The Berkeley Wine Festival Winemaker Dinner Series - Cliff Lede Vineyards - April 7th!

On Wednesday, April 7th, join us at The Berkeley Wine Festival Winemaker Dinner Series with the Cliff Lede Vineyards! Reception & Dinner, 6:30 pm, $140 per person. This dinner promises to be a very memorable evening for all!

Cliff Lede Vineyards is a newcomer in the Napa Valley wine making world, but they have already made a name for themselves for producing outstanding Bordeaux style wines.  Join Vice President and General Manager, Jack Bittner, for this opportunity to sample an assortment of their best wines, including their meritage blend Poetry.  Drawing from his experiences as a chef in Napa, Chef Thomsen's menu is as inspired as Cliff Lede's wines.

The winemaker dinner will be held in the Meritage Private Dining Room.  Tickets can be purchased at http://www.berkeleywinefestival.com/

 The Festival runs through May 7th, so look for information on upcoming events on the calendar.  Start a new wine tradition at the Claremont!

Spring is in the air and the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa is ready with PURE™ allergen free hotel rooms!

Along with Springtime comes allergy season. At the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa we've dedicated ourselves to providing our guests with allergy friendly hotel PURE™ rooms!

The hotel rooms goes through a vigorous PURE™ 7 step process that will have you breathing easier during your stay with us.

1. Disinfect Air Handling Unit
    A clean and sanitized heating and cooling system provides healthier air entering the room.
   
2. Maintain Sanitized Air Handling Unit
   Tea tree oil maintains a sanitized condition with its natural antimicrobial and disinfectant properties.
   
3. PURE Clean™
   A special solution cleans soft surfaces to remove dirt, bacteria, mold, and other allergy triggers.
   
4. High Ozone Shock Treatment
   This one-time treatment removes lingering odors, leaving the air fresh and crisp.
   
5. PURE Shield™
   A unique bacteriostatic barrier is applied to the room, making it virtually impossible for bacteria to grow.
   
6. Electronic Air Purifier
   This powerful air purifier, rated a Class ii medical device, removes up to 98-100% of viruses and bacteria.
   
7. Allergy-friendly Bed Encasements
   mattress and pillow encasements act as a barrier against dust mites and other allergens.

Don't let allergy season hold you back, we've got you covered! At the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa you'll have a better night's rest and wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed with our allergy friendly rooms. Book your PURE room reservation online now.

Benziger Family Winery at the Berkeley Wine Festival

Wine and food are two of the simple pleasures of life.  Put them together and you are set for an evening to please your senses and your soul.  This Wednesday, March 24^th, the Berkeley Wine Festival invites you and your senses to a winemaker dinner featuring Chris Benziger of Benziger Family Winery.

Benziger has long been dedicated to growing their grapes using sustainable practices, and is a leader in Biodynamic and organic farming in the region.  Executive Chef Josh Thomsen honors this tradition by sourcing ingredients that reflect Benziger’s approach to wine making, including produce that was grown in the Benziger vineyards!  Let your senses savor Scallops with first-of-the-season asparagus and Sonoma Duck Breast with endive and star anise infused honey, each paired with the perfect wine from Benziger’s single-vineyard reserve and estate collections.  The dinner culminates with Chef Thomsen’s much talked about, soul satisfying short ribs, braised for four hours and served with Benziger’s signature Tribute blend.  The evening is made complete with an orange sorbet with fruit ratatouille paired with a gorgeous Muscat Cannelli.

The Benziger winemaker dinner will be held in the private dining room of Meritage at the Claremont, famous for its intimate atmosphere and unmatched views of San Francisco Bay.  The opportunity to experience a dinner crafted by an extraordinary chef, and designed to bring the best aspects of a wine to light should not be passed up.  Why?  Because wine is meant to be enjoyed with food, and excellent wines are meant to be enjoyed with outstanding food.

Reception at 6:30 with dinner to follow.  For tickets visit www.berkeleywinefestival.com.

View from Meritage at the Claremont

Time to keep those New Year resolutions! Are you ready?

With spring right around the corner, it's time to get bathing suit ready!

But bathing suit ready is not just about getting your body healthy. It's an overall attitude of being comfortable with yourself, both inside and out.

The Club at the Claremont's fitness training team focuses on the overall wellness of the mind and body. With top-rated fitness instructors, trainers and athletes all certified in their specific fields, they will guide you to success not just by the number of pounds lost but in self-worth and overall well being.

From Personal & Somatic Training, Group Classes, sports specific training, prenatal/postpartum exercise programs, all levels of Yoga and Pilates Classes and much more. There is something for everyone.

Don't ignore those resolutions! Get healthy inside and out!

Visit www.claremontresort.com/club_fitness_classes.shtml to get more detailed information.

Mother Daughter Tea Party at The Club at the Claremont!

One lump or two?

Remember those childhood tea parties, dressing up in party dresses and hats and serving tea to your stuff toys and friends?

Well, let's have a tea party now! Learn the etiquette of "taking tea" to creative festive and memorable events with your daughters, mothers, grandmothers, aunts and friends!

We encourage those party dresses and hats!

The program is instructed by Sharyn Kennedy Amoroso*, a popular etiquette coach, who will provide useful tips and friendly guidance on:

• Host and guest duties
• Basic manners at the table
• How to properly take and serve tea
• Managing the tea and buffet table
• Using silverware and eating properly at the table
• Napkin etiquette
• Pleasant table conversation

Let's have a tea party! The Mother Daughter Tea Party will be held at

The Club at the Claremont Hotel Spa & Club
Sunday, March 21, 2010
2 pm to 4 pm

A minimum number of participants is required. Space is limited.
Pre-registration is due by March 12th
Register with the Kids’ Club at 510-898-0037

Club Members: $60 for adults, $40 for children
Non Members: $75 for adults, $55 for children
        Pictures, handouts & prizes included.
Recommended for young ladies ages 6 and up.

*Sharyn Kennedy Amoroso is a certified etiquette & protocol consultant who has taught throughout the Bay Area. Her classes have been profiled in numerous magazines and newspapers, as well as on television and national radio.

Usher in the Spring at the Persian New Year Outdoor Festival in Berkeley!

On Tuesday, March 16th, celebrate the Persian New Year Festival called Chahar-Shanbeh Souri. It literally means "Eve of Wednesday" as the festival is held on the last Wednesday of the winter.

It starts off with a fire festival which includes the ritual of jumping over a bonfire, something handed down since ancient Zoroastrian times! After the bonfire jumping there will be delicious Persian cuisine, dancing with DJ "Dr. T", craft vendors, cultural organizations, children's activities and performance from the Noisha Dance Academy. A free, family-friendly, non-alcoholic event held outdoors on Durant Avenue (block 2000).

Location: Persian Center, 2029 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA.
Time: 6 to 10 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
Call: (510) 548-5335 or 510-848-0264

A nice midweek treat to enjoy the festival and spend a luxurious night here at the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa!