SETC Road Trip, Day Two

We began today at 8:30a meeting up with Bond Jacobs, Director of Services for the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, who acted as our cruise director. Outside it was snowing. Accumulation wasn't supposed to be but about an inch. The snowfall was beautiful.

First up was a tour of the Hyatt facilities with Senior Convention Services Manager Amy Lett. We viewed the ball, board and meeting rooms where we will hold our numerous workshops in March. Amy also took us through their Presidential Suite, which may be the week's home to Beth Harvey, SETC's current President. While the suite had a nice comfy, homey feel to it, it also smelled. There was not bar area per se, which is important since the President's Reception will take place in her suite.

Bond next took us over to the Lexington Convention Center where we met Natasha Stamper the Event Manager. The LCC is where I will be spending 90% of my convention time - Thursday and Friday I'll be working Pro-Auditions as Assistant Director and on Saturday I'll be working Graduate Auditions as the Director. The Commercial exhibits and Education Expo, one of my current responsibilities, will also be in the LCC. Chris' registration desk, April's Job Contact Services and Hardy's Undergraduate Auditions will also be at the LCC. It is wonderful to be able to experience the spaces before we hit the ground running at Convention. We've got a month to visualize the layouts and work out any potential problems before hand.

Around noon Bond introduced us to Erik Maikkula, Director of Catering and Convention Services for the Hilton. He took us on a tour of the Hilton facilities where we will hold more workshops. Chris and I like their Presidential Suite much, much better. It does have a bar area and, once again, the bathroom is spa quality. We took pictures and Beth will have to decide.

For lunch we were treated to a taste-testing. Our job was to determine the menu for the State Luncheon on Friday. After completing stuffing ourselves we settled on a mixed salad, almond seared chicken with red pepper risotto and green beans, and white/dark chocolate mousse for dessert. (I personally adored the raspberry chocolate cake, but others felt it was too heavy for lunch. I was able to snag an extra piece as a takeaway.)

After the glorious lunch we walked to the Lexington Opera House, which is where the High School Festival will take place. I was awed by its beauty. The house was recently renovated and the red velvet seats are not only gorgeous but comfortable. They have a portrait gallery in which hangs pictures of famous people who have played at the Opera House. Downstairs is Pardy's Pub and a rumored ghost or two. April and I both agreed that the Community Theatre Festival should have been located here. While High School kids would dig the ghost stories they simply won't appreciate the space like community theatre folks would.

Our last meeting was with Dave Steinmetz, the TD for the University of Kentucky. UK will host the Community Theatre Festival. He's hosted the KTA State Conference so Dave will help make our jobs very easy.

After a two hour nap we all met and walked to Natasha's Bistro and Bar for dinner. (Yes, we walked, 6 blocks, in freezing cold weather.) I ordered the Pesto Bascilico, which was much better than the burger I had last night. While we were enjoying our meals we were treated to Jazz Pianist and composer Kokichi Tagawa and then Tom Green performed. Thoroughly stuffed from our earlier lunch and a great dinner we walked the 6 blocks back to the hotels. (It was still just as freezing.)

And now I will spend some time reviewing my lines for The Nerd.