LCQ Musician Blog

There is a beautiful new hotel in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter - the recently opened Margaritaville Hotel! We got to take a tour of the property with the National Association of Catering & Events (NACE) and experience everything the property has to offer. 

Located in the heart of the Gaslamp, only 2 blocks from Petco Park, the Convention Center, and tons of restaurants and activities, this beautifully renovated hotel boasts awesome spots for events, weddings, and hang outs. 

Our own clarinetist April tied the knot recently, and we couldn't have been happier to celebrate with her and her new husband at the beautiful Abbey on Fifth! Performing with April is always a blast, and getting to plan with her all of the music for her own ceremony was easy and fun. 

The Abbey is a historic building right in the heart of San Diego, in a really cool neighborhood called Bankers Hill. This vibrant district is just north of Downtown, offers a ton of amazing food and entertainment options, and is just one block from Balboa Park - so it's a perfect location for celebrations and gatherings. The vaulted cathedral ceilings, wood paneling, and amazing stained glass windows harken to a royal stately type of feel for a venue. There is even a music balcony right there above the alter where our quintet fits perfectly!

The quintet performed for prelude, and got to play for April and her wedding party while they were getting ready and still doing final touches before guests arrived. We played some meaningful music for the ceremony, and stayed up in the music loft to do an hour while cocktails were being served. LCQs wide range of music styles blended perfectly here for this event, sticking with mostly classical and softer music while guests arrived, and then more upbeat movie and jazz music for the reception. 

If you're still searching for a unique and beautiful location for a wedding, corporate event, or holiday party, look no further than the Abbey on Fifth - and give us a ring to provide some of that musical ambiance!

The Left Coast Quintet held an open rehearsal, as we call it, during the wedding open house and venue grand opening of The Point in Pacific Beach / Mission Bay. This spot, completely surrounded by beautiful water, is an exceptional location to have that "San Diego" wedding feel. Imagine small sail boats floating by while saying your vows, or the feel of the ocean air cooling you off after dancing at your party!

This is mostly a picture post, we had a great time and met some great friendors, so pictures of them are included. We hope to see you at an event at The Point soon!

If you've ever imagined a beautiful building on the edge of the water, with amazing indoor and outdoor spaces all focused on an incredible bayfront and skyline view, then Tom Ham's Lighthouse is probably what you were thinking of. At the end of Harbor Island rises this gorgeous site, and from both it's lower event spaces to its upper restaurant, the views of downtown San Diego and of San Diego Bay are just phenomenal. 

The Left Coast Quintet has had a number of opportunities to perform here, both for weddings and corporate conferences, and we always love coming back. Sure their location is impressive, but it's the people that work there that make Tom Ham's Lighthouse just the best place as a performer. Their staff, from management down to service workers, are incredibly nice people whose main goal is to make sure their clients are taken care of and happy. They are even so thoughtful as to continually ensure that our group has what we need, whether it is chairs or equipment, or just snacks and water. We don't see that in most places, but it is so generous and a reason we love performing here. 

Tom Ham's is perfect for those seeking a nautical themed wedding or special event. They have more boating history than some museums, with artifacts from ships, waterway maps, models, and other really fun items. You won't need much additional decoration to make guests feel like you're getting married on the open seas!

If you are searching for a beautiful, well appointed space to host your wedding, corporate event, or holiday party, be sure to check out Tom Ham's Lighthouse, and of course let us know how we can bring some excellent music to the event!

I had the opportunity to take a site tour of the newly renovated Kona Kai resort, located on Shelter Island in San Diego. The place is breathtaking, inside and out. It reminded me of a Greek village overlooking the water, and the views were stunning. Keep in mind, I'm a musician, not a professional photographer, but hopefully you can get the gist of the place and see what a special feeling it has.

This past weekend was beautiful for outdoor occasions, with cool breezes, mild coastal weather, and clear blue ocean water. The Martin Johnson House, part of UCSD and Scripps Institute of Oceanography, sits atop the beautiful cliffs of La Jolla and looks south toward the Cove and La Jolla Village. The views are perfect for San Diego outdoor weddings, and the grounds are reminiscent of a small cabin in the woods, with really endless possibilities of decorating. 

Our couple hired our string duet, which is a great ensemble for this intimate location. The strings are easily heard over a gathering of 50 family and friends, and provided pre-ceremony and processional & recessional music for the bride and her new groom.

The downtown San Diego Gaslamp district is home to many fine restaurants, clubs, activities, and hotels, and one of the newest and finest is The Pendry, recently opened in February 2017. The prime location on J Street between 5th & 6th was developed with class, sophistication, and elegance, and it's no wonder that it is the place to be for many visitors and locals alike.

I should start by mentioning this isn't just a hotel, it's a destination. With multiple restaurants, meeting spaces, event halls, an underground club, bars, swimming club & spa, their visitors could easily just wander around for a few days and enjoy everything the location has to offer. I toured the facility with many other San Diego Wedding professionals, ranging from photographers to event planners to other venue coordinators, and we all really enjoyed the atmosphere and incredible opportunities that The Pendry has to offer.

Check out some of the other pictures I took during the tour, and let me know what your favorite wedding venue is in San Diego- maybe I'll visit there next! If you contact the Pendry for an event, please let them know I sent ya!