Cabana is Nashville's introduction to 'New Southern Comfort Cuisine'. The elegantly casual fare consists of options like Tennessee Sliders and Chicken Wing lollipops.  Cabana's atmosphere offers varying seating styles from booths and couches to private or semi-private cabanas all adorned with plush fabrics and separately controlled audio/video. Additionally, Cabana provides patio seating as well as a covered open-air setting.  Cabana is a casual but trendy spot in Hillsboro Village, nestled between Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities and Music Row.

For the Good Times: The Ray Price Story  August 2006 -  June 2007

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will pay tribute to American music architect Ray Price.  His hits helped draw pop stars to the song catalogs represented by Nashville publishers, and his recording career is synonymous with the rise of Nashville as a recording center. Like his voice and his ear for powerful songs, his skill as a bandleader and his will to make music the Ray Noble Price way is undiminished.

Pulitzer Prize Photographs: Capture the Moment Through August 20, 2006

Frist Center for the Visual Arts proudly presents the largest and most inclusive collection of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs ever exhibited in the nation.  This exhibition features more than 120 images drawn from each year's winning entries since the prize was established in 1941. 

Music City Jazz, Blues & Heritage Festival September 2-3, 2006

Send summer out with a bang! Celebrate Nashville's diversity and enjoy not only the smooth sounds of jazz and blues, but plenty of reggae, funk, gospel, soul and R&B, too, September 2-3, at Riverfront Park. The festival features both nationally acclaimed artists and home-grown Nashville talent. Past performers have included Kirk Whalum, Chris Thomas King and Al Jarreau.

The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt Through October 8, 2006

This exhibit features the largest selection of antiquities ever loaned by Egypt for exhibition in North America. The exhibition includes over 107 magnificent works, ranging from monumental stone sculptures of Egyptian royalty and deities to such luxurious tomb furnishings as gold jewelry, ornate coffins, a model of the river ship of the pharaoh Amenhotep II, and a sarcophagus painted with scenes of the afterlife.

I Can't Stop Loving You: Ray Charles and Country Music  Through December 2007

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum pays tribute to the "genius of soul" with an exhibit of artifacts, instruments, costumes, photographs, films and more. By recording country songs in his own unique style, Ray Charles brought many new fans to the genre.

"I wanted to thank you for a wonderful job you did with our tours and special event.  Everything was a big hit and I can't thank you enough for all your efforts to make this event run so smoothly.  It was reassuring to know that you were always available for our group.  Thank for all your assistance in making all attendees feel so welcome in Nashville.  Thanks again for making our meeting a success!!" 

  Lumbermen's Merchandising Corporation

The KEY to Successful Dine Arounds

What a great time to be in Music City Nashville with its substantial growth in its downtown district. A changing skyline, a rebirth of urban living and becoming home to Fortune 500 Corporations, Nashville is a city that looks forward to the future. The Doubletree Hotel Nashville Downtown is a vital component of that growth, and like our city, we are changing. 

Having recently invested over $10 million in extensive renovations, our commitment to excellence shows in everything we do. From corporate annual meetings to intimate wedding receptions, our staff is dedicated to providing a unique experience for all of our guests. We are the new face of Nashville Hospitality and are redefining the way planners evaluate hotels.

The Doubletree Hotel Nashville Downtown has all the amenities and conference services on which you have come to depend! Yes, we have hard wired and wireless internet. Yes, we have a gym that was designed for road warriors. Yes, we have a dedicated convention services department. Yes, we are the only hotel with a Starbucks^TM Café in the lobby. Yes, we are a full-service hotel, and yes, we can do your meeting for 500 with breakouts, or your Executive Board meeting for 14.

When planning a meeting or event, there are many elements that must come together to make your event appear seamless.  One of the key components of any meeting or event is technical production.  Some meeting planners shy way from technical production because it seems complicated or scary.  Regardless, if you are tech savvy or technically challenged, hiring a DMC or Production Company who understands how technical production can support and enhance the cohesiveness of your meeting or event is crucial.    By sharing your expectations and goals with your DMC or Production Company and involving them early on in the planning process they can provide you with ideas on event logistics and cost savings.

It is important for you and your DMC or Production Company to do a site inspection of your meeting or event location.  In doing so, event drawings can be created to ensure all event elements will fit, flow properly and the proper questions can be asked.  Will this event location support your expectations and hold all the equipment necessary for the event?  Is there enough time for load in and set up?  How much power is available at the event location?   How much sound and light is needed based on the size of the room, number of speakers, props and the goal of the event?  Then, timelines and action lists should be created with thought as to how all these elements will work together and how all parties involved are affected.  These plans should then be communicated to everyone working on the event.  This way everyone sees the big picture, knows what they need to bring to the event, where they need to put it and what else is next to them.  This is especially important for complicated events, quick set up times or events with many vendors. 

The key to saving money with production largely deals with planning ahead, making smart choices and knowing what you really need.  Planning ahead with your DMC or Production Company can ensure you aren't spending unnecessary dollars on unplanned aspects of your program and making sure all aspects of the event are planned. 

Today's technology offers meeting planners an abundance of choices.   Making smart choices means sometimes less can be more. For example, with lighting using moving effects like gobo rotators and scrollers are a good way to create special effects without breaking the budget.  Or, if you are on a really tight budget, use the venue's existing lighting but modify it to fit the event's theme.  Try placing colored gels over lights or change regular light bulbs for colored bulbs.  No matter what your budget, focus on the important aspects of your event.    For example, if your company spent thousands of dollars on a new product video, don't skimp and rent a low-end LCD projector.   As the meeting planner, keep in mind that your technical equipment is part of the event experience and should be treated as such.   

Knowing what you really need can save you money.  At times, some meeting planners get caught up in their last event and specify they need a certain size screen or specific lighting and forget to take into consideration the new venue location which might increase or decrease your sound and lighting needs as will your anticipated number of guests.

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel recently completed a number of upgrades designed to provide guests with a supremely comfortable experience.   The changes include replacing all of the hotel's beds with top-of-the-line Sealy pillow-top mattresses and box springs and adding sheets that have thread counts of 300, higher than the industry standard of 180. The new linens also include down comforters to replace traditional bedspreads and more pillows. The bedding is thicker and the duvets more stylish. New bathrobes have also been added to the hotel's 340 rooms.

Sherry Franklin Renaissance Nashville Hotel Sr. Account Executive

Sherry Franklin, a 19-year veteran of the Hospitality Industry has been  awarded the Manager of the Year Award for the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.  A member of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP), the city of Nashville's Public Access Television Board, Urban League of Middle TN-GILD section and many other organizations, Sherry was selected from over 60 managers.  Criteria included Excellent Examples of Savvy Service, Exceptional Performance, Positive Attitude and Teamwork.  Sherry is a Senior Account Executive responsible for overseeing the administrative operations of the Sales Department and her Washington DC, Virginia & Maryland Sales Territories.

Arthur Keith, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center was recognized as the American Hotel & Lodging Association's Outstanding General Manager of the Year for his accomplishments and exceptional service in the lodging industry.

Hermitage Hotel Nashville announces Jeanne Cooper as Sales Manager.  Cooper previously worked for the Courtyard by Marriott on West End Avenue.  Jeanne has been in hotel sales since 2002.