Ready or Not: Summer Exhibit at the Newark Museum!

Discover works by 40 New Jersey-based artists at this summer exhibit at the Newark Museum.

The 2014 New Jersey Arts Annual in Fine Art features the exhibit: Ready or Not, which showcases the work of 40 New Jersey-based artists. Discover the summer exhibit at the Newark Museum now through September 7, 2014 and plan your visit with us in West Orange, NJ.

The New Jersey Arts Annual is a unique event that highlights the works of visual artists in the state. The NJ exhibit uses a wide range of artistic processes and approaches in color, form, material and content. If looking for things to do in NJ this summer, check out the Newark Museum exhibit this summer.

The Wilshire Grand Hotel is conveniently located just minutes from the Newark Museum and many family attractions in the NJ area. The Ready or Not 2014 New Jersey Arts Annual: Fine Art is at the Newark Museum for a limited time. Book your stay today!

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Here are 3 Advantages of having your Wedding at a Hotel!

Searching for the perfect wedding venue? Check out these advantages of having your wedding at a hotel.

There are many advantages of having your wedding at a hotel. If you’re planning a wedding and looking for the perfect location for your big day, consider a hotel such as our Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange, NJ. We host gorgeous weddings at the Wilshire Grand Hotel every year. Check out the many benefits of a hotel wedding:

Advantage #1: Our professionals will make the entire wedding process a lot easier. From the moment your cocktail hour begins, you will receive top-notch service from our butlers passing around hors d’oeuvres to unlimited premium liquors. You can also enjoy complimentary color lighting to help set the mood on the dance floor. 

Advantage #2: We will design your personal wedding package to match your exact specifications and desires. Our wedding concierge will be there every step of the way to ensure that your wedding package best suits your tastes and needs.

Advantage #3: The bride and bridal party will have plenty of room to get ready for their big day, right on our property. You can prepare for the day in one of two brand new bridal salons equipped with expansive mirrors, private restrooms, personal safes and many other amenities. 

If planning a wedding in our NJ area, feel free to Request more Information and one of our event specialists in NJ will contact you shortly.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Walking with Dinosaurs – An Action-Packed Family Event at the Prudential Center.

Searching for family events at the Prudential Center? Check out “Walking with Dinosaurs.”

Travel back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Walking with Dinosaurs the Arena Spectacular is an action-packed family event at the Prudential Center arriving this July for a limited time. Gather the family and experience the action-packed event, taking place July 23 through July 27, 2014. 

Walking with Dinosaurs
Wednesday, July 23-Sunday, July 27, 2014
Prudential Center in Newark, NJ

The family show in NJ depicts the dinosaurs’ evolution featuring 10 species from the entire 200 million year reign of the dinosaurs. Get up close and personal with the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Plateosaurus and Liliensternus from the Triassic period and more!

Visitors can also experience scenes of the interactions between dinosaurs and discover how carnivorous dinosaurs evolved on two legs.

If planning to attend the NJ event, we invite you to book your family stay with us at the Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ. Our hotel is conveniently located near some of the best family attractions in Northern New Jersey including the Prudential Center and the Turtle Back Zoo.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

The 2014 Line-Up for Jazz in the Garden at Newark Museum!

New musicians have been added to the line-up for the 2014 Jazz in the Garden Summer Concert Series at Newark Museum.

The Jazz in the Garden Summer Concert Series at Newark Museum has been entertaining visitors for nearly 50 years. This year promises another memorable season, adding new musicians to the impressive list of performers. Check out the 2014 line-up for the Newark event and plan your stay with us in NJ today.

The 2014 Jazz in the Garden Summer Concert Series at Newark Museum will take place Thursdays from July 10-August 7 from 12:15-1:45pm.

July 10: The Shirazette Experiment Jazztet
July 17: Dave Stryker Quartet
July 24: Claudio Roditi Brazilian Jazz Quartet
July 31: Tessa Souter
August 7: Buster Williams Quartet "Something More"

FEE: Adults $3; Children and Museum members: $1

The Summer Concert Series in Newark will take place rain or shine! Visit the Newark Museum website to learn about each brilliant performance.

If looking for weekday events in the NJ area, head to the Newark Museum and enjoy great performances this summer. If traveling far, we invite you to book your stay with us at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange, NJ. We hope to see you this summer.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Love Soccer? Check out the New York Red Bulls Home Schedule!

Enjoy a New York Red Bulls Home Game – Here’s the Schedule!

Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ is where the New York Red Bulls call home. If you are looking for things to do during your visit in NJ, plan a day trip to the stadium and cheer on the American professional soccer team during one of their home game this year.

The team kicked off their season against Vancouver in March. We’ve listed the remaining New York Red Bulls home schedule down below.

The New York Red Bulls home schedule:

New York vs. Toronto FC, 6/27 at 8:00pm
New York vs. Columbus, 7/12 at 8:00pm
New York vs. San Jose, 7/19 at 7:00pm
New York vs. Arsenal, 7/26 at 5:00pm
New York vs. New England, 8/2 at 7:00pm
New York vs. Montreal, 8/23 at 7:00pm
New York vs. Sporting KC, 9/6 at 7:30pm
New York vs. D.C. United, 9/10 at 8:00pm
New York vs. Seattle, 9/20 at 7:30pm
New York vs. Houston, 10/4 at 6:00pm
New York vs. Toronto FC, 10/11 at 7:00pm
New York vs. Columbus, 10/19 at 3:00pm

At the Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ, we are conveniently located just minutes from the sports arena. Enjoy a day of soccer before heading back to our cozy hotel accommodations in West Orange, NJ. We hope to see you this summer! 

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Fall Wedding Inspiration – Planning an Autumn Wedding on a Budget!

Enjoy our guide to planning an autumn wedding on a budget!

If you’re planning a fall wedding and looking for the best ways to save money, you’ve come to the right place. At the Wilshire Grand Hotel, we understand how essential it is for our brides and grooms to stay on budget while planning the wedding of their dreams. With help from sites such as Celebrations.com and TheKnot.com, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite ways to save money on your wedding. We hope you’ll enjoy our wedding planning guide for “Planning an Autumn Wedding on a Budget!”

Easy Wheat Grass Centerpieces: We all know that centerpieces can get expensive. When planning an autumn wedding on a budget, there is a way to create that “wow factor” without spending a lot of money. According to Celebrations.com, adding wheat grass to your décor is a nice way to bring a natural element to your event. Click here to learn more about the DIY fall centerpiece.

Dried Leaf Escort Cards: Featured on Once Wed, dried leaves are a beautiful, simple and inexpensive way to create escort cards for your wedding. Celebrations.com suggests that you write each guest and their table number on a leaf with a calligraphy pen to beautifully display your cards for your guests.

Caramel Apples for Favors: TheKnot.com featured caramel apples as one of their 10 Fall Wedding Favor Ideas. If you have the time, you can make and package them yourself and tie them with a ribbon to match your fall wedding colors.

Sunflower Seeds for Favors: Another wedding favor idea from TheKnot.com is sunflower seeds. Display the packets individually or along fresh sunflowers in a vase. Sunflower seeds are ideal for a rustic fall wedding.

We hope you enjoyed our guide to planning an autumn wedding on a budget. If you are in our NJ area and searching for elegant event venues for your fall wedding, we invite you to take a tour of our wedding and event venues at the Wilshire Grand Hotel.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Enjoy a New York Fireworks Dinner Cruise this Fourth of July!

Spend Fourth of July at a scrumptious New York Fireworks Dinner Cruise aboard the Spirit of New York.

Still thinking of ways to celebrate Fourth of July in our NJ/NYC area? The Spirit of New York is hosting a memorable New York Independence Day Fireworks Dinner Cruise, departing from Chelsea Piers, NY. Enjoy a delicious dinner buffet, premium open bar, DJ entertainment and one of the best seats in town for the dazzling Fourth of July fireworks display on the East River.

The New York Fireworks Dinner Cruise
Friday, July 4, 2014
Chelsea Piers, NY
Board: 5:00pm Cruise: 6:00pm to 11:00pm
Price from $319.90 per person

Get out on the water and try something different this Fourth of July weekend. Book your stay with us in NJ and experience the breathtaking NYC Fourth of July Fireworks Show and holiday fun aboard the Spirit of New York. Our NJ Hotel is conveniently located near the New York Fireworks Dinner Cruise. Visit our website to learn more about our affordable and cozy accommodations and book your cruise today.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Here’s our guide to a Relaxing Father’s Day Getaway in NJ!

A laid-back Father’s Day Getaway in NJ

Dads, you work hard all year, it’s time to enjoy a relaxing Father’s Day getaway with us in NJ. With our central location in West Orange, there are many things to explore just minutes away from our hotel. Gather your family; pack your bags and head to the Wilshire Grand Hotel for a well-deserved Father’s Day weekend getaway in NJ.

Whether you are the sports type, adventure seeker or just looking for a place to relax, we’ve listed our favorite Father’s Day activities in North Jersey. Come rest your feet and stay awhile. Here are our top picks for your Father’s Day getaway in NJ:

The golf courses in Essex County, NJ: Treat yourself to a round of golf! The Essex County golf courses include: Francis A. Byrne Golf Course, Hendricks Field Golf Course and Weequahic Park Golf Course. Visit a previous blog post to learn more.

Love an adventure? Take a trip to Verona Park. The 54.32-acre park is located less than a mile away from our hotel. You can enjoy boating and fishing, tennis courts and more! There is even a playground for the little ones to enjoy. Rent one of our beach cruiser bicycles and enjoy everything the NJ Park has to offer.

If looking to relax this Father’s Day, we invite you to enjoy our seasonal outdoor patio and putting green. We’ve provided the perfect environment for our guests to sit back and enjoy the beautiful weather, with ample seating and table space.

Visit our website to learn more about our hotel and accommodations and plan your Father’s Day getaway with us in NJ. Don’t forget to check out our current hotel packages and offers to ensure the very best trip.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Wilshire Grand has successfully achieved Gold Status in the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Program!

We are proud to be a TripAdvisor GreenLeader!

We are delighted to announce that the Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ is a TripAdvisor GreenLeader!

We have worked hard to make the necessary changes to reduce our own carbon footprint and our proud to state that we have achieved Gold Status in the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Program.

If looking for green and eco-friendly hotel accommodations in the NJ area, we invite you to book your next stay at our hotel in West Orange, NJ. We have made several changes at our catering center and throughout our hotel. A few of the many changes include:

• Changing our candle chandelier bulbs to 7w bulbs,
• Installing “kill” switches for every banquet room to turn off lights and air-conditioning when space is not in use
• Recycling of cardboard/paper and glass/plastic
• Use of recycled tissue & paper towel products throughout the hotel

We are proud to have achieved Gold Status in the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Program and invite you to plan your stay with us the next time you are visiting our area. Visit our website to learn more about our eco-friendly hotel accommodations in New Jersey.

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ

Plan your stay & Experience the Montclair Food & Wine Festival!

Treat your taste buds to the Montclair Food & Wine Festival

Montclair is the Food Capital of NJ. Plan your stay for the Montclair Food & Wine Festival and experience the exciting events that will be taking place on Saturday, May 31 through Monday, June 2, 2014. Check below for the schedule of events and plan your getaway in NJ today.

The Montclair Food & Wine Festival benefits St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. The events featured at the NJ festival include:

The Grand Tasting

Saturday, May 31, 2014
Montclair Art Museum
General Admission, 7pm, $95
VIP Admission, 6pm, $120

Food meets art at this tasty event at the Montclair Art Museum. The evening will be filled with diverse culinary offerings from many of the New Jersey’s finest restaurants and purveyors. All wines and spirits presented by Gary’s Wine & Marketplace.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Seminar Series taking place at the following locations:

• The Pasta Show with Lou + Laura at the Commonwealth Club, 11:30am-1:00pm. Program Fee: $45.
• NJ Aquaculture: Consider the Oyster + The Clam at the Commonwealth Club, 1:15 -2:45pm. Program Fee: $65.
• Debunking Myths of Foie Gras with Ariane Daguin + Ariane Duarte at Commonwealth Club, 3:00-4:30pm. Program Fee: $65.
• Latin Vegan Tapas with Sally Owens of SO Tasty Vegan & Leaf Vodka at Designer Appliances, 4:00-6:00pm. Program Fee: $50.

The Gala Dinner

Monday, June 2, 2014
The Manor, Prospect Ave. in West Orange, NJ
6:00-9:00pm
$165 per plate, tables of ten available

Enjoy wines paired by Sharon Sevrens, of Amanti Vino and a fine evening of collaborative culinary wizardry!

Click here to learn more about the Montclair Food & Wine Festival in NJ and plan your stay today!

Until next week,
The Wilshire Grand Hotel, NJ