Legal Blog For Professionals

March 15, 2010

Wine Glasses

The rising trend of popularity of wine has led to a boom in things to go with wine like corkscrews, stoppers, coolers, napkins, pouring baskets, decanters, candles, thermometers, bottle jackets, hydrometers and dozens of varieties of each accessory from electric versions to manual ones. Needless to say, a lot of these accessories will be used until the novelty wears off and then left at the back of the cupboard.

However, there is one category of wine drinking accessory that no wine drinker should be without and that is wine glasses. They are essential, I am sure that everyone would agree. But the good thing about wine glasses is that they are attractive when they are not in use too. A set of six lead crystal wine glasses is a fine-looking display. And a fine set of glasses correctly shaped for the wine you are drinking will greatly improve your enjoyment of that wine.

This is because the shape of the glass is very influential on the drinker’s capacity to savour the taste and the aroma of wine. Therefore, it is necessary to use the correct glasses for the type of wine being served.

Red wines benefit a lot from contact with air, so, apart from opening the bottle an hour before drinking it, you could decant it. The older and heavier the wine, the more air it must have. The next step is to serve the red wine in large glasses. This is not so as to be able to get as much wine in there as possible! A full, normal size bottle holds six servings no matter what glass you use, but a large glass allows you to swirl the wine around the glass, thereby increasing its contact with air.

A large tulip shaped glass is a good example of this kind of wine glass and any dark red wine would benefit from being drunk out of such a vessel. Try a Rioja or Bordeaux, for instance.

White wines, on the other hand, do not need to breathe for as long as red wines and are best served slightly chilled. Therefore, the wine glasses are likely to have a smaller bowl and a longer stem. The bowl is smaller, because swirling is not necessary and the stem is longer, so that the heat from your hand does not warm the wine up prematurely. Try a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon or a German wine in these glasses.

Champagne glasses are called champagne flutes because the bowl is long and narrow, which allows the bubbles to float through more of the wine than if the bowl were short. This is beneficial for the wine, the taste and its appearance. The stem is also long as with other white wines to reduce heat transference.

The last main kind of glass is the sherry schooner, which is also used for port. Sherry and port are both heavy reds and so need to breathe, which is one of the reasons why they ought to be decanted. However, a schooner has hardly any stem, because the warmth from your hand is required to keep the wine at the right temperature.

Apart from the shape of the bowl and the length of the stem, the next most important factor is the quality of the glass and its design. Some people like hand-blown glass and it can be very beautiful, but it also tends to be light and fragile. I prefer to use lead crystal glasses, which are a lot heavier and can take a deeper pattern.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

March 11, 2010

US Holidays And Holy Days

Congress and the president have designated ten days as federal holidays. Being ‘federal’, these holidays theoretically only pertain to federal employees and residents of the District of Columbia, although they are so widely observed that they can be thought of as national holidays.

Legally, it is up to each individual state to designate public holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before or the Monday after is given in lieu to make a long weekend.

New Year’s Day (January 1) – celebrating the New Year dates back to pre-Christian times, when rites were performed to try to ensure the return of Spring.

Martin Luther King Jnr. Day (third Monday in January) – before he was shot dead in 1968, Martin Luther King Jnr. was the foremost civil rights leader of the 1950′s and 1960′s. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Congress set this day aside to celebrate his life and achievements in 1983.

Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February) – originally it was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, the 22nd of February, but it was moved in 1971 to make a long weekend. It is occasionally known as Presidents’ Day, because it is close to Lincoln’s birthday on the 12th February.

Memorial Day (last Monday in May) – also called Decoration Day, it honours soldiers fallen in battle.It dates from the Civil War and is customarily marked by parades and services.

Independence Day (4th July) – this, the most significant US holiday, marks the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. It was first celebrated in 1777 and is marked by fireworks, parades and speeches.

Labor Day (first Monday in September) – this, the proposal of Peter J. McGuire, the president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, was adopted in 1894 to honour American workers.

Columbus Day (second Monday in October) – Christopher Columbus and his crew landed in the Bahamas on Oct 12th 1492. It was first celebrated in 1792, although it was not formally recognized until 1909. It is a source of special pride to Italian-Americans, who claim the Genoan explorer as their own.

Veterans Day (Nov 11th) – or Armistice Day marks the end of the First World War on Nov 11th 1918. It was made a legal holiday in 1938, but its name was changed in 1954 to honour all American veteran soldiers.

Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) – it was first celebrated in Plymouth County, Massachusetts in 1621, the year in which the Pilgrims landed in the New World to give thanks for the new harvest and the new land they had colonized. President Lincoln proclaimed it a holiday in 1863.

Christmas Day (December 25th) – Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Franklin Covey planner refillss If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

March 10, 2010

Designer Glass Paperweights

My friend has a store that sells glass artwork. My personal favourite glass artwork is paperweights and I have a lot of fun attending art auctions and buying art glass with her. We pay a lot of attention to what our friends and her clients like and dislike.

I often give people art glass paperweights that I find at art auctions for special birthdays and anniversaries. My mother turned seventy last August and I found a magnificent glass paperweight for her.

The art glass paperweight that I found for my mother was made by Baccarat and I was extremely lucky that this was one of the last items auctioned. A lot of people had already left the auction when this item went on the block. My mother appreciated the rose motif because the rose is her favourite flower.

I have a Dutch friend from Den Bosch who loves effigies of frogs. She has been able to decorate her abode very stylishly with her favourite frogs. I have been on the lookout for an art glass paperweight for her for years. I eventually found one at an art auction last year. The glass paperweight featured a frog sitting on a lily pad surrounded by blue water. It was very pretty and my friend started using it on her desk immediately.

I also have an aunt who collects art glass paperweights. She has asked me very often to find glass paperweights for her when I am attending art auctions. Of all of the pieces I have bought for her over the years, one sticks out in my memory more than any other.

The prettiest art glass paperweight I have ever won at an art auction has to be one that featured a blue and gold Macaw. Rick Ayotte was the artist that made it and it was even featured in a book of his work. He has created many lovely art glass paperweights.

There is no trouble at all selling art glass paperweights made by Rick Ayotte. His work seems to draw a great deal of interest. My friend tries to win any auction she finds for art glass paperweights made by him. She won one not so long ago that looked like pink roses. They looked so fragile and sweet. I know that this art glass paperweight will sell quickly.

There have been some inquiries at the shop for art glass paperweights by Richard Marquis, although we have not found any in any of the art auctions we have been to recently.

I will keep looking out for art glass paperweights at the auctions I attend, but I will not be going way out of my way to track them down. I now buy every art glass paperweight I can find that was made by Rick Satava. My favorite has to be the coral orange jellyfish that I found at an art auction an hour from my home. It was really beautiful.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

March 4, 2010

Unique Wedding Rings

The tradition of giving and wearing a wedding ring dates back thousands of years. A wedding ring represents fidelity and love between two people and are given on the day of a couple joining forces. Before the time that the skill of how to work metal became extensively known, people used such things as plants, grass and even hair to ‘tie the knot’, which is what I think a wedding ring symbolizes.

These days a typical wedding ring might be made from valuable metals such as gold, titanium, platinum or even white gold. Women’s wedding rings often hold a diamond, although sapphires are rapidly becoming more prevalent. Men’s wedding rings are often just a plain band of gold. There are many distinctive styles of wedding rings, but the most popular for men is definitely the plain gold band.

For those who want something a bit more showy, there are plenty of examples on the market. A man might want a more ostentatious wedding ring, because it is frequently the only piece of jewellery that a man wears. Some alternatives to the plain band of gold are the Celtic Knot and the Claddagh gold rings.

It is essential for men’s wedding rings to be made from a robust alloy of gold. Most men do manual labour of one sort or another, even if it is only gardening, so it is a lot to ask of a pure gold wedding ring to last thirty or forty years.

A 14 or 18 carat gold ring will probably do it, but a 22 carat ring would not. It would just wear away because it is too pure and consequently too soft. Platinum or titanium are much harder, although most people prefer gold.

In most countries tradition dictates that people wear their wedding ring on their left hand, although in a few countries such as Germany, Russia and Norway, people wear their wedding ring on the right hand.

Some couples would rather have a unique wedding ring and that is not so difficult to achieve as it might first appear to be. The easiest way to personalize your ring is to have an inscription like names and a date engraved on it.

Another way, would be to buy a precious stone separately and have the jeweller set it into the ring for you. The best alternative though is to find a jeweller you can trust and have him or her make up a pair of matching rings to your own design. I have done that and it is not a lot more expensive than a good ring.

Wearing matching wedding rings is a notable experience. People notice that your ring is ‘something different’ and many people ask, where you got them from. It all goes to help make that special day unforgettable for ever.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

March 1, 2010

The Wedding Ring

One’s wedding ring is often a person’s most essential item of jewellery, because of the huge significance that it has for its wearer. It is intended to denote the love that exists between two people. In most countries, the wedding ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand – the ring finger, although in Norway, Germany and Russia, it is worn on the fourth finger of the right hand.

It is usually a good idea to have your finger measured by an expert, before buying an expensive ring, because fingers swell and shrink over the course of a lifetime and a good jeweller will know how much slack to allow. If the change in the size of your finger is likely to be lasting, it is a good idea to have the ring resized, this is so that it will neither cut into you nor fall off your finger easily.

These days a lot of couples like to go shopping for wedding rings together, because they want to get a pair of identical rings that both of them likes. However, it does not have to be like that. In fact it never was, because the man bought the ring for his fiancee as a surprise. So, if you do not share the same tastes, do not worry about it.

There are hundreds of designs to pick from and several types and qualities of metal too. Yellow gold is still the most popular, but there is white gold and specialist golds too like Welsh gold, which is very rare. Besides gold, platinum and titanium are very popular too.

A fast emerging trend is for a couple to design or have designed a unique pair of wedding rings. At first, you would think that this would be very costly, but it is not necessarily so. If you keep your design moderate and the stones, if any, equally so, then the rings might only cost 10%-20% more than those off the shelf.

Gold is still the most prevalent metal for a wedding ring, but silver is starting to gain ground too, although it was always looked on as the poor cousin before. Likewise, diamonds are the still the number one stone of choice, but sapphires are also very popular nowadays. Or you could go for plain bands with something like a Celtic knot design.

Shopping for wedding rings can be fun, but it is easy to go over the top and spend much more than you planned to. You could decide how much you can afford and stick to it, not that that always works either. Count on to pay a lot more for the bride’s wedding ring than the groom’s. This is because the bride’s ring usually contains diamonds, whereas the groom’s is often a plain band of gold.

You could further personalize your wedding rings with an inscription and a date. Personalized, or unique wedding rings often get handed down through the generations. Possibly, yours will too. Or, if you want to wear your grandmother’s handed-down ring, you could personalize it in some way, so that it is both old and yet something of you as well.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Celtic Knot rings. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

February 26, 2010

Wedding Cakes

Nearly every family or social event involves the eating of food and the imbibing or drinks in the celebration. Consider Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. In this article, I would like to talk about that centre piece of the wedding reception: the wedding cake.

The guests come to eat, drink and be merry and the bride’s parents always put a great deal of effort into the preparation for the wedding party. The wedding cake is the central point of the top table and the whole function in general. The wedding cake has traditional significance and it is often thought bad luck not to have a piece of the wedding cake.

There are precise rules for the timing of the cutting of the wedding cake that have become part of tradition. For example, if the wedding reception takes place at lunch or dinner, it is traditional to cut the wedding cake just before the dessert is served.

However, if the reception is to take place in the late afternoon or early evening, the cake is served as soon as the guests arrive. In some traditions the bride and groom cut and eat the first slice together as a symbol of their vows to love, honour and obey each other. The remainder of the cake is generally cut by one of the assistants, like the maid of honour or a family relative.

It can be quite difficult to choose the wedding cake. Traditionally, people go for a white cake with white icing for weddings, however nowadays, people are becoming more daring and are choosing more exotic flavours and colours.

Some people choose to have a wedding cake which has different flavours on each layer. While white icing is still the overwhelming favourite, people do order other colours like pink and yellow. Chocolate and mocha are also popular. These days you can have what you like. It is your day, after all.

Everyone likes the wedding reception. It is the favourite part of the wedding day and everyone looks forward to seeing the cake cut and sharing it with the bride and groom.

If you are thinking about becoming a cake decorator, you have a couple of options to go about it. You could buy a book or a course or get a video in order to teach yourself how to decorate cakes from the simple to the elaborate. You could also go to a night school class to learn the art or cake decoration.

Without a doubt, the very best way to learn cake decorating is to take a course. DVD’s, videos, and books are all well and good, but you cannot converse with them or ask questions. If you attend a class for three months or more you will learn more and get a more profound understanding of the art of cake decoration. You will learn how to put real emotion into the decoration of the cake and you will be able to translate the wedding couple’s dreams into a cake that you and they can be proud of.

If you are interested in a Welsh gold wedding ring, or Wales in general, go to our web site at Welsh Products Online

February 24, 2010

What Are Black Hills Gold Rings?

Most people have hopes for the future. Some people sketch out their lives in intricate detail from an early age, while others just hope that their dreams will come true. I think that that depends on the philosophy of life you have as much as your personality. I certainly remember when I was a boy, that a few of the girls I knew when I was a boy, planning what they would do when they got married to such and such a film star.

They did not know much about marriage or what being married was like, they were just role playing, but some of those desires might have stuck.

None of the boys in my class thought about their future much at all. I did not either really although I knew that I wanted to go to university and travel after that. I studied French and German for three years and passed my exams.

After finishing university, I started working for an international firm and did some traveling. I have always liked jewellery although I do not wear a lot at the same time. I suppose I collect jewellery, but I like to wear it too.

It was a custom of mine to buy a piece of jewellery wherever I went, if I saw something I liked and if I could afford it. Anyway, I met a young woman while I was in America and I told her about my craze for collecting jewellery and rings in particular. I showed her a couple of rings that I had taken with me. One was a ring with a Celtic Knot design and another was an Irish Claddagh ring.

Anyway, we got on well and she offered to take me to a jewellers that she knew. We went to a small back street jeweller, who had a range of rings I had never heard of before. They were called Black Hills Gold Rings and they looked very special. They have quite a range, including a lot of the common designs, but they also have a few kinds that I had never seen before. I was hooked and wanted one.

My friend really fell for a women’s wedding set. She had seen it in the window for months, but did not have anyone to give it to her. The engagement ring had two leaves and a grape cluster with a small diamond nestled in the middle of it, while the wedding band had two additional leaves and a grape cluster. This meant that when worn together, the two rings would fit together to surround the diamond completely. It was really very nice.

I had to grant that it was very beautiful, but felt it necessary to point out that I had not known her long enough to propose. She was a good sort and did not feel offended. I bought a striking white gold ring with the Black Hills gold roses inlaid on the top two thirds of the band, leaving the underside of the ring plain. It was a gorgeous addition to my collection. As for my guide, well, she did not get a ring, but I took her for an expensive meal and she seemed happy enough with that.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

February 23, 2010

Welsh Terriers

Initially, Welsh terriers were bred for hunting rabbits, foxes and badgers, but public opinion and the decline in the lust for blood in general have gone against blood sports and so this native breed of Wales has become a show dog and a pet. Breeders attempt to outdo each other by breeding the Welsh terrier to have a denser wiry coat and deeper colouration. The Welsh terrier is also a popular pet because it is one of the most easy-going terriers.

The Welsh terrier is a fun loving dog. It just loves to run, chase and play, which makes it a smashing companion and a perfect pet. Welsh terriers require lots of exercise, so be prepared for plenty of walking, if you make your mind up to get one.

It is a good idea to ‘socialize’ your dog as soon as possible. This means that you should introduce your Welsh terrier puppy to children and other dogs at an early age. The more you encourage your dog to play with other dogs as a puppy, the less trouble you will have with your dog fighting or barking at other dogs and cats. It’s the same story with children. Children can play very roughly, and a dog could be forgiven for biting back, but it can be avoided by introducing your Welsh terrier puppy to children while it is still young. The child might learn respect, but the dog will learn forbearance.

The Welsh terrier is easily trained, if you like your dog to do tricks. it is an intelligent breed and, being former hunters, they are good at learning commands and tricks. Train your Welsh terrier with kindheartedness and reiteration. They like to retrieve sticks and play with a ball. Many people train their Welsh terriers to catch a flying Frisbee too.

A Welsh terrier will groom himself quite meticulously, but you can help out by brushing him once a week in order to remove the dead and loose hair. This will also help cut down the amount of hairs dropping inside your house, although terriers in general, and wire-haired dogs in particular do not lose as much hair as soft coated dogs. You could also help by wiping him over with a damp cloth from time to time in order to pick up any dust on his coat.

A Welsh terrier is very active and very curious, so it is prudent to keep your dog in a yard that has been fenced off. However, the fence needs to be reasonably high, because the Welsh terrier has an excellent ability to jump due to its long legs.

The Welsh terrier is Britain’s oldest breed of dog, but it is now under pressure. The British kennel club registers only 300 Welsh terrier puppies per year, whereas it registers tens of thousands of puppies of other, more fashionable, breeds. The Welsh terrier is a strong-willed animal, so it does need a strong-willed and patient owner.

However. if you want a Welsh terrier and you persevere with it, you will never look back. They have a lot to give and, as with so many things in life, you only get out what you are willing to put in.

If you are interested in Welsh corgi puppies, or Wales in general, go to our website at Welsh Products Online

February 16, 2010

Stained Glass: A History

No one actually knows when stained glass was first invented because it happened before people started recording history. However, some historians think that it was first used as a luxury in the homes of affluent Romans in the first century AD. Stained glass was eventually recognized as an art form in the fourth century as Christians began to worship openly and to construct intricate churches in which to celebrate their religion.

On the other hand, some historians show that there are remnants in pre-Christian ruins that suggest that pagans employed stained glass in their rites. Although we will most likely never really learn the origins of stained glass, it is fairly certain that the spread of Christianity is immediately related to the increased of use of stained glass.

The Gothic Era commenced in the 12th Century and stained glass windows became an important element in the design of cathedrals. It really all started with the pioneering designs of the St. Denis, France, where stained glass windows were employed to bring light into the church itself and into the minds of its worshipers. Unfortunately, most of the stained glass in the St. Denis Cathedral was smashed during the French Revolution, but there are a few pieces left and even some entire windows on exhibit in Europe.

Gothic style stained glass was composed of strong lines, but these increasingly went out of style as the Renaissance began. Throughout the Renaissance, artisans depicted better detail and more delicate colouring in order to add to the realism. Stained glass windows became more like paintings on glass than architectural features and some of the notable elements such as lead lines vanished. Because of the problems in showing the great detail essential to the Renaissance era, the old style, which was original stained glass almost died out.

Since stained glass was used by and large by the Catholic Church, much of the work was smashed during the reign of King Henry VIII after his split with the Pope. However, not only old stained glass windows were damaged, but many of the glass making works were sabotaged too. However, religious strife was not the only cause of the decline of stained glass.

The style of the Baroque period was for more detailed murals, which necessitated the use of clear glass. Therefore, many of the remaining stained glass windows were permitted to decay, and furthermore not many new stained glass windows were produced. In the late 17th century, the public mood returned to the Gothic style of architecture, which produced a renewed interest in stained glass windows.

Artisans continued to paint directly onto the glass at first, but later tried to imitate the old leaden frames of medieval times. However, since the original techniques had not been used for such a long time, they had become forgotten and the artisans of the period were unable to recreate the exact styles prevailing in Gothic stained glass.

In the 19th century, La Farge and Tiffany created new kinds of stained glass. La Farge tended towards window designs, while Tiffany investigated new fields like the Tiffany lamp shade.

Nowadays, stained glass artists are not limited by religious doctrines, although much of the work they do involves restoration. Modern stained glass is also used as the centre pane in front doors, especially uPVC doors, by rich and poor equally in the West.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

February 14, 2010

Crystal Corporate Gifts

It can be very difficult to find beautiful and unforgettable corporate gifts. Many corporate gifts are just junk, especially the less expensive ones. However, there is a class of gift that is always treasured and can be thought of as useful too.

Have you always presented a calendar or a letter opener? Or a key ring, just like every other firm does? Or a bottle of wine that is forgotten the day after it was opened? Well, there is hope yet. What about glass crystal? Everybody loves lead crystal, do they not?

Lead crystal items really are the bees’ knees of gifts, corporate gifts or not. People always need ashtrays, paper weights, and pen holders and made of lead crystal they look expensive and stylish adding to the image of your company.

Lead crystal items are available in many kinds. They make fruit bowls, vases, glasses, paper weights, pen trays, ashtrays, picture frames and carriage clocks along with a dozen other items. When selecting a lead crystal corporate gift, you might like to bear the following points in mind:

If you are presenting these corporate gifts to your staff, you may like to differentiate between your employees or give everyone the same gift. You can on grounds of sex, length of service, marital status or input to the business’s turnover. There again, you may know the longest serving personnel very well and want to get them something that will suit them personally. You can do this in terms of cost or style or both.

For example, office staff might like a lead crystal paperweight, pen-holder or picture frame. Blue collar workers may rather a lead crystal vase or bowl. Single people might play golf or sail and like an item etched with a golfing or sailing motif. Married people might like a picture frame or a vase. Long-serving personnel or high-earners might like a carriage clock.

Cost is obviously an important factor, but usually corporate gifts are tax-deducible and glass crystal items differ greatly in price depending on the manufacturer. For example, you can get a nice lead crystal goblet set for $15, but if you want to give Waterford lead crystal, you can expect to pay three times as much.

Are you giving these corporate gifts to clients or / and prospective clients? In this case, you will have to have them inscribed with your firm’s contact details. You will also want the corporate gift to stay in the client’s office, so it should be office orientated, not home orientated. Something like a heavy paperweight shaped like a rock or a desk tidy fashioned like a boat.

This is the best kind of promotion after word-of-mouth and sign-written vehicles and should be taken seriously by any company that must have clients. Giving a well-thought of gift like lead crystal is a way of enhancing your reputation and that of the beneficiary.

The only other thing to keep in mind is that corporate gifts in lead crystal are valuable and need to be handled with care, so if you are having them inscribed, which you must do, then you will need to know how long it will take to get your consignment done and delivered.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress