Last Tuesday the ISES group climbed on the new Double Decker PDX bus and headed out to the gorge. Rick from Wild Bill’s provided team building entertaiment on our ride.   Our first stop was Cathedral Ridge Winery where Hudson gave us a tour and we were able to sample many of their wines. Our next stop was the beautiful Columbia Cliff Villas. Sara with White Buffalo Catering provided tons of delicious food for us to snack on while enjoying the spectacular view.  We went over to the Columbia Gorge Hotel for champagne and chocolate and a tour of their grounds. We had a great time! Paul Rich was our photographer and he took some great shots. Check them out his blog.

Planners looking for a unique venue to host a meeting and have a little fun typically turn to Edgefield, Kennedy School or the Grand Lodge. These are all great options, but we have others as well. We recently made a few improvements to the Bagdad Theater and Back Stage Bar to make both spaces more meeting friendly – they already had the element of fun!

The Bagdad Theater is a one-of-a-kind space, perfect for meetings and presentations or a reception-style event unlike any other. With its ornate Mediterranean architecture and elaborate interior design, the Bagdad provides a grand forum for multimedia presentations. The historic theater was built in 1927, and McMenamins has focused on preserving and highlighting the building’s unique character –thus providing a stimulating, fun atmosphere for your meeting. Amenities include:

· Ample seating (complete with balcony)

· 590 seating capacity for theater

· 700 capacity for reception-style event

· Large theater screen

· LCD projector

· Catering available

The Bagdad’s Back Stage Bar is the perfect venue for a more casual event that can be followed by a team-building pool tournament or simply social time with co-workers. The entire space can accommodate up to 150 guests reception style, and can be broken down into more intimate areas for groups as small as 16. With its huge, colorful mural, brass-railed bar, and seven-story ceilings, the Backstage Bar is the coolest place in town to build company-wide camaraderie! Amenities include:
· New huge drop-down screen

· Ceiling-mounted LCD projector

· Versatile capacity for 16-150 people

· Custom table covers that convert pool tables into buffet or dining tables

· Full bar

· Two separate “breakout” rooms that can be used for additional pool games once meeting is finished

· Catering available.

More information at Mcmenamins.com

 Looking for a place to hold a corporate retreat? Beautiful Five Pine Lodge in Sisters, Oregon has a conference center and accomodations for your next event. The Teresa Conference Center is behind the lodge and has a variety of meeting spaces to accomodate your needs. The Chef will customize your menu for you. Shibui spa is onsite as well as Sisters Athletic Club. Group activities can be added to enhance your next meeting or event. Three Creeks Brewery and the Sisters Movie House are also on the property.

Your attendees can stay in a lodge room or in a private cabin. Each room has a waterfall soaking tub and Italian tile shower.  I had the luxury of staying in a private cabin and it was fantastic. Five Pine Lodge has thought of everything to make your stay perfect.  Your attendees will leave feeling refreshed and energized. For more information check out www.fivepinelodge.com.

I had the opportunity to check out a fantastic new event space acquired by West Coast Event Productions. The space is located at NW 14th and Overton, on the outer edges of the Pearl District.

This space can be used for events or weddings, with a capacity up to 999. There is a lower and upper space available. West Coast can provide you with many ways to decorate the space.

Planners and brides can bring their choice of vendors to the space.

Beautiful Windows cover the exterior of the building.

For more information contact Danette at 503.294.0412 or danette@wcep.com.

Pimp My Warehouse is BACK! ISES Portland is thrilled to bring you the second annual party of the season….and it’s much more than a party! Great education, great networking, see, hear, and sample the wares of some of Portland’s finest event service providers…. you DON’T wanna miss this one!

1801 NW Thurman is the spot (formerly the Norm Thompson warehouse), Wednesday April 21st from 5:30-9:00 is the time. But NOW is the time to register, so you don’t lose your chance to see what the best collaboration in the business is going to do to this space!

This year’s production sponsors and providers are:
Bravo Publications
Peter Corvallis Productions
Greenlight Creative
Henry V
Holland Studios
Hollywood Lights
Honey Bucket
The Party Place
Royce’s Prop Shop
Stages Northwest
Samantha Swaim Fundraising
Team Casino
West Coast Drape
Alesia Zorn Calligraphy

PLUS, we’ll have Live Entertainment from Vagabond Opera and DJ Anjali, and the ever-popular Crave Catering will provide amazing food and a full no-host bar!

Of course, we will have our signature networking sessions before and after dinner, and a “superpanel” educational session where our experts tell you how they did it, and take your questions as well.

Go to www.isesportland.com to sign up…. see you there!

Themes and more Themes!
The majority of planners always (47%) or sometimes (48%) use themes for their events. However, only 37 % feel extremely comfortable coming up with creative themes. Meeting & Conventions magazine have created a list of suggestions for your next event.

No Data Left Behind
“Oh, the Places You’ll Go” (Dr. Seuss)
Are You Ready for the Turnaround?
Mission Possible
No Small Role in Big Change
Plan. Protect. Prevail
CSI: Common Sense Ideas
Up, Up and Away
Capital Pursuit (Tivial Pursuit)
Driving Your Business to Success (Car-Racing School)
Coloring Outside the Lines
Winners at the Game of Business (Game show theme)

For more great ideas check out Bravoevent.com for Interactive Entertainment Ideas, Casino Parties, Team Building Activites and much more.

Meetings & Conventions Magazine, March 2010

During these chilly winter months, what better way to enjoy the wine country than in a warm and cozy Cellar Bar? McMenamins is pleased to present last Thursday wine tasting at Hotel Oregon, located in historic downtown McMinnville. The next tasting will be on February 25th and will focus on some heavy hitters from the Columbia Valley including Barnard Griffin Merlot, Andrew Rich Coup d’Etat, Three Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon and McMenamins own Edgefield Zinfandel. These carefully chosen wines will be paired with some light appetizers and a wine expert will be on hand to introduce each vintage and answer any questions you may have. The tasting begins at 7:00pm and is $15.00 per person. Reservations are highly encouraged. 21 and over only please.

And if you can’t make it for the wine tasting, head on over for lunch or dinner. Chef Joshua Conrad has been at Hotel Oregon for almost two years now and has been rolling out some fabulous new menu items. New favorites include the Duck Confit Salad, Hominy & Roasted Red Pepper Risotto, Coq au Vin and the Harris Ranch New York Steak. Is your mouth watering yet?

www.mcmenamins.com

GreenLight Creative LLC “hits the ground running” as the Northwest’s new, premiere event lighting resource.

Finally, event planners in the Northwest have a way to go “straight to the source” for award-winning creative design, visual concepting, and AFFORDABLE, worry-free lighting solutions….and do it with minimal impact on the environment!

Greenlight who?

Dwayne Thomas, who for over 23 years steered the creative lighting “ship” at Hollywood Lighting Services and Superior Stage Lighting, has started an exciting new venture:  GreenLight Creative.  This organization will provide full service, turnkey lighting design and production for events of all types and sizes, focusing on low-energy sustainable operations.

What they offer

Rest easy….you can afford it! GreenLight will take care of the lighting nuances and technicalities so that you can focus on what you do best.  They feature a wide range of equipment through our wholesale rental partners, including watt-miserly LED, CFL, and HID fixtures.  They will also provide delivery and labor services, all tailored to fit the specific needs of each event they light:  You don’t need to lift a finger!

Expertise?  Of course. When you hire GreenLight Creative, you’ll know you are in the hands of the Northwest’s foremost expert in creative lighting solutions….so worrying about “did I pick the right equipment?” will be a thing of the past.

Sustainable?  Absolutely. GreenLight not only offers low-energy lighting solutions, but also robust “reduce/reuse/recycle” practices in its operational procedures, including purchasing clean wind power, buying earth-friendly materials wherever possible, and a constantly evolving recycling strategy.

You need RESULTS. But most importantly, they will help you deliver the results you need at your next event:  Whether you are engaging a room full of bidders at an auction, uniting a sales team at a corporate meeting, making a splash for your brand, or just trying to plan a gorgeous wedding or gala, GreenLight Creative will create a breathtaking lighting solution that you can afford!

Where to find them

Contact Dwayne for a friendly, free, no-hassle consultation at 503-970-0246 or dt@greenlight-creative.com.

Please join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/GreenLight-Creative/150319623675?v=wall .

Their website will be coming soon at www.greenlight-creative.com

Join us for the ISES Holiday Party on December 1st from 11:30am-1:30pm at The Treasury Ballroom.

You’ll  enjoy a delicious lunch from Vibrant Table, important “first to know” announcements about upcoming ISES events, and of course friendly and valuable networking with the area’s premier event professionals.

ISES Portland is thrilled to announce our Holiday Gala will include a competitive Gingerbread House Building Competition. This will be one of the most memorable holiday activities you’ll enjoy this year–aside from a visit by a certain jolly red-suited fellow, that is.
Please bring an unwrapped toy to give to the Foster Children Program of Portland.

Members: $20.00
Non-Members: $35.00

Hurry!  Registration Closes on Friday, November 27th at 12:00 noon.

Register Here:

* Our gift to you! McMenamins is now offering a 20% discount on all holiday menus for catered holiday events!

o Available for events between Friday, November 27, 2009 and Sunday, January 31, 2010.
o Discount available on all holiday menus.
o Available anytime – day or night, seven days a week.
o Available at all McMenamins Historic Hotels and Properties.
o Offer available for new bookings only.

o For more information visit us at mcmenamins.com or call 503.492.2777.

* Look no further for the perfect holiday gift. Enjoy one stop shopping with McMenamins Gift Cards!

o One size fits all, easy to wrap, and bulk discounts now available!
o Good at any location, for any product or service!
o $500.00 to $999.00 receives 5% off
o $1000.00 and up receives 10% off
o And schools always receive a 15% discount on any amount – no minimum required.

o Call 503.492.2777 for more information.