New York/Los Angeles Summer 2010 by BizBash

BIZBASH NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES

EVENTS MEETINGS MARKETING STYLE STRATEGY IDEAS

JULY/AUGUST 2010

L.A.’s Top 100 Events

New York & Los Angeles $4.95 JULY/AUGUST 2010 BIZBASH.COM

READER SURVEY How Your Job Is Changing

New Venues on Both Coasts 18 Entertaining Spots, 9 Hotel Spaces & 51 More Locations How Social Media Experts Do Face-to-Face Events

PLUS: Attention-Getting Invites Gifts That Give Back Summer Party Tips Outdoor Rentals

Conferencefor for 20,000. 20,000. A Meeting for AAConference for 200. 200. AASuite Suitefor for20. 20.

People save their ticket stubs from our venues for good reason: to remember something extraordinary. Our world-famous venues are secretly fabulous for intimate gatherings and small parties. Each on of our landmarks has a selection of perfect event spaces of every size to meet your needs and rise above all expectations .

Plan Small, Think Big 212 465 6106 specialevents@thegarden.com | www.thegarden.com/specialevents

99 EAST 52 STREET NEW YORK CITY 212.754.9494 FOURSEASONSRESTAURANT.COM

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES July/August 2010 © 2010 BizBash Media On the Cover Ribbons of video at the TNT/TBS upfront, designed by Mike Rhoads, started on the sides of the stage and twisted into the ﬂoor, where stars from the different series came out to speak with guests. Photographed by WireImage.com. FROM THE EDITORS

8 Quick notes for short attention spans READERS’ FORUM

11 What are your must-haves

PHOTOS: KEITH SIRCHIO FOR BIZBASH

for outdoor events?

To mark the New York debut of Green Day’s musical American Idiot, veteran Broadway event producer Suzanne Tobak staged a rock ’n’ roll-style shindig for 1,500 at Roseland Ballroom on April 20. Tobak took basic elements from the show’s design and ﬂeshed out the event with a smattering of activities and entertainment. American Idiot’s backdrop of faded rock posters and news clippings covered the tables, while Matthew Litwack spray painted a wall, Temptu makeup artists provided temporary tattoos, and photographer Carlos Andrés Varela’s photo booth allowed guests to snap (and print) photos of themselves in front of a grafﬁti backdrop. At the buffet stations, Canard dished out Frito pies, chips and dip, and sandwiches made to order. More photos and details on BizBash.com.

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THE SCOUT Colored tape installations Attention-grabbing invitations Floral designer Bess Wyrick Outdoor-friendly rentals Meatless entrées How do you attract younger guests? Catering trio On the Lamb Corporate gifts with charitable tie-ins An online marketing leader’s ambitious ofﬂine event Stylish ways to communicate an organization’s purpose

VENUES 32 New York’s newest venues 34 Five new New York hotels 36 Los Angeles’s newest venues 38 Four new Los Angeles hotels EVENT REPORTS 43 From Los Angeles: E3’s biggest events and parties 46 From Los Angeles: Fox throws a bash for American Idol ﬁnale 48 From New York: Television networks’ upfront presentations 50 From Los Angeles: Maxim’s Hot 100 party 52 From New York: The High Line gala’s hanging garden 54 From Washington: The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner’s A-list after-parties 56 From Miami: The South Beach Wine and Food Festival 58 From Los Angeles: The Milken Institute Global Conference

60 From New York: Sex and the City 2’s Abu Dhabi-inspired premiere 62 From Orlando: Travel trade show at Disney debuts new event props 64 From Boston: The Institute of Contemporary Art’s spring beneﬁt 66 From New York: Camper shoe brand showcases new products 68 From Chicago: The Museum of Contemporary Art’s beneﬁt 69 From New York: The Clio Awards’ streamlined format 70 From Los Angeles: Virgin Atlantic’s Brit-themed anniversary party 72 From New York: Microsoft’s interactive software launch party 74 From Los Angeles: Disney’s international upfront 77 From New York: Country Living’s fully furnished show home 78 From Las Vegas: Conde Nast Traveler’s Hot List party 80 From New York: Web site LuckyRice.com’s food festival 82 From Los Angeles: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’s massive premiere 85 From New York: O, The Oprah Magazine’s 10th anniversary 93 The New Reality Planners’ biggest challenges, according to our reader survey 96 Southern California’s Top 100 Events A roundup of the area’s biggest annual undertakings 102 Business Entertaining A guide to New York and Los Angeles’s newest spots for wining and dining clients THE DIRECTORY 111 New New York venues 112 New Los Angeles venues TED KRUCKEL 116 Tips for beating the heat at summer events

bizbash.com july/august 2010 3

BIZBASH EDITOR IN CHIEF Chad Kaydo NEWS EDITOR Courtney Thompson STYLE EDITOR Lisa Cericola ASSOCIATE EDITORS Michael O’Connell, Anna Sekula

CHICAGO EDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Jenny Berg

LOS ANGELES EDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Alesandra Dubin

MIAMI EDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF D. Channing Muller

TORONTO EDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF Susan O’Neill

WASHINGTON EDITOR/BUREAU CHIEF T.J. Walter

ART ART DIRECTOR Joey Bouchard ASSISTANT ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Carolyn Curtis

PHOTO PHOTO EDITOR Alison Whittington ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Jessica Torossian

COPY & RESEARCH ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Claire Hoffman EDITORIAL INTERN Jennifer Ross

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR AT LARGE Ted Kruckel WRITER AT LARGE, LOS ANGELES Irene Lacher CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mimi O’Connor, Brendan Spiegel CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meryl Rothstein, Andi Teran LOS ANGELES: Shilpa Gopinath, Rosalba Curiel TORONTO: Amy Lazar, Erin Letson WASHINGTON: Adele Chapin, Walter Nicholls COPY EDITOR Libby Estell, Josh Wimmer CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Vincent Dillio, Roger Dong, Nick Ferrari, Emily Gilbert, Dan Hallman, John Minchillo, Alice and Chris Ross, Keith Sirchio BOSTON: Aviran Levy, Patrick Piasecki CHICAGO: Mireya Acierto, Tyllie Barbosa, Barry Brecheisen, Eric Craig, Jeremy Lawson, Eddie Quinones LOS ANGELES: Matt Armendariz, BEImages, Jessica Boone, Nadine Froger, Line 8 Photography, Zen Sekizawa, Dale Wilcox MIAMI: Joseph Cancellare & Associates, Matthew Horton, Moris Moreno, Elizabeth Renfrow, Mitchell Zachs TORONTO: Gary Beechey, Jill Kitchener, Henry Lin, Emma McIntyre, Nicki Leigh McKean, George Pimentel WASHINGTON: Tony Brown/Imijination Photo, Stephen Elliot, FotoBriceno, Powers and Crewe EDITORIAL OFFICES 21 West 38th St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018 phone: 646.638.3600, fax: 646.638.3601 CHICAGO BUREAU 312.436.2525 LOS ANGELES BUREAU 310.659.9510 MIAMI BUREAU 1450 NE 123 St., North Miami, FL 33161 305.808.3535 TORONTO BUREAU 1 Thorncliff Park Drive, Suite 110, Toronto, ON M4H 1G9 416.425.6380 CONTACT US Editorial Feedback and Ideas: edit@bizbash.com Event Invitations, Press Releases: nyevents@bizbash.com Directory Listings: listings@bizbash.com Subscription Inquiries: 646.839.6835, subscriptions@bizbash.com New Subscriptions: bizbash.com/subscribe Subscription Renewals: bizbash.com/renew Reprints: Dani Rose, The YGS Group 800.494.9051 ext. 125, bizbash@theygsgroup.com BIZBASH MEDIA C.E.O. AND FOUNDER David Adler PRESIDENT Richard Aaron BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jonathan Adler (CHAIRMAN),

Richard Aaron, David Adler, Beverly Chell, Martin Maleska, Todd Pietri

Awards Presentations Bar Mitzvahs Bat Mitzvahs Banquets Concerts Conferences Corporate Events Debates Dinners Educational Programs Exhibitions Film and Video Presentations Film Screenings Film and Television Broadcasts Galas Holiday Parties Lectures Live Broadcasts Location Shoots Meetings Multimedia Presentations Music Recitals Parties Live Performances Press Conferences Product Launches Readings Receptions Seminars Symposia Television and Radio Broadcasts Trade Shows Video Conferences Weddings Workshops

Intimate, beautifully designed event space in the heart of midtown Manhattan, TheTimesCenter is the centerpiece of Renzo Pianoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic New York Times Building and the perfect place for your next event. Call 212.556.4300 or visit thetimescenter.com 242 West 41st Street, New York City

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BIZBASH NEW YORK 21 West 38th St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018 646.638.3600, fax: 646.638.3601 PUBLISHER Jacqueline Gould ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Lauren Stonecipher ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, NATIONAL VENUE GUIDE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, BIZBASH BOSTON Andrew Carlin ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Erica Fand ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Kristie Hudson SALES ASSISTANT Robert Connell

BIZBASH BOSTON 617.340.3914 BIZBASH CHICAGO 312.436.2525 PUBLISHER Susan Babin ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Julia Kearney BIZBASH FLORIDA 1450 NE 123rd St., North Miami, FL 33161 305.893.8771 PUBLISHER Ann Keusch BIZBASH LAS VEGAS 702.425.8513 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jessica Slama BIZBASH LOS ANGELES 310.659.9510 PRESIDENT Elisabeth Familian PUBLISHER HoямБte Huddleston SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Mandana Valiyee BIZBASH TORONTO 1 Thorncliff Park Drive, Suite 110, Toronto, ON M4H 1G9 416.425.6380 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Stephen Sinanan ONLINE SALES SPECIALIST Eileen Gualtieri BIZBASH WASHINGTON 202.684.8743 PUBLISHER Shelley Golinsky LOS ANGELES ADVISORY BOARD Denise Cannon, VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF AVIATION, JACK MORTON WORLDWIDE; John Chuck, C.E.O./OWNER, ELS; Hollace Davids, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SPECIAL PROJECTS, UNIVERSAL PICTURES; Paul Dreher, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CATERING, THE BEVERLY HILTON; Marc Friedland, FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE, INC.; Hillary Harris, DIRECTOR, WARNER BROS. STUDIOS SPECIAL EVENTS; Heather Hope-Allison, OWNER, TIL PR-THE BUZZ GIRLS; Judy Levy, CO-OWNER, LEVY PAZANTI & ASSOCIATES; David Merrell, OWNER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, AOO EVENTS, INC.; Mary Micucci, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, ALONG CAME MARY PRODUCTIONS; Ellen Pazanti, CO-OWNER, LEVY PAZANTI & ASSOCIATES; Patricia Ryan, PRESIDENT, PARTY PLANNERS WEST INC.; Heather Shuemaker, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND SPECIAL EVENTS, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE; Mike Stern, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CLASSIC PARTY RENTALS; Katy Sweet, PRESIDENT, KATY SWEET & ASSOCIATES INC.; Mindy Weiss, OWNER, MINDY WEISS PARTY CONSULTANTS; Cyd Wilson, DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE/IN STYLE

Marketing and Advertising Programs: sales@bizbash.com ┬о2010 BIZBASH IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF BIZBASH MEDIA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

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From the Editors

Not-So-Deep Thinking No time for a long column? How about a few short thoughts?

wE’VE GO YOU VOVRRERV

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Our L.A. keynote speaker Mindy Weiss A Confession I’m no expert on the finer financial points of the airline or hospitality industries, and surely executives or PR people from either could explain their various policies. My point is how these experiences make customers feel, which affects buying decisions. Advertising a cheap rate and then piling on additional costs might increase short-term revenue, but it’s not a good long-term branding strategy. More to the Event Industry Point You can have whatever excuses you want for a less-thanstellar guest experience, but the fact is guests don’t care. They remember what they remember, which might be the six-foot floral arrangements, or it might be the 20-minute valet wait. You can’t control what they talk about the next day, but you can influence what they experience. D.C. Status Update Most of the folks I encountered while covering the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner weekend in Washington were focused squarely on the guest lists of the various parties. They looked past the food to the famous faces, which I’ll grant in many cases was the more interesting choice. But some hosts still put out stylish spreads that would stand out in any market. Some highlights are on page 54. Weiss Is Nice Our L.A. keynote speaker, Mindy Weiss, started with photos from her own family gatherings—and self-deprecating asides about her former hairstyles. Moving on to the celebrity nuptials she’s known for, she gave a candid, funny presentation full of sound bites (as Colin Cowie did in Florida in April). “Great entertainment, great bar, great party.” “Every designer is focusing on lighting fixtures.” (She predicts we’ll see more residential fixtures at parties.) “Always end, if it’s in the budget, with fireworks.” Ka-boom. —Chad Kaydo

PHOTOS: BIZBASH

we’ve got yo! u covered

Last week I came across three interesting takes on how electronic media is affecting how we think and behave. First The New York Times ran a long front-page piece about the impact of our devotion to information-loaded screens (computers, smartphones, iPads, etc.) and toggling between their apps, emails, videos, texts, games, and RSS feeds. In a nutshell: Our multitasking is actually making it harder for us to move between tasks effectively. Next, on a flight from New York to our annual expo in Los Angeles, in Bloomberg BusinessWeek I read a review of The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, a new book by Nicholas Carr. He says all those Facebook status updates and animated banner ads are zapping our ability to recall information and comprehend what we read. Lastly, while stopping for a drink at the Bazaar, the José Andrés restaurant inside the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, I skimmed an op-ed piece by Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker—using a Times app on my iPhone. He suggests everyone chill out about the above. Text messages and CNN screen crawls haven’t exactly slowed the pace of scientific discovery. And our experiences can’t change the brain’s basic capacities. All interesting points—and things to consider when developing event content. It’s also my excuse/inspiration for filling this space with random thoughts instead of a cohesive note. Here goes: Speaking of Flying The experience was filled with the indignities we’ve come to expect from airline travel. Extra fees for checked luggage, food, and Wi-Fi. (I’m half expecting to pay to rent a seat belt next time.) I folded myself into an exit row seat that somehow had less legroom than normal, if you can believe that. But Then… Consider the contrast of checking in at the new Andaz West Hollywood. The concept, as I see it, is modern boutique hotel design with homey service touches. (I’ve also toured the Andaz Wall Street in New York.) There’s no front desk; casually dressed roving staffers armed with tablet computers check you in while sitting on a sofa or standing at a kiosk. The minibar snacks and sodas are free, you pay for booze and beer. There is free Internet access, too, which always wins points from me. (I should note I stayed there because the hotel has a business deal with BizBash.)

Flowers from Vert-De-Gris at Politico’s brunch after the White House Correspondent’s Association dinner

EVELYN HILL INC. IS AN AUTHORIZED CONCESSIONER OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

Readers’ Forum

What are your must-haves for outdoor events? “I always make sure the attendees know an event is scheduled outdoors so they can plan accordingly. Spiked heels on the grass? Not such a good idea.” Karen Grunwald, director of sales, Tech Events, Sacramento

“Covers for food, festive citronella torches, and netting to eliminate the annoyance of insects. I also always have Velcro strips on hand to ensure that tablecloths stay in place when the wind picks up.” David Turk, president, Indiana Market & Catering, New York

“Bug repellent. I usually set up a table with both wipes and sprays—nothing like mosquitoes to ruin the most glamorous events. Other must-haves: cold water and plenty of ice, sunscreen, bandages for scrapes and bruises, and baby wipes for dirty feet.” Leila Marie Eid, assistant director of events, Northeastern University, Boston

“Personalized wetnaps. Especially during summer events, ﬁnger foods and desserts can get sticky very quickly. Guests are always pleasantly surprised by a small jar of them on the table, and it’s a place to add a monogram, theme, or thank you for their attendance.” Stacey Kallenberg, founder, As You Wish Event Design, New York

“Bathroom facilities, water, and power. In order to appreciate the food, camaraderie, and entertainment, guests need to be comfortable.”

PHOTOS: TANIA LEZAK PHOTOGRAPHY (KALLENBERG), TEEKAY PHOTOGRAPHY (ZUCKER)

Joan Rothbard, president, Recreation Picnic Services, New Jersey

“Great beverages. Sometimes wine and spirits aren’t in the budget, but you can do a lot with water. Water stations infused with fruits like strawberries, oranges, limes, or mint leaves can make water pretty and exciting to drink. ” Ula Francoise Zucker, events and media coordinator, City of Miami Gardens

“A contingency plan. There is no climate control outside, just climate management.” Nancy Solero, principal, the Event Reﬁnery, Delaware

“Air-conditioned shelter, or at least overhead fans. Sunscreen, well-ventilated potties, caterers who understand what it means to cater outdoors, bug repellent, and handheld battery-operated fans. Also, knowledge of the terrain on which the event is held so you can mark off any areas where tree roots are above ground.” Joan Eisenstodt, meetings and hospitality consultant, Eisenstodt Associates LLC, Washington

“Bright colors to complement what Mother Nature has already provided.” Linette Young, Beyond Expectations Meetings and Events, San Francisco

Compiled by Claire Hoffman

bizbash.com july/august 2010 11

MY NEW FAVORITE THING “Contact Keeper ($12.99-$29.99, contactkeeper.com), a notebook with slots for business cards and space for writing notes. It keeps my contacts in order until I have the time to sit on my computer and input them.” Dianne Velez, vice president, Colorblind Productions, New York

•

Corporate Affairs Weddings Social Occasions We’ll delight you from the moment your guests arrive. Call our Charter Specialist at 201-432-6321 ext. 1111 or visit www.statuecruises.com

IF YOU CAN MAKE IT HERE, YOU CAN MAKE IT ANYWH E R E. . . IN 15 MINUTES. The New York Helmsley Hotel is the place to meet in the heart of New York. Whether it’s an intimate business setting for an executive board meeting, or a larger space for a conference or banquet, we’re always in a New York frame of mind—providing the perfect venue for every event. Book online or call us today.

212-490-8900 NewYorkHelmsley.com

My Cool New Job Niels Schuurmans has been named the executive vice president of brand marketing and creative at Spike. Schuurmans has been senior vice president at the company since 2004. He previously spent 13 years at Nickelodeon.

“It’s time to take the brand to the next level and turn these shows into franchises. For our show Blue Mountain State, we went to college campuses and hosted games. We sponsored supercross, a motorcycle event. We don’t even air supercross, but those are the guys we want to speak to. We had logo presence and people at the tailgates handing out Spike stuff. I want consumers to actually touch and feel the brand.”

WHAT INSPIRES ME “The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Korval is a lovely reminder of how the simplest of thoughtful gestures can determine a successful outcome of a project or event.” Gina Tepavchevich, meeting and event coordinator, board affairs, Radiological Society of North America, Chicago

PHOTOS: ART ANTONIK (TEPAVCHEVICH), COURTESY OF SPIKE (SCHUURMANS), COURTESY OF CONTACT KEEPER

Charter Your Own Private Yacht

Hollywood & Highland Center • 18 million annual consumers • Located in the heart of Hollywood • 19,000 square foot Central Courtyard • Shopping, Dining, Nightlife, Events & More Located at one of Los Angeles’ busiest intersection and in the heart of all the action. Hollywood & Highland Center is the perfect location to ensure maximum exposure for your next concert, experiential marketing event, consumer product launch, sampling, filming or entertainment branding event.

Jennifer Orsi • Director, Special Events 323.817.0202 • jorsi@cimgroup.com

hollywoodandhighland.com

The Scout

PHOTO: COURTESY OF REBECCA WARD

CAUGHT ON TAPE Austin, Texas-based artist Rebecca Ward (rebeccasward.com) uses colored gaffer tape to create vivid, site-specific installations that play off existing architecture. Ward lays evenly spaced lines of tape that crisscross ceilings and staircases, rise up from floors and walls, and form three-dimensional sculptures. Ward has done corporate commissions, including an eyecatching hot pink and yellow work for Kate Spade’s New York flagship store. Her installations can range from tape-only creations to more elaborate designs that incorporate video and projections. More photos of her work are on BizBash.com. —Lisa Cericola

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Invitations

For its Best New Chefs event in New York in April, Food & Wine created postcards with images of cutlery and wine bottles printed by Corporate Color (800.242.5364, corporatecolor.com).

Priority Mail By LISA CERICOLA

TEXTURE For the launch of music video Web site Vevo in New York in December, Alpine Creative Group (212.989.4198, alpine creativegroup.com) created a two-panel rubber invite that peeled apart. On the front was a holographic foil stamp of Vevo’s logo. The inside text was silk screened with a special ink that wouldn’t rub off. For the opening of Tyler Perry’s Atlanta studios, Creative Intelligence (323.936.9009, creativeintelligence.com) hand-wrapped each invitation in crushed silk taffeta. Inside, the center panel was engraved in metallic gold and merlot. Each invitation was wrapped in a cashmere paper sleeve with the recipient’s name calligraphed in gold.

John Kneapler Design (212.463.9774, johnkneaplerdesign. com) created a patriotic invite for the Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation’s gala at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum in New York in October.

TOYS In April, Washington’s Corcoran Gallery of Art held a press preview for an exhibit of work by Eadweard Muybridge, who pioneered stereographs, an early form of 3-D. Westland Enterprises (301.736.0600, westlandenter prises.com) printed a Muybridge stereograph on natural cardstock. American Paper Optics (800.767.8427, 3dglassesonline.com) provided 3-D glasses.

TYPE For an April 2009 wedding showcase, Mélangerie Inc. (646.248.7823, melangerienyc.com) created a simple yet striking invitation based on a “naughty and nice” theme illustrated with two fonts in contrasting colors and styles.

Mackenzie Brown Design (312.443.1000, mackenziebrown.com) created a text-driven invite for the Chicago-based Adler Planetarium’s 2009 Celestial Ball, which had a “cosmic fusion” theme. To create an explosive look, the ﬁrm merged a vibrant stock image with a bold font on iridescent paper.

16 bizbash.com july/august 2010

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MACKENZIE BROWN DESIGN, COURTESY OF TYLER PERRY STUDIOS, JOHN KNEAPLER DESIGN, BIZBASH (ALL OTHERS)

Paper invites can get lost in the shufﬂe. Here are seven that grabbed guests’ attention with…

New York Fresh Face

FROM FASHION TO FLOWERS Former clothing designer Bess Wyrick offers eco-minded event and floral design, as well as flower arranging classes. In 2008, Wyrick moved to New York to study textile design at Parsons the New School for Design, and continued doing flowers on the side. As her client base grew, she decided to go full-time and, in June 2009, opened Celadon and Celery (646.833.7609, celadoncelery. com), an event and floral design firm named for one of her favorite colors and the edible elements in her work. “I’m a nature, color, and texture junkie,” she says. “I like modern lines but have a huge appreciation for Old World treasures such as antiques, jewelry, and my grandmother’s Christian Dior suits.” Since launching, she has provided weekly arrangements for cocktail lounge Apotheke, as well as decor for corporate events including

Bess Wyrick a press preview for L’Oreal. While she works primarily in New York, Wyrick is open to taking on events back in California. Celadon and Celery also offers a roster of floral design classes led by Wyrick’s partner, Ivie Joy Augustin. Topics range from seasonal blooms to “floral eco-couture,” in which students create centerpieces with flowers and organic materials such as moss, branches, and bark. Sustainability is important to Wyrick. She composts, grows many of her own plants in her Chelsea studio, sources flowers from local growers or certified organic

suppliers, and scavenges for materials to repurpose. For an eco-themed event at Rouge Tomate in September 2009, Wyrick made a vertical succulent garden out of old playground matting found at a construction site in Union Square. “It was the main attraction for the whole event. We loved her and the team so much that we hired them to do our weekly ﬂowers,” says Chris Crocco, Rouge Tomate’s director of event services. “She is very dedicated to the green movement. Her staff even comes with their own biodegradable trash bags when they come to do ﬂowers.” —Lisa Cericola

Hot dogs from Bark

INDOOR-OUTDOOR FIREPLACES Taylor Creative Inc. (888.245.4044, taylorcreativeinc.com) now offers a line of freestanding modern fireplaces made of black powder-coated steel and tempered glass. R E NTA LS Each piece rents for $300 and comes with five 29-ounce bottles of nontoxic, clean-burning Real Flame Gel, which is poured into an inner cavity and ignited. The fire can last as long as two and a half hours per bottle, depending on whether the cavity is fully open. The base of the fireplace measures 43 inches long by 35 1/2 inches wide. —L.C. Taylor Creative’s new fireplace

18 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Hot Dogs With a Pedigree Brooklyn-based Bark Hot Dogs (718.789.1939, barkhotdogs.com) specializes in burgers, fries, and, yes, hot dogs made by owners Joshua Sharkey and Brandon Gillis, formerly of Café Grey and Franny’s, respectively. The partners source all-natural ingredients from regional purveyors. Bark’s Party Packs, which serve CATE R I NG 10 people, cost $100 and include 15 hot dogs, two bowls each of chili, baked beans, and cole slaw, plus fries, onion rings, and condiments. Guests can assemble their own meals or Bark can provide servers. —L.C.

PHOTOS: VINCENT DILIO FOR BIZBASH (BESS WYRICK), COURTESY OF TAYLOR CREATIVE INC., COURTESY OF BARK HOT DOGS

As a budding fashion designer in San Francisco, Bess Wyrick had her own clothing line and made wedding gowns. A few of her bridal clients took note of her creative prowess and started asking for additional services beyond gowns, like hand-sewn linens and, later, flower arrangements. “I said of course I could do it—I’m crafty enough,” Wyrick says. “After I did two weddings, I wanted to stop doing dresses and just do flowers.” Although she didn’t have much experience, she trained at event firms Stanlee R. Gatti Designs and Kathleen Deery Design. “I applied as a freelancer and they assumed I was professionally trained,” she says. “I worked with some of the best event designers and learned by watching.”

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For Rent

TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Solei coffee table, $120, available throughout California from Designer8 Event Furniture Rental (800.709.7007, designer8furniturerental.com)

IsabellĂŠ linen-burlap sofa, $350, available across the U.S. from Suite 206 (214.749.0400, suite206.com)

These six outdoor-friendly rentals incorporate natural touches such as wood, rattan, burlap, and faux shrubbery.

Meridian Leaf lounge, $237, available across the U.S. and Canada from Cort Event Furnishings (888.710.2525, cortevents.com)

ButterďŹ&#x201A;y Effect tables, $220 each, available across the U.S. from Fresh Wata (323.951.0617, freshwata.com)

Boxwood hedge planter, $535, available throughout Southern California from FormDecor (714.493.9501, formdecor.com)

Broadway chair, $250, available across the U.S. from AFR Furniture Rental and Event Furnishings (888.237.7368, afrevents.com)

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF VENDORS

By LISA CERICOLA

PHOTOS: NICK ULIVERI (NAPOLEON), RUSSEL DAY (CABBAGE ROLLS), JESSICA BOONE FOR BIZBASH (PAELLA)

New on the Menu

Meat-Free and Memorable Vegetarians often get short shrift on event menus. Here are three substantial meatless entrees. By LISA CERICOLA

Vegetable paella with saffron-scented rice, tofu, and vegetables, from Contemporary Catering (310.558.8190, contemporarycatering.com) in Los Angeles

Tofu cabbage rolls in ginger broth with chrysanthemum greens and bok choy, from Daniel et Daniel (416.968.9275, danieletdaniel.ca) in Toronto

Grilled vegetable napoleon of eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, and phyllo with roasted red pepper sauce and goat cheese, from Phil Stefani Signature Events (312.226.7611, stefanicatering.com) in Chicago

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How do you attract younger guests? tion line of cosmetics. Held in the parking lots of stores such as Rite Aid and Walgreens, the events offered free makeovers and product education. Because the makeup is geared toward 13- to 21-year-old women, the events’ “marketing, signage, color palette, and even the uniforms and look of the makeup artists, were chosen to appeal to that age range,” Smith says. “We also created a playlist with that age group in mind, [with] artists such as Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga.” Smith says the coupon redemption for Clean Foundation products was “through the roof” and estimates that 75 to 90 percent of guests purchased products on site. In the nonproﬁt realm, planners are using after-parties to target emerging philanthropists. When the Art Institute of Chicago debuted its Matisse exhibition in March, the women’s board hosted an elegant gala with a champagne reception, a string quartet, and a three-course dinner. Geared toward a younger crowd, a separate event—new this year—started at 10 p.m. in the museum’s upper-level restaurant. There, guests found pillowstrewn lounge areas, a dance ﬂoor with disco balls, and a buffet of sliders and French fries. Dubbed “Radical

Ask BizBash

Night,” the event had a separate host committee comprised of young area United Enterprofessionals. tainment Group, Some 350 guests, Cover Girl’s New most in the 21-to York-based PR 40-year-old age and marketing range, attended. agency, enlisted The party was Koncept Events “certainly a great to stage a ﬁvesuccess,” says city road show director of donor geared toward initiatives Anne women who are Henry. “It raised just starting to a bit of money. use makeup. More importantly, though, it was an opportunity to welcome a new audience. All ticket purchasers who were not already members of the museum received a membership with their ticket.” Jung Lee, co-founder of New York production company Fête, says that clients with particularly dry corporate cultures hire her to produce events that will help retain younger employees. In addition to keeping current staffers, she says, “great corporate events can be selling tools to attract great new talent during the recruiting process.” Lee says that uninteresting

entertainment is a common mistake at corporate gatherings. “Most event entertainment goes on a little too long,” she said. “Young employees have a shorter attention span and will get bored.” Lee recommends hiring entertainers who can deliver short, high-impact performances that incorporate contemporary humor. She has wrangled up-andcoming comedian Aziz Ansari and talent from Second City Entertainment. She’s also hired a professional pickpocket artist to roam cocktail receptions and pluck guests’ watches and wallets. —Jenny Berg

Peel-and-Stick Lights

An LED-lit bar

22 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Ideal for trade show booths, bars and tables, or product displays, Invisiled Tape is an adhesive strip of LED lighting from W.A.C. Lighting (516.515.5000, waclighting.com). To use, just cut the product to the desired length and adLIGHTI N G here. The company also offers mounting clips for added security. The lighting is available in amber, blue, green, red, white, and a rotating palette, and lasts about 50,000 hours. The company also recently released an outdoor version of the product that can withstand rain and other conditions. Retail pricing starts at about $75 per foot for the single-color indoor version. —Lisa Cericola

Multiple USigns can be linked to create a tower.

D.I.Y. SIGNAGE Ideal for exhibits or check-in stations, Sentina’s (908.964.8109, biz.sentinasmart.com) USign allows planners to create their own illuminated signs. The lightweight display frames are made of recycled plastic and have built-in LED lighting. To create a custom display, print a sign on TR ADE SHOWS an 8- by 11-inch transparency sheet and slide it into the frame. USigns cost $80 each and can be linked together to create a freestanding tower. —L.C.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF UNITED ENTERTAINMENT, COURTESY OF W.A.C. LIGHTING, COURTESY OF SENTINA

By giving events a youthful edge, organizations can draw new customers and donors, and corporations can attract emerging talent or new customers. From carefully curated soundtracks to high-impact entertainment, here are some ways to draw fresh faces. In Chicago, Saks Fifth Avenue director of marketing Julie Selakovich tapped online magazine CheekyChicago.com, which has a core readership of 25- to 40-year-old women, to publicize an in-store fashion show. Saks and Cheeky staffers selected “six inﬂuential, fashionable people in Chicago,” including PR reps and members of the media, to serve as hosts and models. The event had a fun, low-key vibe with a shiny pink runway by Kehoe Designs, a DJ, and refreshments from sponsors MGD 64 and VitaminWater Zero. Through email blasts from Cheeky, postings on social networking sites, and word-of-mouth publicity from the host committee, the event drew 150 guests. “More than half were new customers to Saks Fifth Avenue,” Selakovich says. In April, Hillary Smith and Sarah Turk of Miami’s Koncept Events worked on a national road show to promote Cover Girl’s Clean Founda-

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Kool’s new acrylic candelabrum.

Clear Candelabra Whitney Adams, Rachel Humphrey, and Joy Wilson

Los Angeles Fresh Faces

Eggs en cocotte with shallot cream, prosciutto, and polenta

Kool Party Rentals (623.434.8822, koolpartyrentals.com) has a new acrylic candelabrum in three styles: Chic, Casual, and Contempo. R E NTA LS The clear product is approximately 36 inches long by 30 inches high, with a wireless LED base that allows it to glow in various colors or change colors throughout an event. A middle platform area can hold ﬂowers, and the candelabra can be used with pillar, taper, or mechanical candles. Rentals cost $90 wholesale for industry professionals, or $125 retail. —A.D.

A trio of culinary specialists serves up food- and wine-related offerings like gifts, classes, contests, and menu ideas. On the Lamb (onthelambfb.com) is a new event and catering ﬁrm operated by three Los Angeles food and wine pros. Baker Joy Wilson is behind the baking blog JoytheBaker.com. Chef Rachel Humphrey trained at the French Culinary Institute, cooked in New York and Chicago, and was a lead instructor at the nation’s busiest recreational cooking school, the Chopping Block. And sommelier Whitney Adams has a background in restaurant management, most recently at Cube Cafe and Marketplace. The partners offer foodand wine-related services, though their company is not a traditional catering operation. In addition to hosting their own events, the group offers programs and services like teambuilding activities (demonstration or hands on); classes on food and wine pairings; and cook-off contests in which they act as coaches and judges. On the Lamb can also put together baskets for client gifts, employment anniversaries, and thank-yous. (They work with a graphic designer who creates custom cards.) Or try their hotel

24 bizbash.com july/august 2010

turndown amenity for a visiting V.I.P.: a welcome basket with fresh-baked treats, charcuterie, hand-made accoutrements, wine and cheese, travel sachets of local herbs, herbal refresh sprays, scented soaps, and candies. “There is no prix-ﬁxe menu of services. We take great pride in the fact that everything we do is custom made, designed, or sourced to our collective high standards, beautiful, unique, thoughtful, and overall a good time,” Humphrey says. Alex Brown of specialty food importer Gourmet Imports, who has participated in On the Lamb’s own events, adds, “The work that [On the Lamb does] is deeply heartening, especially in L.A., as the food culture here is growing and expanding in leaps and bounds. Not only does your ticket to an On the Lamb event get you a solid and whimsical menu, you also fall into interactions with your fellow diners, strangers that may [become] friends, and you get to interact with the three wonderful creators of your intimate culinary spectacle.” —Alesandra Dubin

Grand Del Mar resort’s plant restoration program

AN ECO-FRIENDLY OUTING The native plant restoration program is the Grand Del Mar resort’s (858.314.2000, thegranddelmar.com) newest option for groups. As many as 100 participants set out on a guided hike or mountain bike trek into Los Peñasquitos Canyon ACTI VIT Y Preserve, followed by an afternoon of planting native foliage with resort staff and park rangers. The cost of the program, which includes the hike, plants, tools, water, backpack, and snacks, is $159 per person, with a minimum of 20 participants. —A.D.

PHOTOS: SABINA YANNONE, CRIS MORIS (EGG), COURTESY OF KOOL PARTY RENTALS, COURTESY OF GRAND DEL MAR

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The Women’s Bean Project (womensbean project.com) hires women in poverty to create and package food items like salsa, chili, and bean soup mixes. Gift baskets start at $30.

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer (646.454.0386, cookiesforkidscancer.org) funds pediatric cancer research through the sale of baked goods, $30 per dozen.

Gifts

TWICE AS NICE

Rara coasters, $12.95 for four, from the Hunger Site (888.355.4321, thehungersite.com) are made by Haitian artisans out of recycled materials and support Partners in Health.

These 10 corporate goodies have built-in charitable tie-ins. By LISA CERICOLA

Cards for Causes (888.832.4153, cards forcauses.com) creates personalized stationery, starting at $105 for 100 cards. Twenty percent of proceeds go to any licensed charity.

26 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Through Bright Endeavors (773.388.2811, brightendeavors. org), homeless and at-risk young women make Dreambeam soy candles in recycled glass containers, $12 to $45.

New Orleans-based What’s Surbag (whatsurbag-usa. com) creates tote bags, $14.95 and up, that support Hope House’s food and shelter assistance, adult learning programs, and other services.

This unisex scarf, $30, from the Yellow Bird Project (yellowbird project.com) beneﬁts organizations such as Mercy Corps and Greenpeace.

Chocomize (856.375.2041, chocomize.com) offers 90 ingredients to create custom candy bars that start at $4 each. A small percentage goes to one of three charities, including the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Charity: Water’s (646.688.2323, charitywater.org) stainless steel Thermos hydration bottle, $42, funds 20 years of clean water for two people in developing nations.

PHOTOS: ALL COURTESY OF VENDORS

Ten percent of proceeds from Presents for a Purpose’s (212.580.0515, presentsforpurpose. com) oilcloth toiletry bag, $25, go to one of 23 charities, including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Strategy Session

Social Life The social media gurus at Mashable drew a sold-out crowd to their most ambitious ofﬂine event yet, a daylong conference during New York Internet Week. Attendees tweeted and blogged from the conference.

Sponsor Motorola set up a photo booth and gave each attendee a phone.

Mashable editor in chief Adam Ostrow interviewed Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley. CNN co-hosted the summit and linked to online content from the day.

28 bizbash.com summer 2010

Like so many technology fests, New York Internet Week is a booze-soaked labyrinth of panels, launches, and networking events. It provides a brief, face-to-face respite for guests whose lives and professions revolve almost entirely around a glowing computer screen, so getting them to commit to one daylong event, in a week crammed with dozens of different initiatives, requires a compelling pitch. That was the dilemma for social media blog Mashable, whose previous Internet Week outing was a mixer with little opportunity for branding or audience education. Since it was founded in 2005, Mashable has become the de facto authority on marketing with social media and is only bested in U.S. blog trafﬁc by the Hufﬁngton Post and Gizmodo. Looking to create a signature event that could cater to the varied interests of its readership while providing an attractive opportunity for sponsors, the brand put on the Mashable Media Summit at the Times Center on June 8. Instead of typical conference panels, the summit lined up an entire day of presentations from social and digital media experts in arenas as diverse as hospitality, music, consumer branding, video production, and location technology, all speaking about how Web marketing and promotions worked to their advantage. By casting the widest possible net, Mashable hoped to court an equally diverse group of guests. “We’re known for throwing parties, but that’s not really what we’re about,” says Brett Petersel, who handles Mashable’s business development and events, but had never done anything on the scale of the summit. “I think it was time to see if we could really do something big like this.” After being heavily promoted on the site and appearing on recommended event lists from CNET and the Daily Beast, the summit drew a

sold-out crowd of more than 400. Attendees paid $499 for their nearly eight hours of live programming. “We didn’t really target specific people,” Petersel said. “We just put it out there, what we were doing, for the people who might be somewhat familiar with the terminology but wanted to learn how to do it and wanted to hear it from people who’d done it well.” Mashable looked to speakers who were recognizable, but not familiar speaking circuit faces. Coordinating with business and editorial staffers, Petersel brought in more than 20 experts, including Foursquare co-founder Dennis CrowBrett Petersel ley; Starbucks vice president of brand, content, and online Chris Bruzzo; and actor Edward Norton, who made a recent foray into social media with a fund-raising Web site called Crowdrise. Securing marketing partners ended up being easier. “A lot of sponsors just came to us,” said Petersel. He had worked with many of the brands before, though typically on events that offered less exposure. “As for the others, we approached our sponsors the same way we always do, giving them the opportunity to meet our audience, do some business, and see firsthand how much we’ve grown.” Yahoo, HP, and Motorola— which gave each attendee a new phone—were among the brands that came on board. The biggest partnership of all was with CNN. Mashable chief operations officer Adam Hirsch, who first came up with the idea of the summit, brought on the cable news network as an official co-host in the early stages. All of the day’s content—in addition to being streamed on Mashable—was available online via direct links on CNN’s home page. However, as might have been expected in a group so focused on social media, it was the guests who provided much of the content promotion. From start to finish, the conference offered the very meta sight of most attendees clacking out blog entries on laptops and Blackberries and stealthily tweeting from their new iPads.

PHOTOS: KENNETH YEUNG/THELETTERTWO.COM (PETERSEL), COURTESY OF MASHABLE (ALL OTHER PHOTOS)

By MICHAEL O’CONNELL

Mission Statements Decor can be more than just a backdrop. These six events show how stylish details can communicate an organization’s message or purpose. By LISA CERICOLA

At its May beneﬁt in New York, the Robin Hood Foundation communicated its mission through six verbs—teaches, heals, feeds, nurtures, trains, and shelters—showcased in streetscapes in the cocktail area created by Peter Crawford, Atomic Design, and PEDG.

In April, Feeding South Florida threw a military-themed event to illustrate the food bank’s mission to win the war on hunger. Guests drank “hand grenade” cocktails, a photo exhibit showed images of people affected by hunger, and tables had camo-patterned linens and wooden folding chairs from Panache, a division of Classic Party Rentals.

At Unicef’s April gala in Chicago, Kehoe Designs used moss to spell out the number of children who reportedly die from preventable causes. Unicef’s mission is to decrease that number to zero, hence the event’s theme, “Believe in zero.”

ON BIZBASH.COM More photos and ideas from these events

30 bizbash.com may/june 2010

At Boys & Girls Club of Boston’s House Party in May, Rafanelli Events celebrated the organization’s athletic program by decorating the space with red and white basketballs, footballs, and pennants branded with the tagline “Invest in a child, inspire a future.”

At the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s Butterfly Ball in May, Chicago’s Bukiety Inc. created centerpieces of flowers that were later replanted in the museum’s butterfly garden. The Colorectal Cancer Screening Initiative Foundation and Colon Cancer Canada hosted its “Bottoms Up!” fund-raiser in May. Attendees purchased T-shirts that read “Smart Ass,” A La Carte Kitchen served desserts shaped like derrieres, and live auction items included toilet seats painted by notable designers.

PHOTOS: KEITH SIRCHIO FOR BIZBASH (ROBIN HOOD), AVIRAN LEVY (BOYS & GIRLS CLUB), EDDIE QUINONES FOR BIZBASH (BUTTERFLY BALL), BIZBASH (BOTTOMS UP), GAIL POLLARD (UNICEF), ROSIE HERNANDEZ/LET ME GROW STUDIO (FEEDING SOUTH FLORIDA)

Idea File

A Glass-Walled TV Studio In April, WNET debuted its new studio beside Lincoln Center’s revamped Alice Tully Hall. Much like the redesigned buildings and spaces of the Upper West Side performing arts campus, this two-story facility is open and modern with views inside through floor-to-ceiling windows. Built for the production and broadcast of the public media company’s programs, WNET at Lincoln Center is fitted with HD monitors, DVD players, projectors, and Wi-Fi. Available for cocktail receptions, dinners, and meetings, the venue offers 1,500 square feet of event space on the first floor and 2,200 square feet upstairs. (1949 Broadway, 212.560.3549)

Venues

New York

By ANNA SEKULA

Home to fashion presentations, product launches, and trade shows, the Metropolitan Pavilion is increasing its offerings to include another gallery-style space. On the second floor of the Chelsea building, the 8,500-square-foot Metropolitan Suite will be retrofitted with environmentally conscious amenities including low-voltage LED lighting and floors made from sustainably harvested wood. Metropolitan Pavilion is accepting bookings for the site, which is projected to open in late July. (125 West 18th St., 212.463.0071)

A New Venue in an Old Art Center Long before Chelsea became a hub for art galleries, the Dia Art Foundation operated a facility on West 22nd Street, a site it closed in 2004. Now four ﬂoors of the red brick building have been leased by Absolute Events and, at press time, were scheduled to reopen for event rental in July as Center548. Occupying the second, third, and fourth ﬂoors, each of which measures approximately 9,500 square feet and holds 300 for receptions, the facility will include a dedicated 100-amp electrical supply, a mobile catering prep station, and a roof deck. The venue will have no permanent sound system or exclusive contracts with vendors. (548 West 22nd St., 917.992.1854)

A Fashion-Focused Hotel The latest in the Flatiron district’s fastgrowing collection of boutique hotels is Wyndham’s Fashion 26, which opened in April. Situated opposite the Fashion Institute of Technology, the 280-room property is decorated with nods to the garment industry. For meetings and events, there’s a conference room for as many as 80, a 14-seat boardroom, and the 200-seat Rare Bar & Grill restaurant, which also operates a 3,000-square-foot rooftop. (152 West 26th St., 212.858.5888)

32 bizbash.com january/february 2010

News Madison Square Garden started an $850 million revamp in June. The project will update the current amenities and add a number of newly constructed components. In addition to new suites and two 1,000-seat “sky bridges,” the renovation will include the construction of the Super Club for corporate entertaining. The project will close the arena for three consecutive summers and is expected to be completed by October 2013.

PHOTOS: JOE SINNOTT/WNET.ORG, COURTESY OF METROPOLITAN PAVILION, COURTESY OF WYNDHAM, COURTESY OF CENTER548

An Eco-Minded Facility Expansion

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For Functions in the Financial District The much-delayed W New York Downtown is expected to ﬁnally open its doors in August, adding 217 more hotel rooms to the area surrounding Wall Street. Just south of where the new World Trade Center towers are expected to stand, the building will also offer nearly 2,000 square feet of dedicated meeting and event space, a bar and terrace for cocktails, and a bilevel BLT Bar & Grill (123 Washington St., 646.826.8600).

New York

Continuing the rapid expansion of Hyatt’s Andaz division is the Andaz 5th Avenue, a 184-room boutique hotel opposite the New York Public Library. Designed by Tony Chi, the new property follows the ideas laid out by the Andaz Wall Street, with residential-style rooms, a farm-to-table restaurant, and ﬂexible studios for corporate functions. The largest event space measures 1,478 square feet and can be split into three sections. (485 Fifth Ave., 212.601.1234)

Hotel Report

By ANNA SEKULA

A Business-Friendly Hub in Times Square Much like its properties all over the world, the InterContinental Times Square has an array of meetingfriendly amenities, including a 20-seat boardroom, a 4,000-square-foot ballroom, and a business center equipped with computers, copiers, and Internet access. What distinguishes this 607room hotel from others is Ça Va, a 125seat French brasserie-style restaurant from Todd English, set to open in July with a private dining room for 56 people. (300 West 44th St., 212.803.4500)

A SoHo Boutique With Art Connections Contemporary Finishes in an Architectural Landmark In August, the Lambs Club, the former home of one of the city’s oldest theatrical organizations and a Stanford White-designed landmark, will become Sant Chatwal’s new 88-room hotel, a property embellished with a mix of Art Deco details and modern touches. Positioned as a luxury venue, the Chatwal New York will not only cater to diners with a 90-seat restaurant from Geoffrey Zakarian, but also appeal to planners with a banquet area for 120 and a handful of other meeting spaces. (130 West 44th St., 212.764.6200)

34 bizbash.com july/august 2010

The New York sibling to the James Chicago is expected to debut in August with 114 rooms, a rotating series of artwork from local artists, and a lobby overlooking LentSpace, an exhibition site from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. At the corner of Grand and Thompson streets, the James New York will also offer a rooftop lounge and bar with a pool, an indoor/outdoor event space with built-in videoconferencing, and a restaurant from an as-yet-unnamed chef. (27 Grand St., 888.526.3778)

PHOTOS: GREGORY GOODE (CHATWAL), BIZBASH, RENDERING COURTESY OF W NEW YORK DOWNTOWN, RENDERING COURTESY OF INTERCONTINETAL, COURTESY OF JAMES NEW YORK

Home-Style Surroundings in Midtown

速

Restored Deco Grandeur Downtown The former Los Angeles Stock Exchange building reopened in June after a $5 million restoration as Exchange LA, a nightlife and event venue. The space is available for buyout for 1,000 people; special permitting can increase that number by several hundred. The building sits along downtown’s gallery row, and its room names pay homage to its past: The main event space and dance ﬂoor is called the Trading Floor, the reservation-only mezzanine is known as the Federal Reserve, and the private fourth-ﬂoor area is the Board Room. The 25,000-square-foot venue includes four stories, four bars, and private access to the Board Room via a restored vintage elevator with a ’30s-style-clad operator. (618 South Spring St., 213.627.8070)

By ALESANDRA DUBIN

A Silverlake Bourbon Bar Opened in April in the space formerly occupied by Stinker’s Truck Stop in Silverlake, the Thirsty Crow is the latest effort from 1933 Group, creators of Bigfoot Lodge, Little Cave, and Saints and Sinners. The venue, whose name comes from one of Aesop’s fables, focuses on the tradition of American small-batch bourbons. The Thirsty Crow states its goal as bucking the trend toward complicated cocktails in favor of straightforward offerings like whiskey shots. Nevertheless, classic cocktails made from organic, locally sourced ingredients are available. The diminutive space holds about 80, and may be available for buyout on a case-by-case basis. (2939 West Sunset Blvd., 323.661.6007)

A Club With a Built-in Burger Bar SBE opened new nightclub Industry in March in the former Area space. The interior has a modern look with Art Deco touches and a seamlessly integrated outdoor lounge. A walk-up bar serves comfort food, including burgers and fries. Full-service catering is available for events. There are plush banquettes and performance poles in the space, which has three bars in the intimate main room. Two additional private rooms have their own full bars. The space has a DJ booth with built-in Serato and LED lighting on the dance ﬂoor. Industry has room for 500 with a wall removed, or can be split up for groupings of 400 and 100. An adjacent parking lot can accommodate a tent for larger events. (643 North La Cienega Blvd., 310.652.2012)

A Reinvented Studio Back Lot A June 2008 ﬁre consumed Universal Studios’ back-lot areas known as Courthouse Square and New York Street, where such memorable movies as To Kill a Mockingbird and Back to the Future were ﬁlmed. Turning an obstacle into a stepping stone, the studio reopened a new and improved New York Street a year later, this time with distinctive neighborhoods carved out of its four acres. The generic old city streets have been transformed into urban areas resembling New York neighborhoods, complete with contemporary glass-and-steel buildings. To lend more of a big-city feel, facade heights are now 40 to 50 feet. Event possibilities include renting one block or booking the entire area for about 5,000. Outdoor and tented seating is available. (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 818.777.9466) —Irene Lacher

36 bizbash.com july/august 2010

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF INDUSTRY, ALEN LIN (THIRSTY CROW), COURESTY OF EXCHANGE LA, COURTESY OF NBC UNIVERSAL STUDIO SPECIAL EVENTS

Venues

Los Angeles

Hotel Report

By ALESANDRA DUBIN

Nightlife entrepreneur Victor Drai has brought his namesake destination Drai’s Hollywood to the rooftop of the W Hollywood. The splashy space offers more than 20,000 square feet, with sweeping views and multiple areas for events. The 120-seat restaurant is helmed by chef Claude Segal and sits between the lounge and the rooftop pool and patio. On one side of the pool there is a row of ﬂat-topped cabanas furnished with low couches and wood frames holding up white privacy curtains. On the other side is a row of covered daybeds with Moroccan-style inlaid wooden tables, red-cushioned couches, mirrors, and ﬂat-screen TVs. At the far end of the pool, four larger cabanas overlook the whole space. (6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323.962.1111)

PHOTO: DANNY MAHONEY (DRAI’S)

Poolside Entertaining

PHOTOS: DAVID GUETTLER (SUITE 700), MARY NICHOLS (FOUR SEASONS), DOUG HILL (BEVERLY GARLAND HOLIDAY INN)

Indoor/Outdoor Meeting Space The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood recently debuted its redesigned conference space, the Garland Center. Updates include technology improvements, new carpeting, lighting, and cosmetic touches. Six separate meeting spaces include the 132-seat Beverly Garland Theater, which has plush chairs with retractable desks. The Spanish-inﬂuenced hotel offers more than 14,500 square feet of event space, including a grand ballroom, which has room for 650 guests, and a landscaped outdoor space. (4222 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood, 818.255.7491)

A Revamped High-End Spa

A Beachside Penthouse Lounge

Along with this year’s major renovation at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills came upgrades to the spa, including new tiling in the steam rooms, locker refacing, and refurbished wood in the saunas. The 3,695-square-foot space has eight treatment rooms. Perks like pre- and after-hours or in-room treatments, and chocolates from the inhouse pastry chef are available. The spa does not typically offer group rates or package pricing. (300 South Doheny Drive, 310.273.2222)

Santa Monica’s 71-room Hotel Shangri-La has debuted Suite 700. The new rooftop bar and lounge from nightlife entrepreneur and designer Marc Smith has a nautical moderne design with unobstructed views of the ocean. Terraces offer plush lounge seating and fire pits. Inside, gray flannel covers walls, and there are etched mirrors, large windows, and a dramatic scalloped fireplace. The space is available for buyout, with room for about 75. The classic cocktail list recalls Hollywood’s golden age with drinks like rum punch and Pimm’s After Dark served in shiny shakers and tulip martini glasses. Menu items include octopus carpaccio and lamb served with medjool dates. (1301 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 310.394.2791)

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INSIDE EDGE

Ten Years Running and Eyebeam Still in Fashion Neptune’s Space-Age LED Curtain Neptune Productions is well known to clients such as Nike, DirecTV, and Mercedes Benz as a turnkey technical Event Support company that offers A/V, lighting, sound, and video solutions and can even handle webcasting.Neptune has now kicked it up a notch by creating a LED panel of light that is ﬂexible, weatherproof, and can display video. The 9’6’’x38” panels can be combined to make a “curtain” of virtually any size. (323.662.8863, www.NeptuneProd.com)

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza’s $1,000,000 Meeting Space Makeover The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza recently completed a $1,000,000 renovation of its meeting and social spaces, including a totally new look for the hotel’s Plaza Level. The Plaza Level’s 12,000 square feet of meeting space can be divided into four distinct venues and surrounds groups of up to 400 with plush wall-to-wall carpeting in warm tones of rich brown, gold and burnt orange. Lighting includes individual controls in each room, custom chandeliers, and wall sconces to illuminate newly appointed sofas, wing chairs, and lounge seating arrangements. (310.551.3303, www. centuryplaza.hyatt.com)

If the classy brick walls at Eyebeam could talk, what a story they could tell. For the last ten years, this unique and raw venue has hosted everything from Fashion Week showings featuring Thakoon, Yigal Azrouel and Alexander Wang to high-proﬁle corporate events for Vogue, Google and The New Yorker. With 16-foot ceilings and an ideal location amongst Chelsea’s premier art galleries, it’s no wonder this one-ofa-kind venue is still in fashion and in demand entering its second decade. (917.579.5372, www. eventsateyebeam.info)

Drape Kings Opens D.C. Office Leading pipe-anddrape provider Drape Kings knows how to make an entrance. The company inaugurated its full service Washington, D.C. office spectacularly by providing a royal blue encore drape backdrop for an event with First Ladies Michelle Obama and Svetlana Medvedev, wife of Russian Premier Dimitri Medvedev. With the opening of the new 24/7 office, Drape Kings can now service events from New England to Virginia. Their full pipe-and-drape solutions include over 30 colors and fabrics. (301.220.0001, www.drapekings.com)

EVENT REPORTS

PHOTO: NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY

Game On The E3 computer and video game trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center included an exhibit from Disney Interactive Studios.

State of Play

Ubisoft set up a 100- by 150-foot, two-story exhibit, with design, fabrication, and production by Ethos under lead designer Armen Gharabegian. Attendees ﬂowed through the booth to check out new titles amid immersive gaming experiences. Exhibit Lighting Group did the lighting design, ShowPro the technical and audiovisual production, and Super Color Digital the graphics.

E3—the massive trade show for computer and video games and related products— took to the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 15 through 17, bringing 300 exhibitors, 45,600 attendees, sponsorship activations, and related events and parties. GameSpot’s party, produced by the Visionary Group, included heavy branding through gobos, logo pillows, a pool table, and a GameSpot sizzle reel playing on large LCD monitors throughout the party, in the lobby, and on the 16th ﬂoor of 1010 Wilshire.

By ALESANDRA DUBIN On June 14, Activision kicked off E3 at the Staples Center with performances by the likes of Eminem, Rihanna, and Travis Barker; Usher with Will.i.am; Pharrell and N.E.R.D.; and Tony Hawk. Zed Ink produced the Xbox 360 media brieﬁng at the Wiltern, with a stage designed to highlight each title’s graphics and immerse the audience in visuals. The stage hosted controller-driven demos of launch games and experiences on Kinect for Xbox 360. The brieﬁng was televised live on Spike TV and broadcast in Times Square.

Target’s Caravents-produced “Bullseye Lounge” in the Concourse Hall Foyer served as a getaway from the mania in the exhibit halls. A 20-foot video wall looped logo-inspired graphics, gaming trailers, and guest photos. Attendees also had the chance to play Ubisoft games.

44 bizbash.com july/august 2010

PHOTOS: NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY (UBISOFT, XBOX 360, DISNEY INTERACTIVE), MICHAEL BUCKNER/WIREIMAGE.COM (ACTIVISION), MARK DAVIS (GAMESPOT), LINE 8 PHOTOGRAPHY (TARGET), COURTESY OF FREDDIE GEORGES PRODUCTION GROUP (2K, TRION)

LOS ANGELES

EVENTS HUDSON

The Freddie Georges Production Group produced and built a booth for 2K that included a sports bar to showcase an array of sports games, and highlighted New Carnival Games through a fairlike setup. A theater showed ﬁrst images from the reimagined ’90s strategy game X-Com.

TEAM BUILDING

DRIVING RANGE

on the

Disney Interactive’s 15,000square-foot exhibit, with production by Greco Decor, cut a dramatic proﬁle with panels assembled askew.

SUNSET TERRACE

SCAVENGER HUNTS

SAND VOLLEYBALL

Get out of the ofﬁce. Activity with reception packages starting at $99/person.

Trion’s exhibit showed its gaming wares, including a nod to the EON franchise, which will debut as both a game and a television show simultaneously. The Freddie Georges Production Group produced and built the exhibit, which depicted the world from the highly anticipated game. ELS provided the lighting equipment.

Dishes included salads like grilled potato and watercress with bacon dressing. The massive tent for the American Idol afterparty sprawled over the Event Deck at L.A. Live.

Idol Worship Sponsor logos and color dominated the American Idol ﬁnale party.

Sponsor gobos decked the outside of the tent.

PHOTOS: 2ME STUDIOS

Logos ﬁlled the tent, dotting pillows and tabletops in seating groups.

46 bizbash.com july/august 2010

With judge Simon Cowell moving on from the show he made huge, this season’s American Idol finale on May 26 was attached to some extra drama and emotion (or at least TV-montage-style emotion), if not extra ratings. To that end, the after-party following the final show itself carried a sense of bold largesse. Fox’s Karin Pofsky tapped YourBash to produce the party at the Event Deck at L.A. Live, where a giant tent glowed blue for the show, network, and sponsors Ford and AT&T. Outside, logo gobos decked the tent, and three giant, upright capital letters spelled out the network’s name. Inside, moving lights from Kinetic danced within oversize glittering chandeliers, and logos galore decked furniture groupings. Epicurean Events catered hearty dinner buffets, including salads and dishes with Mexican influences, and Customcandybuffetbars.com set up a popular dessert bar—with confections done mostly in blue—near the entrance. Sponsor Coca-Cola, whose signature color dictated the tent’s glowing red area, hosted bars, and brought a special computer that allowed guests (particularly the under-21 set) to customize their own drinks from American Idol Finale more than 100 possible combinations of After-Party Audiovisual Production flavors owned by the Sweetwater Video brand. Production At the back of the Candy Bar tent, an entire row of Customcandybuffetbars. com photo booths from Catering Epicurean Events Red Cheese helped Decor, Production meet demand for the YourBash! activity, where guests Lighting Kinetic Lighting lined up to have their Photo Booths Red Cheese Inc. mugs snapped and Rentals Classic Party delivered in cardRentals board frames bearing Sound Goodman Audio Services Inc. Fox and American Idol Venue Event Deck at L.A. branding. Live —Alesandra Dubin

LOS ANGELES

Cookies bore sponsor AT&T’s logo.

Prepare Your Entries Now! New Online Submissions Web Site Opens Soon

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Flat-screen TVs ďŹ lled the room, and seating was mostly white.

Best Corporate or Association Event (Budget over $50,000) Best Corporate or Association Event (Budget under $50,000)

Epicurean Events catered hearty dinner buffets.

A candy buffet toward the entrance had a mostly blue palette.

Male and female go-go dancers shimmied on platforms.

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NEW THIS YEAR: SUBMIT ONLINE 3\b`WSa OQQS^bSR PSbeSS\ /cUcab $ O\R AS^bS[PS` " Ob bizbash.com/nysubmit.

Best New Product

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Best Lighting Design

4]` `cZSa QObSU]`g RSaQ`W^bW]\a O\R b] acP[Wb g]c` SdS\b dWaWb bizbash.com/nysubmit ]` QOZZ 646.839.6831 COMING THIS FALL EObQV T]` ]c` W\bS`OQbWdS Community Choice Awards O\\]c\QS[S\b eVS`S you \][W\ObS SdS\b ^SS`a T]` W\Rcab`g `SQ]U\WbW]\ DWaWb bizbash.com/ youvote T]` []`S W\T]`[ObW]\

Best Centerpiece/Tabletop Decor

Best Gift or Gift Bag Best Overall Catering at an Event Best Overall Event Decor (Budget over $50,000) Best Overall Event Decor (Budget under $50,000) Best New Venue Best Staging/Set Design Best Use of Technology Best Video for an Event

<M<EK JKPC< 8N8I;J New York / Javits Center / October 27, 2010

Upfront and Center The annual television network upfronts returned to New York in May with elaborate decor, surprise performances, and late-night parties. Here’s a look at what some networks put together this year.

NEW YORK

By MICHAEL O’CONNELL

Fox

The cast of Glee stopped by two of the talent stations to pose with guests for souvenir photos.

Fox closed its party, as it has in years past, with a performance by cover band Boogie Nights.

CW The CW kicked off its presentation with Katy Perry performing her song “California Gurls,” from the network’s summer campaign.

ON BIZBASH.COM 48 bizbash.com july/august 2010

More photos and ideas from the upfronts

PHOTOS: JESSICA TOROSSIAN FOR BIZBASH (GLEE), ANDRE MAIER (OTHER FOX), JOHN FILO/THE CW

Fox ditched the multicolored palette of years past for a more sophisticated blue theme.

Ribbons of video at the TNT/ TBS upfront, designed by Mike Rhoads, started on the sides of the stage and twisted into the ﬂoor, where stars from the different series came out to speak with guests.

Adult Swim Dollar signs found their way into all of the decor at the Adult Swim party, from banners outside of Gotham Hall to gobos on the interior ﬂoors and walls.

Turner

After a video made just for the presentation, Conan O’Brien appeared on stage for a short comedic and musical performance.

For the decor in the receiving and check-in area this year, Turner worked with designer David Stark to play with dimensions using cut-outs in the walls and 3-D logos on pedestals.

Guests at the CBS afterparty were greeted with watermelon martinis.

NBC

PHOTOS: JEFFREY STAAB/CBS (CARNEGIE HALL), HEATHER WINES/CBS (MARTINIS), COURTESY OF NBC UNIVERSAL, WIREIMAGE.COM (TBS AND ADULT SWIM)

NBC promoted its slogan, “More colorful,” with a group of brightly hued cabs that drove around Midtown before heading to the network’s presentation at the Hilton.

CBS Holding to tradition, CBS delivered its presentation at Carnegie Hall.

bizbash.com july/august 2010 49

Maxim Exposure The magazine delivered a grown-up playground for men, with abundant girls as guests and models. What do guys like? Hot dogs, booze, recreation, girls, motorcycles, and girls on motorcycles? Maxim exploited the stereotypes in an effort to hit the mark at its Hot 100 party for about 1,500, which feted its issue covering a menagerie of 100 women. This year’s event took to the B-Tank at the Studios at Paramount. The venue marked a return to the studio that hosted the event when it first moved from New York to Los Angeles two years ago—a choice intended to position the party closer to the celebrities it hopes to draw. “One of the reasons we moved to L.A. is we really wanted to make the event bigger, expand it, with more sponsor integrations. It’s more difficult to find the space to do this in New York, and it’s much easier to be outdoors here,” said Alpha Media Group’s Amanda Civitello, who oversees the event. Civitello tapped the Visionary Group to produce the party for the first time, and the team created a look modeled after city parks in the springtime. New York’s Central Park was among the inspirations for some of the details, like chess boards, hot dog and ice cream carts, and a man-made pond Maxim Hot 100 Party where guests could race motorized toy boats that bore sponsors’ flags. Astroturf, Carpeted Trails, Green Carpet, Synthetic Scantily clad models frolicked in a Grass Primo XL sand box, where sponsors’ logos dotBars, Furniture Rentals, ted the sand, and a basketball half Rentals Town & Country court beckoned guests and models in Event Rentals Basketball Court, Dance tube socks. Floor Hayden Portable New sponsor Harley-Davidson Dance Floor Rental was easily visible through integraBranded Vinyls, Press Wall, tions like a 16-foot-high logo sign Signage Creative Graphic Services that required a scissor lift to set up in Catering Epicurean the party space next to a stationary Umbrella motorcycle that guests could climb Checker Board Tables, Hot aboard and simulate the ride experiDog Carts, Lemonade Stand Prop Heaven/Lennie ence by switching gears and feeling Marvin Enterprises Inc. the engine running. Cocktail Staffing Bread & Another sponsor, Absolut, was Wine Catering represented at bars backed by logos in Faux Boulders, Live Foliage, Park Benches, the form of hedges and flowers, plus Planter Wall, Street a kitschy lemonade stand on the way Lamps, Street Signs Green into the party from the Gower parking Set Inc. lot entrance. Jermaine Dupri and DJ Flowers Flaming Flower Productions Adam 12 spun for the crowd from a Lighting, Projection Felix dance floor at the far end. Lighting “I compare the experience of this Merry-Go-Round, Slide, event to a Pixar film, where every Swing Set International Steel Craft Company adult in the movie feels like a little Photo Booth Mugshots kid again within that two-hour time Plasmas AVC: Audio Visual frame,” said the Visionary Group’s Consultants Brian Diamond. “I wanted to capture Pond Bowery Boys PR Noted Communications this feeling by injecting youth into our Production The Visionary program, where guests would feel like Group Los Angeles a little kid again running wild through Security Special Event a park. Every sponsor activation felt Management (SEM) Security, Venue The Studios fun, interactive, exciting, without losat Paramount ing sight of brand identity.” Sound Rhythm & Sound Inc. —Alesandra Dubin

A projection in the style of the Hollywood sign announced the Maxim Hot 100 party.

Live ﬂowers and Astroturf decorated a 90-foot-long arrivals area.

Logos for Maxim and sponsor Harley-Davidson branded a basketball half court.

A sandbox complete with swing set and carousel decorated one part of the party space, and sponsors’ logos rose from the box like sand castles.

50 bizbash.com july/august 2010

PHOTOS: MARK DAVIS/VISIONARY GROUP

LOS ANGELES

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Hanging foliage added a sense of intimacy to the raw space.

To encourage people to share and talk, Bite Food’s three-course dinner was presented family-style.

To feed guests during cocktails, Bite Food set up a long banquet table topped with bowls of seasonal fruits and vegetables, which guests ate with thier hands.

During cocktails, members of the Friends of the High Line’s board of directors, including Lisa Maria Falcone (pictured), took to a small stage.

in the public space, the design team littered the dinner area with huckleberry, asparagus ferns, pitcher plants, blueberry branches, and other vegetation. While moving the cocktail hour to the High The High Line gala retained its intimacy Line provided more space for guests to roam, with a 600-foot-long hanging garden hosting the dinner portion in a venue as fragand shared plates of seasonal, local food. mented as the auction house’s gallery meant the decor should feel somewhat continuous, while flowing from room to room, without looking Over the years, the Friends of the NEW YORK High Line’s benefit may have risen overwhelmingly thematic. To tackle this, the Van Wyck & Van Wyck crew created a curving, through the ranks of important fund-raisers, but the summer soiree still feels like an intimate fam- 600-foot-long strip of foliage and suspended it ily affair. On June 21 this sensibility was even more overhead. The result of the installation not only served to guide guests through the space, but noticeable through the garden-party-style decor also disguised the stark white walls and ceiling and a dinner of shared plates. Board member with warmer colors and textures. Bronson van Wyck returned to design the event, For the meal, Bite Food’s Scott which brought 650 of the organizaSkey and Nick Hosea also wanted tion’s supporters to High Line Park Friends of the High to bring about a sense of comfort for cocktails and the Phillips de Pury Line Summer Benefit and move the menu beyond the & Company gallery for dinner, and Catering, Staffing Bite Food traditional gala spread. To do so, the raised $2.2 million for the park’s Design, Production Van Wyck & Van Wyck duo created three courses of small maintenance and operation. Lighting Stortz Lighting plates driven by seasonal produce Honoring Donald R. Mullen PR Rubenstein Associates from the green market. Designed Jr. and the Tiffany & Company Inc. specifically for sharing, the culinary Foundation for donating funds to Security GSS Security Services, Inc. offerings included a brightly colored help build the park’s art program Specialty Drinks Death & ruby and golden beet terrine with and sustain the maintenance of its Company Cocktails goat cheese, mint, and black pepplantings, the gala also celebrated Stage Lighting IMCD per; grilled chicken with yellow wax, the first year since the once-derelict Lighting Venue High Line Park, Romano, and long beans; and bramrailroad opened to the public. To Phillips de Pury & bleberry charlottes with lemon curd reference this and the hundreds of Company and basil. —Anna Sekula wild plants and flowers that grow

Home Grown

PHOTOS: ROGER DONG FOR BIZBASH

At the entrance to the dinner, Van Wyck & Van Wyck built an enormous wall of foliage. To connect the many rooms of the space, a vertical garden started at this wall and extended throughout the venue.

House Race The White House Correspondents’ after-parties competed with A-listers and self-serve s’mores. The competition for guests leaving the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Hilton Washington on May 1—Washington’s biggest annual party night—saw a new contestant. MSNBC challenged the two major players of recent years, the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair party and the bash thrown by Niche Media’s Capitol File, with a large, lavish event that offered a big spread of comfort food and the evening’s only musical performance. All three used their distinct charms to lure black-tie guests from the political, media, and entertainment folks in town: intimate exclusivity (Bloomberg/Vanity Fair), raucous fun (Capitol File), and curiosity about the newcomer (MSNBC). Bloomberg’s longtime party presence and Vanity Fair’s star power retained their event’s status as the evening’s toughest ticket. A-list political figures like White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel mingled with Hollywood heavyweights like Morgan Freeman in the sprawling residence of the French ambassador. The Vanity Fair team lit the trees on the grounds in green, blue, and orange, and put out pillows printed with humorous political quotes. Meanwhile, MSNBC made its own big statement with roving Bloomberg/Vanity spotlights and a tented table for 20 Fair White House check-in staffers at the entrance to Correspondents’ the Mellon Auditorium. Four bars Association Dinner flanked a checkerboard dance floor, After-Party while Rachel Maddow manned Catering Design Cuisine another bar named for her. At the Caterers other end of the vast room, KC and MSNBC Party the Sunshine Band took the stage. Producer Phillip Dufour and Eric Catering Occasions Caterers Michaels from Occasions Caterers Decor A Vista Events made sure there was plenty of Flowers Jack H. Lucky Floral homey food circulating the party. Design Capitol File’s fifth annual afterLighting Atmosphere Lighting party doubled as an 85th anniverProduction Dufour & Co sary celebration for the Renaissance Rentals Perfect Settings Mayflower Hotel, which underwrote L.L.C. the festivities and brought in New Security The Bilyeu Group LLC York-based Tony Berger of Relevent to Transportation Carey produce. On the hotel’s first floor, a Limousine tiny lounge allowed guests to check Valet Atlantic Services out R Life, the hotel brand’s blog, and Group Venue Andrew W. Mellon tables were piled high with sweets Auditorium from Edward Marc Chocolatier. But the main action was in the Capitol File Party grand ballroom, where DJ Cassidy Catering, Security, Valet, spun an upbeat mix for an expected Venue Renaissance 1,600 people that had the likes Mayflower Hotel Decor, Production Relevent of Desirée Rogers—the recently Group LLC departed White House social secreDJ DJ Cassidy tary, and a co-host of the party last Lighting AG Light and year—dancing in the V.I.P. area on Sound Inc. the mezzanine. —Chad Kaydo

Rachel Maddow made three specialty cocktails at her own bar at the MSNBC party.

At MSNBC’s after-party, Occasions Caterers served a large array of casual food options, including selfserve s’mores.

Occasions served push-up ice cream pops from glowing trays.

At the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair party, guests including Anna Kendrick and Rosario Dawson lounged among political pillows. The Capitol File party took over the grand ballroom at the Renaissance Mayﬂower.

ON BIZBASH.COM More photos from the White House Correspondents Association dinner weekend events

WASHINGTON

PHOTOS: RODNEY CHOICE (CAPITOL FILE) DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/VF1/WIREIMAGE(VANITY FAIR), TONY BROWN/IMIJINATION PHOTGRAPHY FOR BIZBASH (MSNBC)

Banners promoting MSNBC’s shows and personalities hung between columns inside the Mellon.

BubbleQ

An aerialist served Perrier-Jouët Champagne while suspended beneath a chandelier in the middle of the tent.

Pennsylvaniabased Sweet Street Desserts’ waiters served cupcakes from a body-wrapping tray at BubbleQ, in a tent on the beach behind the Delano.

Beach Bites The ninth annual South Beach Wine and Food Festival attracted more than 50,000 to Miami Beach February 25 to 28 for four days of foodand drink-laden events and late-night sponsor parties.

MIAMI

Wine Spectator ’s Best of the Best

Chef Paul Liebrant from Corton in New York served chilled shellﬁsh consomme with lobster and kafﬁr lime chantilly. California restaurant Cyrus prepared Thaimarinated lobster with avocado and mango for Wine Spectator’s annual tasting event held at the Fontainebleau.

56 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Los Angeles’s Animal Restaurant served head cheese and fried cornbread with bread and butter pickle vinaigrette.

Barry Maiden from Boston’s Hungry Mother restaurant prepared oxtail and smoked beef tongue terrine with Tennessee trufﬂes, crispy sea island red peas, and micro collard greens.

PHOTOS: ELIZABETH RENFREW FOR BIZBASH (BUBBLEQ AND WINE SPECTATOR), BIZBASH (ALL OTHERS)

By D. CHANNING MULLER

Artists provided free face painting at a table outside the main tent.

Private Stock Band entertained the crowd at Burger Bash, hosted by Amstel Light and Rachael Ray, on the beach behind the RitzCarlton, South Beach.

The Patrón Spirits Company and Miami magazine hosted an afterparty for more than 1,000 people at the W South Beach. An oversize metal cutout of a Patrón tequila bottle adorned the side of the stage at the far end of the hotel’s pool.

Burger Bash Good Stuff Eatery served a farmhouse bacon cheeseburger with a pink cotton candy milk shake at Burger Bash on Thursday night.

Patrón After-Party

Each of the bars was draped with a lime green snakeskin-style fabric emblazoned with the tequila company’s logo.

The hotel served tuna tartare on a bed of avocado and topped with a crisp at one of the food stations surrounding the pool.

Mischieve in the Garden of Agave A costumed performer entertained guests inside the bar at the far end of the Sagamore’s pool during the Hornitos Tequila-sponsored party.

Hornitos’s Garden of Eden-inspired party had entertainers including mermaids in the pool, costumed performers in the bar, and a living vine posing amidst the garden decor.

ON BIZBASH.COM More photos and ideas from the festival

bizbash.com july/august 2010 57

About 3,000 attendees went through registration.

The Milken Institute Global Conference drew 3,000 attendees for 140 panels amid 560 top thinkers. The Milken Institute’s Global Conference ran April 26 through 28 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. With 560 speakers on 140 panels, the event brought spirited discussions among top-level decision makers and thinkers on topics like education, energy, the environment, ﬁnance, religion, government, health, media, and philanthropy. T. Boone Pickens, Maria Shriver, Eli Broad, and Les Moonves were among the participants in the discussions, which brought more than 3,000 attendees representing 60 countries. Even non-attendees could check out the proceedings through recordings of all public sessions that were available online within hours of their completion. To produce the event, Milken Institute senior event The conference manager Bryan hosted 140 panels.

LOS ANGELES

The event was ﬁlmed for live broadcast.

PHOTOS: VISION MATRIX PRODUCTIONS

Think Tank

Quinan and Milken Family Foundation senior vice president of creative services Larry Lesser tapped Vision Matrix, led by Josh Lesser, the former director of video production for Milken Family Foundation. About 150 freelance staffers were on hand for support during the programming. Josh Lesser explained that producing the show was a 24-hour, on-call, live-in situation. “You never know when someone’s going to need that projector—those things come left and right at us. One of the things that makes this thing so successful is that we live on site and we have 115 walkie-talkies.” “One of the challenges every year that we face is, how do you keep the show with the level of people that we have safe and secure? How do we make IDs safe?” said Lesser. “We work with security firm Guardsmark and they bring officers, and there’s an internal security element.” Among the new programming this year (revived from a past incarnation) was the Global Gourmet Games, an interactive event Milken Institute Global that paired leaders in Conference business and industry Crew, Equipment Video with chefs and somApplications meliers for a program Production, Technical to benefit the Prostate Production Vision Matrix Security Guardsmark Cancer Foundation Tenting Classic Party and FasterCures. Rentals Related programming Venue Beverly Hilton Hotel also took place at resVideo Equipment Video Equipment Rentals (VER) taurants and private Walkies BearCom Wireless homes. —Alesandra Worldwide Dubin

6i i]Z 8Va^[dgc^V HX^ZcXZ 8ZciZg! we have events down to a science! Located near the heart of downtown Los Angeles in Exposition Park, the California Science Center is the ideal venue for your next corporate, non-proﬁt or social event. With multiple venues available for both daytime and evening use, in house catering, expert event planners and hundreds of hands on exhibits to engage your guests, the Science Center provides the right formula for your event’s success!

Contact us today! California Science Center Foundation (213) 744-7523 eventservices@cscmail.org www.californiasciencecenter.org

Picture Your Next Event. Hollywood Style. From intimate gatherings to large events, you’ll find style and glamour throughout 45 unique event venues at Universal Studios Hollywood. • Versatile settings and tailor-made areas to host anywhere from 100 to 20,000 guests • Exquisitely executed opening/closing events, product launches, private screenings, corporate meetings and more • Access to the world’s largest working movie studio and theme park (full or partial park buyouts and private tours available) • Your own event specialist to handle every detail

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Take Two The Sex and the City 2 premiere channeled Abu Dhabi and came together in two weeks.

Manhattan once again welcomed the Sex and the City franchise with open arms on May 24, this time for the movie sequel’s premiere at Radio City Music Hall. The screening elicited all the fanfare one would expect, with thousands lining up hours early behind barricades on 62nd Street, where the sprawling step-and-repeat took center stage. Matching the film’s poster, the blue carpeted area was full of glittering elements, from hanging chandeliers to rhinestone-embedded giant 2’s. Although Radio City had been booked for months, the after-party locale was in limbo until 15/40 two weeks before the premiere date. Tasked with Productions finding an iconic New York venue that fit the Sex fabricated standards, 15/40 Productions’ Craig Waldman two ninepitched three biggies—the New York Public Library, foot-tall 2’s Bryant Park, and the Tent at Lincoln Center—to for the stepWarner Brothers vice president of special events and-repeat, Courtney Saylor and her team back in February. each of Ultimately the tent, which hosted the premiere which were party for the HBO series’ fourth season back in embedded 2001, got the green light. with 100 The 15/40 team designed the look of the event four-inch in advance, but given that each venue’s configurarhinestones. tions were drastically different, sets couldn’t be built until a decision was made. “The challenge for us was that while we had a long lead of design time, we were short on fulfillment time,” said 15/40’s Travis Jackson. The company had nine days Oscar Mora handled the step-and-repeat and afterto custom fabricate all the sets for the 22,000party flowers, working with 25,000 stems that the square-foot space. Colombian Floral Syndicate flew in gratis. Following the screening for 5,000 guests, a whittled down crowd of 1,200 Sex and the City 2 The film’s walked amid hundreds of lanterns Screening & Arrivals stars walked to enter the tent, which was fashthe 400ioned to look like—as Charlotte’s Decor, Production 15/40 foot blue Productions daughter Lily says in the film— Security Noble Inc. carpeted Jasmine and Aladdin’s palace. Entertainment Security step-andInspired by the film’s Abu Dhabi Venue Radio City Music Hall repeat, locale, the after-party channeled Party where the city’s light and architecture via chandeliers Many of the flowers at the aftersets that 15/40 built in Los Angeles Audiovisual Production, hung Decor, Production 15/40 party were Intuitions, a Colombian and transported in semi trucks. Productions overhead. rose that is almost zebra patterned, Inside, designer Thomas Ford Catering Catering by mixing pink and red hues. helmed the decor to reflect the Restaurant Associates film’s high-octane— and often Decor Tomford Design/ Thomas Ford criticized— glamour. The stars DJ DJ Bizzy of the night congregated in the Flowers Oscar Mora Floral raised V.I.P. areas, where UltraDesign suede seating mixed with turLighting Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging quoise patterned art hanging on Security, Venue Lincoln the draped walls. Center--Damrosch Park The evening wrapped at 1:30 Bandshell a.m., when weary but steadfast Security Noble Inc. Entertainment Security fans still awaited the party’s ceTenting Stamford Tent & lebrity attendees—including SarEvent Services ah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Transportation BLS Kristin Davis, and Kim Cattrall— Limousine Service outside. —Courtney Thompson ON BIZBASH.COM A video report from the party

NEW YORK

PHOTOS: LINE 8 PHOTOGRAPHY

Channeling Shahrazad and Abu Dhabi, the after-party at the Tent at Lincoln Center included 600 feet of 20-foot-tall sets inspired by the United Arab Emirates architecture seen in the movie.

The evening’s palette was made up of gold, sand, and cream marked by pops of turquoise and pink.

The raised V.I.P. areas comprised cream Ultrasuede banquettes separated by gauzy panels.

Designer Thomas Ford helmed the after-party’s decor, working in turquoise-patterned seating that was seen again in the V.I.P. area wall decor. Potted palm trees accented rows of 24-inch tables that ﬂanked the bars and buffets.

Oversize playing cards resembling the army from Alice in Wonderland provided information about food stations.

The night ended with an elaborate ﬁreworks display over Cinderella’s Castle.

Wow Factor At Pow Wow’s opening night party, Disney unveiled event props and renovation plans. The park’s catering department set up an expansive candy display and station in Liberty Square.

The design team used stacked chairs a la Alice in Wonderland to decorate the food stations near the story’s ride.

ON BIZBASH.COM Coverage of the other parties during Pow Wow

PHOTOS: CHARITY DE MEER FOR BIZBASH

An oversize cake-shaped table topped with Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast served as a food station in Fantasyland.

62 bizbash.com july/august 2010

On May 17, Walt Disney World hosted the opening night party for International Pow Wow, the largest travel industry trade show, coordinated by the U.S. Travel Association. Nearly 4,000 people attended the after-hours affair at the Magic Kingdom, where Disney executives showcased plans for an impending park expansion and unveiled new event props for the ﬁrst time. “The members of Pow Wow are important to our industry, and given we have a major expansion right around the corner, we wanted to showcase our founding park,” said Ann Williams, Disney’s director of catering and convention services and park event operations, in regard to Fantasyland’s current renovations, scheduled to be completed in 2013. Though the event was the ﬁrst time the Magic Kingdom has hosted Pow Wow, it marked the fourth time a Disney park has welcomed the group, after Epcot in 2001, Animal Kingdom in 2006, and Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, in 2007. Williams worked with park events operations director John Stafford and their teams for eight months to coordinate the three-hour party. The

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After the ﬁreworks, Disney characters waved goodbye to guests from the park’s SpectroMagic parade ﬂoats that lined Main Street U.S.A.

Alice in Wonderlandinspired teacups served as food displays.

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The Most Extensive Collection of Hollywood Memorabilia in the World! One of a Kind Costumes, Props, Photographs, Scripts and Vintage Collectibles In the Haunted Mansion area, crab summer rolls with wakame and Thai chili were served from Ouija boards. team took inspiration from the park’s rides and themed lands in three areas: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and the Haunted Mansion. With rides like Space Mountain and Monsters, Inc. nearby, Tomorrowland had a futuristic theme with clear acrylic furniture, illuminated serving trays, ice bars, and neon colors throughout the decor to create a futuristic club atmosphere. Fantasyland—with its Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Dumbo attractions—took a more childlike approach with comfort food stations atop teacup decor inspired by the nearby Alice in Wonderland ride and an expansive candy buffet near the carousel. The Haunted Mansion area brought spooky to the street with dark red rose centerpieces wrapped in spider webs on the tables, and tombstone menu displays and Ouija board serving trays. The attractions remained open throughout the night, while characters from the respective rides held meet-and-greets with guests. Bands and performers roamed the park. The party wrapped up with a 15-minute ﬁreworks display over International Pow Cinderella’s Castle Wow 2010’s Opening at the center of the Night Party park. As an added effect, park employCatering, Decor, ees had guests don Entertainment, Event Management, Venue Walt 3-D glasses that Disney World showed the silhouDecor, Ice Sculpture Ice ette of Mickey’s Magic head from every Ice Sculpture So Cool Events burst of light. Ice Sculpture Wizard —D. Channing Connection Muller

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The I.C.A. took its gala to a raw space this year, and introduced an after-party. The Institute of Contemporary Art hosted its annual spring fund-raising event on May 7, this year attracting larger crowds with its ﬁrst-ever after-party, dubbed “Party on the Harbor.” The evening kicked off with the “A Gala Celebration” cocktail party and dinner in the adjacent One Marina Park building in Fan Pier. “We wanted to liven up the night. Not everyone could come to the dinner, and it was a nice way to let people come and not invest in a major ticket price,” said Susie Allen, the museum’s Astroturf and illuminated director of special bars transformed the raw events. ofﬁce space for cocktail hour.

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Mini screens placed on serving trays displayed work from the museum’s teen programs.

Using green Astroturf, fake hedging, and glowing plastic bars, PBD Events transformed the 13th floor of the new Marina Park Building from a raw, concrete-and-glass shell. Custom, industriallooking light bulb chandeliers and mirrored tables contrasted with wooden tabletops and tropical flowers for an organic-meets-contemporary vibe. Inspired by the museum’s Dr. Lakra exhibition, servers donned T-shirts with tattoo designs by the artist. Max Ultimate Food provided a martini juice bar, passed hors d’oeuvres, a twocourse meal, and an old-fashioned ice cream truck outside. Large arrows formed from white fluorescent lights guided the 430 dinner guests to walk across the boardwalk to the I.C.A., where they joined 300 additional guests. Packed with entertainment and special activities, the fete included henna tattoo stations and a photo booth that projected the images it took around the building. Local band Endway provided live music for a secondI.C.A. Gala floor dessert lounge Catering Max Ultimate supplied by Wolfgang Food, Wolfgang Puck Catering Puck Catering. Decor, Production, Rentals Downstairs, DJ PBD Events (Party by Ruckus performed Design) and guests were ofDJ DJ Ruckus Entertainment Endway fered I.C.A. branded Flowers Winston Flowers flip-flops for their Rentals Be Our Guest Inc. sore feet at the Venue Institute of end of the evening. Contemporary Art —Erica Corsano

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A professional clown made balloon sculptures for guests as parting gifts.

The fall/winter 2010 press presentation took place at Camper’s new SoHo headquarters on Lafayette Street.

To illustrate its hybrid collection of shoes made with various forms of rubber and wool, Camper created miniature gardens using 30 bushels of broccoﬂower ordered from FreshDirect.

In a play on opposites, Camper underscored the cushion and comfort of its soles by enlisting a professional stuntman to lie on a bed of nails. To help emphasize how Camper shoes are designed to withstand the elements, Factory PR put one of its interns in a dunk tank.

66 bizbash.com may/june 2010

Happy Camper The shoe brand crafted a visual and tactile playground to preview shoes—for just $6,000. Deciding that a straight-forward presentation of products couldn’t fully illustrate the capabilities of its latest footwear, Camper sought other means to preview the fall/winter line to press on April 14. Divided into six distinct vignettes, the Spanish shoe label’s new 875-square-foot SoHo showroom became a sensory environment with a curious array of toys, carnival acts, and food—the tools to communicate speciﬁc attributes of sneakers, heels, boots, and slip-ons. Produced and designed by Factory PR, the brand’s U.S. public relations ﬁrm, the three-hour cocktail party also doubled as a showcase for the new designer collaborations in Camper’s To&ether collection. Armed with a budget of $6,000, a team of

NEW YORK

four publicists looked to rental houses, entertainment agencies, FreshDirect, and Amazon.com for materials, objects, and other elements that could convey comfort, durability, flexibility, and lightness. What they assembled, an assortment that included a nine-foot-tall inflatable chair, live clown, working dunk tank, and heads of broccoflower (the hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower), formed a colorful, somewhat carnival-like setting that tempted editors to eye, prod, and even smell the displays. Shoes floating from helium balloons demonstrated how little one collection weighed, while sneakers suspended inside Hoberman spheres— plastic geodesic globes that expand and contract— emphasized the 360-degree stitching of another. In addition to the engaging acts in the main room, a window-side table in the rear housed Camper Press Preview Camper To&ether capClown, Dunk Tank, sules, limited-edition Inflatable Chair Aardvark designer collaborations Amusements displayed with simply Design, PR, Production Factory PR shaped instruments to Stuntman Party emphasize form and Productions NYC function. —Jim Shi

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CAMPER

Drag queen Erickatoure Aviance sat on an oversize inﬂatable chair from Aardvark Amusements.

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During the park-theme cocktail reception, guests helped themselves to cocktails in water coolers.

After the cocktail reception, partygoers headed downstairs for dinner in an all-white room ﬁlled with candles and hanging manzanita branches. A shot of chilled Crystal Head vodka sat beside each plate.

With Dave Navarro on guitar, Camp Freddy covered rock classics such as “Paradise City.”

Wolfgang Puck Catering’s caviar with smoked salmon, egg, and toasted brioche. During the one-hour ﬂip, staffers covered the illuminated bar with black die-cut panels.

68 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Planners aimed to “break the party down into those three different elements,” Merlin said. “We loved the idea of [juxtaposing] a beautiful, elegant dinner with somewhere to engage your inner child, play, and have fun with cocktails.” As The Museum of Contemporary Art for the after-dinner rock concert from Camp Fredmixed caviar, rock stars, and a teeter dy—a cover band whose rotating cast of famous totter at its annual fund-raiser. musicians featured Dave Navarro on guitar for the event— “our chair felt very strongly that that part At the May 14 ArtEdge benefit, host- of the party would have a down-and-dirty rock CHICAGO ed by the Museum of Contemporary theme,” Merlin said. The benefit’s ever-changing look gave Merlin Art, guests engaged in a variety of seemingly incongruous activities. During the cocktail reception and the Event Creative team a tight time frame in which to flip the space. As soon as at Venue One, the new event space guests left the park-theme cocktail owned and represented by Event Museum of reception and headed downstairs Creative, partygoers blew bubbles, Contemporary Art’s for dinner, staffers got to work played hopscotch, and doodled on ArtEdge Benefit upstairs. In one hour, they plastered chalkboards. By dinnertime, they Catering Wolfgang Puck concert posters over chalkboards were feasting on caviar in a sleek, Catering Celebrity Wrangling Diane and replaced white seat cushions all-white space filled with candles, Meagher Event Inc. with black ones on swing sets and and the night ended with a rock Design, Flowers, lounge furniture. A blue-and-purple concert on a skull-adorned stage. Production Kim Merlin lighting scheme gave the after-party According to Kim Merlin, an Draping, Lighting, Production, Props, Sound, a moody vibe, and the illuminated event designer and set decorator Staging, Video Event bar—white during cocktail hour— who has worked on such films as Creative was covered with black panels with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Entertainment Camp die-cut skull and crossbones. three buzzwords contributed to the Freddy There was one more surprise in night’s multiple themes. In planning Furniture Rentals Taylor Creative Inc. store for guests who stuck around sessions with Gina Crowley, the muInvitations Scott Reinhard all evening: At about 11 p.m., unanseum’s director of special events and Linens BBJ Linen nounced guest Chrissie Hynde of rentals, chair Cari Sacks, the volunPrinting Lowitz & Sons Rentals Classic Party the Pretenders appeared onstage teer planning committee, and proRentals and sang her hit “Brass in Pocket” ducers from Event Creative, “three Security, Valet VIP Valet as museum donors danced along. words were bandied about,” Merlin Venue Venue One —Jenny Berg said. “They were eat, play, rock.”

Eat, Play, Rock

PHOTOS: ERIC CRAIG FOR BIZBASH

With a park theme, the cocktail reception offered an indoor swing and daisy-lined sod.

previous years was the abbreviated length of the entire event, including the award presentations. What had taken place Under new ownership, the Clio over three days in Vegas Awards got a streamlined format in 2009 and four days at and revamped content. Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gansevoort South in 2008 was consolidated Actor John Michael Higgins, best After purchasing the Clio Awards into two days, while NEW YORK from the Nielsen Company at known for his roles in several the award dinners were Christopher Guest ďŹ lms and the end of last year, E5 Global Media brought shortened from what had DirecTV commercials, provided the advertising industry event back to New York, typically been a fourcomic relief as one of the hosts. the city where it started, and took the opportuhour affair to 75-minute nity to update the decor, content, and format of ceremonies. The producers the 51-year-old ceremony and conference. With also simpliďŹ ed the look of the nighttime award Richard Beckman, former president of CondĂŠ shows, mounting 20 ďŹ&#x201A;at-screen TVs to the walls Nast Media Group and executive producer of to form a digital gallery of the work from ďŹ nalists Fashion Rocks, installed as the C.E.O. of E5, Clio and using only white furniture to decorate the Awards director of events Karl Vontz and Asbury dining area. Park Eventsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brad Hurtado moved away from last As a way to entice more attendees and build yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concept, a three-day festival at the Hard the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proďŹ le, the production team also Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas that included a brought in some big names, including Grammydecade-themed design, to a more contemporary, winning singer Pharrell Williams and Penny Baldstreamlined gathering. win, Yahooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior vice president Clio Awards The daytime conference sesof integrated marketing and brand Catering Creative Edge sions took place on June 26 and 27 management, for the conference Parties at the Trump SoHo, and the awards For the pre-show sessions. Lighting Bentley Meeker headed to Skylight in the evening, reception, producers This year the Clios saw a total Lighting & Staging divided into one night for print and created a digital gallery of 750 attendees, up from 500 PR Coburn Communication Security Meyerson TV and another for interactive and of sorts, using 20 ďŹ&#x201A;atlast year, and plans for next year Associates Inc. innovative. screen TVs to display could include a televised special. Venue Skylight Soho A noticeable difference from work from ďŹ nalists. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Anna Sekula

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE CLIO AWARDS

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Flight attendants in uniform circulated the space.

Air Fare Virgin Atlantic celebrated its anniversary with Brit-themed food and drink atop the London hotel. To celebrate a milestone 20 years of nonstop service between Los Angeles LAX and London Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic Airways hosted a bash full of brand associations Virgin intends to promote: service, quality, style, and, well, the U.K. The airline hosted the party on May 20 atop the London West Hollywood, where views span for miles—like the view from the window of an airplane, you might say. The exclusive guest list of about 200 included frequent passengers, airport industry executives, and media folks. Chris Rossi, Virgin Atlantic Airways senior vice president for North America, hosted the event. Virgin Atlantic corporate communications program manager Lisa Hofmeister and corporate communications specialist Laura Kilroy oversaw the event, tapping Christine Courtney-Myers at the C3 Agency to produce. To enter the party, guests received mock boarding passes upon check in, and rode private elevators (or, ahem, lifts) to the London’s rooftop pool deck. Guests could experience Virgin’s Upper

LOS ANGELES

Class and Premium Economy seating categories and learn about the attributes of each through demo stations built using the actual seats. Vintage scooters served as decor and photo opps. Catering included items meant to underscore the British and Los Angeles themes: ﬁsh and chips (wrapped in English paparazzi magazine paper), mini shepherds pies, and an L.A.-style taco stand. Signature cocktails Virgin Atlantic included selections Anniversary with cheeky names Celebration like the Pond Hopper and Cabin Fever. A British beer-tasting bar brought experts from Royal Clayton’s English Pub, and served up 20 British beers, one for every year Virgin has made the nonstop haul between cities. The Pixies’ Frank Black performed a rare acoustic set, and on their way out guests picked up gift bags containing shortbread cookies and Virgin Atlantic sleeping gear. —Alesandra Dubin

British Beer Tasting Bar Royal Claytons Pub Catering, Security, Stafﬁng, Venue The London West Hollywood Decor, Event Management, Models, Production Christine Courtney Communications Inc. (C3 Agency) Event Logo, Signage Design 4d5w Inc. Flowers Lily Lodge Furniture Rentals Classic Party Rentals Lighting, Sound, Staging Broadcast Support Inc. Light Boxes, Plasmas, Seating Pods, Creatacor Inc. Union Jack Rug Modprop. com Vintage Scooters Route 66 Riders

PHOTOS: RENE MACURA

The British ﬂag turned up in the form of throw pillows on lounge chairs.

Food stations and passed hors d’oeuvres picked up on international ﬂavors and favorites.

Guests were at the forefront of the visuals, with screens displaying graphics over live footage of the event. Creating a fun surface to project images onto, the producers ﬂoated more than 400 white balloons over the event’s central bar.

Electronic violinist Caitlin Moe performed at the launch.

Design Savvy

Lining the perimeter of the room, HP Touchsmart computer stations provided areas for guests to test the software and create designs that the video DJs could manipulate.

Guests shaped the visuals at Microsoft’s software launch party.

DJs Mia Moretti and Jesse Marco spun from one booth while in another the folks from Fake Love layered images created by guests and live footage from the event to create dynamic projections.

72 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Software isn’t always the most glamorous product to launch, but on June 8 Microsoft added some color to the debut of its latest design tools with user-generated imagery and video DJs. As a follow up to the ofﬁcial introduction of Expression Studio 4 at Internet Week, the tech giant hit the Lower East Side with some 600 designers and developers to show off its artsy side. As a way to engage creative professionals and give them an opportunity to play with the new technology, producers from BMF Media lined the room of the Angel Orensanz Foundation with computer stations, inviting them to fashion digital animations with a suite of Webbased tools. These creations were then streamed to a video DJ from Fake Love, who layered the images over live footage of the event and posted these to two central video screens. The result was a bright and energetic mix of colorful graphics that contrasted the ornate architectural details of the former synagogue. Branded projecMicrosoft Expression tions decorated the Studio 4 Launch Party rest of the space, Catering GO Catering ﬂashing on an assortment of surfaces, Design, Production BMF Media Group including a cloud of Design We Came in Peace 400 white balloons Inc. DJ DJ Jesse Marco, DJ Mia above the bar. A Moretti performance from Furniture Rentals Luxe electronic violinist Event Rentals & Decor Caitlin Moe added to Printing Mirror Imaging LLC Venue Angel Orensanz the downtown vibe. Foundation for the Arts —Anna Sekula

NEW YORK

PHOTOS: NICKY DIGITAL

In addition to passed hors d’oeuvres, GO Catering set up a tapas bar ﬁlled with small plates like mini meatballs in saffron sauce and grilled shrimp skewers in roasted garlic aioli.

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Gobos in swirl patterns illuminated seating arranged in an X.

Disney hosted an international crowd of about 650 for its upfront event.

Hear More Catering came from Aramark’s new division, LifeWorks Restaurant Group, which recently took over the food management contract at Disney Studios.

producer Russell Harris. “I think more dollars will be put toward fun and dramatic programming to increase television viewership. A lot of great shows were lost in the 2008 writers’ strike, and I think we’re all ready for some fresh new drama.” Disney’s international upfront brought About 650 people, including talent, turned hundreds of global distributors — up for the event. The guests were international and a newly optimistic mood. distributors from countries like China, Japan, Malaysia, England, Germany, and Sweden. The In a tenuous economy, the up- production-heavy event necessitated coordinaLOS ANGELES fronts, the sales presentations tion with Disney Studio Operations, security, and union teams. staged for media buyers by television networks, The upfront coincided with the much balcan be a nervous time. But the overall sentiment lyhooed ﬁnal episode of ABC series Lost, which at this year’s events seemed to be optimism for screened on the lot with high a better year than last. The Disney Disney Media security for V.I.P. guests. After the Media Distribution International Distribution screening, the group proceeded to Upfront (where pitches are made to International Upfront Legends Plaza for the presentation, international buyers looking to pick for which Harris’s team installed up shows, rather than the domestic Audiovisual Production Technical Event Partners a 12- by 22-foot LED screen. Talent advertisers lured in New York) was Catering Lifeworks presented each of their shows for one example of showiness and Restaurant Group the distributors. returning conﬁdence. Disney Media Design, Event After the hour-long presentaDistribution executive director for Management, Production Russell Harris Event Group tion, Legends Plaza opened for the marketing and publicity Evelyn Furniture Rentals Cosmos after-party, where the focal point Geraci tapped Russell Harris Event Neon was a custom projection by Bart Group for the May 23 production at Lighting Images by Kresa Designs on the Team Disney Walt Disney Studios, which kicked Lighting Projection Bart Kresa building. Catering came from off L.A. screenings, unveiled new fall Rentals Town & Country Aramark’s new catering division, prime time series, and acquainted Event Rentals LifeWorks Restaurant Group, which international buyers with the talent Valet Quality Parking recently took over the food manand producers behind shows. Service Venue The Walt Disney agement contract at the Disney “ABC picked up more new shows Studios Studios. Guests stayed until midthis year, with some returning, Video Imaging MOcean night. —Alesandra Dubin which is a very good sign,” said event

PHOTOS: AMERICAN IMAGE GALLERY/DAN SCOTT

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projects were so successful, but the fact of the matter is while we would get foot traffic, it was nowhere near the amount of foot traffic that we have at the Country Living magazine constructed World Financial Center. So it is the a fully furnished show home in the perfect location for this imporfinancial district. tant line extension for the brand,” explained Christine Rannazzisi As far as summer promotions Gerstein, Country Living’s associNEW YORK go, Country Living’s Home Green ate publisher of marketing. Home project was an ambitious one, involving a The juxtaposition of a small two-story cottage built in under two weeks and country-style home against city Country Living partner New World Home trucked set amid the towers of the World Financial Center. skyscrapers was certainly key to the modules over the George Washington Bridge Constructed as a platform to flaunt decorating attracting public interest, but and set them up piece by piece on site. ideas selected by its editors for the 2010 House of the central location also entailed the Year feature, the shelter magazine’s 1,600some obstacles. The house, produced by partner square-foot setup was essentially an open house New World Home and manufactured in a Pennavailable for public tours, albeit one that only sylvania factory, was created in modules, which existed for two weeks (from June 4 to 17) before cut down the construction time but involved it was broken down and relocated to a more pertransporting prefabricated pieces on trucks over manent site. the George Washington Bridge and down the Although Country Living has previously engiWest Side Highway. There was also a significant neered such freestanding structures in areas like amount of coordination, accomplished with the South Carolina, West Virginia, Colorado, and Florhelp of New World Home and the plaza’s owner, ida, this year represented the first time the joint Brookfield Properties, as well as round-the-clock marketing and editorial project has appeared in a security. major city. “Working in Manhattan is like no other place “This is really debuting our line of Country Liv- in the world. There are a lot of things to consider ing Green Modular Homes, and because it’s such —lots of permits, working with the police, and an important licensing project for the magazine, possibly even Homeland Security because of The 1,600–square–foot cottage it just made sense to bring it to a location that where the modules are situated,” Rannazzisi inculded two bedrooms, two and a has a large amount of foot traffic. Our other Gerstein said. —Anna Sekula half baths and a wraparound porch.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF COUNTRY LIVING

Housing Market

Gavin Rossdale performed.

Guests got passports stamped at various stations around the party space.

Egypt was represented by a tented hookah lounge.

set the scene. As they entered Haze, guests received a passport to be stamped at five international stations by models dressed in each country’s garb. There was a prize to be won at each, with the ultimate win a $15,000 trip to Thailand. Conde Nast Traveler took its Hot Inside, guests toasted half a dozen different List party—and its sponsors— cocktails offered by Patrón, a sponsor along with from New York to Las Vegas. AT&T, Dior Watches, Bermuda, and Egypt. DJ Jesse Marco spun as a huge video screen displayed images from the magazine and of Aria. Vignettes of This year, Conde Nast Traveler’s LAS VEGAS Hot List party provided a road to Bermuda and Egypt brought these destinations to life: a wall of real flowers found on the island a destination well traveled: For the first time, the annual event left New York for Las Vegas. With the and a putting green signified the former, while a Aria Resort & Casino featured on the 2010 list, vice tented hookah lounge represented the latter. “It was a big deal taking the event out of president and publisher Chris Mitchell and ediNew York,” said Traveler brand development tor in chief Klara Glowczewska hosted the party director Alicia Barone. “It required at the hotel’s new nightclub, Haze. Conde Nast Traveler a lot of planning. We started conA crowd of more than 800 people Hot List Party versations around late November attended the event, among them and flew out for three site visits. advertisers, celebrities, and travel DJ DJ Jesse Marco Decor, Lighting, Models, But thanks to Aria’s excellent staff industry types. PR, Sound, Staging MGM and the fact that we were able to A 40-foot LED screen leading Mirage Events use MGM’s production company, up to the venue and a red carpet PR, Red Carpet Fingerprint there were very few challenges. populated by Gavin Rossdale (who Communications Security Aria Resort & It was a group effort on all fronts, performed an acoustic set later in Casino most of the time by phone.” the evening) and Gwen Stefani, Kate Servers, Venue Haze —Bobbie Katz Beckinsale, Chris Evans, and others

PHOTOS: KELLY CREATIVE

Cross Country

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New York / The Javits Center / October 27, 2010

The Dumbo event, styled after night markets found in Asia, assembled more than 30 restaurants and vendors to serve Asian street food.

Drawing more than 1,500 guests, Dumbo’s night market dished out nibbles from Double Crown, Zengo, and Momofuku Milk Bar, among others.

Asian Flavor A food festival was launched to promote Asian cultural Web site LuckyRice.com. As a way to herald its ofﬁcial launch and garner interest in its mission, self-described lifestyle company LuckyRice organized an 11-day food festival that drew more than 5,000 people to receptions, tastings, panel discussions, and workshops hosted by noted names like Lisa Ling, David Chang, and Kelly Choi. “LuckyRice was created to address the interest in Asian culture and Asian cuisine that’s become so ubiquitous and mainstream, especially in a city like New York,” said founder Danielle Chang, who explained that as a Web site with recipes and news, LuckyRice is a forum for all things Asian. “So we thought the best platform for creating a lifestyle brand around Asian culture was a food festival. Food is so experiential, it doesn’t have any boundaries in terms of ethnicity, and it’s something everyone enjoys.” Based on some suggestions from its culinary council—a lineup that includes Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, Floyd Cardoz, and Masaharu Morimoto—the organization devised a variety of festivities that would connect with its audience on a visceral level. Starting with a cocktail kickoff at the Bowery Hotel April 29, the festival included a dumpling-making demonstration, a discussion on Buddhist cuisine, and a restaurant and bar week that took place May 3 to 10. In a marketplace already crowded with food festivals, tastings, and culinary promotions, the key for LuckyRice was to distinguish itself. Chang noted that through sponsors like the Museum of Chinese in America, the Korean Cultural Service of New York, and the tourism bureaus of Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan, the festival was able to attract more than just foodies. The tactics proved successful: Excluding the restaurant week, all of the festival’s events were packed. “We were 100 percent sold out. We didn’t have a single ticket left, which was a problem, but a good one to have,” Chang said. “I’m also looking to do a permanent LuckyRice Launch and night market in Inaugural Festival New York. Something that’s a fun, PR Syndicate Production Karlitz & cultural experience Company Inc., Mina around Asian food.” Productions —Anna Sekula

Daniel’s head bartender served white cosmopolitans at the opening-night party.

The Grand Feast event on Saturday, May 1, was held in the Mandarin Oriental ballroom and hosted by Lisa Ling.

Intended to highlight the diversity of Asian ﬂavors, the Grand Feast gathered chefs—including those from its culinary council—to show how Asian ingredients and spices inﬂuence their dishes.

At the night market’s Malaysia pavilion, sponsor Fiji Water brought in a photo booth from Polite in Public.

Under the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo, the April 30 night market included a Malaysian pavilion in an adjacent lot on Water Street and beer, cocktails, and other beverages served in a nearby loft.

80 bizbash.com july/august 2010

PHOTOS: RICHARD PATTERSON

NEW YORK

Camp Site The Eclipse premiere let fans spend the night, drawing in an estimated $3 million in publicity. Long before The Twilight Saga: Eclipse debuted on June 24, the premiere had the makings of an enormous event: a wildly successful franchise, a media frenzy, and An Airstar moon served as the an existing army of rabid fans. And it delivered on centerpiece in the party space. all the drama, which began on June 21, when fans started camping out in tents on the Nokia Plaza and news outlets lapped up the Eclipse Arrivals spectacle. Summit Entertainment execuCarpet Design, Production 15/40 Productions tive vice president of publicity Eric Carpet Show Production, Kops oversaw the event, tapping In-Theater Live Feed Chad Hudson Events for the fan Premiere Entertainment camp management, arrivals coFan Camp Management, Production, Staffing Chad ordination, and party production. Hudson Events Hudson estimated the SummitFan Camp Venue, sanctioned fan encampment Screening Parking, garnered publicity equal to $3 milScreening Venue Noikia Plaza L.A. Live lion in advertising by the time the Projection Equipment premiere kicked off. This screening American Hi Definition was three times as large as that Security Special Event of the previous installment, New Management (SEM) Sound Equipment Delicate Moon, and the accompanying Productions Inc. party was twice as big. A frenzy of photographers snapped Theater Tech Management A letter from Hudson’s team the arrivals spectacle at L.A. Live. Boston Light and on behalf of Summit EntertainSound Inc. Transportation BLS ment urged guests to avoid Limousine Service freeways in favor of alternate routes into downtown, which was Eclipse Party clogged with traffic. Screaming Astroturf, Carpeting, fans tipped the decibel scale on Decking, Rentals, Tenting risers at L.A. Live during the arrivClassic Party Rentals Bars, Bar Staffing als, produced by 15/40 ProducWolfgang Puck Catering tions, which were also broadcast Catering Along Came Mary inside the Nokia Theatre so Productions guests could watch from their Chairs Chameleon Chair Collection seats as they waited for the Design, Event Management, screening to begin, an hour after Production, Sponsorship the film’s 7:30 nominal start time. Procurement, Staffing Next, about 3,000 of the Chad Hudson Events Distribution, Power Cat approximately 5,000 screening Entertainment Services guests shuffled amid the crowd DJ Manny Lehman to the party space on the Event Fabric, Flowers La Premier Deck at L.A. Live, where motifs Furniture Rentals Taylor Creative Inc., AFR Event from the movie were represented Furnishings, CHE Rentals in broody props and decor. A lake Furniture Rentals, Set sat in the center of the tent, surCoordination, Renderings rounded by fake snow, boulders, Angel City Designs Greenery, Lake Fabrication, and foliage. White roses and Outside Rocks, Scenic Jackson hydrangeas topped tables, and the party Shrub Supply Inc. fake snow filled glass vessels for a tent, purple Lighting, Rigging, Sound moody floral look. Entertainment Lighting flowers Services (ELS) Along Came Mary catered exfilled boxes Moon Balloon Airstar tensive buffets, including theme in a nod America dishes like Pacific Northwest to scenes Projections, Fog and Snow salmon—a nod to the movie’s Effects Matrix Visual from the Solutions setting—with melon mango movie. Snow Cones Barts Carts Inc. salsa, served on a bed of grilled Venue Event Deck at L.A. white corn and baby artichokes. Live —Alesandra Dubin

Alpine foliage and white seating gave the party tent a snowy feel.

PHOTOS: LINE 8 PHOTOGRAPHY

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The Big 1-O Oprah Winfreyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magazine marked 10 years with a sold-out weekend of events. For the 10th Anniversary of O, The Oprah Magazine, the media queen brought in all of her different properties for a weekend of events for 5,500 women that included a registration kickoff party, seminars at the Javits Center, a performance at Radio City, and a Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day charity walk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a little over a year since we started working on this,â&#x20AC;? said O associate publisher of marketing Stefanie Manning. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And while the magazine put this on, we worked in tandem with all the Oprah properties, which was a ďŹ rst.â&#x20AC;? O marketing art director Jessica Podoshen came up with the design for the weekend, and the magazine enlisted Empire Entertainment and LeadDog Marketing to produce the different events. The magazine holds signature events every year, but this was the ďŹ rst in New York and the ďŹ rst to incorporate so many different elements. The Live Your Best Life events have previously been limited to a day of seminars with magazine contributorsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;ďŹ nance expert Suze Orman, Dr. Mehmet Oz, designer Nate Berkus, and othersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and a small trade show of participating sponsors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We kept our seminar piece intact, but we wanted to dress it up with other events. Slowly but surely, we layered all of the pieces on it,â&#x20AC;? Manning said. Those other elements included a separate registration event to welcome the attendees, the live evening program with Winfrey at Radio City Music Hall, and the public charity walk. After announcing the program, O received overwhelming interest in the weekend, but decided early on to cap attendance at 5,500, the capacity at Radio City. On Sunday, May 9, the registrants were joined by an additional 5,000 members of the public for a Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day charity walk to Times Square, which, after Oprahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Live Your Best the bomb scare the Life Weekend week before, ended Party Production Empire up being one of the Entertainment Inc. more complicated Party Venue Radio City elements of the Music Hall weekend. PR Susan Magrino Agency Registration Catering â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was a little Thomas Preti Caterers frightening, but we Registration Lighting worked hand-inBentley Meeker Lighting hand with the city,â&#x20AC;? & Staging Registration Production, Manning said. The Seminar Production walk went off withLeadDog Marketing Group out a hitch, and after Inc. leading more than Registration Venue Gotham Hall 10,000 walkers from Seminar Lighting PRG the Intrepid to Times Lighting Square, Winfrey took Seminar Venue Jacob K. the stage and conJavits Convention Center Walk StafďŹ ng Lipari cluded the weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Production Group festivities. Walk Venue Times Square â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Michael Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell

PHOTOS: CHRIS ECKERT PHOTOGRAPHY/ÂŠ HARPO INC., GEORGE BURNS/ÂŠ HARPO INC.

NEW YORK

Saturday afternoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Live Your Best Life event took over part of the Javits Center, ďŹ lling it with seminars, activities, and sponsor activations.

Attendees tacked messages onto the Inspiration Wall at the Javits Center.

At the end of Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charity walk, Winfrey took to a stage in Times Square to address the crowd and wrap up the weekend.

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West Coast Planners Celebrate the “Art of the Events” at the BizBash L.A. Expo & Awards More than 1,200 event professionals gathered at BizBash’s L.A. Expo & Awards, held June 9 at the stylish and contemporary L.A. Mart in downtown Los Angeles, for a full day of education, exhibits, entertainment, and networking. The theme of this year’s show, “Art of the Events,” encouraged planners to think of their events as canvases to be ﬁlled with the new ideas, information, and trends they learned about throughout the day. The excitement kicked off as BizBash’s staff created buzz before the expo, with elegant printed invitations designed by Alpine Creative Group and postcards created by Design Printing. Special offers were posted on industry sites, Twitter, and BizBash’s Web site, and these media

were also used to announce speakers and updates to the schedule. Preparations began the day before the show with the exhibitor move-in at the L.A. Mart. Afterward, more than 200 guests connected over cocktails and friendly competition at Lucky Strike, at a preparty hosted by Alpine Creative Group. There, the guests participated in glow-inthe-dark bowling competitions, enjoyed cocktails, and cheered on the Lakers as they watched the N.B.A. ﬁnals on large screens throughout the space. Out-of-town guests stayed at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, one of the show’s hotel sponsors. The day of the expo, a team from E-vents Registration sped attendees

Mindy Weiss and Steve Kemble offered invaluable insights into the latest industry trends and on how to create unforgettable event experiences during their keynote presentations.

PHOTOS: BRIGHTROOM INC.

INSIDE EDGE

through the on-site registration process at the L.A. Mart using a bar-code scanning system with hardware and printers supplied by NMR. Guests received a bag with show materials and literature from Backdrops Beautiful and Backdrops Fantastic, then navigated the show floor with help from signs provided by American Signs/Step and Repeats. As conference registrants entered the education rooms for the morning sessions, which began shortly after 8 a.m., they were pleased to find a selection of fresh muffins and fruit from Choura Venue Services. Thanks to interactive audience-response devices provided by IML, planners actively participated in sessions that addressed top-of-mind topics, including catering trends and mastering the art of great proposal writing. The education sessions also addressed strategies for survival and success in separate panels featuring top event pros and female executives. Audiovisual equipment for the sessions, as well as the main and mini stages on the expo floor, was provided by LA Sound Co. When the morning general session kicked off at 10:15 a.m., the audience was greeted with entertainment by Fire Groove, who put on a rhythmic performance that displayed mesmerizing black-light effects against an all-white stage set (designed by Rrivre Works and dressed with soft, sheer drapes by West Coast Drapes). The program opened with the always-inspiring BizBash L.A. Hall of Fame induction ceremony; this year’s honorees were Dennis Cornell, associate

Inducted into BizBash’s Hall of Fame were Mindy Weiss, owner and principal planner/designer of Mindy Weiss Party Consultants; Dennis Cornell, associate senior vice president, university relations, chief of protocol for the University of Southern California; and Debbie Hawkins, executive director of MPISCC and ISES-LA.

Lounge Appeal created several stylish spaces on the show ﬂoor, including the rear lounge (pictured), where attendees could relax and see and feel the latest rental trends for themselves.

Event pros revealed their war stories in an animated discussion during “War Stories From Event Veterans”. (Pictured: Andrea Michaels, president of Extraordinary Events; Dave Smith, president and C.E.O. of ShowPro; Hillary Harris, director of Warner Bros. Studios Special Events; and David Merrell, owner and creative director of AOO Events Inc.)

L.A. Sweet Shop offered an array of tempting tastes at their exhibit for planners to enjoy and consider for their own events.

senior vice president, university relations, chief of protocol for the University of Southern California; Debbie Hawkins, executive director of MPISCC and ISES-LA; and Mindy Weiss, owner and principal planner/designer of Mindy Weiss Party Consultants. Honeysweet Productions handled stage production and technology on the main stage and teamed up with video media designers Glow Design Group to create a stunning all-digital and visually pleasing set, topped off with an oversize, 103-inch screen provided by VER. Audiovisual services and color-changing lighting design by ShowPro added to the experience; ShowPro also provided the lighting and staging for education sessions and the Twitter Lounge. Town & Country Event Rentals provided the comfortable oversize chairs for both the morning general session and the day’s conference program luncheon. Immediately following the induction ceremony, Mindy Weiss took the stage to speak about “Blending the Best Techniques

From Corporate, Social, and Charitable Events.” As Weiss took the audience through the highlights of her most recent events and her inspirations, she emphasized the importance of lighting as decor and intimate lounge spaces to elevate the atmosphere of an event. Once the general session concluded, attendees exited the main stage and were greeted by Push USA models on the expo floor, which opened at 11 a.m. with 100 exhibitors ready to showcase their venues, products, and ideas. As they walked the floor, planners sampled treats such as s’mores in the shape of mini muffins, while noting key trends such as illuminated decor and black and white color schemes in rental furniture complemented by splashes of color. The front lounge overflowed with attendees who admired the dramatic LCD, colorchanging candelabras against the contemporary white leather seating provided by Kool Party Rentals, while waiting in line for a book signing with Mindy Weiss after her keynote.

The new addition of the Twitter Lounge on the show ﬂoor proved a big hit with L.A. planners who wanted to learn more about this social media platform and how to put it to work for their own events. Decorated by Lounge Appeal, the Twitter Lounge featured all-white leather furniture with accents of pink, blue, and green to match the expo’s theme colors. Attendees packed the space to learn from Twitter pros Gina Mom and Ana Vick of Ana Vick Events, who discussed the essentials of tweeting, and to participate in Twitter competitions throughout the day. Lounge Appeal designed additional lounges, as well, showcasing different arrangements of orange and brown sofas in one area, and hot-pink velvet upholstered furniture in another part of the rear lounge creating many moods. As lunch approached, expo attendees enjoyed a range of delicious food options from Along Came Mary’s retail concessions, which were available at all hours of the show. Conference program registrants gathered for a luncheon

in Branding Your Events,” with Twitter personality Gina Mom and Ana Vick, owner and principal planner of Ana Vick Events. As the afternoon continued, the show floor remained crowded and energized as planners and exhibitors connected. As attendees grooved to the music mixed by SKAM Artists’ DJs in the main lounge, they checked out the all-white floor-to-ceiling arches from Air Dimensional Designs, which threw a color-changing glow on sumptuous plum sofas and ottomans provided by AFR Event Furnishings. Air Dimensional Designs also provided illuminated inflatable flower and starburst designs, which were also displayed nearby in the air and on the floor. Stunning arrangements by Mille Fiori Flowers abounded in the lounges and show floor, with an array of plants from Creative Plant Rentals accompanying them throughout.

Attendees gathered at the main stage for the afternoon general session at 2:30 p.m., where they were greeted by a living red carpet from Champagne Creative Group, whose train extended the length of the ballroom. Steve Kemble, “America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru,” gave his keynote presentation, “Steve Kemble’s Sassiest Secrets From the Red Carpet,” in which he shared with attendees what happens behind the scenes of the premier red-carpet events he’s overseen, including those for the Oscars, the Golden Globes, and the American Idol season ﬁnale. After the afternoon general session, attendees continued networking on into the late afternoon while the anticipation grew for the 2010 Event Style Awards on the main stage at 5 p.m. The presentation opened with the drawing for two planner getaways for the Morongo Casino & Resort before moving on to the announcement of this year’s Event Style Award winners, who

BizBash editor in chief Chad Kaydo congratulated CBS for their win in the Best Gift or Gift Bag category during the Event Style Awards presentation.

A living red carpet from Champagne Creative Services wowed the audience at the start of the afternoon general session on the main stage.

Sold-out education sessions proved popular, as attendees learned from industry experts.

Show attendees and exhibitors connected on the show ﬂoor, which was ﬁlled with ideas from 100 exhibitors.

PHOTOS: BRIGHTROOM INC.

presentation—“Lunch and Learn: Events As Theater, Telling the Story,” with Dennis Cornell—and dined on a selection of fresh salads and sandwiches offered by Choura Venue Services atop tables dressed in beautifully bright linens from Cloth Connection. Afterward, they were able to relax in the comfort of the education lounge designed by Rrivre Works, the BizBash Expo’s executive designer, which showcased hot-pink upholstered sofas with black and white Louis-style tables and chairs. In the afternoon, the mini stage was a flurry of activity, with several 20-minute sessions that both educated and entertained. Among them were “Reflections of a Successful Wallflower,” by Andrea Michaels, president of Extraordinary Events; “Linen and Table Trends: From Colors to Textures to Green!” with Michael Davis, president of Cloth Connections; and “Why Twitter Matters

Attendees mingled and networked at the expo after-party, held at the stylish VOLT event space and produced by Kool Party Rentals.

SKAM Artist DJs energized attendees with their mixes from the main lounge on the show ﬂoor.

received the beautiful and much-coveted “B” awards created by Society Awards. Winners were congratulated at a cocktail reception sponsored by Barcelona, as attendees enjoyed satisfying beverages from Asahi and Marani and nibbles provided by Contemporary Catering, including apricot braised duck muffulettas and trufﬂed Taleggio spread served with shaved asparagus on lavosh crackers. Your Little Friend’s jazz trio provided musical entertainment, while L.A. Photo Party

Attendees took a moment to relax from the busy show ﬂoor and revel in the splendor of the lounge space created by Rrivre Works.

raised the fun bar by giving attendees props to pose with for their cameras and helping them edit their images, so that they could take home a wonderful memento of this fabulous day. But the celebration didn’t end there, as attendees continued onto VOLT’s loft space near the L.A. Mart. The venue was converted into a fabulous expo after-party, replete with food, cocktails, and Kool Party Rentals’ illuminated furniture and decor that lit the space in shades of electric blue, pink,

and purple. BizBash thanks the L.A. Mart staff, ofﬁcial transportation sponsor Wings Limo, ofﬁcial event photographer Brightroom, radio sponsor Radio 1, and exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees—all of whom made BizBash’s L.A. Expo & Awards an event to remember. Be sure to visit www.bizbash.com/ourevents for announcements and updates about BizBash West’s arrival at the Pasadena Convention Center on June 14, 2011!

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The High Life Straddling the High Line, AndrĂŠ Balazsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Standard New York drew attention before complete. Designed by Polshek it was even Partnership, this 337-room property ofďŹ cially opened in September. thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the High Line Room and For events, Terrace on the third ďŹ&#x201A;oor, which has views of the Hudson River for receptions. The hotel also and holds 250 offers the 285-seat Standard Grill with an adjacent garden well as the 18th-ďŹ&#x201A;oor bar dubbed room for events, as Bon Bon. (848 Washington St., 212.645.4646, standardhotels .com)

Although economic turbulence has tempered the intended ďŹ&#x201A;urry of venue openings and renovations in New York this year, it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring the city to a halt. In fact, some of the bigger projectsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;two new baseball stadiums, the park on the High Line, and Lincoln Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive overhaulâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;debuted in 2009, while chefs spawned more casual eateries to match the change in diner preferences . However, the biggest change will come in 2010, when the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only convention center unveils an expansion and renovates its existing space. By ANNA SEKULA

ON BIZBASH.COM/NEWYORK The latest venue news, reports from recent events, and a comprehensive directory of local suppliers and venues

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READER SURVEY

The New Reality These days event strategists are facing an evolving set of expectations, from tighter budgets to an increased respect for the power of face-to-face gatherings. To gauge the ramiﬁcations of the changes, we surveyed a group of BizBash readers—including in-house and independent planners—about how they’re working through these challenging times. Here’s a look at their responses.

RESPONDENT PROFILE (In-house planners)

Department

Tenure Less than one year 0.2% More than 20 years 14.6%

Events and Meetings 68.4%

Finance/Procurement 0.5% Human Resources/Training 1% Owner 1%

11-20 years 29.4%

1-5 years 27.5%

Administrative 6.1%

6-10 years 28.2%

Marketing/ PR/Sales 15.6%

Other 7.5%

Events/Meetings Planned Per Year

Annual Budget

More than 200 3.6% $50,000 $100,000 12.6%

51-200 15.3%

21-50 21.4%

Fewer than 6 20.4%

6-20 39.2%

Less than $50,000 8.5%

$100,001 $250,000 15.3%

More than $1,000,000 31.1%

$250,0001 $500,000 16.0% $500,001 $1,000,000 16.5%

Methodology: The survey of BizBash subscribers was conducted online in conjunction with Finch Brands, from March 15 to March 26, 2010. Of the 843 respondents who completed the survey, 48.9 percent were in-house event/meeting planners, 28.1 percent were event/meeting planners at independent ﬁrms, and 23 percent were event vendors.

bizbash.com july/august 2010 93

THE NEW REALITY Budgets Are the Big Challenge Staff layoffs and departmental changes 14.1%

What’s the most difﬁcult part of your job today?

Greater ﬁnancial scrutiny 13.6%

Shorter lead times 11.4%

Shrinking budgets 36.0%

(In-house planners) Less organizational support 8.5% Greater process complexity 5.1%

Staying on top of the industry 7.3%

Budgets Are Down, Pressure Is Up To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about event planning today as compared to two years ago? (All planners)

4.35

4.10

4.08

3.92 3.54

3.37

2.31

t re ed to as ic cu rce lcu ssu ish ca y ult ou en g h ateg e n c s r i e e n t l ﬁ i p b b te str dif ees w ou ever nn re dim to a ve as ha ds ccur mo ults t pla more ore tend h e no an s s t i e m s n a e e is ct at We re th im ere w re Eve ome O.I . n ore t dg t I h u a c r T sho B R. ed m Lead mo be att to lat

5=Strongly agree, 0= Strongly disagree

Events Are Expected to Drive Business

How are events used as a part of your organization’s overall marketing strategy? (In-house planners)

61.0%

44.1%

41.6%

41.5%

38.3%

17.7%

o t ke nd gt nts lly y ou ve na ma tive nin ips ica eg ab e i o i o l s s a c t t r yp strat h t a i e t u r l s e s s n s i s e t a d t o s u ion ion nt no ing e u sale even e pro ati te cq t e lat tiv ula l r r a erat cat late are rket a o e o en fy re u i s n l n a d t m M sti m e u C idi e er s m m en l sto d g to tim Int rker Ev rt of to so Cu man ng to s o i a n w p i ts de Tra duc pro

94 bizbash.com july/august 2010

THE VENDOR SELECTION PROCESS Planners Re-evaluate Vendors Regularly…

How often do you re-evaluate the following types of vendors each time you plan an event? (All planners)

68.7% 68.2% 68.1%

63.4% 63.4% 62.5%

59.4% 59.2%

55.0%

53.9%

e nu Ve

r g g nt nt ns on ng co ing tin fﬁn tio cti hti me me De a ter a u e g l / n t a i i Ten d g e S n L C a o a R g t r n c P si ter bli al De Ma En Pu isu nt v e o Ev di Au

…But Not Formally 76%-100%

What percentage of the time do you issue R.F.P.s to vendors for events with more than 100 attendees?

14.8%

51%-75%

16.2%

0%-25%

45.7%

23.3%

(All planners) 26%-50%

Planners Consider Many Factors

How important are the following factors when selecting vendors for your events and meetings? (In-house planners) 5=Very important, 0= Not important at all

4.61

4.32

4.27

4.26

4.13

4.09

3.98

3.83 3.14

st es nt ed lty on ers list ors ces ion Co cti fer me venu nn nd pecia servi nt f tat e e e a e o u l i p v f p s n cl ag ns rp er of or n o lutio l re man r’s ei pe the oth end tio do sit o o era o f a l c n h s n o c V t s ca Ve of Lo ge se rom ll wi nd ysi Ea r’s ity kf ea Ph we g do ac tiv a b n n k a d or Ve Cre dr Fee to w oa r y B ilit Ab

bizbash.com july/august 2010 95

Parades, Walks & Holiday Events Tournament of Roses The 121-year-old New

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S

TOP 100

EVENTS

Every year, these events keep the region’s businesses and charities going strong. Here’s our look inside the biggest events on the area’s annual calendar. By ALESANDRA DUBIN

Few places are known for as many splashy, nationally televised annual events as Los Angeles. (Oscars, anyone?) Southern California plays host not just to an array of celebritydriven entertainment industry events, but to big-time festivals, trade shows, and sports programming, too. Here ON BIZBASH.COM are our annual picks for the region’s top events, which bring Our Top 100 lists from big crowds, media attention, donors, and players in their years past, plus reports from many of these events respective ﬁelds.

96 bizbash.com july/august 2010

Roses parade and its spectacular floral floats was again broadcast all over the world on January 1. Following the parade, in the 96th Rose Bowl game presented by Citi, the Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Oregon Ducks. 2. Fiesta Broadway More than 500,000 people join what is billed as the nation’s largest Cinco de Mayo celebration. This year's festival, which covers 24 square blocks of downtown Los Angeles with multiple performance stages, kicked off the holiday week festivities on April 25. Multiple performance stages offered entertainment. 3. West Hollywood Carnival The City of West Hollywood presents this annual Halloween costume party. An official welcome march launched the 2009 celebration, which attracted a crowd estimated at more than 400,000 people. The event included entertainment across three main stages and multiple other music areas along a one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard. L.A. Pride Christopher Street West presents this weekend celebration of gay pride, which takes place in June. The centerpiece of the festival is a parade that draws close to a half million spectators. The 40th anniversary program took place June 11 to 13 and brought headliners including Kelis and En Vogue. Kelis

PHOTOS: PASADENA TOURNAMENT OF ROSES, VALERIE MACON/GETTY IMAGES (KELIS)

1. Year’s Day tradition of the Tournament of

Food, Wine & Hospitality Events

4. Extravaganza for the Senses [Up from 5] This

beneﬁt for the Saban Free Clinic will move to a new location at Sunset Gower studios on July 17. The event typically draws more than 1,500 attendees and offers samples from 30 restaurants 1. American Wine & Food Festival On Septemand 80 wineries. ber 25, 2,700 food and wine enthusiasts are 5. Great Chefs of Los Angeles [Up from 6] The expected on the Universal Studios back lot for 23rd annual incarnation of this food event took tastings accompanied by live music, dancing, place November 8 at the CBS Studio Center. Ann and a silent auction. Since it began in 1982, and George Lopez served as honorary co-chairs, this Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation event and the chefs of honor were Neal Fraser of BLD has raised more than $15 million for Meals On and Grace, and Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Wheels programs in Los Angeles. Feniger of Border Grill and Ciudad. The theme 2. Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation Los Angeles The Food Network, Sysco, and American was “Go Green, Go Organic.” Details of this year’s Express were among the sponsors at the June 6 event were not available at press time. 6. Savor the Season [Up from 7] Break the beneﬁt to end childhood hunger. The tasting Cycle’s tasting gala, “Savor the Season 2010: event took place at Media Park in Culver City, and included samples from 40 of L.A.’s top chefs Cooking for Love,” is set to serve wine and drinks paired with food from top chefs on October 10 and restaurants, who donated their time and at Global Cuisine by Gary Arabia at the Lot Sturesources. dios in West Hollywood. The event raises funds 3. San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival [Up to end teen dating violence. from 4] The sixth annual festival took place 7. Western Food Service and Hospitality Expo November 18 to 22 and drew a crowd of more than 9,000—a 15 percent increase in ticket sales [Up from 9] This trade show produced and managed by Reed Exhibitions includes a broad over the previous year. The weeklong festival included more than 170 wineries and spirit com- slate of education and related events with about 500 exhibitors. The show moved from the Los panies and 60 chefs and restaurants. The 2010 Angeles Convention Center to the San Diego festival runs November 17 to 21.

PHOTOS: VALERIE MACON/GETTY IMAGES (REVLON), DON MIRALLE/GETTY IMAGES (TOYOTA GRAND PRIX), DAVID SKERNICK (CALIFORNIA WINEMAKERS)

5. Golden Dragon Parade The Chinese Cham-

ber of Commerce of Los Angeles presents the annual Golden Dragon parade, with more than 110,000 people lining the parade route. The celebration along North Broadway in Chinatown is also telecast. The 111th annual parade and festival took place on February 20 and 21. Revlon Run/ Actress Julie Bowen Walk for Women The 17th annual Entertainment Industry Foundation Revlon Run/Walk For Women was held on May 8, 2010. The beneﬁt for women’s cancer organizations takes place each year over Mother’s Day weekend. More than 50,000 participants take to the course. 7. AIDS Walk Los Angeles This annual walk to beneﬁt AIDS Project Los Angeles and other AIDS charities celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 18 in West Hollywood Park. About 30,000 walkers participated, bringing in more than $3.1 million. 8. Hollywood Santa Parade The City of Los Angeles presented the Hollywood Christmas Parade on November 29. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce dropped the long-running parade in 2006, but L.A. took it over. Loyal fans love the parade for bringing down-home sentiment to the big city.

Convention Center in 2009 but will return to L.A. in 2010, taking over the convention center from August 14 to 16.

8. Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters [New to the List] The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 21st annual Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters event was held May 15 and took place, for the third straight year, on the Midwest and French streets back lots at Warner Brothers Studios. The event drew about 1,300 guests to sample wine from more than 65 California wineries and food from more than 45 celebrity chefs.

Sporting Events

racing series through downtown Long Beach, the weekend’s festival of entertainment included free Friday and Saturday night Tecate 1. City of Los Angeles Marathon After a Light concerts, the Lifestyle Expo, and action move to May in 2009, the 2010 Honda L.A. Marathon, presented by K-Swiss, moved back sports demonstrations. up to March 21. The course began at Dodger 4. Pacific Life Holiday Bowl Last year, the bowl pitted the 20th-ranked Nebraska Stadium and continued west through the Cornhuskers against the Arizona Wildcats in city to Santa Monica and Ocean Boulethe 32nd annual event, on December 30 at vard. The marathon drew a capacity 25,000 Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Each year, registrants—the first time in the race’s 25year history that it sold out and a 45 percent this football game grows in attendance and is broadcast by the ESPN networks. increase over 2009. 5. Cedars-Sinai Sports Spectacular The 2. The Indian Wells Tournament The BNP Paribas Open, formerly known as the Pacific 25th annual fund-raiser for the Cedars-Sinai Medical Genetics Institute took place May 23 Life Open, is the fifth most-attended tennis at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, drawing tournament outside the Grand Slams. The about 1,800 guests. In its history, the event, March 8 to 21 event again took place at the which honors sports legends, has raised 16,000-seat Indian Wells Tennis Garden, atmore than $19 million. tracting more than 300,000. 6. Bob Hope Chrysler Classic Ryan Hunter-Reay celebrating his victory This weeklong multicourse golf tournament took place January 18 to 24 at PGA West, Bermuda Dunes Country Club, and La Quinta’s SilverRock Resort. Queen Latifah was the headlining performer at the Classic Ball. 7. Pacific Life Pac-10 Men’s Basketball Tournament The 2010 tournament took to the Staples Center March 10 to 13, when the 10 schools in the conference competed for a guaranteed spot in the N.C.A.A. tournaToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach The 36th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach ment. The Pac-10 tournament draws about 80,000 for three days of games. took place April 16 to 18. In addition to six

bizbash.com july/august 2010 97

Entertainment & Media Events

98 bizbash.com july/august 2010

The People’s Choice after-party

12. People’s Choice Awards [Up from 16] A record-breaking 60 million fans voted to decide the winners of the People’s Choice Awards, which took place January 6 at the Nokia Theater for the first time in the show’s history. Although that number is likely inflated by repeat voters on the Web site, the turnout was still significantly higher than the 13 million ballots cast the previous year. 13. Women in Film’s Crystal & Lucy Awards The latest installment of Women in Film’s celebrityheavy annual award show and fund-raiser took to the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel June 1. The professional group was founded to acknowledge women in a male-dominated environment. 14. Bafta/L.A. Britannia Awards The British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ L.A. branch draws big stars as presenters and honorees for its awards. Amy Adams and Benicio Del Toro gave awards to honchos like Robert DeNiro and Kirk Douglas on November 5. 15. American Cinematheque Gala Tribute The 24th annual American Cinematheque Award was presented to Matt Damon on March 27 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel; the gala was broadcast on ABC. The annual fund-raiser supports film preservation and has just one honoree a year— typically an uncontroversial big-name star. 16. Los Angeles Film Festival In March, Film Independent’s Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by The Los Angeles Times, announced it would move the program from Westwood to new headquarters at the Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live. The festival’s June 17 to 27 run was expected to draw 85,000 attendees. 17. Glaad Media Awards These honors, held in multiple cities, reward news and entertainment media for fair and accurate representations of gay issues. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation hosted the 21st annual awards on April 17 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. 18. N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards The 41st edition of this show took to the Shrine Auditorium on February 26 and aired live on Fox. A series of lead-up events included a nominees’ press conference announcement, a nominees’ luncheon, a golf challenge, and a ladies’ tea. 19. Hollywood Film Festival Starz will present this film festival and the Hollywood Film Awards on October 20 through 25, billing it as a kickoff to award season. The program dates back to 1997. The ArcLight in Hollywood and the Beverly Hilton are the festival’s venues.

PHOTOS: NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY (ACADEMY AWARDS), LINE 8 PHOTOGRAPHY (GRAMMYS), BRETT ALPHIN PHOTOGRAPHY (PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS), VINCE BUCCI/PICTURE GROUP (BET)

the awards— known for a more casual, free-wheeling vibe—were handed out two 1. Academy Awards There are a lot of award shows in town, but the Oscars rise to the top of days before the the list for the production value and sheer num- Oscars. 7. Environmental ber of related events. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted the 2010 event Media Awards Proving their stayat the Kodak Theatre on March 7, back from its typical February date to avoid a conflict with the ing power, the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics. E.M.A.s celebrated 20 years with an October 25 event at the Studios at Paramount honoring the likes of Richard Branson. The party after the ceremony is an eco-friendly affair with organic food and drinks, an on-message auction, and reusable cloth signage. 8. American Music Awards [Up from 14] These awards took to L.A. Live on November 22, and the ABC broadcast of the program garnered more than 14 million viewers, the largest audience for the show since 2002. Dick Clark Productions produced, tapping 15/40 Productions for the arIn Style and Time Warner’s after-party rivals and (scaled-down) after-party production management and design. Golden Globes The Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s luxe ceremony took to its BET Awards typical home, the Beverly Hilton Hotel, on January 17. Ricky Gervais served as the dinner party’s host, the live telecast’s first since 1995. Grammys The The Grammy after-party Recording Academy of Arts & Sciences’ 52nd annual music awards took to the Staples Center on January 31—the first January appearance in their history. The show aired live on CBS. The Recording Academy’s BranBET Awards [Up from 19] Established den Chapman oversaw a huge in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Network, these awards celebrate African-Americans in after-party. 4. Screen Actors Guild Awards The SAG Awards, music, sports, and other entertainment realms. Queen Latifah hosted the 2010 awards on June produced by Jeff Margolis Productions in association with Screen Actors Guild Awards L.L.C., 27, which were broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium. In 2009, in the days after Michael took place on January 23. New caterer Lucques Jackson’s death, the show drew record ratings. Catering stepped in to handle the 16th annual 10. A.F.I. Fest The latest incarnation of Los dinner event at the Shrine Auditorium. Angeles’s longest-running film festival wrapped 5. The Emmy Awards Usually held in mid-Sepon November 7. In a congested festival markettember, the Emmys will shift to August 29 this year to avoid Sunday football programming. The place, the American Film Institute’s 23-year-old show takes to the Nokia Theatre. Entertainment gathering, with presenting sponsor Audi, offered Tonight and HBO are typically among the lavish free tickets to all screenings. All seats were fully committed under the new plan, an attractive party hosts. arrangement for sponsors. 6. Film Independent’s Spirit Awards Film Independent moved the 2010 Spirit Awards to March 11. A.F.I. Life Achievement Awards The 38th A.F.I. Life Achievement award went to Mike 5, in a tent on the event deck at L.A. Live—a controversial departure from the show’s typical Nichols at a gala tribute on June 10 at Sony Picslot on the day before the Academy Awards and tures Studios, with an after-party produced by its most recent Santa Monica location. This time Precision Event Group. TV Land will broadcast.

Fashion & Retail Events

ceremony honored its 14th and 15th recipients, Cartier and the late Princess Grace of Monaco. The Donahue Group collaborated on the project with the Rodeo Drive merchants’ event co-chairs, Divine Design Peri Ellen Berne and Susan Moseley. 3. Class Trade Show The next installment of [Up from this fashion trade show known for it’s eco3] While the media was pre- friendly California touches will return to the dicting sluggish Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on September 1 and 2. Created by show director Jason Bates sales for the holiday season, and launched in March 2008, Class has quickly generated buzz and gained clout by drawing an the December increasing number of exhibitors and attendees opening of Divine Design, the at each edition. 4. Macy’s Passport This annual AIDS fund-raiser West Coast’s takes place in the fall. The 2009 installment largest retail fund-raiser, was took to Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar on bursting at the September 24 with a “Come Together” theme. The annual high-energy fashion show is comseams with eager shoppers. plete with dancers and special effects, plus preand after-parties. The event also makes a San The turnout Francisco appearance. was fueled by organizers’ new promotional push on social networking sites like Twitter and 5. F.I.D.M.’s L.A. Fashion Gala Debut Show [Up from 7] The three-decade-old Debut attracts Facebook, which resulted in a $20,000 increase more than 10,000 people over three days and in opening night sales. 2. Rodeo Drive Walk of Style The City of Beverly showcases designs by graduating students in Hills and the Rodeo Drive Committee cosponsor Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising’s fashion design and theater costume design this annual event honoring big fashion names programs, plus related ﬁelds. The show beneﬁts on the shopping street. On October 22 the

the F.I.D.M. Scholarship Foundation. There’s also a black-tie fund-raising gala and dinner, which ended the 2010 program’s run on March 13. 6. Colleagues Charity Luncheon The Colleagues philanthropic group hosts a fashion-focused spring fund-raising luncheon. The event took place April 20 and honored Oscar de la Renta at the Beverly Wilshire hotel. Diane Lane was the presenter. Related group the Colleague Helpers in Philanthropic Service also showcases fashion designers at an annual luncheon. 7. Los Angeles Fashion Week [Up from 9] L.A.’s inability to maintain a single cohesive Fashion Week has been widely publicized—particularly after the partnership between Smashbox and IMG dissolved in 2008. But in its place has arisen something of a fashion month; most of October saw clusters of fashion-related events take shape under multiple structural umbrellas—so we’re holding this spot on the list to see how the program might continue to reinvent itself. 8. Country Friends of Art Fashion Show Nonproﬁt organization Country Friends produces this show and luncheon in partnership with South Coast Plaza. The 55th annual show is set for September 23 at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. The event begins with a luncheon on the lawn, followed by the Art of Fashion runway show and the Après Affaire wine tasting.

the dates so the fair would not overlap with the Grammys on January 31. The show drew about 40,000 to the Los Angeles Convention Center. 1. The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los An4. Orange County Art of Dining Benefit The geles’s Gala [Up from 12] With MOCA’s financial 2010 Art of Dining gala on May 8 began with future in question, we pushed this event to a cocktail reception sponsored by Patrón and the bottom of our list in 2008—but reserved a Good Gracious, with a private viewing of three space for it in the hopes of a big comeback. And newly installed exhibitions. Guests then were it came. In November, MOCA’s gala set a fundshuttled to the Island Hotel for a four-course raising record ($4 million), with a performance dinner with live disco and funk. The event’s take by Lady Gaga and Bolshoi Ballet dancers. was about $400,000. 5. Westweek The Pacific Design Center hosts this trade event that welcomes thousands of design industry folks and journalists each spring for showroom programs, showcases, special events, demos, and book signings. The 2010 event took place March 24 and 25. 6. San Diego Museum of Art’s Art Alive Between April 29 and May 2, the museum transformed into a spectacle of art and flowers. About 13,000 attendees came to check out the exhibition of arrangements by more than 100 floral designers who took inspiration from the museum’s collection. Hammer Museum’s Gala in the Garden 7. International Los Angeles Photographic Art The Hammer’s seventh annual gala in October Exposition Photo L.A. returned to the Santa honored artist Kara Walker and writer Dave Egg- Monica Civic Auditorium from January 14 to ers at a sold-out dinner for 535. The growing gala 17. The 19-year-old show included an openingraised $1.3 million—the most in its history. night reception to benefit the Wallis Annenberg 3. Los Angeles Art Show [Up from 4] The 15th Photography Department at Lacma, and was coannual show ran January 20 through 24, prehosted by photographer David LaChapelle. sented by the Fine Art Dealers Association and 8. Los Angeles Antiques Show [New to the List] KR Martindale Show Management, who shifted More than 60 prestigious local and interna-

tional exhibitors showed off antique furniture and decorative and fine arts at this 15-year-old fair, which took to the Barker Hangar April 22 through 25. A preview gala on April 21 benefited the P.S. Arts organization. 9. Laguna Beach Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts runs from July 5 to August 31, 2010. The annual Pageant of the Masters—faithful re-creations of classical and contemporary works with real people posing to look like the subjects in the original pieces—runs from July 7 to August 31, with the annual gala on August 28. 10. ArtWalk San Diego The Mission Federal ArtWalk San Diego took place on April 24 and 25 in Little Italy. This 26-year-old free art event showcases the work of more than 400 artists. 11. Venice Art Walk Hosted by the Venice Family Clinic on May 22 and 23, the 31st annual event had a 400-lot auction, more than 50 studios with exhibits, food from local restaurants, live entertainment, and access to homes and private art collections. More than 900 volunteers participated, and Classic Party Rentals was a major sponsor. 12. Art Los Angeles Contemporary [New to the List] This international contemporary art fair took place at the Pacific Design Center from January 28 to 31. The event showcased 55 international and L.A.-based exhibitors and attracted 9,000 collectors, curators, artists, and fans. 13. Redondo Beach International Antiques Fair The 12th annual fair will take over the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center from July 23 to 25. The fair typically draws more than 75 exhibitors and between 2,500 and 5,000 attendees.

PHOTOS: ERIC CHARBONNEAU/LE STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY (MOCA), ANDREAS BRANCH/ PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (DIVINE DESIGN) DESIGN)

Art & Design Events

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4. The NAMM Show The National Association of

Music Merchants puts the final registration and exhibitor numbers for the 2010 NAMM Show, the longest-running trade show in the United States, at 87,569 registrants. There were 1,373 exhibitors 1. Los Angeles Auto Show This well-established this year, including nearly 250 new exhibitors—a event has been on the scene for more than a new record for the 108-year-old event. The show century. It ran from December 4 to 13 at the Los ran January 14 through 17 at the Anaheim ConAngeles Convention Center. During press days vention Center. on December 2 and 3, automakers hosted 24 5. TED Conference [New to the List] Presenters press conferences and unveiled more than 30 ranging from Bill Gates to James Cameron gathworld and North American debuts, including a ered at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center dozen concept vehicles. for the 26th annual Technology, Entertainment, 2. Comic-Con International This four-decadeand Design (TED) Conference, an intellectual old show has a rabid fan following and a growpowwow held February 9 to 13. TED gives particiing tendency to attract mainstream Hollywood pating speakers, billed by the nonprofit as “the celebrities. Memberships for the 2010 show world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers,” a sold out in November 2009, months before the forum to present 18-minute talks to an invitationprevious year’s record-breaking March sellout. only audience of more than 1,000. The 2010 show runs from July 22 through 25, 6. D: All Things Digital Conference [New to the with a preview night on July 21 at the San Diego List] The Wall Street Journal’s conference has Convention Center. been bringing big news and discussions with The Women’s top names in media and technology since its Katie Couric Conference debut in 2003. Creators and executive producInterviewing California’s first lady, ers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher presented Annie Maria Shriver, and D8, the eighth annual conference, June 1 to 3. The Leibovitz Governor Arnold program, which took over the Terranea Resort Schwarzenegger’s in Rancho Palos Verdes, had been sold out since Women’s Conference January. once again drew 7. American Film Market The 30th annual film masses of women to market ran from November 4 to 11 in Santa Monica. join a packed roster The event screened 445 films, including 73 world of about 70 highpremieres and 311 market premieres, to 8,000-plus level speakers and film buyers and industry professionals from more participants at the than 70 countries. The trade association IndepenLong Beach Conven- dent Film & Television Alliance produces the market. tion Center in 2009. 8. Los Angeles Boat Show Produced by the SouthThe program balern California Marine Association, the 54th annual looned from a single show took to the Los Angeles Convention Center day to two full days from February 18 to 21. Billing itself as the largest to accommodate the of its kind on the West Coast, the event occupies increasing number of would-be attendees. The acres of exhibits and shows hundreds of new 2010 conference is set for October 25 and 26. boats from 6 to 60 feet.

Festivals & Fairs 1. Los Angeles County Fair Typically drawing more than 1.3 million visitors, the largest county fair in the nation takes place at the Pomona Fairplex. The next fair runs from September 4 to October 3 and offers live entertainment, rides, games, and vendors selling food and crafts.

2. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival The 11th annual event on April 16 through 18 brought nearly 150 acts to Indio’s Empire Polo

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Field. After a format change, festival organizer Goldenvoice, led by Paul Tollett, sold out all three-day passes for the festival this year, which created a packed environment and drew a frenzy of marketers for related events. 3. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books The 2010 installment of this newspaper-sponsored festival took over U.C.L.A. on April 24 and 25, with Target as the presenting sponsor. The event brings more than 300 exhibitors and 100 author panels to the campus every spring for a celebration of books that draws as many as 140,000 attendees. Admission is free to the public. 4. Orange County Super Fair [New to the List] In the last decade, the fair has jumped from the 34th to the 13th largest fair in North America, with an estimated attendance of 1.1 million. The 2009 fair ran from July 10 through August 9—a week longer than in the past. The 2010 fair runs from July 16 through August 15. 5. Abbot Kinney Festival The 26th annual street

9. E3 The global computer and video game trade show, owned and operated by the Entertainment Software Association, took to the Los Angeles Convention Center June 15 through 17. The expo draws tens of thousands of industry professionals to its sprawl of high-tech exhibits. 10. California Gift Show L.A. Mart owner MMPI announced in 2009 the acquisition of the California Gift Show from DMG World Media, and the newly integrated show ran under MMPI’s ownership and management. The next show will be July 16 to 19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with a chance to shop early at the L.A. Mart beginning on July 13. 11. The Los Angeles Times Travel & Adventure Show Billed as the largest travel show in the United States, this event was held February 13 and 14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It attracts hundreds of destination exhibitors and offers a scuba pool, cultural performances on the Global Beat Stage, and the World Culinary Stage. 12. Milken Institute’s Global Conference [New to the List] This annual conference ran April 26 through 28 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. With 560 speakers on 140 panels, the event brought discussions among top-level decision makers and thinkers on topics like education, energy, ﬁnance, government, health, media, and philanthropy. T. Boone Pickens, Maria Shriver, and Eli Broad were among the participants in the program, which drew more than 3,000 attendees.

fest is coming up on September 26. Volunteers produce this popular free community festival of live music, arts and crafts booths, and food offerings. Close to 150,000 people attend the good-natured, elbow-to-elbow event. 6. Sunset Junction Street Festival This latesummer festival is set for August 21 and 22 on Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards in the Silverlake district known as Sunset Junction. The festival’s packed performance lineup and carnival rides attract about 60,000 music-minded hipster types. 7. Sunset Strip Music Festival Now in its third year, this event is set for August 12 through 14 in West Hollywood and will kick off with a tribute to a Sunset Strip icon, Slash. The 2010 event will include a street festival between San Vicente Boulevard and Doheny Drive, with performances on outdoor stages as well as live music in the clubs within the enclosed area, street vendors, and interactive entertainment.

PHOTOS: GOLD/WONG (WOMEN'S CONFERENCE), DAN ELDRIDGE (COACHELLA), NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY (E3)

Trade Shows & Conventions

Beneﬁts

books into film. The 22nd annual event took place on February 6. Screenwriter Steven Zail1. Carousel of Hope Every other year in October, lian presented the Literary Achievement Award this ball—with help from corporate sponsors to screenwriter Eric Roth at the gala at Doheny and entertainment industry partners—raises Memorial Library. Proceeds benefit the library’s millions in support of treatment and research Preservation Fund. programs at the Barbara Davis Center for Child12. Starlight Foundation Gala The 2010 gala hood Diabetes. Davis’s fund-raiser is known for took place on March 19 at the Century Plaza attracting big names, and big bucks too. This Hyatt. The fund-raiser included a performance year’s Carousel is scheduled for October 25 at by Dionne Warwick and honored entertainment the Beverly Hilton. industry leaders and humanitarians who have helped seriously ill children and their families. 13. Fulfillment Fund’s Stars Benefit [Up from 14] The Fulfillment Fund Stars 2009 benefit honoring Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann took to the Beverly Hills Hotel on October 26. Jonah Hill and Jason Segel served as M.C.s, and John Mayer was on hand for a musical performance. 14. Backstage at the Geffen [Up from 15] This gala on March 22 honored Barry Meyer and Kristin Chenoweth. Alan and Cindy Horn and John and Marilyn Wells co-chaired the event, which Gil Cates hosted. The benefit enabled the group to serve disadvantaged youth, seniors, and veterans through its education and outreach proRace to Erase MS Hollywood blue blood grams. The same night, restaurant NineThirty at Nancy Davis co-chairs this multimillion-dollar the nearby W Los Angeles Westwood welcomed benefit with Tommy Hilfiger. The 2010 gala took the gala’s host committee dinner. to the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on May 7 15. Art of Elysium Ball [New to the List] This and brought in $2 million with the help of a nonprofit group hosted its annual black-tie gala maltese puppy and a Lamborghini on the aucon January 16 at the Wiltern Theater. About 450 tion block. guests came for cocktails, 3. Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala [Up from a seated dinner, a fashion 4] The L.A. Philharmonic’s new music director, show, and live musical Gustavo Dudamel, has summoned a palpable performances. Shepard buzz in town. The orchestra welcomed the Fairey helped create the incoming Dudamel for his inaugural concert at look, and Kirsten Dunst Walt Disney Concert Hall in October and surreceived the Spirit of Elyrounded the festivities with lavish receptions sium award. Best Events and a gala that highlighted Dudamel’s native produces the gala. Venezuela. 16. Pasadena Showcase House of Design for the Arts This decades-old Pasadena benefit supports a variety of music programs and draws close to 40,000 visitors to tour a Pasadena home that has been decorated by select designers. About Concern Foundation’s Block Party [Up 25 vendors participate in the Shops at Showcase, from 12] The next annual block party benefit with sales of nearly $2 million. The showcase ran California Science Center Ball [Up from 13] for the Concern Foundation for cancer research April 18 to May 16. Longtime guests of the museum’s Discovery is set to take over the Studios at Paramount 17. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Ball found an even grander gala in its place on on July 10. The foundation exceeded its goal in County’s Dinosaur Ball This is an off year for March 20. Organizers, led by Christina Sion, put 2009, raising $1.3 million. the museum’s black-tie biannual fund-raiser. together an event to serve as the grand opening 10. Los Angeles Opera Season Opening Celebra- Look out for the gala to return in 2011 with what for the museum’s new wing and “Ecosystems” tion At the L.A. opera’s season-opening celebra- should be a big event tied to the opening of exhibit. (The event will return next year to its tion on September 12, guests moved from a per- “Dino Mysteries,” one of the museum’s most long-running name.) The gala grossed more formance of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love in the anticipated galleries. than $1 million. opera house to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 18. The Justice Ball Now in its 14th year, this 5. Entertainment Industry Foundation’s An which had been transformed by gala chair Mary fund-raiser benefits Bet Tzedek, a nonprofit firm Unforgettable Evening The 13th annual event Hayley. The season-opening program planned that provides free legal services in the fields benefiting the Entertainment Industry Founda- for September will celebrate the company’s 25th of consumer rights, housing, workers’ rights, tion’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund raised $1.7 anniversary. and more. This year’s event at the Hollywood million on January 27 at the Beverly Wilshire. The 11. Scripter Award Gala The U.S.C. Libraries Palladium on June 26 featured live sets by Dave event included a performance from Taylor Swift, Scripter Award honors writers for adapting Navarro and DJ Skribble.

PHOTOS: NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY (CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER), WIREIMAGE.COM (RACE TO ERASE MS), BARRY E. LEVINE (CONCERN FOUNDATION)

who went on to take the top Grammy award days later. Christina Applegate, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill were the honorees. 6. U.C.L.A. Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Taste for a Cure This food-centric fundraiser for cancer research took to the Beverly Wilshire on April 30, raising $475,000. Comcast president and C.E.O. Ted Harbert received the 2010 Gil Nickel Humanitarian award, and Ryan Seacrest served as honorary co-chair. The event celebrated the wines of Stags Leap district and offered dishes from downtown restaurants. 7. Chrysalis Butterfly Ball The ninth annual ball for this poverty and homelessness support organization was set to honor Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Glee creator Ryan Murphy, and director Brett Ratner at a private Mandeville Canyon estate on June 5, with a live performance by the cast of Glee. The June 2009 ball drew Hollywood types and raised more than $550,000—down from more than $1 million the previous year. 8. HollyRod Foundation’s DesignCare Benefit A 2010 date had not yet been set by press time, but in July 2009, the stars came out to support DesignCare, which benefits people battling debilitating disease and circumstances; the take was more than $350,000. Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete host the 11-year-old event, which includes a fashion show, musical performance, and auctions.

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Full Plates

For the busy event planner, here’s a quick guide to new cocktail spots, top tables, and private rooms for wining and dining clients and business groups on both coasts.

New York By ANNA SEKULA

BARS & LOUNGES

For a Bigger Group Expanding on the concept popular at its meatpacking district property, Gansevoort Hotels will debut a multistory Plunge Bar & Lounge at the Gansevoort Park in July. With 13,000 square feet of space inside and out and a 1940s-style aesthetic, this spot is best suited to a more casual crowd. (420 Park Ave. South, 212.730.0100)

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Mid-Size Marked with four 20-foottall acacia trees, the Garden sits just off the grand lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel. A restaurant by day and a wine bar in the evening, the elegant 75-seater offers more that 700 bottles of wine (150 by the glass) alongside a menu of small plates. (57 East 57th St., 212.350.6658)

Intimate On the ground ﬂoor of a residential building in Hell’s Kitchen, Ardesia is a small but comfortable wine bar. Opened by Mandy Oser, director of strategic partnerships at Le Bernardin, the 50-seat watering hole has a menu of charcuterie, cheeses, and snacks, and offers a 34-seat front patio during warmer months. (510 West 52nd St., 212.247.9191)

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ARDESIA, COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTELS, RENDERING COURTESY OF GANSEVOORT HOTEL GROUP

Business Entertaining 2010

Intimate Echoing the curved architecture of the museum, the Guggenheim’s new eatery, the Wright, is a smallish space with 58 seats in a sleek but artful room. Executive chef Rodolfo Contreras serves American fare and emphasizes seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. (1071 Fifth Ave., 212.849.8332)

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION, MELISSA HOM (ZENGO), PHILIP GREENBERG (WRIGHT), EMMANUEL FAURE (PLEIN SUD), COURTESY OF HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION, JULIE GLASSBERG (MARK)

RESTAURANTS

For a Bigger Group Richard Sandoval, a pioneer of Nuevo Mexican restaurants from New York to Las Vegas, opened his latest inside a sprawling 17,000-square-foot space near Grand Central. At Zengo some 120 seats ﬁll the dining room, where AvroKo’s Latin and Asian design details highlight the soaring ceiling; groups of 75 can take over the lower-level tequila library. (622 Third Ave., 212.808.8110)

Mid-Size In May, Frederick Lesort debuted Plein Sud, which occupies the ground-level space at the Smyth Hotel. The 110-seat brasserie serves Southern French fare amid weathered wood paneling, rustic gardening implements, and semicircular banquettes. (85 West Broadway, 212.204.5555)

PRIVATE ROOMS For a Bigger Group Set inside Trump’s new SoHo hotel, Quattro Gastronomia Italiana serves the Northern Italian fare chefs Fabrizio and Nicola Carro made popular in Miami. Overlooking the main dining room, the mezzanine houses a 40seat private dining room with its own bar. (246 Spring St., 212.842.4500)

Intimate A palette of grays and browns give the Andaz Wall Street’s restaurant, Wall & Water, an understated look. The 10seat private room strikes a similar tone, with a single blond wood table, residential-size bar, and sofas. (75 Wall St., 212.699.1700)

Mid-Size The restaurant inside the newly renovated Mark Hotel is the work of prominent chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Known simply as the Mark Restaurant by JeanGeorges, the Jacques Grange-designed space offers a private room for as many as 20. (25 East 77th St., 212.606.3030) bizbash.com july/august 2010 103

Los Angeles

Mid-Size The new Andaz West Hollywood hotel has an acclaimed restaurant known as RH, where an open kitchen serves Southwestern French food using farm-fresh ingredients. In an adjacent private space known as the wine gallery, bottles line the walls. The 62-square-foot room seats 25 for a meal. (8401 West Sunset Boulevard, 323.785.6090)

By ALESANDRA DUBIN

Intimate Inside the custom European kitchen at the Montage For a Bigger Group One of the ﬁnal pieces of the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills’ $33 million renovation project is Culina, Modern Italian, where a private room holds 40. (A semiprivate, glass-enclosed room seats 10.) The airy new restaurant has indoor and outdoor dining and a bar and lounge area with an interactive crudo bar. (300 South Doheny Drive, 310.860.4000)

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Beverly Hills, an intimate chef’s table for 12 overlooks the adjacent Beverly Cañon Gardens. Groups can have pre-dinner drinks in the portico, followed by an intimate meal served on signature china, with silver, glassware, and custom linens. The executive chef handles the table, offering ﬁve to six menus along with hors d’oeuvres, cheese presentations, and dessert options; custom menus are also available. (225 North Cañon Drive, 310.860.7800)

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LOS ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS, TAGGART SORENSON (RH), SCOTT FRANCES (MONTAGE)

PRIVATE ROOMS

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF UPPER WEST, DIAMOND DAVE (BAR ROOM), COURTESY OF STATION HOLLYWOOD, COURTESY OF THE TAR PIT, COURTESY OF TIGER, MICHAEL PRINT (WATERLOO & CITY),

Mid-Size Although the name Tar Pit might conjure kitsch, it is actually a luxe Art Deco-inspired bôite with ornate chandeliers, mirrored walls, and leather banquettes. The new project from Mark Peel and Audrey Saunders offers artisanal cocktails, bar fare, and a full menu. Tar Pit is available for buyouts for events, but there are no private rooms. The space can seat more than 90 or hold about 150 for receptions. (609 North La Brea Ave., 323.965.1300)

For a Bigger Group Station Hollywood, at the W Hollywood Hotel & Residences, is a bilevel outdoor bar and lounge named for the nearby Metro Red Line stop. The menu offers handcrafted seasonal cocktails and small plates. Decor includes dark woods, landscaping, and two ﬁre pits. There’s also a 600-square-foot retractable projection screen. (6250 Hollywood Blvd., 323.798.1355)

Intimate Porta Via owner Peter Garland opened the Bar Room adjacent to his restaurant. Designed by his wife, Jill Garland, the Bar Room offers cocktails, beer, and wine along with small plates of popular Porta Via dishes in an upscale, pub-like setting. The space is available for buyout starting at $5,000, and the total capacity is 80. (428 North Cañon Drive, Beverly Hills, 310.274.6534)

Mid-Size Upper West is a new restaurant in Santa Monica serving modern American cuisine. As its name implies, the design for the venue is meant to evoke New York, with 28foot ceilings, and open kitchen, and urban-rustic decor that channels loft life. Upper West has a 27-foot bar with hightop tables, couches, and a substantial list of specialty cocktails. In addition to its main dining room, there is an 800-square-foot patio. Upper West is available for buyout, with room for 125 for a seated event. (3321 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.586.1111)

BARS & LOUNGES

RESTAURANTS

Intimate Tiger officially opened in Beverly Hills with a party in April. The sushi restaurant is available for buyout with a total capacity of 100. Design firm iCrave is behind the natural, woodfilled look of the venue, which serves what it calls “post-Asian” cuisine, meaning new dishes that strive for innovation alongside well-known classics. The menu includes traditional sushi rolls, signature rolls, robata, and other hot and cold dishes. (340 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, 310.274.3200)

For a Bigger Group Ofﬁcially opened in May in Culver City, Waterloo & City’s main dining area, including the patio, has room for 145 guests for seated events, and the bar seats 30. The venue is available for full buyout on a case-by-case basis, with preference given to daytime events. Groups of as many as 15 may dine in a semiprivate section of the restaurant. (12517 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310.391.4222)

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Special Advertising Section

Catering Directory Book Your Staff

byDavid, Inc.

We provide polished, professional catering event staff for parties, corporate events, galas, black tie events, weddings, and preferred caterers. Book Your Staff can provide temporary staff for your facility, company, or event. Book Your Staff offers the convenience of one-stop shopping with access to staff for both the front and back of the house. Whether you need an additional dishwasher, line cook, display cook, or banquet staff, Book Your Staff is always on hand to meet your needs 24/7. We have “state of the art” software and an impeccable human resource management team to staff any event. We also offer event planning.

byDavid Staffing & Events is a hospitality staffing & events management/planning firm in New York City. Their services include but are not limited to providing bartenders, servers, coat check attendants, prep cooks, chefs, promotional models, cocktail waitresses, hosts, event managers, event planners, and captains for a wide variety of events.

12 West 101st St., New York, NY 10025 T: 917.881.6877 bookyourstaff.com

Café Ala Carte

122 West 26th St., Ground Floor, New York, NY 10001 T: 212.741.0641 bydavidnyc.com Service Area: New York Tristate Area

Canard, Inc.

Café Ala Carte is an upscale full service mobile cappuccino/espresso bar. They are known for their high standards of professionalism. Everything is provided including the tuxedo attired baristas who are expertly trained to serve your guests the world’s most delicious espresso, cappuccino or latte. Service with a European flare. When only the best will do! 35 Jared Drive, White Plains, NY 10605 T: 914.288.0676 F: 914.288.0006 christine@cafealacarte.com cafealacarte.com Service Area: NY Tristate area, South Florida and Tampa

Crème de la Crème Crème de la Crème is a full-service, off-premise catering company, creating extraordinary events since 1989. ChefOwner Mark Miskiewicz is intimately involved in the creation and execution of each menu and event. Whether at an estate, business, or other unique venue, we can help make any event a success. CdlC has catered some of the most prestigious events in Southern California. Let us help make your next event the Crème de la Crème. T: 714.241.1091 cremedelacremefoods.com Service Area: Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego Counties

Canard is the creative resource sought by multinational corporations, cultural institutions, nonprofits, and private clients. For over 20 years the caterer and event planner of choice for designers, Broadway, and financiers, Canard is the preferred caterer of hosts seeking contemporary cuisine delivered with personalized and attentive service. 503 West 43rd St., New York, NY 10036 T: 212.947.2480 canardinc.com Service Area: NY Tristate area

Cupa Cabana Espresso & Coffee Catering

Cupa Cabana Espresso & Coffee Catering sets you apart from other venues and professionals by providing an unforgettable experience at your events through coffee. The aroma and visual impact of our presentation leaves your guests with a lasting impression of delight. Cappuccino, latte, espresso, chai. Equipment, trained barista, and product. T: 908.722.2877 cupacabana.com marianne@cupacabana.com Service Area: New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware

To advertise in BizBash advertorial directories, please contact Robert Fitzgerald at 646.839.6840 or rﬁtzgerald@bizbash.com.

Special Advertising Section

Catering Directory dbdk productions, Inc.

Haru

Celebrating life’s finest moments…

Haru is a modern Japanese restaurant group providing beautiful private meeting/ party spaces and turn-key, off-site catering services throughout New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Corporate and social event menus are available for every kind and size of occasion.

The cast of byDavid Staffing & Events and MYLO Gourmet have collaborated to bring you dbdk, a full-service catering & event production company. dbdk has established itself as one of NY’s most dynamic and premier catering & production companies in the industry. 122 West 26th St., Ground Floor. New York, NY 10001 T: 212.741.0641 www.dbdkproductions.com (coming soon!) Service Area: NY Tristate area

Jones BBQ Catering Besides a NY original and neighborhood favorite, Jones BBQ is a full service caterer! All of your BBQ favorites are now available for lunch meetings and late nights at work, and festive celebrations at home, outdoor or anywhere else. Enjoy our great comfort foods: grilled, bbq’d, smoked, pulled, honey-glazed, sauteed, skewered, fried, or buffaloed. All prepared to order on our premises and delivered anywhere in the tri-boro area.

T: 917.915.4355 contact@dallasjonesbbq.com dallasjonesbbq.com

Contact: Vivian Fong T: 212.744.0818 vivian@ harusushi.com harusushi.com

Kosher Catering NYC

Kosher Catering NYC brings a contemporary style to traditional cuisine. The full-service eventplanning agency works with both private and corporate clients, managing their events from conception to execution. The food is always prepared fresh on-site and the flexible packages are customized to fit your taste and budget. T: 646.450.8247 F: 212.202.7883 koshercatering-nyc.com Service Area: NY Tristate area

Ome Caterers

Shiraz Events

Ome Caterers is the leading catering services and event planning company in the tri-state area and offers the finest in Contemporary American cuisine.

Shiraz Events is the ultimate fashion forward special events service. With offices in New York and Miami, Shiraz Events provides catering, model staffing, event design, and production services to clients such as Louis Vuitton, Amazon, Versace, Microsoft, Target, Moët Hennessey, JC Penney, Audi, Swarovski, and more.

Ome’s delicious food combined with its impeccable service and superlative presentation will make your business affair, private dinner, gallery opening, benefit event, or wedding reception an unforgettable occasion.

T: 212.361.0022 (New York office) Corporate Office: 40 South Jefferson Road. Whippany, NJ 07981 F: 973.560.4539 omecaters.com Service Area: NY, NJ, Tristate Area

161 West 22nd St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011 T: 212.255.7001 F: 212.255.3420 shirazevents.com Service Area: National

To advertise in BizBash advertorial directories, please contact Robert Fitzgerald at 646.839.6840 or rﬁtzgerald@bizbash.com.

Special Advertising Section

Catering Directory Star StafďŹ ng

Sweet Basil Catering

Star Staffing was founded specifically to meet the staffing challenges of the hospitality and hotel industry. We have one focus â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to provide the highest quality personnel to our clients. Star is your source for trained, groomed, and personable Front and Back of the House staff. We partner with you to provide cost effective solutions for all your staffing needs. Our goal is to establish and maintain long-term, rewarding relationships with our clients.

Sweet Basil Catering is a full-service caterer specializing in seasonally inspired menus with beautiful presentation, topnotch service, and affordable prices for events both large and small. Sweet Basil takes an artisinal approach to cooking specializing in contemporary American cuisine with diverse global influences. They provide excellent customer service and handle rentals, decor, and staffing in addition to outstanding food.

211 East 43rd St. Suite 2001, New York, NY 10017 T: 212.661.6148 T: 212.286.8925 mike@starhg.com starhg.comt

233 West 77th St. Suite 6C, New York, NY 10024 T: 646.368.1699 sweetbasilcatering.com Service Area: New York City

To advertise in BizBash advertorial directories, please contact Robert Fitzgerald at 646.839.6840 or rďŹ tzgerald@bizbash.com.

Coming Soon Holiday shopping might start in November but holiday planning starts now! To help get you ready for the busy season, your September/October BizBash will include the following features: Holiday Party Ideas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Time to Celebrate the Season, but What to Do?

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Teambuilding â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ideas to Keep Motivation Levels High Subscribe today at bizbash.com/ subscribe, using the subscription form in the magazine or by calling Tracey Harilall at 646-839-6835. To reserve ad space, contact Robert Fitzgerald at 646-839-6840.

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The Directory A selection of resources from our comprehensive online directory of event and meeting suppliers and venues

New York New Venues ACTIVITY VENUE OPENING SOON BOWLMOR TIMES SQUARE

Strike Holdings, the operator of Bowlmor Lanes, is planning to open a 90,000-square-foot outpost of the popular Union Square bowling alley inside the old New York Times building. The facility is expected to open in October. (West 44th St., 212.352.9207)

BARS, LOUNGES & CLUBS EMPIRE ROOM

This 3,500-square-foot cocktail lounge from the company that operates the Campbell Apartment, the Carnegie Club, and World Bar opened in March. On the ground ﬂoor of the Empire State Building, the 150-seat Empire Room sports Art Deco-style interiors and serves upscale cocktails. (350 Fifth Ave., Ground Floor, 212.643.5400) UPSTAIRS AT THE KIMBERLY HOTEL

The rooftop at the Kimberly Hotel opened in June as a lounge called Upstairs. With heated ﬂooring and retractable glass ceilings and walls, the 4,000-square-foot spot is available year-round. The space holds 225; smaller gatherings can use the 40-person penthouse room or the 30-person patio. (145 East 50th St., 212.702.1685) SKY ROOM

Opened in June, the Sky Room is the rooftop lounge and club at the Marriott Fairﬁeld Inn & Suites Times Square. Spread across two levels, the 5,000-square-foot venue is divided into ﬁve spaces, including a terrace with a retractable roof. Architect Stephen B. Jacobs and interior designer Andi Pepper decorated the venue. (330 West 40th St.)

third ﬂoor, the 2,394-square-foot salon will seat 180 or hold 300 for receptions, and an adjacent boardroom will have room for 12. (400 Fifth Ave., 212.695.4005) TRUMP SOHO NEW YORK

This venture between the Trump Organization, Bayrock Group, and the Sapir Organization is a 46-story, 391-room property with the exterior designed by Handel Architects and the interior by the Rockwell Group. The 12,000 square feet of function space includes the 3,900-square-foot Soho Ballroom and SoHi, a 1,700-square-foot private event space on the 46th ﬂoor. (246 Spring St., 212.842.5500) IN THE WORKS YOTEL TIMES SQUARE

Expected to open in 2011 is the ﬁrst U.S. location of European hotel Yotel, with a design from the Rockwell Group and Softroom. Inside the Related Companies’ planned tower, Yotel Times Square will offer 669 rooms styled after ﬁrst-class airline cabins, a restaurant, meeting rooms, and what the property is billing as the largest hotel terrace space in the city. (440 West 42nd St.)

INDEPENDENT EVENT SPACES AMPERSAND STUDIOS

Opened in March, this 5,200-square-foot ground-ﬂoor site is in the Midtown West building that houses Skylight West. With 15-foot ceilings, Ampersand Studios offers concrete ﬂoors, a basement production area, and capacity for 510 for a runway presentation, 400 for receptions, or 250 seated with room for dancing. Kage Konsulting handles booking, and audiovisual production is provided by Bentley Meeker. (500 West 36th St., 646.873.4999) BROOKLYN LYCEUM

ENTERTAINMENT VENUES IN THE WORKS FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER— ELEANOR BUNIN-MONROE FILM CENTER

As part of the three-phase redevelopment plan for Lincoln Center, the Film Society will acquire a new facility. Plans include two screening rooms (one with 90 seats, the other with 150), a public amphitheater, a café, and a reception space. The entire redevelopment is scheduled to ﬁnish in 2011. (West 65th St., 212.875.5610) IN THE WORKS LOEW’S KINGS THEATER

Left untouched for over three decades, this movie house— Brooklyn’s largest indoor theater—will be restored to its former glory. Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group was selected to carry out the renovations and will operate the site once ﬁnished. Preliminary plans put the completion date at 2014. (1025-1035 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn)

HOTELS EVENTI

Opened in June, Eventi from Kimpton Hotels offers 292 rooms in a 54-story tower. Among the many spaces are more than 15,000 square feet of meeting facilities and a plaza with a 20-foot-wide screen. Jeffrey Chodorow’s China Grill Management operates a restaurant, as well as Food Parc, a 20,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor food market. (851 Ave. of the Americas, 212.564.4567)

OPENING SOON PATINA RESTAURANT AT LINCOLN CENTER

Accompanying Lincoln Center’s campus expansion will be the addition of a Patina Restaurant Group establishment, slated to open in the fall with chef Jonathan Benno at the helm. Designed as a glass-enclosed structure with a sloping roof by architectural ﬁrm Diller Scoﬁdio & Renfro, the as-yet-unnamed restaurant will offer terrace eating, a dining area, and a private room. (West 65th St.) RARE BAR & GRILL

Inside the Wyndham’s Fashion 26 hotel is another outpost of Rare Bar & Grill. Opened in April, this spot has a 1,000-square-foot lobby bar and a 200-seat restaurant. Like the setup at the Shelburne Hotel, Rare Bar & Grill operates Rare View, a 3,000-square-foot rooftop lounge that opened in late May. (152 West 26th St., 212.807.7173) WOLFGANG’S STEAKHOUSE—MIDTOWN EAST

The third New York outpost of Wolfgang Zwiener’s steak-centric restaurant opened in April. In the space recently vacated by Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Vong, the Midtown East restaurant serves the same chophouse and seafood fare found at the other locations and offers a private room for events. (200 East 54th St., 212.588.9653)

SALONECO

RED BULL ARENA

Green Spaces opened its TriBeCa loft for events in April. Outﬁtted with a rotating exhibition of sustainable artwork and vintage furniture, the 5,000-square-foot space offers an on-site kitchen, sound system, and projector, and partners with vendors such as Verterra and vegan caterer People’s Pantry. The entire space holds 300 for receptions. (394 Broadway, 5th Floor, 917.267.9264)

This $200 million, 25,000-seat stadium for New York’s Major League Soccer team opened in March in northern New Jersey’s Harrison MetroCentre. Designed by Los Angeles-based Rossetti Architects, the 13-acre site includes 30 suites and three club areas for private events. (600 Cape May St., Harrison, 877.727.6223)

RESTAURANTS Michael Stillman and Craig Koketsu of Park Avenue Summer/Autumn/Winter/Spring will open this Polynesian restaurant in the space once occupied by Porcao. Slated to open in the fall, the 250-seat space will be designed by AvroKO. (360 Park Ave. South)

Slated for a November opening, the Setai Fifth Avenue will be a 157-room hotel. With a second-ﬂoor restaurant and an 11,500-square-foot spa on the fourth ﬂoor, the modern property will also include meeting space. On the

This 30,000-square-foot restaurant and event space in Liberty State Park is scheduled to open this summer. The venue offers a 90-seat eatery, as well as a 100-person terrace and space for private functions on the second and third floors. As many as 500 can use the second floor for dinners; the third floor holds 150 seated or 400 for receptions. (84 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, 201.413.0050)

STADIUMS

Following in the footsteps of the Standard, another West Coast property set to make its ﬁrst appearance in New York is the Mondrian, which the Morgan Hotel Group plans to open in SoHo in the fall. Designed by Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, the 270-room hotel will have an outdoor bar and a restaurant serving seafood from former Top Chef contestant Sam Talbot. (150 Lafayette St.)

OPENING SOON SETAI FIFTH AVENUE

OPENING SOON MARITIME PARC

Formerly known as the International Toy Center, 200 Fifth Avenue will soon be home to Eataly, a 32,000-square-foot site housing an upscale food and wine market, restaurants, and a rooftop beer garden. The project, scheduled to open in the fall, is a collaboration between the founders of Eataly in Turin, Italy, and the Batali-Bastianich Hospitality Group run by Joseph and Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali. (200 Fifth Ave.)

OPENING SOON HURRICANE CLUB

Scheduled to open in 2011, the 165-room NoMad Hotel is designed to be one of the ﬁrst renovated hotels certiﬁed by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Inside a 12-story French Renaissance-style building, the property will have loftlike guest rooms with high ceilings and French bohemian decor. (1170 Broadway, 212.796.1500)

In March, Marco Pipolo opened this Italian restaurant in Murray Hill. Inspired by the Isle of Capri, Marcony’s white walls, blue accents, and dark wood beams create a light and airy setting for the 74-seat dining room. There are two areas on the upper level for private groups—one seats 16, the other seats 30—and an additional 20 seats available in the outdoor café. (184 Lexington Ave., 646.837.6020)

OPENING SOON EATALY

OPENING SOON MONDRIAN SOHO

IN THE WORKS NOMAD HOTEL

PHOTOS: TK

Formerly Public Bath No. 7, this 100-year-old venue in Park Slope was resurrected as a place for concerts, screenings, and craft fairs. The operators continue to renovate the 12,000-square-foot site, including reinstalling single-pane windows on the second ﬂoor. There are two 300-person areas with 25-foot projection screens and a 50-seat café. (227 Fourth Ave., Brooklyn, 718.857.4816)

MARCONY

KENMARE

Behind this cozy, Little Italy newcomer is Beatrice Inn founder Paul Sevigny, Little Owl chef Joey Campanaro, and Rose Bar partner and creative director Nur Khan. Campanaro’s menu of Mediterranean-American food is complemented by the stucco walls, bronze palm leaves, and comfy banquettes that ornament the 100-seat space. (98 Kenmare St., 212.274.9898) OPENING SOON LAMBS CLUB

Chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian plans to open this new restaurant inside the Chatwal New York hotel. Expected to debut in August, the Lambs Club will offer 90 seats and a 2,500-square-foot lounge on the mezzanine. (130 West 44th St.)

MEADOWLANDS STADIUM

Opened in April, the new stadium for N.F.L. teams the New York Giants and the New York Jets is a $1.6 billion facility that holds 82,500 seats in 2.1 million square feet. The sports arena also offers several club areas designed by the Rockwell Group and 280,000 square feet of plaza space. (East Rutherford, N.J., 201.559.1710)

CORRECTION The incorrect information for the following venues was inadvertently printed in our May/June directory. ATLANTICA BY BATEAUX NEW YORK

The Atlantica is a 145-foot motor yacht that holds 400 for receptions or 290 for seated events. Owned by Entertainment Cruises, the vessel has three decks (two of which are enclosed), as well as a mahogany bar and an onboard chef. The Atlantica was renovated in 2010. (Pier 62, Chelsea Piers, West 23rd St., 212.727.7735) SPIRIT CRUISES/BATEAUX NEW YORK

The Bateaux is a 200-foot glass-enclosed yacht with European-inspired decor. The ship seats 300 in a dining room that can be divided using a soundproof partition. Spirit Cruises has two vessels, the 192-foot Spirit of New York, which has three interior decks and space for 600, and the 175-foot Spirit of New Jersey, which has two interior decks and space for 575. All three vessels are owned by Entertainment Cruises. (Pier 62, Chelsea Piers, West 23rd St., 212.727.7735)

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Los Angeles New Venues BARS, LOUNGES & CLUBS ANGELS & KINGS

Angels & Kings has expanded with a new outpost in Los Angeles. Pete Wentz is part owner and a member of the team behind the bars of the same name in Chicago, New York, and Barcelona. The L.A. venue is 1,922 square feet, with a capacity of 125. Overall, the vibe is masculine, with dark colors and multiple textures, including tufted leather seating. Heavy curtains surround booth seating, and framed mug shots of famous people deck exposed brick walls. There is a custom chestnut bar set with leather stools. (1708 North Las Palmas Ave., 323.460.6155) BAR210 AND PLUSH

Bar210 and Plush opened in the Beverly Hilton in February. The adjacent spaces are a lounge (serving small plates and cocktails) and a nightclub, respectively. Together, the spaces offer 7,000 square feet for groups as large as 400. There are multiple full-service bars, an outdoor lounge with a ﬁre pit, and outdoor space that can increase the capacity to 2,000. (9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.887.6060) HAUTE LOS ANGELES

Haute Los Angeles is a new nightclub and lounge venue in West Hollywood. Couture fashion and style have influenced the decor and feel of the space, which caters to special events. It is the first Los Angeles venture from international hotelier Bert Hurstfield. (665 North Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.855.9232) HYDE LOUNGE MAMMOTH

SBE’s latest incarnation of its Hyde Lounge property opened in Mammoth Lakes in January. The space is close to 5,000 square feet and can hold as many as 120 for indoor receptions and as many as 200 on its heated patio. (6201 Minaret Road, Suite 240, Mammoth Lakes, 760.934.0669) MYSTUDIO

Syndicate Hospitality, the group founded by David Judaken and behind such venues as MyHouse, East, and Opera/Crimson, has opened MyStudio in the former Mood space. The new venue is 4,500 square feet with a posted capacity of 404. Full buyout is available, or a semiprivate area for about 40 may be created behind heavy curtains

and includes its own bar. The Manhattan-inspired lounge, meant to evoke the look and feel of a 1960s indie photographer’s space, is adorned with touches of gold, marble, and black leather. (6623 Hollywood Blvd., 323.960.3300 ext. 24) SUITE 700

Santa Monica’s 71-room Hotel Shangri-La has opened Suite 700. The new rooftop bar and lounge from nightlife entrepreneur and designer Marc Smith has a Nautical Moderne design with unobstructed views of the ocean. Terraces offer plush lounge seating and fire pits. Inside, gray flannel covers walls, and there are etched mirrors, large windows, and a dramatic scalloped fireplace. The space is available for buyout, with room for about 75. (1301 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 310.394.2791) VOYEUR

Voyeur is a 6,000-square-foot West Hollywood lounge with a capacity of 650. It has a designated DJ space, a 138-inch pull-down screen, a large stage for performances, video capabilities, and Wi-Fi. There are also two fullservice bars, a full-service kitchen, and an outdoor smoking area. Voyeur has a private room with its own entrance and bar; it holds 50 for receptions or 40 for seated events. (7969 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.255.1111)

CONFERENCE CENTERS FAIRPLEX CONFERENCE CENTER

The Fairplex in Pomona held a groundbreaking ceremony in February for its conference center, an 85,000-squarefoot high-tech venue suited for trade shows and meetings. The ceremony marked the beginning of a yearlong construction project. Incorporating the conversion of a 33,600-square-foot exhibit building into the development of a new 50,000-square-foot structure, the new center will play up the existing Art Deco qualities of the Fairplex grounds, as well as the parklike setting. (1101 West McKinley, Pomona, 909.623.3111) GARLAND CENTER

The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn recently debuted its redesigned Garland Center conference center, part of a series of upgrades and transformations that have taken place at the property over the last year. Updates to the

Garland Center include technology improvements, new carpeting, lighting, and cosmetic touches. Six separate meeting spaces, including the 132-seat Beverly Garland Theater, which has plush chairs with retractable desks, are in the center. The Spanish-inﬂuenced mission-style hotel offers more than 12,000 square feet of event space overall, including a grand ballroom for 650 guests. An additional 2,500 square feet of landscaped outdoor space allows for outdoor events. (4222 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood, 818.255.7491)

ENTERTAINMENT VENUE OPENING SOON BELASCO

The historic 40,000-square-foot Belasco Theater downtown—which originally celebrated its opening night in 1926—is being restored, and is scheduled to reopen this summer with capacity for events like theatrical productions, live performances and concerts, or receptions in the Belasco nightclub and lounge. (1050 South Hill St., 213.746.5670)

HOTELS JW MARRIOTT AT L.A. LIVE

This new 878-room hotel at L.A. Live shares a 54-story tower with the new Ritz-Carlton. The hotel offers 75,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, including the 26,000square-foot Diamond Ballroom, two smaller ballrooms, nine meeting rooms, and two boardrooms. The hotel has a restaurant, a wine bar, and a rooftop lounge. (900 West Olympic Blvd., 213.765.8600) MIYAKO HYBRID HOTEL

The Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance is about 15 minutes from LAX. The seven-story hotel has 208 rooms, 12 suites (six hospitality and six luxury), and ﬁve meeting spaces with a total of 4,628 square feet of meeting space. Amenities include 46-inch LCD televisions, complimentary wired and wireless Internet throughout, and Japanese-style oversize baths and separate showers. (1381 South Western Ave., Torrance, 310.212.5111) RITZ-CARLTON, LOS ANGELES

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Los Angeles opened in April, and the Ritz-Carlton Residences are supposed to open within

a couple months. The Ritz has 123 guest rooms, a signature restaurant, a club lounge, and a Ritz-Carlton spa. The 3,400-square-foot club lounge also serves as the 23rd-ﬂoor check-in area. A small boardroom is adjacent. There is also a rooftop swimming pool and terrace. (900 West Olympic Blvd., 213.743.8800)

DELPHINE

Open since February, the 305-room W Hollywood has 10,000 square feet of meeting space and 25,000 square feet of overall event space. The W also offers a pool with daybeds, cabanas, and a bar, and a variety of restaurant and nightlife offerings, including Drai’s Hollywood from Las Vegas nightlife impresario Victor Drai. (6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323.798.1300)

With the opening of the muchanticipated new W Hollywood Hotel & Residences earlier this year came the debut of Delphine restaurant from the Innovative Dining Group. The classic French menu at Delphine offers Provençal cooking with Mediterranean inﬂuences. (6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323.798.1355)

INDEPENDENT EVENT SPACES

OPENING SOON HARD ROCK CAFE

OPENING SOON ROLLING STONE

Hard Rock International announced a new project slated to open this summer at the Hollywood & Highland complex. The 500-seat Hard Rock Cafe Los Angeles will take over more than 20,000 square feet of space, and will include seating, a live concert area, and a Rock Shop offering limited-edition merchandise and rock ’n’ roll memorabilia from the company’s collection. The Rock Shop opened in November and displays artists’ renderings of the whole venue. (6801 Hollywood Blvd., 323.464.7625)

W HOLLYWOOD

The ﬁrst U.S. Rolling Stone venue will open at the Hollywood & Highland Center this summer, according to announcement made in December by the venue’s founders—Lucky Rug Group principals Niall Donnelly and Joe Altounian, and Rolling Stone editor and publisher Jann Wenner. The multilevel space will encompass more than 10,000 square feet, with a restaurant, bar, lounge, and event space. (6801 Hollywood Blvd.) 650 NORTH

Opened in the former Republic space, 650 North is a newly remodeled venue in West Hollywood. The 14,000square-foot property has two levels and a maximum event capacity of 1,200 guests with the right permits, or 180 for a seated event. There is an adjacent 5,000-squarefoot outdoor area for use for large events. (650 North La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.360.1600)

MUSEUM PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE EVENT DIVISION

in November 2009. It’s the third Bouchon restaurant serving Keller’s classic French country fare. Bar Bouchon, a wine bar also serving small plates, opened in midDecember. (235 North Cañon Drive, Beverly Hills, 310.271.9910)

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES

The Natural History Museum expects to opened the new “Age of Mammals” exhibit in July inside the museum’s newly restored 1913 building. The historic rotunda, closed for renovations since 2006, is also set to open this summer, with event bookings being accepted for August and beyond. The space can be used in conjunction with the Exposition Rose Garden. It holds 250 for receptions or seats 120. (900 Exposition Blvd., 213.763.3466)

RESTAURANTS BOUCHON BEVERLY HILLS

Thomas Keller’s newest Bouchon opened in Beverly Hills

MIXT GREENS

Family-owned healthy food chain Mixt Greens, which started in San Francisco, recently opened in downtown Los Angeles. The space serves up locally sourced fare with a gourmet sensibility, and uses fully compostable, biodegradable packaging and nontoxic cleaners. A second L.A. location recently opened in the Miracle Mile district. (Downtown: 350 South Grand Ave., Suite D6, 213.587.7970; Miracle Mile: 5757 Wilshire Blvd., 213 587 7975)

or 350 with the parking lot tented. A 30-seat patio has an olive grove and an edible garden with tomatoes and herbs. The menu of farmer’s market-driven, seasonal fare is overseen by executive chef Michael Ainslie. (12924 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 424.835.4088)

Where to... Find Flexible Space for 1,000

The new downtown event space known as the Bay Salone, which the Event Division exclusively represents, hosted its ﬁrst event during L.A. Fashion Week in March. Designer Douglas Johnson is behind the look of the venue, which is actually a 16,000-square-foot network of spaces available for ﬂexible arrangements. Event capacity is 500 in part of the space, with room for an additional 500 in another; the square footage breaks down into two areas of 8,000 square feet each. The Bay Salone also has a 50-foot swimming pool and a 50-foot curved white glass runway. (2035 Bay St., 310.424.5112)

PITFIRE ARTISAN PIZZA

Pitﬁre Artisan Pizza has opened its newest location in Culver City. The casual restaurant offers wood-ﬁred pizzas and an accessible beer and wine list. The restaurant is available for buyout, and the total capacity is 120 inside,

RED O

Red O serves Mexican cuisine by Chicago-based chef Rick Bayless. The restaurant’s dining atrium seats 58 for events. Glass garage doors open up to Melrose Avenue on one side and the main dining room on the other. The main dining room seats 60 for events, with a 14-foot communal table, banquettes and tables, a bar area with leather swings for seating, and a semiprivate dining area. A tequila lounge holds as many as 30 people. It has a 25-foot-long ﬁreplace, bar, and a direct entrance from outside. Two 14-foot chandeliers, handmade by Mexican artisans, hang over a dining courtyard. (8155 Melrose Ave., 323.655.5009) TIATO

Open since late June, this restaurant from chef Helene An (also of the notable Crustacean restaurant) serves global fusion cuisine. The restaurant has more than 9,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including a garden patio and a wine bar. The entire restaurant holds 500 for events. (2700 Colorado Blvd., Suite 190, Santa Monica, 323.460.2645) WP24

This restaurant by Wolfgang Puck opened at the Ritz Carlton at L.A. Live in April. On the 24th ﬂoor of the hotel, WP24 offers Asian fare and skyline views. Puck, with chef Lee Hefter (managing partner and executive corporate chef of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group), created the menu and has brought on Spago Beverly Hills veteran David McIntyre as executive chef. ICrave designed the space, which has a wine cave and two private dining rooms. (900 West Olympic Blvd., 213.743.8800)

8;M<IK@J<D<EK

Where Event Professionals Announce the Who, What, Where, and Wow of the Events Industry

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Classic Party Rentals

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Atlantica by Bateaux New York

is pleased to announce that the company has handled the Tenting for

is Entertainment Cruises’ newest private yacht for weddings, birthdays, client and employee entertaining and unique events.

Sex and the City 2 Premiere Party New York, NY www.stamfordtent.com

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Party Rental Ltd.

Goodman Audio Services

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is pleased to announce that the company has handled the Sound for

Red Bull Air Race

American Idol Finale After-Party

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To share your success via the BashFlash program, contact your BizBash sales representative or Robert Fitzgerald at 646.839.6840.

8;M<IK@J<D<EK

Where Event Professionals Announce the Who, What, Where, and Wow of the Events Industry

Classic Party Rentals

Gotham Hall

Proudly opens

is pleased to announce that the company served as the Venue for

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Noble Inc. Entertainment Security

Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS)

is pleased to announce that the company has handled the Security for

is pleased to announce that the company has handled the Lighting, Rigging and Sound for

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Tishman Speyer Properties

Yankee Stadium

is pleased to announce that the company has handled the Security for

is pleased to announce that the company served as the Venue for

Silver Spoons Citymeals-OnWheels Fund-Raiser

CBS Radio’s 2010 Expo

New York, NY www.tishmanspeyer.com

New York, NY www.yankees.com/events

646.977.8400

212.715.0300

S.I.R. Stage37

Openhouse Gallery

is pleased to announce that the company served as the Venue for

YSL Beauté’s Belle d’Opium Launch

PlayBeautiful Pop-Up Stadium

New York, NY www.stage37events.com

New York, NY www.openhousegallery.org

212.239.9603

212.334.0288

To share your success via the BashFlash program, contact your BizBash sales representative or Robert Fitzgerald at 646.839.6840.

Hot Stuff Tips for beating the heat at summer events. Last night was the ﬁrst real scorcher of the summer season in New York, 94 degrees, so of course I had plans to put on a wool tuxedo. I almost didn’t leave the apartment, but the knowledge that the gala was being held at one of the biggest, most famous (and expensive) restaurants in the world, one with a gurgling pool no less, promised me an evening in an ice box. No such luck. I’m always complaining about being hot—one friend told me I’m like a canary in a coal mine when it comes to detecting heat. So I try and keep my mouth shut. That is until I see skinny-as-a-rail ladies in strapless dresses waving the evening programs as makeshift fans. Then I put my fear of male menopause aside and spring into action. Which in this case involved asking the legendary owner to turn up the air. His response: “But we can’t make it too cold, the ladies don’t like it.” Ugh. But I let it go. The truth is, I knew perfectly well there was nothing he could really do. It was too late. It

takes hours to properly cool down a large room. Conversely, once you fill a cold dinner hall with bodies, candles and movement, it takes only a few minutes to warm a space up. I’m not going to pretend to know the science; I just tell you ’cause I know. Invariably, event planners mean well but are done in by the deliveries. Caterers with proofing ovens, florists, lighting and sound guys with their mysterious giant black boxes, all constantly going in and out through the biggest door they can find, which they prop open with a sandbag. You can beg them to close the door until you are blue in the face, but they don’t care. Once the room is all tricked out, they probably all go to some nice air conditioned deli to wait while the $1,000-a-head folks sweat it out in the sauna of a party space they’ve created. But we can fight back. Here’s some of the things I’ve either done or seen that help beat the heat. 1. In Hong Kong, when you get out of the oppressively hot, humid,

and polluted air, they have a person who stands inside the door at the nice hotels and hands you a cool wet towel with some wood tongs. You lift the thing up to your face…heaven. Then you just drop it in a little box and keep moving. 2. Pass cool, low- or no-alcohol drinks. At Southampton Hospital, Robbins Wolfe usually starts with champagne cocktails. It’s always sweltering, but the cold, sugary drink is a real lifter. Ditto Pimm’s Cup with fresh mint at Ascot in London. Where as normally I say that a well-lubricated crowd is a happy one, in the heat, your goal is to pace the lubrication. 3. Those spritzy misting fans in tents are great where they originated, in Las Vegas, where the dry, angry pavement sends heat up in waves. In most climates they just add to the humidity. Seems so obvious. 4. A chilled mug is a thing of joy. Why is it only beer gets this royal treatment? 5. Don’t forget sound and sight perception adds to the mix. If you can’t afford a fountain, which is like an auditory air conditioner, why not some ambient babbling brook noise? On the other hand, just looking at bright lights can add to the temperature. Make sure no bare bulbs are visible and summer candles (outdoor only, right?) are dimmed with colored glass vessels. 6. I believe in tons and tons of

ice. Way more than you need. Fill giant metal or plastic containers—almost anything will do—and get the ice out from behind the bar and into the party. Fill the buckets with exotic beers, champagne splits, and colored sparkling waters and sodas. Helping themselves gets guests touching cold items and cooling off. 7. On a hot, hot night, a pool party can be such a tease. And I think candles ﬂoating in a pool is just about the dumbest thing going. They always look so dinky. For my pool, I use my dog, Turbo, for entertainment: He goes in for the ball tirelessly. But my new trick is to buy a few funny battery powered toys at the pool store and throw them in one at a time. Give some kid a little cash and make it their project. Half of them don’t work and are a rip-off, which is part of the fun. 8. The still, warm air of a tent can be deadly, even worse with these stretchy latex numbers. God invented fans for a reason. And you know they work just as well outdoors as in, don’t you? 9. Old-fashioned folks, me included, don’t take off our jackets until the host does the same. Some hosts need to be reminded how this works. 10. Why not something cold and fresh on the way out, like a mini popsicle or a tiny cup of frozen yogurt to make the parking valet experience a little less monotonous?

PHOTOS: C. CHESEK/CAMNH, ANDRE MAIER (ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE) , NICK HUNT/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY)

Ted Kruckel

Where Ted’s Been

Lilly Pulitzer textile designers provided lovely and interesting entertainment at the Museum of Natural History’s Museum Dance. Later their works were auctioned off.

112 bizbash.com july/august 2010 116

The Archeological Institute’s servers wore painted masks. Oooooh.

The ﬂock descending the stairs was quite the scene at the Central Park Conservancy’s 28th annual hat luncheon. Let the preening begin!

There isn’t much that we can’t do. Just ask.

creativeedgeparties.com 212-741-3000