Watermark Restaurant embodies the urban sophistication of its location in the rapidly developing Gulch district of downtown.  The cuisine at Watermark seamlessly blends the region's products and dishes with the simple, disciplined techniques of classic cuisine. Executive Chef Joe Shaw applies his experience, most notably as chef de cuisine at famed Southern Chef Frank Stitt's Bottega Restaurant, to a daily menu that highlights the best products of the season.

Music City Connection is a monthly radio show created, recorded and produced by the Nashville CVB in Music City and broadcast exclusively by XM Satellite Radio on XM's highway 16 channel. The show showcases songwriters of all genres - performing their hits, revealing their influences and sharing their personal stories of writing, recording and living in Music City.

65th Annual Running of the Iroquois
Steeplechase

May 13, 2006 www.iroquoissteeplechase.org The Iroquois is one of the oldest, most prestigious and most challenging steeplechase races in the country. Six races offer total purses and bonuses of $345,000. Benefits Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.

May 26 - September 4, 2006

Ready for a vacation full of shows, music, food and fun? Check out SummerFest^TM at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center (GORCC). Every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day, GORCC will salute summer with live music; roving artists and performers; a larger-than-life sand box for kids; mini cirque-style performances; Chinese acrobat shows; sensational laser light and water shows; wine and cheese tastings and much, much more. Weekends were made for fun and SummerFest offers more than 90 hours of entertainment options daily. Visit Gaylord Opryland; get away to their "tropical" location in the heart of Tennessee. It is always a beautiful 72ºF inside nine acres of magnificent atriums. For info call 1-888-999-OPRY.

CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair 2006  

June 8-11, 2006

Known as "Country Music's Biggest Party!," this event is, and will forever be, about the fans.
www.cmafest.com

"We were EXTREMELY HAPPY, 110% happy! We loved the tournament and your services. Everything went so smoothly and attendees were absolutely ecstatic! Thank for your wonderful insight and professionalism.  I look forward to working with you again!"  

World Travel BTI Meeting Services

The Key to Technical Productions

The Nashville Airport Marriott is where the city retreats without relinquishing its convenience, where people still recognize the importance of hospitality, and where the Old South and the New South unite.  

Located convenient between downtown Nashville and Nashville International Airport, the Nashville Airport Marriott adorns 17-acres of beautifully landscaped hills with 398 guest rooms including six executive suites and two spacious parlors, and more than 24,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space.  The recently added Cumberland Ballroom offers state-of-the-art cutting-edge technology, which includes Lights Fantastic, a computer generated collection of lighting effects that can change the mood of the room with the touch of a button.  On-site technical support is available to ensure the stress-free ease of a well-planned meeting.  In addition, an outstanding culinary team can successfully create memorable experiences for any one-of-a-kind themed event. For more information about the Nashville Airport Marriott, call 615.889.9300 or visit www.nashvilleairportmarriott.com.

When planning the menu for a reception there are many aspects to consider such as, the length of the event, size of the group, nutrition, budget, facility capabilities and demographics of attendees.

Successful reception menu planning starts with understanding your group, their history and expectations and knowing your event objective.  When working with a DMC, hotel or caterer, it is important to communicate the goal of your reception, the budget and any themes.  It is also critical to communicate what is happening before your reception and immediately following your reception.   For example, if your welcome reception is held on your main arrival day and attendees have traveled far distances to get to the meeting and your reception is being held from 6:00-7:30pm, guests will likely expect a dinner menu at the reception. Whereas, for a reception being held 45 minutes before your final night dinner, guests will most likely expect light or passed hors d'oeuvres. 

Determining how much food to serve is often the hardest area to address because it is not only the number of guests, time of the event,  but also the type of guests that helps determine quantities.  Knowing this information when planning a reception can make a difference between a successful and unsuccessful reception.  The rule of thumb used for receptions is to plan for eight to 12 pieces per person unless the reception is replacing a meal, then plan for 15 to 20 pieces per person. 

There are many ways to save money at your reception while being creative.  Some ideas are to capitalize on your location, select foods that are indigenous to the area and take into consideration the season of your event.  Some foods are seasonal and less expensive at certain times of the year in certain regions.  Also, consider that lighter meals should be served in warmer and summer months while heavier meals served in winter months. 

KE&HMG works to provide the most value for our clients when planning their receptions.  Some of the cost saving suggestions KE&HMG provides when appropriate are: 

Heather Throneberry KE&HMG Production Manager

As a Production Manager for The Key Event & Helen Moskovitz Group, Heather excels at creating great relationships with her clients and pays great detail to all aspects of her clients' programs.   She has high event standards and she is extremely dependable, honest and hard working.   

Heather joined The Key Event & Helen Moskovitz Group in 2005.  She previously worked at Kennedy Space Center as a meeting planner, supporting meetings and events vital to the success of the Return to Flight launch.  Heather received numerous awards for her support of pre-launch meetings.  Heather learned the essentials of event planning and excellent customer service through successfully coordinating weddings. 

Some of her past clients includes Las Palmas/Del Sol Medical Center, Southern Business Communications and American Correctional Association.

Heather grew up in Ohio and is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University.       

Renaissance Nashville Hotel New Bedding Collection

The Renaissance Nashville

Hotel's  beautifully-appointed guest rooms feature the new Renaissance ® Bedding Collection!  Slip between 300-thread-count sheets, thicker mattresses and plush topper and custom-sheeted duvets.

Union Station Hotel

Working with historic preservation specialists, the Union Station Hotel is currently restoring and renewing this National Historic Landmark to its' original elegance and grandeur.   This historic boutique hotel will transform all public areas featuring the 65-foot atrium lobby with Tiffany-style stained glass barrel-vaulted ceiling and 125 unique guest rooms.  The renovations will emphasize the distinctive Romanesque architecture and old-world charm while offering modern conveniences on a more intimate scale.  The Union Station Hotel will remain open during this time and will provide a unique glimpse into classic hotel renovation.  Estimated completion is the summer of 2006.