Luxury, Naturally

Real Wedding ~ Sheryl and Wallan

2011-09-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

We are beyond thrilled to have one of our sweet couples featured on Style Me Pretty today. They share the perfect destination story to complement the very talented Janae Shields beautiful photos. Pop on over here to see more along with just a few of our favorites.

Real Wedding ~ Sally + Josh

2011-07-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the very talented Jamie Grenough for sharing fun photos from Sally + Josh's Wedding. You can see all the photos here

Event Spaces: Plaza Terrace + Landmark Suite & Terrace
Event Manager: Sunna Yassin for Hotel Vitale
Photographer: Jamie Grenough
Floral Design: Natalie Bowen Designs
Rentals: Hartmann Studios
Food: Americano Restaurant

Americano and Medlock Ames Present the Art of Cheese and Wine Making

2011-06-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Americano’s Executive Chef Kory Stewart Demonstrates How to Make Fresh Mozzarella and Winemaker Ames Morrison of Medlock Ames Discusses Sustainable Wine Production

WHAT: Executive Chef Kory Stewart of Americano at Hotel Vitale will highlight the restaurant’s handcrafted fare by demonstrating how to make fresh mozzarella cheese. Following the cheese-making demonstration, Ames Morrison of Medlock Ames will discuss winemaking at the environmentally sustainable winery located in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. Chef Stewart will then present a special four-course dinner served family style with communal seating on Americano’s patio (weather permitting). The menu includes Smoked Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Cherry Tomatoes; Heirloom Melon and Mozzarella Salad with Almond Vinaigrette and Basil; and Ricotta and Bing Cherry Crostata with Cherry Pit Ice Cream and Saba. The dinner will feature fresh fruits and vegetables grown at Medlock Ames.

WHO: Winemaker Ames Morison of Medlock Ames Winery, Executive Chef Kory Stewart of Americano Restaurant, Certified Sommelier Jen Perlstein of Americano Restaurant

WHEN: Thursday, July 21 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Hotel Vitale
Cielo Terrace and Americano Restaurant
8 Mission Street at The Embarcadero
San Francisco

COST: $90 for mozzarella cheese making demonstration, four-course dinner, and wine

RESERVATIONS: (415) 278-3777 or www.OpenTable.com (must note reservation is for Medlock Ames dinner)

Rise & Shine

2011-06-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

If you have ever been to Hotel Vitale then it is apparent right when you walk through the front door that we are all about Luxury Naturally and while you will find this in small elements throughout the hotel such as the warm lavender towels given at check in or the bathing rituals featured in our spa you may not know that the hotel offers a daily yoga class. The class is a great way to start off your day if you are here for meetings and events or if you need to get your mind right before hitting the busy streets of union square. We wanted to share some photos so you know what to expect next time you are in town.

Photos taken by the very talented Angie Silvy

Dine About Town - SF 2011

2011-06-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again and we are thrilled to be a part of such a great experience for all San Francisco restaurants! Take a look below at our sample dine about town menu and don’t forget to check out the website here for more delicious menus and to make reservations!

First Course
County Line Mixed Baby Greens with Red Wine Vinaigrette or Stonefruit and Little Gem Lettuce Salad with Lemon Verbena Creme Fraiche

Second Course
Risotto with squash and nasturtium blossoms, roasted summer squash and mozzarella burratta or Cedar plank roasted Liberty duck leg with cannelini beans, snap peas, radish shoots and duck bacon

Third Course
Zeppole Warm fritters rolled in orange sugar, with passionfruit dipping sauce

Stirring the Pot

2011-05-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Spotting & TranslatingFood Trends: A How-To Discussion

A Panel Discussion led by Kara Nielsen
with Amy Machnak, Jennifer Newens, Morgan Plant and Ida Shen

Monday, June 6, 2011
Hotel Vitale
8 Mission Street
San Francisco

Many of us need to keep on top of food and beverage trends in our work, but how do we know which ones to pay attention to and which to ignore in the crowded trend landscape? Kara Nielsen, professional trend tracker, will kick off the conversation by sharing a few professional secrets on how to stay ahead of the curve, then a range of experts in the culinary world will discuss how they spot and pick the food and beverage trends upon which their businesses depend for growth and success, whether they are menus, print magazines, cookbooks or even costly restaurants. Discover insider ways to distinguish trends from fads and share a few ideas of your own.

Program:

6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Registration, optional no-host visit to Americano Bar
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Panel discussion
8:00 pm - 8:15 pm Q&A, audience sharing
8:15 pm onward Reception & Optional Americano Restaurant dining

$40 Members
$50 Guests
Click Here to Sign Up Now!

Reception Menu
Arancini with smoked mozzarella cheese
Gougères with Gruyère cheese
Grilled prawns bruschetta with romesco sauce and chives
Bacon, arugula, and garlic pizzetta
Marinated beef tenderloin skewers with dipping sauce
~
Salted caramel and chocolate tartlets
Miniature cupcakes

Enjoy wines from Gold Sponsor Constellation Wines' award-winning portfolio of American and global wineries

Panel Members:

Amy Macknak is an accomplished pastry chef currently working as Recipe Editor at Sunset magazine. She developes original recipes, edits the very popular colum Fast & Fresh and writes other food-related stories. She contributed to Sunset's cookbooks The One Block Feast and The Sunset Cookbook and is collaborating on their other upcoming titles. Amy won a James Beard in 2009 for her work on Sunset's blog, Our One-Block Diet.

Jennifer Newens is an executive editor at Weldon Owen Publishing. She is responsible for putting together the publishing program for Williams-Sonoma and other top brands, as well as single subject cooking titles for the company's broad publishing list. She has been involved in such titles as Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh and Fast by Kristine Kidd; a book on the Danish snack, Ebelskivers; and the forthcoming cookbook from Top Chef alums Bryan and Michael Voltaggio.

Morgan Plant is Vice President of Food & Beverage for Joie de Vivre, where she launched the F&B program at Americano Restaurant & Bar. She then moved into a regional director of operations role and helped launch the burgeoning Joie de Vivre restaurant collection, lending her operations savvy to implement creative, timely concepts for the brand's more than 20 boutique restaurant and lounges.

Ida Shen is the Assistant Director-Executive Chef at the University of California, Berkeley. At Cal Dining, with her team of Executive Chefs, Ida oversees menu and product development, and helps to maintain QA and training standards. In addition she is responsible for product research and development as well as vendor relations.

Moderator Kara Nielsen is Trendologist at the Center for Culinary Development where she researches and analyses food and beverage trends for CPG and foodservice product development. She leads trend tours, oversees the production of CCD's Culinary Trend Mapping Report and gives presentations on trends for clients and at conferences and trade shows across the country.

We encourage guests to discover and support our Gold Sponsor Hotel Vitale and the Americano Restaurant by coming early and having a drink or snack at the bar or making reservations for a post-event supper. Call 415-278-3777 or visit Open Table to make reservations: Click Here to make a Reservation with Open Table Transportation and Parking: Easy walking distance from the Embarcadero BART stop and Muni F street car line. Parking garages and street parking also available.

Please Click Here to Sign Up Online Now

This event is generously sponsored by Gold Sponsor Joie de Vivre & Hotel Vitale

Stay current with SFPFS on Facebook and the SFPFS website.

admin@sfpfs.com
650 344-3663

Tequila Time!

2011-05-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

We have tequila on our minds over here! Not only are we gearing up for a huge Cinco de Mayo celebration later this week but we were all here last night celebrating their new spot in the Galleria Park Hotel, sushi and tequila = great mix.

As if that is not enough we have partnered up with Casa Herradura on a custom-blended Joie de Vivre Reposado tequila and will be featuring it at a Tequila Dinner @ Americano Restaurant & Bar on May 19th! The dinner will be a four course dinner paired with Herradura Tequila cocktails for each course. More information & reservations (required) can be made by calling 415.278.3737.

Want more… Check out this blog post about the trip to Casa Herradura that our food and beverage team went on last year.

Bike the Bay

2011-04-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

To kick off our Summer Social Hotel Vitale is offering a Bike the Bay package. The package includes a picnic lunch crafted by Americano Executive Chef, Kory Stewart, a relaxing foot and leg massage to re-energize when you return to the hotel, a Deluxe City View Room guest room for you to rest up and of course the bike rental for the day.

The package is available through August 31st, and rates start at $659.00!

Bay Area Blogs

2011-04-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

We love to follow our fellow bloggers daily and read what is new and exciting in the bay area. We wanted to share some of our absolute favorites. It was a hard task so we had to use a few of our favorite categories to narrow down the search. Take a look and let us know what you think!

For the Foodies SF Foodie + Table Hopper

Inspired by Design Stylish Bird + Sacramento Street

Smile for the camera lumière + Kate Webber Photography

Pretty & Planning Sitting in a Tree + Forget me Knot Weddings

For our absolute fav and weekly must read… the blog that sums it all up

AE PLANNING & DESIGN

We love the ladies behind AE Planning + Design and were able to chat with Alyssa Brown on writing the blog.

I've been writing the blog for AE Planning + Design for the past couple of years and I've gone back and forth about a million times between loving it and kinda-sorta-liking it. Right now, I'm loving it because I've finally figured out a formula and format that works for me. I think the important thing about writing a blog is embracing the fact that your readers are searching for what's cool and new, but they're also looking for images that are visually stimulating. Of course, I've only determined that through reading a ton of other blogs, but I find that on a personal level, I'm much more likely to take the time to actually read content if it's surrounded by pretty pictures.

At AE Planning + Design, we are full time event planners, not full time bloggers. So, we post once a week and generally try to stick to topics our clients or colleagues would find interesting. We travel a lot for destination weddings, so we're always gathering inspiration from those trips, which are fun to post photos of and blab about. We also try to do vendor spotlights, so we can check in on other people in the industry and see what they're working on too. My personal favorite blog topic is what I call "dreamy destinations," something we do about once a month, where we feature places we'd love to throw a wedding or party or just spend some time in. I figure if you throw it into the universe, someone's bound to catch on, right?

Anyway, I'm getting a little too chatty, so I'll let you look at some pretty pictures now from our blog. Hope you enjoy this little preview and feel free to check out our blog every Monday morning.

xoxo,
alyssa

http://alisonevents.blogspot.com/search/label/pretty%20vintage%20inspiration

http://alisonevents.blogspot.com/2011/04/eat-cake-print.html

http://alisonevents.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-wedding-de-young-museum-sf.html

http://alisonevents.blogspot.com/2011/04/dream-destination-zihuatanejo-mexico.html

Wild Foods Dinner

2011-04-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

Chef Kory Stewart of Americano Restaurant to Host a Wild Foods Dinner with Special Guest Chef, Michael Tuohy of Grange

What:

Americano restaurant at Hotel Vitale will offer a “wild foods” dinner for one night only. Guests will enjoy a special Sunday supper as rising star chef Kory Stewart of Americano will expertly pair wild foods with special guest chef, Michael Tuohy of Grange Restaurant at the Hotel Citizen in Sacramento.

BONUS:

Additionally, what better way to honor the wild food cuisine than with author and expert forager Connie Green who will be on hand to sign copies of her highly acclaimed book, “The Wild Table.”

EATS:

Wild food menu items will include: yellowtail crudo with oxalis, sauvignon blanc agrodolce, radish and sea beans, and spruce tip oil; nasturtium tagliatelle with morels, slow cooked egg, guanciale and wild mushroom brodetto; lightly cooked California King Salmon with wild fennel salsa verde, spring vegetables and ramps; roasted Paine Farms squab with ramp and squab confit hash cake, braised wild mustard and elderberry jus and more.

WHEN:

Sunday, April 17 5 p.m. – Cocktail Hour 5:45 p.m. – Dinner $65 for five-course meal or $90 with wine and cocktails paired with each course by Sommelier Jennifer Perlstein

WHERE:

Americano Restaurant @ Hotel Vitale

BOOK:

Call 415.278.3777 visit www.opentable.com

Relax... City Style

2011-03-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

The days are brighter and the sun is finally out! Looking for a little relaxation to start the spring? Check out all of the amazing packages that we offer at Spa Vitale . There is something for everyone to enjoy.

We can't wait to see you.

Hotel Vitale Engagement Shots

2011-03-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky one day to receive a tweet from Cathy sharing that she had taken her engagement shots at the hotel and asked if we would like to see… OF COURSE! Not only were the pictures amazing the note she sent along with them made us feel great about our hotel, our amazing staff and most important the continued support of all of our guests.

From Cathy ~
My fiance and I met in San Francisco, Memorial Day in 2009. He proposed in San Francisco, Memorial Day 2010 and we stayed at the Hotel Vitale with breathtaking views of the Bay Bridge. Last November we took a few shots at The Hotel Vitale for our engagement shots. Thought I'd share…

We love the staff and truly believe this is one of the best hotels in San Francisco. Hotel Vitale will always be engraved as a special place in our hearts. Thank you! Hope you enjoy the pics of your beautiful back drop!

-Cathryn R. Aure

Photos by: Tabay Photography

TAX TIME = WINE TIME

2011-03-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

AMERICANO’S
TAX RELIEF OFFERING!

MARCH 15-APRIL 15 2011

½ PRICED BOTTLES OF WINE!

LUNCH MON-FRI 11:30am-2:30pm
DINNER MON-SAT 5:30pm-10pm

DINING ROOM ONLY (not in the bar or on the patio)
BOTTLES ONLY, NO DISCOUNT ON GLASSES OF WINE

Pretty, Creative

2011-03-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

One random day searching for fun new creative event ideas and event designers we stumbled across this amazing blog and just had to send a message letting Tori and Myka of Sitting in a Tree know how great we thought there work was. It turns out they had posted an awesome feature on the hotel & SF honeymoons. We new it was love at first sight!

We played Q&A with the ladies and based on there A’s we adore them even more!

HV: Tell us something we don’t know about you?
Sitting in a Tree: That we have magical design skills. Things we pull out of our hats late at night in bursts of inspiration.

HV: What advice do you have for clients that are looking into a luxury venue that may be on a budget?
Sitting in a Tree: Keep your guest list small. You can really maximize your budget this way and make things ultra personal for your guests.

HV: Why do you think it is important for clients to add paper goods to their event?
Sitting in a Tree: Paper goods are something you can customize to really bring a special unique touch to your wedding for not a ton of money. And sometimes the written word or an iconic design can be the most memorable element from a wedding. We love helping clients incorporate their overall event design into the little details. Trust us, it’s something your guests will remember.

HV: Any tips for the newly engaged?
Sitting in a Tree: Hire a planner of course. Ha! In all seriousness, we are here to keep the stress away and for you to enjoy your engagement! Planners will make the process a hundred times smoother while also maximizing your wedding budget with our expertise.

HV: What are some styles and ideas that you think would work really well at Hotel Vitale?
Sitting in a Tree: Hotel Vitale is already such a gorgeous venue and already has the best views in town! When the atmosphere is that great you can focus on the details (like your paper goods and personal place settings). This venue truly makes a statement on it’s own. It’s the perfect place to play off that San Francisco vibe and lounge environment.

We are looking forward to working with these awesome, creative ladies on a few different weddings this year that include design, and coordination and we too can’t wait to see all of their Magic Skills! We promise to post the pictures as they develop but for now we took some of our favorite pictures from the Sitting in a Tree blog to share with you. You can also find photographer credits there too!

The Best Around

2011-03-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

We love the location of the hotel and have no problem bragging about the gorgeous views from our roof top terraces and the fact that we have the only luxury waterfront hotel property! With all this we have decided to share some of the best places around the hotel that you should check out if you are visiting or a local.

AT&T Park of course if you are not in love with the Giants you have just enough time to start. Opening day is April 8th!

HiDive one of the most fun dive bars around town! Tcho Chocolate delicious and we also have it in all of our hotel rooms!
What are some of your favs? Share we are drying to know.

Natalie Knows… a bit about one of our favorite floral designers

2011-02-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

We are always searching for the best that the bay area has to offer and last year we were lucky enough to meet Natalie Bowen of Natalie Bowen Designs. Natalie is such a delight to be around and we are basically obsessed with her work so we decided it was time to share!

ABOUT
I grew up surrounded by people who loved flowers. My Grandmother opened her own flower shop in West Portal in 1945 after running the floral shops in the Fairmont and Mark Hopkins Hotels. My mother is a garden designer and I spent a lot of time going to work with her when I was a child and started learning about flowers from a young age. I never expected I would follow so closely in their footsteps. I studied Industrial Design in school but never got excited about designing something that I couldn't hold in my hand. As soon as I graduated from college I got a job in a flower shop for six months and quickly decided that is what I wanted to do and I wanted to do it for myself.

Style
My approach is a very organic one. I get most inspired by what is in season and what treasures I find at the flower market. I love combining color and texture in interesting ways. I like to let the natural shape and form of the flower or branch lead me through my design process, however I still like to create arrangements that have structure and purpose to them. When I meet with a new client, be it for a wedding or event, I always ask what their vision is. Whether they have a specific idea or have not decided a thing yet, I like to guide them through the process of envisioning the overall event. I have always loved events, and even studied hospitality management in hopes to be an event planner before switching to Industrial Design. This natural love of events, people and design truly serve me in my business and help make Natalie Bowen Designs what it is.

You can see more of Natalie’s work here!

Photo credits also include some of our favorite photographers
Kate Webber, http://www.katewebber.com/

Adi Nevo, http://www.adinevo.com/

Joel Flory, http://www.floryphoto.com/

Anna Kuperberg, http://www.kuperberg.com/

The Momfo Meetup in SF

2011-02-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks Nobiggie for posting some great photos of the hotel and the BabyCenter meeting that was held with us last week. It was a delight to have you all here and we are thrilled that you had a great time.

Check out the pictures below and look here for more!!!

We heart babies and bloggers

We are back

2011-02-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

After taking some time off to close the wonderful year we had at the hotel and restaurant we are back and have some very exciting new things to share.

Hotel Vitale Announces New Seasonal Menu Selections and Customized

Offerings for Meetings and Events, Plus Tips for Seamless Planning

Expert Events Team at Luxury Boutique Hotel in San Francisco Shares Ideas to Create

Memorable, Flawless Events and Conferences

SAN FRANCISCO (February 8, 2011) – Melony Williams, general manager of Hotel Vitale, a Joie de Vivre luxury hotel located on San Francisco’s waterfront, has announced that the boutique hotel’s meeting and event clients can now select from a new seasonal menu created by Executive Chef Kory Stewart of Americano, the hotel’s restaurant, specializing in handcrafted, soulful Italian cuisine. Unlike hotels that follow standard industry practice of relying on a separate banquet kitchen, all of Hotel Vitale’s food for meetings and events is prepared under the direction of Chef Stewart in Americano’s kitchen, ensuring fresh, quality preparations for each and every meeting and event.

“In the finest Italian culinary tradition, Chef Stewart is dedicated to handcrafting Americano’s cuisine using the best seasonal, local products,” said Williams. “Hotel Vitale takes great pride in offering menu selections of this quality to our event guests. It’s yet another way in which we take the extra steps to make sure every event and every meeting is not only productive, but memorably special.”

Hotel Vitale’s expert events team is committed to getting to know each client and learning about individual needs and interests in order to help create customized events. Specialty services that are available include themed events; décor, entertainment and menu development; rental of specialty props and custom lounge furniture; upgraded food and beverage presentations such as wine and food pairings; or the addition of yoga breaks and or hand massages from Spa Vitale’s therapists.

Hotel Vitale’s event team is also committed to helping event planners and their clients smoothly run an event from start to finish, and suggests the following tips for arranging an event at any hotel or venue:
Set up an appointment. A pre-arranged rather than a drop-in visit helps insure the appropriate space for your event and that guest rooms are available for viewing in order to fully acquaint yourself with the venue.

Know your client’s budget. It is important that planners know what their clients can spend so they do not end up at a location that exceeds budget.

Get to know the sales and catering team. Building relationships is the best way for planners to get the most from any hotel or venue. Clients will benefit from and notice the results of a solid working relationship between you and the venue staff.

Visit the venue in person – don’t rely solely on the website. Websites are helpful; however, photos on them are typically styled and the look may cost extra. Visiting the hotel will help you know if it is the right place for the event you are planning.

Wedding planners - arrange for couples to visit the hotel prior to booking. What may seem like a great event site to you may be viewed entirely differently by the wedding couple.

Review the menus. Be sure the type of cuisine the client wants is within the realm of competency of the catering team or the restaurant.

Ask questions. Also, ask about commissions and discounts upfront. It is best to have everything outlined and clear from the start rather than encounter “surprises” when it may be too late to make changes.

Discuss the event vision with your client prior to meeting with hotel event staff. This helps to insure you are both on the same page about the event and enhances communication with the hotel team.

Keep changes to spaces to a minimum. The event should fit into the space without overwhelming the space or eating up a large part of the client’s budget to rearrange what already exists.

Know how to compare. Make certain hotels are comparable when researching costs and offerings. For example, don’t compare a luxury waterfront hotel in San Francisco with a small hotel chain in San Jose.

Hotel Vitale offers many indulgences and amenities for guests such as treatments at the penthouse-level Spa Vitale; complimentary morning yoga classes; vistas from a stepped series of outdoor terraces with stunning views of the Ferry Building, the Bay Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and downtown; twice-daily housekeeping; and 24-hour room service provided by Americano Restaurant. All guestrooms are equipped with luxury bath products, 440-count sheets, and flat screen LCD televisions. For those whose idea of relaxation is surfing the Web, Hotel Vitale also offers complimentary high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi access in all guestrooms and common areas.

Americano Restaurant and Bar is located adjacent to the hotel lobby. Americano enjoys longstanding partnerships with area purveyors and showcases seasonal flavors in every dish.

Hotel Vitale is located at 8 Mission Street at the corner of Embarcadero in San Francisco. For more details, visit www.hotelvitale.com.

A Vintage NYE

2010-11-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

We are so excited for this year’s New Years Eve celebration. We have teamed up with the awesome crew of Vintage 415 to create Havana Nights @ Hotel Vitale & Americano! The party is not to be missed. You can get your tickets here!

Cheers,

Join us in supporting the Giants in bringing this one home tomorrow night

2010-10-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

To show our support to the very best team and the very best fans, Americano bar will be bringing in Big Screen TV's to show the World Series tomorrow at 4:57 sharp - no worries you can come early if you want. We plan on cheering the boys the whole night. Come celebrate with yummy cocktails, delicious food and your local fans.

GO GIANTS!

Giants Fever!

2010-10-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

We couldn't be prouder of our team and so happy we have such a great partnership with the Giants organization - what an amazing crew of people!

Happy Friday!

2010-09-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hotel Vitale is offering a one time deal for Sunday Night 9/26 only – our friends & family rate is available to the public! $125, call us at 888-890-8688 to book today!

TIME TO PARTY!

2010-09-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

Pretty soon it is going to be all pumpkins and turkeys and before you know it the Holiday Season will be in full swing.

Do you know where your Holiday Party is happening?

We have spent the last few weeks putting together our delicious 2010 winter menu and trust us you will not be disappointed! Give us a call or shoot us an email and we will share more of these great new winter treats with you.

Check out some past winter events that have taken place at the Hotel… who says you can’t be outdoors in December, all you need is a tent!

Americano Tented Patio (provided by the Hotel)

Beautiful wedding design by Nancy Liu Chin

La Cocina - Cart vs. Kitchen Brunch

2010-08-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Our favorite street food breakfast bites will be served alongside chef Kory Stewart's seasonal, sustainable fare on the sun-drenched patio at the Hotel Vitale's Americano Restaurant. Ticket includes delectable brunch edibles, coffee, and bottomless Bloody Marys (spirits provided by Skyy) & Guava Mimosas (featuring Perrier Jouet Brut Rose). This casual event will give you an opportunity to mix and mingle with friends and fellow street foodies!

Check out http://sfstreetfoodconference.eventbrite.com for tickets and more details.

Hope to see you there.

Finally Friday

2010-08-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Come down to Americano and celebrate that the work week has come to end. Delicious cocktails and could it be…YES the fog has lifted and it is sunny outside.

Full Moon Yoga - Overlooking San Francisco Bay

2010-07-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Join us this Monday, July 26th from 6pm-7pm for our Full Moon Yoga. The set up is amazing and takes place in our Landmark Suite overlooking the bay. The class is $10 for non-hotel guests so it is totally worth coming down and checking out.

In addition to yoga class Americano puts together a special yoga-inspired menu offering. Class participants can enjoy a Mediterranean-style vegetable plate with grilled flat bread, hummus, olives, roasted almonds and seasonal market crudite in the Americano Lounge following their yoga practice. Paired with a revitalizing non-alcoholic elixir and a scoop of anti-oxidant rich granita, the platter will be available to all Americano guests after 5:30 p.m. for a cost of $18 per person.

Now that’s a great way to start the week!

Kitchen Fun with Kory

2010-07-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

Chef Kory Stewart is at it again and this time he is cooking up something delicious that you can try at home. Take a look at Kory’s segment on the View from the Bay. Don’t forget to let us know how the recipe works out for you!

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/food_wine&id=7559258

Happy Monday

SOUND CHECK

2010-07-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Americano at Hotel Vitale and Om Records Presents
in Association with Svedka

SOUND CHECK
A New Outdoor Monthly Music Series

Wednesday, July 21st August 18th September 8th 5PM – 8PM

Americano at Hotel Vitale, Om Records, and Svedka are proud to present a new outdoor monthly music series taking place on the beautiful Americano patio. Showcasing singer-songwriters across three different genres of music, Sound Check is an opportunity for fans to experience some of the biggest rising and established independent artists in a very intimate and beautiful outdoor setting. Unlike any other event in San Francisco, the selected singer-songwriters will perform an exclusive stripped down or acoustic set. Svedka cocktails, free entertainment from fresh rising talents, and the beautiful backdrops of the Embarcadero; what more could one ask for?

- The Line Up –
Wed. July 21st Samantha James
“Billboard #1 and iTunes Top 5 Dance Artist”, Samantha James performs an exclusive intimate acoustic set celebrating the release of her new album, “Subconscious”. Having performed at Legendary Los Angeles venue, Hotel Cafe after the release of her first album, Samantha will be bringing her unique stripped down acoustic show to Sound Check.

Wed. August 18th Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes is a San Francisco-based troubadour who has been championed by everyone from Mark Farina to Justin Timberlake. Sean's new album, 'Run Wolves Run' is a folk-pop masterpiece. Hayes has been played relentlessly on tastemaker radio stations and websites such as KCRW, KFOG, Daytrotter and many more. Sean frequently plays festivals around the US including, San Francisco's very own Outside Lands Music Festival and The Independent.

Wed. September 8th Si*Se
Si*Se is a well established Latin, downtempo, soul, group and the artist behind hits “Mariposa”, “The Truth”, and “This Love”. The Brooklyn, NY based group has frequently played and sold out San Francisco's Independent as well as playing venues around the world alongside artist like Kinky, Los Amigos Invisibles, The Roots, Gotan Project, James Brown and Talking Head's David Bryne. This will be the first time Si*Se performs in San Francisco since the release of their new EP, “Gold”. Members, Carol C and DJ The Crystal Pharoah will be performing a stripped down version of Si*Se’s set.

Visit Hotel Vitale on Facebook For Exclusive Music, Photos, Video and more.

Americano Bar & Restaurant
8 Mission Street San Francisco CA 94105

FREE With RSVP to soundcheck@om-records.com
(Early Arrival Is Recommended - Space is Very Limited)

To Request Artist Interviews / Invite To Meet & Greet:
Email Garwin@om-records.com

And the winner is...

2010-07-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of Chef Kory!!! Come down to Americano and see why Kory has been selected as the winner of Your City, Your Chef… trust us you will not be disappointed.

Click on the link below to read more. The fun is just starting.

http://7x7.com/content/eat-drink/7x7-and-trumer-pils-your-city-your-chef-2010

Happy Monday

2010-06-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Check out this article in the Examiner with Chef Kory Stewart…

http://www.sfexaminer.com/lifestyle/My-City-An-epic-almond-croissant-Sai-Jai-Thai-and-surfing-97234284.html

Happy Hump Day!

2010-06-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Join us on the Patio for some sunshine and one of our new amazing cocktails. Come by and try it out. We have even included the recipe below for you to try at home.

Bevande Fragole

COLLINS GLASS
MUDDLE 2 WHOLE STRAWBERRIES
ADD 1 OZ APEROL, 1 OZ VEEV, SPLASH LEMON JUICE
FILL WITH ICE AND STIR
TOP WITH SODA
garnish with lemon wedge

It’s five o’clock somewhere right?

Cheers,

Tina & Stephen

2010-06-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

The couple chose Hotel Vitale to host their wedding ceremony and cocktail reception in March 2010. They worked with one of the bay areas best planners and a hotel favorite Kathryn Kalabokes of Dream a Little Dream Events. The fun bright colors look amazing on what was a beautiful sunny day.

Enjoy the amazing photographs below by Anna Kuperberg

Americano's civilized bar food

2010-05-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Check it out!

Americano's civilized bar food
www.sfgate.com

Summer Lovin'

2010-05-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some things we are loving for Summer!

SPA VITALE Bathing Rituals

Beautiful Terrace Spaces… SF Views

Relaxing in a Panoramic Suite… these views just get better

Summer Cocktail Parties in our Terrace Suites

Stay tuned more summer love to come!

It’s a Pretty Big Deal, Ford launches their 2011 Fiesta

2010-05-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hotel Vitale has recently been discovered as the place to host a car launch, and we are so very fortunate to have these amazing crews and events teams as guests. Take a peek at some of the beautiful shots of the new 2011 Ford Fiesta on our patio – what media wouldn’t be impressed with the unique backdrop of the Bay Bridge, Ferry Building and palm tree lined Embarcadero to showcase their shiny new cars?! Hotel Vitale is also the perfect jumping off point for a beautiful San Francisco or Bay Area drive around, easily accessible to freeways and North, South and East Bay regions.

Summer Grille Starts Today

2010-05-04T11:39:00.001-07:00

Check out the first set of pictures from the new Summer Grille. Great sunny day on the Americano Patio

Summer Love

2010-04-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled that the sun is shinning and that summer is just around the corner. We thought we would share all the fun plans we have starting up in May.

The Americano Restaurant and Bar, renowned for delivering a menu that celebrates the essence of Italian farm-to-table cooking is proud to introduce the Summer Grille.
Featuring delicious menu items such as house-made sausages, burgers and market veggies! You can enjoy your lunch on the patio or you can take it to go!

Summer Grille will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30am-2:30pm on the patio. It is not to be missed.

If you can’t get away for lunch come check out the awesome new Happy Hour every Saturday through Wednesday from 3pm-6pm with $3 bottled beer, $5 glasses of wine, $5 well cocktails and some assorted antipasti specials.

What can we say…? Summer has never looked so good.

Featured on Here Comes the Guide

2010-04-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hotel Vitale was recently featured on Here Comes the Guide, a gorgeous wedding which truly took advantage of our views and the natural beauty of our surroundings to set the tone for the color scheme.

All about San Francisco – with Alison Hotchkiss

2010-04-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Throughout the bay area we have many amazing event designers and planners that we work with on everything from intimate dinner parties to the most lavish weddings. I must say that after spending time and working on events with the team at Alison Events it is clear why they are the go to planners for all types of destination weddings as well as the most amazing San Francisco weddings. I thought our clients could gain a bit of knowledge from Alison herself so we asked her some questions regarding the hotel and all the city has to offer... Take a look and check out the Alison events blog and website for more info!

When clients are looking at San Francisco as a destination wedding – what advice do you usually offer them?
I always tell my clients to make sure they personally visit all of the venues before signing any contracts. Photos can be useful but don’t always show the true color of the carpet or the feel of the lighting. Also, always be sure to get everything in writing no matter where you are getting married. You might connect with a venue manager or catering manager who says you can do something that doesn’t turn up in the actual contract. Then they leave and you are left with a new manager who can’t promise the same things. All of a sudden you have to end your reception earlier than you were promised.

Do you find a specific style/theme that is happening with weddings this year?
I think people are loving natural settings and are moving away from over the top or contrived atmospheres. I am noticing that people are more excited about working with a space rather than covering it up and turning it into something its not. Couples are moving their weddings outdoors for a more casual and comfortable feel. Farm tables and vintage items are big. Natural fiber linens like hemp, mason jars and wild flowers, benches for ceremony seating with colorful pillows, organic local produce and seasonal artisanal cocktails.

We have worked with you a few times can you share what your favorite things about Hotel Vitale and Americano?
I love the overall feeling of the hotel. Its styled but it doesn’t try too hard. It’s simple and comfortable but not stuffy and pretentious. The staff is friendly, very real and down to earth. All the food from the catering to the restaurant is fresh, local, organic, seasonal and delicious. I really love the patio for events because it is quintessential San Francisco. Sipping on a napa valley zin as you look over at the Bay Bridge!

If you could create your dream wedding in San Francisco where would it be?
The Swedenborgian church for smaller groups of around 50-75 is perfect. It’s almost like a hidden wooden cabin set in the Pacific Heights. I think it is cozy and romantic on a winter day with candles everywhere. I would then move guests to the rooftop at Hotel Vitale for a gorgeous cocktail reception.

As you know we partner with the Ferry Building on our food and beverage program… any favorites that you have or that you can recommend to brides?
Frog Hollow Farm makes the most amazing pastries. You can’t go wrong with their apple tart. I also love the slanted door shaking beef and their artisinal cocktails are pretty amazing. The Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam triple cream paired with a crisp Anderson Valley pinot like Navarro is to die for. Miette's cupcakes are divine paired with a blue bottle latte. Of course, Hog Island is a lovely Sunday afternoon trip. Champagne, oysters and your set.

Some of our favorite photos from Alison Events!

Could it get any better?

2010-04-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

As you may know Hotel Vitale has some of the most spectacular terraces and panoramic views of the city which make for the most amazing wedding photos… we also have some stunning indoor space as well! We were lucky enough to work with Delysium Events on the design of the photos below however they could not have been captured any better by one of Hotel Vitale’s favorite photographers Jamie Grenough of Jamie Grenough Photography.

Take a look

Talk about a lucky find!

2010-03-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Not only were we given the pleasure to work with the most adorable couple Robin & Ronnen last October but they hired Larissa Cleveland as the photographer. Larissa was so much fun to work with and the photos below speak for themselves!

Introducing Friday Favorites!

2010-03-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to have such beautiful views and backdrops here at the hotel but are even more fortunate to work some of the best photographers in the business! We will be dedicating the next few Fridays to our amazing photographers and past shoots that they have created to make the most memorable events possible!

Enjoy!

Photographer : Elisabeth Fall fall foto

Five Years of Luxury, Naturally

2010-03-15T16:51:00.000-07:00

This past week Hotel Vitale partnered with some amazing San Francisco players to create an Eco-Fabulous Anniversary Party. With the help of Delysium Events we were able to celebrate our 5th anniversary in true luxury style! Check out the photos from the party and all of the partners who contributed to making the event a huge success!

Sustainable in nature, luxurious to look at, the eco-friendly furniture vignettes designed by Parisa O'Connell complemented the hotel's core values of a natural, healthy yet luxurious lifestyle. Beautiful furniture filled the ballroom to showcase 'natural luxury' at its best.

From raw wood and reclaimed metals, vegetable dyed leathers and felted rugs, to unique found objects hundreds of years old; Parisa's installation was the epitome of 'living green'. "We wanted to showcase the limit-less beauty sustainability has to offer. Going green is the new way of life, and these installations are an example that eco-living can be environmentally friendly without sacrificing good design", said O'Connell.

(Various pieces provided by local furniture store Flipp, San Francisco)

Chef Kory Stewart said of the evening's menu, "The food I selected represented the current change of seasons - peas, fava beans, asparagus, mushrooms and green garlic are all things that we chefs eagerly await as Winter gives way to Spring. Fortunately the bright green colors are also visually striking. We are now making our own ricotta cheese. We added the ricotta crostini to the menu last minute because it's just delicious and we wanted to share it with all of our guests."

DJ provided by Om Records. Guests Alison Stout, Matthew Stuhl and Elyssa Thorp enjoying the party. Here's to another great 5 years!

Hotel Vitale makes the New York Times

2010-03-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

After a smashingly successful 5th anniversary party last night, we opened the New York Times today to find ourselves included in an article about the growing trend of food tourism. Check out the link below and the great photo of our new Chef Kory Stewart. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/dining/12sfdine.html

Stay tuned for pictures of our eco-friendly party last night!