Destination Dispatch
- Manhattan’s 186-room Hotel Gansevoort opened a new dining outlet. The 7,000-square-foot TOY restaurant serves modern Chinese cuisine with Japanese influences. It includes a two-level dining room, an indoor/outdoor sushi bar and a terrace. Hotel Gansevoort offers an executive boardroom and rooftop lounge space for private events. For more information, call 212.206.6700 or visit www.hotelgansevoort.com.
- New Hampshire’s Ragged Mountain Resort invested $1 million to prepare for the upcoming winter season. Improvements included automated snowmaking equipment and preparations for future expansion. Located 90 minutes from Boston, the 2,100-acre property in the Dartmouth region is home to 50 ski trails, 18 holes of golf and lodging options and event space that can accommodate corporate functions and groups of up to 250. Opening day this season is scheduled for Nov. 24. For more information, visit www.raggedmountainresort.com.
- Philadelphia’s Le Bec-Fin restaurant was remodeled and reopened under new ownership. Serving French cuisine by Georges Perrier since 1970, the venue welcomes groups and private events. For more information, call 215.567.1000 or visit www.lebecfin.com.
Kudos
- After an inaugural display in the Westin Gaslamp Quarter San Diego, Westin announced the implementation of a new nature-inspired lobby concept. Vertical gardens ranging in size from 100 to 300 square feet will be installed in public spaces at properties beginning with Westin Georgetown, Westin Boston Waterfront and Westin Bethesda. The wall-mounted plant-modules will be filled with carefully chosen species matching the interior architecture and local climate. Inspired by the study of biophilia, the new design will create a lobby focal point and increase indoor air quality. For more information, visit www.westin.com.
Tech Update
- Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center released a smartphone app named Cincy Live. Aimed at both exhibitors and guests, the app can be downloaded from the iTunes store and was designed to provide information ranging from building layout maps and answers to frequently asked questions to a guided tour of art pieces on display. The convention center offers 36 meeting rooms, 200,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 40,000-square-foot grand ballroom. The app also includes travel information and resources for the city of Cincinnati. For more information, visit www.duke-energycenter.com.