Palm Springs

Maison Felice – An Artful Experience! If El Paseo is the Rodeo Drive of the desert, Maison Felice, a high end antiques shop and gallery and showplace of decorative arts, is the crown jewel along this high-end strip. When a client for a furniture manufacturing association wanted a very unique, trendy and memorable location for their Board Dinner, the ACCESS  Palm Springs team went into high gear to find a location that fit that description. As an added bonus, Maison Felice, specializing in fine European 18th and 19th century antiques, mid-century furniture and furnishings, decorative arts and more, tied in so very nicely with this association’s business interests that it was the perfect location for this upscale Board Dinner.

As guests passed under the two-story marble arch and through the antique iron doors (imported from the old Ritz Hotel in Paris), they soon discovered a world of classic elegance and timeless European treasures that awaited. Maison Felice has been a source of education, history, enrichment, and enchantment for every person who has entered.

Just some of this venue’s amazing features include a selection of William Yeoward crystal, silver from the Sandra Jordan Collection, and a large array of giftables and shelves filled with a wide variety of design books in the Library Room. William Switzer’s Lucien Rollin Collection is showcased in the gallery. Every treasure collected by Maison Felice’s owner blends seamlessly into an antique setting highlighting how European ambiance can be integrated into every part of our environment.

Following a cocktail reception in the store, guests adjourned into a private room for a sumptuous dinner at a royal table set for a Renaissance-style experience. Entertainment options are many including authentic renaissance instruments, jazz combos, and even a singing waiters show which provides sophisticated, high quality entertainment comprised of some of the best performers that opera and Music Theater have to offer.

When you are stumped in your quest for that perfect venue for your next conference or incentive program in the Palm Springs Desert Resort Communities, contact the resourceful Palm Springs team of ACCESS  Destination Services and let our intimate knowledge of the area assist you in creating the perfect event.

San Diego

Spotlight on a Local Legend!   The Hotel Del Coronado is a magical place – a breathtaking storybook castle rising from the ocean’s edge. This living legend has been visited by celebrities, dignitaries and U.S. Presidents and has been featured in several notable Hollywood films including the 1958 classic, “Some Like it Hot”, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. The Del even has its own resident ghost, the beautiful Kate Morgan, who checked into the resort in 1892 and never checked out! The property’s rich history, Victorian architecture and unparalleled oceanfront setting have been luring visitors to its sandy shores for well over 100 years and will continue to be a San Diego hot spot for many more with its unique beach accommodations and award-winning dining options including Sheerwater, 1500 Ocean and the awe-inspiring Crown Room.

Let us fast forward from the Del’s storied past into the present and highlight the new Spa at the Del with its 21 treatment rooms, a private terrace, vanishing edge pool, and unique ocean-inspired therapies…all against the backdrop of one of Coronado’s most inherently beautiful landscapes: sand, sun and sea. Within the Spa are private men’s and women’s lockers, steam rooms, Jacuzzis and lounge areas, reception area and retail shop. Unique water therapy treatments such as the Ocean Massage and the Sea Salt Scrub allow guests to experience traditional offerings while submerged in special hydrotherapy tubs. Spa at the Del also offers a “Spa after Hours” program where larger gatherings can enjoy the spa all to themselves from 8:00-10:00pm.

Spa at the Del recently received top honors in Conde Nast Traveler’s 11th annual May Hot List issue. The Spa was selected as one of 75 new spas in the world “whose design, service and amenities transcend industry standards.” The Del was one of only five hotels recognized in San Diego County in this year’s Hot List. Adjacent to the Spa, the Del recently unveiled its state-of-the-art fitness center, offering personal training, weight and cardiovascular equipment and a studio for aerobics, spin classes and Pilates.

So…come on down to the alluring seaside and create your own magical experience for your next conference or incentive travel program. After your guests have been pampered at the restorative Spa at the Del, let the ACCESS  San Diego team show them a good time while they experience all that Coronado and nearby San Diego proper have to offer.

With Coronado’s waterfront orientation, seafarin’ activities are appropriate offerings to show your guests the sparkling side of San Diego. How about a hands-on Sailing Regatta aboard 6-passenger sailing yachts? Or perhaps a Match Race aboard America’s Cup sailing vessels Stars & Stripes/USA 34 and Abracadabra/USA 54, two of the fastest mono-hull sailing vessels in the world. For those guests without the need for speed, maybe a relaxing afternoon harbor cruise with a naturalist on board would be the right choice. Or, experience a little bit of Italy on 6-passenger gondolas gently cruising the canals of the Coronado Cays. For a team-building activity, ACCESS ’s “Amazing Race” includes a ferry ride from Coronado to the “mainland” where the fun continues.

For a close by “mainland” option, landlubbers are sure to enjoy a tour of the legendary USS Midway. History is also the highlight on a Coronado Walking Tour, preceded or followed by lunch on “the island”. Cycling on Coronado is always a popular activity, especially with one of our creative ACCESS  touches or themes. Beach parties at the Hotel Del Coronado are among our specialties – whether it is the traditional Beach Party with surfboards and sandcastles, frisbees and footballs or a Country Clambake with denim linens and bandana print overlays and country style activities.

When the evening stars begin to shine, the “stars” come out to play. The ballroom at the Hotel Del Coronado is the perfect setting for our “Evening in Old Hollywood” featuring elegant décor and the sophisticated sounds of a Big Band Orchestra. Who knows, we may encounter “Humphrey Bogart” or “Frank Sinatra” or other big stars from the era. Or perhaps you would like to jazz it up a notch and experience our “Some Like it Hot” themed event highlighting the antics of “Marilyn”, “Jack”, and “Tony” in perhaps the most well known movie filmed at the Del.

For your next conference or incentive travel program at the Hotel Del Coronado, allow the ACCESS  San Diego team to create the perfect all-around program of events for your guests showcasing the best of Coronado and the surrounding areas.

Spice it up with ACCESS

Phyllis Diller’s “Tamale Pie Deluxe”!  The Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook offers up this tasty Mexican dish.

Serves 6-8
Filling:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 (12 ounce) can corn, drained
• ¼ cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese

Crust:

• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions/Filling:

• Sauté onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil in large skillet until tender but not browned.
• Add beef and cook, stirring to crumble, until lightly browned. Drain excess fat.
• Stir tomato sauce, wine, salt, black pepper and chili powder into meat mixture. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• While sauce is cooking, prepare crust.
• Add corn to sauce and bring to a boil.
• Spread about ½ crust mixture in 12x8x2-inch baking dish. Add about ½ cup crust mixture to meat sauce; pour sauce over crust in dish and spoon remaining crust mixture over sauce.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, sprinkle with cheese and bake for additional 15 minutes.

Directions/Crust:

• Stir corn meal and salt into water in saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until thin gruel consistency. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Stir butter or margarine and cheese into corn meal mixture.

Enjoy!