Meet Adrienne Kalinauskas and Amy Macauley, two remarkably creative moms and business partners living in Monmouth County. Together they help families around Monmouth County plan for all of life’s special moments who don’t have the time to do it all by themselves. Read below about how Adrienne and Amy manage their households and business, both with kids under 5, and what they love about Monmouth County.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
Adrienne: I have always lived in Monmouth County! I grew up in Neptune, and made a couple of moves as an adult, but now I live in Monmouth Beach in my “forever home.”
Amy: I grew up on Long Island and have lived in CT, CA and now NJ for twelve years.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
Adrienne: Lilly, who’s turning 5 in a couple of months.
Amy: Hunter just turned 4 and Fletcher will be 3 in August.
(Adrienne and Family)
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
Adrienne: My first career, while in college (before my 15 years in pharma!), was as a professional horse trainer. While the career didn’t stick, my love of horses definitely did, and am so blessed to now have a pony that my daughter and I both ride.
Amy: One day when I was teaching first grade in CT, I realized I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. That July, I packed up my entire life and drove cross country to San Diego with no job, no friends and no place to live in order to realize my dream of living in California! I stayed there for three years, so I would say it had a really great outcome.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
Adrienne: My husband Paul is my hero. I lost my mom as a child, and we don’t have any family in the area, so it’s definitely challenging at times, but he thoroughly supports me, and always finds a way to make what may feel impossible…possible.
Amy: My mom. If she didn’t raise me the way she did, I wouldn’t be able to raise my kids in the same manner. She was such a wonderful example and I try to follow in her footsteps of motherhood each day.
(Amy and Family)
Favorite things to do with your kids?
Adrienne: Spending time outside at Winward Equestrian, the farm where we keep our pony Biscuit. Lilly is such an animal lover and she’s already a very talented little rider. And we LOVE going out to eat – our special mommy-daughter date spot in the summer is Melonhead.
Amy: I love swimming in our pool with them all summer and going on vacation so they can visit new places.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
Adrienne: Amy and I started The Boastful Host (www.theboastfulhost.com) to help make planning and hosting parties easier and more attainable for moms, even when they feel like they are just too busy. Family life and schedules are just getting busier each year, but we don’t think that celebrating life’s special moments should have to be sacrificed because of it. The Boastful Host offers a wide range of party planning and design services to help bring your vision to life. We offer everything from handcrafted party decorations for DIY planning, to full-service party planning and design for those that want to be able to just show up and enjoy. Everyone’s needs are completely different, just like every party, and that’s why we treat each Client’s request as one-of-a-kind, by taking into account the type of party, the budget, personal style, and so much more!
Amy: We are a mix of a business venture and creative endeavor. It’s been a great experience for Adrienne and me to leave our careers, become moms and now show our children what’s it like to follow your dreams.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
Adrienne: This community has been everything in helping our business get started and make a name for ourselves. Without the support of friends, local vendors/venues, and especially an incredibly supportive town (thank you Monmouth Beach Mommies), we wouldn’t be nearly as successful as we are today!
Amy: Our community has helped us be successful, book parties, and get our name out there.
What is your favorite restaurant for curbside takeout in Monmouth County?
Adrienne: While I would much rather be dining out, I’d have to say Woody’s in Sea Bright continues to be one of my favorites. We love all of the food, and they’re even selling their awesome Orange Crush cocktail as a DIY kit! I also love supporting them, because Woody is always committed to helping the local community (like in the months after hurricane Sandy) and offers the menu as “pay what you can.”
Amy: Sumo Sushi in Wall. We have been going there at least once a week since we moved to Monmouth County. We consider the owners family and will continue to support them through this difficult time.
What is your favorite activity to do with your child(ren) in Monmouth County?
Adrienne: During the summer, we love our early morning family time at the beach. My car is always packed and ready to go with beach gear and since we live blocks from the beach, we are there all the time!
Amy: Both of my children love attending NJ Swim at the Atlantic Club in Manasquan. I feel that swimming is such an important skill and they are both excelling at their own rate with each lesson.
What are your Mom Goals?
Adrienne: I want people to meet my daughter and see a positive, kind, helpful young lady. If she continues to embody those traits throughout life, I have done my job! I also dream of The Boastful Host growing to one day having a number of additional full-time employees…and a super cool “blank canvas” type of event space!
Amy: My first and foremost goal is to raise children who are happy, respectful, hard-working, show empathy and follow their individual dreams wherever that may take them. On a professional level, I want The Boastful Host to keep expanding. Our specialty is personalizing parties to the best our abilities and we want our clients to say that the best decision they ever made was to hire us.
The Boastful Host
The Boastful Host offers a full range of party planning services to make your party shine. Rather than removing you – the HOST – from the process, and giving someone else the glory of your successful party, we work with your vision and ideas to develop a fully thought out and personalized party design, just for you. Our party designs come complete with handcrafted and thoughtfully curated decorations and decor, one-of-a kind party keepsakes, creative menu ideas, catering coordination, entertainment sourcing, and more (as much or as little as you need!).
You can support Adrienne and Amy by following them on social media and booking them as party planners or designers for your next special event!
