The Hospitality Council of Gainesville really wore themselves out this week celebrating National Tourism Week! They hosted an array of events--everything from concerts to burrito eating contests to bed making contests! They also showcased Gainesville's natural beauty by promoting the Butterfly Garden, Kanapha Gardens, and Poe Springs. Gainesville really is "where nature and culture meet!"
Of course, we here at Sweetwater were THRILLED to participate in all of the fun! We kicked off the week on Monday by shuttling everyone down to Wayne's Bedding to cheer on our housekeepers Angelica and Claudia as they participated in the 17th annual bed making contest. Although they did not finish first, their thoughtfully appointed corners and tucks did garner quite a few compliments. We were all so proud! Claudia even made the front page of the newspaper the next day! Taste a little of the chaos with this video:
On Wednesday, we attended the Hospitality Council Awards Luncheon in the absolutely gorgeous Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on campus. Even baby Grant came to the luncheon--who I must say is already exhibiting a VERY professional demeanor. After a delicious lunch and a recap of the week's events, it came time for the awards. I'm going to go ahead and say this was MY favorite part, as I was both surprised and honored to be awarded the 2009 Hospitality Service award by the Alachua County Hospitality Council. How extremely touching it is to be recognized by both my amazing boss Cornelia Holbrook as well as the City of Gainesville! Truly a very proud moment!!!
After a long week of celebrating Alachua County's prosperous hospitality industry, we were absolutely worn out! But not too tired to host and celebrate a beautiful wedding, which I'm sure you can check out soon on our sister-blog.
Don't forget to visit the Hospitality Council's website for great links to natural wonders and entertainment in Alachua County.
-Izzy
