May Monthly Meeting
“The Art of Zen in Downtown LA”
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
As I headed down Wilshire on my way downtown last week, my mind was racing… 'Garden in the Sky'? Where am I going? My exciting 'Effective Advanced Partnering in Today's Meetings Environment' breakfast course for advanced planners will be starting in 23 minutes...will I be on time? Breakfast...will there be fruit-filled Danish?"
After parking (a self-park option…how refreshing!), I went upstairs to the meetings level, checked in with Debbie and Don, and went to my breakfast class, two minutes early. Still time to get a cup of coffee and, ahhhh, cherry Danish.
Ed Rigsbee, CSP was our leader for this month’s popular morning series for advanced planners. Ed was there to get us thinking about strategic alliances, what they were, why we needed them, and how to qualify and get them, all in a casual, audience participation, round table style presentation.
But let me digress…to the continental breakfast. What a GREAT selection of baked goods, the freshest Lox, fruit, yogurt with granola, fresh juices, coffees. So far the hotel has me impressed.
After our condensed morning session, we were asked to join guests on the roof for the networking portion of the monthly meeting. When the elevator doors opened, there we were, in the heart of bustling downtown, and yet also in a serene, peaceful garden with blooming flowers and a sparkling waterfall. Who knew an oasis like this existed Downtown? Appetizers were artfully displayed as well as graciously passed. The sales and catering departments, as well as the Kyoto Grand’s general manager were mingling with guests and welcoming us to the property. The Garden in the Sky... it can’t get any better, can it?
Once all 115 guests were seated, we were welcomed, met the Executive Chef Martin A. Gilligan who prepared for us a filet resting on a cloud of mashed potatoes, their slightly pink color from the infusion of beets and ginger…quite tasty! And I would be remiss if I were not to mention the big, fresh fruit carvings, done by the Hotel’s talented kitchen staff and used for our enjoyment as table centerpieces.
Ed Rigsbee’s afternoon session helped everybody to understand how to expand business and increase profitability, while at the same being able to decrease costs…all because of collaboration with strategic alliances.
After a yummy dessert and closing comments by our President Linda Jenkins (the last Monthly Meeting she will ever preside over as President), we regretfully left this Downtown Oasis to go back to our offices and do all we can to get this industry back on track. Again, my mind was racing…
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