Los Angeles

ACCESS your Cultural Connection to Los Angeles! Woody Allen once said that the only culture in LA was yogurt – boy was he wrong! The ACCESS  Los Angeles team would like to showcase a few of the many opportunities for cultural experiences in the Los Angeles area.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the largest encyclopedic museum west of Chicago, has a brand new, $56 million addition: The Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) which opened its doors in February to fanfare and gala opening events. BCAM’s inaugural installation fills six galleries with 160 works from the primarily post-1960 American and Pop Art rooted collections of Eli and Edythe Broad which include the works of Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons and more. In tribute to the importance of this project, construction was completed in record time and the city willingly eliminated a street and a parking garage to accommodate the travertine-clad building and plaza. Great special event space features the Grand Entrance and north piazza and rental includes after-hours access to the galleries. BCAM is part of the first phase of a makeover of the 20-acre LACMA campus; the second phase will include construction of a Renzo Piano-designed single-story building as well as an expansion of the palm garden, a new restaurant and more.

Since its opening, the Richard Meier-designed Getty Center has quickly assumed its place in the Los Angeles landscape as the city’s cultural acropolis and international mecca. This postmodernist complex, perched on a hillside in the Santa Monica mountains, is most frequently visited for the galleries displaying collector J. Paul Getty’s enormous collection of art. The Getty Museum announced in March the acquisition of a painting by Paul Gauguin, Arii Matamoe (The Royal End), adding to the Museum’s collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, including works by van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Degas, and Renoir. Of special interest to our groups, the Getty Center has relaxed protocols to allow groups of up to 50 (seated) and 100 (reception) in their private dining room above The Restaurant at the Getty Center during museum hours – including Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena recently premiered its new Chinese Garden - Liu Fang Yuan, the Garden of Flowing Fragrance. Guests will enjoy docent tours as they are guided through the traditional Suzhou-style garden, featuring a 1.5 acre lake bordered by craggy Tai Hu limestone rocks. Additional sights include a complex of seven pavilions, a canyon waterfall and hand-carved stone bridges set against a wooded backdrop of mature oaks, pines, camellias, bamboo and blossoming plum trees. Experience the inspiration behind the garden which combines the beauty of nature with the expressiveness of literature lending a deeper meaning to the landscape. Filled with literal and symbolic meaning, a walk through Liu Fang Yuan enriches the mind and spirit alike.

For something completely different, the Recording Academy is building a Grammy Museum. Scheduled for completion this fall, the Grammy Museum pays homage to music’s rich cultural history. The 30,000 square-foot facility will explore and celebrate the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music. One-of-a-kind artifacts, movies, and interactive experiences will join together with exciting design, compelling interpretation, and plenty of music to create an amazing and immersive museum experience. The Grammy Museum will occupy a dynamic new space, adjoining the STAPLES Center and The Los Angeles Convention Center, in AEG’s L.A. Live entertainment complex, an unprecedented sports and entertainment destination. Keep in touch with the ACCESS  Los Angeles team for periodic progress reports on this exciting venue.

With these exciting developments and more on the horizon, we can emphatically state that there is much more to the culture of Los Angeles than yogurt! Contact ACCESS  Los Angeles to see what new and exciting features the Los Angeles area and ACCESS  Destination Services can offer you for your next meeting, conference or incentive travel program.

Orange County

Classics & Collectibles – New “Automobilia” Venue in the OC! Housed in a beautiful warehouse in Orange County are some terrific classic automobiles waiting to be admired at your next special event. America’s love affair with the automobile and its gears and gadgets transcends all age groups and at Crevier Classic Cars, guests will have the opportunity to view some of the most amazing specimens of automotive art in the country.

In a stylish setting of polished marble and hardwood floors, these classic autos are showcased in a welcoming, club-like setting which includes a billiard table, bar and wall mounted plasma televisions – not to mention the privately owned luxury cars on display which are guaranteed to transport guests on a trip down memory lane as they mix, mingle and share their dreams. The list of impressive classics is a long one, but some of the highlights include a 1929 Cadillac 5-passenger town car; a 1935 Packard 1207 V12 convertible coupe roadster and a terrific little 1958 Alfa Romeo Guiletta Spyder just to name a few. Not a serious automotive enthusiast? Not to worry – the upscale setting and décor lends itself to an evening of elegance and panache. If you are looking for an exclusive venue for a one-of-a-kind, distinctive event, this is the place to be.

Don’t forget that part of the fun can be in the “getting there.” In addition to themed entertainment and décor, allow the team at ACCESS  Orange County to transport your guests or your VIPS via creative modes of transportation. Perhaps a woodie station wagon bus or mini-coach is a fun option or maybe your preference leans toward the more “modern” hummer or escalade limousines. Whatever your preference the ACCESS  Orange County team can add those special touches to this event and to any program component for your next meeting, conference or incentive travel program. Contact the ACCESS  Orange County office today.

Spice it up with ACCESS

Calabacitas Rellenas de Elote (Zucchini Stuffed with Fresh Corn)! The Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook offers up this treasured recipe courtesy of actor, Eddie Albert.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Zucchini

• 6 plump zucchini
• 2 cups fresh corn
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) grated mild Cheddar or Muenster cheese, divided

• 3 medium tomatoes
• ¼ onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil
• salt to taste

• Cut zucchini in halves lengthwise and scoop out pulp, leaving shell about ½ inch thick. Discard pulp or reserve for another recipe. Place squash in single layer in baking dish.
• Blend corn, egg, milk and salt to form course puree; do not add more liquid unless absolutely necessary.
• Add 1 cup cheese to puree. Spoon filling into zucchini shells and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese. Filling will be soup consistency.
• Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until tender.
• While zucchini is baking, prepare tomato sauce, or sauce can be prepared in advance.

• Blend tomatoes, onion and garlic together until course puree.
• Heat oil in saucepan, add sauce and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until thickened.
• Season with salt.

Enjoy!