The Westin Nova Scotian Blog

On a recent business trip to Toronto with our Destination Halifax partners, we hosted clients to a fabulous Maritime themed lobster dinner and we gave back to the community.

On Wednesday night, Robert Herjavec spoke to an audience of approximately 550 people in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The crowd was a mix of young entrepreneurs, sponsors and seasoned business people.  His message was clear, do what you love and the money will come.  People know when you are not genuine and happy and his motto has been to always be “wonderful” when people ask how he is.

At 8:00 AM yesterday morning, the Azamara docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia on it’s way from New York - to the site of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15^th. The Azamara set sail on April 10^th and is an eight night cruise and it is one of two Titanic Memorial Cruises.

'Titanic the Fated Voyage' dinner theatre actors
welcoming us aboard the voyage

On Thursday night, I attended ‘Titanic the Fated Voyage’ at the Cunard Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  What a fabulous and surprising dinner theatre.  The acting was superb and the story very creative.  I wondered how the writer, Jamie Bradley, would conclude a story with such a tragic and legendary ending.  I was not disappointed!

As we wrap up a week of sales calls during the Starwood Sales Blitz, it’s another warm sunny day in Halifax, Nova Scotia!  Yesterday we saw an all time high of 27°C in the city. 

We're celebrating the launch of the new elite benefits for members of the Starwood Preferred Guest® program with cake and prizes in our Halifax hotel lobby! 

Denise Bradbury (right) from the Westin Nova Scotian
with Christine MacKenzie from Porter Airlines

On Monday, I had the privilege of boarding the Canadian Navy Frigate, HMCS St. John’s for a Day Sail.  I joined 100 women from across Canada who work as Teachers & Guidance Counselors in Schools and Community Colleges.  They were in Halifax, Nova Scotia for three days of activities to experience life in the Navy and increase their knowledge for recruiting purposes.

Graham Hyson and Little Buddy

Graham Hyson has been working at the Westin Nova Scotian for 15 years and over those 15 years, he has touched a lot of lives with his kindness.  The most recent recipient of Graham’s compassion is a little 4-month-old kitten he named ‘Little Buddy’. 

With a modern new look and feel comes a new name.  Our Halifax Hotel Cornwallis Room is now known as the Seaport Room!  In keeping with our commitment to promote our neighbourhood, the Halifax Seaport District, we decided to name our lobby level meeting room the same.

On February 9^th the Progress Club of Halifax hosted their 40^th annual Sport Celebrity Dinner.  The Halifax event is a fundraiser to support two of the Club’s local charities; The Progress Centre for Early Intervention and King’s Meadow Home.  The Westin Nova Scotian has been a proud sponsor of the event for the past six years. 

April 15, 2012 marks the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Halifax, Nova Scotia played a large role in the days following the disaster. We were the first port of call for many of the ships carrying survivors and wreckage.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and it’s time to make plans with your sweetheart in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  If you’re the lucky partner planning a Valentine’s treat for your special someone,  our Halifax hotel restaurant, elements on hollis is offering a tantalizing menu.

A good friend of mine, Alison DeLory, is the Halifax/Saint John City Editor for Chatelaine Magazine...

Our Sales & Catering team at our Halifax hotel had a surprise visit from a wise old soul last Wednesday. Yoda, of Star Wars fame, showed up just as we were about to start our meeting.  He was bringing exciting news from Velocity Entertainment and Marina Atwell.

On January 16, 2012, we were thrilled to present Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces with a cheque for $3760.00!! Over the Holiday Season, we offered the Take the Elevator Home promotion where a portion of each booking went to support the Make-A-Wish program in Atlantic Canada.

Congratulations Wenda & Chris!  On November 9^th, 2011 Reegan Christopher Berkvens entered our lives several weeks ahead of schedule.

Image Compliments of Destination Halifax

We have so many things to see and do in our own cities that we never get around to because we think we’ll do it some other time.  This winter, I challenge you to take the time to be a tourist in your own city or even neighbourhood. Stay in a downtown Halifax hotel, eat in a new Nova Scotia restaurant...

Overlooking downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Ocean, topping the 11^th floor of the Westin Nova Scotian, is our recently remodeled and redecorated Crown Suite. The suite is looking better than ever after undergoing a modern make over.

Mr. & Mrs. Pitt visiting the Nova Scotian

Tony Pitt came to Halifax, Nova Scotia by train from Ontario with his father in 1936, he was 11 years old. Mr. Pitt's Dad, Robert, came to the Nova Scotian from the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa (another CN Rail hotel), and he was Resident Manager of the Nova Scotian from 1936 to 1941.

Low tide at Halls Harbour - Bay of Fundy Nova Scotia

Last week our Premier, Darrell Dexter, urged Nova Scotians, and friends of Nova Scotia & New Brunswick, to place their votes for the Bay of Fundy to become one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. If you have never been to the Bay of Fundy it truly is a natural wonder. Billion tones of water flow in and out of the bay twice a day.

Congratulations Sarah Williams & Kiya Willman on completing their American Hotel & Lodging Association Certified Restaurant Manager (CRM) designation.  Sarah leads our elements on hollis team as Restaurant Manager and Kiya is a big part of our Banquets Supervisory team.

It's nearing the end of Waste Reduction Week, October 17-23, 2011.  Waste Reduction Week in Canada is intended to raise public consciousness about waste and its environmental and social ramifications.  Over the last five years we have made great strides in reducing our waste at the Westin Nova Scotian.

Cornwallis Park across from the Westin Nova Scotian - Halifax, Nova Scotia

When I tell guests and conference delegates that Halifax Nova Scotia is a city with a resort feel, they know what I'm talking about when they take a walk along the Halifax Harbourfront Boardwalk. Known as the City of Trees, Halifax often feels like a park with an extraordinary ocean view

The associates of the Westin Nova Scotian are amazing at supporting organizations that have touched their lives through community involvement and fundraising efforts.

Meeting Professionals International President's Welcome Reception and Sponsor Recognition

Our Halifax hotel lounge, Eve Patio is open for business!

One of our Halifax hotel loyal guests is on the verge of retirement!

Peter Windsor with (left to right) Diane Rose, GM Guido Kerpel, Glenn Bowie & Jackie Collins

The Elements facelift continues...

Just like a movie star, Elements Restaurant is getting a facelift and will be back looking absolutely fabulous by September! Our new concept will focus on local food and global taste.

Could it be that I just participated in my 13^th Destination Halifax city familiarization tour?  I think I began partnering in 1999?  Wow how time flies!  I look forward to the annual Destination Showcase Halifax every June.  Each year our Destination Halifax partners spend two full days and three evenings with 20 - 35 meeting planners from across Canada and the US who have potential meeting & convention business for our city.

I was fortunate to meet Yvonne & Jim Price while on a visit home to St. John's, NL in May.  They are travelling Canada, spending one month in each provincial capital, and writing a book about living in each city.  I spent time chatting with them during their month in Halifax (June) and want to share their story and Project Zoom...

We're ready for business on the Eve patio and looking forward to sunny summer days and warm nights.  The sun is shining outside my office window now and it's scheduled to continue over Canada Day weekend, so come on in!   Eve patio officially opened last night with a party for our clients, suppliers and invited guests.  Our Molson partners were ‘on tap' pouring a new product, Rickard's Blonde.  Items from our exciting new menu were sampled including crab cake sliders and mini pulled pork sandwiches. Eve's regular entertainers, Mike Cummings, Ed Grant & Paul Tupper, were on deck to keep toes tapping! Eve lounge offers live entertainment weekday evenings from 5:00pm-7:00pm.

Jane, Leanne, Jennifer & Kaela, our friends from Zed Events (http://www.zedevents.ca/), paid us a visit last week.  We often work with the Zed team on creative, one-of -a-kind events, so to give them a new experience we toured our kitchen.  We made a pit stop for a bite to eat before moving on to Eve Lounge to listen to our Tuesday evening Jazz Duo, Ray MacNeil & Mike Cummings.  Ray & Mike are two-thirds of Waterford Jazz.  

Thanks for stopping by for a visit Zed team! 

We had our youngest conference delegate at the Westin Nova Scotian last week. Three month old Bodie was here with his Mom (the MACU conference organizer) & Dad. According to his Mom, Bodie enjoyed the pool and flirting with the female delegates and hotel associates who adored him!

Here I am with the cutie after lunch in Eve Lounge.

One week after Mother's Day at the Westin Nova Scotian and the stats are in! We served 1046 hungry diners over Mother's Day Brunch. Working in a busy hotel we see food being prepared in our kitchen every day and see banquets of 400 being served with little thought to the actual volume. Chef Raj Gupta has provided some staggering numbers to help us understand what it takes to feed 1046 people. Over 2 days, 6 cooks prepared for brunch = 96 hours of preparation.

Teri Green, Sales Manager with the Westin Nova Scotian, at our booth

Last weekend the Saltscapes East Coast Expo was a success for another year. This Atlantic Canada focused consumer trade show highlights the best of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island & Newfoundland & Labrador tourism. There are food, wine & beer samples / arts and crafts for sale / accommodations & attractions booths / live music / culinary, garden & healthy living demos / and much more...

I love Saltscapes for travel and gift ideas. There is a mixture of down home kitchen ceilidh and innovative, sophisticated new products. A few companies to watch for as you travel around Nova Scotia this summer are:

Ironworks Distillery, Lunenburg, NS-They have a Cranberry Liqueur and a Blueberry Liqueur that are delicious! Their vodka is distilled from apples making it very smooth. Their packaging is sleek and modern, I love it.....

Cleaning up the blitz! From left to right- Nicole Robinson, Teri Green, Me, James Stephen, Sarah MacInnes, and Jennifer Alexander

Last week we hit the streets again promoting Starwood Hotels, the Starwood Preferred Planner program and of course our very own Halifax Starwood Hotels, the Westin Nova Scotian & Four Points by Sheraton! ....

Our March Break madness reminded me how much I love seeing and hearing the reactions of kids visiting a hotel. Be it their first time or one of many they always look around in amazement and discover something new in the grown up world of travel. As a child my family vacationed every summer. They weren't luxurious vacations, we usually travelled to destinations that we could reach by car and often camped along the way. One summer we travelled entire east coast of the US in the family car, without air conditioning! Our daily treat, and reprieve from the heat, was an ice cream sundae at the closest road-side Howard Johnson's. With this my love affaire with hotels began! I remember vividly the year my parents said we would be staying in motels instead of campgrounds for our vacation, Holiday Inns, with a pool of course, here we come! These vacations started my fascination with a career in hospitality.

Thursday night, our Westin Nova Scotian Sales & Catering team hosted a happy hour (actually two fun-filled hours) for our friends at Destination Halifax and the World Trade & Convention Centre. We partner with both DH and WTCC to promote the Halifax meetings and conventions industry so it was high time they came over to ‘our house' for a sociable!

Our General Manager, Guido Kerpel, in motion

The first annual Briga-Ski event was held on Friday, March 11 at Wentworth ski hill. The Westin Nova Scotian along with our awesome partners pulled off a stellar fundraising event for Brigadoon Children's Camp to the tune of $13,000.00 in pledge donations and silent auction purchases.

What is Brigadoon Village? Brigadoon Children's Camp Society is a not for profit society who is currently building a $7 million, year-round, recreational facility in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley (Opening in August, 2011). Once built, Brigadoon will offer programming in outdoor education, sailing, canoeing/kayaking, swimming, the arts, environmental studies, general camping and primary health. With a medical centre and mandates that include teaching and research, Brigadoon is one of a handful of facilities in North America, and a first in Eastern Canada, that will address the very large "unmet need" of children and families living with a chronic illness and seeking recreational programming. For more information on Brigadoon, please visit: www.brigadoonvillage.org

We could not have made it a success without help from Wentworth (lift tickets & Ducky's lounge for après ski), Ambassatours (transportation), Paul Brushett & Paul Tupper (entertainment), Bruce Agencies & Maritime Campus Store (ski toques), Garrison Breweries (beer), our own Chef Raj (fabulous breakfast & lunch), Fred Stillman (photos), 3M Trim-Line (signage), Chrystal from Goodlife (pre-ski Zumba), Currie Planning Works (logistics) and many others who donated money & prizes...Via Rail, Sykea Salon & Spa, Samuel & Co., the Unicorn, Olsen Europe, PMA Wines, Pepsi, Farmers Dairy, Bell Aliant, Homburg Canada, It's All Greek to Me, Investors Group, Le Meridien Versailles Montreal, Four Points by Sheraton Halifax, Marriott Residence Inn Moncton and Hampton Inn Dartmouth Crossing.

Thank you teams from Bishop's Cellar/ Southwest Properties....

Halifax was happy to have the CIS Final 8 Men's Basketball Championships back this past weekend and we, the Westin Nova Scotian, were happy to be a sponsor, one week after hosting the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) final 6. Halifax had hosted the National University Men's basketball championships for 24 consecutive years before it went to Carlton University in Ottawa for 2008 & 2009. The championships are with us again next year before returning to Ottawa to be hosted by this year's winners, the Carlton Ravens, in 2013 & 2014.

Savour is over for another year. Last night over 800 people wandered the aisles of booths in our Atlantic & Commonwealth ballrooms noshing on delicious samples of food, wine, beer and cocktails from restaurants, bars, caterers, wineries & breweries located in Halifax & beyond. It was a wonderfully warm and satisfying evening on a cold March night. Many of our hotel associates & I were there to ensure the event's success and I believe we met our challenge. Plates and glasses were stocked and restocked over & over again as dirty dishes were washed and returned to be filled with food & drink before making their way back to stewarding for another bath!

Exhibitors at the event showcased their specialties, cooking and creating dishes in front of your eyes. Scanway Catering offered Uni's famous Florentines, Chives Bistro stacked pulled pork sandwiches with winter slaw, Hamachi House displayed platters of sushi as works of art (see below), Chez Tess offered their signature crepes, Delta hotels served up braised pork belly, and our own chefs from the Westin Nova Scotian kept diners full with three unique sliders (crab cake, Tandoori chicken and beef), just to name a few. Drinks were flowing with Mosaic cocktails, draft from Garrison and Propeller breweries, wines from local wineries & distributors and Guinness from Durty Nelly's Irish Pub.

For the past several years the Westin Nova Scotian has been a proud sponsor of the Canadian Progress Club - Halifax annual Sport Celebrity Dinner. Over the years my colleagues, clients & I have met many sport celebrities including Pete Rose, Jim Abbott, Theo Fleury, Frank Mahovlich, Ray Bourke, Hurricane Carter, Joe Frazier and Dennis Hull to name a few. Last night at the Cunard Centre during the 39th annual dinner, 1300 guests were treated to stories from former Toronto Blue Jay & World Series Champion Roberto Alomar, famous Hockey Dad Walter Gretzky, celebrated NHL All-Star Jeremy Roenick, Grey Cup winner & Montreal Alouette Anthony Calvillo and Boxer Micky Ward....(continue reading below)

Las Vegas in January! Who wouldn't want to go to a conference in the desert in the middle of winter? Last week I attended the Professional Convention Management Association's 2011 Annual Conference at the MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas. WOW! This was my first time attending this industry event and my first time in Sin City. What a conference it was...3800 delegates, fabulous keynote speakers & educational sessions, out of this world networking events and lots of time to connect with friends & clients old & new.