By Laurie Armstrong Gossy
On December 3, BATW held its annual Holiday Party at the historic Elks Lodge, located inside the Kensington Park Hotel on Post St. in San Francisco. It’s the oldest continuously running Elk’s Lodge in existence and ‘hidden’ on the third floor of the hotel, overlooking Union Square. Our thanks to BATW member David Perry for inviting us in!
The party was well attended with 60+ people enjoying bites by Chef Derrik Soares and a no-host bar (with remarkably reasonable prices).
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Rebecca Bruns Award to Lee Daley. The honor is awarded to the BATW member who most embodies Rebecca’s talent and generosity.
A spirited White Elephant Gift Exchange capped the evening. Several members took advantage of the Kensington Park Hotel’s gracious media rate and enjoyed a festive holiday getaway.
HOSPITALITY TRENDS REPORT
On January 16, Andrew Freeman, founder of AF&Co. and Leith Steele, Senior Strategist & Head of Insights of Carbonate, gave a special presentation of the 16th edition of the af&co./Carbonate Hospitality Trends Report. This insightful and entertaining report has served as a guiding light for hospitality industry professionals, helping them prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the upcoming year. Trusted by restaurants, bars, hotels, and travel destinations, the report has become an indispensable resource offering insights to inform innovative strategies that will reshape the hospitality landscape.
The recording of the presentation is available on the BATW YouTube page, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX2CgTpTryE&t=166s. It’s one hour and fifteen minutes well spent.