Vegas Cirque Premiere Goes All Night

Transcription

LAS VEGAS EventReport
Vegas Cirque Premiere Goes All Night
Cirque du Soleil Ka premiere • MGM Grand, Las Vegas • Thursday, 02.03.05, 9 PM onward
When CIRQUE DU SOLEIL parties all night, it really
parties all night. The Montreal-based circus-theater empire celebrated the gala premiere of Ka, its
fourth Las Vegas show, at the MGM Grand hotel and
casino from the first curtain call until noon the
next day. And if the media is touting Ka as the
most opulent production in Western theater history, the post-show gala was no small event either.
By lunchtime the day after the premiere,
nearly 5,000 gala guests and Cirque employees
from other Las Vegas shows had passed through
the party, which capped six months of planning by
the company’s special events department led by
director of creation Jean-François Bouchard, artistic
director Elizabeth-Ann Doyle, and production managers Bob Whelan and Steve Dubuc. Circo de Bakuza
and Keith Greco Design handled scene design and
stage management. As two evening shows ended,
guests filed from the custom-built $135 million Ka
theater to the MGM Grand Garden arena, which
had been a difficult challenge for event planners:
How could they make a cavernous sports venue
seem to go away? “Our first challenge was to hide
it so we didn’t feel we were in a skating rink with
For the launch of Cirque du Soleil’s new show Ka at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, 5,000 turned out for an all-night party in the Grand Garden arena.
bleachers,” said Doyle.
Event planners camouflaged the arena with 35-foothigh video screens circling the
top portion of the venue,
which was transformed into an
area they called “Global
Village” filled with 200 performers—tribal dancers, stiltwalkers, fire-eaters, jugglers,
singers, and musicians. The
video—both computer-generated and shot in Canada and
Nevada—showed changing
environments, from forests to
deserts to waterscapes. Taking
Eclectic performers included tribal dancers, jugglers, and musicians.
Performers entertained from a stage in the middle of the floor.
their cue from Ka, which refers
to the Egyptian concept of spiritual duality, event
planners concocted a story line for the street
artists, assigned to costumed groups representing
fire and water.
While performers gamboled on a stage in the
middle of the floor, guests nibbled on Kobe steak,
seared scallops, and caramel corn dished up by 24
MGM Mirage bars and restaurants from booths ringing the arena. Bands performed on a second stage
facing a dance floor, while partygoers reposed in
lounge areas on platforms constructed above the
booths. By 1:30 AM, the party hit shoulder-toshoulder intensity, with DrumJungle regaling the
crowd with an hour of throbbing percussion
music. In a temporary spa just outside the arena
proper, 10 massage therapists ministered to guests
recovering from all the fun. —Irene Lacher
Three-story-high video screens circled the top portion of the venue, which was filled with 200 entertainers.
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BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • April/May 2005
LOS ANGELES EventReport
Oscar’s Biggest Parties
Vanity Fair Has
Bling Branding
Outside Mortons for Vanity Fair ’s Academy Awards viewing dinner and after-party, a 30-foot-long myrtle topiary
spelled out the mag’s name.
New York-based Basil Walter Architects designed the party in cool colors, with emerald and
red roses by McQueen’s.
Pink and green hand-bound programs with light blue pencils
were at each place setting.
Yet even with the party’s notoriety, the title still makes
sure its famous guests don’t forget their solicitous host by
splashing its name all over the venue and on nearly everything
inside. Luxury goods company Asprey provided silver napkin
Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett posed with her
statuette outside Mortons.
Silver- and gold-tipped cigarettes in date-engraved boxes
and apples stamped with “V. F. 2.27.05” were among the
party’s branded items.
rings, ashtrays, and match strikers. There were also datestamped apples, silver- and gold-tipped cigarettes in boxes
engraved with the date, and engraved pink and blue lighters.
For dinner, Mortons chef Lorenzo Roman prepared Bibb
lettuce salad, steak, French fries, crab cakes, mashed potatoes, wild mushroom risotto, and veggies. —Alesandra Dubin
Miramax Has Bittersweet Bash
IN SOMETHING OF A Hollywood ending for Miramax
heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein (word on the
street says they’ll split from the studio when Disney
restructures it), Miramax’s Academy Awards weekend party was tinged with sentimentality—even as
it celebrated the studio’s 25th anniversary and its
18 nominations for The Aviator and Finding
Neverland. Elle and Premiere magazines and
Kodak co-sponsored the cocktails-and-horsMiramax celebrated its 18 Academy Award nominations for The Aviator and Finding
Neverland with a cocktails-and-hors-d’oeuvres event in two venues created from the
Pacific Design Center ‘s lobby area.
Black-and-white blowups from Miramax films decked the gray fabric-covered walls.
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Abundant plasma screen televisions played a reel of Miramax films.
d’oeuvres event the night before the Oscar ceremony
in two venues created from the Pacific Design
Center’s lobby area.
Miramax’s New York-based vice president of
special events, Dina Wise, produced the event with
Jeffrey Best of L.A.-based Best Events, with blue
lighting, light gray banquettes, white roses and
lilies, and tan linens that gave the space a clean
look. “Bob and Harvey just like to walk into a room
and just have it look good—not themey,” Wise said.
Black-and-white blowups from Miramax films
decked the gray fabric-covered walls, and plasma
screens throughout the space showed a sevenminute reel of Miramax films.
L.A. caterer Patina’s menu featured crab cakes
with aioli, mini purple potatoes with caviar, chicken
quesadillas with avocado salsa, and stuffed mushrooms. Dessert was flourless chocolate torte with
mint sauce and miniature fruit tarts. Per tradition,
nominees got extra dessert, when the Weinsteins’
young children presented the award hopefuls with
chocolate Oscars from Corporate Concepts—a
small, but tasty, consolation for those who didn’t
win real ones the next day. —A.D.
Photos: Frazer Harrison/Getty Imges (Vanity Fair hedge), Dale Wilcox/Berliner Images (Vanity Fair interior, Miramax), Mark Mainz/Getty Images (Blanchett)
IN TERMS OF REPUTATION, Vanity Fair ’s Academy Awards viewing
dinner and after-party soars to the top of the list of Oscar
night soirees—just ask the PR reps who try to lure A-listers
to other parties.
Vanity Fair director of special projects Sara Marks
planned the famed event for editor Graydon Carter, who
hosted about 150 guests for
dinner at Mortons on Melrose
Avenue before larger swarms
arrived after the ceremony.
Although the police department kept fans at bay behind
metal barricades, they could
still see the 30-foot-long, 10foot-high myrtle topiary
White votive candles and small,
spelling out the mag’s title
clear rectangular towers etched
outside the venue. Green spot- with the Vanity Fair logo surrounded
lights on the facade—by light- rose centerpieces from McQueen’s.
Pink and green hand-bound proing-designer-to-Buckingham- grams with light blue pencils were at
Palace Patrick Woodroffe and each place setting.
Londoner Pete Barford—created the dramatic look.
New York-based Basil Walter Architects accented the allwhite interior with cool colors, with emerald and red roses by
McQueen’s set in short, simple square centerpieces on the
tables. White votive candles and small, clear rectangular
towers etched with the Vanity Fair logo surrounded the flowers.
Governors Ball Has
Opulent Look
FOXX AND FAMILY? CHECK. Swank? Check. Even a
postpartum Roberts—check. All the prominent players at this year’s 77th annual
Academy Awards ceremony and more
Hollywood hotshots were present at the posttelecast Governors Ball in the Governors
ballroom above the Kodak Theatre. The
ball’s chairman Sid Ganis, chairwoman
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Cheryl
Cecchetto of Sequoia Productions gave the
ball an opulent, old-Hollywood-meetsmodern-day-supper-club look.
About 1,600 guests were invited into the
ballroom, where giant Oscar statues flanked
the entrance. Sequoia transformed the
space with three levels of seating, and a
brown, amber, copper, and deep red color
scheme. The room had an elegant atmosphere with soft lighting from Entertainment
Lighting Services,
low banquette seating, and an orange
Mark’s Garden provided pink,
white, and green orchids for
glow from table
lamps and lit fabric the tables.
ceiling panels. Pink, white, and green
orchids from Mark’s Garden made for
simple, squat centerpieces.
Wolfgang Puck’s appetizers included
smoked salmon pizza, Vietnamese spring
rolls, samosas, antipasti platters, and
Iranian caviar, followed by the entree of Kobe
beef and Maine lobster. The dessert was a
toasted almond and espresso cream torte
with chocolate mousse.
Renee Olstead and the Gregg Field
Orchestra entertained guests with classical
music before the crowd flitted off to the host
of other parties around town. —A.D.
Photos: Nadine Froger Photography (Governors Ball)
Elton’s Pink Party Glitters
ALTHOUGH IN STYLE MAGAZINE declined to sponsor
the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s annual
Academy Awards post-party this year, John’s
13th annual fete at the Pacific Design
Center in Los Angeles—now cohosted by
watchmaker Chopard—nonetheless had a
stylish look, star-studded guest list, and considerable cachet. Guests like Elizabeth
Taylor, Donald Trump, Don Cheadle, and
Video screens set into the red carpet played awards cereChristina Aguilera flowed in and out, keeping mony highlights.
the party packed well into the AM.
Freelance event planner Virginia Fout
produced the party, which was designed
by Bradley Picklesimer.
After navigating two security checkpoints, guests handed off their car keys
to valets from Academy Valet Parking
Services, and entered the tented fete
between two obelisks covered in pink
roses and glittery pink disco balls. The
red carpet featured video screens playing highlights of the ceremony set into
the floor. Pink floral arrangements
dotted the interior and the outside
smoking patio, and disco balls ornaDisco balls in various sizes ornamented the round tent’s ceiling,
picking up fuchsia lighting from the Lighter Side.
mented the tent’s ceiling, picking up
fuchsia lighting from the Lighter Side.
Crumble Catering, Mark’s Restaurant
and Galateo Catering provided the food.
Savories included mini lamb chops, duck
confit, and ahi tuna avocado rolls; sweets
included chocolate espresso brownies and
chocolate raspberry mousse cups.
The Scissor Sisters performed a
boistrous one-hour set before host Elton John Trays held dessert shooters; each glass contained a differjoined them on stage for two songs. —A.D. ent combination of sweet flavors.
Sequoia Productions chose decor in a brown, amber, copper, and deep red color scheme.
Soho House Heads to L.A.
NOT TO BE EXCLUDED FROM the Academy
Awards festivities, Soho House brought its
brand from London and New York to the
Hollywood Hills for a week. The chain of private clubs rented a 10,000-square-foot private residence and transformed it into a
maze of luxe suites, calling it the Soho
House Villa.
Interior designer Amanda Masters
transformed the formerly outmoded home
into an ultra-modern, hip hangout—befitting the Soho House name—in only a
week, but she had a budget of $250,000 to
do it. After she brought in furniture and
decor pieces from a variety of periods, like
1800’s-style high-back chairs and midcentury modern sofas and ottomans, the
look was eclectic, but distinctly modern
and clean.
In addition to courting potential members for the West Coast club, the villa
hosted existing members of the international brand’s venues, who came and went as
they pleased. Inside, they enjoyed pampering (the club’s New York spa techs flew out
for the job, hair gurus from Bumble &
Bumble touched up hair, and the M.A.C.
Cosmetics people had brushes at the
ready), browsing sponsors’ goods (although
the PR folks for watchmaker Carl F.
Bucherer were quick to point out that there
were no freebies—just exposure to potential customers), and eating and drinking
(Absolut vodka stocked the bars). —A.D.
New York’s Soho House club brought its brand to the Hollywood Hills, transforming a private residence into a maze
of luxe suites during the week of the Academy Awards.
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AFTER ALL THE GRAMMYS were doled
out on February 13, all that was left
to do was go to the parties.
Breaking from tradition, the
National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences moved its officially sanctioned after-party from
the Millennium Biltmore to the West
Hall of the Los Angeles Convention
Center, adjacent to the award ceremony venue, the Staples Center.
The 140,000-square-foot space
accommodated 6,000 guests for the
largest post-show party ever.
Mary Micucci of Along Came
Along Came Mary’s Mary Micucci transformed the Los Angeles Convention Center into
Mary produced the event, designed a modern-looking club with white sofas and a wash of blue light.
Guests dined on Along Came Mary’s extensive menu, served at 70 buffets.
by Angel City, with flowers by L.A. Premier. The team transformed the vast, raw convention space into a modern-looking club, with 100-foot diameter fabric pods upon which
video imagery was projected stretching from floor to ceiling.
Each pod surrounded a performance stage where circusstyle performers—stiltwalkers, ribbon twirlers, and
others—entertained guests to music DJ Paul Oakenfold
provided from a 16-foot tower. Nonstop entertainment
included live musical performances by Kanye West protégé
John Legend, and the Grammy-winning Black Eyed Peas.
Along Came Mary’s extensive menu featured 70 buffets
with American bistro, pan-Pacific, Latin, and Japanese fare.
More than 500 staff were on hand to serve 3,000 pounds of
caramelized onion-glazed sirloin, 10,000 chicken pot stickers, 600 pounds of pasta, 2,000 ahi tuna martinis (kind
of—they were hors d’oeuvres served in martini glasses, not
cocktails), and a selection of 24,000 mini desserts. With 100
bars in the party space, even the night’s losers were bound
Circus-style performers entertained the crowd.
Nonstop entertainment included a musical performance by the Grammy-winning Black Eyed Peas.
to feel at least a little festive. —Alesandra Dubin
Entertainers Pay Tribute to Ray
Photos of Ray Charles decorated Concord Records/Hear Music’s postGrammy awards party at Spago.
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RAY CHARLES’ FIVE POSTHUMOUS awards were the talk
of Grammy night—Jennifer Lopez and Marc
Anthony’s syrupy duet notwithstanding—so an
after-party in his honor at Spago attracted tons of
celebs, and went
past 3 AM.
Concord
Records/Hear
Music, the label
that produced
his last album,
Genius Loves
Company,
hosted the party
(cohosted by
Not-quite American Idol La Toya London (top left, with Isaac
Starbucks,
Hayes) performed. Billy Preston (above) entertained 450 guests.
which carries the CD in its cafés), and Concord PR
director Jo Foster brought aboard Sharon Sacks
of Sacks Productions to produce it. (Extreme
Bodyguard security kept out everyone but the 450
invited guests.)
Sacks created 10 dining tables, one for each
of Charles’ previous Grammy wins and his lifetime
achievement award. Each glass table encased a
photograph of the award, the sheet music for the
song, a microphone, and a reproduction of the
outfit Charles wore on the album cover.
But the real story of the event was the nonstop entertainment. Stevie Wonder performed,
along with Billy Preston, Ellis Hall, not-quite
American Idol La Toya London, and the Fred
Martin gospel choir. —A.D.
Photos: Steve Grayson/WireImage (Governors Ball room, circus performers, food), Steve Granitz/Getty Images (Black Eyed Peas), Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images (Concord Records after-party)
Grammy’s Greatest After-Parties
Academy Moves Its Big Bash
Photos: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
Sony BMG Goes Old Hollywood
AFTER THE 47TH ANNUAL Grammy awards ceremony wrapped up at L.A.’s Staples Center, the
golden age of Hollywood was reborn at the
Hollywood Roosevelt hotel for guests of Sony
BMG Music Entertainment. C.E.O. Andrew
Lack hosted the party for about 1,000 guests
on behalf of the label—whose artists Alicia
Keys, Usher, and Marc Anthony figured prominently among winners—in the same Spanish
Colonial ballroom where the academy presented its first awards in 1958.
Woods Exquisite Flowers created elegant clusters of
Sony BMG’s Melani Rogers and Ileane
Behind the well-stocked bars, flat-panel video screens showed awards highlights.
calla lilies in cascading arrangements.
Santana worked with designer Wayne Woods of
Brentwood-based Woods Exquisite Flowers to produce
and design the dimly lit party with a 1920’s-style old
Hollywood glamour theme, flavored with Asian- and
Moroccan-inspired touches. Palm trees and elegant
clusters of calla lilies in cascading arrangements peppered the loungey space amidst a cool $500,000 of
plush vintage sofas and chairs from Omega prop
house—in luxe tapestry, velvet, and leather—arranged
in intimate seating groups.
Images by Lighting projected gobos in decorative
Moroccan patterns on the venue’s tile floor, complementing a carved wood, hand-painted ceiling. Behind wellstocked bars, flat-panel video screens showed awards
highlights, and Park Plaza Events catered an all-tapas
menu. It was all very romantic and sensual—just in
Images by Lighting projected gobos in decorative
Plush vintage sofas and chairs from Omega prop house in luxe tapestry, velvet, and leather were
time for Valentine’s Day. —A.D.
arranged in intimate seating groups.
Moroccan patterns on the venue’s tile floor.
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The Best Golden Globe Bashes
Miramax Has Tiki Time
WHEN THROWING A Golden Globes viewing party on the West Coast, options
are limited: You can only show the
program as it happens if you throw
the party at the Beverly Hilton hotel,
where the awards take place, and
tap into the site’s live feed—otherwise you’ll have to watch it on a
three-hour delay, with all the other
plebes in the Pacific Standard time
zone. For Miramax’s party—cohosted with Glamour, the AMC channel,
and Coors—vice president of special events Dina Wise selected the
hotel’s Trader Vic’s restaurant and
used its campy, exaggerated
Polynesian-themed decor for her
party’s theme. “When you’ve got
bamboo and tiki things everywhere,
you can’t fight it—you’ve got to go
with it,” she said.
About 150 guests attended the
viewing party and dinner—featuring
regional favorites like pupu platters—with catering and staffing by
the restaurant. Later, they joined 700
more (including Johnny Depp,
Leonardo DiCaprio, and scores of
other A-listers) in an adjoining
space for a cocktail party produced
by Jeffrey Best of Best Events.
Under the tent—erected in the parking lot adjacent to the restaurant—
the look was much more sleek and
modern, with mostly white flower
arrangements on dark cocktail
tables with orange-toned projections
echoing the Polynesian theme,
minus the camp.
Glamour dressed cigarette girls
in aviator-style outfits—for
Miramax release The Aviator, of
course—and they passed out cosmetics, mints, fragrances, and more
to the crowd. The mag also created
a boudoir-like atmosphere in the
ladies’ room, where guests could
sample and take home a variety of
beauty products, or have their
makeup done. (The men’s restroom
had a less girly version of the
same.) —Alesandra Dubin
Following dinner, guests moved into an adjacent tent, where the look was much more sleek and modern.
Name cards sat adjacent to mostly white flower
arrangements.
In the tent, orange-toned projections subtly echoed the Polynesian theme. A gobo
of the Miramax logo was projected onto the tent.
HBO celebrated its four Golden Globe wins with 800 guests at the Beverly Hilton hotel’s
Griff’s Restaurant and pool, which it decked out in a Moroccan theme.
Table linens featured shades of antique gold, blue, and orange.
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Orchids floated in the pool.
HBO CELEBRATED ITS FOUR Golden Globe wins
with 800 of its closest friends at the Beverly
Hilton hotel’s Griff’s Restaurant and pool,
decked out with a Moroccan theme for the
occasion. The exotic design was inspired by
peripatetic
event decorator
Billy
Butchkavitz,
who returned to
Los Angeles
from travels
abroad with
sumptuous
materials and
Centerpieces coordinated with cups
of gold and red marigolds and
plenty of ideas.
inlaid bowls.
Restaurant
banquettes and buffets as well as loungeworthy daybeds and ottomans were festooned
in vivid jacquard silks and paisley velvets in
shades of antique gold, blue, and burnt
orange, imported from Morocco, France,
Belgium, and Turkey. Tables were topped with
centerpieces—Moroccan lanterns atop inlaid
trays—which coordinated with cups of gold
and red marigolds and inlaid bowls. “It’s a
very, very warm and rich look,” said Eileen
Rivard, HBO’s vice president of special events.
Outdoors, ironwork gazebos covered in
vines and decorated with lanterns dotted the
poolside area. The most striking gazebos
seemed to be floating in the pool, although
they were actually supported by hidden platforms and surrounded by orchids made of silk
so they would float if it rained.
Guests dined on a Moroccan salad; penne
pasta with vegetable lamb tagine; sautéed
marinated filet of Pacific sea bass with shrimp
and fennel in a light cream tomato saffron
sauce; grilled eggplant, asparagus, and portobellos; and oak-grilled beef sirloin with red
wine sauce. Servers passed flutes of Moët &
Chandon, which was one of the event’s sponsors, and custom-concocted “goldentinis”—
bourbon, lime juice, Amaretto, and Sprite.
—Irene Lacher
Photos: Vince Bucci/Getty Images (Miramax), Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images (HBO)
HBO Toasts Gold at
Moroccan Pool Party
Photos: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images
In Style Event Is
“Baroque-a-Go-Go”
FOREVER AN OBLIGING HOST, In Style magazine held its annual Golden Globe viewing
dinner at the Beverly Hilton Palm Court
with purple satin walls, aubergine carpet,
and sofas in teal silk dupioni in the hotel’s
courtyard by event designer Thomas Ford
(it’s the sixth year in a row he’s given the
event its luxe look).
Calling the theme “baroque a-go-go,”
Ford created a 30-foot lighting fixture
composed of 10 chartreuse-colored floating discs, 30 crystal chandeliers, 600
water-filled glass orbs, and 500 icicleshaped mirrors; the setup required 1,200
man-hours to assemble and install. In
Style director of creative development Cyd
Wilson planned the event.
Guests enjoyed a savory Continental
dinner of cream of asparagus soup; grilled
and chilled shrimp and asparagus on
frisée garnished with enoki mushrooms
and fried crisp basil with lemon-basil
vinaigrette; veal tournedos served with
morel sauce with roasted potatoes; and
assorted vegetables. A trio of mini chilledchocolate soufflés, mini crème brulees,
and fresh berries was served for dessert.
Once the telecast ended, dinner
guests were ushered into the cocktail area, where they joined additional guests—many of whom came
from the awards. Within seven minutes, the room was transformed into
the after-party—which the magazine cohosted with Warner
Brothers—where 12-piece R&B
group Coleman Band entertained
the swelled crowd. —A.D.
Thomas Ford designed a lighting fixture composed of 10 chartreuse discs, 30 chandeliers, 600 glass orbs, and 500 icicle-shaped mirrors.
Guests enjoyed a dinner of cream of asparagus soup, shrimp and asparagus on frisée, veal tournedos served with morel sauce with potatoes, and vegetables.
After dinner, guests moved into the cocktail area, and within seven minutes, the
room was transformed into the after-party.
33
EventIdeas
Awards Have Cool Displays
Travel & Leisure Design awards cocktail reception • Dia Chelsea Annex
Thursday, 02.17.05, 7 PM to 9 PM
At TRAVEL & LEISURE ’s inaugural design awards cocktail party at the Dia Chelsea
Annex on West 22nd Street, T&L creative projects director Laura Aviva worked
with Bernhard-Link Theatrical Productions to design an assortment of partitions
that displayed photos or samples of the honored work while also helping to
define a more intimate area for the party inside the annex’s raw space. Yauatcha in London, the winner in the best restaurant category for Christian Liaigre’s design, had the most
unusual display, with rows of
small shelves for samples of
the restaurant’s macaroons,
which were flown in for the
party directly from London,
and continually stocked by
one of Olivier Cheng’s servers.
—Chad Kaydo
Spades Serve Bloody Marys
Kate Spade/Jack Spade Fall 2005 preview breakfast • Kate Spade/Jack
Spade showroom • Tuesday, 02.08.05, 8 AM to 10 AM
Breakfast had a little bite at the preview of his-and-hers accessory
brands Kate Spade and Jack Spade.
Callahan Catering served Bloody
Marys in hollowed-out tomatoes
or in larger tumblers for fashion
editors looking for help getting
through the fifth day of Fashion
Week. Planned by Kate Spade vice
president of PR Marybeth Schmitt,
the breakfast also included small
bites like miniature donuts, scrambled eggs in bacon cups, and fruit
in tiny Rice Krispies cups. —C.K.
Launch Has Freudian Touches
Preston Bailey’s Fantasy Weddings book launch party • Rainbow Room •
Wednesday, 01.26.05, 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM
SOMETIMES A CIGAR is just a cigar. And sometimes
a cigar is part of an event theme, as it was at the
launch party for event designer Preston Bailey’s second book, Fantasy Weddings. It started with the invitation, which came in the form of a birth
announcement. (“It is with great joy Preston Bailey announces his new arrival,” the card said, along
with an illustration of Bailey pushing a baby carriage, the natural progression after so many weddings, we suppose—“First comes love...” and all.)
And when guests made their way up to the Rainbow
Room, they found male models in white satin diapers offering them candy cigars. (Speaking of
Freud…well, maybe we’d better not.) —C.K.
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CopyCat is currently producing
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31
EventReport
Orchid Dinner Has Dazzling Tables
New York Botanical Garden’s Orchid Dinner • Rainbow Room • Wednesday, 02.02.05, 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM
The NEW YORK BOTANICAL
GARDEN’s annual Orchid Dinner
gathers designers from the
worlds of fashion, interior,
and floral design to decorate dinner tables while
showcasing the beautiful
flower species. This year’s
event had designs that ran
the gamut, with a mixture
of elaborate, elegant, and
artsy pieces.
Jennifer Rominiecki, the
Interior designer Ernest de la Torre created a centerpiece with an
Connie Plaissay of Plaza Flowers’s canopy of white orchids
illuminated sculpture of yellow orchids rising from a pedestal.
had a base made of a mound of small stones and greenery.
garden’s associate vice
president for special
The 65th floor was the site of 30 tables topped
events, oversaw the benewith striking orchid centerpieces. Gotham
fit, and Gotham Gardens’ Dan Gotham Gardens’ tall metal structure was topped off with a
Gardens’ towering piece supported a tire-shaped
round form decorated with a swath of green orchids and
Dahl acted as the coordina- adorned with hanging crystal pendants (above). David
form fashioned with green orchids and embelBeahm’s place-card table was draped with fabric and decotor and liaison with the
lished with small crystal pendants. And event
rated with delicate glass vials holding orchid blossoms (right).
designers. Sponsor House &
design firm Laubach & Company’s John Laubach’s
with fabric
Garden ’s garden editor Charlotte Frieze also took on
fanciful look integrated willow branches and
and adorned it
an active role in the planning.
yellow orchids, taking on a tropical feel with pots
with pink feathers, and hung decorative glass vials decorated with South American patterns.
The event began on the 64th floor of the
filled with a variety of orchids. Under the table
Rainbow Room, where guests gathered for cocktails
Interior designer Ernest de la Torre combined
surface were clear compartments that held alterand perused a selection of orchids for sale. David
yellow orchids with white lights to fabricate a
nating displays of feathers and orchids.
Beahm draped a wall behind the place-card table
constellation-like piece. —Mark Mavrigian
30
EventReport
CVB Drives Herd Into Times Square
Fort Worth convention and visitors’ bureau press event • Times Square Studios and 44th Street • Wednesday, 01.26.05, 5:30 PM onward
An event at Times Square Studios introducing the press to the city of Fort
Worth was more than a little bit country. C.O.O. Segi Desta and marketing
director Greg Staley of Fort Worth’s convention and visitors bureau marched a
small herd of massive longhorn steer
into Times Square, and penned them on
44th Street outside the venue to generate attention. Although
an early-morning
appearance on Good
Morning America had to
be canceled on account
of the bovines’ weatherdelayed arrival, plenty
The Fort Worth convention and visitors bureau marched a herd
of onlookers ogled the
of massive steer into Times Square, and penned them in on 44th
Street in front of Times Square Studios.
spectacle. (After one
tourist asked his wife to
hour trek, they arrived at the Karl Bauer
The venue’s Jumbotron showed images of Fort
take a snapshot of him Worth alongside the city’s tagline, “The destination Training Center in Pompton Plains, New
in front of the animals, with everything.”
Jersey, where they rested overnight
we heard her gripe, “Like we couldn’t have taken before making the journey into Manhattan.
that same picture back home in Minnesota?”)
Then it was back into the truck, over the George
Equine Express transported the herd—five steer, Washington Bridge, along Amsterdam, Broadway,
along with four horses and their handlers—from and eventually West 44th, where they were
Fort Worth in a 70-foot tractor-trailer. After a 36- unloaded into their paddock for the event.
A Nascar racecar added color—and plenty of blatant branding.
Inside, the Tomik-produced party had a
Western theme, with large stand-up structures
featuring images of Fort Worth throughout the
room and a Nascar racecar adding color—and
plenty of blatant branding. Park Avenue Catering’s
menu included Tex-Mex fajitas and barbecue
served on buffets covered with brown and white
cow-printed linens. A classical trio performed for
the cowboy hat-dotted crowd. The venue’s
Jumbrotron ran video of Fort Worth alongside
the city’s tagline, “The destination with everything.” —Alesandra Dubin
29
EventReport
Dr Pepper Tour Gives Mini Makeovers
Diet Dr Pepper’s “New Look...Same You!” makeover event promotion • Time Warner Center • Tuesday, 02.08.05, 7 AM to 2 PM
DIET DR PEPPER parent company Cadbury Schweppes
brought a special preview of
its 20-city “New Look…Same
You!” tour to Manhattan
with a makeover event at
Time Warner Center that treatDiet Dr Pepper was served out of plastic chamed unsuspecting shoppers to
pagne glasses—a hint at the luxury message
the event tried to convey.
mini makeovers, free goodhinted another message—that of,
ies like T-shirts and lip
ahem, dieting. To promote the conbalm, and, of course, soda.
Diet Dr Pepper displays
For those less adventurous nection between diet soda,
shoppers, virtual computer makeovers, and fashion, models
were prominent on the
makeovers were also availsecond floor, and samples
able (above). Newly made- from Posh Ability posed as paparazzi
over shoppers could walk a photographers for the newly madewere poured into plastic
short red carpet to experichampagne flutes and given
ence a few seconds of pre- over shoppers, who walked a short
tend fame (left).
red carpet to experience a few secout to shoppers. David
Diet Dr Pepper brought a special preview of its 20-city
“New
Look...Same
You!”
makeover
tour
to
Manhattan.
onds
of
pretend
fame.
Evangelista from Wickedly
The tour had already stopped in Portland,
Perfect and other stylists gave shoppers 20-minute
Cristina Alfaro.
Oregon; Syracuse, New York; and Pittsburgh,
makeovers. For the less adventurous, virtual com“And this
Pennsylvania; and ends in April. But Cadbury
puter makeovers were available as well.
event is a way
Schweppes execs felt New York was an appropriThe special event was planned because
to get added exposure [for the tour].”
Evangelista was available, and the timing coincidWhile the event’s official message—that drink- ate place to hype up the mobile marketing campaign, which focuses on helping people look and
ed with Valentine’s Day. “A makeover is an indul- ing Diet Dr Pepper is as indulgent as getting a
feel better. The tour made its official Manhattan
gent experience, so the timeliness with Valentine’s makeover—was conveyed through the makeover
stop in March. —Erika Rasmusson Janes
Day was perfect,” said Cadbury Schweppes’
and freebies, its occurrence during Fashion Week
We put on 1000 shows a week.
None more important than yours.
We r e n t p e a c e o f m i n d .
Nationwide rental, staging, sales and
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28
EventReport
Diffa Shows the Next Decor Trends
Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS’ Dining by Design benefit • Hammerstein Ballroom • Monday, 02.07.05, 6:30 PM onward
As the fashion industry was busy churning
out trends in the Fashion Week tents in Bryant Park, a
few blocks away in Hammerstein Ballroom, the Design
Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS’ (Diffa) Dining by
Design benefit offered a glimpse of the latest looks
for tabletops. Crammed with 51 individual dining
environments, the fund-raiser was a runway of
sorts, where a roster of top event, interior, and
fashion designers—aided by products and funds
from corporate sponsors—could unveil their latest
ideas for event decor.
Although the designers typically make grand,
one-of-a-kind creations, every year a few trends
emerge from table to table, and they often influence the look of place settings to come. (Last
year’s clear plates showed up often in 2004.) This
year, the designers used many ornate, old-fashioned pieces—but not in old-fashioned ways.
Instead of making tables that looked fussy, designers mixed and matched patterns, materials, and
colors, and combined the disparate elements in
ways that felt vibrant and fresh. At the Quest
Quest International Fragrances created an innovative centerpiece of Bunsen burners, beakers, test tubes, white roses, and pastel-colored elbow gloves. The
International Fragrance table, that meant setting
mix-and-match tableware included plates with vintage drawings of plants on top of ornate, floral-patterned china. Each place setting was unique, giving the
plates with vintage drawings of plants on top of
old-fashioned pieces a modern, not-so-perfect feel.
ornate, floral-patterned china, and
silver-rimmed champagne flutes with
an assortment of beveled wine glasses
of different heights.
The few stark, minimalist designs
looked a bit stale and boring. With so
many top designers—and sponsors—
looking to stand out, the event is about
big statements, after all. So, as in years
past, the designers also used scale to
make an impact in a room of showoffs hoping to hear “Wow…” from the
design crowd walking the floor.
Maria McBride designed a wooden lattice garden structure laced with fabric
daisies for the table sponsored by Free People. Glass crystals and strings of
Suzanne Kasler put her table under a
beads hung from a driftwood chandelier.
giant Eiffel Tower replica, and a mast
rose behind the Nautica area—built to
resemble the deck of a ship.
Another big trend: The flatware
wasn’t so flat. Many designers used
thick-handled utensils instead of the
minimalist, skinny silverware popular
Suzanne Kasler Interiors designed one of the largest and most striking tables, for Elle Decor.
last year. Walking the floor, we also
The French-theme table showcased an Eiffel Tower that rose up over the table and was draped
found table after table with the flatware in the colors of the French flag. Even the stems of the glasses were miniature Eiffel Towers.
Produced by Diffa’s Mark Beckham and sponset in unusual ways—forks crisscrossed over each
plate, or a pair of spoons nestled within a rounded sored by Elle Decor and GE , the event began with a
cocktail reception when everyone could check out
plate. One recurring theme seemed a bit inapprothe tables and bid in a silent auction. Then for
priate: the use of animal products, from feather
dinner, Creative Edge Parties served ravioli made of
boas draped over the chairs at the Artistic Tile table,
puff pastry and stuffed with wild mushrooms, folto leather pieces used as a tablecloth on the Quest
lowed by an herb-encrusted loin of lamb with
table (otherwise, one of our favorites). A giant
sweet pea pancakes and mustard sauce. Later, DJs
arrangement full of fake birds and giant feathers
billowed over Matthew Smyth’s table for Larson-Juhl— Todd Oldham and Billy Beyond spun at the Bubble Blast
after-party, sponsored by faucet-maker Brizo.
sure, it had visual impact, but would you want to
Kate Spade used glass vases of fruit, brightly colored chair cushions in
beach-style chairs, a bar cart stocked with gin and whiskey, and a beach
—Chad Kaydo
eat under it?
umbrella hung with small lamps to give the table a 50’s cocktail party vibe.
24
TREND: Unmatched
Table Settings
Red plastic goblets contrasted with traditional clear wine glasses at the
Container Store’s red-and-white, modern-looking table.
On the Darren Henault Interiors table, two plates—one floral-patterned,
one plain white—topped each patterned charger, and red-tinted wine
goblets alternated with clear etched glasses of varying sizes.
The table from SeaCloth and John Rosselli & Associates was a peppy mix of pinks, yellows, and blues with its striped canopy, short white vases of brightly colored flowers, and pretty plates, napkins and stemware.
The Ralph Lauren Home space was decorated with a
large piece of driftwood hung with small votives.
Elaine Griffin’s table for the New York Design Center had nautilus shells with a nacre finish on
each plate, and a cluster of long-necked glass vases on the table.
Keeping with Waterworks’ signature clean lines and colors, each setting
mixed green and clear glasses in angular and curvilinear shapes.
TREND: Chunky Utensils
Inspired by a picnic basket in Coach’s spring collection, C.E.O. Reed Krakoff
placed real bamboo-handled utensils alongside his logo-laden dinnerware.
Crate & Barrel paired its creamy white Eva Zeisel-designed tableware with
thick, rounded pakka wood-handled flatware from its “Cordova” collection.
At the David Beahm-designed club tables sponsored by various companies,
bamboo-handled utensils from Party Rental sat atop the plates.
25
EventReport Diffa Trends
TREND: Mixing Fabrics
Jamie Drake’s table for Baker furniture juxtaposed black and white
checkered napkins and placemats with a Pucci-style bright yellow,
orange, and red print on the chair pillows.
Jeffrey Grubb created a wild rock ’n’ roll effect for the Hangtags for
Humanity table—mixing a fuzzy red faux fur rug used as the tablecloth
with long swaths of tie-dyed fabric looped around the folded napkins and
draped down the edge of the table.
Matthew Smyth’s ornate and ostentatious design for the Larson-Juhl sponsored table included a large gold frame set at an angle and an imposing centerpiece
of black feathers in a gold-colored urn.
TREND: Styled Flatware
The elegant table designed by David Stark and Avi Adler for Elle Decor
mixed orange throws over the backs of chairs with pale beige covers. A
delicate floral pattern dominated the tablecloth.
Catherine Kiel of Eric Cohler Inc. placed tortoise-handled forks in a crisscross
configuration on top of the plates at her table designed for the Greystone
Home Collection, a line of textiles and home accessories.
For Annie Selke Companies’ Pine Cone Hill and Potluck Studios table, the
green tablecloth complimented the quilted red underlay and long napkins were edged in green and red ribbon. Vintage-looking touches like a
floral rug matched the pillows on the pale green leather chairs.
26
Chopsticks in a simple V shape topped a stack of three aquamarinecolored glass plates at Raymond Joseph of RJ Designs’ table for
faucet company Brizo.
Artistic Tile founder and president Nancy Epstein placed forks and
knives—but oddly, no spoons—in black gloves accented with beaded
bracelets with placecards attached at each place setting.
Michael Tavano’s table for fabric company Schumacher featured utensils
with bamboo-shaped handles placed in an X shape atop the plates. His
reason: It gets people in to the mindset to start eating.
New Venue Guide
The scoop on New York’s newest spaces—where they are, when they open, and what to expect
By Anna Sekula
IN THE WORKS
Bar Americain
152 West 52nd St.
Chef Bobby Flay (Mesa Grill, Bolo) will open this
brasserie designed by David Rockwell of the Rockwell
Group. The venue will feature a raw bar, a 28-foot bar,
and a 200-seat dining room. (For more information call
Bullfrog & Baum, 212.255.6717.) Scheduled to open in
spring 2005.
Charlie Trotter Restaurant
10 Columbus Circle
Joining other hotspots in the Time Warner Center is an
informal eatery from Chicago’s famous chef Charlie Trotter. The as-yet-unnamed seafood restaurant will have a
main dining room, a bar and lounge, and a raw bar. (For
more information call the Susan Magrino Agency,
212.957.3005.) Scheduled to open in September 2005.
Chopra Center New York
210 West 55th St., 866.437.3266
Deepak Chopra’s New York healing center and spa will be
located in Vikram Chatwal’s Dream Hotel. Ayurvedic therapy, yoga, meditation, and beauty services will be
available to guests and nonguests. Scheduled to open in
April 2005.
Country
22 East 29th St., 212.582.4445
Town’s sister restaurant, from chef Geoffrey Zakarian,
will be housed in the newly restored Carlton Hotel.
Scheduled to open in summer 2005.
Dream Hotel Event Space
210 West 55th St., 866.437.3266
Vikram Chatwal’s new Times Square hotel will have a
6,000-square-foot event space. Scheduled to open in
summer 2005.
Intent
231 Mott St.
Architect Xavier de la Grange teams up with François
Payard to bring Mediterranean food and wine from Italy,
France, and Spain to SoHo. (For more information call
the Hall Company, 646.638.0771.) Scheduled to open in
May 2005.
Koi
40 West 40th St., 212.642.2100
This outpost of the popular Los Angeles restaurant
owned by Nick and Dipu Haque is located in the Bryant
Park Hotel. Designed by Icrave Design Studio (Aer
Lounge, Crobar), Koi will feature a waterfall, dark wood
furniture, leather banquettes, ceiling decor inspired by
fish scales, and a menu from chef Sal Sprufero. Scheduled to open in April 2005.
New Museum of Contemporary Art
235 Bowery, 212.219.1222
The New Museum has announced plans to build a
60,000-square-foot home on the Lower East Side. The
seven-story space will include column-free exhibition
space, a new media center, a black box theater, and
wraparound rooftop terraces. Japanese avant-garde
architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa are
designing the venue. Scheduled to open in spring 2006.
Nobu 57
40 West 57th St., 212.219.2442
This is the new Midtown branch of the famous TriBeCa
sushi restaurant Nobu from Drew Nieporent, Nobu Matsuhisa, and Robert De Niro. Designed by David Rockwell,
Nobu 57 will be 13,000 square feet on two floors, decorated with wood, metal, and wicker. Upstairs the dining
room will seat 200, and on the ground floor will be a bar
and lounge. Scheduled to open June 2005.
Keith Bulluck. Executive chef Kenneth Collins has
devised an upscale take on classic barbecue nosh for
the venue, which will house a Southern Pride smoker, a
wood-paneled ceiling, graffiti, and old barn doors.
Scheduled to open in April 2005.
Steiner Studios
15 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, 718.858.1600
The large new film studio inside the 15-acre Brooklyn
Navy Yard will soon offer an event space in addition to
its 100,000 square feet of soundstage space, and
170,000 square feet of offices. A 100-seat screening
room and a rooftop with views of Manhattan will also be
available. Scheduled to open in November 2005.
26
135 West 26th St., 212.243.6200 ext.12
This bilevel loft space in Chelsea will offer both a
5,000-square-foot event space and the 124-seat Helen
Mills Theater. The main floor will hold as many as 400
for cocktails. Scheduled to open in May 2005.
R E C E N T LY O P E N E D
Aquavit
65 East 55th St., 212.307.7311
Renowned Swedish restaurant Aquavit from chef Marcus
Samuelsson has moved to a new location on 55th street.
The decor features furniture from classic designers such
as Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjaerholm, and Verner Panton.
Opened in January 2005.
Bar Sasa
17 Cleveland Place, 212.966.7334
Replacing recently closed Bar Tonno, this narrow NoLIta
space is now a sushi and sake bar with cuisine by the
former Tonno chef. Opened in January 2005.
B.E.D. New York
530 West 27th St., 212.594.4109
B.E.D. New York is the sister restaurant to the original
Miami hotspot. Located on the sixth floor and rooftop of
a west Chelsea building, the restaurant has a 6,000square-foot dining room with 23 beds, and a
7,600-square-foot rooftop garden and gazebo. The
entire space is more than 15,000 square feet, and can
hold 620 guests. Opened in January 2005.
Bellavitae
24 Minetta Lane, 212.473.5121
Rolando Beramendi and partner Jon Mudder have
opened an Italian wine bar in Greenwich Village.
BLT Fish
21 West 17th St., 212.691.8888
Located in the former space of AZ, the sister restaurant
to Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Steak has a first-floor lounge,
a second-floor event space, and a fine dining room on
the top floor. The second-floor space seats 65 or holds
125 for cocktails; has full audiovisual capabilities, a
full-service bar, and private bathrooms; and is handicap
accessible. Opened in January 2005.
Bombay Talkie
189 Ninth Ave., 212.242.1900
Designed by Danish architect Thomas Juul-Hansen, the
restaurant and teahouse inspired by owner Sunitha
Ramaiah’s native India features teak floors and birch
furniture in its two floors of space. The venue can seat
60. Opened in January 2005.
Cornelia Day Resort
29 East 36th St., 212.685.0610
The library plans to renovate its three existing structures,
and add another made of glass and steel. The plan also
includes a larger Madison Avenue entrance, a plaza, and
a 280-seat auditorium. Scheduled to open in early 2006.
663 Fifth Ave., 212.871.3050
With interiors designed by Zeff Design, the spa has 11
private treatment rooms, 600 square feet of retail space,
a library furnished with chaise lounges, and the city’s
only Watsu pool (for shiatsu massage in warm water). A
rooftop space has an outdoor bar and lounge and will
open this spring. The resort has a small conference room
that holds 12, and the entire space can accommodate as
many as 200. Abigail Kirsch is the exclusive caterer.
Smoked
Della Rovere
103 Second Ave., 212.388.0388
The East Village space once occupied by Ike is to be
replaced by Smoked, a new restaurant from Michael
Satsky, Bruce Bronster, and Tennessee Titan linebacker
250 West Broadway, 212.334.3470
Owners Frank LaRuffa and his son Frank Jr. (descendants of the Italian Della Rovere clan) opened this
restaurant with a modern regional Italian menu created
Pierpont Morgan Library
Midtown’s New Entertainment Venue
FILLING THE FORMER SPACE of a Loews movie
theater in the Viacom building—after
undergoing a $15 million renovation—the
Nokia Theatre Times Square (1515 Broadway) is sure to make a splash with its
scheduled opening this summer. The 2,100seat theater is a joint venture between the
mobile communications giant and AEG, the
Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment presenter. Designed by the Rockwell
Group, the site will be suitable not only for
by husband-wife chefs Roberto and Monica Bellissimo.
Furnished with rosewood furniture, stained glass windows, and a stone waterfall, the main dining room seats
95. Opened in February 2005.
Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel
569 Lexington Ave., 212.752.7000
Originally opened in 1961, the 755-room hotel—with its
unorthodox curving facade—was the work of Modernist
architect Morris Lapidus. There are 14 meeting and event
rooms, and a penthouse space with a glass-enclosed
atrium and terraces. The new 70-seat Met Grill has an
internationally influenced menu. Off of the lobby is the
Met—a bar and lounge decked out in earth tones complemented by stainless steel, wood, and marble accents.
Earth NYC
116 10th Ave., 212.337.0016
An Indian-inspired bilevel lounge with a modern look rich
with earth tones. The menu features Bombay-style street
fare. Opened in January 2005.
live performances and awards shows, but
also conferences, trade shows, and dinners.
The auditorium (pictured in rendering) will
feature undulating walls, a quilt-patterned
ceiling covered in a veil of metal mesh, and
six Swarovski crystal chandeliers. And in
the Nokia Lounge guests can play with various company products, charge their cell
phones, and download games and videos.
Contact AEG at 646.843.0440 for information. —Mark Mavrigian
quettes, and a wine tower against the main bar. The
basement space has been transformed into a wine cellar
that seats 80. Opened in February 2005.
Gary’s Loft
28 West 36th St., 718.858.4702
This new loft space is 5,000 square feet and has four
large skylights, a rooftop space, 22 windows on three
sides, and is furnished with American folk antiques.
Libation
137 Ludlow St., 212.529.2153
Inspired by Irish pubs, Libation is a new three-story
restaurant and lounge on the Lower East Side. The
restaurant is 2,150 square feet and seats 150, the private space on the mezzanine floor seats 40 or holds 50
for cocktails, and a party room can accommodate 200
for a reception or 80 seated. Opened in January 2005.
The Modern
510 Hudson St., 212.242.3021
This new restaurant and bar inspired by speakeasies is
owned by a collective of restaurant and bar veterans
including Bill Gilroy of the Match restaurants, and Jason
Kosmas and Dushan Zaric of Brooklyn’s Cocktail Conceptions. The venue has two rooms available for events, and
the entire space seats 100. Opened in January 2005.
9 West 53rd St., 212.333.1220
This sleek restaurant within the newly reopened Museum
of Modern Art is operated by Union Square Hospitality
Group and features French-American cuisine from chef
Gabriel Kreuther, formerly of Atelier. A private dining
room holds 64, and can be divided in half to create two
32-seat spaces. The main dining room and private rooms
overlook the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden.
English Is Italian
Moriyama Loft
622 Third Ave., 212.404.1700
The latest restaurant from China Grill Management
replaces Tuscan and features a menu from chef Todd
English. The 4,500-square-foot space seats 160 and has
been revamped with large canopies, new window ban-
200 Park Ave. South, 212.844.0100 ext.15
This 2,000-square-foot loft near Union Square has raw
concrete floors, white walls, and a panoramic view of
Midtown. The space is available for events, meetings,
and photo shoots. Opened in January 2005.
Employees Only
21
Nero
46 Gansevoort St., 212.675.5224
Replacing Zitoune in the meatpacking district is Nero, a
70-seat restaurant with wood tables, exposed brick
walls, and wine barrels. The menu features a festive
take on Mediterranean cuisine. Opened in January 2005.
NerveAna
179 Varick St., 3rd floor, 212.243.1999
Dedicated to the decade when Beverly Hills 90210 was
the teen drama du jour, this 90’s-themed 5,000-squarefoot club features decor and a cocktail menu inspired by
O. J. Simpson, Monica Lewinsky, and others. Opened in
January 2005.
Plate
264 Elizabeth St., 212.219.9212
Owned by Phil Pepperdine and Luis Dene of the Dene
Group, this restaurant and lounge’s 1,700 square feet
house a raw bar, a bar and lounge, and a main dining
room. The 500-square-foot outdoor garde is open yearround and holds 150 for cocktails. The food is
Latin-Asian fusion cuisine. Opened in February 2005.
Pukk
71 First Ave., 212.253.2740
Named for the Thai word for vegetable, Pukk serves Thai
vegetarian cuisine. The 700-square-foot restaurant seats
36. Opened in January 2005.
Reserva Dominicana Cigar Lounge
80 East 7th St., 646.594.3180
Cigar store Reserva Dominicana Cigars Inc. has opened
a smoker-friendly lounge in the East Village. Here
patrons can become educated in the live cigar-rolling
process. The venue holds 20. Opened in January 2005.
Sandia
111 West 17th St., 212.627.3700
New to the Flatiron district is Sandia (Spanish for watermelon) a restaurant whose menu was created by chef
Roberto Pagan and features a mix of Latin and Japanese
cuisines. Opened in January 2005.
Sogo NY
337B West Broadway, 212.966.2113
SoHo’s new Asian fusion restaurant owned by Sunny Lee
(Green Tea Café, Galaxy 45) seats 50 and includes a
fountain on the back wall. Opened in January 2005.
Spigolo
1561 Second Ave., 212.744.1100
Husband and wife chefs Scott and Heather Fratangelo
have opened Spigolo on the Upper East Side. The eatery
is decorated with touches like exposed brick and warm
yellow-painted walls, a cork floor, and a pressed tin copper-colored ceiling. Spigolo serves modern Italian fare.
Opened in February 2005.
Stitch
247 West 37th St., 212.852.4826
This Midtown bilevel bar and lounge is suitably equipped
for events. Decorated with original 19th-century moldings and a 50-foot oak bar, Stitch has full audiovisual
capabilities, plasma and projection screens, a kitchen,
and an online jukebox. The venue is 4,500 square feet
and holds 400. Opened in February 2005.
Temple
240 West 52nd St., 212.489.7656
After a $2.5 million renovation, the space formerly known
as Float is now Temple. The nightclub has three floors,
including a large 1,000-square-foot dance floor, a huge
second floor that houses both a lounge, bar space, and a
balcony that overlooks the dance floor, and a third floor
for private parties. The entire space holds 800. Opened
in January 2005.
Wildflower
192 Bleecker St., 212.475.2355
Owner and executive chef Jay Jadeja’s restaurant serves
eclectic American cuisine. The dining room seats 45 and
the outdoor space seats 15. Opened in January 2005.
Yumcha
29 Bedford St., 212.524.6800
The decor and menu of this Chinese restaurant blends
modern style with the aesthetics of the Ming dynasty.
Designed by Glen Coben, Yumcha is a 55-seat space
decorated with deep reds, fuchsias, dark woods, and
bamboo, and has a brightly lit open kitchen that allows
diners to watch and interact with the chefs. The entire
venue is 1,400 square feet. Opened in March 2005.
For the latest new
venue listings, go to
www.BiZBash.com
22
HOT TABLE:
The Theater District’s
New Nostalgia
THE FIREMAN HOSPITALITY GROUP’s newest venture, Bond 45
(154 West 45th St., 212.869.4545), has a lived-in, storied feel
in an elegant space that is rich with antique woods, marble,
and deep reddish brown leather accents. The venue takes its
name from the Bond clothing store that once occupied the
location, and features 1940’s artwork and original mosaics—
and to tie in the nostalgia, a vintage Deco-style bar. With
seating for 250, the restaurant's menu focuses on regional
Italian cuisine, and a bread oven produces a house specialty,
Ligurian cheese-stuffed focaccia. —Mark Mavrigian
TechnologyUpdate
Link Up, Drink Up
These four new gadgets can help in the boardroom and the bar
Face it: Events—and event planners—seem
more than a bit rusty if they employ yesterday’s
technology. In a profession where image is everything, you simply must stay en vogue. The first
quarter of 2005 ushered in a gaggle of new
gadgets that aren’t just fashion accessories.
These tools could just
make your work that
much smoother.
All This and
a Phone, Too
If you’ve been
putting off
buying the
Handspring Treo
because 1)
everyone has
one and 2) you
demand the next best
thing, this might be it.
While slightly larger
than the Treo, the
Samsung i730 scores major cool
points. The device slides open to reveal a
full keyboard below its 2.8-inch screen. Running
Windows Mobile 2003, the i730 can handle heavy
lifting with its 64 MB of RAM (the Treo 650 has
only 23 MB), 128 MB of flash memory, a 1.3megapixel camera, and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. It can run on the new, digital cellular
networks being rolled out by Verizon Wireless
and—later in 2005—Sprint, which means quicker
instant messaging, email, Web browsing, and
text messaging. Demo models of the
i730 included a WiFi radio as well,
making it the perfect device to go from
Starbucks to the commuter train. With
Windows Media Player 10.0 and dual speakers
with 3D sound, it’s also a nifty multimedia device. Pricing was
unavailable at press time.
Photo Illustrations: Toni Lucatorto
Tippler Tech
Whether anyone admits it or not,
one of the fuzziest items on any
event P&L is the booze. Does anyone
really know how much the caterers are
pouring and how much they’re
charging? Now you can hold
your bartenders fully accountable, at least if
they’re using Nuvo Technologies’ BarVision
(480.222.6000; www.barvision.com), a high-tech,
free-pour liquor management system. With wireless antennae installed on each bottle, BarVision
sends a radio signal to a small, on-site receiver
each time a drink is poured. This
data is then transmitted to a Palm
PDA running BarVision software,
which tracks not only pours, but
also what’s in each bottle
and when it’s empty. The
system runs about $3,000 to
$5,000 per bar area.
Just Add Popcorn
Most meetings are just
plain blah without some
spectacular audiovisual
production. But with any
flashy multimedia comes high costs
and hours of set-up. Now HP is
trying to streamline this process
with a budget-minded audio-video combo device.
The ep9010 Instant Cinema Digital Projector
(800.888.0262, www.hp.com) merges a digital
projector, DVD player, and sound system into
one unit, offering the portable theater experience
to the masses.
The ep9010 projects images up to 110 diagonal
inches and can plug directly into cable or satellite
television via popular Svideo, composite, component, and HDTV
connectors. Support
for 5.1 Dolby digital
audio breathes life
into the unit’s
built-in speakers.
Unfortunately, the
ep9010 doesn’t stack
up well against today’s
stand-alone digital projectors. At 23 pounds, you
can’t easily tote it from
one event to another
(although it comes
with a wheeled case), and
the SVGA resolution seems a bit
dated. By comparison, the best
digital projectors weigh in below four pounds
and boast XGA resolution (for crisper, sharper
images). But if you want a unit that unites your
audiovisual tools in one package, the ep9010 is
worth a look. Retail price: $2,000.
Radio Shack also recently announced the
launch of its Cinego D-1000 digital projector/DVD
combo. At 7.5 pounds, the D-1000 is more
portable than the HP unit and matches its
support for 5.1 Dolby digital audio, but offers less
image contrast and more basic speakers. It sells
for around $1,250.
Go, Look, and Listen
You’ve got your tunes on your iPod, your favorite
photos on your PDA, and your latest PowerPoint
proposal on your laptop. What a load. Now you
can dump the utility belt, sell all those gadgets on
eBay, and pick up the Samsung YH-820 Micro HDD
Jukebox and Photo Album
(www.samsung.com). At 2
by 3 1/2 by 3/5 inches, the
Jukebox sports a 5 GB
hard drive. It can handle
MP3, Microsoft
Windows Media Audio,
and Janus Subscription
DRM file formats, as well
as JPEG imagess, which
can be viewed on its 1.6inch LCD screen.
That’s smaller than
the iPod Photo’s
two-inch screen,
but the Jukebox is
$270 cheaper The
retail price is
approximately $230.
—Matt Purdue
19
DestinationReport
Good Sports
Ballparks, racetracks, and other sports-minded venues give
guests a good view of the action—or let them create their own
In season or out, sportsrelated venues are hot today
for corporate entertaining,
with facilities available for
fans of most major sports.
“When you compare it to
a typical hotel ballroom, it’s
much more interesting to
clients to come down here,
much more of a conversation piece,” says
Joe Giles, director of business development
for the Philadelphia Phillies, about the
attractiveness of the team’s new ballpark.
“It’s something different and unique that
clients can talk about.”
Opened in the past year, the Phillies’
Citizens Bank Park (215.463.6000,
www.phillies.com) has eight venues for
entertaining, ranging from a room seating 25 to the main concourse and plazas,
which can hold receptions for 5,000. The
Diamond Club lets guests catch a peek of
the Phillies’ indoor batting cages; it also
contains plasma-screen TVs and a stateof-the-art sound system. Anheuser-Busch,
Mercedes-Benz, Pfizer, and Toyota have
taken advantage of the venues’ corporate
services, which include appearances by
former Phillies players and the team’s
mascot; placement of messages on the
scoreboard or auxiliary boards; and yearround tours of the park, including the
dugout, playhouse, and field.
Also opened in the past year is the
FedEx Forum (901.205.1522, www.fedexforum.com), home of the Memphis Grizzlies
and University of Memphis Tigers. Its
uniquely Memphis theme—music—is
apt, since the arena is located on Beale
Street, and Memphis is the home of the
blues and the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll.
The Smithsonian’s Rock ’n’ Soul Museum,
which provides an overview of the history of Memphis music and its role in
the development of modern music, is
located right in the arena, and can be
rented for pre- or post-game receptions.
Other facilities available here include
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Sports Bar; Opus, a
16
Who’s
Going
Where
To kick off the big Magic
Marketplace fashion
industry trade show at the
Las Vegas Convention
Center this past February,
Duran Duran played the
opening night party at the
New Tower Ballroom in the
Bellagio Hotel.
ing space, ranging in
size from a meeting
room for 12 to a dining
room that seats 300. The
hotel also has an 18-hole
golf course with a new,
Harper’s Bazaar held a
11-acre driving range.
party to celebrate the
Besides playing golf,
Paris collections at Le Bar
meeting attendees can
du Plaza Athénée at the
play a game of baseball
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
on Cooperstown’s legParis in March.
endary Doubleday Field,
an old-style ballpark feaLaw firm Greenberg
tured in the movie A
Traurig will hold its 400At the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, guests can do laps in pace cars. And the
League of Their Own.
Georgian-style Otesaga resort in Cooperstown, New York, has an 18-hole golf course near
guest company picnic at
This past October,
the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
the Miami Seaquarium
during the height of the
fine-dining facility; Backstage, a casual
in April.
World Series, Ron Rusinek, a Buffalo, New
restaurant; and the Blues Zone, for funcYork-based partner business manager for
tions for up to 350 guests.
Bon Appetit sponsored
The Texas Motor Speedway (817.215.8500, Hewlett-Packard, brought customers and
the Beaver Creek Culisoftware developers to the Hall of Fame
www.texasmotorspeedway.com), in Fort
nary Classic and
Worth, lets corporate guests use all facili- and Otesaga. The timing of the event
Celebrity Chef Ski Race
appealed to everyone, Rusinek says, and
ties, from the Victory Circle and infield
at the Beaver Creek
they especially enjoyed Cooperstown’s
road course, to the media center, with
Resort near Vail,
natural surroundings and its “nice, quaint
theater-style seating. Guests can even do
Colorado, in January.
village.” —Jane L. Levere
laps in pace cars or Nascar Nextel Cup and
Busch race cars, or participate in corporate
leadership programs, offered here since
last year by Texas Driving Experience.
The American Airlines Center
(214.665.4218, www.americanairlinescenIF YOU’RE CONSIDERING EXOTIC, overseas destiter.com), home of the Dallas Mavericks,
nations where the dollar is still relatively
has numerous function spaces accommostrong, think about Peru. Orient-Express
dating groups as small as 12 to as large as
(800.524.2420, www.orient-express.com),
366. A recent corporate outing there
offers a range of upscale services there,
included a luncheon for 300 followed by
including hotels and a luxury train, that provide an unforgettable experience.
the chance to shoot free throws on the
Tops among the former is the Monasterio, a Spanish colonial monastery
basketball court.
converted into a hotel high in the Andes. With an Incan foundation and its
Cooperstown, New York, home of
original colonial chapel, still decorated with antique gold ornaments, the
the National Baseball Hall of Fame and
Monasterio offers a variety of meeting and entertainment spaces, including a
Museum (607.547.7200, www.baseballhallofrestaurant, open-air courtyards, and meeting and function rooms fitted with
fame.org), is also home to the Otesaga, a
audiovisual equipment and Internet access.
grand, Georgian, 96-year-old resort on
In Lima, Peru’s capital, Orient-Express also runs the Miraflores Park Hotel
the shores of Lake Otsego. The Hall of
(pictured), one of the city’s finest. Function spaces here hold 30 to 300 guests
Fame building itself can be rented, with
theater-style; an outdoor terrace for cocktail receptions holds up to 250.
its signature space, the Hall of Fame
Orient-Express recently began offering train service that connects Cusco
Gallery, available for off-season events.
with Machu Picchu; the train can be chartered for groups of 84 or less. The
The Otesaga (607.547.9931, www.oteroundtrip can easily be made in one day. —J.L.L.
saga.com) has 13,000 square feet of meet-
DESTINATION: PERU
Take a Train Ride

Vegas Cirque Premiere Goes All Night

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