Have a Sparkling New Year!

Hospitality Industry Professionals went looking for some great sparkling wine/champagne to ring in 2012. Here is what their beverage sponsors suggested.

Young’s Market suggests:
Schramsberg is the oldest, active winery that produced the VERY first Sparkling wine in the State of California.
Their 2 miles of underground caves are home to up to 3 million bottles of sparkling wines.
The Schramsberg estate is tucked into the Napa Valley’s western hillside on Diamond Mountain just a few miles south of Calistoga. The estate totals 220 acres with 43 acres under vine, which are dedicated to the J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon program. For sparkling wines, Schramsberg sources from 95 different vineyards covering 391 acres in Napa-Carneros, Sonoma-Carneros, Mendocino and the Sonoma-Marin coastal areas.  This vineyard variety yields the cool-climate diversity necessary for premium-quality sparklers with depth and complexity.

Alliance Beverage suggests:
HENRIOT BRUT SOUVERAIN! 93 points Wine Spectator
Firm and toasty, with hints of tropical fruit mixing with notes of quince, lemon zest, smoky mineral, ginger and white pepper. This finds a balance between its fresh, lively character and a sweet, juicy component, ending with a  long, mouthwatering finish.
Drink now through 2021.
You can find it at some AJs.

Southern Wine suggests:
Argyle Brut – Oregon 07 -  The only Vintage Dated Domestic Bubble – $16.00
A special treat for the evening.  Our new bubble from France – Beau Joie
Bottle cage is encased in recycled copper and can be recycled again.
The champagne, which has the slogan of Tonight’s the Knight comes in a bottle encased in a 100% copper, hand-crafted suit of armor. Beau is made of 60 % Pinot Noir and 40 % Chardonnay derived from the finest grapes of Epernay, France. The zero-dosage brut champagne has none of the added sugars common in other champagnes. The suit of armor not only keeps the champagne colder longer, but provides improved grip when opening and serving. It has a rubber punt to ensure enhanced stability when pouring.

Happy New Year everyone!

HIP’s Holiday Giving

Happy Holidays and thank you to so many of you that celebrated the season with us last night at the HIP Holiday Party and Toy Drive.

A very special thank you to Jane Frenkel & Carrie Bayless of the gorgeous Clayton on the Park for their warm hospitality and kudos to Susan Levy of Clayton Catering for the delicious and seasonal food.

But none of this could be possible without our amazing sponsor partnerships.
So a very special thank you to Sonoran Alliance Beverage, Southern Wines and Spirits and Young’s Market who have continued to support and educate us with products, recipes and entertainment ideas!

Many Thanks to…

Arizona Photobooth
Cappuccino Subito
Celebrations in Paper
Classic Party Rentals
Eyes 2 See Photography
Jared Blake Entertainment
Pour Masters
Southwick Linens
Table Tops etc.
Tim Mitchell Christmas Trees
Buffalo Trace
Cruz Tequila
Dewars Scotch
Estancia Wines
Fiji Water
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
Hangar One Vodka
Martini and Rossi Asti Spumonte
Monin
Ste Michelle Wines

Besides enjoying a holiday celebration we also all came together for a good cause. Helping Hands was established in 1993 to provide permanent, affordable housing and other support services to the working poor communities of greater Phoenix. They assist underprivileged and struggling families by means of mentoring, healthcare, nutritional, holiday and emergency programs.

Your toys will bring great Cheer this Saturday to the Casa de Paz Community where over a 150 families members have already excitedly signed up to attend a holiday party. Your gifts will be wrapped, labeled and handed out to a child that may receive no other gift this holiday season.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday and we look forward to seeing you in 2012 at our next event on Feb 7th at The Brush Bar!

Cheers, Karen Doan
HIP President 2011

Thanksgiving isn’t just for Turkeys

Thanksgiving isn’t just for Turkeys but great beverages too. Sure you can have a great roasted or even fried turkey and all the fixings but what about the beverages? Share this with family members and even better yet Staff Members. Knowing just what to suggest to your customers is not only a great way to up sell but make bigger tips.

Tia Green from Alliance Beverage says Sam Adams Boston Lager is a great beer choice. The rasted flavors from the Turkey Blend Nicely with the malty sweetness of the Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

Pete Ophardt from Alliance Beverage has a yummy warm beverage suggestion. It may be in the 70’s on Thanksgiving Day here but if you are traveling to a colder climate or just want to get in the holiday spirit this beverage is for you. Tuaca Hot Apple Pie
1 ¾ oz Tuaca Italian liqueur, 1 packet apple cider, hot water, cinnamon stick and nutmeg garnish

Julie Billiet from Southern Wine and Spirits is in the Spirit with this great recipe of yummy goodness as if her Smores Martini at the HIPes event wasn’t enough (go to the HIP Website for this great recipe http://www.hip-az.org/wine.html) .
Pumpkin Pie
1.5 oz Absolut 100
1.5 oz Pumpkin pie filling with sugar and spice and
(15 oz pumpkin, 7 oz simple, 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice)
Float of cream flavored with Grand Marnier, vanilla and sugar

Monte Bolinger with Southern has a great tradition of wine: Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau was released, and don’t forget a bottle of my favorite Pinot Noir – Archery Summit out of Oregon.

Julie Dominici with Young’s Market always comes up with the best recipes for beverages and here is another one! Ginger Snap Martini SNAP, a new liqueur based on the 12th Century recipe for the ginger snap, makes a sweet and spicy mulled cider. Add SNAP to Three Olives Cake Vodka, a splash of lemon juice and simple syrup to give it some added sweetness. Yum! Can’t wait to see what Julie comes up with for the HIP event on December 7th at Clayton on the Park.

Stay HIP, Be HIP

The Wedding Bells were in tune at Clayton on the Park

I attended a wedding reception at Clayton on the Park, and I must say I loved the venue. It was sleek and in tuned with the Scottsdale lounge feel. I felt like I was at a hip night club. Loved all the white and minimalist furniture. The bar along the back wall was all white with sleek silver bar stools. The tv monitors behind the bar showed a video montage of the bride and groom. The stemless glassware that lined the bar held yummy concoctions, and wines.
The caterer was M Culinary, and although the food was not necessarily their usual fare, more low key – Grilled Cheese, Sliders, French Fries, and Crudite, it was definitely delicious and beautifully presented. But the thing that really amazed me was the service. It was unobtrusive, as if they weren’t even there, but they were! Best ever!

HIP will be going to Clayton on the Park in December for their holiday party. If you have not had a chance to visit Clayton on the Park attend this one. You will not be disappointed, this place is hip!

Clayton on the Park
7343 Scottsdale Mall
Scottsdale, AZ
www.claytononthepark.com

What the HIP is going on?

Sorry it has been awhile since I posted. I definately need to get better at this. But let’s get you caught up.
In Phoenix, Hospitality Industry Professionals (HIP) has opened a new chapter on the East Side. This chapter is known as the HIPes. The first event was held on August 16th at the Marriott Buttes Resort in Tempe. The theme was carried through out the evening from the school food trays, lockers, chalk boards and the chapter collecting school supplies for the Communities in Schools organization. If you are interested in learning more about the east side chapter go to www.hip-az.org. The east side chapter will meet again on October 12th at Tre Bella! 119 W Main Street in Mesa.

The HIP Chapter is getting ready for their 3rd Annual Putt for a Purpose event at Grayhawk Golf Club on September 21st. Registration opens at 5:45pm and the festivities kick off at 6pm. You do not need to be a golfer to have fun at this event. Who cares if you can putt or not? Mickelson and Woods have had some doosy of putts too! As a matter of fact I just saw Mickelson miss a putt! Come have fun, take part in the Silent Auction. They are raising monies for PAC911 – which is a non profit benefitting animal shelters. Their goal is $5,000, come and support the hospitality industry and animals. They still have some hole sponsorships left too. For more information about this event visit the HIP website at www.hip-az.org.

And the HIP Award goes to….

First of all the HIP award goes to… the evening. On June 15th Hospitality Industry Professionals gathered at iPic Theater to celebrate their 8th anniversary, enjoy beverages at Salt Lounge, celebrate in the iPic theater , and finally savor some amazing cuisine in Tanzy. Charlee Geisler of Signature Events, and Karen Doan from Karen Doan events, orchestrated the entire evening and it was an amazing night. Beverages were provided by Southern Wine and Spirits, Effen Cucumber Vodka, Chineco Tequila, and Skky Vodka. Wines were provided by no other than Francis Ford Coppola. His Chardonnay recently received 90 points and I certainly understood why, very yummy especially on a hot summer night.
The HIPpest awards were presented to the following members: HIPpest Restaurant/Caterer – Rita’s Kitchen at Camelback Inn
HIPpest Venue – Musical Instrument Museum
HIPpest Hotel/Resort – JW Marriott Desert Ridge
HIPpest Event Planner/DMC – Southwest Conference Planners
HIPpest Sponsor – Southern Wine and Spirits
HIPpest Industry Leader – Cactus League Spring Training Baseball
Congratulations to all! Here is to our 9th year, may we continue to grow, learn, share, and meet the needs of our community and industry.
Our other sponsors include: Eyes2See Photography, Table Tops,etc., Trinchero Family Estate Wines, Starkey Productions, Alliance Beverage, Cosmetologist Megan Christman, Republic National Beverage, M Culinary, Life Design Events, and Distinctive Event Productions.

Arizona Hospitality Professionals Honor Industry Leaders

Arizona’s Hospitality Industry Professionals (HIP) know what’s hip from what’s square, and on Wednesday, June 15 the organization will announce its “HIPpest Awards” at its eighth annual anniversary celebration. Brad Curtis, president of the Cactus League, will receive top honors as the region’s HIPpest Industry Leader.
Each year Hospitality Industry Professionals board members select a person or entity in the hospitality industry that has made an impact on the industry as a whole, through economic impact, marketing and giving back to the community. “We are delighted that the Cactus League is our honoree this year,” said HIP president Karen Doan, owner of Karen Doan Events. The Cactus League brings in approximately 300 million dollars to the economy to our state each year, making it one of the biggest tourism events for Arizona. This year they welcomed the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies with addition of the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, making it even bigger and better. Like HIP, giving back to the community is important to the Cactus League, so what could be a better HIPper mix?
Hospitality Industry Professionals (HIP) will also honor their members with HIPpest Restaurant/Caterer, Venue, Event Planner, and Resort.

Free Yoga Class at Sanctuary on May 21st

On Saturday May 21st, 2011 the Sanctuary on Camelback will be hosting a free yoga class to benefit the National Mulitple Sclerosis Society from 9am – 10am. The class is free, however donations to NMSS are appreciated. Some yoga mats will be available, although they suggest you bring your own. The beverages are being sponsored by Fiji Water and Republic of Tea.

What is Multiple Scerosis? I asked myself the same question when I was diagnosed with it in November of 2010. MS is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. This means that a person’s immune system incorrectly attacks the person’s healthy tissue.

MS can cause blurred vision, loss of balance, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, poor coordination, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration. These problems can be permanent or may come and go. For me I am lucky I was diagnosed at a later age. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50. (Whew, I got in just before 50). Sorry…seriously. My symptoms come and go and are minor compared to others who struggle with the disease. MS is not a fatal disease most people live a normal life span, however they may not live as productively and face increasing limitations.

As the Director of Catering and Conference Services at the Sanctuary on Camelback, I am a member of our Community Outreach Committee. As a committee member we are asked how would we like to reach out to the local community. Naturally, I thought of the local Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Sanctuary offers yoga classes to its members and to their guests. One of the benefits of yoga is the building of your balance. So a yoga class benefiting MS was a natural fit. I hope that you can join me, for a great yoga class to help a great society on Saturday, May 21st at 9am.

The Sanctuary on Camelback is located at 5700 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ. The phone number is 480-948-2100. No need to make a reservation we will make room. Thank you to Sanctuary, Fiji Water, and Republic of Tea, and even a bigger thank you to Patti our yoga instructor for donating her time.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org http://www.sanctuaryaz.com

The Partida Margarita is a winner

The HIP event on May 5th at Sierra Bonita in Phoenix was a big hit and Partida came out the winner. There is no better margarita when made with Partida Tequila. Here is the recipe for you . 1.5 ounces of Partida Tequila (Blanco, Resposado, or Anejo). 1 ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice or the juice of one whole lime, 1/4 ounce of Partida Agave Nectar (or to taste) and 3/4 ounce of your favorite pure water (I like Fiji Water). Shake all ingredients with ice. No garnish or salt needed. It is yummy just like that. This is has fewer calories than a traditional Margarita, so if you are on a diet go ahead and enjoy.

Why do I love this tequila? Because it is aged longer than most tequilas and it is aged in Oak Jack Daniel’s barrels. Enjoy!

Margaritas vs. Sangria

At the HIP Event in Phoenix on May 5th at Sierra Bonita  Restaurant the HIPpies will be enjoying the tastes of Sangria made from New Age Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc and Margaritas made the right way with Partida Tequila.  Which one will come out the winner?  Join us – 5:30pm – 7:30pm  Members – $20 and $35 for non members.  You must be an active  in the event or hospitality industry to attend this mixer.   RSVP at  www.hip-az.org  click on the Sierra Bonita invitation. 

HIP is a not for profit networking organization that promotes, networking, education and philanthropic causes in the local community.