A16 - 2355 Chestnut Street: It’s only fair that the best should be listed first. This Neapolitan Italian spot in the Marina District delivered a delightful arugula and fennel salad and comforting chicken sausage meatballs and ragu maccaronara (hand-made, thick spaghetti). The atmosphere was upbeat with stylishly dressed patrons, a more casual dining area in the front bar and a chef’s table available near the seating in the back of the restaurant.

Betelnut - 2030 Union Street: Located in the neighborhood Cow Hollow (named after the animals that used to graze there but now a different type of mammal frequents the area), this pan-Asian place is consistently packed with a friendly crowd. The family-style dishes would please a casual crew for a private event in a section – or the entire – restaurant. The best part is the authenticity of the food. According to our table-side chef, the sea bass “cha ca la vong” is a recipe from a restaurant in Hanoi that makes only the one dish and that gave the owner permission to duplicate.

Bistro Boudin - 160 Jefferson Street: Awaking on New York time, we arrived to Fisherman’s Wharf before the restaurant opened and enjoyed the toasted sourdough bread available at the downstairs cafe and market vowing to return for the bread bowls served at the restaurant.

Delarosa - 2175 Chestnut Street: In an effort to cover the Napoletana ragu spectrum on Chesnut Street, we sampled Delarosa’s version and found it just as satifying as A16’s. Best of all was the bench seating, inviting us to share our experience with our neighbors, a young, stylish couple and a mother and her sweet, elementary-school-age son. By the end of the evening, we were laughing about dipping into each other’s meals next time.

California Wine Merchant - 2113 Chesnut Street: A tiny tasting bar perfect for a 40 person cocktail party opens onto the street and serves a delectable variety of local wines and a few imports.

Nick’s Crispy Tacos - 1500 Broadway: Sombreros and serapes are nowhere to be found at this chandelier and red velvet lounge serving a crowd of twenty-somethings, especially on $2 Taco Tuesdays. Go early to beat the crowd for some of the best tacos outside the Mission.

Paradise Bay - 1200 Bridgeway: More Father’s Day-friendly then tourist trap, this waterfront restaurant in Sausalito is a perfect place to refresh after a ride over the Golden Gate bridge. Classic California seafood dishes like shrimp and avocado and Ahi tuna are paired with house-made sauces and salads that satisfy.

230 Fifth – This venue is known for their rooftop happy hour scene but a new buzz about it will start once they open their new room, the Fifth Avenue Empire Penthouse, for gala dinners and receptions. With 16 chandeliers and views of the all the best midtown skyscrapers, this space is set to fill a void left by the Rainbow Room.

Bridgewaters – One of the most flexible event spaces due to two large rooms and a wrap-around, outdoor deck, this venue has another incredible view – the Brooklyn Bridge, up close and personal.

Chelsea Art Museum – The bright red exterior should pique guests’ interest and the artwork and space inside will hold it. The 1st floor can hold almost 400 people for a cocktail reception and additional floors above can be used to expand the party.

Espace – This modern pair of rooms on the ground floor of the Atelier Building is run by the Capitale team, so they come to the scene with tons of experienced events behind them. They’ve taken it to the next level with upgraded equipment, including LED lighting technology.

La Venue – These four adjoining spaces, inside The Terminal Stores on the West Side, include beautiful brick work, hardwood floors and redwood columns. Guests enter the reception area from 28th Street and proceed into the largest area, Stage 6, which is 7,000 square feet. The built-in track lighting is ready and waiting to pin-spot tables but the low ceilings also beg for a Prohibition-themed event. 

Prince George Ballroom - Not your typical ballroom, thanks to the colorful, Byzantine mosaic ceiling and contrasting, modern, loft-like lobby.

Tribeca Rooftop – An old-y but good-y, well-loved by brides and non-profit organizations alike because of its varied space, rooftop (of course) and reasonable pricing for good food and service.

Many thanks to our good friends at Kool Events for their introductions!

2009 deals: hotels are booking 2010 like crazy but this year still has plenty of availability.$100 million goes a long way: the downtown Sheraton (previously Adam’s Mark) has undergone some incredible changes and many are still to come, including a 6,000 sq. ft. fitness center.

Closures: Sadly, we learned that our dine-around won’t include Alto, a wonderful Larimer Square restaurant that recently shuttered its doors.

It was great to experience old favorites, like the free 16th Street Shuttle and Enstrom’s Almond Toffee, and take up a friend on some recommendations (8 Rivers on Blake Street and a Max Evans at the Celtic, where all the decor – from the stained glass to the street signs – comes from Ireland).

We’ll be back before the event next year so stay tuned for more Denver developments!

It’s always important to us to schedule site visit time wisely, particularly when travel funds are limited. We like to organize meetings 1½ hours apart leaving just enough time to get from site to site and walk around each property to see what amenities and/or reception venues exist nearby. Typically, this client likes at least one evening to include an off-site activity so we research venues in advance and then speak with as many people locally as possible to find the best options that are close enough to forego the added cost of transportation.

Of course, having a clear picture of the event details, including potential dates, timing, activities, and space requirements is most important. The client really prefers natural sunlight in the meeting rooms and that takes precedence over the splashiest of surroundings. In Charlotte, we found it somewhat difficult to find space that met this requirement but one hotel was able to offer a room next to a private hallway that has an entire wall of windows. Open the meeting doors, and voila – natural sunlight in the room.

Speaking of (in?) French…we finally have some photos from the meeting in New Orleans! Stay tuned next week for those.