Archive for the ‘Phoenix Grand Hotel’ Category

Our Top Family Friendly Picks for June

Monday, May 31st, 2010
SPECIALS AND EVENTS FOR FIRST WEDNESDAY!
Go Downtown Salem!
June First Wednesday is “DOG ‘S NIGHT OUT”
It’s the most popular First Wednesday of the year and its all for man’s/woman’s best friend. June 2nd is Dog’s Night Out where the evening is planned just for Fido. The second annual Dog of the Year and Cutest Puppy of the Year runway contest takes place on Chemeketa Street at 5:00 pm. Enter your canine friend to be the new year’s poster child. Go Downtown Salem will partner with the Willamette Humane Society to raise money for our local shelter. Registration starts at 5 pm and your $10.00 entry fee will be donated to the Willamette Humane Society. Preliminary judging will be conducted by size of dog; small, medium, large, and puppies.  The top five in each of these four categories will go on to the finals to compete for the Dog of the Year or Cutest Puppy. The finals start at 6:45 pm. All breeds, mixes, and life experiences are encouraged to strut their stuff; judges can be influenced by wagging tails and a face lick or two.
You can expect a special appearance by Smudge, the official dog columnist for the Statesman Journal. And, McGruff the Crime Dog, will be on site as well as Dollar Dog from Rivermark Community Credit Union. They will be joining Dudley the Downtown Duck and be available for two legged and four legged kids.
Doggie Inspired Quilts on display. Every dog loves to snuggle in his/her own blanket and owners can view over 25 hand made quilts on display throughout downtown businesses. The quilts will be on auction for the whole month of June to help raise money for Fences for Fido. The quilts have been designed and constructed by customers of Greenbaum’s Quilted Forest. Did we mention, they are “doggie inspired quilts?” Stroll the stores with your best friend and let Fido choose!
It wouldn’t be a complete evening without a vendor fair designed for the dog lover. Many vendors will be on site on Chemeketa Street offering all the comforts and conveniences’ for the love of our lives. Yuppy Puppy, My Dog’s Gym Training, Bowser’s West Salem, Pet Etc., Peaceful Paws, Banfield Pet Hospital, and Orchard View Pet Clinic, All Creatures Under the Sun, and more will have representatives to help you find the best for your dog.
After all the excitement make it a date and take your friend out to dinner. Many restaurants will have a special Fido menu. Willamette Noodle Co., Copperjohn’s, McGrath’s, Brown’s Town Lounge, and Prudence Uncorked to name a few. Call ahead and check out menu options!
The Reed Opera House will host several floors of exciting events all involved with “Doggywood.” Back by popular demand is the Dog and Pony Show where Fido can have photo opps with a live miniature horse. The night out continues with a Doggywood After Party; where the Funniest Dog Awards will take place on the second floor in the soon to open for real people, Capitol City Theatre. Funny takes on many meanings when you let it go to the dogs!
For the singles without a four legged best friend, you won’t miss out. Downtown stores will be hosting the First Wednesday Surprise event where you won’t know what treats, savings, great buys are going on unless you step inside. Watch for the First Wednesday Surprise sign in their window. Over 25 stores have a surprise waiting just for you.
A 100 years in business celebration will also take place on First Wednesday. Stop by Saffron Supply Company 325 Commercial Street. Dog treats and maybe even a birthday cake just for Fido will be a part of the celebration. This has been a five generation family run business, meet the family at the ribbon cutting scheduled for 6 pm. First 100 customers will get a free pair of gardening gloves! Enter to win a wheelbarrow filled with lots of goodies just for Dad and in time for Father’s Day. Live music will be provided by local rock band Pacific Thunder. Victor Lund has been an employee at Saffron’s since 1987 and has waited on many celebrities including past Governors and Senator Hatfield. But his customer service includes being the bass guitarist and he is excited to share his selling and musical skills at the same time.
Live music by Cher and the B-Siders will be on Court Street and The Kindreds will play at the Equitable Center by the Willamette Noodle Company. Grand Vines will offer wine tasting, live music by Luck Penny- a Irish Folk Group. Treats and nonalcoholic water will be available for Fido.
Pick up the art walk map and other activities list at the information booth on the corner of Liberty and Court Street. There’s a lot going on downtown- its going to the dogs and people looking for a good time- Something’s going on Downtown Salem.
Agape Studios
189 Liberty St Suite 301
Salem, OR 97301
503-363-6673
Email: connect@agapestudios.net
Web: www.agapestudios.net
June Events:
Sales & Specials:
Discounts Offered:
Travel Salem
181 High St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-581-4325
Email: cedick@travelsalem.com
Website: www.travelsalem.com
June Events:
Summer is all about fun, food, photos and festivals! Travel Salem’s Travel Cafe will offer that and more next month. Come and enjoy “Dog’s Night Out” with Travel Salem — your pooches are welcome too!
• Lora Cross Photography will present a photo slideshow and information about her specialty photographs.
• Ram Restaurant will feature mouth-watering samples from their fabulous restaurant.
• The Salem Multicultural Institute will be highlighting information regarding the World Beat Festival, which takes place June 26-27 at Salem’s Riverfront Park.
• Altrusa of Salem will be on hand to entice you with chocolates as they preview their Wine, Chocolate & More Festival, which takes place June 18-20 at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.
• Willamette Valley Vineyards will be serving their delicious and sustainable wines. Enjoy wine tasting and a Riedel wine glass for only $5.00! Also, receive a 20% discount on all bottle purchased at the Travel Cafe.
Sales and Specials:
Contribute to Travel Salem’s “Absolutely Giving Back” program by dropping off a canned food item or non-perishable food item.
Discounts Offered:
Tasting fee for Willamette Valley Vineyards is waived for purchases over $30. Stemware not included.Summer is all about fun, food, photos and festivals! Travel Salem’s Travel Cafe will offer that and more next month. Come and enjoy “Dog’s Night Out” with Travel Salem — your pooches are welcome too!

photoJune is one of our favorite months- with so much to do and see, coming up with a “Top Picks” list for this month was not easy.    Now that school is out- June is the perfect time to explore the many family friendly destinations located through out our capital city and surrounding areas.

Here are a few family suggestions we found via Travel Salem.  Make sure you visit TravelSalem.com to plan your Salem Oregon vacation and you will find a complete list of events and attractions throughout the summer. Also, when you arrive here- stop by the Travel Salem’s Travel Cafe: 181 High St. NE, Salem, Oregon 503-581-4325

Top Family Friendly Ideas for June

  • Learn about Oregon and American history at the Mission Mill Museum 1313 Mill St. SE Salem, Oregon
  • Root for the home team at a Salem-Keizer Volcanoes minor league baseball ballgame!  6700 Field of Dreams Way NE, Keizer, OR
  • Check out one of the hands-on exhibits at the A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village in Salem, one of our most precious treasures.
  • Visit the nearby Oregon Capital for a valuable lesson on our the state’s government process.
  • Take a trip to the unique amusement park, Enchanted Forest, modeled after an authentic English village and your family will feel as if you have landed in the center of a wonderful fairy tale.
  • Take a ride on Salem’s historic Riverfront Carousel , 101 Front St. NE, along the banks of the Willamette River and enjoy the wonderful children’s play area adjacent to the carousel.

Don’t miss some of these other events coming up this month:

Salem’s First Wednesday
Downtown Salem
503-480-1111
www.gofirstwednesday.info

Wednesday Farmer’s Market
Downtown Salem
503-585-8264
www.salemsaturdaymarket.com

Wine, Chocolate & More Festival
Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem
www.winechocolateandmore.com

Salem Saturday Market
Downtown Salem
503-585-8264
www.salemsaturdaymarket.com

Silverton Farmers Market
Town Square Park, Silverton
503-390-7276

Independence Farmers Market
Sterling Bank Parking Lot, Independence
503-838-5424

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Baseball
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Stadium, Keizer
503-390-2225
www.volcanoesbaseball.com

Annual Garden Tour & Plant Sale
Mission Mill Museum (Plant Sale location), Salem
503-371-3631 or 800-208-9514
www.acgilbert.org or www.missionmill.org

All American Soap Box Derby
Bush’s Pasture Park, Salem
503-705-8402
www.salemsbd.org

French Prairie Gardens Strawberry Festival
French Prairie Gardens, St. Paul
503-633-8445
www.FPGardens.com

Mount Angel Abbey presents the Festival of Arts & Wine
Mount Angel Abbey, St. Benedict
503-845-3066 or 800-845-8272
www.MountAngelAbbey.org

Champoeg Bluebird Day
Champoeg Visitor Center, St. Paul
503-678-1251 ext. 221
www.oregonstateparks.org

Santiam Heritage Foundation Garden Tour
Stayton/Sublimity Area
503-769-5863
www.brownhouse.org

Silverton Hills Strawberry Festival
Coolidge McClaine Park, Silverton
503-508-9591
www.davenportdays.com

World Beat Festival
Salem’s Riverfront Park, Salem
503-581-2004
www.WorldBeatFestival.org

Annual Strawberry Social
Old Aurora Colony Museum, Aurora
503-678-5754
www.auroracolonymuseum.com

Garden Wine and Food Festival
Historic Deepwood Estate, Salem
503-363-1825
www.historicdeepwoodestate.org

Tips For A Great Walking Tour of Salem, Oregon

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
The Reed Opera House Downtown Salem Oregon

The Reed Opera House

We were thrilled to see a recent article published on Oregon.com that highlights the Pringle Creek Tour- a wonderful walking tour that highlights the rich history and beauty of downtown Salem, Oregon.  In his article, History, Nature and Workout, Patrick Johnson gives some excellent tips to taking full advantage of this on-foot adventure.

The Pringle Creek Tour can be downloaded from the Salem Heritage Network site (a wonderful source for information on the history and culture of Salem, Oregon) along with several other walking tours.  The self guided tour starts at our hotel, and makes its way through beautiful downtown parks, and past historical landmarks such as the Reed Opera House and more.

Now that the weather is warming up- we hope you will find some time to take this tour during your next visit to Salem, Oregon!

From the Oregon.com article History, Nature and Workout:

About the walk: Pringle Creek and Sheldon Ditch walk takes a route that is 2.8 miles long and starts from downtown Salem and winds through several of the parks and historic areas of the city. It literally has something for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, from Oregon birds, to nice park settings, to unique architectures of bridges and buildings. The walk also goes through the several of the historic districts of Salem, so if you take a script with you there are many lessons to be learned about how the area developed.

What to bring: It’s Oregon and it’s outdoors. Make sure you bring weather appropriate clothing, comfortable walking shoes and water. While 2.8 miles doesn’t have a lot of difficult hills, there are one or two stair cases along the way – but this walk can be navigated by bike, wheelchair or even stroller. To get the most out of the walk, make sure to print off the self-guided tour script where you can also find more history about Salem. There are many picturesque settings, so bring that digital camera for some wonderful shots of Oregon no matter what time of year you visit.

Season: You can take the walk year round – depending on your tolerance for being in the weather. If you don’t mind getting wet or cold, this tour can be taken any time. I went on the tour during a crispy February day between rain showers and it was very pleasant and informative.

Bentley’s Grill is Going Green for Saint Patrick’s Day

Friday, March 12th, 2010
Green Tea
Wed, 03/17/2010 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Wear your favorite green outfit as we enjoy a late afternoon high tea offering a bit of the blarney. $30.00 cost & reservations required.
Historic Deepwood Estate
1116 Mission St. SE
Salem, OR 97302
503-363-1825
www.historicdeepwoodestate.org
Bentley’s Grill St. Patty’s Day Celebration with Salem Professional Firefighters Pipes & Drums
Wed, 03/17/2010 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Food Specials, great drinks and back again this year is the Salem Professional Firefighters – Pipes. Drums. Brotherhood. They will perform at Bentley’s Grill from 5-6 p.m. Free admission.
Bentley’s Grill
291 Liberty Street SE
Salem, OR 97301
503-779-1660
www.bentleysgrill.com

LeprechaunLooking for something to do this week for St. Patrick’s Day?  I have 2 words: Bentley’s Grill.  Bentley’s Grill is hosting THE St. Patty’s Day Party of parties and we are so excited!!

So if you find yourself in Downtown Salem this Wednesday, March 17  -wear your best green duds and get into the Irish spirit because you are going to love what Chef Derek and his staff has in store for you.

In addition, the Salem Professional Firefighters will be back with their pipes and drums at 5:00 PM to kick off the festivities with a LIVE unforgettable performance until 6:00 PM.

Check out their special Irish dinner menu just for March 17- if the occasion calls for it, order a shot of Irish Whiskey and Guinness Stout to go with the Irish selections!

There are several St. Patty’s Day events happening in and around Salem this Wednesday.  Be sure to check with Travel Salem to see the latest event info so you can plan the perfect St. Patty’s Day!  Enjoy!

By the way, you are invited to be a “Lounge Lizard” each Monday from 4-6 as Bentley’s Grill “Lounge Lizard Monday”.

Making It Official…..

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Kristi Reed sent these photos to me last week of The Grand Hotel in Salem officially changing their signs to reflect the new name!  General Manager Scott Snyder supervises the efforts-

New Flag at our Entrance

New Flag at our Entrance

Posting our new sign!

Posting our new sign!

Meanwhile, General Manager Scott Snyder looks on.

Meanwhile, General Manager Scott Snyder looks on.

Experience Equinox in the Eola-Amity Hills of the Willamette Valley!

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

equinox_bannerEver want the opportunity to have multiple wineries in one place at one time? How about a chance to visit and taste wine from all over the Willamette Valley? Now’s your chance!!

Come howl at the moon and celebrate the Equinox in the Eola Amity Hills!  This event sold out two weeks before the date last year and the guests loved the chance to taste wines and discuss the vintage with most of the key principals of the Eola-Amity Hills winemaking community.

They have assembled 22 wineries from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA and even a few from outside the AVA who make wines from Eola-Amity Hills fruit.

Enjoy fantastic sweet and savory bites to complement your wine tasting experience from some of the best restaurants and caterers in our area!

When: March 20th 7:00PM to 10:00PM

Where: Zenith Vineyard 5657 Zena Rd NW Salem Here is a map.

Wines: 22 amazing wineries will be pouring including: Amity Vineyards; Antica Terra; Argyle Winery; Bethel Heights Vineyard; Brooks Wines; Calamity Hill Vineyard; Carter Vineyard; Cherry Hill Winery; Cristom Vineyards; Cubanisimo Vineyards; Domaine Serene; Dukes Family Vineyards;Evesham Wood Winery; Holloran Vineyard Wines; Lewman Vineyard; Methven Family Vineyards; Redhawk Winery; St. Innocent Winery; Stangeland Vineyards; Toluca Lane; Witness Tree Vineyard and Zenith Vineyard

Gourmet Food by: Extreme Chocolates; Loustic Catering, Olive You Events & Catering, Red Hills Provincial Dining, Joel Palmer House, Silver Grille, Vibrant Table Catering & Events and Willamette Valley Cheese Co.

Tickets are $35 per person, buy your tickets online - print and keep your receipt as your entry to the event.

Special overnight rates available for all attendees of this event- including shuttle for hotel guests to and from Zenith Vineyards.

Join Our Facebook Page and Invite Your Friends!

Love is in the air!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

You are just in time for Valentines Day!! Do it up right this year with this wonderful package!

Experience a night of Grand Romance in Salem, Oregon! This wonderful evening includes overnight accommodations for two in your choice of Suite, champagne or cider delivered to your room, fresh flowers, and our complimentary extended hot breakfast buffet. Top off this package with a late check out of 1 pm.

Book NOWIMG_0050

Bridal Show This weekend!!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Join us this weekend, January 23 and 24, at the Oregon State Fairgrounds!  Many area wedding vendors will be there!  Need a photographer, invitations or florist?  You’ll find them all at the Fairgrounds this weekend!  Come say hello to us at the Salem Conference Center and The Grand Hotel booth!  Great specials for attending the show and stopping by.

Oregon State Fairgrounds – January 23 & 24, 2010
2330 17th St. NE
Salem, OR 97303
Hours: Saturday 10-5 & Sunday 11-4 

Fashion Shows at 12:30 and 3

SEE YOU THERE!

Grand Hotel Salem Staff Highlight: Meet Sales Director Kristi Reed!

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Kristi Reed of the Grand Hotel SalemOur very own Kristi Reed was highlighted recently by Portland General Electric for her successful leadership as the director of our “Green Team”!  She takes her own passion and commitment for the environment and helps to implement more sustainable and eco-friendly practices into the day to day operations of our hotel and restaurant.

Her work has earned Bentley’s Grill and The Grand Hotel Salem/Phoenix Grand Hotel the Marion County’s Earthwise Certification.  It has also been recognized with an excellent rating with iStayGreen.org (an green hotel review site).  Congratulations and thank you to Kristi Reed for her hard work!  Enjoy her profile published in the Portland General Electric Newsletter last month:

Meet Kristi Reed:
Self-description: Go-getter. Family-oriented.
Favorite quote: Do what you like; like what you do.
How she shows her green: Completing Marion County’s Master Recycler certification. Leading a green discussion at a family reunion. Developing a sustainability curriculum for her kids’ school.
Secret energy saver: Turning off the lights in the soda machines.
Home life: Happy chaos with a husband, two pre-teen boys, fish, two dogs and a frog.

When Salem’s Phoenix Grand Hotel formed a green team, Sales Director Kristi Reed was the obvious choice to lead it. Reed was thrilled to use her passion for sustainability at work.

The hotel’s customers appreciated its recycling program, but were asking for more. Management responded by establishing a green team and setting out to be a certified, sustainable hotel.

As part of its pledge for Portland General Electric’s 2008 Save More, Matter MoreTM campaign to save energy, the Phoenix Grand Hotel converted all its lighting to energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. With 193 rooms plus public areas, it was no small project.

Green is good business
“It’s not easy to go to the president and say, ‘I’d like $13,000 to switch out all our bulbs — even though they aren’t burned out.’” Reed says. “But PGE and Energy Trust of Oregon helped us make a strong business case.”

Earning its green stripes
Partly due to the lighting project, Phoenix Grand Hotel and its Bentley’s Grill restaurant became the first in their industry to achieve Marion County’s EarthWISE certification for environmentally friendly and sustainable businesses.

Among other practices, the hotel and restaurant:

  • Operate only Energy Star® appliances
  • Have an in-room towel and linen re-use program
  • Use 100 percent recycled paper and earth-friendly cleaning solutions
  • Promote recycling in guest rooms and public areas

These actions have not only won praise from the local community and guests, but also have boosted employee pride.

“I can’t say enough how blessed I am to work for a company that supports its employees’ values,” she says. “You can really see it among the staff; they’re proud to be here.”

The smart thing to do
More is planned. Reed has used her expertise to make the company’s newest hotel, at Bridgeport Village, green from the get-go. Conversations with guests indicate their sustainable profile has attracted new business.

“As someone who is passionate about the environment, I know it’s the right thing to do,” she says. “With my sales hat on, I know it’s also the smart thing to do.”

New Year, New Wine Choices at Bentley’s Grill

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Oregon Wine Bentley’s Grill Wine Steward Brian Kemmerle spent much of 2009 researching and tasting some the best wines in the region.  He is an active local wine connoisseur- this year he reprised his role as Judge for the 2009 Oregon State Fair Professional Wine Competition where he evaluated over 200 local wines. In addition, he participated in the 2009 Oregon Pinot Camp, an industry only event hosted by 50 of the top wineries in Oregon.  He brings his vast knowledge and passion for wine to Bentley’s Grill guests and hopes you will enjoy his new “by the glass” menu:

Wine Notes From Bently’s Grill Wine Steward: Announcing the New “By-the-Glass” Menu

With forty wines to choose from and a combination of vintage changes, out of stocks and seasonal preferences the “by-the-glass” menu starts to look a little tired about five or six times a year. This revision features some subtle and drastic changes to the selection.

First, what’s gone and why:

Lemelson’s 2008 “Tikka’s Run” Pinot Gris – already sold out. One of Oregon’s best Pinot Gris each year and becoming harder to get because of it.

Moet “White Star” is now Moet “Brut Imperial”. Moet has finally depleted the special American cuvee “White Star” and will now be shipping to us what they ship to the rest of the world the “Brut Imperial”. Merci!

In the “so many good wines and not enough time” category the Adelsheim Pinot Blanc and the L’Ecole Semillon have been exchanged for two new exciting wines.

The Erath Oregon Pinot Noir and the Witness Tree “Chainsaw Vineyard” Pinot Noir have been “dueling” for a couple of months now and the winner, by a substantial margin” is still on the list.

As good as the Boedecker 2006 “Athena” Pinot Noir was, it did not command enough commercial success on the menu as it did as the “Featured Pinot Noir”. It will remain on the bottle list and may return at a later date as the “FPN”.

Fortunately some of you got to try the Waterbrook 2006 Reserve Cabernet. It made a nationally publicized wine magazines “Top 100 wines of the year” list and promptly sold out. The replacement is not too shabby either.
At 188 cases of total production it was no surprise to me that the Three Angels Avery Vineyard Zinfandel had sold out. We had already seen the 188 cases of the Les Collines Vineyard come and go away. The last couple of bottles will be available on the main wine list.

Onto the new!
The ultra-rich Four Graces Pinot Blanc replaces the crisp and lively Adelsheim. The winery writes:
White peach, honey and butterscotch combine on the nose with lightly toasted hazelnuts. An invitingly fresh zest of lime flavor is followed by Asian pear, jicama and grapefruit. This is a full bodied wine with a long finish.

Also new to the list is a newcomer to the local wine scene J. Scott Cellars, a boutique winery, out of Eugene, Oregon. The 2008 Viognier was made from purchased Rogue Valley fruit and has lovely floral aromatics and a touch of residual sugar to balance out the nice acidity. I’ll look to match this wine with the Chefs many forays into Asian cuisine.

To prove that good wine doesn’t have to cost a lot of money I have added the 2008 Jovino Pinot Gris to the menu. At $6.00 a glass it delivers plenty of Oregon Pinot Gris goodness for very little cash. This wine should be very popular with the “Happy Hour” crowd.

Cherry Hill winery has finally released their 2006 “Estate” Pinot Noir. It met with rousing success as the “Featured Pinot Noir” and hopefully that success with continue now that you can have it anytime you want. This wine, in combination with St. Innocent, Witness Tree, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Mystic and Bethel Heights means that you can now support six local, Salem area, wineries with your wine buying dollars.

Usually when a wine changes vintage I remove it from the menu however in this case the Seven Hills 2007 Merlot is just as good as the 2006. So it stays. Enjoy.

The replacement for the Waterbrook ended up being the 2006 Kestrel Cabernet Sauvignon. Kestrel Vintners have a vast and somewhat confusing selection of wines and they are usually a couple of nickels more expensive that their nearest competition however this wine stood out during my weekly tastings. Pretty black fruits, floral notes and a bit of structure to this wine will appeal to classic Cabernet drinkers and match well with our various steaks.

Apparently I was on a bit of a Northwest Italian varietal kick lately. I re-tasted a new vintage of Nebbiolo. Scored a Sangiovese blend at a unbelievable price and added two Barbera to the menu. To pour by the glass I picked the 2006 Waving Tree Barbera out of Washington has striking dried black cherry notes and a lift of acidity to match nicely with the chefs new Pork Tenderloin special and mushroom ravioli dish with braised boar ragout.

The last item on the menu is a returning special. The 2006 Andrew Rich Coup d’Etat is a Rhone-style blend with Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and usually a touch of Counoise. I poured the 2005 until it ran out and when I tasted this 2006 it was a bit rough around the edges. Well, today is has softened up nicely and should pair nicely with Lamb dishes and other richly flavored red meat entrees, especially ones cooked on the grill with a bit of char on them.

Cheers!

New Years Eve Packages Still available!

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Still deciding what to do New Years Eve??  We still have packages available!  Join us for a night of fun, and then plan on sleeping  in on New Years Day!  Make your reservations NOW!new years