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!