Tag: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in July

Clairemont InternBlog, Inspirational, The Clairemont Team, , , ,

While we might be months away from the turkey, mashed potatoes and pecan pie of Thanksgiving, there’s no time like the present to acknowledge a few ways we’re grateful! Without further ado, welcome to the Clairemont team’s rendition of “Thanksgiving in July.”

Tracy Lathan

During all the craziness of the past few months, I have been so very thankful for the opportunity to spend extended time at our family home at Harkers Island. Everyone is happier there, and it feels like life is normal, even if only for a few days. This porch is the perfect place for morning coffee, afternoon reading, sunsets, family dinners and especially “God winks,” like this one:

Dana Phelps

During the pandemic, I have been so grateful for my front porch. It is a respite from being inside my home that gives me a safely distanced connection to my neighbors. I love seeing families walking together, kids riding bikes by my house and most of all, neighborhood doggies out for their evening strolls!

Anna Beth Adcock

Over the past few months, I have been especially grateful for my family and for any opportunity I can catch to spend time outdoors. When I’m lucky, family and outdoor adventures combine, like the backpacking trip I recently took with my brother along with a few sporadic trips with my sister to visit our aunt (and her dog) in Wilmington. Family, time at the beach and a precious pup makes for three really big reasons to be thankful!

Cherith Andes

When COVID quarantine hit, I needed a “something” — a hobby to channel my attention. And for the first time, I tried my hand at being a green thumb. These potted plants grew from tiny little sprigs into these lovely blooms, and they have brought me so much joy and a reminder to enjoy life, growth and vibrancy.

Kelli Fletcher

As we wrap up month FIVE of this COVID craziness, it has gotten a bit harder for me to find those sparks of joy in each day. However, I remain so grateful for my family. We are lucky to see both sets of grandparents who live not too far from us in Raleigh. At their houses, the kids can explore new backyards, visit community lakes to feed the fish and get a whole new set of snacks! Through these actions, I’ve become MOST grateful for my kids’ simple – almost naive – outlook on the world. Seeing such a strong joy and wonder in their eyes makes it impossible to not feel the same and during this time, it’s a nice mental break. 

Curious about more of our quarantine chronicles and other team-related escapades? Check out the Clairemont Team section of the blog!

By Clairemont intern Anna Beth Adcock, a rising senior at NC State.

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Thanksgiving at Clairemont

Clairemont InternBlog, The Clairemont Team, , ,

There’s a lot Clairemont has to be thankful for this year—our creative, hardworking team, beautiful home office space in the heart of downtown Raleigh, award recognition from both the Public Relations Society of America and the Raleigh Public Relations Society, and most importantly, our amazing clients.

While all of us here at Clairemont are thankful for many similar things, we each have a few aspects special to us that deserve recognition.

Anna

“I’m thankful for this amazing internship opportunity at Clairemont. Over the past few months, I have learned a great deal about the PR and communications industries through various projects and by working directly with clients. I have had the privilege to work with and learn from an incredible group of energetic and fun women who are extremely talented at what they do. I am also thankful for the Clairemont porch that has doubled as my creative thinking hub on beautiful fall days and for the Clairemont candy jar (and a team who never judges me for eating way too many Jolly Ranchers).

On a more personal note, I am thankful for my friends and family who always support me. I am grateful to be spending this Thanksgiving with my loved ones, even though they somehow convinced me to run a turkey trot race.”

Kaitlyn

“This year I’m thankful for new opportunities. At Clairemont, I’m actually getting to write and create for clients. I really feel like I’m a part of the team and getting to leave my mark. I also like being the first one in the office twice a week. It feels like a fresh start and a new opportunity to help clients and Clairemont as I unlock the door, get all the lights on and put on a pot of coffee. It seems small, but it’s refreshing. I’m grateful to start each day with optimism and enthusiasm.

I’m also grateful for my many nieces and nephews who make me laugh, build my patience and enjoy sweets as much as me.”

Cherith

“What am I thankful for this year at Clairemont? That chalkboard wall in a little room we call “The Pitch Parlor.” Truthfully, it owes its name to our love of alliteration at Clairemont, and we imagined we’d retreat into its cozy ambience — complete with heart-shaped chairs — to make media calls. It since has taken on a rather jack-of-all trades function, but it still sports its hallmark chalkboard wall. I’m thankful for what this wall represents. It almost begs to be covered in drawings — ideas, musings, brainstorms. There’s a sense of exciting possibilities and an encouragement for exploration. This quality mirrors the atmosphere at Clairemont — a team eager to spin new ideas, explore new paths, encourage bright ideas and make great things happen together. For that, I am thankful.

Personally, I’m thankful for Oreo Truffles. I’ve had some good ones. And I’m eternally grateful for a family that never quits.”

Tracy

“First and foremost, I am thankful for my family. I have a loving husband who is truly a best friend and partner, two amazing children and an extended family that I love dearly. I also thank God every day for a profession that continues to inspire me, a job that I love and that I have the pleasure of working with the most outstanding women. Friends that are family are also at the top of my list. It takes a village to raise a family with our busy schedules, and we are blessed to be raising ours alongside our oldest and dearest friends. And last but not least, I am thankful for Amazon Prime. Quite simply it just makes life easier. Especially at Christmas time 🙂 Rather than running all over town, anything I need can be delivered to my doorstep. Sometimes it’s all about the little things that make our life a little less hectic.”

Kelli

“There’s so much to be thankful for! This year, we bought our first home, moved back to our home state, started new jobs and celebrated our second kid’s first birthday. We couldn’t have done any of these things without the full support of our amazing family and friends. They helped oversee home inspections and renovations when we lived 1,000 miles away. They helped us find daycare for our kids. They helped us pack up in Massachusetts and unpack in North Carolina. They housed us, fed us, watched the kids, watched our cat and even got/gave us jobs. When we called upon them (and even when we didn’t) they stepped up and asked: ‘What do you need? What can I do?’ As I come up on Thanksgiving this year, a year that held just as many challenges as it did joys, I’m overwhelmed with the love that so many people showered over us this year and I can honestly say, I’ve never been more grateful for anything.”

Dana

“I am thankful for my son and his fearless creativity! He is a prolific artist, skilled videographer and overall talented creator. I’m always amused by how quickly he executes an idea, and I love hearing about what’s next. For example, the other night he recorded several songs that he ‘wrote’ as he was recording them. I’m so grateful that he is never afraid to explore and express his creative passions.

I am thankful for all the Clairemont team members. I’ve always heard that the key to success for a business owner is to hire people smarter than you. I have done just that! I love working with the smart, experienced, dedicated and kind people who bring their best to our clients each day.

I am thankful for having a beautiful place to work in our lovely City of Oaks. The Clairemont House, located in downtown Raleigh, has been home to Clairemont for about five years. Whether we are cranking out ideas in our ‘crank room’ or gathered around the kitchen island brainstorming ideas for a client, we find the character of this historic home to encourage positive energy and productivity.”

We certainly have a lot to be thankful for at Clairemont this year. We are looking forward to spending the holiday season with our loved ones at home and at work. Here at Clairemont, we begin each day with smiles on our faces and an optimistic outlook knowing that we will inevitably find one more thing for which to be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving from our team to you and yours!

Written by Clairemont Intern Anna Ostrowski, a senior at UNC.

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Setting Your Thanksgiving Table

Dana PhelpsBlog, Furniture PR, ,

Diana Parrish Photography for Drexel Heritage

Thanks to Facebook, I know that my friend, Gini Dietrich, has had her Thanksgiving menu planned for a few weeks now. And last weekend, I saw photos of the Thanksgiving centerpiece she so deftly created by using seasonal squash and leaves she gathered while walking her dog, Jack Baur. People like Gini know where the salad fork goes and which direction the knife blade should face. People like me do well to have enough clean forks for my guests and to remember to make the salad.

One of the advantages of working with home decor and interior design clients is that I get to learn all the rules and traditions I was never taught or have forgotten along the way. Clairemont recently wrote a blog post on one such topic for our client, Drexel Heritage, on how to arrange a proper table setting. This has become my go-to reference as the entertaining season has begun.

Additionally, this week on the Drexel blog, we’re providing decor inspiration with three different styles of beautiful holiday tabletops designed and shot by Diana Parrish. All are properly set, of course, each with its own creative flair! See, following the rules doesn’t ALWAYS have to be boring.

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