Observations

Our second data collection is based off of observations. We had a team member go to meet with the owner of the venue, Paula Lam, on a Thursday afternoon. The meeting took place at The Barn at Walnut Grove. At the time of the tour, Paula was setting up for an event the following Friday morning. She mentioned that she is very involved with her church and likes allowing groups from her church to use her venue as a place for meetings. 
 

Our group member was given a tour of the property, including the house used for overnight accommodations and the barn used for events. The house includes a kitchen and living room along with several bedrooms and bathrooms. The kitchen is fully equipped with cooking utensils and dishes, which gives guests who stay in the home the option to prepare their own meals. The view from inside of the house is impeccable, with glass doors allowing you to see the view of the mountains from the comfort of the sofa. The bottom floor of the house serves as another space for smaller gatherings. There is a large TV screen which gives the option of hooking up to a laptop or other device to display presentations or photos. During the tour, Paula was setting up for a small church gathering. There is a refrigerator and pantry for guests to store food in. Right outside of the basement door, there is a shed where the tables and chairs are kept. As she was setting up for the church group meeting, she was rolling in tables and setting up for a group of 30 people. She mentioned that this space is typically rented out for meetings or smaller gatherings. People usually bring snacks and drinks to these events, so she keeps the cabinets stocked with extra plates, utensils, and napkins for guests to use as needed. 
 

On the main level of the house, when you walk out the back door of the house, you see the remarkable view of the mountains with the archway and seating area. The back of the house has a screened in porch with several couches and chairs. You walk down a short flight of stairs and are standing in the seating area where weddings typically take place. There is a short sidewalk which leads to the barn where receptions and other events take place. Inside of the barn, there is an open floor where people have the option of setting up tables, specific decorations, etc. There is a space designated as the bar area, where people have the option of hiring an outside bartender to stock and serve drinks. The barn has high ceilings and is spacious, which accommodates for up to 200 guests.