Holiday Havoc

Dan’s swamped this week (with his never-ending, glamourous holiday parties) and asked if I could write the blog. Mais oui, I said, I love writing the Director of Sales and Marketing’s blog. I’ve got Christmas tunes streaming through my computer, an eggnog latte by my side, and am dreaming of my three week holiday to Thailand - yippee! Oh right, I’m here to write. Focus.

‘Twas two weeks before Christmas, and holiday fever has hit the hotel. Stylish cranberry wreaths have been hung with care, in hopes that more revelers soon will stay/eat/drink here. Our guests are nestled in their Frette linen beds, with visions of (guess this one depends, but I’ll wager…) Beemers and Veuve dancing in their heads. Client lunches have been scheduled in Outlook calendars and post-work cocktails planned with colleagues after. The sales staff and I had just settled down to a flurry of card writing and gift box wrapping, when arose such a clatter I jumped up from my computer to see what was the matter. [Run on sentence, but this rhyming stuff is tough.] The Grey Goose minis and long-stemmed martini glasses were still lined up awaiting distribution to the masses. (Thank god those weren’t broken). But what to my horrified eyes did appear were cookie shards scattered both far and near. (Guess I’ll be asking the kitchen to bake a few dozen more “for our clients”. Ahem, not like they’re being eaten by staff). I think this is a far as I can take my poem. Anyone still reading?

The unofficial kickoff of the holiday season is the annual Tourism Vancouver Christmas lunch. Hordes of enthusiastic hospitality types flowed into the elegant Hotel Vancouver last Thursday ready to eat, drink, drink some more and be very, very merry. Chestnuts roasted, carolers caroled, turkeys basted (how DO they turn out 100 plus turkeys at once), and wine flowed. After some ‘networking’ (i.e. swapping industry gossip) came the requisite team photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Yet again this year, I landed on his knee - well hovered uncomfortably above as the pictures will attest (note the tight smile). There’s just something faintly lurid about sitting in Santa’s lap in one’s mid-thirties while sporting stilettos and a skirt. Finally, several hundred famished and red-faced party-goers settled down to the tunes of Dal Richards, and awaited their table’s turkey (the Tourism Nanaimo bunch next to us were particularly lively). Lunch culminated in enormous fanfare with the annual ‘Parade of Hats’. A not-so-dignified procession of hapless (usually new) employees cha-cha-cha’d their way around the ballroom in front of respected peers in gaudy chef hats featuring blinking Christmas lights, steaming dry ice, festooned with glittering ornaments and garlands, felt antlers, toy trains, company logos - literally, whatever. If you’re wondering which of us donned the hat, you should know that hell-would-freeze-over before any Opus employee would lap a room wearing a Leaning-Tower of Pisa inspired Christmas chapeau. Simply. Not. Stylish. At least not until Donatella agrees to design one.

Opus really shines in its own special way during the holiday season. Lights are twinkling throughout Elixir; purple and pink synthetic trees adorn Opus Bar; and silver disco-themed Christmas balls hang from the ceiling. Guests arrive laden with parcels from their shopping excursion or linger over a late afternoon glass of champagne in the lounge. There’s a general feeling of anticipation (or is that panic?) in the air. Christmas is only 2 weeks away.

From everyone at Opus to all our loyal readers, we wish you Happy Holidays. Stay tuned for the first story of 2007 early in January.