Allure West Studios has been awarded certification as a Woman Business Enterprise by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, Bureau of Minority and Women Business Opportunities.  Allure West Studios qualified for certification as a privately held Pennsylvania company with at least 51% ownership represented by a woman.

Natalie Napoleon Wi, Principal Photographer, founded Allure Photography (DBA Allure West Studios) in Washington, D.C. in 2001 and has gone on to open and operate studios in San Francisco, CA and Doylestown, PA since the company’s inception.

“I’m proud that Allure West Studios has achieved this certification and am looking forward to embarking on this new journey,” said Natalie Napoleon Wi, Principal Photographer, Allure West Studios.

The Minority and Woman Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) state certification program is designed to assist the growth and development of businesses owned and controlled by women and minorities.  Its mission is to encourage and assist state agencies in their efforts to increase participation by minority and woman business enterprises on state contracts so as to facilitate the award of a fair share of such contracts to MBEs and WBEs.  Certified companies are listed in the Directory of Certified Minority and Woman Business Enterprises which is used by state agencies, the federal government and major corporations.  To view the Pennsylvania Minority and the Woman Business Enterprise Directory, visit http://www.dgsweb.state.pa.us/mbewbe/VendorSearch.aspx.

Allure Photography Certified Codes

82131501 :: Still film processing or reproduction

82131604 :: Studio photography services or still photographs

For more information, visit www.allurewest.com or call 267-247-5858.

Allure West Studios’s arrival and new headquarters located in Doylestown, PA is announced in the 2009 November-December issue of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce’s award-winning publication, W4.  Thank you to Melissa Napoleon for writing this spectacular article!

Take a minute to flip thru this sleekly designed digital magazine of which I am proud to say I am Photography Editor.  See the articles I photographed above.

Nesting Newbies Magazine aims to inspire readers, making them feel comfortable about home-keeping their way. “Our goal is to celebrate home and show readers ways to cook, entertain, and decorate in affordable, fun and stylish ways,” says Jodi Murphy, Editor. In every issue, Chef Lea McIntosh shares her expertise and original recipes. Designers stage table settings and show readers how easy they are to recreate. Iconic nesters give their sage decorating advice and real home makeovers are covered in the Design Chronicles. Profiles of favorite foodie peeps, new products, resources and favorite bloggers round out the content. In the Fall 2009 premier issue, Barclay Butera is the Iconic Nester, Kathy Goodman, the foodie peep, and Shelly Amoroso’s transformation of a San Francisco basement garage into five separate living spaces is featured in the design chronicles.

the editor | jodi murphy
the creative director | lea mcintosh
the photo editor | natalie wi
the copy editor | betsy rose

CONTRIBUTORS
Kathy Goodman, Lea McIntosh, Jodi Murphy, Barclay Butera

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS
Dean Birinyi (djbphoto.com), Steph Dewey (refleximaging.com), Michael Soo (soophotography.com), Natalie Wi (allurewest.com), Fu Wong (fcwongweddings.com), Jed Wormhoudt Photography

FRONT AND BACK COVERS
Michael Soo (soophotography.com)

SPECIAL THANKS
Special thanks to Christopher Peacock for the use of their San Francisco Showrom for the Thanksgiving to Go photo shoot.

Nesting Newbies Magazine is another creative endeavor by McIntosh & Murphy.  For additional cooking, entertaining, and decorating ideas, go to
nestingnewbies.com

Link to the Press Release

Follow Nesting Newbies on Facebook

As told by Jodi Murphy

It’s time to tweet about two exciting project in the works – Nesting Newbies and The Lea Show. A team of very talented people have been working to produce two internet shows. Nesting Newbies is a cooking, entertaining and decorating show featuring Lea McIntosh who is using her culinary training to teach newlyweds and those newly out on their own how to cook great food and entertain in style…and on a budget.

We always say “Leave it to Lea” when we need to find great resources for, well, anything and we’re showcasing her discoveries in The Lea Show. Experts and interesting talents show Lea how to do what they do on each episode. Lea asks the questions and the audience learns great insights, tips and “how tos” right along with her.

On Sunday April 19th the team – James Burkart of Burkart Video, Lea McIntosh, Natalie Wi of Allure West Studios, David Braddy of Vine-agra, Vanessa Rockey, Pat Campbell and Betsy Rose (best crew ever!) and I – took over the Rutt of Los Altos showroom to re-film the first episode of Nesting Newbies and the second episode of The Lea Show.

Lea and Vanessa arrived bright and early to begin hair and make-up while Pat and Betsy started food prepping and setting up. Natalie Wi was there to photograph the day’s events, including all the behind the scenes pandemonium. I arrived with the items on loan from Bloomingdale’s Stanford so that we could create our featured “Bella Notte Bistro Chic” tabletop. I had challenged David Braddy, a florist extraordinaire, to come up with something magical. I was doing the “happy dance” when he arrived because he had woven curly willow together anchored by two urns to create an arch over the table with a lantern attached in the center. It was beautiful, easy to make, and inexpensive! Perfect, since the goal is to show “newbies” how to stylishly entertain without breaking their budgets.

Diane Phillips of DK Designs dropped by to deliver two of her floral creations for the set of The Lea Show. Diane was the first guest artisan featured on The Lea Show (soon to be aired) and it was great to have her beautiful work decorate this episode’s set.

We learned so much from the first taping of Nesting Newbies that we decided to redo it and asked our first newbies, Lacee and Tejas Naik to come back again. The energy was high and when it was time for “Quiet on the Set” we were all in awe of what we were seeing. The chemistry between Chef Lea and the newbies was fantastic and the interaction, inspirational. Lea invited the Newbies into the cooking process and I think we all learned something new. Personally, I discovered how to properly cut an onion and hold a knife properly…and I’m not a newbie!

Jonathan Murphy dropped by to meet everyone in person as he will be doing the voiceover opening for the shows.

Soon Jung Wi, Natalie’s husband arrived with their three adorable kids who were quickly called into “crew” duties while Jung prepared for his segment on The Lea Show. Jung and Natalie own Allure West Studios and Jung, a master photographer, also teaches people how to get the most out of their digital cameras. He busted so many “megapixel myths” and taught Lea (and us) what to look for when buying a digital camera. With so much valuable information, Lea invited him back for a future episode to teach her (and the audience) how to take better digital shots.

By the time we wrapped it was a long day but one that was fulfilling and fun! James is editing the shows, the opening illustrations are being created and soon we will launch the first episodes of Nesting Newbies and The Lea Show. Sweet! – JM

ALLURE WEST STUDIOS IN BRIDES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Gabrielle Feuersinger of Cake Coquette and I are in the Spring/Summer 2009 Issue of Brides Northern California!  See us on page 128.

ALLURE WEST STUDIOS IN SPECIAL EVENT MAGAZINE

I recently photographed Kristjan Gavin, President of In Good Company Meetings & Events, for his feature article in the February issue of Special Events Magazine titled Hospitality Starts Here.

In his article, Kristjan discusses the hospitality experience and challenges each of us to take a step back and reflect upon our own projections.

How many times have you stepped off an airplane and proclaimed that you will never fly that airline again because of the flight attendant’s terrible attitude?  Or how many times have you gone out to eat and left a meager tip because you felt the service was subpar?

What we each have to come to realize is that change begins within ourselves.  If we are not happy with a particular situation, the first finger pointed must be at ourselves.  If you find yourself in what you feel to be a compromising situation, take a deep breath and ask yourself how you can carry yourself differently.  The slightest change in your own attitude could make all the difference in how another person treats you in return.

So as a wise friend once told me, change comes from within.

TODAY'S BRIDE WINTER 2009

I’m proud to announce that we’re in the Winter 2009 issue of Today’s Bride.  Images #3 and #4.  Image #3 is a centerpiece designed by Spiral Hand Floral + Event Design and image #4 is a centerpiece designed by Hunt Littlefield.  Both of these beautiful arrangements were featured at the 2008 ISES Gala at the City View Metreon in San Francisco for which I was the PR Co-Chair and Photography Co-Chair.

ALLURE WEST &CAKE COQUETTE IN GENTRY

I photographed this beautiful Vintage Bird Cake made by Gabrielle Feuersinger of Cake Coquette at Forest Hill Club House in November and here it is featured in Gentry’s February Bridal Issue. Gabby drew her inspiration from a vintage handbag that had jade and gold beads making a partridge in a pear tree relief.

We’re proud to announce that we have been published in Your Wedding Day Fall 2008 Issue.

As you saw in a previous post, this past spring, Jung and I were asked by Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini of MB Wedding Design and Events and Beverly Yip of Especially Yours Chair Covers to photograph their 2nd Annual Promises and Pearls Bridal Soiree.  This year, we soireed with the finest at the SF Design Center Galleria–a great raw space!

Some of the finest included Cake Coquette (my cohort in Project Wedding Cake), Glass Slipper Gourment, Hartmann Studios, Impact Lighting, Spiral Hand Floral and Event Design (Spiral Hand also showcased at the ISES Gala), The Flirty Guide (I took her profile shot and she’s definitely a top model!), amongst several fine others.

We’re looking forward to being blown away at the 3rd Annual!

Allure West Studios published in the Fall 2008 issue of the Bride and Bloom Magazine

My lovely friend, Gabrielle Feuersinger, of Cake Coquette and I partnered on this shoot and my photograph of her cake was published in the pairing section of the Fall 2008 issue of the Bride and Bloom magazine. We’re working on more projects, so stayed tuned!