TET Gazette
First Quarter 2014

Stay Connected!

Employee of the Quarter

Wendy Crum:

Wendy has been a valued member of our Orange County staff for a few years and each time she works for us, she proves her dedication to The Event Team. She is very professional, knows her way around OC well and offers great suggestions when a curve ball is tossed our way. We look forward to getting to know Wendy better in the coming year and keeping her busy with more programs in Orange County.

Vendor of the Quarter

Best Chauffered:

We have put Best to the test this quarter with several large groups needing airport transportation. They are always on time, professional and wonderful to our guests. Best has been a valued partner for many years and we value our ongoing trusted relationship with them.

Hotelier of the Quarter

Hilary Srole, Andaz:

While we work with so many great hoteliers, Hilary Srole has earned recognition as our Hotelier of the Quarter for being a great supporter of The Event Team! Our Director of Sales Romy Linde states, "Hilary and I are very similar and clicked from the beginning. She works hard at the Andaz and we appreciate that she partners with us for her DMC needs. Hilary is a team player and I look forward to working with her more!"

What's New...

New offerings for 2014

Executive Assistant Jackie Fennelly is always on the hunt for new/exciting venues and activities available in Southern California. Here's the latest scoop:

San Diego:

Ballast Point Tasting Room and Kitchen is a great new venue in Little Italy that has 50 local beers on tap, and actually pairs their beers with the food on the menu. Just this month, Top Chef All-Star winner Richard Blais opened Juniper & Ivy, which is a chef-driven restaurant with a craft cocktail program that also reflects the food menu. Jimmy Love's downtown is currently being renovated and will re-open as Florent, with a former Top Chef contestant consulting on the menu.

Juniper & Ivy

Los Angeles:

San Diegan Brian Malarkey is bringing his Top Chef mojo to LA, opening up a new Herringbone at the Mondrian in West Hollywood. Also opening in WeHo is 1 Oak, a glamorous club with plenty of space for lounging and dancing.

Herringbone's New Digs

Orange County:

Looks like sweets are all the rage in the OC this year. Susie Cakes, known for its homemade desserts by-the-slice, is opening up a second location in Costa Mesa. Further inland, Hapa Cupcakes has opened in Fullerton. This brand is known for its alcohol-infused flavors like the "Chocolate Whiskey" and "Banana Rum." These fun treats make great amenities for your VIPs, adding a little extra local flare to your event. Contact us to learn more!

Cupcake Cocktails = Win!

Hop to It...

Craft Beer Trends

Craft Beer is the trend that keeps on trending this year, and for good reason. We continue to lead the charge in new blends, breweries, and tasting facilities. In honor of our beer scene, The Event Team has come up with:

1. Set up interactive stations featuring beer sommeliers.

2. Hop on a VIP Limobus tour of several local breweries.

3. Compete in a beer-tasting scavenger hunt.

4. Offer craft brews as part of your VIP amenities.

5. Take a tour of Stone, the brewery that started it all!

6. Visit the bar made out of books at Modern Times Tasting Room.

7. Hold a Pub Trivia Night teambuilding at a local dive.

8. Host a reception featuring Oktoberfest-style decor.

9. Check out Ballast Point's new tasting room in Little Italy.

10. Give away engraved pint glasses as event keepsakes.

The Event Team
2635 Camino Del Rio South Suite #302
San Diego, California 92108
lwhite@eventteam.com

A Spring in Our Step...

Welcome to Spring, my favorite time of year! Here's why:

matt pres *This is the time when our office is working away on current programs and selling new business for 2014.

*Daylight savings time has kicked in, so getting out and exercising is much easier.

*The weather is warming up which we are still noticing and enjoying even though Southern California missed winter almost entirely.

*March Madness is in full swing and Baseball season is right around the corner. (Go Padres, Angels and Dodgers...we don't want to talk about the Lakers right now.)

*Our Los Angeles office is adding people and moving to a new location!

*New restaurants and venues are opening every day in San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles. This growth spurt signals a reviving economy and a healthy hospitality industry!

Spring is in the air. Smile and let it happen!

-Matt

Sports of All Sorts...

As if our weather wasn't reason enough to visit SoCal in the the springtime, our sporting events should seal the deal. Although Matt's Lakers didn't have the best NBA showing, the Clippers will be making playoff appearances at Staples Center. We are also in the thick of March Madness as Anaheim's Honda Center gears up to host the NCAA men's basketball tournament West Regional Championship round (go SDSU!). Baseball season kicks off next week and we're dusting off our Dodger, Padre and Angels gear. Lastly, we are getting excited for Opening Day at the beautiful San Diego Polo Fields.

The Event Team is happy to provide game-day options for any sporting event that might interest your group - from hot dogs in the bleachers to catered upscale VIP suites. We can also facilitate interactive non-game-day events such as a party on the playing field complete with interactive games, pro athlete appearances and behind the scenes tours. Contact us at sales@eventteam.com for more options on how to provide a "home run" experience for your guests!

Posing with the Padres

"Suite" views at Staples Center

Philanthropic Fun...

About a week after we "Sprang Forward," The Event Team gathered with some of our hotel partners to Pay it Forward at the San Diego Center for Children. Our Saturday morning consisted of window-washing, transporting and spreading mulch, and gardening at the center's residential campus in Kearny Mesa. We ended the day with a short drum circle led by our go-to teambuilding facilitator Ryan Shorthill. If you are interested in hosting a philanthropic teambuilding event for your group, call The Event Team for a list of fun and interactive options. We work with an array of local charities throughout Southern California, making it easy to match your group size, objectives and budget with a worthwhile cause.

Paying it Forward

Industry Experts...

Since we've spent the last 20+ years as local event experts for clients visiting Southern California, we thought it was high time to start sharing our resources and tips with our partners throughout the industry. This quarter, you can spot a guest blog entry on Paradise Point Resort's site that discusses the Top Activities for Small Meetings. You can also read our article about the ABCs of using a DMC in the recent issue of CA Meetings & Events Magazine. Interested in learning more about how a DMC can make your event run smoothly? Contact us at sales@eventteam.com.

Extra! Extra!

Go Team Go!

Since "super people" is half our brand, we thought we'd take a moment to give you some noteworthy news about a few of our team members just so you can see how super our peeps are inside AND outside of the office!

*General Manager Danny Fisk

recently started training as a docent for the LA Conservancy. In a few months, he will be leading historical walking tours of LA.

*Sales Manager Rachel Horgan's indoor soccer team won the championship this season. She also is coming up on 2 years as Development Advisor for her sorority and just joined Toastmasters.

*Director of Marketing Lindsay White is gearing up to release a third studio album with duo The Lovebirds this May, which will be accompanied by a West Coast tour. (And Design & Sales Coordinator Katie Bowen designed the album art!)

*Operations Manager Jessica Ingalls is organizing a charity baseball event with her sorority Alpha Omicron Pi. Ticket proceeds go to the Arthritis Foundation.