Courtesy of The U. S. Grant

I had the great fortune of planning a holiday party held last week at The U. S. Grant Hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp District!  It was a fantastic evening and the staff of the U. S. Grant made it even better.

During the planning process the Catering Manager, Rita Moore, was so delightful and helpful.  We explained what our theme was and how we wanted a menu that tied to our theme.  After discussing things with the chef, Rita came back with some fantastic ideas!  And the tasting delivered on how delicious the dishes sounded!

The U. S. Grant Lobby

We ultimately decided on a Pumpkin Ravioli with Spinach paired with a lovely sauce.  And this was just the appetizer!  The main course was a Short Rib and Sea Bass combination with purple Peruvian Potatoes and market fresh veggies.  The combination was perfect!  The entire dinner was a definite people pleaser!

The night of the event, the entire staff was on point!  They delivered on customer service and they were always there for us.  From the valets who helped us unload our vehicles to the wait staff who were on top of the service, it was a treat to experience the professionalism everyone had.

One of the awesome perks about the U. S. Grant are the Event Planner Suites!  They are an additional charge, but it was worth it to have a “go to” room for storing the favors and centerpieces until we were ready for them.  And also, it was awesome having a room to get ready in which was just across the hall from the ballroom.  It was also a secure place that only a couple of people had access to, so we could leave valuables there and not worry about them!

If you are looking for exceptional customer service, professionalism, an elegant venue and great food then you must consider The U. S. Grant!

Very few Downtown San Diego locations are as hip and modern as the Hard Rock Hotel.  A complete event venue, the Hard Rock offers guests rooms (obviously), event space,  dining, and nightlife!
The guest rooms are sleek & sexy with flat screen TVs, snake-skin headboards, fun & funky furniture all of which just beckons you to have a fabulous time!

Image Courtesy of HardRockHotelSD.com

The event space is the killer part!  Most of the rooms have huge windows which allows for natural light to come streaming through.  And if you have ever spent an entire day in a meeting room with no windows…you know what a treat that is.  Legends ballroom can accommodate up to 500 guests and sports high ceilings which compensates for being the room without windows.  But, again, the high ceilings eliminate any sense of claustrophobia.  And the staff delivers great service!  For those who missed the visual recap of The Special Event Wedding Lunch, nearly 500 event planners flooded the Hard Rock Hotel.  The service was great and the food was delicious!

Mary Jane’s Coffee Shop is one of the dining options at the Hard Rock Hotel and has the retro vibe without being a time-warp to the ’50s.  The Hard Rock also features Nobu San Diego…need I say more!   Sweetwater Saloon and Moonstone Lounge are also part of the Hard Rock nightlife.  And all this put together means your guests are guaranteed a good time!  And we haven’t event left the hotel yet!

Image Courtesy of HardRockHotelSD.com

In the heart of the Gaslamp District, the Hard Rock Hotel is centrally located to nearly anything your guests would want to do or see in San Diego.
For whatever event you may be planning, the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego should definitely be on your list of places to check out!

Last week thousands of event industry folks descended upon Downtown San Diego for The Special Event 2009 industry conference.  This led me to take up the duty of finding a restaurant for several of my fellow event planners and I to have dinner and catch up.  I was looking for something that seemed very “San Diego” but that also served great food and was centrally located for everyone.  I happily came upon JSix during my decision making process and could not have been more pleased!

JSix is a restaurant on J Street and Sixth in the Gaslamp District of Downtown San Diego.  They serve up a California Cuisine that is terribly hard to resist!  I dined on the Duck Confit and the Lobster & Crab Cakes that evening.  The duck was so deliciously cooked it simply fell off the bone and had the perfect hint of pink to it.  It was served a perfectly paired sauce (the name of which escapes me) and a meyer lemon risotto that I could have eaten all evening!  And let’s not forget the Crab Cakes!  I typically have issue with crab cakes because they can be a bit too greasy or oily for me…not these!  They were crispy and delicious…end of story!

Between the eight of us that were there that evening we tried a good portion of the menu and we were all not only pleased with the food but delighted at how good it was!

JSix prides themselves on serving not only quality tasting food, but also with quality ingredients.  They make several trips to local farmer’s markets to get the freshest foods they can find.

And I have not even touched upon the restaurant itself!  Sleek and modern but with fantastic lighting, the restaurant invites you to stay and linger for a while.  Cozy up to the bar and have a cocktail while you wait, observe the action in the kitchen which is a nice open layout for the patrons to view, or sneak upstairs to the JSix Rooftop Bar for a decidedly different atmosphere but with the same great food and drinks.  And while you’re there don’t forget to have a Pear Flower Lemonade!

JSix is a great location for a smaller sized rehearsal dinner of maybe 15 people.  If you have a larger group or want a private room you can enjoy the quality food from the Hotel Solamar which is immediately adjacent to JSix.   And let’s not forget the JSix Rooftop Bar which can host private events as well.

I’m a sucker for great food and great ambiance and JSix certainly makes the cut!

JSix Restaurant
616 J Street (At the corner of 6th Avenue)
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: 619.531.8744

If you’re looking for a spot with a real San Diego style beach vibe…Levyland should be at the top of your list!  Its a great new location right on the lagoon in Carlsbad with direct beach access.  You have full run of the house for an entire week!!  Which means there’s no rush to get everything for your event setup and taken down in one day.  Along with full run of the place, you can move the furniture where you see fit (as long as its back the way you found it before you leave).

Photos Courtesy of Levyland.com

Levyland is a true blank canvas that you can really make your own.  You’re free to bring your own caterer, rental company, bar service…whatever you need to complete your day you can do it!

The biggest bonus is the direct beach access not only allows brides and grooms great photo ops, but if you were really hoping to have a beach ceremony you can do it!

They estimate about 125 for ceremony and reception with the property as is.  They have a great space for a tent so if you’re group is larger you can tent and accommodate up to 200.

They haven’t even completed their first year but the place is booking quick!  Check their website for more details on rates and go take a tour!

Levyland, Carlsbad, Ca