Monday, January 22, 2007

Joie de Vivre Update

Looks like Chip Conley has chosen this 5 words for his Sacramento hotel.

- Authentic
- Influential
- Surprising
- Classic/All-American
- Eclectic

He choose 2 of the words I mentioned, 3 if you count diverse being a synonym for eclectic. I still would have liked to seen Lush in there..no biggie though.

He says he has the hotel name choosen along with the concept and operator for the restaurant, but he's not giving it up yet until it's trademarked. I just hope it's not something cheesy like "Capitol Hotel", "Governors Hotel" or anything like that.

At the last meeting I went to, they wanted to do a concept on the amazingly fresh product (though that screams more american type food to me) we have available to us here in the central valley, and it would be someone local. Rich Mahon at Waterboy is looking to do a new place, but in midtown and he wants to keep it manageable, I don't think a downtown hotel restaurant fits that description though.

I just hope we see 10th and K cabaret and the 700 block retail of K street finished by the time the hotel opens.

I'm really excited to see how this project turns out. You can bet I will be there to check it out soon after it opens.
___________________________________________________________________

Bob Shallit: Adjectives to guide design of new hotel
By Bob Shallit - Bee Columnist

After holding four focus groups and hearing from hundreds of Sacramentans, boutique hotel magnate Chip Conley finally has the framework for his downtown Sacramento project.

It's five words: "authentic," "influential," "surprising," "classic/All-American" and "eclectic."

OK, maybe that's six.

Whatever, those were the adjectives used by focus group participants to describe their city. And Conley says they'll be the guide for interior designer Candra Scott as she works on the $55 million, 197-room hotel, which will be in a 1920s-era building at 10th and J streets.

Conley, head of Joie de Vivre Hospitality Inc., isn't disclosing a lot more news about his project. He has a name for the hotel -- "a unique name we're really excited about" -- but won't reveal it until it's trademarked. He also has a concept and operator selected for the hotel's restaurant. Details will be available in a month or two.

What can Conley tell us about the hotel, which is due to open in mid-2008?

Well, for one thing, the lobby will be amazing, he reports. "It will feel like a law library meets a cool bar," he says.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Im truly excited about this hotel opening up . It will be a welcome change to get as far as possible from the chains that dominate our hotel landscape.

The projects right around the corner will add a definite vibe to the area . . .

Anonymous said...

These words leave me a little confused. They seem somewhat contradictory....
-Authentic
not false or copied, reliable; trustworthy
- Influential
having or exerting influence
- Surprising
to come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly
....or... an assault!
- Classic
of the first or highest quality, class, or rank
/All-American
representing the entire United States
- Eclectic
selecting or choosing from various sources

I am looking forward to a boutique hotel downtown too, it will be located just across the street from my husbands galley, the Toyroom. I just hope it is all a boutique hotel can be, Unique, memorable, personal, inspiring and relaxing.....

GA said...

You husband owns the Toyroom? That's such a cool place!

"Unique, memorable, personal, inspiring and relaxing..... "

Are those your 5 words?" :-)

Anonymous said...

Isn't the toyroom around the block over on K Street? a vary bazaar place, that's for sure :0

GA said...

Yeah, it is. It's on the 900 block of K Street

Anonymous said...

Sure they may be slightly contadictory. Though as I've noticed of Sacramentans, people don't agree much around here. My definitions would be as follows...

Authentic: the people of sacramento

Influential: the big white building in the middle of the city.

Surprising: "you mean there's a city here?"

Classic: victorians, bungalows, trees, grid orientation.

Eclectic: "what this toyroom place all about?"

Anonymous said...

I stopped in at Goodie Tuchews today, home of the most authentic, surprising, classic All-American cookie, including an eclectic assortment of flavors that influence me to indulge. She is relocating to L Street after 25 years on 10th - to make room for the restaurant at Joie de Vivre. While I am delighted at the thought of a Joie de Vivre outpost in Downtown Sacramento (having enjoyed one of their San Francisco establishments) let's not forget to support the local businesses. Goodie Tuchews is a treasure. The sugar cookie is sublime.

Anonymous said...

This is really one of the projects I'm most excited about right now. I like that the skyline is being added to as well, but I love historic buildings and I can't wait to see what this looks like once it's opened.

Anonymous said...

Unique, memorable, personal, inspiring and relaxing..... yeah, those are mine off the cuff.

Am I crazy? (don't answer that....) I thought the hotel was going in across the street from Toyroom east of Marilyn's...? Yes/No?

Toyroom, another cool local business waiting for the lofts to fill up downtown.... They do get some great international walk-ins visiting Sac...Quiet a few visiting actors, musicians and such.... Out of towners always comment how they wish there was something as cool as Toyroom in their own city. Now if more Sacramentians would just discover it! Enough blowing the Toyrooms horn.

Say Hi next time your in, Craig (from New Zealand) is my hub. ....by the way, I love this Sacrocentric blog guys! I'm A Big Fat Regionalist....Kim

GA said...

The new hotel is going into be at 926 J Street. The Cal West Building

Here is a picture of it:
http://www.downtownsac.org/uploads/projects/cal_west_building.jpg

Anonymous said...

i bought "El Panda" at the toyroom when i was there last - he's awesome, and so is your husband. oh yeah, and the little dog too. ;)

Anonymous said...

....926 ...."J".... Street.... oops! one big street off....
The little dog is Sukie, my naughty little doggie bug.