Happy 100th Year Birthday To San Francisco’s Iconic Clift Hotel
The Iconic San Francisco Hotel Continues to Defy Convention and Celebrates its Centennial with a Birthday Bash, New Cocktails and Revamped Uniforms in the Legendary Redwood Room
Having been in San Francisco almost three years I’ve gotten to know many of the local hotels and the Clift Hotel is really an iconic hotel with deep San Francisco history. This month the Clift is celebrating its 100th Birthday and I was invited to join in the celebration experiencing their Redwood Room Bar’s new Cocktail Menu as well as join in the other fun and festivities they have planned. Below you’ll find more about the Clift Hotel’s history and see what cocktails I had the pleasure of enjoying at last week’s press preview event. You can also enjoy the cocktails when you visit the Clift’s Redwood Room Bar. I recommend you pair a cocktail with one of their delicious bites. You’ll see what I tried and enjoyed below! Stay tuned for more about the Clift’s Cocktail menu in my upcoming San Francisco’s Top 10 Cocktails post……
(SAN FRANCISCO, May 28, 2015) – A century ago San Francisco was reborn from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake, reinventing itself by hosting the World’s Fair and drawing upon the most innovative architects and entrepreneurs of the time. CLIFT was born from those ashes and remains 100 years later as a cultural hotbed leading the ever-evolving city of San Francisco into the next 100 years. On Thursday, June 4, 2015, the iconic hotel celebrates its centennial with a birthday bash that will pay homage to its past and offer a glimpse into its future.
CLIFT Hotel San Francisco is a century-old mainstay in San Francisco’s bustling Union Square neighborhood. An inspired fusion of old-world hotel elegance with distinctly contemporary energy and glamour, CLIFT’s modern and daring sense of diversity perfectly captures San Francisco’s spirit. Luxurious 400 thread-count bedding, down duvets and Merino wool blankets make-up the property’s 372 guestroom’s muted elegance. Downstairs is the recently restored and reinvented Redwood Room, an exceptionally elegant and modern San Francisco bar suffused with all-out glamour, as well as the next door Velvet Room, a unique dining and event venue where Executive Chef Thomas Weibull produces seasonal offerings of high-end fare. CLIFT is located at 495 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. For more information visit www.CliftHotel.com.
The rich history of CLIFT has always been fueled with innovation. Billed as the first earthquake-proof and fire-proof hotel, CLIFT officially opened in 1915 and was originally commissioned to accommodate visitors to the World’s Fair. It was here that the Silicon Valley was born in 1957. Members of the Fairchild Group, also known as the “Traitorous Eight,” held a secret meeting at CLIFT to create one of the first semiconductor device companies in the Bay Area. Today, as a Morgans OriginalTM, CLIFT is still the place where rebels, innovators, and creators go to meet, relax, and define tomorrow.
“For 100 years, CLIFT has offered guests something unique and truly special,” says Michael Pace, CLIFT General Manager. “From the iconic events in Redwood Room to our packages and amenities, CLIFT continues to be a relevant source of inspiration for those who are drawn here.”
Paying homage to the hotel’s rich history, CLIFT will celebrate its centennial throughout 2015 with the following promotions and events:
Centennial Celebration
CLIFT Hotel Redwood Room will host a centennial celebration on Thursday, June 4, 2015. Open to the city, the event will feature entertainment from local artists and special surprises will be revealed throughout the night including new uniforms for Redwood Room staff created by local designer Sarah Liller. Guests are invited to enjoy libations, bites and live entertainment from8 p.m.-2 a.m. and 15 percent of all cocktail proceeds generated during the month of June will benefit the California Historical Society. To RSVP click here.
The delicious fried asparagus
The Hush Puppies
Love the Jicama presentation
The cocktail menu and ingredients included in our Press Preview Tasting
Centennial Cocktail List
CLIFT has partnered with some of the city’s best bartenders to create cocktails exclusively for Redwood Room. The new cocktails will be offered as part of the regular drink menu and will be unveiled at the centennial party on June 4. Local mixologists who have partnered with CLIFT and shared their newly concocted libations include:
Anthony Kim of Redwood Room at CLIFT – Pan-Pacific Sling (shown below)
Camp de Encanto pisco, pineapple gum syrup, cherry herring, lemon juice, and Fernet-Branca
Joseph Erhmann of Elixir – Bentley Old Fashioned
Breaking and Entering Bourbon, chocolate bitters, Orgeat, dark chocolate
Nora Furst of Lolinda – Nola Darling (shown below)
Fidencio Mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Gran Classico, orange bitters
Such a treat seeing such a lovely lady behind the bar. The guys are great as well, I just love meeting smart successful women in the industry!
Nora hard at work mixing away!
Shawn Vergara of Blackbird – Grape Drink
Grapes, agave syrup, Fee Brothers Peach Bitters, Luna Azul Silver, sparkling water
Mauricio Arce of Asiento – The Chair (shown below)
Angels Envy Bourbon, All Spice Dram, Angostura Bitters, Orange Peel, Luxardo cherry
Jay Villafana of Arguello – Phoenix
Altos, lemon juice, Avena, vanilla infused agave, Chipotle 151 Tincture
Daniel Godinez of 15 Romolo – Centennial Tea (shown below)
Earl Grey infused Zacapa, bourbon, Orgeat Small Hands, Benedictine, fresh lime juice, Angostura Bitters
Reza Esmali of Ananas Consulting – Canton Rebel
Bulleit Bourbon, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, fresh lemon juice
Borden Ornelaz of Bergerac – Six Sways to Sunday (shown below)
Reposado, pineapple, honey syrup, egg white, Green Chartreuse, rosemary sprig, pinch of salt
Borden Ornelaz sharing his delicious creation with the group
Anthony Parks of 50/50 Cocktail Co. and Palm House – Smoked 50/50 Split
El Silencio Mezcal, fino sherry, Dolin Blanc vermouth, orange bitters
Cheers to the Redwood Room and their amazing new cocktail menu. I can’t wait to return and enjoy some more of the fabulous cocktails!
Centennial Hotel Package
In celebration of CLIFT’s 100th birthday, the historic hotel will offer a centennial package through the end of the year including 20 percent off suites, one centennial cocktail per person, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour to learn about the deep-seated history of the iconic property. The package offer is valid until December 31, 2015 and guests visiting during the month of May will receive a complimentary in-room movie. For more details and booking information click here.
CLIFT Cares 100
In an effort to give back to the great city of San Francisco that CLIFT has proudly called home for the past 100 years, the team is launching a “CLIFT Cares 100” initiative at their centennial celebration on June 4. Their goal is to support local charities each month for the rest of 2015 and the CLIFT Cares 100 program will focus on making the following donations:
June – 100 books for kids donated to the Children’s Book Project
July – 100 vanity packs for local women’s shelters
August – 100 backpacks/school supplies for kids
September – 100 meals on wheels
October – 100 coats for the homeless
November – 100 turkeys
December – 100 Toys for Tots
To keep the momentum going, CLIFT will continue to host several events to celebrate this milestone anniversary until the end of the year including an ongoing music series and tech events that promote the pioneering change within the Silicon Valley and surrounding Bay Area. For more information on upcoming events, please click here or follow CLIFT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Morgans Hotel Group
Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) is widely credited as the creator of the first “boutique” hotel and a continuing leader of the hotel industry’s boutique sector. Morgans Hotel Group operates Delano in South Beach, Mondrian in Los Angeles, South Beach and London, Hudson in New York, Morgans and Royalton in New York, Clift in San Francisco, Shore Club in South Beach and Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London. Morgans Hotel Group has ownership interests or owns several of these hotels. Morgans Hotel Group also has expanded its brand through Delano in Las Vegas, a licensed hotel, and 10 Karaköy in Istanbul, Turkey, a franchised hotel. Morgans Hotel Group has other hotels in various stages of development to be operated under management or franchise agreements, including a Mondrian property in Doha, Qatar. For more information please visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.
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