For over a decade, Ms Tenes has been a professional event planner, renown for designing festive and creative cultural events. Since 2003 she has been a regular contributor on NBC and CBS in the San Francisco Bay Area as a Marketing and Latino Lifestyle expert discussing history, foods, and traditions of Mexico, Spain and other Latin-American countries. Known for her micro-history lessons and quick wit Darlene is a favorite guest sharing recipes, entertaining tips and more with the television audience.

CasaQ was created in 2005 when she was unable to find culturally significant decor and unique gifts for her guests. Darlene began searching and importing items to fulfill her needs, as her guests continually requested to purchase and borrow these treasures to bring back to their own homes. The Q in the company’s name stands for querida, Spanish for darling or love. “CasaQ combines everything I think is important in life;” says Darlene, “faith, family, culture and of course food!” The name CasaQ together, signifies “loving home”.

In 2007, when she was unable to find Christmas décor that reflected her culture, Darlene designed two hand-painted glass ornaments that sparked an immediate interest from the Latin GRAMMY Awards. The producers called and asked for them to be featured in their official celebrity gift baskets even though they had only seen pictures of the designs, which were not yet available in stores. The ornaments were finished, special-delivered and made it into the hands of celebrities just in time for the show.

Since then CasaQ Ornaments have received much press because of their intricate and beautiful designs which have been given as gifts at numerous celebrity driven events such as People en Español's Christmas Party, Alma Awards, CBS' A Home for the Holidays TV Special and American Music Awards Gift Suite.