Museums & Attractions
- The Las Cruces Museum of Art, in Las Cruces, N.M., is presenting Rodin: In His Own Words, a selection of 35 bronze sculptures by Auguste Rodin, including a version of the famed work The Thinker. Lasting through Nov. 23, Rodin’s various bronzes, a selection of photographs and portraits of Rodin, and original journal entries and letters by the artist will be on display. There is also an educational exhibit on the lost-wax casting process. For more information, call 575.541.2137 or visit www.las-cruces.org/public-services/museums.
- The Anaheim GardenWalk is opening in phases as a 440,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment center set amid manicured gardens. There is a total of 46,050 square feet of dining/event space among the attraction’s many restaurants. Another main feature is the 300 Anaheim Bowling & Entertainment Center, a 47,000-square-foot upscale bowling lounge complete with a concierge who delivers guests’ bowling balls to their lanes. In addition, there is personal lane-side dining service. The center itself could be used for special events and teambuilding exercises, such as scavenger hunts, throughout the gardens. The final phase of this project will include two hotels with a combined total of 866 hotel guest rooms, and a 400-unit timeshare property scheduled to open at the end of 2010. The hotel meeting and event space will include 36,000 square feet in one hotel and 14,000 square feet in the other hotel. For more information, call 714.635.7410 or visit www.anaheimgardenwalk.com.
Programs & Packages
- Hotel Pacific, in Monterey, Calif., is featuring its Blindfolded Kayaking Meetings Package through the end of the year. This package includes one free meeting room each day with complimentary Internet access, 50 percent off audiovisual equipment and an afternoon of adventure in two-person kayaks. There is an added challenge. The kayaker in the back is blindfolded and one paddle is taken away from the kayaker in the front. This person then provides directions and instructions to the kayaker seated behind in order to navigate back to the starting point. The package is available with a minimum of 25 rooms on the peak night. For more information, call 831.373.5700 or visit www.hotelpacific.com.
Kudos
- Ordering deep-fried foods can help the environment, thanks to a new program launched by the Fairmont Scottsdale in Arizona. The resort is converting its kitchen grease into biodiesel. Partnering with local manufacturer AZ BioDiesel, the Fairmont Scottsdale will help to prevent more than 100,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere with the new program. By collecting more than 700 gallons of used cooking oil from the resort’s kitchens, AZ BioDiesel will be able to create nearly 600 gallons of biodiesel monthly—enough to power at least seven diesel vehicles per year. For more information, call 480.585.4848 or visit www.fairmont.com/environment.