Doesn’t it seem like in every group of friends there is always one that stands out of the bunch when it comes to entertaining? An expert in building a comfortable space for guests whether it’s a stack of magazines on the nightstand, a vase of fresh lilacs, or a fridge full of delicious snacks.

Prior to holiday hosting season to learn all about the art of entertaining, we packed our bags and traveled to the Hamptons in November with 20 editors for CBC’s first Hosting House – an edition of our HOUSE programs that highlights all of the best brands in home decor, entertaining and gifting.

Jackson Family Wines prompted our holiday planning with a lesson on wine and pie pairing, featuring its aromatic La Crema line.

Pro tip: Pair Pinot Noir with berry-based pies and save your Chardonnay for the apple.

Garnet Hill invited the group of editors to their boutique in Bridgehampton to give them a sneak peek at their spring home collection as well as provide a fun tutorial on beautiful holiday gift wrapping. (An added cool factor of this experience was that social engagement tagging #StJudeShareaGift donated $10 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.)

Pro tip: Incorporate natural elements into your gift giving, for a unique twist on traditional wrapping.

Omaha Steaks hosted a delicious, savory dinner cooked by their executive chef to showcase the quality of their easy to prepare, frozen meals. Who knew Omaha Steaks was the secret to holiday dinner success!

Early risers the next morning, Leesa treated the editors and influencers to a yoga class and delicious breakfast a Hampton’s gem, The Topping Rose House. Morning yoga was particularly enjoyable after a restful night’s sleep on our Leesa mattresses!

Pro tip: Comfy mattresses = happy guests.

Cabot Creamery hosted an extra-special edition of “how to craft the perfect cheese board.” New York Times food stylist Judy Haubert taught us all how to make Instagram-worthy cheese boards. Editors from Family Circle, Lonny, and Real Simple magazines all broadcasted these cheese board tips from their outlet’s Instagram channels.

Pro tip: Use Cabot’s effortless cracker cuts to trick your guests into thinking you’re a cheese board genius.

Overstock then hosted a game night in the house’s stunning Great Room – a room they gave an impressive floor-to-ceiling makeover and completely outfitted in Overstock furniture and home décor.

Rubbermaid hosted breakfast showcasing their newest line of storage containers which was followed by a cooking demonstration and lunch with Dyson. Dyson brought in two food and wellness influencers Candice Kumai and Rachel Mansfield to cook healthy, yet aromatic, meals to show off the power of the Dyson Air Filters.

Pro tip: Did you know that indoor air 5x dirtier than outdoor air? Investing in a purifier may be the best decision you could make for your guests and yourself.

In three days, we transformed from gracious guests to hosting experts. At this point, we feel like the Duchess herself – although we certainly wouldn’t say no if Kate Middleton wanted to dish out her tips during next year’s Hosting House!

Curious to know more about our HOUSE programs? Check out our Instagram for an insider’s look.

If you’re a home entertaining brand interested in participating in this year’s Hosting House in November 2018, contact us!

Three sessions, twenty editors, bottomless wine. This fall, we traded the East Coast autumn for a few days of Santa Barbara sunshine in our annual Fall House – one of the original destinations in our series of HOUSE Programs.

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POM Wonderful kicked off the program with a poolside cocktail hour before the group took off to a sunset dinner at Cambria Winery. Talk about a taste of some of California’s finest!

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UGG organized a paddle-boarding excursion in the Pacific where the editors got to experience UGG’s true surfer roots.

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Paddle-boarding worked up quite an appetite so we headed back to the house for lunch. Fan of dessert for lunch? Great, so are we.  Halo Top let the editors a taste of all of their new delicious dairy-free ice cream flavors – including some new flavors before they hit the stores!

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Next we traveled to downtown Santa Barbara to hit up Parker Clay, a local boutique stocked with leather bags and other goods handmade in Ethiopia. There the owners, a husband and wife duo, provided us with the beautiful story of the brand’s origin and the mission behind the product, all the while we enjoyed traditional Ethiopian coffee brewed right in front of us.

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Time to call in the Navy SEALs! The daunting task of an authentic Navy SEAL workout with Luminox turned into one of the most epic team building experiences.  Former Navy SEAL, Rob Roy, powered us through an intense, but insanely awesome, workout.

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And last but not least, one final adventure: Cold Springs Canyon for a hike with Mountain Designs. The editors really put their gear to the test.

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Interested in seeing more from this year’s Fall House program? Check out all of the social buzz on Instagram at #CBCfallhouse.

Can you believe it? CBC just wrapped up its 11th annual Winter House. And if we do say so ourselves, it gets better with age!

As communication methods evolve, so do the creative ways that we as marketers collaborate with brands. For those who don’t know, the CBC House Programs bring some of the nation’s most coveted top tier media to some incredible locations. For Winter House, Park City, UT was the perfect setting to experience brands and their products the way they were intended.

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19 editors from top-tier outlets like Esquire, Fox News, and Women’s Health joined us in Park City to ski the slopes at Deer Valley, sip cocktails by the fire at Wyndham Vacation Rentals, and experience a Rocky Mountain winter firsthand.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the brands and experiences that were showcased at the 2017 Winter House:

Miraclesuit hosted a playful hot tub cocktail hour and dinner hosted by a private chef. The perfect ending to a day on the slopes.

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Deer Valley is home to some of the best skiing in the country. Here, editors skied on perfectly powdered runs while outfitted with gear from Obermeyer, Rossignol, and the Rudy Project.

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After skiing, yoga was the perfect way to unwind and stretch out those tired muscles. Kleenex hosted a relaxing yoga class at one of Deer Valley’s most elegant resorts, The Montage.

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And the fun didn’t stop there. Media guests were wined and dined with POM-perfect cocktails, while bundling up in Ugg boots and Stance socks.

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To close the experience, Ester-C hosted a breakfast on the last day where they concocted juices and smoothies that included their immune boosting products. After the healthy meal, editors boarded their planes energized and fully equipped to fight off the winter cold season.

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Through the experiences provided by CBC Winter House, editors naturally connected with brands and products as a way to craft genuine stories to share with their readers. But don’t take it from us, check out the full story of #CBCWinterHouse on Instagram.

Over the course of eight days, 20 editors, bloggers and journalists from top-tier publications attended Cercone Brown’s 11th annual Fall House in Santa Barbara.screen-shot-2016-10-28-at-2-56-04-pm

From October 16-24, attendees from publications like People, The Huffington Post, and SELF immersed themselves in the Santa Barbara County lifestyle as they lounged by the pool, explored picturesque California beaches, and participated in adventurous excursions all hosted by our brand sponsors.

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This year, brands like Buick, Miraclesuit, and Lather organized unique brand activations and experiences. The key to our success with our House Programs, we let the products speak for themselves. Buick kicked off the 2016 sessions with an iconic, self-guided road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway while Mircaclesuit hosted a pool party at the house.

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After all the excitement, Lather helped the editors unwind with facials and massages.

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Other brands like Sabra and Jackson Family Wines indulged the media influencers with delicious food and cocktails throughout their stay. They were even treated to a mixology class with blogger and author of This Girl Walks into a Bar, hosted by Bolthouse Farms.

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While Fall House is certainly fun for media influencers, it also encompasses a series of tailored experiences designed to give each brand meaningful exposure to media in a natural setting. Editors are experiencing a product in the way it is intended to be experienced – and without being clouded by the competition as each brand is offered exclusivity in its product category.

But enough about what we thought of Fall House – let’s let the attendees speak for themselves:

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Check out all of the social buzz from Fall House online at #CBCfallhouse.