No Budget? No Problem!

EVENTS MEETINGS MARKETING STYLE STRATEGY IDEAS
BIZBASH NEW YORK
Highlights From
Inaugural Balls &
Golden Globe Parties
New York
$4.95 MARCH/APRIL 2009 BIZBASH.COM
MARCH/APRIL
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
2009 2009
No Budget?
*
No Problem!
Cost-Conscious Ideas for
Big & Small Events
Design-Minded Gifts
Up-and-Coming DJs
Cocktail Party Food
Corporate Picnics
Scheduling Tools
Dinner Plates
Business Entertaining
* Sure, we’re oversimplifying.
We’re trying to stay positive.
New Restaurants, Bars & Private Rooms
simply classic.
Manhattan
336 W. 37th Street
(212) 752-7661
The Hamptons
41 Willow Road
(631) 726-6664
For information on our products and services, please visit our website
Www.ClassicPartyReNTALS.com
Energy produced by pedal-powered
“snowmobikes” in Duracell’s Power
Lodge was used to light the 2009 sign in
Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Read
more about this event on BizBash.com.
NEW YORK
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2
MARCH/APRIL 2009
© 2009 BizBash Media
On the Cover Frost lighting used an advanced media server to control, layer, and
manipulate images projected onto the scrim ceiling of the tent at the New York
Botanical Garden’s Winter Wonderland ball. Photographed by Emily Gilbert for BizBash.
11 FROM THE EDITORS
Staying positive during
negative economic times
13 READERS’ FORUM
What’s the biggest risk you’ve
taken—and pulled off?
Who’s doing what
THE DIRECTORY
79 New venues
PHOTO: STUART RAMSON
88 TED KRUCKEL
Completely impractical ideas
for tackling troubled times
THE SCOUT
17 Snacks that will have guests
bellying up to the bar
20 Desktop games with design
credentials
22 Where can you find up-andcoming DJs?
25 Pretty plates for rent
26 Dessert-table diva Amy Atlas
28 Five inexpensive but impactful
ideas
INFLUENCES
31 Founder of TheHappyCorp and
LVHRD, Doug Jaeger
EVENT INTELLIGENCE
33 Simon Atkins on Adidas’s
biggest marketing campaign
35 Online event tools with social
networking sensibilities
VENUES
37 A peek at some of New York’s
newest event spaces
39 Fresh outdoor spaces, from
golf courses to gardens
45
48
50
52
54
56
58
60
62
64
EVENT REPORTS
Godiva embraces the suite life
Yelp’s inauguration night party
Performa’s metallic benefit
Classic Chanel at the New York
Botanical Garden’s ball
Louis Vuitton’s tribute to
Stephen Sprouse
From Los Angeles: HBO
gambles on Big Love
From Chicago: Children’s
Memorial Hospital’s multiseasonal fund-raiser
Gift for Life’s Diffa benefit
Alvin Ailey turns 50
Oxygen celebrates America’s
Next Top Model
68 Golden Revival
The three big parties that
feted the Globes
70 The Hip, Fun, Budget-Minded
Company Picnic
Three very different ideas for
summer entertaining
73 Highlights From the Capital
A look at inauguration
weekend’s biggest events
76 Business Entertaining 2009
Our cheat sheet to the city’s
group-friendly restaurants,
bars, and private rooms
ON BIZBASH.COM
Our picks from among the
Super Bowl events
Daily industry news updates
Our comprehensive directory
of venues and vendors
bizbash.com march/april 2009 5
BIZBASH
EDITOR IN CHIEF Chad Kaydo
MANAGING EDITOR Libby Estell
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CHICAGO
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CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR AT LARGE Ted Kruckel
WRITER AT LARGE, LOS ANGELES Irene Lacher
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FROM THE EDITORS
Among the many inaugural events that drew historic
crowds to the capital in January was the Illinois State
Society gala at the Renaissance Washington, D.C..
Keep the Faith
PHOTO: JOSEPH ALLEN FOR BIZBASH
Amid the deluge of sour economic news, let’s remember
the purpose—and the power—of live events.
WE’VE ALL BEEN reading and hearing the same dour economic news: layoffs in just about
every industry; event planners with years of experience searching for jobs; planners who are
still employed working with smaller budgets, smaller departments, or both; brands scrapping
or scaling back signature events they’ve hosted for years.
I don’t mean to dwell on the negative; there are still great things happening within the
event community. The inauguration flooded Washington with well-wishers and all manner
of balls and promotions. (The highlights of our coverage start on page 73.) Brands like Adidas
are still launching ambitious marketing campaigns. (See page 33.) And many planners are
finding innovative ways to work with limited resources. (Some examples are on page 28.)
Still, the negative news has me wondering, are companies giving up on some of their
most powerful marketing and management tools? Are they forgetting how important gathering a group of people in one place can be?
These questions are partially inspired by a column in Advertising Age headlined “Hey,
Magazines, Are You In or Are You Out?” Author Simon Dumenco asked that question after
watching some of the largest publishers in the U.S. shut down once-promising brands, leaving
him wondering if they still believed in their core business, “in presenting carefully selected
words and pictures—expertly produced information—for a targeted audience.” After all, if
you’re closing down an enterprise that had been successful, without even exploring innovative
ways to save it—moving from print to the Web, for example—perhaps you’ve given up on
the company’s whole reason for being. “Retrenching during an economic contraction is one
thing,” Dumenco wrote. “But starving and killing off your brands one by one … suggests that
you’re simply abdicating. You’ve lost faith in what you do. You’ve lost faith in publishing.”
Now let’s substitute events for publishing. Sure, some line items need to be cut, and some
under-performing events need to be dropped. But do all of the companies canceling or scaling
back their annual meetings, product launches, or event marketing campaigns still recognize
the power of face-to-face interaction? Are they looking for budget cuts that look good to shareholders or to journalists familiar with cringe-inducing examples of inappropriate corporate
spending but not with promotions that increase sales or meetings that motivate and train
employees? Are decision makers more concerned with perception (and looking “climateappropriate”) than smart business practices?
I hope not. And I hope those of us who know the value of these efforts can find a way to
convince the people who control the purse strings to consider the company or brand’s longterm strength and viability, and the valuable role live events can play in sustaining them.
—Chad Kaydo
READERS’ FORUM
What’s the biggest risk you’ve
taken—and pulled off?
“I had a client who purchased flowers for her
centerpieces online. She wanted me to put
the centerpieces together, which I had never
done. I didn’t want to lose the business, so I
agreed. My assistant and I spent eight hours
cutting and arranging flowers for 25 tables.
There was some trial and error, but we pulled
it off and the client loved it.”
Andrea Lockhart, owner, ACL Event Planning,
New Jersey
PHOTOS: VITHAYA PHONGSAVAN (DE NICOLAS), COURTESY OF MICHAEL VARGO
“We did a multi-city concert tour in
outdoor amphitheaters. We knew not
every state has our L.A. weather, but
decided that taking that risk was just part
of the game. Our first stop was Chicago,
and we got hit hard by a lighting storm.
[We were] setting up tent poles made
of metal and running electrical cables
while lightning was crashing and rain was
coming down in buckets. Everything was
flooded, but eventually the sun came up
and the show went on—a few minutes
behind schedule and in sweltering
humidity, of course.”
“When I created the fashion show that benefits the
Washington Humane Society, there weren’t many fashionrelated events in D.C. So I used what I learned about fashion
shows from TV and the movies—with dogs as models! But in
its first two years, Fashion for Paws raised $300,000.”
Tara de Nicolas, director of marketing and communications, Washington Humane Society
“Having cats at
our Meow Mix
events. The
unpredictability
of a room full of
cats mingling
with press has
led to many
sleepless nights.”
Matthew Glass, C.E.O., Grand Central Marketing, New York
Michael Vargo, director of corporate events,
Walt Disney Company, Los Angeles
Edited by Claire Hoffman
“PNC always holds an inaugural party at
our Corcoran branch, less than a block from
the White House. Traditionally, we host 800
V.I.P. guests for [the parade], but given the
historical significance of this inauguration,
we opted to host 80 high schoolers from
D.C. public schools. I had to entertain these
students for eight hours with a significantly
reduced budget. But it was worth it when
they saw the president as he emerged from
his car.”
Kim Alexander, corporate events manager,
PNC Financial Services Group, Washington
“In 2007, we decided to hold a virtual gala by
sending out invites and gathering corporate
sponsorships to place on our Web site,
but not actually having a party. We raised
$300,000 in six weeks and had very few
expenses—plus a rested committee that
didn’t have to attend any tablecloth-color
decision meetings.”
Marc Ralsky, national director of regional
and volunteer affairs, Crohn’s and Colitis
Foundation of Canada, Toronto
“Working for a Japanese design house, I’m always faced with
challenges to highlight Japanese food products. At a recent
event we showcased bottled sea urchin from Ashiya-kobo. I was
concerned that it would require an acquired taste, but by working
closely with great caterers it was really well received.”
Tara Hohenberger, public relations and events coordinator, Felissimo Design House, New York
bizbash.com march/april 2009 13
READERS’ FORUM
MY NEW FAVORITE THING
“Hand-held laser distance meters
are perfect for assisting on CAD
renderings, measuring for red
carpet treatments, grip
rigging, staging, and
client walkthroughs.
I use the Leica Disto
(800.367.9453 www.
leica-geosystems.com,
$169.99-$995.00), which
measures hundreds of
feet and eliminates the
need for measuring
tape on larger venues.”
Hillary Harris, director of special
events, Warner Bros., Los Angeles
My Cool New Job
After six years as the special events
manager for the Brooklyn Museum,
Jennifer Williford became the individual giving and event manager for
Nontraditional Employment for Women in New
York. Although her main focus will be on development and fund-raising, she is also responsible for
planning the nonprofit’s annual Equity Leadership Awards luncheon in June.
“I can start at the beginning again—
a new event, new people, new process, a new challenge to find a way to
run an event. There’s one big event a
year, the awards show in June, so I’m
excited to really focus on that.”
Anne Halal has been promoted to vice president
of convention and exposition services at the
Washington, D.C.-based American Meat Institute.
USA Network promoted Alexandra Shapiro to
senior vice president of brand marketing and
digital, where she’ll be heading up the digital,
strategic, and consumer marketing divisions.
Vince Micone joined the Partnership for Public
Service in Washington as the vice president of
development. He previously worked as the assistant director of programs and external relations
for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sharon Becker was promoted to assistant
director of development at the Alzheimer’s Drug
Discovery Foundation in New York. She previously worked as the foundation’s special events
manager.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LEICA GEOSYSTEMS, COURTESY OF JENNIFER WILLIFORD
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T HE SCOUT
Edited by Mark Mavrigian
Happy Hour
Mixed nuts are fine—if there’s a second course.
But when an event doesn’t have the funds for
fancy passed hors d’oeuvres or dinner, a selection of unexpected bar snacks can keep guests
sated without breaking the budget. From left:
crispy artichoke chips in the Samuri bowl from
Classic Party Rentals in New York (212.752.7661,
www.classicpartyrentals.com); salted, dried
lychees in the teardrop bowl from Classic Party
Rentals in San Francisco (650.652.0300, www.
classicpartyrentals.com); and split pea mix
with bacon in the Origami bowl from Hall’s
Rental in Chicago (847.929.2222, www.hallsrental.com). All snacks are from Mary Giuliani
Catering and Events in New York (212.725.1658,
www.marygiuliani.com). For more snack ideas,
turn the page. —Lisa Cericola
Photographed by Miha Matei at Wall Street Burger Shoppe in New York
bizbash.com march/april 2009 17
THE SCOUT
NEW ON THE MENU
Amazing Graze
Scaled-back cocktail hours don’t have to be boring.
Here are five unexpected bar snacks to take the
place of canapés. By Lisa Cericola
PHOTOS: VIRGINIA MCDONALD FOR BIZBASH (CHIPS), MATT ARMENDARIZ FOR BIZBASH (POPCORN), MICHAEL MAES FOR BIZBASH
(SKEWER), MIHA MATEI FOR BIZBASH (EGGS), POWERS AND CREWE FOR BIZBASH (POTATOES)
Olive, cheese, pepperoni, and vegetable skewers from Entertaining
Company in Chicago (312.829.2800, www.entertainingcompany.com)
Root vegetable chips with chipotle, beet,
and green herb dips from Marigolds &
Onions in Toronto (416.256.4882,
www.marigoldsandonions.com)
Popcorn with lime and chipotle salt
from Très L.A. in Los Angeles (323.466.1835,
www.tresla.com)
Hard-boiled quail eggs with ground pepper, chili, and lime salt mixes from Mary Giuliani
Catering and Events in New York (212.725.1658, www.marygiuliani.com)
Purple potatoes filled with spicy carnitas from R&R Catering in
Washington (703.451.2798, www.rrcatering.com)
bizbash.com march/april 2009 19
3 BUDGETS, 3 IDEAS
Mind Games
Design-conscious desktop accessories for corporate gifts
By Lisa Cericola
ON THE CHEAP Made in Japan, Design Within Reach’s
wooden blocks puzzle octagon ($65, 800.944.2233,
www.dwr.com) has 12 interlocked pieces that can be
disassembled with the correct amount of twisting
and turning—sort of a modern version of the
Rubik’s Cube.
A Source for Rare Brews
Beer Table (718.965.1196, www.beertable.
com), a diminutive bar in Park Slope,
Brooklyn, takes its menu of rare beers on
the road with Beer Kitchen, its new offsite catering division. Husband-and-wife
owners Justin and Tricia Phillips can provide
beer for a variety of occasions—from
educational tastings organized
D RI N K S
by region or theme to more
casual get-togethers.
Meats, cheeses, and
bar snacks are also
available, as well
as more extensive
menus with entrées
and hors d’oeuvres.
Beer Kitchen is
available for events
in New York state, for
groups as large as 300.
Private tastings start
at $250. —L.C.
MID-PRICE For a playful take on a serious game, Umbra’s wobble chess set
($300, 800.387.5122, www.umbra.com)
has a board made of concave cherry and
maple wood squares that cause each
round-bottomed piece to sway.
Bake Sale Nostalgia
SPLURGE Part art piece,
part mental therapy,
Finding Sequence ($1,598,
604.462.8209, www.
mizzonk.com) is made
by Mizzonk Workshop,
a Maple Ridge, British
Columbia-based company
specializing in limited-edition
furniture and home accessories.
Users can remove the three coiled
strings of clay beads from the cedar
box to form shapes.
20 bizbash.com march/april 2009
Founders and bakers Alicia Blegen and Tracy Candido of
Sweet Tooth of the Tiger (516.510.3292, www.sweettoothofthetiger.com) provide bake sales at events. The
duo create retro-style displays including cookies, cupcakes, and cream puffs, and staff the table themselves,
providing inexpensive homemade goodies for paying
guests. The company also operates a delivD ES S ERT ery/catering service where they bring orders to events, or, if requested, retain the bake sale aspect.
(Planners can opt to foot the bill so guests don’t have
to pay.) Minimum orders start at $24, plus a $10 delivery
fee for Brooklyn and Manhattan locations and $20 for
the other boroughs, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Orders
serve as many as 300 guests; catering does not include
plates, flatware, or napkins. —Mark Mavrigian
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF DESIGN WITHIN REACH, COURTESY OF BEER TABLE, COURTESY OF UMBRA, COURTESSY OF SWEET TOOTH OF THE TIGER, COURTESY OF MIZZONK
THE SCOUT
THE SCOUT
A “Dancing Under the Stars” program
Recreating Reality TV
ASK BIZBASH
San Diego-based Smartt Entertainment Inc.
(858.488.6868, www.getsmartt.com) offers two
packages that draw on competition-based reality
television shows. “Dancing Under the Stars” brings
in judges, professional dancers, celebrities, and contestants from So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars to perform. The company can also
bring in world-champion dancers to complement TV
contestants. Rates start around $10,000.
The “Top Chefs to Order” package uses personalities from Bravo’s Top
E NT E R TAI NM ENT Chef for cooking classes or
demonstrations. Smartt can adapt the program to a
company’s needs, source Top Chef contestants, and
arrange the staffing, setup, and venue. Rates start
around $350 a head, including dinner, wine, staffing,
a chef or chefs, venue, and transportation. The packages are offered worldwide. —Erin Letson
Where can you find
up-and-coming DJs?
A Pocket-Size Projector
Optoma Technology Inc. (www.optomausa.
com), a California-based projector and
digital display product manufacturer,
recently launched the
Pico PK-101, a fourounce compact
projector that
connects to iPods
and Smartphones to
project videos,
pictures, and
other graphic
content onto any
surface. Ideal for on-the-go meetings or
impromptu presentations, the
GA DG E T
product can magnify images to
as large as 60-inches diagonally and project
them as far as eight and a half feet away.
Priced at $399.99, the Pico is available at
Amazon.com. —Lourdes Branch
22 bizbash.com march/april 2009
Big-name DJs bring a certain cachet to events—and a hefty price tag. But how do you find
the next Samantha Ronson or DJ AM? Brent Bolthouse, longtime DJ and founder of Los
Angeles-based Bolthouse Vox Events (310.535.5510, www.thevoxgroup.com), says the best
way to find new talent is in person at small venues. “We are constantly going to little clubs
looking for good DJs,” he says. “Sometimes they don’t even know they can get $1,000 to DJ
a party. They’re happy making a couple hundred.” Money aside, Bolthouse says the most
important thing to watch isn’t the turntable but the dance floor: “It’s not about mixing; it’s
looking at the crowd and seeing who rocks the crowd. You could be the best mixer, but you’re
the worst DJ if the crowd isn’t having fun.”
Michael Aiken, managing director of Spring L.L.C. (212.207.4443, www.springllc.com),
a New York-based music marketing company, specializes in corporate tours, events, and
branding campaigns, like a five-city DJ/producer tour to promote Nikon and Volvo in
2007. Spring is approached by many up-and-coming DJs, but Aiken says his team also
seeks them out in small clubs and through production credits and Web sites that allow
users to post music playlists. You can search for DJs on MySpace by city or on the site’s
music page, which is categorized by genre. “I won’t hire someone purely off MySpace, but
you can use it to find someone and then have a discussion,” he says. “MySpace only shows
five to six tracks typically, and if the DJ is a record-head, he or she is probably more diverse
than MySpace lets on.”
Although it may seem like a thing of the past, Aiken says radio is still a good place to
find raw talent. “Lots of up-and-coming DJs are on regular and satellite radio. They clamor
to get on mix shows on stations like [New York’s] Hot 97.”
Anjali Saigal, associate publisher of marketing services for Condé Nast Traveler, hires
DJs for many of the magazine’s events, namely the Hot List party and Readers’ Choice
Awards. Saigal says Scratch Events (212.529.1599 ext. 301, www.scratch-events.com), a
New York-based DJ booking company, is a good resource for booking up-and-comers. The
company has more than 600 DJs on its roster and can send bios, demos, as well as photos,
which are important to Saigal. “We look for an eclectic, worldly type of ambience, whether
it’s in the music or the look of the DJ. So we ask for head shots, or a link to their Web site.
Their look is equally as important,” she says.
Don’t rule out the management companies that represent higher-priced DJs. “Maybe
you can’t afford AM, but you can afford some new guy in San Francisco,” Bolthouse says.
“All you have to do is ask, ‘Do you have someone young within my budget?’ Most likely
they have already weeded through some of the [bad] stuff, which saves you time.”
And don’t forget the obvious: “When I go to parties and hear good music, I always get
the DJ’s card,” Saigal says. —Lisa Cericola
PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE (DJ), COURTESY OF SMARTT ENTERTAINMENT INC., COURTESY OF OPTOMA TECHNOLOGY INC.
DJ Rashida at Condé Nast Traveler’s
2008 Readers’ Choice Awards at the
New York Public Library.
FOR RENT
What’s the Dish?
If you’re cutting back on fussy centerpieces, a
dining table can get its fair share of decor
from the dinnerware. Here’s a
selection of fashionable,
fancy patterns.
By Mark Mavrigian
Architect, $1, available
from Perfect Settings in
Washington (202.722.2900,
www.perfectsettings.com)
Aurora gold, 10-inch
dinner plate, $1.75, from
DC Rental in Washington
(703.671.7300, www.
dcrental.com)
Majestic, $1.95, available throughout
the U.S. from Unique Tabletop
Rentals, a division of Classic Party
Rentals (800.709.7007, www.
uniquetabletoprentals.com)
Spokes, 92 cents, from Classic
Party Rentals in San Francisco
(650.652.0300, www.
classicpartyrentals.com)
Casablanca, $2, available
from Tablescapes in
Chicago (312.733.9700,
www.tablescapes.com)
PHOTOS: NICK FERRARI FOR BIZBASH
Deco, starts at $1.75, available from Party
Rental Ltd. in New York, Washington, and
the mid-Atlantic region (201.727.4700,
www.partyrentalltd.com)
Carousel cobalt blue, $1.10,
available from Perfect
Settings in Washington
(202.722.2900, www.
perfectsettings.com)
White with tangerine dot, $1.50,
available throughout the U.S.
from Unique Tabletop Rentals,
a division of Classic Party
Rentals (800.709.7007, www.
uniquetabletoprentals.com)
bizbash.com march/april 2009 25
THE SCOUT
FRESH FACE
Sugar Rush
Amy Atlas knows where to source treats of all
kinds, from macaroons in the perfect shade of
purple to centerpiece-worthy layer cakes. Trained
as a lawyer, she has spent many years searching
for unique store-bought desserts and arranging
them at her own parties as a hobby. “I used to love
to bake, but it became too much work, so I started
to use desserts by other people,” she says. Word
got around, and soon she was designing tables
for private and corporate events, eventually going
full time with her business, Amy Atlas Events
(917.974.9285, www.amyatlas.com), in spring
2007. “I’ve always been interested in bringing
artistry to dessert,” Atlas says. “I’ve been to lots
of events that had incredible design, but it wasn’t
incorporated into dessert. I want to bring dessert
into the rest of event design.”
Atlas’s tables can serve as the focal point of a
room or blend seamlessly with another designer’s
work. She describes her style as tailored and sophisticated, saying she can
make the most kid-friendly party look tasteful (like a monkey-themed bash
Going Greek
Chef Michael Psilakis
and partner Donatella
Arpaia moved their
rustic Greek restaurant
Kefi (212.873.0200, www.
kefirestaurant.com)
to a larger location, and now offer an off-site catering
service. Lunch selections include salads and meze, as
well as pastas, sandwiches (souvlaki, gyro, a burger), and
fish, chicken, pork, and beef dishes. The
CATE R I NG
dinner menu offers hors d’oeuvres such
as miniature spinach pies and gyros, meze and salad
options, and entrées such as the pan-seared striped bass
with green beans, potatoes, capers, and olives. Catering is
available throughout New York City. —Mark Mavrigian
26 bizbash.com march/april 2009
Atlas uses store-bought desserts to create custom vignettes.
done in shades of brown and cream). Last March, she
created a striking yellow and black display for the
launch of Pilates NYC’s pre- and post-natal programs.
“It was a hit. No one had ever seen anything like it
before,” says owner Randi Stone.
Describing herself as a general contractor,
Atlas works with clients to create a concept then
brings together a variety of resources. She has built
a database of sweets that she sources from around
the world; serving vessels come from rental houses
or her own collection; and for the crucial finishing
touches, she works with graphic designers, florists,
and stylists. “I’ve spoken to many event planners who
are caught between the florist and the caterer [trying]
to do these buffets. And they don’t have time to put in
this level of detail,” she says.
That time requirement means Atlas only takes on
a few events a month. “I’m not looking for volume;
I’m looking for quality,” she says. “I want each table
to be an Amy Atlas table and don’t want people to think they’re getting any
less than that.” —Lisa Cericola
Amy Atlas
Floral Design for Groups
Floral design firm Studio Sweet Pea (212.684.6333, www.studiosweetpea.com)
now offers flower arranging lessons in its studio in the Flatiron district. Basic
“Give Gorgeous” classes cost
$125 per person and include materials, instruction, and snacks.
Custom classes start at $250
a person. Owner Lisa Fireman
Dorhout can
AC T I V I T Y
create teambuilding sessions in which each
participant contributes to a
group arrangement, or instruct
everyone on how to make centerpieces for an office party. Inhouse intro classes are limited
to 10 people, but custom classes
can be held off-site for larger
groups. —L.C.
PHOTOS: GEMMA COMAS (ATLAS), COURTESY BULLFROG & BAUM (KEFI), COURTESY OF STUDIO SWEET PEA
Amy Atlas parlayed a passion for sweets into
a career creating custom dessert tables.
NEW
JERSEY
.
NEW
YORK
.
WASHINGTON
D.C.
.
HAMPTONS
.
PHILADELPHIA
.
BALTIMORE
MORE THAN JUST PINK.
PA R T Y
R E N TA L
LT D .
.
201.727.4700
.
W W W. PA R T Y R E N TA L LT D . C O M
.
CONNECTICUT
THE SCOUT
Cheap Tricks
Money may be tight, but events can still
have impact. Here are five inexpensive—but
effective—ideas we spotted recently.
By Lisa Cericola & Mark Mavrigian
CLEVER CEILING COVER Balloons seem like a basic birthday party prop, but when
clustered together and elevated to the ceiling, they lent dramatic impact at the launch
of Juicy Couture’s flagship store in New York in November.
A PRACTICAL MEMENTO Customized postage isn’t new, but
it can be a memorable, affordable, and useful gift. For its 75th
anniversary in New York in January, Bride’s magazine included
a sheet of 10 62-cent U.S. Postal Service stamps in the gift bag,
enought to mail a few notoriously bulky wedding invitations.
28 bizbash.com march/april 2009
CENTERPIECES
THAT GIVE
BACK Instead of
flowers, tables at
the Ve’ahavta’s
Starry Night gala
in Toronto in
November had
towering glass
vases filled with
abstract-looking
arrangements
of navy and
white socks—a
donation from
McGregor Socks
that doubled as
charitable gifts
to the homeless.
SIMPLE SWEETS A modest doughnut can be dressed up, as Food for Thought Catering in
Chicago did for a holiday dinner for Balyasny Asset Management, serving the pastries with
a choice of toppings.
PHOTOS: ANNE SACHS (CANDLES), BILLY FARRELL/PATRICK MCMULLAN.COM (CEILING), BIZBASH (CENTERPIECE, STAMPS), JIMMY FISHBEIN (DOUGHNUTS)
AN ALLURING PATHWAY At the Best Buddies Ball in Potomac,
Maryland, in October, flickering candles in hurricanes of various sizes
and shapes decorated a simple, elegant entryway.