Melissa Joan Hart is looking better than ever!

I first met Melissa Joan Hart one year ago when she was practicing for “Dancing with the Stars”. She didn’t win, but she showed the world she knows how to move! We first fell in love with her on “Clarissa Explains it All” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, but now she’s back with a new show on ABC Family, “Melissa and Joey”. The show is  about a councilwoman raising her sister’s kids, who’s forced to hire a manny (Joey Lawrence). Don;t compare it to “Who’s the Boss”, Melissa says it’s got it’s own personality. The fun part for her is playing a character who’s not so peaches and cream as most of her other roles. She’s got great one-liners and the chemistry between her and Lawrence comes from knowing each other since they were kids! She’s one of the executive producers of the show. I asked what that means. She says basically she can help choose her wardrobe and get her actor friends guests spots on the show! LOL Check out our chat below.

http://www.better.tv/videos/m/33827425/melissa-joan-hart.htm#q=melissa

I also asked Melissa about having more kids. (she has 2 boys already) and her love for Shirley Temple. Check out what she says about both:

http://www.better.tv/videos/m/33827401/hot-topic-melissa-joan-hart.htm#q=melissa+joan+hart

—Rhiannon Ally

It’s been a while since I blogged about my miniature schnauzer, Violet Annabelle Rose Von Schnorkenheimer, and now that she’s 18 months, fully grown and 12 lbs, I can undoubtedly say she is a teenager.

All children eventually grow up and Violet is no exception. She is smart, well educated, travels and enjoys both the city and country life. But along with all this style and sophistication she has one not-so-refined habit. (Well, two if you count her barking.)

No one would suspect this odd new trait. The fact remains, even once you learn what it is, to look at her one would say she has become quite a regal and refined lady. With her designer Hermes collar, string of fresh water pearls, distinct brown eyes and nose, and happy, affectionate demeanor she often stops people in their tacks, as everyone wants to know what kind of breed she is. In spite of her light taupe color, Violet’s belly still reflects her signature brown markings that I fell in love with. My once little baby girl has become a wonderful lovable pet that I proudly—and often—refer to as my daughter.

That said, pets, a lot like children, sometimes do things that can mortify us, yet still be some how cute and funny. With so many friends visiting this summer, Miss “V” (as so many like to call her) is used to having other people around. She’s developed a fondness for jumping into bed with any of my overnight guests. Yes that’s right, she loves to enter the guestrooms in the middle of the night and sneak a snuggle/hug for a couple of hours. If the door is not completely closed she will push it open by getting a running start. Cute right? But although some people wouldn’t like that, this is still not the unrefined habit I teased. It gets even better.

Last weekend this cute bed-hopping trick was trumped by a new, even more “entertaining” one: opening the bathroom door. My friend, who shall remain nameless, went to the powder room and just at the right moment and without any warning Violet pushed the door open and jumped on her lap. With the door wide open for all to see she began screaming from honor and embarrassment. I quickly came to the rescue to close the door. A week later, while Violet and I visited a friend in town, she once again made a bee line to the bathroom door. I yelled, “Quick…shut the door” too late, as another victim was claimed. I can tell you—more doors will be fully shut in the future, that’s for sure!

We’ve all seen and heard about the things going on with Lindsay Lohan…The truth is, Lindsay has made terrible choices the last few years and has nearly destroyed a very promising career. Remember “Mean Girls”? That is still one of the movies I enjoy watching the most..She was so good in it! I think that was the last movie she did that I really enjoyed.

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ada Nicole Sanger. Ada is the young lady who plays Kevin James’ daughter in the new film, “Grown-Ups”…

Ada Nicole Sanger

This is Ada’s first major role..she’s just a normal kid from Florida..Although, she did bring an entourage with her. (kidding) She actually brought her parents and her grandparents.

She was so well-spoken and so pleasant. But the thing that really impressed me was earlier this week, I got a thank you card in the mail from her. I am pretty sure her parents or agents suggested she send it, but it still made me smile. It was so sweet and thoughtful. I’ve never received a thank you from any other celebrity before.

It made me think about child stars in general. Some grow up to be great people and have wonderful careers and others end up like Lindsay Lohan, or even worse. What do you think makes them choose one path over the other? Is there one factor to blame?

I really hope Ada has a long and successful career, but more importantly I hope she stays the sweet person she is.

Here are the two interviews with her:

http://www.better.tv/videos/m/32122238/ada-nicole-sanger.htm#q=ada+nicole+sanger

http://www.better.tv/videos/m/32122285/hot-topic-ada-nicole-sanger.htm#q=ada+nicole+sanger

I oversee my garden like a parent, and just like a proud father I think of each plant as my children—taking time to support them when they’re wet, move them out when they need more room to grow, and cut off a limb when its sick. (Okay, maybe that last one is not really a great parenting strategy, but you get the picture.) Nevertheless I take care of their overall well-being. And proudly, I might add.

Truth be told, I have two basic rules for others when it comes to my flowers:1. Enjoy them for as much as you can.
2. Don’t pick the flowers yourself unless you’re invited.
These simple “green rules” rules were inherited from my grandmother, as she, too, would love to share her garden but forbade anyone to pick her flowers without her personal supervision. Being present made sure that the right tool was used and the flower was the right selection. I remember just thinking about doing this without her was considered to be an act of war. Come mealtime she would lecture you as to why she was in charge when it came to the garden and the flower picking process. That said, the herb garden was always open for business and we were encouraged to pick things at will, such as the fresh mint to add to our lemonade.

Today, I make it a point to never pick my own flowers until after a photo shoot; or, when I do, I make sure to do it strategically so that the casual observer can’t tell from where. Stacy Bass, a renowned photographer who—lucky for me—resides here in Westport, CT, recently shot the garden, capturing some of the most vibrant colors and textures. Stacy is known for her eye for detail and being able to zoom-in getting every last detail. She is so talented and gifted and I have the photos to prove it.

Then, a few days ago the talented multimedia expert Tom Lialios, of Norwalk, CT, was called upon to create some new press photos. Of course I wanted to use my wonderful, over-the-top Annabelle hydrangea flowers as the backdrop. So we had to plan and waited until they were just perfect. For weeks we patiently watched their growth (and the weather forecast) for the exact right moment before we confirmed the date and time of the photo shoot. All went perfectly this week, as you can see by the amazing photo leading this blog. Tom, who also supported me with the production of The Mar Jennings Home & Garden Show® always captures the essence of Rosebrook Gardens in a way that tells my story and shows my passion. Whether it be in print or on film, Tom is always the man!

A lot like my grandmother, I, too love to share my garden to all who come to visit Rosebrook Gardens. Whether its through my website, on a TV segment, during a garden tour, or for a press article, it’s my gift to you. Cultivating the land and sharing the fruits or my labor with others has always been the most rewarding part of being a public figure.

I like to think I’m the first person to willingly forage in my garden to get a bloom—the garden is not a museum—but earlier this week while I was in production a complete stranger walked onto my property with clippers in hand and snipped away some of my oversized hydrangea flowers. (I’m fortunate the neighbors enjoy looking at my garden, too—they’re the built-in security cameras.) Apparently the person scampered away, too, which implied that they knew they were in the wrong. I wonder… Who?

So if someone must come and pick my flowers I guess I delight in knowing that they were perfect to enjoy. I don’t support this un-invited act, but I do know that flowers will grow back. After all toMARrow is another day. But if they come back they better watch out—Violet will be on guard.

READ MORE ABOUT MAR’S AMAZING HYDRANGEAS AT: www.marjennings.com/view.cfm/section/InTheGarden/page/360degreesofhydrangeas/

Every person dreams, and pretty much every night, too. Personally, my subconscious mind has taken me to some of the most wonderful and magical places. They feel so profoundly realistic; I like to think it’s because I’m a creative person. Luckily I seldom experience nightmares—I save those for the real world. I have even made some major career moves based upon my dreams’ insights to the future. Truth be told, I’ve always felt that if I’m meant to remember them they must have an important messages behind them.

Like many of us, in my dreams I have special superhero powers; many times I can fly, talk to those who have passed from this life, and I can even transport myself in time. And it’s not unusual for people to have a recurring dream—but here I differ from many of you: I have a recurring guest.

Some of the best complements I receive have been when people compare me to Martha Stewart. Pretty awesome. “You’re just like Martha” or “You’re the male Martha.” What an honor, but I like to refer to myself not as being in her shadow but rather being in her light.

Last night I had my recurring guest. Yes, my dream involved the iconic once-resident of Westport Martha Stewart. The “MARtha dreams” as I’ve come to call them began in 2005, and at first I believed them to be my subconscious mind validating my love and awareness for all things beautiful. Back then I was finally following my passion building a business in television, but when the dreams continued, I found myself pondering the question “Why?”

Let’s turn back time for a moment: when I first met Martha Stewart it was at her home for a benefit for the Westport Historical Society. I remember it clearly: she was wearing pale blue with a cashmere sweater thrown perfectly over her shoulders. I noticed her and made my way over to introduce myself. We spoke for only a moment, but today I remember it so clearly as I was so inspired by her and intrigued to finally meet her. I returned home a better man and wanting to start my gardens all over again. I later discover a cocktail napkin in my suit pocket. With all the excitement, I must have accidently put it in there when the introduction moment arrived, and then forgot to take it out. Oops! Over a decade later, we would meet again at Le Cirque restaurant in New York, and I was flattered as this time she knew my name. Ironic that it happened in ‘the city that never sleeps’ as I certainly didn’t after that.

I’ve actually had many more encounters with Martha, but only after I go “night-night.” And when I do, I awake refreshed, happy and remembering all the details. It’s as if I’ve traveled to parallel universes. I’m perplexed each and every time as I awake always wondering “What was the message?”

After thinking about this quite a bit, I’ve realized that perhaps there is no message, other than serving to continuously inspire me. (Including to write this blog.) I guess it’s just my subconscious replaying bits and pieces from my memory—including the many times I’ve been on her Sirius radio show (like I will be next Thursday.)

Earlier I mentioned that people very kindly have compared me to Martha. I always give her due credit as the pinnacle in the industry. But in my own humorous way I always continue with this ready answer: “Hopefully it’s good luck that you can’t spell Martha without M-A-R!” And that is no dream.

Over the years I have had the pleasure to participate in many Home and Garden shows across the country, and as my 2010-2011 schedule continues to book I’m always excited about the new locations, groups and states I’ll be visiting and sharing my brand of living. My lifestyle/guru skills help others get inspired and motivated to embrace their gardens and homes with a casual luxury approach. If you’ve seen me in person you know that I offer step by step examples using my garden and home to serve as inspiration to any project—no matter where you live, how big or small your home may be, you always learn something new, have fun and want to pass on your new found knowledge. That said, marjennings.com has become the new frontier in everything home, garden or life related as thousands visit each day to discover what’s new, what’s happening and what’s up with Mar Jennings.

But truth be told, the greatest gift of all is that I do this as a way to express my passion for all things beautiful in hopes that you, too, can discover the endless benefits of “home.” There’s no place like home, as Dorothy perfectly stated. But discovering how to make a house truly transform into a home? The secret is in the people who fill it with you—whether they are there daily or simply your guests. I discovered that long ago, but recently I met a couple of people who reminded of this important lesson, and it inspired me to write this blog.

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The only thing missing last week was a house landing on a witch. The state of Connecticut is recovering from the powerful rain and windstorm that tore through Westport last weekend, bringing down trees, power lines and flooding our downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Rosebrook Gardens, although never lost power, was not exempt from this Old Man Winter storm, as three sections of my back fence took flight and headed towards my neighbor’s back yard. I was lucky, but many throughout our state were not, with damages to their home, cars and property in the hundreds of thousands.

Sunday morning, after my live segment on Good Morning Connecticut, I put my Hunter boots on and assessed my own property, taking photos of the aftermath, and found myself sad and depressed as I ventured out of my own neighborhood to discover “the morning after” effects. Many old historical trees that so proudly graced my town either snapped, broke, collapsed or uprooted. I felt their pain and lost as many could have been saved if only property owners did their part to trim and maintain their elderly trees. I don’t mean to be harsh, but why do we take their beauty for granted and simply discard them when they fall? Loose a tree plant two in their place is my mantra.

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I had the pleasure to be asked to be a chaperon for a Sweet 16 Party last weekend, and because no one has ever trusted me with that kind of responsibility I immediately said yes. My dear Sophie, who I have loved since she was a small child, was growing up right before my eyes. She was dressed as a princess that night, and wearing a dress that captured not only her beauty but it was as if the sparkles of light reflected her inner loveliness, too, as she was becoming a lady—and she had the tiara to prove it.

It seemed only yesterday when she was in the garden swinging on the hammock with her even younger darling little sister Reilly. Two of the most amazing, well-mannered girls I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Polite, and fun to watch that day as they and their parents joined me in the garden that hot summer day. Truth be told, I knew from that moment they arrived I wanted to become their devoted “Uncle Marsly”, the man they can ask for anything—and I would give it to them.

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Recently I was hired to be a guest speaker in Farmington, Connecticut, to talk about my signature style of creating casual luxury. I was joined by Lisa, my candle line business partner, and we were off to meet the ladies and enjoy a meal with them; my presentation was for after dinner. We left Westport around 5:00pm and as the sun set I noticed how difficult it was getting for me to read the street signs. Recently I also noticed I was having some difficulties reading the text on my iPhone. “Oh no!” I yell to Lisa, “It’s happening!” “What?” she replied. “My eyes are going, and it feels as if it happened overnight!” Turning 40 this year I had been told, “Just wait: once you’ve hit forty you’ll be needing readers,” but driving glasses—what gives?
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I had the privilege of working with some talented people in the wedding industry of New England when working on a Wedding Trends of 2010 package.

Even with the biggest trend being people having to downsize expenses in their weddings, I was surprised to find how elegant and “expensive” a wedding can look, just by paying attention to the details.

First, the hospitality of taping with the general manager at Aquaturf, Tim Needham in Connecticut was wonderful. I also want to give a shout out to the photo booth companies that helped provide booths, Photobooth Planet and Connecticut Photo Booth rentals. Plus the beautiful cake and cupcake designs by Lisa at Cakes Unlimited. Everything was outstanding.

Next, we met up with Deborah Dempsey from A Gala Affair and was blown away by the beautiful themes and trends she provided to show people. The space she chose (Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stongington, CT) was the perfect location for any event, not just weddings. She went above and beyond what we needed to visually show a story to us of how lovely a wedding can be when paying attention to the details.

If you are inspired by any of the trends in this story, click on these links to find out more information.

Luna Bazaar

American Furniture Rental

Rentals Unlimited

Stonington Design and Paperie

Sweet Fern Soap

Cloth Connection