MAY2018 “AHospitalityNetworkingOrganization" WWW.SILICONVALLEYCONCIERGE.COM Dear Hospitality Industry Partner: The Silicon Valley Concierge Association is pleased to announce that our 2018 Signature Event: The SVCA Hospitality Awards & Industry Celebration will be held at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club on Thursday, September 27, 2018. “Come celebrate the best in our industry, network with old friends while making new ones and help us look to the future as we present scholarships to the next generation of hospitality professionals.” This Signature SVCA event offers a unique opportunity for your company to gain recognition as an Event Sponsor and/or to provide in kind donations or gift certificates for the Silent Auction. The auction proceeds support scholarships to students and programs in Santa Clara County that promote professional Hospitality, Tourism and Event Planning. All donations are 100% tax deductible. (The SVCA is a 501c3 non-profit. Tax ID: 77-0455469) All Sponsors and Donors will receive recognition at the Awards Event; including being listed in the event program. Formal recognition will be centrally placed in the October “Valley Access Electronic Magazine” which is distributed to 5,000 of your customers and peers. Gift Certificates & Prize Donations may be mailed to: Silicon Valley Concierge Association P.O Box 2545 Saratoga, CA 95070 You may also contact us via e-mail at: [email protected] to arrange for items to be picked up. To ensure timely acknowledgement in our event program and Valley Access Magazine we respectfully request that all sponsorships and donations be received by September 1, 2018. Since 1995 the Silicon Valley Concierge Association has been recognized as the leading professional non-profit organization dedicated to the education and advancement of its members and industry. The SVCA assists members in enhancing their professional skills through networking and familiarization events, meetings, and electronic newsletter/social media. We believe that “A Hospitality Networking Organization” is beneficial to all of us. The art of creating and maintaining positive relationships is a significant factor in the success of the SVCA and our hospitality partners. We thank you in advance for your consideration in supporting the Silicon Valley Concierge Association and look forward to seeing you at the awards event! Sincerely, Mori Mandis - SVCA President Come Visit the West Side of Town Come on over to the West Side of the City for a visit and see Heading down the back roads winding around the many vineyards what Cupertino and Saratoga has to offer in the way of along the way, we reach the beautiful timeless Hakone Gardens. entertainment, gardens, wineries and music…………….! Check out Flint Center in the heart of De Anza College’s campus. (www.flintcenter.com) A tranquil place of peace and harmony – Hakone Gardens One of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s premier sites and 100 years old, Hakone is one of the oldest Japanese estate, retreat and gardens in the Western Hemisphere. Hakone has also been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2013. 18 acres of magnificent beauty is nestled in the verdant hills of Saratoga overlooking Silicon Valley. Now onward for wine and entertainment throughout the summer- time over-looking the Valley floor. Along with fun and Today combines the new and the old learning center The Mountain Winery De Anza College Fujitsu Planetarium. This large planetarium offers educa- tonal astronomy shows & entertaining laser displays. Address: 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014 Check out the many wineries along the backroads such as Ridge In 1958, a concert bowl was constructed and the now famous Vineyards and Pichetti Winery from Cupertino to Saratoga. Concert Summer Series began. World-class music and breathtaking scenery have consistently proven to be a crowd pleasing combination. Closer to the center of Saratoga is the famous Villa Montalvo @RidgeVineyards Original Picchetti Brothers Winery building, constructed in 1885 Photograph by Judith Silva, courtesy of the City of Santa Clara Villa Montalvo - Montalvo Arts Center Located at 13100 Montebello Rd., south west of Cupertino, Villa Montalvo was built in 1912 and was Senator Phelan's favorite California, the Picchetti Winery operates under private lease in home. It became a center for artistic, political, and social life in a cooperative relationship with the Midpeninsula Regional Northern California. The Montalvo Arts Center has continued to Open Space District to help preserve the history of winemaking nurture this artistic oasis and provides opportunities for creation in the region. Winery is open to the public from 11:00am until and presentation of arts of all types. 5:00pm daily. Call 408-741-1310 or visit the website for more information. Come and enjoy what the Valley has to offer……! VALLEY ACCESS ELECTRONIC MAGAINE/2 How Do You Use Our SVCA Networking Group? Our SVCA is a valuable resource for every business in Silicon Valley’s hospitality industry. We’re dedicated to the education and advancement of our members, so we sponsor hospitality program scholarships and we host educational programs and informal membership mixers. Most of us use the SVCA as a powerful networking group. What does this mean? And how should we participate? Each member brings valuable talents, strengths, and perspectives. We associate to enhance our own positions and to help our colleagues improve theirs. Over time, colleagues become friends interested in mutually beneficial relationships. Suggestions when attending an event: •We meet in a featured Silicon Valley facility at least once a month, and at our mixers we grow our professional relationships. •This means touring the featured facility and adding it to our list of preferred venues. •This means greeting long-time colleagues and meeting new friends. •This means talking about what’s new and interesting, discussing best practices, and helping solve problems. •This means introducing new friends to colleagues they ought to know. •This means talking with colleagues about what we need from each other to help us work together more effectively. Preparing to attend our next mixer, we make sure to bring a good supply of our business cards. We remind a few of our favorite colleagues to be sure to join the fun. And we prepare a few good conversation topics for chatting with specific colleagues who are sure to be there. Between mixers, we read through our monthly Valley Access Magazine (You’re reading it now), to stay up to date with the latest and greatest developments in Silicon Valley’s hospitality industry. Of course we continually stay in touch with our colleagues, as we’ll always have new opportunities to work together. (For now, read more about our association on http://www.siliconvalleyconcierge.com/.) Robbie Schlosser, SVCA Board - Director of Administration [email protected] Meet Our New Chamber Executive Director, Ken Johnson SILICON VALLEY CONCIERGE ASSOCIATION Follow Us! Www.facebook.com/siliconvalleyconciergeassociation I would first like to thank the Chamber Board, Ambassadors and Staff for the Facebook.com/SiliconValleyConciergeAssociation very warm welcome I received when I started as the new Executive Director Instagram.com/SiliconValleyConcierge last week. I had heard it said that the Campbell Chamber is the friendliest Twitter: @S_V_Concierge around and now I can understand why. Linkedin.com/groups/3127536 My email address is [email protected]. Please do not hesitate to contact me, or any member of the Chamber staff, if we can assist you in any VALLEY ACCESS ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE/3 way. "Christmas in July" is the annual summer fundraising event for San Jose's iconic "Christmas in the Park" holiday celebration. 2018 is a special celebration; we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of our annual fundraiser! Every summer for 25 years our supporters, sponsors, staff and attendees have come out in July to celebrate and raise funds for Christmas in the Park. The funds we raise are crucial to keeping our holiday celebrations free to the public. Initially this event was hosted by the San Jose Police and Fire departments - the Police served drinks while Fire grilled steaks! Our Board of Directors handled set up and made appetizers, staff and sponsors joined together to celebrate a job well-done. These events always lasted late into the evening with joyous revelers dancing and celebrating. Christmas in July is planned for Saturday July 21st; tables are on sale now at www.christmasinthepark.com. Join us this year and help support this iconic San Jose tradition. Contact Joe Noonan at [email protected] for information. Now if you’re looking for vodka, gin or tequila, you’ll find them, too. And District’s bartenders seem to be able to whip up anything from a gin and tonic to a Manhattan without missing THINGS TO DO a beat. But you can get a real sense of what District’s drinks are about by taking a deep dive into a couple of my favorites, the Peachy Keen and the 65 North. (The 65 North’s name is a playoff District’s San Jose address and a nod to their craft- bayarea.com cocktail compatriots at 55 South a few blocks away on First Street.) There are three grape-derived ingredients in the 65 North ($13): Peruvian-made Capurro Pisco, Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro and pinot noir wine, which affords the drink its ruby color and contributes the strongest recognizable flavor. But it’s got flavor all over the place, and the inclusion of lemon juice offers balance and keeps the cocktail from being too sweet. Egg white and a good shake give the drink, served up in a coupe glass, nice foam and a rich mouthfeel free. The Peachy Keen ($13) couldn’t be more different — and yet is just as good. Bourbon’s the base, with a light, fruit flavor provided by French crème de peche liqueur and a bit of At left "Peachy Keen; Bourbon, Creme de Peche, Lemon, Allspice Dram.