inside or out. Weather
staining, moss, and lichen gently age Faux Bois and settle it into your landscape.
The term, which literally means false wood, is used to finish statuary to make
it appear like ancient wood. In this workshop, you will replicate this technique
using a 19" concrete angel statuary from an early twentieth century mold.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
SE-23, Fri., May 30, 6:30 p.m., $45.00
LET IT FLOW, LET IT FLOW: From big brews to foreign ales…here we go!
Beach beer, ball park beer, and barbeque beer are all part of our American
heritage. Summer is peek season for beer and ales. Did you know the 4th of
July is the beer "drinkingest" day of the year? You will taste an
array of beers and ales, classics from around the globe, each paired with one
of Chef Elsie’s Hors D Oeuvres. Following this workshop, you will be
able to amaze your friends with the knowledge of remarkable beers and winning
foods to complement any event.
We're sorry but this
workshop is full.
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Spring 2008 Workshops & Specialty
Dining
