Dear alll
thanks so much for your suggestions. Just to let you know I have followed up suggestions for the museum, the 4 seasons, St Arnolds and the Zoo. A few have already been booked up by our rivals (incl St Arnolds which is a shame as that would have been perfect) but have a few now on the shortlist so thanks for all your help. I am supporting the bbq canape suggestions as much as I can but we have a dessert contingent who are lobbying for that so we shall have to see if we do end up in costume with mini-bbq! If anyone still has any more suggestions do continue to post them here as we are still looking

I am organising a drinks reception for a large University conference in Houston next year. Right now we are looking for venues that can hold around 350 people and have something of a wow factor. At the moment the House of Blues and the Grove have been mentioned. At that scale we are not expecting gourmet food but we do like to think we have fairly high standards. I should point out this a British reception so we usually focus first and foremost on getting the drinks right, followed by a cool venue and then nice canapes. Any suggestions of places we might try.
The conference will be at the Convention Centre downtown so not to far afield would be good. Someone mentioned the Petroleum Club but others seemed to think that might be too far away...

My colleague has literally just emailed to say he has booked the Irish Heather. Any thoughts on this place?

Hi Chowhounders
there is a big conference of international educators being held in Vancouver in late May. I'm involved in the British delegation and we normally have our dinner on a Sunday before the conference. There are usually about 50 of us but there is a significant contingent, including me who is a regular on these boards, that like good food!
I know it is always hard with such big numbers to get great food but if anyone has suggestions of good places with a good vibe that would be great. We're probably looking around the $40 mark without drinks and the conference is at the Convention Centre so most people will be scattered around the downtown area and a bit jetlagged so somewhere downtown would be ideal
cheers
Elizabeth

I'm also looking for somewhere to go with my sister and her children (20 and 17) on NYE. Will be staying in Hollywood or W Hollywood area (happy to adjust hotel choice to be near good restaurant actually) . Don't mind paying for a taxi as I'd prefer to have a few strong drinks but none of us are really into New Year particularly so just looking for a good place to go without need for a special NYE vibe. Thinking of about $50 a head but could go lower/ higher for the right kind of place.
Any tips gladly received

I'll be in LA with my sister and her two children (20 and 17) for New Year's Eve, probably staying in the Ramada Plaza in W Hollywood (although would reconsider for a good restaurant recommendation!). We all like good food (and two of us good drinks) and are prepared to pay if it's worth it. It would be great to find a place that was quite lively with a fun atmosphere though rather than too 'classy' without being too raucous. I'm thinking maybe a good authentic Mexican place but really am open to suggestions

I represent a group of Brits who are looking to hold a reception in LA next June during a conference at the downtown convention centre.
We are looking at about 300 guests and probably around $60 a head. What we'd really like is great location, open bar (hey, we're British) and a small amount of good quality canapés. If there was some kind of Brit-link for the location even better but we would want to avoid British-pub type venues. Anyway, that's not essential.
Someone suggested the casa del mar in Santa Monica and they can do something in our price range but I don't know whether asking people to travel out that way from the downtown area is realistic with the traffic/ distance. It would be around 9-11pm mid-week.
Can any locals help with any suggestions for good places. It's hard trying to plan this without being able to check places out for ourselves
cheers