CRE: Annual Convention - Spouse/Guest Program

Overview · Midyear Meeting · High Level Conference · Annual Convention ·
Chapter & Regional Events

Spouse/Guest Program

Spouse/Guest Programs are open only to CREs, spouses, and guests who are registered for the Annual Convention.

† Ticketed event
* Closed session

Sunday Oct. 11
Begins - Ends	Event
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm	The Armchair Development Tour: NEW ORLEANS FROM DESTRUCTION TO REBIRTH Counselors, Spouses and Guests are invited to take part in the first-ever Armchair Development Tour. You’ll be immersed in a multi-media event that is a custom-created Before-and-After trip through The Crescent City. The local committee has secured riveting film and photos of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. You’ll see ground and aerial views that will bring home the solemnity of that date forever. You’ll see the condition of familiar sights in the French Quarter, hotels and businesses submerged along Canal Street, and whole neighborhoods rendered unrecognizable from the storm. But you’ll also see the resurrection of this great city. You’ll be amazed to see the New Orleans of today. You’ll tour neighborhoods where actor Brad Pitt has made a lasting contribution through new housing construction. You’ll visit the Musician’s Village, a cornerstone of redevelopment made possible through the vision of music legends Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis along with the Habitat for Humanity program. And you’ll see new infrastructure that replaces the old, plus new private and public sector multi-family housing locations that are models for redevelopment everywhere. Is there additional recovery and development to come for New Orleans? Yes. But our local Armchair Development Tour moderators challenge anyone to present a more complete comparison of their city as it was, and as it is today. Join moderators and fellow CREs Albert Pappalardo, Lewis Stirling, John Meltzer and Jean Felts for this one-of-a-kind event—the afternoon you’ll be talking about for a very long time to come.
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm	New Member Welcome Reception * New members, their spouses and guests meet CRE leadership at this event.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm	Mardi Gras Celebration Event † The rich history of Mardi Gras is the backdrop for the Mardi Gras Celebration Event. To be held at Mardi Gras World, this opening event for Counselors, spouses and guests is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the Counselors’ own private Mardi Gras in October—not March! Mardi Gras World is a unique venue where you’ll discover the spectacular works of art that become Mardi Gras floats. MGW is home to Blaine Kern Artists—a premier manufacturer of floats created for Mardi Gras celebrations held around the world. You’ll be surrounded by splendor—walking among the spectacular floats. This behind-the-scenes look at the actual manufacturing facility where it all happens is a memory you will long treasure. Come in your jeans and khakis—relax and immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere. Get ready for traditional New Orleans cuisine served buffet style; some unique surprises and the great company of Counselors, spouses and guests. Get ready to party! Roundtrip transportation will be provided from the Hotel Monteleone to Mardi Gras World. Sponsored by Pappalardo Consultants, Inc. and Stirling Properties
9:30 pm – 11:30 pm	Chairman’s Hospitality Suite Continue your conversations at the Chairman’s Hospitality Suite, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evening. No special invitation is required—Counselors and their registered spouses and guests are welcome. It’s a highlight of every national meeting—but this year the suite opens onto a beautiful patio, making it all the more The Place to Be after hours.

Monday Oct. 12
Begins - Ends	Event
8:30 am - 9:30 am	Spouse/Guest Welcome Breakfast Be sure to attend your official Welcome Breakfast. It’s the best way to start the day – and you can make plans for the rest of the day with other spouses and guests. Held right in the Monteleone Hotel, you’ll enjoy a sumptuous breakfast menu while you get to know others – or catch up with friends you see at every CRE national meeting. Enjoy!
	Explore New Orleans By Day This is YOUR day to explore the Crescent City. New Orleans may be known for its music and its nightlife, but there is much, much more. From shopping to having your portrait created by a talented sidewalk artist, it’s a day of discovery. Start at the Spouse & Guest Welcome Breakfast – then decide who wants to go where – and you’re on your way with friends. You’ll find some of the world’s most interesting and unusual destinations in New Orleans. Experience the French Market, where you can shop for everything from one-of-a-kind jewelry to Southern confections; from clothing to children’s toys; pet accessories to imported crafts from Africa and Latin America. Sip coffee and people watch at Café du Monde. Tour St. Louis Cathedral. Browse the shops and unique architecture of the French Quarter. Take a harbor cruise on the Steamboat Natchez. Visit the casino or take a tour of St. Louis Cemetery. Or try Cajun cuisine at one of dozens of cafes and restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. The possibilities are endless!
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm	Chairman’s Dinner Event at the famous Antoine’s Restaurant † Celebrating the past year for The Counselors and looking forward to the next…the Chairman’s Dinner Event is where it comes together, celebrating 2009 Chairman and First Lady A.C. and Marilyn Schwethelm, and their year of service. It’s an evening of exceptional New Orleans French-Creole cuisine in the company of friends and “family”—Counselors, spouses and guests. And before the evening is over, we will welcome 2010 Chairman and First Lady Art and Gail Pasquarella into their new leadership roles. This year, the setting is Antoine’s, one of the most celebrated restaurants in the city. Dating to 1840, Antoine’s has been at the epicenter of New Orleans society and tourism for generations—and is forever memorialized through the 1948 book Dinner at Antoine’s, a mystery classic written by Frances Parkinson Keyes. Antoine’s is the quintessential New Orleans dining establishment—the perfect setting for the CRE Chairman’s Dinner. Experience the history, the charm, the fine cuisine and the best company in the world…then enjoy an evening of music and people-watching along the fabled streets of the French Quarter, just steps away. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your own “Dinner at Antoine’s” (but without the mystery).
9:30 pm – 11:30 pm	Chairman’s Hospitality Suite

Tuesday Oct. 13
Begins - Ends	Event
9:45 am - 3:00 pm	Spouse/Guest Tour † NEW ORLEANS' SOCIETY HISTORIC TOUR & LUNCH New Orleans offers some of the most beautiful architecture of the South. Your guided Tour will explore two elegant historic homes, selected for their architectural significance and for their interior décor. You will delight to see the period furnishings and details, lovely antiques, fine personal collections and the beautiful gardens of these distinctive properties. Following the tour, lunch will be served at Commander’s Palace in the Garden District -- named New Orleans’ most popular restaurant in the 2009 Zagat Survey (and also awarded the honor of Top Décor). Commander’s Palace is where famous chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse got their starts. Newly redecorated, this jewel of a restaurant in a beautiful historic building is sure to be a highlight of your New Orleans visit.
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm	Farewell Reception New this year! Be sure to save time to enjoy friends at the Farewell Reception—at the beautiful Hotel Monteleone. Open to all Counselors and their registered spouses and guests.
9:30 pm – 11:30 pm	Chairman’s Hospitality Suite

Wednesday Oct. 14
Begins - Ends	Event
9:00 am - 10:00 am	Spouse and Guest Farewell Breakfast Whether you’ll be packing to return home, or you’re staying on for more of New Orleans, you won’t want to miss this last breakfast with friends, right in the Hotel. Come casual…and take the time to say goodbye, exchange contact information and email addresses, snap a few last photos and start planning for the next time you’ll all be together – at the spring 2010 Midyear Meetings in Seattle!

† Ticketed event
* Closed session

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