November 11, 2016: How Couples Are Upgrading Wedding Ceremony Arrivals, California Budget Watchdog Approves L.A. Olympic Bid, Snapchat Debuts New Spectacles With Pop-Up Vending Machines

1. HOW COUPLES ARE UPGRADING WEDDING CEREMONY ARRIVALS: A new wedding trend many couples are warming up to involves making their walks down the wedding aisle stand out, with enhancements ranging from horses and ski lifts to parachutes and helicopters. The New York Times: “Today, some couples—with one eye on getting married and the other on their social media feeds—want to start their event with grander, even dangerous entrances. Whether by yacht, parachute or helicopter, Ferrari 458 Italia, snowboard or lift, horse and carriage or elephant, couples are surprising attendees with showy entrances. Chelsea Lynch Roth, 32, and Chuck Roth, 42, of Breckenridge, Colo., arrived by ski lift. The Black Mountain Lodge, at Arapahoe Basin in the White River National Forest in Colorado, started offering lift arrivals in 2011. Nine couples signed up. The following year, 16 pairs were airborne. This past summer the resort hosted 32. … Making a splash has a price tag attached, a financial reality that has caused other couples to walk back some of these grand entrance concepts. Vanessa Valedon, the wedding and events planner at the W Retreat and Spa on Vieques Island off Puerto Rico, said 15 to 20 percent of couples come to her with unusual arrivals planned, but many end up eliminating them when they see the final cost. The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village in Cape Coral, Fla., offers an entry by Bell Ranger helicopter, which costs some $2,000, depending on the distance and time involved. The Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort in Costa Rica has added a Cinderella-like horse-drawn carriage to its arrival suggestions.” http://nyti.ms/2g2xq1q

2. CALIFORNIA BUDGET WATCHDOG APPROVES L.A. OLYMPIC BID: The budget watchdog for California has stated support for Los Angeles' bid to host the 2024 Olympics, saying the bid won't put the state at financial risk or require the building of major new venues. Reuters: "The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) report said a new law allowing the governor to enter into a contract with the city to provide no more than $250 million in state funds to pay for any financial deficits was a sound one. The state would only be on the hook after other revenue sources have been exhausted, including insurance policies and up to $250 million from the city of Los Angeles. 'Los Angeles' bid relies almost exclusively on existing venues and infrastructure,' said Jason Sisney, the LAO's chief deputy legislative analyst. 'This is important to keeping the financial risk for the city and the state low and will help Los Angeles avoid some of the major cost overruns that have plagued some prior Olympic hosts,' he said. … Los Angeles is up against European glamour cities Paris and Budapest in the race to host the Olympics and Paralypics summer games in 2024. The International Olympic Committee is expected to announce the winning city in September 2017. The LA 2024 bid committee this week said the election of Donald Trump to U.S. president on Tuesday could boost the chances of the city winning the games, citing 'his longstanding support of the Olympic movement in the United States.'" http://reut.rs/2eG56gi

3. SNAPCHAT DEBUTS NEW SPECTACLES WITH POP-UP VENDING MACHINES: Snapchat's new Spectacles—$130 sunglasses that connect to Snapchat on smartphones—will be available to purchase in new branded pop-up vending machines called "Snapbots." The Verge: "Each Snapbot will be in place for about a day, starting with one located right by Snap Inc.’s headquarters near Venice Beach in California. Prospective buyers be able to track where the Snapbots are located using a map on the Spectacles website. Snap Inc. has said that the Snapbots will be the only place you’ll be able to buy a pair of Spectacles, at least for the first few months. Ellen DeGeneres showed off the Spectacles buying experience with some snaps sent earlier today. It appears that the Snapbot uses a built-in camera to allow potential buyers to virtually try on the Spectacles (in a manner similar to Snapchat’s augmented reality photo filter) before buying. Additionally, if you can’t make it to a Snapbot but want to try out how a pair of Spectacles would look on you, Snap Inc. has a QR code on the Spectacles website that you can scan to add a limited-time filter to Snapchat for virtually trying them on." http://bit.ly/2fh0Bwz

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST:  Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and KSL Capital Partners announced that affiliates of the companies have signed a purchase and sale agreement for an affiliate of KSL to acquire Outrigger. The transaction includes all 37 of Outrigger’s multibranded portfolio of hotels, condominiums, and vacation resort properties. Upon closure of the transaction, Outrigger’s current management team will continue to lead the company, and the company’s headquarters will remain in Honolulu.

BOSTON:  The second annual Boston Home Decor Show Gala Preview, benefiting Diffa and the Community Research Initiative of New England, will take place November 17 at the Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts. The show runs through November 20.
 

CHICAGO:  Speed Rack, an all-female speed-bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer charities, will kick off its sixth national tour at Thalia Hall on Monday.

LAS VEGAS:  MassMedia Corporate Communications has named Georgeann Pizzi as partner.

LOS ANGELES:  The Zimmer Children's Museum's 16th annual Discovery Award Dinner will take place Tuesday.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  MGM Resorts International has entered into a new partnership with Art Basel Miami Beach. MGM Resorts Art & Culture will serve as the official partner of the event's Public sector, which is produced in collaboration with the Bass Museum of Art, and will feature 20 artists on view November 30–December 4 in Collins Park.

Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg will host the third annual Pitbull's New Year's Revolution, which Fox will televise from Bayfront Park on December 31. Pitbull will once again perform on the show, whose other performers are to be announced.

NEW YORK:  Loews Regency New York Hotel will host its first-ever holiday tree lighting event on November 18. The hotel will unveil a 15-foot-tall tree designed by Nate Berkus Associates design directors at the event, which will feature a performance by Men Singing Carols.

The inaugural Whiskey Feast will take place November 19 at the Brooklyn Expo Center. Produced by Cannonball Productions, the event will feature more than 40 whiskies and cocktails paired with dishes from 20 local restaurants including Bareburger, Tres Carnes, and Sweet Chili.

The National Association of Broadcasters has announced a preliminary registered attendance number of 15,404 people for this year's NAB Show New York, which was held Wednesday and Thursday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The attendance figure represents a nearly 30 percent increase over the event's 2015 preliminary registered attendance of 12,055.

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  1921 by Norman Van Aken will begin Sunday brunch service this weekend.

PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE:  Residence Inn Phoenix Desert View at Mayo Clinic has undergone a complete renovation of its 208 suites. Updated kitchens are now outfitted with full-size refrigerators and stainless-steel appliances. The upgrades in each suite also include a larger workspace, a multitude of easily accessible outlets, and new sectional sofas.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA:  PM Hotel Group, a management company, has signed an agreement to operate the Four Points by Sheraton Raleigh North. The 353-room hotel, which has 2,200 square feet of meeting and event space, is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation that is expected to be completed in January. 

TORONTO:  The Toronto Art Crawl and Christmas Market will take place November 20 at the Great Hall. The event will feature 95 local designers and artisans.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The 2017 DC Chefs’ Caribbean Culinary Cruise will take place January 28-February 4. Guests will set sail from Miami on the Celebrity Reflection cruise ship. The event, which is curated by food journalist/broadcaster Nycci Nellis, will include chefs Mike Isabella, Marjorie Meek-Bradley, and David Guas, as well as spirits authority Derek Brown.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Carla Hay, Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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