Los Angeles

Hotel Happenings! Los Angeles area hotels have been busy making things more comfortable for your guests. Several re-designs and renovations have been making the news and, looking ahead, several new and exciting hotel projects are on the horizon - all contributing to the grand scale revitalization of Los Angeles.

Hotel Updates: In downtown Los Angeles, the Wilshire Grand Los Angeles premiers their “Sound Sleeper” supersoft foam pillowtop for executive guest rooms. Other features include 50,000 square feet of remodeled single-level meeting space offering state-of-the-art ballrooms with video wall, 12K lumen multimedia projector, two-camera video conferencing, a top-of-the-line sound system and special effects lighting to name a few. Century City’s Park Hyatt is now InterContinental Los Angeles Century City. Located on the Avenue of the Stars, it is just minutes from Rodeo Drive and showcases the Park Grill Restaurant, an outdoor heated swimming pool, sun deck, health club, Spa InterContinental and newly renovated guest rooms, each with a private terrace.

Not to be forgotten, the Hollywood area has experienced several notable changes, among them the transformation of the Bel Age Hotel into The London West Hollywood on the legendary Sunset Strip. This property is undergoing a complete design “re-articulation” blending Hollywood glamour, modern sophistication and sexy chic prior to its premier in early 2008. The Renaissance Hollywood Hotel has broken ground on construction of Spa Luce, a brand new spa, coming this winter. This state-of-the-art experience will include personalized treatments, celebrity-inspired pampering, and top-of-the-line beauty and health products, all promising to be the talk of Tinseltown.

The building that houses Le Meridien at Beverly Hills is about to begin a new chapter. Doors are temporarily closed while a complete transformation takes place. In the spring of 2008, this hotel property will re-emerge as a soothing oasis, the SLS Los Angeles, an innovative new paradigm developed for Starwood’s Luxury Collection.

New Hotel Properties on the Horizon: The Montage Beverly Hills, opening in the fall of 2008, is poised to become a prime luxury location in Beverly Hills. With lush, native California landscaping, Montage is reintroducing classic Hollywood glamour to this metropolitan location. Other news from Beverly Hills and Hilton Hotels Corporation is that the first new west coast Waldorf-Astoria hotel will be part of a $500 million long-term plan to revitalize the Beverly Hilton. The new Waldorf-Astoria Beverly Hills will join The Beverly Hilton as part of its nine-acre property; together they will become a one-of-a-kind celebration of the city’s luxury lifestyle.

Everyone is anxiously awaiting the L.A. Live project adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center and Staples Center which will feature the J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Hotels. The first phase of the project, the Nokia Theater with 200,000 square feet of function space, will open in October of 2007. In 2009, the Hollywood area will be home to The W Hollywood Hotel and Residences. The hotel will feature 300+ luxury guestrooms including suites, a signature restaurant, lobby bar, outdoor lounge, rooftop nightclub, a Bliss Spa and many other special amenities.

Rising from the magnificent bluffs on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is Terranea Resort, the newest member of the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, opening in 2009. The 102-acre Mediterranean-style resort overlooks the Pacific Ocean with expansive views of the surrounding coastline. With 582 guest rooms and suites, 63,000+ square feet of state-of-the-art indoor meeting, pre-function and event space and 90,000 square feet of outdoor venue space with views, the gracefully terraced Terranea Resort is sure to be a meeting planner’s dream.

If you are concerned with keeping track of all of these exciting changes and new hotel properties, worry no more! Let the experts at ACCESS  Destination Services keep you in touch with all that is new and vibrant in the Los Angeles area. Contact the ACCESS Los Angeles team today!

Orange County

“All that Glitters” is not only the jewelry worn by the many celebrities who call Orange County their home or the shimmering ocean waters of the coastal communities. The Orange County team at ACCESS  Destination Services has fashioned two glittering programs to bedazzle the senses during your next area conference or incentive travel program.

For a daytime excursion, consider a visit to The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, one of Southern California’s finest museums, and Orange County’s largest, to view the private gem collection, “GEMS! Colors of Light and Stone.” The Michael Scott Collection, running through mid-June of 2008, is the most important private exhibition of colored gemstones, diamonds and gems as art ever shown in a U.S. museum. In addition, guests will view rare examples of little known color varieties such as green tanzanite and “electric-blue” Paraiba tourmalines and examples of cut “collector” stones – too rare to be used in the general jewelry trade. Then…gems are not the only things to sparkle as guests sip our sommelier’s selection of Sparkling Champagnes during a delightful luncheon nearby. A guest gemologist adds a special touch to the luncheon program. Next on the agenda is an exclusive visit to Tiffany’s or another upscale jewelry store, where guests will have the opportunity to try on or purchase their own sparkling treasures.

For an evening outing, guests will enjoy a reception at Laguna Beach’s “jewel”, the exclusive Kya restaurant and rooftop lounge which offers a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Bright, primary tone floral art in clear glass containers, filled with “gemstones”, atop jewel-tone linens provides a vivid themed backdrop to our event while culinary delights take on the tones of some of our favorite gemstones. Area jewelry designers are in attendance with their jewelry collections and guests will enjoy the opportunity to mingle with the artisans and have their questions answered. Who knows, they may find a one-of-a-kind treasure - the perfect memento of this evening’s sparkling soiree.

Each of these programs forms the perfect base for a variety of enhancement options such as jewel-emblazoned place-cards and menus or perhaps oversized “gemstone” paperweight amenities. Contact the ACCESS  Orange County team for more information and we will share with you “all that glitters!”

Spice it up with ACCESS

Creole Trout Amandine, from Magnolia’s in San Diego

Serves 4-5

Place trout fillets in a 13” x 9” baking dish. Pour milk over filets and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Remove filets from milk and pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and black and cayenne pepper.

In a skillet, combine vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Heat. Dredge filets in seasoned flour and place 2-3 at a time into hot oil/butter mixture. Cook approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. Set filets aside on a large platter. Drain oil from skillet, reserving any small trout/flour bits. In skillet, melt ¾ cup butter. Add almonds and cook until light brown. Add Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and Tabasco sauce. Add green onions, parsley, and basil. Serve filet, drizzled with butter sauce.

Enjoy!