Michael and Maria's Wedding!

It was a joy to share in Michael and Maria's beautiful wedding this New Year's Eve. The guest list was strikingly international. Maria is Filipino, Michael is Italian, and their loved ones traveled from as far as Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and even the Philippines to be a part of this special day. They had a lovely ceremony in the enchanting Wedding Circle. Maria clutched a gorgeous bouquet of fuchsia flowers as she and Michael exchanged their touching vows before everyone important to them. After the loving ritual, the guests transitioned to the Terraces for a fabulous meal prepared by Michael's cousin, Enzo. Enzo is the founder and Head Chef of Stella Restaurant in La Jolla. His incredible, handcrafted Italianfare charmed the entire wedding party. It was certainly an Italian gourmet experience. After the sun went down, the group gathered in the Event Center for an intimate New Year's Eve party with champagne and dessert and plenty of tango. While the rest of San Diego stayed up to watch the ball drop, Michael, Maria and their friends danced to the distant sounds of coyotes howling to welcome in the New Year.

Congratulations, Michael and Maria! We wish you all the best.

Benefits of a Retreat

Looking for advice in planning your next retreat? We found a great article on Community Tool Box to help you! It begins:

WHAT IS A RETREAT?

A retreat is a type of group getaway in which the members of that group take time to form bonds with one another, contemplate their purpose and motives, and work on one or more specific goals.

People often mistake any group planning or training meeting for a retreat. Retreats are not supposed to be held at your office or any of the usual places your organization or initiative may use for meetings. Retreats often involve an overnight stay and are usually held at a retreat center where your members can take some time to enjoy nature, talk with one another, think about your organization or initiative, and have fun. Some unstructured time should be set aside in the retreat schedule to allow members to do their own thing, think, and relax.

WHY ORGANIZE A RETREAT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION OR INITIATIVE?

Retreats can be useful for your staff, members, volunteers, or board of directors. Some of the benefits of retreats are that they can:

• Eliminate the outside distractions of your usual daily setting
• Build enthusiasm and commitment among your staff or members
• Cultivate a casual mood
• Create a sense of shared experience and bonding to help people work better together
• Set aside some uninterrupted time to solve key problems
• Allow you to step back and re-examine goals, objectives, and activities.

Retreats are a wonderful way to replenish and rejuvenate in the company of your peers. If you're thinking of planning a retreat, let us know! We would be happy to help you!

Meeting Spaces at Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa

We love to host retreats at Hidden Valley! Of course, one of the most common questions that we get from planners is, "Do you have good meeting spaces?" Well, we can proudly answer that question with a resounding "Yes!" Hidden Valley has a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces ready to use for your retreat. Whether it be a yoga session, a presentation, or a lunch, our property has the perfect gathering space for any activity!

Event Center

With 2,000 square feet of space, hardwood floors, and large windows that allow for natural light, the Event Center is perfect for indoor activities. Take advantage of the open floor plan to have a dance or yoga seminar. Set up tables for a group meal or important meeting. The possibilities are endless!

The Gallery

The Forum

Yoga in the Event Center

Main House

The Main House is a cozy space for intimate meetings. The library can be used for individual work during breakaway sessions. The interior space can be used for a buffet, meeting tables, or just relaxing on the plush couches. The attached deck with its picturesque views and substantial space is perfect for exterior meeting and dining experiences!

Main House

Library in the Main House

Deck of the Main House

Dining Tables on the Deck

Main Stage

For a more natural and unique setting, we have our Main Stage and surrounding areas. Have an outdoor discussion on the lawn. The tranquil, outdoor environment allows for contemplative activities like meditation, journaling, and art. The tiers are another feature of Hidden Valley that is suited for a group gathering. Use the levels as a natural amphitheater overlooking activities on the lawn. Set up banquet tables along the tiers for an outdoor dining experience. The rock lined garden paths provide your guests with spectacular views.

Main Stage and Lawn

Looking out from the Main Stage

A view from the tiers near the Main Lawn

Tiers adjacent to the Main stage

Tiers with Seating

Concrete Patio Adjacent to the Main Stage

Hippocrates Circle in the Oak Grove

Hippocrates Circle, located at the heart of Hidden Valley's oak grove is as enchanting as it is functional. The trees provide a canopy of shade in the summer, and they frame the area with a protective enclosure year-round! All that's missing is your wonderful presentation and group discussion. This intimate space is sure to make any retreat a success!

Seating

Meeting at Hippocrates Circle

The Merits of Mushroom Compost!

Fiona and Diego filled the entire back of the truck with mushroom compost!

Hidden Valley's original owner, Dr. Jensen, was at the forefront of the health movement. He consistently promoted organic, sustainable ways of eating and growing food. As a part of our efforts to keep his iconic principles alive, Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa still continues the tradition of keeping a compost pile as a part of the garden! Our retreats and family reunions like to participate in our compost by contributing fruit peels and discarded organic material. It is just one of the ways that Hidden Valley remains a healthy environment where our guests can come to have a refreshing experience for the body and mind. Still, we have such a vast garden that even our own compost cannot sustain our fertilizing needs. That is why yesterday, we went to a San Diego mushroom farm to get some fabulous mushroom compost! This compost is a nutrient rich, sustainable alternative to traditional fertilizers. We will spread the compost into the soil around our fruit trees to help them grow even more fertile and fragrant fruit.

Fun facts about mushroom compost:

• Mushroom compost is a natural by-product of mushroom farming. After the mushrooms are harvested, the soil that they grew in is steam treated to remove any weeds or pests. At that point, it can be used moist, organic, nutrient-rich compost fertilizer to replenish and condition the soil in your garden or farm.
• Mushroom compost is composed of natural, organic substances like hay, peat moss, cotton seed, grape mulch, ground corn cobs, and cocoa shells. Therefore, it smells much better than traditional fertilizers! It has a fresh, earthy smell that is sure to enliven our gardens.
• The particular mushroom compost that we collected came from a farm that grows white button mushrooms. They do not use any chemicals or pesticides. 

Diego unloads the mushroom compost at Hidden Valley!

Find out more about this mushroom compost from NBC San Diego!