The Regency Center 1290 Sutter Street • San Francisco • California 94109

Completed in 1909 as a Scottish Rite Temple, The Regency Center later housed a movie theater for many years, and now it has a new lease on life as a fabulous event site.

The Regency's most impressive space is the Lodge, located on the third floor. If the word "lodge" makes you think of log cabins and pot-bellied stoves, you'll be delightfully surprised by this room's absolute splendor. Here, carved wainscoting and a 35-foot-high ceiling traversed by arched, dark wood beams impart the grandeur of a Gothic cathedral. Crimson velvet walls and carpeting add sumptuous warmth. Antique acorn-shaped chandeliers and coach-lantern wall sconces augment the soft amber glow cast by the stained-glass windows lining one wall. Among the Lodge's other amenities are a 1909 Austin pipe organ and a splendid elevated stage with 30 exquisite hand-painted backdrops made in a Hollywood studio during the 1920s.

On this floor you'll also find two other rooms that are ideal for entertaining on a slightly smaller scale. The Regency Room features details that captivate the eye wherever you look: moldings and ceiling beams carved with grapevines and other nature motifs; light fixtures constructed of rows of small crystals; and breathtaking silk tapestries, embroidered by hand using gold and copper thread. On the more practical side, this room also has a working fireplace, white oak-paneled walls, and solid pocket doors that can be closed for privacy. The elegant Candidate Room is bright and open, with mirrored walls, gold candle chandeliers and sconces, plus large windows that frame views of San Francisco.

A marble staircase takes you to the center's second level and the Grand Ballroom. From its polished hardwood floor to its 35-foot ceiling, the Ballroom is a shining example of turn-of-the-century craftsmanship. The walls, ceiling, moldings and wainscoting are all covered in elaborate neoclassical plasterwork, while 22 teardrop chandeliers hang from the carved, beamed ceiling. The Grand Ballroom also has a built-in stage, as well as a horseshoe-shaped balcony, making it well suited for lectures, business seminars, and awards banquets. Adjoining the Grand Ballroom is the Rotunda, an enchanting foyer with a mosaic floor, crystal chandelier, and carved neoclassical ceiling. It's a lovely place for guests to mingle before an event or take a break from the festivities.

On the center's lower level, the Social Hall and Annex introduce you to sophistication on a large scale. These connected rooms share beautifully vaulted, beamed ceilings, and blonde hardwood floors that gleam in the light cast from a series of frosted glass-and-brass fixtures. The two spaces are linked by a pair of open archways, which gives you easy access to both—use one for a pre-reception area or breakout room and the other as a separate dining or meeting room. The Annex includes a brand-new 40-foot wooden bar ready to serve a variety of specialty cocktails from Best Beverage Catering.

It's always a pleasure to see historic landmarks brought back to life, especially when the building is as spectacular as this one. We think that The Regency's gorgeous décor and turn-of-the-century ambiance are the perfect antidote to today's streamlined, pragmatic world, and so will you.