MEETINGSMAGS.COM // SPRING 2019 Meet 3 colorful SPARKLING Personalities industry characters {34} PAINT THE TOWN REDMOND Work hard, play hard in this city outside Seattle, Washington {24} LOOK TO THE RAINBOW How to effectively use color to enhance events {29} BRIGHT SPOTS 4 hue-inspired venues to add to your planner palette {20}
Book your next corporate meeting or event at Shore Lodge and strike the perfect balance between inspiration and aspiration. Call 208.630.0231 or visit ShoreLodge.com/meetings Spirited Meetings 14 expertly-appointed venues afford you the perfect space for your needs. Host intimate meetings in a private dining room, deliver stunning presentations in a state-of-the-art theater with seating for 43, or hold more formal affairs in the scenic Upper and Lower Pavilions, with a capacity of 300. Signature Moments Treat your team with a host of unparalleled Corporate Breaks that create unique opportunities for networking and socializing. Enjoy a Whiskey Tasting Break, unwind with a Spa Wellness Break, have some fun with a Pub Trivia Game Night and more. Every meeting deserves memorable moments, and at Shore Lodge, our luxurious setting in the wilds of Western Idaho ensures the opportunities for key takeaways are plentiful. Especially once you break out of the boardroom.
2 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 TEREEVERGREEN???THEJACOBSON;KAIMCDANIEL;JAMESPHOTOS: VENUE?THISFORCREDITSPHOTOKNOWYOUDOSA Spring 2019 NORTHWEST MEETINGS + EVENTS MAGAZINE: IN THIS ISSUE 6 EDITOR’S LETTER 18 EVENT PROFILE Borealis brings video-map ping to Seattle’s streets—and MOHAI’s façade. By Teresa Kenney 20 VENUE REPORT A swatch of Northwest’s venue palette. By Roger Gordon 24 DESTINATION Redmond, Washington, offers planners a small-town feel with big-city options. By Julie Scagell 48 PEOPLE PROFILE Danny Ng shares his love for his company and his commu nity. By Teresa Kenney DEPARTMENTS 2024 FEATURES 29 ThrowingShade Experts share tips on how to use color to enhance your next event. By Cheryl Reid-Simons 34 HometownFavorites Three leaders who brighten our industry. By Teresa Kenney
4 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 HOUSELARAHITCHINS;BRETTBEELMAN;KIPSCHOOL;GLASSPILCHUCKPHOTOS: 2019Spring MEETING NOTES 9 SUSTAINABLE SWAG Keep your next bash green with eco-friendly products. By Megan Gosch 10 INCENTIVE TRAVEL A ski retreat for nonskiers 12 NOW OPEN Hyatt Regency Seattle opens for business—and meetings. 14 ADDED ATTRACTION Whistler’s Blackcomb Gondola 16 SIGNATURE DRINK The Northwest Huckleberry Lemon Drop, courtesy of Semiahmoo Resort, Golf and Spa 16 SPECIAL EVENT Glass art takes center stage. 17 COMING SOON What’s new at JUMP Park and Fortress of the Bear. ON THE COVER Andrew Hoge, director of celebrations for Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Photo by Alante Photography 10 16 42 Meet 3 colorful SPARKLING Personalities industry characters {34} PAINT THE TOWN REDMOND outside Seattle, Washington LOOK TO THE RAINBOW How to effectively use color BRIGHT SPOTS 4 hue-inspired venues to add to your planner palette {20} INDUSTRY UPDATE 38 INFOGRAPHIC Find out how restaurant and food service operators are integrating sustainability practices into their daily busi ness operations. Research courtesy National Restaurant Association 40 REGIONAL NEWS New hires, kudos earned and more. 46 SNAPSHOTS A FAM trip photo album By Teresa Kenney Flashback: A historic B&B in Bend, Oregon, is available for events. pg 14
/NWMEETINGSMAGS @NWMEETINGSMAGS /MEETINGSMAGS /MEETINGSEVENTSMAGS
6 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 EDITOR'S LETTER
With Flying Colors
Speaking of colorful personalities, check out this issue’s profile on Danny Ng (page 48). On a recent FAM trip (page 10) to Whistler, British Columbia, I stayed at his hotel, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler, and had the pleasure of having Ng as a table companion at several meals over the course of the four days. He had me laughing until my cheeks hurt at his self-deprecating sense of humor, funny stories and good nature. You can see photos of my fantastic trip in our Snapshots (page 46). Thank you for spending some time with us. If you know of any industry insiders who add color to your workweek, shoot me an email at Teresa.Kenney@tigeroak.com. I’d love to learn more about them and potentially feature them in a future article or profile.
Cheers, Find, Friend, Follow Find us online at nw.meetingsmags.com, and make sure to “like” us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to stay in the loop between issues.
Teresa Kenney, editor TERESA.KENNEY@TIGEROAK.COM
The idea for a colorful issue came to me at the expense of my pride. I was leading a workshop on working with the media for a regional conference. I had designed a PowerPoint presentation, prac ticed my speech in the shower and worried that I hadn’t brought enough copies of my handouts— after all, who wouldn’t want to know how to work with the media? Well, as it turns out, everyone but the six people who showed up (two of whom were my publisher and associate publisher). The rest of the attendees, it seemed, were packing the room across the hall—people were literally spill ing out of the doors—to hear a presentation on how to use color to enhance events. “Hmmm,” I thought to myself, “perhaps this is a topic I should cover.” So covering it we are. In our feature, “Throwing Shade” on page 29, contributing writer Cheryl Reid-Simons asks experts—including the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute—how color can enhance your productions. And in “Hometown Favorites” on page 34, I talk with three industry leaders who have a reputation for coloring events with their optimism and joy. We also look at some venue options with colorful names (page 20) and take a trip to Redmond, Washington, as our Destination (page 24).
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 7 EDITOR Teresa Kenney MANAGING EDITOR Morgan Halaska SENIOR EDITOR Megan Gosch DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Julianna Fazio CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Roger Gordon, Cheryl Reid-Simons, Julie Scagell EDITORIAL INTERNS Taylor Hafner, Kendall Van Horne EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Stuart Butler, Butler Seattle • Lisa Dupar, Dupar & Company • Audrey Fan, eVenues Dennis Galloway, Semiahmoo Resort, Golf and Spa • Jennifer Giansante, Bridgewood Event Rentals Melissa Jurcan, CSEP, Seafair • Michael Noesen, pointb • Dwayne Thomas, Greenlight Creative Shelly Tolo, Tolo Events • Sheri Harbour de Vos, Ron Tonkin Gran Tarismo DESIGN DIRECTOR Courtney Nielsen ART DIRECTORS Traci Zellmann, Taylor Kilgore PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Dianne Talmage PROJECT COORDINATORS Brittni Dye, Alex Kotlarek CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jeremy Wieland SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING SPECIALIST Emily O’Connell DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & EVENTS Lauren Madeja MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATOR Jen McIlvaine SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Lisa Sabrowsky CREDIT MANAGER April McCauley ACCOUNTANT Katie Bodin WEB DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Sandy Powell WEB ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Angela Beissel ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER– NATIONAL SALES Jim 612.548.3874jim.younger@tigeroak.comYounger California Meetings + Events • 303.617.0548 Colorado Meetings + Events • 303.617.0548 Illinois Meetings + Events • 312.755.1133 Michigan Meetings + Events • 586.416.4195 Minnesota Meetings + Events • 612.548.3874 Mountain Meetings • 303.617.0548 Northeast Meetings + Events • 586.416.4195 Texas Meetings + Events • 469.264.7657 Reprints: For high-quality reprints of 500 or more call 1-800-637-0334 or email reprints@tigeroak.com. For address changes, ordering single copies, cancellations, or general questions about your subscription please contact customer service at 1-800-637-0334 or customerservice@tigeroak.com Northwest Meetings + Events accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork; they will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. TIGER OAK MEDIA FOUNDER & CEO R. Craig Bednar PRESIDENT Tony Bednar CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Barb Steinhauser VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT Susan Isay DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & Jim Younger BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 900 South Third St., Minneapolis, MN 55415 Phone: 612.548.3180 Fax: 612.548.3181 Published quarterly Northwest Meetings + Events, Spring 2019 © 2019 Tiger Oak Media. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. SPRING 2019 nw.meetingsmags.com I have a stuffedcollectioncuteofanimals at my VIPdesk.pack at SXSW 2007: About 3 dozen CDs of music and a voodoo doll. A whichtweedbeautifulpouchistheperfectsizetocarrymyKindle! Bluetoothwireless,Aspeaker. What’s“ the best swag received atyou’veanevent?” A tool to put keys on a key ring without destroying your nails. I LOVE that thing! visitvancouverusa.com
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Meeting Notes PRODUCTS, PLACES & INSPIRATION
SCHNELLJOELPHOTOS: Three eco-friendly products offer a fresh take on common event goodies. The Amazing Pasta Straw With the global spread of plastic straw bans, plenty of plastic-free alternatives have hit the mainstream. The Amazing Pasta Straw, made simply from wheat and water, is completely biodegradable (that is, if it isn’t eaten). Unlike plastic straws, these won’t break down midsip and are clean of dyes and glues. Planners can test the straws with a sample pack or buy in bulk for large meetings and events. pastastraws.org
INCENTIVE TRAVEL 10 NOW OPEN 12 FLASHBACK
Dust City Designs Wood Stickers Made from FSC certified wood, Wood Stickers are etched, cut and printed by lasers and printers, then sanded and finished by hand. Unlike vinyl stickers, the wood decals are fully biodegradable, helping to eliminate micro-plastic pollution. With over 2,500 stock designs and the ability to create custom stickers, planners can join companies like Whole Foods and Instagram in creating guilt-free branded swag. woodstickers.com Megan Gosch Sustainable SWAG
Amborella Organics Lollipops
Amborella Organics lollipops are as eyecatching as they are environmentally friendly. The hand-poured organic pops are made from cane sugar and edible herbs and flowers such as lavender, hibiscus and mint for a refreshing burst of flavor and striking visual. But it’s Amborella’s patented seed-bearing technology that makes these sweet treats a gift that keeps on giving. After enjoying a lollipop, simply plant the biodegradable stem and wait for a seedling to sprout. Seeds correspond to each pop flavor and while Amborella offers unique options like Peach & Marigold or Sage & Marshmallow, Champagne & Roses has become a crowd favorite for events. Planners can even work with Amborella to craft co-branding opportunities and custom flavors. amborellaorganics.com
Zip lining with Superfly
10 NWM+E | SPRING 2019
INCENTIVE TRAVEL
BY TERESA KENNEY I MOVED TO SEATTLE IN 1999, and, until this past December, I never visited Whistler, British Columbia. Seems absurd, I know. But when my friends would pile into their cars to drive north of the border, I declined for one simple reason: I don’t ski. What else could I possibly do in Whistler? A lot, it turns out. A recent FAM trip to B.C. (see photos on page 46), proved to me that this four-season resort is not just for groups headed for the slopes. If you’ve balked at bringing a meeting or incentive group to the resort in fear that you’d alienate the nonskiers in your group, fear no more. What to Do During ski season, those in your group who don’t ski can try snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog-sledding and, my personal favorite, zip lining (seriously, how could I have made it five decades plus on this planet and not zip lined?). While I was strapped into my zip line harness es, courtesy of Ziptrek Ecotours Zipline and Superfly Ziplines (I loved it so much, I went two days in a row), other attendees who opted out of skiing were trying out the bobsled at the Whistler Sliding Centre or their mad biathlon skills at Whistler Olympic Park. Spring, summer and fall are also prime times for hiking, kayaking, mountain bik ing, river rafting, paddleboarding, wildlifeviewing and golfing. Because the snow on the ground in the valley was light when I was there (I missed it by mere days), I went off-roading on a RZR Backcountry Tour, which is also available in the warmer months. Is your group not interested in working up a sweat? No worries. Whistler has plenty of nonsport activities as well. Take time for a souvenir-shopping excursion in Whistler Village, tour the arts and cultural museums such as Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and the Audain Art Museum, or take a nighttime stroll through the Vallea Lumina. Open late June through mid-October, it’s a multimedia night walk through the forests of Cougar Mountain. And of course, there’s always the option of spending time at one of the resort’s spas for pampering and relaxing after a long day and an even longer agenda. At night, immerse yourself in Whistler’s nightlife. Your team can head to Bearfoot Bistro for a frosty flight of vodka in its subzero Ketel One Ice Room or try a brewery tour
PRODUCTS, PLACES & INSPIRATION
WHISTLER;TOURISMGROUP;ADVENTURETHEPHOTOS: JESKOVAJUSTACRANE;MIKE » A SKI RETREAT FOR NONSKIERS
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 11 and tasting at High Mountain Brewing Co. Dave Murphy, Whistler’s regional director of marketing and sales for Cantrav Services— one of our hosts of the FAM trip—has devel oped all-inclusive seasonal programs for meet ing and incentive groups, starting from $795 (U.S.) per person for a five-day, four-night program. “We would then customize the pro gram to match the vision and requirements of a particular client,” he notes. Where to Stay and Meet If you hope to get some work done (“hope” being the operative word), Whistler has a diverse selection of venues, ranging in size, amenities and experiences and able to accom modate a variety of budgets. Four full-service hotels have 10,000-plus square feet of meeting space: Four Seasons Resort Whistler (11,410 square feet), Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa (10,406 square feet), Westin Resort and Spa (20,000 square feet) and Fairmont Chateau Whistler (32,000 square feet). Also, the hamlet has a convention center with 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space and a variety of nongeneric spaces. You can even choose a mountaintop perch for your event at the Roundhouse Lodge or a VIP gathering at one of the resort’s Olympic venues, such as the Whistler Sliding Centre. Tourism Whistler recently launched a microsite aimed at assisting meeting and event planners. The site makes it easier for planners to access information on event spaces, teambuilding activities, dining options and accom modations. It also features an online RFP form planners can complete to receive a more personalized quote from a member of Tourism Whistler’s conference sales team.
Get Connected CANTRAV SERVICES INC. cantrav.com | 604.938.1992
The Umbrella Bar on Whistler Mountain Whistler Village Après at Longhorn Saloon & Grill Audain Art Museum
TOURISM WHISTLER whistler.com | meetings.whistler.com
NOW OPEN » Rising Above Hyatt Regency Seattle opens for business—and meetings. The largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest has arrived, and it is fully prepped for meet ings, special events, conventions and con ferences. Located in the heart of downtown Seattle, just two blocks to the Washington State Convention Center, the much-anticipat ed 45-story Hyatt Regency Seattle has 1,260 guest rooms and 103,000 square feet of meet ing and event space. The hotel’s Columbia and Regency Ballrooms each offer 19,000-plus square feet of space with 24- and 30-foot high ceilings, respectively. Two junior ballrooms are also available: the Elwha Ballroom is 7,200 square feet, while Quinault Ballroom has 3,400 square feet of functional meeting space. For more intimate groups, the Deschutes Executive Boardroom features a private balcony and can accommodate 24 people. Eight prefunc tion spaces, illuminated by natural light, offer 4,292 to 7,022 square feet of space, while an additional 46 breakout rooms, ranging in size from 600 to 1,900 square feet, offer floor-toceiling windows.
TASTE » Locally Sourced Spirits Locavore meet loca-pour. Jill Kuehler, owner and operator of Portland, Oregon’s craft distillery Freeland Spirits (one of the few women-owned and -operated distilleries in history) is partnering with female-led Carman Ranch in Oregon’s Wallowa County to grow grain (and soon rye) for Freeland Whiskey. Carman Ranch is co-owned by Cory Carman, who also raises grass-fed beef and pork. freelandspirits.com
12 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 SEATTLE;REGENCYHYATTPHOTOS: HUGHESJORDAN PRODUCTS, PLACES & INSPIRATION
Additional guest amenities include a StayFit Fitness Center, a Hyatt Regency Club lounge with fire pits and wraparound patio, and three dining options: Andare, a fast-casual Italian-style trattoria that features a variety of homemade pasta dishes, salads and pizzas cooked in a woodburning oven Daniel’s Broiler, an upscale steakhouse The Market, a 24-hour premium grab-andgo retail space with café seating Built by local developer R.C. Hedreen Company in collaboration with Seattlebased companies LMN Architects and Sellen Construction Group, the Hyatt Regency Seattle features design elements that celebrate the Pacific Northwest region. The Hyatt Regency Seattle is targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification. In addition to its prime location within walking distance to the con vention center, the hotel is adjacent to the site of The Summit, the planned convention center expansion building slated to open spring 2022. hyattregencyseattle.com
All meeting rooms are outfitted with audiovisual equipment, multiple electrical, micro phone and phone outlets, as well as blackout blinds and T1 high-speed internet with dedi cated bandwidth capabilities.
HAVE STORIES TO TELL. Exceeding expectations by creating experiences. Contact the Sales Department at 800.994.5900 or visit us at atlantiscasino.com/nwmeetings to submit an RFP. Make plans for holding your event at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa Reno. The stories you’ll tell will be endless. Top notch service complete with state-of-the-art meeting rooms, tech savvy amenities and the only resort connected to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Dine in top-ranked restaurants and unwind at Spa Atlantis, the only Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star spa in northern Nevada. Book a world-class experience today.
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NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 17
COMING SOON » Bear Necessities Fortress of the Bear, a safe haven for orphaned bears in Sitka, Alaska, is hoping to expand its facilities in 2019. The proposed new visi tor center will include a number of features to enhance the guest experience, such as an indoor expansion on the bear-viewing deck and a larger gift shop with ground-floor bearviewing windows. The center, which was founded in 2002, is currently home to nine bears and receives more than 20,000 visitors each year. The mission of the organization is to nurse orphaned cubs back to health. The organization’s long-term goal is to start a pilot rehab and release program for the state of Alaska (which currently does not allow for the release of orphaned bears in the wild). fortressofthebear.org When I Say ‘JUMP’ Boise’s JUMP Park is nearing completion. Located adjacent to the nonprofit creative center and community gathering space Jack’s Urban Meeting Place (JUMP), the park will further connect the center to the neighbor hood. Two multistory slides, Celebration Circle, and The Climber (a three-story net structure) are now seasonally open to the pub lic. Within the next 12 months, the park will also welcome an amphitheater, Pioneer Plaza, Front Lawn, Blue Top (a blacktop sports court) and The Mister (a multicolored fountain). jumpboise.org
NWM+E: How long was the process for the artists? When did you put a call out for entries, and how long did you give them?
NWM+E: Is there any other event like Borealis in the United States? TM: There are other lighting festivals but none that have the large video-mapping pro jections. And if they do, they’re maybe one projection. And since we were an international competition, that’s what made it easy. We had artists from Hungary, from Slovenia, from Russia, from Turkey, from China and Japan all represented in our show.
NWM+E: About how many people on your team did you have working on this? TM: We had about a dozen people.
TM: We did a call for artists in March, I believe. And then had submissions in by the end of April and made our jury selection. So they worked five or six months develop ing the video pieces. And they’re the most complex, because everything that you see has to be created as it’s all digital. The piece that won, a Russian team put together. It took six artists a month just to render and draw one of its major sections.
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 19 did online, and a gentleman named George Berlin, the only American in the show, won. His piece was very whimsical, almost an 8-bit video game–style piece, completely different than the others, but very fun. And then we had a jury selection of arts professionals here in Seattle plus Jean-Francois Zurawik, who is the coordinator general of the Fête des Lumiéres in Lyon, France (the world’s largest lighting festival). He came over to work with us to be a judge also. The 8th of December is the traditional date for his event. But it runs the 6th through the 9th in Lyon. And that festival attracts 2.5 million–3 million people over the four days. We’re nothing like that yet, but it’s something to aspire to.
NWM+E: How many people do you esti mate came to Borealis? TM: We know that there were over 65,000 registered with tickets over the four days. And that didn’t count children or people who just came or wandered by. We’re probably over 120,000 people [for attendance].
NWM+E: Are you planning on doing this again next year? TM: We’re working on it now. We’re assessing all the situations and talking with the city and all of our sponsors to see who wants to come back on board. But, for our first year out, we were a major success, and [we’re] very pleased with the turnout and incredibly pleased with the artwork that was delivered. The public response has just been overwhelming.
TM: If you count Maxin10sity’s introduc tory piece, there were seven video-mapping artists and 25 light-art installations. Get Connected BOREALIS FESTIVAL OF LIGHT info@borealisfestivaloflight.comborealisfestivaloflight.com
NWM+E: How long did it take you, from conception to completion, to set up this event? TM: This project took three years to get off the ground.
NWM+E: How many artists in total were represented?
COLORSTRUE A swatch of our region’s venue palette.
THE NORTHWEST is home to colorful personalities, destinations, events and spaces. As a cheeky tribute to our region’s vibrancy, we’re highlighting four “colorful” meeting and event venues.
20 NWM+E | SPRING 2019
PURPLE CAFÉ AND WINE BAR; Washington Named for the color of red wine, the Purple Café and Wine Bar has locations in Seattle, Bellevue and Woodinville. “When we first opened, the logo, the menus and some of the walls were purple and things like that, but we’ve kind of steered away from [emphasizing the color],” notes Director of Marketing and Public Relations David Yusen. Emphasizing the wine, on the other hand, is always a good idea, particularly when you literally have walls of it built into your décor. “We have an amazing wine selection,” says Director of Catering and Event Planning Lindsey Winters. As for the mood of the Purple Café and Wine Bar, Yusen says it is all things to all people. “It’s definitely a loud, lively atmo sphere,” he says. All three locations offer private dining options, including a semiprivate loft at the Seattle address, which can accommodate up to 100 guests for a cocktail party. Favorite entrees include the Maine lobster baked mac and cheese, gorgonzola-stuffed dates and the Purple chopped salad.
At first glance, The Evergreen in Portland seems like an unassuming venue. “From the street, you don’t really know what you’re walk
EVERGREENTHEFITTS;BROOKEPHOTOS:
THE EVERGREEN; Oregon
BY ROGER GORDON
VENUE REPORT COLORFUL VENUES
Purple Café and Wine Bar has locations in Seattle, Bellevue and Woodinville. Below: Exposed brick and other historic detailing provide the backdrop for events at The Evergreen in Portland, Oregon.
BOTTLING
DOWNTOWNERBOISEHOTELLIONREDPHOTO:Get
The Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner offers a host of amenities for guests, including an outdoor pool and hot tub.
One of the first hotels in the Boise area, the Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner was built in 1961 as an independent hotel. Red Lion took over the property nearly 40 years ago. It is one of the few hotels in downtown Boise that offers full-service lodging. “Our location is convenient to the downtown area,” says Director of Sales Scott Terry. “We have two restaurants—one for breakfast and one for dinner—an exercise room, an outdoor swim ming pool and an outdoor hot tub. We also offer free parking to individuals who utilize the facility and stay with us, whereas many venues downtown don’t.”
In addition to the event space, the threestory venue includes a balcony and a lobby and can accommodate up to 200 guests for a seated dinner and up to 450 standing. There is a preferred catering list, although exceptions are made occasionally.
SILVER GULCH BREWING & BOTTLING CO.; Alaska
“Groups enjoy the food, the friendly staff and the convenience of working with our team,” says Terry. “They like the service that we offer and the flexibility of catering to what groups have available to spend for their budgets.” Connected BAR 206.838.3853purplecafe.com BOISE DOWNTOWNER 208.344.7691redlion.com/boisedowntowner & CO. 907.452.2739info@silvergulch.comsilvergulch.com
22 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 ing into,” says Director of Sales Shannon Hill. “You enter through these double doors on the street, and, because our space is on the second floor, once you get there via the staircase or the elevator, it’s kind of grand-esque like, ‘Wow! I didn’t even know this space was here!’” Constructed in 1908, the historic venue has been restored with state-of-the-art upgrades. “We like to imagine ourselves as a modern classic that has all the comforts of this day and age. It’s also an industrial space,” Hill says. “People love having a space that has a historic feel, including a lot of exposed brick, but they also like the fact that it’s been completely reno vated with all of these modern touches.”
A restaurant and bar, the Silver Gulch has two large banquet rooms upstairs. One can accommodate up to 100 guests seated. The other can host up to 70 guests seated and“Ourstanding.Scotch egg is a popular appetizer,”
Smith says of their menu options. “It’s like a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage and deep fried. We have a steak covered with miso and a honey-glaze topping. We hand-make our onion rings. We also have about 14 different in-house beers at one time. We change them seasonally,” says Smith. RED LION HOTEL BOISE DOWNTOWNER; Idaho
There are 11 private event spaces, the larg est of which is the main ballroom, which can accommodate up to 250 guests seated and up to 300 Cateringstanding.isdone in-house. Popular menu options are the pasta-driven Taste of Tuscany and the carnivore-friendly Texas Barbecue.
RED LION HOTEL
SILVER GULCH BREWING
The Silver Gulch Brewing & Bottling Co. in Fox, Alaska, is a nod to the Yukon Gold Rush. “They also mine silver in the area we’re in,” says General Manager Dennis Smith. “Some of our logos and some of our interior details have kind of that silver look to it. Groups like the atmosphere. It’s kind of rustic. Because we’re a little bit out in the country, it’s like a rustic, country getaway.”
VENUE REPORT COLORFUL VENUES
THE EVERGREEN 503.476.1811theevergreenpdx.com PURPLE CAFÉ AND WINE
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 23 www.meetincda.orgAll just 30 minutes from Spokane International Airport. So Much More > Lakefront conference & meeting spaces > Northwest’s largest theme park > World’s only floating golf green > Luxurious spas and world-class dining > World class accommodations > Downtown boutique shopping > Ski resorts, scenic trails, beaches and much more! THAN JUST AN AMAZING MEETING & EVENT LOCATION
SMALL-TOWNWASHINGTON
FEEL; BIG-CITY OPTIONS Meet and stay to play in Redmond, Washington. BY JULIE SCAGELL LOCATED JUST 15 MILES OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, REDMOND, WASHINGTON, may be best known as the home of Microsoft and Nintendo of America, but there is so much more to the city to discover. Its mild cli mate and outdoor-centric mind-set make it a perfect place to work and play. With striking views, a small-town feel, and an abundance of walking and biking trails, there is never a shortage of things to do and see in Redmond. Clockwise from top: Chateau Lill sets the stage for an elegant affair; Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village is a state-of-the-art facility; Seattle Marriott Redmond’s MSpace Studios is another option for collaborating.
24 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 MARRIOTT;KEATING;STEVEROBERTSON;KIRSTENPHOTOS: LAVENDERWOODINVILLEOFCOURTESYPHOTO(OPPOSITE) DESTINATION REDMOND,
26 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 REDMONDOFCITYTHEOFCOURTESYPHOTO Get Connected CHATEAU LILL chateaulill.com | 425.466.0213 EXPERIENCE REDMOND experienceredmond.com MATTS’ ROTISSERIE & OYSTER LOUNGE mattsrotisserie.com | 425.376.0909 ODYSSEY VIRTUAL REALITY odyssey-vr.com | 425.240.7459 PECADO BUENO pecadobueno.com | 425.301.9862 RED BARN FARM redbarnfarm.com | 425.440.0033 REDMOND COMMUNITY CENTER AT MARY MOOR VILLAGE guestservices@redmond.gov | 425.556.2300 REDMOND RIDGE COMMUNITY AND EVENT CENTER 425.836.1064management@redmondridgeroa.com REDMOND TOWN CENTER redmondtowncenter.com | 425.869.2640 SEATTLE MARRIOTT REDMOND marriott.com/seamc | 425.498.4000 WOODINVILLE LAVENDER woodinvillelavender.com | 425.398.3785 Cedar Park, the indoor space features a great room with seating for 175 and three smaller rooms that can fit 10–30. The grounds also feature tennis courts, walking trails, volleyball courts and an outdoor amphitheater. Blooming with possibilities, Woodinville Lavender has space for 50 guests indoors with sound, presentation equipment and other amenities. But you have to experience the outdoors to really appreciate its exquisiteness. In addition to a covered outdoor space with tables that can seat up to 80, the venue also has a ceremony greenhouse and beautifully manicured lavender fields which bloom June through August. After you meet, stay for a farm-to-table dinner, lawn games, wine tast ings and other activities. Where to Play There is no shortage of things to do in and around Redmond. Take time to enjoy wine country (Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyards is just a few miles outside of town) and the area’s many theaters and art galleries. Don’t miss Eastside Symphony and the SecondStory Repertory Theater, featuring musicals, com edy shows and other productions year-round. Or get lost at Odyssey Virtual Reality—a fun, immersive, and educational experience you won’t soon forget. You’d be remiss if you didn’t carve out time to take in the city’s gorgeous sites (and sights) on a bicycle. Redmond calls itself the “Bicycle Capital of the Northwest” and has hundreds of miles of on-street bike lanes and off-street trails (definitely check out Sammamish River Trail and Marymoor Connector Trail). It’s one of a handful of U.S. cities designated as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists. When you’re ready to relax, grab din ner and drinks in Redmond Town Center. Head on over to Matts’ Rotisserie & Oyster Lounge for some fresh oysters (with pri vate rooms available for larger groups) or consider Pecado Bueno, where they serve organic, local, free-range, hormone-free and sustainably harvested products (and with $3 margaritas all day long, you can’t go wrong). There are 110 restaurants and shops to choose from in the town center, so the possibilities really are endless. DESTINATION REDMOND, WASHINGTON
Redmond is the self-described “Bicycle Capital of the Northwest.”
We give people a place to gather, invent, and celebrate. We know that what we do in here matters out there. We are motion. We are action. We are creative. We are a dynamic center in a dynamic place. Passionate about serving people and planet. Working toward positive change, and endless Wepossibilityarethe Oregon Convention Center. We are living our LIVINGGO.OURGO.WEWELCOMEEVERYONE.WEAREFORWARDTHINKING.WELIVEFORMAGIC. GETWE DONE.IT 777 NE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVD PORTLAND, OR OREGONCC.ORG97232|503.235.7575
28 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 1.800.857.2201907.586.1749 Call today for details on planning your meeting in Juneau Meet in Juneau, Alaska
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 29 By Cheryl Reid-Simons your next event.to use color to enhanceExperts share tips on how
CREATIVEGREENLIGHTSTARCK;CHRISPHOTOS:
Thomas suggests a firm color limit. “We have a three-color maximum rule,” he says. “If a brand has four colors, then you do that, but you keep it in a frame. … If you do more than that, you risk looking like a circus pretty quickly.” you still rely on flowers to provide a pop of color for an event, you’re probably neglecting one of the most evocative and powerful tools at your disposal.
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Color doesn’t just support a mood. It is a mood. But with literally millions of shades and hues to play with, color can also be intimidating. Internationally recog nized color expert Leatrice Eiseman promises you can learn as much as you need to about color and lean on an expert for everything else.
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“I liken it to playing the piano,” she says. “We can’t all sit down at the piano and be Billy Joel. But we can at least learn to play the piano for our own Bainbridgeenjoyment.”Island–based Eiseman knows what she’s talking about. She’s the director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. (Yes. That Pantone.) She leads color workshops and has written 10 books on the subject. Using her piano analogy, all that experience makes her something of a cross between Billy Joel and Elton John, with a dash of Liberace, in the world of hues. Eiseman says that early in her career people outside of fashion didn’t pay much attention to color. “When I started out I’d often meet with a bunch of engineers sitting there with crossed arms,” she says. “But people have real ized the psychological impact color has. … Color is a very important aspect of any work you do across design industries.” She cred its Apple with opening people’s eyes to the importance of color within its own industry. “We’d been living with putty-colored com puters for ages, and the computers and tech elements were all putty or gray colored,” she says. “And then Apple came along [introduc ing brightly colored iMacs].” So what do you need to know to use color effectively? First, consider the mood you want to establish. “The use of cool colors and hues such as blues can help calm and relax individuals and generate clearer and a more relaxed mind-set, great for business sessions,” says Sarah Kelly, senior event producer with Cantrav Services. She often incorporates color to set a mood. “While the use of warmer colors and hues such as ambers and reds can help stimulate and generate a more active and warm response, great for team-building or brainstorming sessions,” she adds. You can even use color to play off of fac tors such as the season of the event, suggests Dwayne Thomas, owner of Portland light ing company Greenlight Creative. “There are some perennial things. If I do a fundraiser in the fall, there’s a 50-50 chance it’s going fall colors. In winter, blues tend to be more popular, and in the summer, reds are more popular.” But switching things up can work to your benefit. “We did one event in July, and it was hot as hell out,” he says. “They said, ‘Can we cool this bad boy down?’” So the planner set a palette of blues and turquoise, though it was “out of season.” It didn’t change the tem perature inside or out, he notes, but it had the effect of giving attendees a sense of relief. “Color adds an additional depth and sparks interest,” says Kelly, who suggests that plan ners be bold and purposeful—but not too bold. “There are two mistakes people can make, either using too much color and over whelming guests’ senses or being afraid to use it at all and not fully committing to the event’s theme or identity,” she says. “But, as long as you stick to some basic rules such as making sure you use colors that complement one another … there’s no reason to go wrong.”
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 31
Sarah Kelly with Cantrav designed this tables cape for Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler, using color to depict the seasons.
Greenlight Creative’s lighting incorporates color into an event or setting to evoke a mood.
The other big mistake Eiseman sees is making decisions based on personal feelings. As it turns out, most of us have an opinion on certain colors that the rest of the world doesn’t necessarily share. “People have got to be able to divorce their personal feelings from professional decisions,” she says. And that includes colors. “There are lots and lots of reasons people react and respond to col ors,” Eiseman adds. So don’t just dismiss all shades of purple because your first girlfriend was wearing purple when she dumped you. Working around personal color biases is Eiseman’s biggest challenge she says. “Early in my career I worked with a very, very big company. I chose what I thought was the perfect color. … Then I heard back that the CEO didn’t like that color.”
The internet can be a great resource in general, says Kelly. “There are some great websites out there where you can even build swatches and play around with different colors to see if they work together or not—for example, colourlovers.com.”
JACOBSONKAIPHOTO:
To select a color of the year, Pantone’s color experts look for new color influences in a variety of places, including the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, and popular travel destinations. Influences may also stem from new technologies, mate rials, textures, social media plat forms and sporting events.
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There are, of course, some caveats—those colors that simply can’t be provided with lighting, such as browns and olive greens. “People don’t understand there are colors you can’t make with light,” says Thomas. Use the wealth of tools provided today by the internet. Color wheels can be indis pensable, not just for selecting colors, but for defending your choices. “If you use col ors across the wheel from each other, they complete each other,” Eiseman says. “They enhance each other and make for a very sophisticated setting.” You may just have an eye for the colors, but being able to talk about the color wheel and complementary colors “justifies and validates your feelings,” she says. “It arms you with information you can give to your client, so they’ll note, ‘Wow, this is somebody who really knows what they’re doing.’”
Eiseman says she’s seen some very dra matic monochromatic settings but cau tions that you have to be in control of everything if you want to pull that off. “It has to be extremely well planned and coor dinated,” she says, “with no hurdles in the way that could really screw up the mood.”
This past December, Pantone announced its 2019 color of the year: PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral . In a news release from the organization, it was described as “sociable and spirited,” and a color that “welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity.”
Of course, when you’re designing around a brand with existing colors, you may not have a lot of options. But when you do, Eiseman suggests starting with one lead color. “Then build the other colors around it.” And always take into consideration the existing room’s colors and lighting. “There is a lot of homework that has to be done,” she says. “Whatever the venue is you’ve got to take into consideration what is already there that is immovable. What could you do to draw attention away from or disguise a presence of color that really is interruptive?”
Thomas also says color and lighting should help tell your story, not replace it. “We don’t want people to walk in a room and say, ‘Wow! What great lighting!’ We want them to say ‘Wow! What a beautiful event!’”
Something as subtle as beige chairs in a stark white room, for example, could ruin the whole Thomaseffect.also says the monochromatic look should be well-thought out as well as well-executed. “Hot colors like red and orange start to create an emotional response,” he says. “If you go into a room that’s glowing red, you want to be out in about 15 minutes.”
And while your vendors have a lot of expertise and can offer good advice, they should be able to help you create your vision, not theirs. “At the end of the day, I can argue all along that I know more about what your attendees want,” Thomas says. “But it’s utter ly subjective. If you perceive it to be the right way to tell a story, we’ll go with it.”
“Color is an equalizing lens through which we experience our natural and digital realities, and this is par ticularly true for Living Coral,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “With consumers craving human inter action and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial Pantone Living Coral hit a responsive chord.”
Consider using a lighting package that includes color changes throughout the event to help tell a story. And know that almost anything is possible with lighting colors today. Thanks to LED, lighting companies can do far more colors than ever before.
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 33 CANTRAV SERVICES cantrav.com EISEMAN CENTER FOR COLOR INFORMATION AND TRAINING leatriceeiseman.com GREENLIGHT CREATIVE greenlight-creative.com Cantrav’s Sarah Kelly designed this powerful “electric surge” piece, mak ing a strong use of color.
Remembering everybody’s name would be very handy. What did you want to be as a child? A cowboy. I came close for a couple of years out of high school as a wrangler and guide at a guest reach in central Idaho. Although I grew up in the city, I had a horse as a kid. Imet Mowbray Brown when I was on a FAM trip in Boise several years ago. At the time, Brown was a sales manager at the Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner and had been recruited to serve as our tour guide on the shuttle bus. Years later, I still remember Brown’s enthusiasm, energy and sense of humor. He made the tour and, by extension, the city memorable. Since then, Brown has If you could have dinner with someone who is alive or dead, who would it be and why? I could possibly decide on two crayons; the more I think about this question, the lon ger my dead dinner-guest list gets: everybody from Sacajawea’s son, Baptiste Charbonneau, to Jesus of Nazareth. Two things you can NOt live without? Mountain rivers and music. What makes you smile? Almost everything. Life is such a trip, and nobody gets out unscathed. What is your guilty pleasure? Gelato. All flavors.
become group sales manager for Indulge Boise Food Tours, intro ducing locals and visitors to the city’s best food and drink spots. He also moonlights as an independent step-on guide for bus tours, and, speaking from experience, if you’re visiting Boise, you couldn’t find a better person to welcome you to the city.
What do you love about the hospitality industry? I love the amazing and endless variety of people I get to meet and the adventures we share. What is to your work that the little black dress is to women’s fashion? Insatiable curiosity. If you could only have two crayons out of a crayon box, what two colors would they be? At the end of my tantrum over being only able to have two out of a whole box, I’d have to pick the midnight blue and the green. Favorite quote? “All cruelty springs from weakness.” —Seneca But, my most useful—and used—quote is, “The only difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude.” —Bob Bitchin (aka Robert Lipkin) If you could have one meetings and events super power, what would it be and why?
36 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 Mowbray Brown Group Sales Manager Indulge Boise Food Tours; Independent Step-on Guide; indulgeboise.com
Two things you can’t live without? Absolutely first is my sense of humor and the second is my ability to engage. This might be on stage or more like ly by the outfit I design and wear to emphasize the theme or style of the evening. Being a little bigger than life has always been part of my “shared experience” that makes each event personal. It is a combination of a statement piece and a little court jester. It creates conversation and often inspires others to be more bold in public.
Darl Schaaff CEO and Partner Art Services North What is your guilty pleasure? Watching the reaction of the guests when they enter. I worked with a very successful designer who taught me that an event’s success often comes from a shared experience. The “wow” when people walk into the room, that thing that makes people turn to a total strang er and comment. That one thing that surprises and pleases when you experi ence it individually and as a group. This one trick gives permission for people to relate, engages them and gives them a sense of being part of a special group for that event.
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 37
What do you love about the hospitality industry? The creative energy of impassioned professionals powers this industry that enables dreams to be realized. We con struct a world of real events and activities, often masked in something slightly greater than everyday experiences. We make the magic that brings people and causes together, inspires and sometimes changes the world.
When we asked Julie Dodds, vice president of convention sales for Visit Anchorage, if there was someone in her market who immediately came to mind as a bigger-than-life personality, she didn’t hesitate to recommend Darl Schaaff, CEO and partner of event-production company Art Services North. (When I told Schaaff this, he started laughing and said, “It must be my clothes.”) As his company’s lead creative designer and project manager, Schaaff leads a team of six full-time and three part-time employees in producing 90–100 events each year.
Favorite quote? “The only thing that shatters dreams is com promise.” (My real favorite is “May the bridg es I burn light the way for others.”) If you could have one meetings and events superpower, what would it be and why? Opening clients’ minds to the pos sibilities and removing the fear of budgets, time and workload until a vision is created. There are so many ways to do things; I wish we could always start from the dream. What makes you smile? The client’s reaction when they see the final product, the happiness and the relief on their faces, especially if their dream is realized. I always try to put one more thing on the truck, one little surprise that is my way of saying thanks to the client for believing in our company. As much as I profess to love the client’s reaction, it is my own reaction that motivates, inspires and encourages my work. Nobody likes my work more than I do.
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38 NWM+E | SPRIN G 2019 RENOVATIONS 41 PEOPLE NEWS 44 SNAPSHOTS 46 PEOPLE PROFILE 48 Industry Update
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Restaurant and food-service operators are integrating sustainability practices into their daily business operations. courtesy of National Restaurant Association WASTE NOT, WANT NOT T he National Restaurant Association examined what measures restaurateurs are taking to conserve resources and operate more sustainably. The association surveyed 500 restaurant owners and operators about their environmental efforts and sustainability opportunities and challenges within their operations. More than 1,000 consumers were also surveyed about the best methods for restau rants to promote sustainability practices to customers. The results show that restaurants of all types are innovating and making progress. From independent operators to large restaurant chains, the food-service industry is reducing its energy and water consumption, minimizing waste creation, and connecting with envi ronmentally aware guests. Read the full study at research/research/state-of-restaurant-sustainability.restaurant.org/news& Water (including for nearly 15 percent of water United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program. In a typical full-service restaurant, food preparation drives more than a third of according to the EPA’s Adding cost about $3 each—can reduce hot water hand sink by 60 percent. The savings: Based as little as 15 installing just one faucet a hand sink could save 9,000 gallons hot water year.
RESTAURANTSEQUIPMENTWATER-SAVINGWHATDOUSE? LOW-FLUSH TOILETS 44% FAUCET AERATORS* 27% HIGH-EFFICIENCY PRE-RINSE SPRAY VALVES 26% TANKLESS WATER HEATERS 24% MOTION-ACTIVATED TOILETS OR FAUCETS 21% WATERLESS URINALS 11% Energy
minutes of use per day,
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 39 INFOGRAPHIC 61% of restaurant opera tors use programmable HVAC thermostats WasteManaging Consumer Insight Environmental sustainability ranked as the No. 9 restaurant trend in the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot” annual survey of American Culinary Federation chefs for 2018. PERCENT OF CONSUMERS WHO CONSIDER THESE IMPORTANT FACTORS WHEN THEY CHOOSE A RESTAURANT: 79% of restaurant operators use CFL or LED lighting PERCENT OPERATORSRESTAURANTOFTHAT USE ENERGYAPPLIANCES:STAR-RATED 46% REFRIGERATORS 41% FREEZERS 41% ICEMAKERS 25% DISHWASHERS 22% FRYERS Does the restaurant make efforts to reduce food waste? 55% Does the restaurant recycle things like plas tic, bottles and cans? 51% Does restaurantthedonateleftoverfoods? 50% Does the conserverestaurantenergyandwater? 45% Does the restaurant use friendlyenvironmentallypackaging? 45% PERCENT OF RESTAURANT OPERATORS THAT CITE THE FOLLOWING REASONS FOR NOT COMPOSTING FOOD WASTE: 39% LACK OF COMPOSTING FACILITY 36% INSUFFICIENT SPACE 27% TRANSPORTATION CONSTRAINTS 26% DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED 25% PEST OR ODOR CONCERNS 23% MANAGEMENT OR BUILDING CONSTRAINTS 15% LOCAL ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS 31% OTHER/DON’T KNOW14%of restaurant operators say they compost at least some food waste 56%of restaurant operators say they buy at least some packaging or supplies that are certified as compostable 72%of restaurant operators say they buy at least some packaging or sup plies that contain recycled materials PERCENT OF RESTAURANTS THAT RECYCLE: 65% CARDBOARD AND PAPER 64% FATS, OILS AND GREASE 29% ALUMINUM OR METAL CANS 29% RIGID PLASTICS 26% GLASS
LODGE;WINDSONGSEWARDCENTER;ACTIVITYPOINTEAURORAPHOTOS: HOTELGROVETHEINN;RIVERVALLEY(OPPOSITE)
McKinley Chalet Resort outside of Denali National Park and Preserve has expanded its lodging options with new junior suites. The suites feature balconies, larger liv ing areas and greater amenities for guests. hollandamerica.com
40 NWM+E | SPRING 2019
The new Aurora Pointe Activity Center, located 15 minutes from downtown Fairbanks, Alaska, was completed last summer and offers guided aurora-viewing tours. In addition to tours, the center also offers dog-mushing experiences on-site with the crew from Paws for Adventure. aurorapointe.net Borealis Basecamp, located 25 miles from Fairbanks, installed a new, full-size lodge with a commercial kitchen and an expanded lounge space. The property is set on nearly 100 acres of private land. Thanks to its remote location free of light pollution, it offers approximately 250 nights of swirling green, red and purple lights each year. Guests stay in comfortable fiberglass domes with bathrooms and kitch enettes. The domes are designed to maximize aurora viewing with 16-foot curved windows that allow guests to watch the lights from the comfort of their beds. The new lodge will enable guests to relax together with friends or other guests. borealisbasecamp.net
Aurora Pointe
Seward Windsong Lodge by Pursuit in Seward, Alaska, is expanding for summer 2019. The expansion will include 36 new guest rooms and six suites, bringing the total to 216. The lodge also has two ban quet rooms and space for outdoor events. alaskacollection.com
REGIONAL NEWS
EXPANSION» Room for More TOURS» Sky Lights Crossing “see the northern lights in Alaska” off your group’s bucket list has just become easier.
CRUISES» We’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat Phillips Cruises & Tours, operating in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, has added a new vessel to its fleet. In 2019, the M/V Bravest, hailing from New York, will be used on the 26 Glacier Cruise and available for charter service. phillipscruises.com
The Grove Hotel UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT» Valley River Inn Has Owners/ManagementNew
landscaping and a concert quality
Walters
WALTERS CULTURAL ARTS CENTER Weddings | Graduations | Anniversaries | Fundraisers | Luncheons Downtown Views. Uptown Service. Centrally located in vibrant downtown Boise, the newly expanded Boise Centre has a variety of customizable meeting spaces, modern amenities, exceptional culinary services and a warm and hospitable staff ready to make your next meeting an unforgettable experience. LEARN MORE: boisecentre.com
The 45-year-old Valley River Inn in Eugene, Oregon, was purchased by affiliates of New York–based AVR Realty Company and will be managed by Aimbridge Hospitality. Valley River Inn features the restaurant SweetWaters on the River, three ballrooms, an outdoor courtyard that can be reserved for events, and 257 guest rooms and suites with garden or Willamette River views. valleyriverinn.com
arches,
RENOVATIONS» New Meeting Space at The Grove Hotel In addition to adding the new restaurant Trillium—which focuses on locally sourced ingredients—Boise’s The Grove Hotel has reno vated its lobby with a modern Idaho aesthetic and is adding a glass-enclosed lobby library room to host meetings. The Grove also expand ed its lobby bar and added a fireplace nook to seat more guests comfortably. grovehotelboise.com
system is
you’ll find at this premier site for receptions, parties, fundraisers, meetings and other special events. The theater, gallery, terrace and lawn provide a variety of options that are both beautiful and affordable. Event space capable of
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 41 Valley River Inn
Classic architecture, picturesque stained glass, red stone walls, custom woodwork ceiling pristine sound what hosting 20-200 guests. Cultural Arts Center 527 East Main Street Hillsboro, Oregon Hillsboro-Oregon.gov/WaltersRentals503.615.348597123
Best Destination in Canada Vancouver was named “Best Destination in Canada” for the 16th consecutive year at the 2018 Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards. The award winners, one each for the 78 categories, represent the best of the best in the travel industry. The nomi nees and award recipients were chosen in two rounds of voting by Travel Weekly’s audience of travel professionals.
CENTRECONVENTIONVANCOUVERVANCOUVER/TOURISMBEELMAN;KIPPHOTOS: HOTELSTATE(OPPOSITE)GRUNERT;KRISTOPHERPHOTOGRAPHER:
EVENT SPACE»
Groups Welcome For the first time, the historic Walla Walla, Washington, farmstead Abeja is accepting wedding and event bookings for groups. The 38-acre estate is home to the acclaimed wines of Abeja, as well as the accommodations of The Inn at Abeja. Once a century-old farm stead, the property’s original outbuildings have been restored to combine rustic country charm with modern amenities. Abeja offers five distinct indoor and outdoor venues, which can host groups of up to 250. The five spaces include The Abeja Barn and Patio, The Winery and Great Lawn, The Farmhouse, Lawn and Syrah Vineyard, The Carriage House Foyer, and The Vineyard Garden. A limited number of dates are available for event rentals and include the option for full buy-outs of the property with lodging at The Inn at Abeja. Accommodations includes standalone cottages and rooms in the main farmhouse. abeja.net
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REGIONAL NEWS
ACCOLADES»
The State Hotel, on track to open in down town Seattle this spring, has officially named its ground-floor restaurant and bar Ben Paris. The hotel is being reconstructed in the land mark Eitel Building, and the restaurant is named after one of the building’s original occupants. Paris owned and operated a res taurant and bar in the basement called Paris Cigars, Lunch & Cards. Quinton Stewart will serve as executive chef and Abigail Gullo as bar manager. The menu will offer a spin on classic American fare, and, in addition to sit-down service, will provide grab-and-go and delivery options for hotel guests and locals. statehotel.com
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6 WEST ROSE STREET, WALLA WALLA, WA 99362 | 509 524 5107 marcuswhitmanhotel.com e Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center is Southeast Washington’s premier meeting and event venue. Imagine the possibilities with over 13,000 square feet of meeting & event space, 133 luxurious guest rooms, and a full catering and kitchen sta . For more information, please email our Director of Sales & Marketing at dosm@mwhcc.com - or call
NEW DINING» Let’s Eat
The veteran bar owners want their patrons to be entertained while enjoying drinks and food prepared by a Michelin-starred chef. Dining is already available, and pingpong and ax throw ing will be available soon. The venue can be rented for private events and corporate groups. grabthehandle.com Family-owned Meriwether Cider has opened a downtown Boise cider house. Located on Ninth Street, the cider house features Meriwether’s Boise-brewed ciders, as well as 20 taps of ciders from around the world and coolers of 30–40 bottled ciders. Food is not served, but local restaurants Lemon Tree and Wild Root will deliver for free, and food trucks are available on select dates. meriwethercider.com (509) 524-5107
Meetings, Conferences and Corporate Events Contact us! 503.232.2759 | info@themelodyeventcenter.com evate Yo
Good News for Boise Foodies Base Camp Pong & Axe is a new bar and restaurant concept for Boise, Idaho. The res taurant is located near Boise State University.
A
SALING)(KELLYSTROLEMARCUSJEANSCHWEITZER);(GEORGEHOTELBENSONTHEPHOTOS: polished industrial oasis of Portland’s Pearl District
Everett West is a blank canvas with a spacious outdoor patio, perfect for designing your unique event. Just 20 minutes from PDX International, and within walking distance to multiple hotels, restaurants, and shopping. O ering a taste of the Paci c Northwest with seasonal cra cocktails, local beers and wines, and fully customized menu to t your style. events@everettwest.com | everettwest.com | 503.410.1461 914 NW Everett St Portland,Oregon
44 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 PEOPLE NEWS» Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (RTA) has announced the addition of Donna Bennett to its marketing and communica tions team. Bennett will serve as the marketing and communica tions coordinator.Visit Spokane has appointed Meg Winchester, CMP, as president and CEO of the destination marketing orga nization. Before joining Visit Spokane, Winchester was the director at the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau in Galveston, Texas. She brings decades of con vention sales and marketing experience to her role with VisitPortland’sSpokane.The Benson Hotel has appointed George Schweitzer as managing director. Schweitzer brings more than 30 years of experi ence to his new position. Most recently, he served as CEO of West Coast Event Productions, Inc., where he managed opera tions, sales and administration for the com pany’s Portland headquarters, as well as branch locations in Bend, Oregon, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau has wel comed Rhonda McCarvel to its sales team as sales man ager. McCarvel has nearly 20 years of sales and merchan dising experience. Liz Johnson has joined Visit Seattle as a tourism manager in the international tourism department. She will be responsible for promoting Seattle as a world-class leisure
in the heart
Available for corporate meetings, social events, fundraisers and more!
Credit: D.Selback Photography
A Hilton brand hotel, HOMES2SUITES , has been proposed and approved by Boise’s Planning and Zoning Committee. The Home2 brand is an allsuite hotel and will feature 134 rooms in its Boise location. It will be located on Front and Fifth streets and will include a 600-space garage. It is on track to open late 2020.
NW.MEETINGSMAGS.COM 45 destination in Seattle’s top international mar kets. Johnson joins Visit Seattle after five years as a Seattle-based account manager in global sales at Icelandair.Visit
Seattle promoted Kelly Saling to vice president, con vention sales and services last October. In this expanded role, Saling will now lead Visit Seattle’s convention services team, in addition to continued leadership of convention sales efforts.
LODGING» NEW VENUES
Plentiful, convenient, and affordable venues make Oxnard ideal for corporate meetings and events.
• Hold meetings and events at our uncrowded beaches, picturesque parks or historic homes
Take time to coast
Springfield, Oregon-based Mereté Hotel Management—formerly InnSight Hotel Management Group—has opened the HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES MEDFORD in South Medford, Oregon. The 91-room, fourstory hotel features 19 suites, an indoor pool, fitness center, complimentary breakfast service, a meeting room, business center and guest laundry facilities. ihg.com
Early this summer, Anchorage will welcome the HYATT PLACE HOTEL , add ing additional meeting space and 133 rooms to the city’s lodging options. hyattplace.com
• Located on the Pacific Coast, northwest of LA just one hour from LAX and Burbank
• Meeting venues are varied and diverse to meet your needs
CHART THE COURSE
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PEOPLE PROFILE DANNY NG
ZELLMANNTRACIILLUSTRATION:
48 NWM+E | SPRING 2019 Growing up in Malaysia, Danny Ng wanted to be a diplomat. And he is … sort of. As director of sales for Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler, he wel comes guests from around the world, serving as the hotel’s ambassador—a role he relishes as a 25-year Four Seasons employee.“Istarted off with Four Seasons as an intern. [I explored] different opportuni ties—from the kitchen to house keeping to the front desk,” says Ng. His curiosity eventually led him to a one-week internship in the sales office, and the rest, as they say, is history. Ng has worked at Four Seasons hotels in Hong Kong, Chicago, New York and Whistler, where he’s been for the past 12 years. It’s here where he and his wife are rais ing their three children. “Living here, kids get to be kids. In the summer, they ride a bike and go hiking and climb trees. In the winter, they go snowshoeing or put on a pair of skis and off they go,” he says. That feeling of commu nity is what’s kept him at Four Seasons, too. “[Working at Four Seasons] is kind of like a family. … How we do business, how we treat our internal and external customers is exactly the same,” heNgsays.puts his diplomacy skills Get Connected FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND RESIDENCES WHISTLER 604.966.2662fourseasons.com/whistler A Diplomat for All Seasons
Danny Ng shares his love for his company and his community. BY TERESA KENNEY to work, negotiating with groups and working within their budgets. “Creative ideas don’t necessarily equal high cost. You could actu ally do simple things that can create a memorable experience. We have a group that comes here in the summer, and we use the resources that we have, like myself and a few of my col leagues who are fairly active.” Ng and his col leagues create run and cyclist clubs for the delegates, lead ing them through some of Whistler’s favorite trails and pairing individuals with guides of similar fitness levels. Ng, who is a passionate triath lete but always quick to share a funny story at his own expense, notes, “Myself, I’m the slowest runner. I would take those who would like to go for a 2-mile jog around the forest,” he says, punctuating his comment with an infectious laugh. Spoken like a true diplomat.
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Manor House at Pleasant Beach Village has been transformed into Bainbridge Island’s premier event venue. Multiple spaces for off-site meetings, training sessions and other business gatherings from 12 to 150 guests. Our top-notch chef offers a wide range of hospitality services, from continental breakfasts to sit-down dinners, and everything in between.
