P 67 Top100_Opener.mc.FINAL.qxp

Transcription

P 67 Top100_Opener.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
12:53 PM
Page 67
NEW YORK’S
TOP 1OO
EVENTS
Big-deal events are de rigueur in
New York, and they often last for a whole week—we’ve
got models catwalking in Bryant Park twice a year, television execs rubbing shoulders with sitcom stars at the
upfronts, and characters like Tony the Tiger riding around
Times Square in a convertible during Advertising Week. In
addition to those events (which bring travelers, press
attention, and dollars into the city), we rounded up 97
others for our sixth annual Top 100 list. Big news in 2006
was the return of the MTV VMAs to Radio City Music Hall,
putting it back on our list—though whether the event is
here to stay has yet to be determined. Newbies include
the Clinton Global Initiative, which in its second year
raised more than $7.3 billion in global aid pledges. From
politics to PR, the Tribeca Film Festival to the Westminster
Dog Show, we’ve got every industry’s top events covered.
Edited by Courtney Thompson. Written by AnnaMaria
Andriotis, Jessica Cassity, Patricia Cunningham, Sara
Neuffer, Mimi O’Connor, & Martha C. White.
These events make an impact on the city year after year. Here’s a behind-thescenes look at the people and companies who put them together.
Trade Shows &
Conventions
1. NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW With roughly
1.2 million visitors expected to return in 2007, this show is once
again the top draw for the Javits Center. Running April 6 to 15, the
show will feature more than 1,000 vehicles—everything from hot
rods to hybrids. The popular “Camp Jeep,” where visitors can testdrive a Jeep through an off-road obstacle course, returns in a new
outdoor location in front of the center, while a new exhibit, “Taxi
’07,” will feature half a dozen cab prototypes. Ford Motors president and C.E.O. Alan Mulally will give the keynote speech. Show
director Candida Romanelli oversees the 10-day event.
2. NEW YORK NATIONAL BOAT SHOW Running from
December 30, 2006, through January 7, 2007, this show was
expected to draw 80,000 attendees—up from the previous year’s
crowd of 75,000. Plans this year included exhibits with about 1,000
watercraft and more than 117 boat brands. The National Marine
Manufacturers Association (NMMA) aimed to keep the show fresh
by introducing the Elite Fleet Club, a V.I.P. lounge offering perks
such as a free coat check, chair massages, and complimentary
drinks and snacks. The 102-year-old show is produced by the
NMMA and managed by 15-year veteran Michael Duffy.
return. The Toy Industry Association produces the show, with vice
president of meetings and events Marian Bossard in charge.
6. NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION ANNUAL
CONVENTION AND EXPO The flagship event of the retail
industry’s largest association, the convention and expo is expected
to draw more in 2007 than 2006’s crowd of 16,000. Ninety-six
years in the running, the event is set to take place January 14 to
17 at the Javits Center, with blue-chip speakers such as Kenneth
Cole and Microsoft C.E.O. Steve Ballmer. Exhibit space is expected to total roughly 160,000 square feet; the expo is produced by
show manager Susan Newman.
7. INTERNATIONAL VISION EXPO EAST Some 16,000
attendees are expected to attend this year’s show, which takes
place at the Javits Center from March 23 to 25. In 2005, 559
companies exhibited, taking up 237,500 square feet; this year,
the new Lens and Processing Technology pavilion will add 62
exhibitors to the list. Michael Grant, director of operations for
Reed Exhibitions, which co-owns and coproduces the show in
conjunction with the Vision Council of America, spearheads the
planning, and Ashley Mills of Mills Communications handles the
show’s PR.
8. MEDICAL DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING EAST EXPO
AND CONFERENCE Now in its 24th year, this show features
1,500 exhibitors that take over roughly 265,000 square feet of the
Javits Center. Last year’s event attracted some 30,000 buyers.
Produced by Los Angeles-based Canon Communications, this
year’s show runs from June 14 to 17.
Greater New York Dental Meeting
Hospitality
Industry Events
3. NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR Part of the New
York Gift and Home Market Week, the fair is expected to draw some
9. NATIONAL STATIONERY SHOW A new floor plan is shaking
43,000 attendees during its run from January 28 to February 1. The
up this 61-year-old show, which returns to the Javits Center from May
largest gift show in the country, the fair will set up exhibitions at the
20 to 23. Roughly 14,000 attendees are expected, along with 1,300
Javits Center as well as at Piers 92 and 94 and the Metropolitan
Pavilion. Due to the Javits Center’s upcoming expansion, the fair had exhibitors. The show’s five separate sections are being eliminated
this year to encourage buyers to check out a wider variety of stato introduce a new floor plan for the 600,000 square feet of exhibit
space. A second installment of the show runs August 11 to 16; logis- tionery, pens, and other related items. Patti Stracher is the show
manager; the show is produced by George Little Management.
tics for both are managed by show director Dorothy Belshaw and
show manager Deborah Hilfman.
New York International Gift Fair
4. THE GREATER NEW YORK DENTAL
MEETING The 83rd annual gathering of this
group of medical professionals takes over the
Javits Center from November 23 to 28. More
than 54,000 attended last year’s show, which
comprised 1,500 exhibits as well as seminars,
workshops, and educational opportunities.
Executive director Dr. Robert Edwab and exhibits
manager Carla Borg produce the meeting.
5. AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR
More than 20,000 attendees are expected to
come out and play at this year’s Toy Fair, which
takes place February 11 to 14. Reigning as the toy
industry’s largest trade show, the fair has nearly
2,600 exhibitors and 325,275 square feet of
exhibit space at the Javits Center (the fair is also
taking over several other showrooms in Midtown’s
toy district). Two new sections, “Arts and Crafts”
and “Seasonal Celebrations,” debut this year, and
last year’s buzzed-about electronics showcase will
1. INTERNATIONAL HOTEL/MOTEL & RESTAURANT
SHOW This year’s show will attract 35,000 professionals in all
sectors of the hospitality biz to the Javits Center from
November 10 to 13. As always, the event kicks off with the
Hospitality ball the night of November 10. Sponsored by the
Hotel Association of New York City, the New York State
Hospitality and Tourism Association, and the American Hotel
and Lodging Association, the show features 1,250 exhibitors
showcasing everything from food-service supplies to luxury
linens. Christian Falkenberg at George Little Management is
overseeing the event.
2. NYU’S HOSPITALITY INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
This annual meeting of the minds, hosted by the NYU Preston
Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports
Management and chaired by hotel mogul Jonathan Tisch, continues to grow in size and stature. A record 1,900 attendees
showed up last year, and conference organizers expect to see a
similar number in 2007. NYU conference and events coordinator Suzanne Stevenson is planning the event, which runs June 3
to 5 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
3. NYC & COMPANY ANNUAL MEETING When the city’s
tourism officials get together to discuss the state of the hospitality industry in the Big Apple, more than a few show up to listen. Last year, some 600 people in the travel and tourism sector
turned out to hear notables such as Mayor Bloomberg and
NYC & Company president Cristyne Nicholas speak. This year’s
meeting is set to take place January 18 at the Sheraton New
York Hotel and Tower.
4. HOSPITALITY SALES & MARKETING ASSOCIATION
INTERNATIONAL ADRIAN AWARDS HSMAI is recognizing dozens of hospitality companies for their sales, marketing,
and promotional efforts at this year’s event, to be held January
29 at the Marriott Marquis. Roughly 1,000 travel and tourism
professionals are expected to attend the black-tie festivities,
planned by HSMAI’s Melanie Penoyar.
bizbash.com/new york january/february 2007
67
068.qxp
12/18/06
11:49 AM
Page 68
1][S ^ZOg
W\ ]c` V]caS
4`SRS`WQY > @]aS 6OZZ Wa ^S`TSQb T]` RO\QS bVSObS` ]^SÒ
PS\S¿ba Q]\TS`S\QSa ^`]RcQb ZOc\QVSa O\R Q]`^]ÒbS SdS\ba
1S\bÒZZg Z]QObSR W\ 1]Zc[Pca 1W`QZS ]c` be] dSàObWZS bVSObSà
a]O`W\U Ob`Wc[ TcZZaS`dWQS QObS`W\U O\R W\bW[ObS XOhh QZcP S\ac`S
O a^SQbOQcZO` SdS\b
@]aSBVSObS`
aSObaO\R]\S
]TbVSe]`ZR¸a[]ab
OQ]cabWQOZZgdSàObWZS
Q]\QS`bdS\cSa
BVS/ZZS\@]][
" #aSObaeWbVbVS
;O\VObbO\aYgZW\S
OaWbaPOQYR`]^
4]` OdOWZOPWZWbg TOQWZWbg
b]cà ]` []`S W\T]`[ObW]\(
#&''&
P]]YW\U.XOZQ]Ù
eeeXOZQ]ÙdS\cSa
4`SRS`WQY > @]aS 6OZZ 6][S ]T 8Ohh Ob :W\Q]Z\ 1S\bS`
0`]OReOg Ob $bV Ab`SSb
P 69 Top100_Ad+Ent+Art.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
12:54 PM
Page 69
NEW YORK’S TOP 1OO EVENTS
Advertising
Industry Events
1. ADVERTISING WEEK In its fourth year, this joint effort among
33 industry associations and a slew of corporate sponsors, including
AOL and CBS Radio, will take over the city from September 24 to 28.
Last year’s blowout drew 100,000 marketing, media, and advertising
pros. Executive director Matt Scheckner, who orchestrates the
weeklong gathering, says the long-running parade of icons might
be phased out, but the characters will remain part of the spectacle.
2. ADVERTISING COUNCIL’S PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDS
This annual black-tie dinner is set to draw industry heavy-hitters
to the Waldorf-Astoria on November 14 to recognize the philanthropic achievements of one of their own. Last year, some
1,200 attendees honored William C. Weldon, chairman and
C.E.O. of Johnson & Johnson. The event, new to the Top 100
this year, is planned by Jessica Chaikin Wolin, director of special events and development for the Ad Council.
3. ONE CLUB’S ONE SHOW The One Club’s annual tribute to
groundbreaking media and design in advertising returns to Jazz at
Lincoln Center for its May 9 ceremony; the New Media One Show
Interactive takes place May 11. Last year’s event spotlighted DDB,
which received 15 Pencils (the group’s equivalent of the Oscar), and
BBDO, which received 14 Pencils. Many of the winning campaigns
featured high-tech effects and computer animation. One Club chief
executive director Mary Warlick is producing the event in conjunction
with Overland Entertainment’s Michael Scarna and Bruce Patron.
4. NEW YORK AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION’S
EFFIE AWARDS The annual black-tie ceremony honoring the
most effective ad campaigns will expand this year to cover alternative strategies such as digital media, viral and guerrilla marketing,
and branded entertainment. Ogilvy & Mather was the big winner last
year for the Dove “Campaign for Real Beauty.” The association’s
associate director, Denise McDevitt, will produce the June event
with assistance from Legend Productions owner Jeff Goldstein.
5. AD:TECH Marketers who want to learn about interactive advertising and brand marketing will converge for Ad:tech New York, an
event with a history of accurately forecasting the Next Big Thing in
the industry. Some 10,000 new-media and interactive-marketing
pros are expected to attend this year’s event at the New York Hilton
from November 5 to 7. Show director Paul Beckley is producing.
Entertainment
Industry Events
PHOTOS: ALYS KENNY (ART SHOW), JEFFREY R. STAAB/CBS (UPFRONTS)
CBS upfront presentation
1. TELEVISION NETWORK UPFRONT WEEK For one
week in May, TV networks engage in over-the-top pitch sessions, hoping to wow advertisers and press with previews of
their upcoming seasons. It’s not the most publicized entertainment event in town (see below), but it is where the TV industry’s
business gets done. Elaborately produced events are followed
by star-studded after-parties and V.I.P. gatherings. This year, the
events will take place in mid-May.
2. TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL This two-week event descends on
New York each spring, growing in size and scope every year. In
2006, the festival received 465,000 attendees, up 69 percent from
2005’s count, largely due to the addition of more viewing venues
around Manhattan. With 800 screenings, 12 panel discussions, and
activities like the “Tribeca Drive-In,” last year’s event resulted in
$119 million in economic output for New York City. Dalzell
Art & Design Events
1. THE ARMORY SHOW New York’s largest annual art fair welcomed 47,000 collectors, critics, curators, and art enthusiasts in
2006 and set a record of $62 million in sales, a 37 percent increase
over the previous year’s revenues. Artist Pipilotti Rist has been commissioned to create a visual identity for this year’s February 23 to
26 show at Pier 94, which will feature works from 151 top galleries.
Typically held in early March, this year’s event was moved to late
February to coincide with the completely separate but nonetheless
complementary Art Show. Katelijne De Backer is producing the
show for the eighth consecutive year.
2. INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE FAIR
More than 23,000 interior designers, architects, manufacturers,
and retailers visited the Javits Center in
May 2006 to view 598 exhibitors, including
furniture, lighting, and kitchen and bath
models. This year’s fair is scheduled for
May 19 to 22 and will again be produced
and managed by George Little
Management. Phil Robinson, senior vice
president at George Little, will direct the
fair for the 12th year.
28 at the Seventh Regiment Armory, with a preview exhibit on
February 21. This year’s event will offer the largest number of new
galleries to show at the fair, and will benefit the Henry Street
Settlement. Art Dealers Association of America executive director
Linda Blumberg and president Roland Augustine are organizing
the event; Fitz & Company will handle PR, and Taste Caterers will
provide the food.
5. DIA ART FOUNDATION GALA In 2006, Dia’s fall gala took
a high-society crowd to 7 World Trade Center, departing from its
longtime locale at the foundation’s Chelsea home. Nathalie and
Charles de Gunzburg, along with Klara and Larry Silverstein,
served as co-chairs for an evening of cocktails, dinner, and a performance by the New Humans, a collaborative group that produces installations, videos, and sound recordings. MF Productions
produced the event, and Olivier Cheng catered.
3. DIFFA DINING BY DESIGN Hosted
by the Design Industries Foundation
Fighting AIDS, this event challenges interior
and event designers to create an elaborate
dining scene in an 11- by 11-foot space.
Notable participants in 2006 included Crate
& Barrel, Valentino, and the Rockwell
Group’s David Rockwell. This year’s event
will kick off in New York at the Waterfront,
with public viewing days on February 24
and 25 and a benefit dinner on February
26, before traveling to cities including San
Francisco, Dallas, and Chicago. Diffa special
events manager Steven Williams will oversee the show, and Elle Decor is the presenting sponsor.
4. THE ART SHOW A variety of American
paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and
photographs from the 19th century to the
present will be on display February 22 to
The Art Show
Productions will return to produce a portion of the 2007 festival,
which runs April 25 to May 6.
3. MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS After a two-year stint in
Miami, MTV’s biggest party of the year returned in 2006 to the
Big Apple—and to this list. While the excitement of the actual
show has been spotty in recent years, the frenzy surrounding it,
in the form of pre-parties, after-parties, related special events,
and marketing efforts by companies eager to piggyback on the
show’s buzz, is pretty much guaranteed. As it had in previous
years, the channel took over Radio City Music Hall (both inside
and out). MTV execs Kathy Flynn, Salli Frattini, and Dave
Sirulnick oversaw the 2006 awards. Will the awards stay in their
original home for 2007? For now, MTV’s not saying.
4. NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL A highly selective showcase of
new and provocative work from emerging and international artists,
this fall festival is orchestrated by the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Spanning more than two weeks, the festival presents its screenings
at Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Walter Reade Theater.
5. TONY AWARDS Presented by the League of American
Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing, the 61st
annual Tony awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on June
10. Elizabeth McCann will act as the awards’ managing producer,
and Joey Parnes will be the coordinating producer. White Cherry
Entertainment will reprise its role in handling staging and production for the three-hour ceremony, broadcast live on CBS.
6. CMJ MARATHON One thousand bands, 65 venues, five days.
This annual networking event brings 100,000 music professionals,
artists, and fans to New York. Showcasing both established acts and
the Next Big Things, the marathon expanded to a fifth day in 2006.
In addition to music, this year’s event, which is set to commence on
or around Halloween, will feature a trade show and more than 100
panel discussions with industry leaders.
7. MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE SALUTE Will Smith
joined the ranks of former honorees Sidney Lumet, Martin Scorsese,
and Julia Roberts at the 22nd black-tie gala in December 2006.
Overseen by museum director Rochelle Slovin, the ceremony once
again took place at the Waldorf-Astoria, with ticketing by Event
Associates and PR handled by Springer Associates. The event will
air on Bravo on January 12.
8. GOTHAM AWARDS Orchestrated by Independent Feature
Project executive director Michelle Byrd, these awards introduced a
new category at the November 2006 ceremony and brought back a
retired one. Actor Tim Robbins received the inaugural Humanitarian
Tribute, and director of photography Ellen Kuras was honored with
the Gotham Awards Tribute, a prize revived after a 10-year hiatus
that recognizes those who work behind the camera. The 2006
awards were attended by 900 guests, and boasted new partnerships with the Museum of Modern Art, The New York Times,
iFilm.com, and viral video network Revver. Hosted by comedian
David Cross at Pier Sixty, the event was produced by Medoff Inc.
9. MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO GALA Annually
toasting distinguished television executives, this gala returns to the
Waldorf-Astoria on February 8, honoring Sir Howard Stringer and
Sony Corporation (Stringer is the company’s chairman and C.E.O.)
for their contributions to the media, technology, and entertainment
industries. Individual ticket prices received a bump this year, with
the previous cost of $1,000 rising to $1,500.
10. ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS
Traditionally held at the Waldorf-Astoria, this ceremony drew 1,200
music execs and artists in 2006 to salute inductees the Sex Pistols,
Miles Davis, and Blondie. Joel Peresman, executive director of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, oversees the event, scheduled
for March 12 this year. Five inductees will be honored at the ceremony,
from a pool of nominees that includes Van Halen, R.E.M., Patti Smith,
the Stooges, Chic, and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five.
bizbash.com/newyork january/february 2007
69
P 70 Top100_Sports+Pol.mc.FINAL.rev.qxp
12/21/06
4:18 PM
Page 70
Political &
Diplomatic Events
1. ALFRED E. SMITH MEMORIAL FOUNDATION DINNER
This annual October fund-raiser typically draws the biggest names
you’ll see at the polls the following month. Last year’s dinner, hosted
by NBC News anchor Brian Williams, reeled in 900 guests, including
Hillary Clinton and Eliot Spitzer. Foundation director Meghan
McGuinness is planning this year’s event at the Waldorf-Astoria.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS
2. CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE Heads of state, billionaires,
C.E.O.s, senators, activists, and celebrities descended on the
Sheraton New York Hotel and Tower for this three-day event in
September 2006. New to our list this year, CGI is hosted by the
former president’s William J. Clinton Foundation, with production assistance from the Givens Company. The event has evolved
in just two years, becoming the premier domestic conference of
its kind—$7.3 billion in global aid was pledged last year. This
year’s conference will be held from September 19 to 21.
3. HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE FOR THE U.N.
DELEGATIONS AMBASSADORS’ BALL Held at Cipriani 42nd
Street, the 2006 event was a farewell celebration for outgoing
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and his wife, Nane. Hospitality
Committee president Lillian Liccardi plans the December event,
which raises funds for committee programs.
4. UNA-USA GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS DINNER
Hosted by the United Nations Association of the USA, this dinner
honors individuals for outstanding leadership in furthering the purposes of the United Nations charter. The October event was held
at the Waldorf-Astoria and featured musical guest Wynton Marsalis.
5. THE INNER CIRCLE SHOW The event that got Rudy Giuliani
to dress in drag gives New York’s political reporters a chance to take
satirical and musical aim at the city’s politicians, and gives politicians
a chance to fire right back. Sponsored by the Inner Circle Inc., an
organization of City Hall journalists, the event raises funds for local
charities. This year’s show takes place April 14 at the Hilton.
corporate parties
Sports Events
1. U.S. OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT The
United States Tennis Association had a recordsetting year in 2006, with 60,506 people attending a single day of the fast-paced games. (The
event attracted about 640,000 fans in total last
year, second only to the number of attendees in
2005.) This year, the August 27 to September 9
grand-slam tournament will again be held at the
USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a
massive complex in Queens.
2. ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
More than 90,000 hopefuls applied for one of
37,000 slots in the November 5, 2006,
marathon. Thanks to title sponsor ING—which is
signed on through 2010—the race offered a
record $749,000 purse. In addition to the
Sunday five-borough race, marathon week
ING New York
included several parties organized by Coors
Light, as well as the Barilla marathon eve dinner, a carb-loading
feast for 14,000 runners at Tavern on the Green. The marathon is
produced by New York Road Runners and will take place in 2007
on November 4.
3. HEISMAN MEMORIAL TROPHY AWARDS DINNER The
presentation of the Heisman Trophy to one outstanding college
football player has been a tradition since 1935, and a turning
point in the careers of many amateur athletes. At the 2006 event
on December 11 at the Hilton, winner Troy Smith of Ohio State
was flanked by other notable sports honorees, including football
greats (and past winners) Marcus Allen and Danny Wuerffel.
Heisman Foundation director Rob Whalen and coordinator Tim
Henning planned the evening’s cocktail reception, dinner, and
silent auction of Heisman memorabilia. The Heisman Foundation
is a nonprofit that supports public charities.
4. BELMONT STAKES The third and final race of the Triple
Crown (following the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness), the
holiday parties
45 west 21 street . new york . ny . 10010
phone: 212.989.2121 . fax: 212.989.2107
www.duvetny.com
birthdays
City Marathon
Belmont Stakes take place for the 139th time in June at Belmont
Park in Elmont, New York. Last year’s winner was Jazil, and the
event was attended by 60,000 spectators.
5. WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW Now in its
131st year, this competition—a sporting event, while not a sports
event—will likely attract 20,000 attendees each day on February
12 and 13, selling out Madison Square Garden for the third year in
a row. The 2,500 AKC champions are scrutinized and narrowed
down to the best of each of 165 breeds, then to the top seven of
each group, and finally to the top dog, or Best in Show. The event
spurs other industry expos, dinners, and events in the week before
the competition.
6. MILLROSE GAMES Celebrating its centennial, the city’s
largest indoor track-and-field event is scheduled to take place at
Madison Square Garden on February 2. The daylong games feature events ranging from sprint heats to shot-put throws. More
than 200 event alums have also competed at the Olympics.
breakfast meetings
private party room available
P 71 Top100_Food+Parades.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/21/06
4:16 PM
Page 71
Food & Restaurant
Industry Events
Parades, Walks &
Holiday Events
1. FANCY FOOD SHOW The country’s largest food celebration
takes on Manhattan from July 8 to 10 at the Javits Center. The 2006
event marked the first time the show sold out, filling 322,500 square
feet with 2,240 exhibitors—a seven-percent increase from 2005. The
event is hosted and produced by the National Association for the
Specialty Food Trade and is directed by president Ann Daw.
1. MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
A tradition dating back to 1924, the parade
attracted more than 50 million TV viewers and
3.5 million in-person spectators in 2006, all of
whom saw 1,200 cheerleaders, 800 clowns, 48
balloons, and 33 floats make their way down
Broadway. Robin Hall, Macy’s Group vice president of annual and special events, directed the
parade.
2. JAMES BEARD AWARDS The foundation is shaking things
up in 2007, changing both its venue and its producer. More than
2,000 hospitality and food professionals are expected to attend the
awards’ 20th anniversary on May 7 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher
Hall. The reception will be preceded by the James Beard Foundation media awards dinner on May 6 at the Millennium Hotel’s
Hudson Theater. Bowen & Company will produce both events.
3. FOOD & WINE ‘S BEST NEW CHEFS EVENT Some 600
industry professionals are expected to attend this foodie-friendly
magazine promotion known for taking place in atypical venues each
spring. (Last year’s locale, the historic Battery Maritime Building, had
been closed to the public since 1938.) Details for this year’s event,
which will take place in April, have not been finalized. Promotions
manager Shanette Vega is in charge.
4. CHEFS’ TRIBUTE TO CITYMEALS-ON-WHEELS Citymeals
will mark 25 years of service with a sustainable-cuisine-theme celebration on June 11 in the gardens, esplanades, and restaurants of
Rockefeller Center. “The idea is to celebrate reconnecting with the
earth through cuisine,” says director of special events Heather Gere.
Patina Restaurant Group will host, the Rockwell Group will handle
design, and the food will be provided by participating chefs.
5. INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT & FOODSERVICE
SHOW OF NEW YORK More than 18,000 food-service and
restaurant-industry professionals are expected at the Javits Center
for this year’s event, March 4 to 6. Ron Matthews of Reed Exhibitions will serve as event director for the second year in a row.
2. NEW YEAR’S EVE IN TIMES SQUARE
With one million revelers on hand, 2,000 pounds
of confetti, and the drop of a 77-foot Waterford
crystal-decorated ball, it’s easy to understand why
this event is number two on our list. Tim Tompkins
of the Times Square Alliance and Jeffrey Straus of
Countdown Entertainment produce the event.
5. ROCKEFELLER CENTER TREE LIGHTING Each year, several million tourists and locals visit the Norway spruce tree during
the holidays, and the lighting ceremony is its moment of glory—and
the biggest advertisement for Rock Center owner Tishman Speyer.
The 2006 ceremony saw the lighting of some
30,000 bulbs on the tree and featured a performance by Christina Aguilera. This year marks the
75th anniversary of the event, which is produced
by Tishman Speyer and broadcast by NBC.
6. NATIONAL PUERTO RICAN DAY
PARADE A crowd of more than two million is
expected at this year’s parade on June 10.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2007, the
parade will feature Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka
Rivera, a Puerto Rican native. Festive Productions
president Mike Laino will be organizing the event.
7. HALLOWEEN PARADE This anything-goes
parade drew two million spectators, 50,000
marchers, and rock band Kiss as grand marshals in
Macy’s Thanksgiving
Day Parade
2006. The Greenwich Village parade adopts a
new theme each year—the ancient Celtic commu3. ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE More than 1.8 million people
nal fire was celebrated in 2006—and heads up Avenue of the
walked in last year’s parade, past three million spectators. And
Americas. Parade veteran Jeanne Fleming produces the event.
parade chairman John Dunleavy expects the number to rise this
8. GAY PRIDE PARADE Every year on the last Sunday in June,
year, because March 17 falls on a Saturday. (The parade is always
half a million spectators come out to support (and see over-the-top
held on St. Patrick’s Day, except for the years it falls on a Sunday.)
theatrics at) the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride
Timothy Rooney, son of former Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art
March (the parade’s official name), which works its way down Fifth
Rooney and owner of the Yonkers Raceway, will serve as grand
Avenue to Greenwich Village. Nonprofit organization Heritage of
marshal of the 2007 parade, which will take place on Fifth Avenue
Pride, which produces the event, appointed Arthur Finn as the new
from 44th to 86th Streets.
march director. This year’s parade will be held June 24.
4. WEST INDIAN AMERICAN DAY CARNIVAL Beaded
9. REVLON RUN/WALK FOR WOMEN Thousands of men
costumes with large feather hairpieces will transform the streets
and women will participate in the 10th annual run/walk on
of Flatbush, Brooklyn, into a Mardi Gras-type celebration on
September 3. About two million spectators attended in 2006, which Saturday, May 5, to raise money for breast-cancer research and prevention. In 2006, the 5K event was produced by Rehage
was down from previous years, possibly due to rules implemented
Entertainment and drew 40,000 participants. Presented by the
in the past two years restricting noncostumed groups from the
Entertainment Industry Foundation, the event kicks off in Times
parade route. West Indian American Day Carnival Association presiSquare and ends in Central Park’s East Meadow.
dent Yolanda Lezama-Clark organizes the event.
BRILLIANT
CHOICES
TWENTY FOUR FIFTH
NYC 212-505-8000
BRIDGEWATERS
NYC 212-608-7400
HOTEL WESTMINSTER
NEW JERSEY 973-548-0040
STRIP HOUSE NYC®
NYC 212-328-0000
MONKEY BAR
NYC 212-838-2600
MICHAEL JORDAN’S
THE STEAK HOUSE N.Y.C.
TM
NYC 212-655-2300
SPECIAL EVENTS • CATERING • RESTAURANTS
.COM
072.qxp
12/18/06
11:50 AM
Page 72
P 73 Top100_Benefits.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
1:05 PM
Page 73
Benefits
1. METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART’S COSTUME
INSTITUTE BENEFIT In 2006, “Anglomania” was the theme, and
this year’s so-called “party of the year” will focus on the designs of
early 20th-century artist-couturier Paul Poiret, whose work is being
simultaneously exhibited at the Met. Francois-Henri Pinault will host
the benefit, along with Cate Blanchett, Balenciaga creative director
Nicolas Ghesquiere, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Following the 2006
affair, tongues were wagging that a dearth of coverage in Vogue left
event designer David Monn dissatisfied—to the point that he’s not
returning this year. Hmph. Jean-Hugues de Chatillon is taking over
those duties, and Raul Avila will oversee floral design. Balenciaga is
sponsoring the event (as Burberry did last year), and the Met’s Nina
Diefenboch, Ashley Potter, and Kristin MacDonald will work with
Vogue’s Stephanie Winston-Wolkoff to plan the May 7 affair.
9. SOCIETY OF MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER
CENTER AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE Honoring individuals
from the worlds of medicine, business, and philanthropy, this year’s
awards will take place May 16. Three hundred guests are expected
at the Rainbow Room, where Patti Lupone will perform, and Cipriani
will return as the night’s caterer. Olivia Striffler, special events manager at Sloan-Kettering, is responsible for planning the awards,
which featured the design skills of Ron Wendt in 2006.
16. NEW YORK CITY OPERA’S OPENING-NIGHT GALA
The New York City Opera will toast two longtime supporters this
year at its opening-night gala: outgoing general and artistic director
Paul Kellogg, who concludes an 11-season tenure, and Altria Group,
which has sponsored the NYCO for a decade. As many as 700
guests are expected at the March 15 event for a performance of
Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. Cocktail hour will take
place on the Grand Promenade of the New York State Theater at
Lincoln Center, followed by the performance, and dinner and dancing to the Peter Duchin Orchestra. The organization’s director of
special events, Sarah Denton, has enlisted David Stark to design
and Restaurant Associates to cater.
2. ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION BENEFIT The Robin Hood
Foundation stages a big benefit that produces big results: The 2006
event raised $48 million, besting the previous year’s proceeds by
$17 million. The mega benefit will return to the Javits Center on
May 2, and David Stark, the designer behind 2006’s massive chalk
sketches, will again provide his services. Laurie Fabiano, director of
communications, marketing, and events at the Robin Hood
Foundation, will plan the event, which last year drew 4,000 people.
Debbie Fife at Event Associates Inc. will handle ticketing.
3. AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE SPRING GALA Some 1,000
guests are set to attend the May 14 opening-night gala, which will
include a performance by members of the Metropolitan Opera followed by a black-tie dinner dance at the Tent at Lincoln Center. ABT
director of special events John Banta and associate director Katie
Diamond produce the gala with the help of event coordinator Jane
Emerson and event designer Bill Tansey. This year, Hank Lane’s Marc
Stevens will oversee decor, Catering by Restaurant Associates will handle the food, and Bentley Meeker will provide lighting.
4. WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART FALL GALA
Each October, high society turns out to celebrate the Whitney at this
stylish affair. At last year’s benefit, produced by Anthony Todd, guests
were made larger than life by a digital photo booth that projected
their images onto the museum walls. Entertaining the attendees were
Shasha Lazard and DJ Ruckus, the latter spinning at the more youthful (and budget-friendly) after-party. Taste Caterers provided food,
and the Whitney’s Kimberly Goldsteen planned the event.
5. FRICK COLLECTION’S YOUNG FELLOWS BALL This
annual benefit gives as many as 700 socialites and patrons of the
arts the chance to drink, dance, and dine in the company of Titian,
Turner, and Vermeer. The 2006 event, sponsored by Vera Wang,
featured a “Tango and Tapas” theme, inspired by the “Goya’s Last
Works” exhibit on display last spring. The Frick’s horticultural and
special events designer Galen Lee filled the Beaux-Arts mansion
and its Garden Court with drapes in vibrant hues, exotic fruit topiaries, and dramatic red lighting. Mary Giuliani Catering and Events
offered a Spanish-inspired menu, and Frick head of special events
Colleen Tierney produced the event. The ball raised more than
$275,000 in 2006 and is slated for March 1 this year.
6. METROPOLITAN OPERA OPENING-NIGHT GALA
Serious opera lovers come out in full force for the Met’s annual
fund-raising event. More than 800 attendees enjoyed a performance of Madame Butterfly at the September 2006 gala, followed by
a dinner from Restaurant Associates. David Monn was enlisted to
design decor for the affair, which is overseen by Met director of special events Wendy Westwood.
7. CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY’S FREDERICK LAW
OLMSTED AWARDS LUNCHEON This spring fling, held the
first Wednesday of May each year, will host 1,200 women—most in
hats—to benefit the CPC, Central Park’s caretaker. The 2007 event
will mark the 25th anniversary of the Women’s Committee by collectively celebrating all past honorees. Women’s Committee director
Lydia Thomas is planning the event.
8. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART’S PARTY IN THE GARDEN
With Gucci as its sponsor, last year’s fete raised $2.8 million for
MoMA. The 2006 dinner hosted 950, while the after-party, featuring
a performance by John Legend, entertained 1,000. Nicholas Apps,
MoMA’s director of special programming and events, worked with
Kadan Productions and Raul Avila to create the minimalist decor,
and Glorious Food catered. A sponsor for the 2007 party, set for
May 15, has yet to be determined.
15. NEUE GALERIE GALA Home to German and Austrian art,
the Neue Galerie holds its annual benefit in early December, as
planned by director of gallery membership Mirja Spooner. In 2006,
Gucci signed on for the second time as the night’s sponsor. An exhibit
of Josef Hoffmann interiors limited the space available last year, capping the guest list at 400. (Previous years have hosted as many as
700, although 550 is a more standard attendee count.) Spooner’s
search to secure another fashion sponsor for 2007 is underway.
17. MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY GALA Dedicated to promoting
a more livable New York City, the Municipal Art Society gathers
every fall for this gala. Last year’s black-tie dinner took place in the
restored Art Deco lobby of Eleven Madison Park, where Danny
Meyer’s Hudson Yards Catering handled the menu. Jean Tatge, vice
president of development at the society, organizes the event with
Bradley Associates Inc.
10. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY LIONS BENEFIT This
year marks the 10th anniversary of the library’s largest fundraiser, which takes place in early November. Overseen by master
of ceremonies Toni Morrison, 2006’s celebration honored Oprah
Winfrey and others, and raised more than $2.2 million in support
of the Library’s General Book Fund. The 550 guests enjoyed a
cocktail reception in the marble Astor Hall, then gathered for
dinner in the majestic Rose Main Reading Room. David Monn
provided the decor, while Glorious Food handled catering. NYPL
director of special events Kathryn Laino plans the evening.
11. NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN’S CONSERVATORY
BALL Black-tie and ball gowns will commingle with the bougainvillea at this June 7 ball, which more than 700 guests are expected to
attend. The event includes cocktails in the Perennial Garden and
dinner and dancing to the music of Bob Hardwick in the
Conservatory Tent designed by Robert Downs Clark. Glorious Food
will return to cater, and Monica Reishmann, the new director of special events development at the garden, will oversee the planning.
12. WINTER ANTIQUES SHOW OPENING-NIGHT GALA
Ushering in one of the premier antiques shows in America, this benefit donates proceeds to the South Bronx East Side House
Settlement. Sponsored by Elle Decor, the January 18 gala will return
to the Seventh Regiment Armory this year. Bill Tansey of Tansey
Design Associates is overseeing decor and floral; Taste Caterers will
provide the menu. Harry Winston has joined Sotheby’s as a sponsor
of the January 25 Young Collectors’ Night, the gala’s sister event for
twenty- and thirtysomethings.
18. ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION’S
KIDS FOR KIDS BENEFIT The stars come out for this annual
carnival extravaganza at Industria Superstudio. Whoopi Golberg,
Edie Falco, and Tiki Barber were just a few of the bold-faced
names who helped the foundation raise $1.7 million in 2006. Two
thousand guests are expected at the May 19 happening, which
Laspata/DeCaro will design and Dalzell Productions will produce.
Some of New York’s best restaurants provide the food; previous
years have featured the cuisines of Mesa Grill, Bond Street, and La
Esquina. Jayme Rubright, the foundation’s special event marketing
manager, will again oversee the event.
19. MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK’S DIRECTOR’S
COUNCIL PARTY The counterpart to the museum’s summer ball,
this winter benefit is set to take place February 27. More than 600
guests are expected to attend the event, which Graff and Valentino
are sponsoring and Abigail Kirsch is catering. The September 20
Director’s Council summer party, sponsored by Graff and J. Mendel,
also drew 600 guests and raised $295,000 for the organization.
Jerry Gallagher, the museum’s new director of special events, heads
up the planning this year.
20. BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION BENEFIT
Dubbed the “Hot Pink Party” last year, this benefit will touch down
at the Waldorf-Astoria on April 24. Director of special events Anne
MacGillivray oversees the event, which in 2006 welcomed 1,100
guests and raised $4.4 million. This year, Sheryl Crow will take the
stage, and Elton John will serve as master of ceremonies. Monroe
Alleckman is in charge of decor, Bruce Licursi will handle production, and the Waldorf will cater.
13. ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER The
Wednesday after Thanksgiving always brings the opening of the
Alvin Ailey season, which this year falls on November 28. For the
2006 opening-night gala at the Sheraton, the company presented
Twyla Tharp’s The Golden Section and Ailey’s own Revelations. David
Stark oversaw design and production. Quay Whitlock, associate
director of development and special events for Alvin Ailey, plans the
event, which typically draws 1,300 guests.
14. NEW YORK CITY BALLET OPENING-NIGHT BENEFIT
Last year’s benefit raised $1.2 million and brought in 650 dance
enthusiasts, who were treated to the American premiere of Alexi
Ratmansky’s Middle Duet, as well as the sole presentation of
“Purple” from Peter Martins’ Ecstatic Orange. Raul Avila provided
decor and Glorious Food catered the black-tie ball on the Promenade. This year’s benefit will take place on November 20; ballet
director of special events Kara Minogue is set to plan the event.
bizbash.com/newyork january/february 2007
73
074.qxp
12/18/06
11:50 AM
Page 74
Steak House
Since 1927
228 W. 52nd St. New York, NY • 212-957-2884
Gallaghersnysteakhouse.com
PRIME LOCATION
Historic Gallagher’s Steak House, NYC’S first speakeasy - a Runyonesque
gathering place for gamblers, sports figures, showbiz folk and other stars
of Broadway; and home of the “NY Strip” steak, will live forever as a great
restaurant landmark in NYC. Our legendary Trophy Room will make your
next business meeting, dinner or private event a memorable one. Located
on the second floor, our clubroom wood-paneled walls and extensive photo
collection is vintage NYC. Contact Cynthia Anderson, Director of Sales,
for more information at 212-957-2884 or [email protected].
P 75 Top100_Fashion.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
1:10 PM
Page 75
Fashion & Beauty
Industry Events
1. FASHION WEEK Rumors that Fashion Week will leave its
tented home in Bryant Park are wrong—for now. IMG says the
weeklong flurry of designer showings and front-row gossip will be
held at the Midtown location again for the February shows. The
big change, however, is that Mercedes-Benz has replaced
Olympus as the week’s title sponsor. Tentatively scheduled for
February 2 to 9, the event draws A-list celebrities, media figures,
and fashion buyers. No word yet on the dates, or location, of the
September 2007 shows.
3. FIFI AWARDS The 35th annual Fragrance Foundation FiFi
Awards will have a new home this year: the Winter Garden at the
World Financial Center. Foundation president Rochelle Bloom and
Dalzell Productions will produce the May 31 event, expected to
attract 1,000 beauty-industry insiders and a smattering of celebrities. To give the evening a fresh feel, this year’s award ceremony is
black-tie optional and will feature a buffet-style dinner tent.
4. FASHION GROUP INTERNATIONAL’S NIGHT OF
STARS BENEFIT This event lives up to its name—on hand for the
2006 gala were Gwyneth Paltrow, Julianne Moore, and Anne
Hathaway. Last year’s honorees included Carolina Herrera and
Stefano Pilati of Yves Saint Laurent. FGI president Margaret Hayes
will once again be planning the event, set to take place at Cipriani
42nd Street on October 25.
PHOTO: EVAN AGOSTINI/GETTY IMAGES (CFDA)
5. INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY SHOW Members of the beauty
industry flock to this annual event, which heads to the Javits
Center from March 11 to 13. In addition to an expo hall featuring
the latest beauty trade essentials, classes will be offered on subjects ranging from hair and nails to business. Questex Media’s
group show director Dana Lupton is producing the event, which
will be held concurrently with the International Esthetics,
Cosmetics & Spa Conference.
2. COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA’S
AWARDS This KCD-produced evening of fashion attracts top
names in American clothing design and more than a handful of
celebrities. The summer 2006 fete, underwritten by Swarovski
and hosted by Entourage’s Jeremy Piven at the New York Public
Library, was the last one presided over by fashion great Stan
Herman; Diane Von Furstenberg assumed the council presidency in late 2006 and will reign over the June 4, 2007, event.
6. MARCH OF DIMES’ MILLION DOLLAR BEAUTY BALL
For each of the last 14 years, this aptly named event has raised a
million dollars or more for the March of Dimes. The March 7 soiree
will head uptown to Cipriani 42nd Street for the first time, where
Pamela Baxter, president and C.E.O. of LVMH perfumes and cosmetics, will be honored before 600 beauty and media bigwigs.
Jennifer Schwartzenberg, director of special events for the Greater
New York March of Dimes, organizes the event, which raises most of
its funds through high-end table sponsorships and a lively auction.
7. AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY DREAM BALL This
Cinderella-style black-tie event will take place September 10 at its
long-standing home, the Waldorf-Astoria. The 2006 dinner-anddancing soiree raised $2.5 million for the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and
Fragrance Association’s “Look Good…Feel Better” program for
cancer survivors and the American Cancer Society’s own programs.
PR Industry Events
1. PRSA’S SILVER ANVIL AWARDS The Public Relations
Society of America marks 61 years of honoring companies that
address contemporary issues with its June 14 award ceremony,
held this year at the Equitable Center. The 2006 event drew more
than 500 attendees (the largest group to date), and Dove’s
“Campaign for Real Beauty” snagged the Best of Silver Anvil
Awards, while the NHL’s Bernadette Mansur won the 2006 Public
Relations Professional of the Year statue. This year Denbo
Multimedia Services will return for audiovisual production duties,
and Cer Te will once again provide catering, staffing, and flowers.
2. PR WEEK AWARDS Every year PR Week receives more than
800 entries for its awards. The eighth annual ceremony will be held
at Tavern on the Green on March 8, and more than 1,000 PR executives are expected to
attend. Production and
staging will be provided by
both Bestek and the
London-based Head to
Head. Following a five-year
run by Haymarket Media
event manager Jennifer
Burke, this year’s event will
be organized by Haymarket
senior event manager Laura
PR Week Awards
Quartuccio.
3. PRSA NEW YORK CHAPTER’S BIG APPLE AWARDS
This event recognizes professionals in about two dozen categories
each year. In 2006, more than 300 PR professionals attended the
May 25 event at the Rainbow Room, hosted by Michelle
Charlesworth and Joe Torres of ABC’s Eyewitness News. UBS took
home the “Best of the Best” award for the “Contemporary Voices:
Works From the UBS Art Collection” community-relations campaign in conjunction with Ruder Finn and Publicis. The Charles
Group’s Carol Davis-Grossman is producing this year’s awards on
May 23 at the Rainbow Room.
076.qxp
12/19/06
1:52 PM
Page 76
)ORZHUVE\7RSD]
$FFHQWVRQWKH([WUDRUGLQDU\
)ORULVW(YHQW&RRUGLQDWRUV
)ORZHUVE\7RSD]
/RQJ%HDFK5G
2FHDQVLGH1<
LSKRQH
ID[
ZZZÁRZHUVE\WRSD]FRP
P 77 Top100_Media+Legal.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
1:11 PM
Page 77
Media Industry
Events
the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame. The February 1 ceremony will
shift from a black-tie evening event at the Waldorf-Astoria to a less
formal luncheon at Gotham Hall.
1. NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS Established in 1966,
these awards are presented by the American Society of Magazine
Editors in association with Columbia University’s Graduate School
of Journalism to magazine publishing’s best in editorial content,
design, and photography. In 2006, the ceremony morphed from a
lunch at the Waldorf-Astoria to an evening ceremony at Jazz at
Lincoln Center, and this year’s May 1 event will follow the new format. ASME’s executive director Marlene Kahan oversees the awards.
2. NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION’S NATIONAL BOOK
AWARDS Founded in 1950, the National Book Award is considered
one of the nation’s most important literary prizes. More than 600
writers, agents, and editors attended last year’s benefit ceremony
at the Marriott Marquis. The National Book Foundation is producing this year’s November 14 event (to be held again at the Marriott
Marquis); Goldberg McDuffie Communications is handling PR.
3. MATRIX AWARDS New York Women in Communications
presents these awards each year to big-deal women in media
fields. Funny lady Ellen DeGeneres was the M.C. of last year’s
Oxygen Network-sponsored luncheon, which more than 1,500
female media execs attended. AOL.com will take over sponsorship
of this year’s April 23 event at the Waldorf-Astoria.
4. PEABODY AWARDS These awards honor top television and
radio programming in a category-free competition. In 2006, the
event drew its largest crowd in recent years, with about 1,000 attendees. The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and
Communication is administering the June 4 awards at the WaldorfAstoria, and FerenComm’s Sheila Feren is handling PR.
5. THE MAGAZINE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS In
1993, the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Magazine
Publishers of America merged their lifetime achievement awards
into a joint presentation. This year, Harper’s Magazine national correspondent (and former editor) Lewis Lapham will be inducted into
6. LITERACY PARTNERS GALA EVENING OF READINGS
Literacy Partners and honorary chairwoman Liz Smith help to secure
publishing stars and a philanthropic-minded set of 700 for this fundraiser. This year’s May 7 gala will be followed by a dinner dance at
Lincoln Center’s New York State Theater Grand Promenade. Buckley
Hall Events will manage this year’s festivities, with catering from
Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs and flowers by Robert Isabell.
7. PEN LITERARY GALA The PEN American Center honors
international literary figures and free-speech advocates at this
annual gala, which we’ve added to this year’s list. MSNBC’s
Tim Russert will take on M.C. duties this year, and Lynn A.
McCary Events will once again coordinate the April 30 event
at the American Museum of Natural History. Restaurant
Associates will cater, and Goldberg McDuffie Communications’
Angela Hayes is supervising PR.
8. THE NEW YORKER FESTIVAL This three-day confab of
panels, interviews, and readings features A-list literary names such
as Jonathan Safran Foer, Gary Shteyngart, and Malcolm Gladwell.
New Yorker director of special projects Rhonda Sherman will again
team with Overland Entertainment to produce this year’s event,
October 5 to 7.
9. OVERSEAS PRESS CLUB AWARDS Celebrating excellence in international reporting, this ceremony, which is new to
the Top 100 lineup, brought in nearly 475 people to last year’s
event at the Mandarin Oriental, where Brian Williams presented
Ted Koppel with the President’s Award. OPC executive director
Sonya Fry will oversee planning for this year’s event, which is
returning to the Mandarin Oriental on April 26.
10. FINANCIAL FOLLIES The New York Financial Writers
Association has been lampooning industry insiders at their annual
fund-raiser since it began in 1938. Last year’s Guys and Dollstheme event drew belly laughs from nearly 1,300 Wall Street execs
and beat reporters. NYFWA executive manager Jane Reilly will
oversee this year’s November 16 event at the Marriott Marquis.
Registration
Web Development
Travel & Housing
Event Management
www.e-ventsreg.com
201.226.0101
Editor David Remnick and Jon Stewart at the New Yorker Festival
Legal Industry
Events
1. NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION ANNUAL
MEETING This meeting of the minds attracts 5,000 of the
NYSBA’s members for six days of classes, panel discussions,
meetings, and dinners. To be held at the Marriott Marquis from
January 22 to 27, the 2007 event will feature speeches by
nationally known lawyers.
2. UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK’S JUDGE JOSEPH
M. PROSKAUER AWARDS More than 500 members of the
Jewish legal community plan to attend this year’s January 17 event
at the Grand Hyatt. Following the award ceremony, which will
honor Roger S. Aaron (from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meager, and
Flom LLP), is the UJA-Federation’s After Dark event, a reception for
young lawyers. According to UJA event manager Lainie Greenberg, last year’s philanthropic emphasis was such a hit that it’s
returning in 2007—attendees will forgo hot kosher meals prepared
by Foremost Caterers so the meals can be donated to UJAFederation nonprofit agencies that assist the homeless and elderly.
FirstProtocolAd_FINAL
12/12/06
3:24 PM
Page 1
Award Winning
Event Marketing
Agency
Precision
By Communicating
Your Message
■
Defining Objectives
■
Theme & Content Development
■
Look & Feel
■
Collateral Materials
■
Online Solutions
■
Measurement
Surprising
By Offering Intelligent,
Imaginative, and Creative Solutions
■
Strategic Planning
■
Program Management
■
Customer Engagement
■
Logistics Delivery
■
Hospitality
■
Production
Precision in the Art of Communication
Relational
By Working with Top
International Organizations
■
Adobe
■
BT
■
Chubb Insurance
■
CiT
■
Dresdner Kleinwort
■
ExxonMobil
■
FILA
■
GE
■
MasterCard
■
McDonalds
■
Merrill Lynch
■
New York Public Library
■
United Technologies
■
Warburg Pincus
Engaging
By Delivering
Experiential Programs
■
Conferences
■
Meetings
■
Incentive Programs
■
Executive Summits
■
Fundraisers
■
Product Launches
■
Special Events
■
Destination Management
■
Sponsorship Marketing
First Protocol
New York ■ London ■ Frankfurt
T 212 810 4100
E [email protected]
www.firstprotocol.com
P 79-83 Tradeshow.jb.2.qxp
12/18/06
11:57 AM
Page 79
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Vivid Ideas Shine at the
2006 BiZBash M&C Meeting
and Event Style Show
Hosting more than 100,000 events each year, New York City is arguably the de facto
capital of the event planning business. And for six years running, BiZBash Media has
brought together event professionals in the industry’s Mecca for its annual Meeting
and Event Style Show. Presented for the second time in partnership with Meetings &
Conventions magazine, the 2006 gathering was the biggest and best yet.
More than 300 exhibitors and over 2,500 planning professionals flocked to the
largest gathering of event, meeting, hospitality, and event marketing professionals in
This year’s trade show floor was alive with more than 300 innovative booth displays; PBG
the Northeast, this year held at Manhattan’s The Unconvention Center at Pier 94 on
offered a stunning exhibit that included a whimsical canopy of “cloud-covered” umbrellas.
Thursday, November 9. Both vendors and planners alike came from around the
country to celebrate—and soak up—the
and incentive ideas. Attendees looking for the next
trade show’s 2006 theme: Vivid Ideas.
place to hold a meeting or convention were
Among the show’s attendees were
provided plenty of inspiration, with representatives
representatives of KPMG, Turner
from such organizations as the Greater Miami CVB,
Broadcasting, O, The Oprah Magazine,
Maryland Office of Tourism, Hawaii Visitors &
GenArt, Yahoo!, Lifetime Television, The L
Convention Bureau, and Keystone Resort &
Magazine, CLIO, Lehman Brothers, Forbes,
Conference Center on hand to showcase their
Bloomberg, and NBC.
offerings. Thankfully, show bags courtesy of
Presented in a new one-day format, the
Bagmasters provided the perfect way to stash the
event featured fresh concepts at every turn
overwhelming number of samples and literature
in the form of eye-catching and interactive
offered in the exhibition space.
booths from vendors on the trade show
Beyond dazzling the eyes, many exhibitors
floor, engaging speakers at general
tempted attendees’ taste buds with samples of the
sessions, live entertainment, and
most decadent and delicious variety. Chocolate
professional development seminars with
Dreamer offered unique bars and truffles; Dale and
some of the industry’s leading experts.
Thomas doled out popcorn—spiked with jalapeño or
With eight professional development sessions, attendees gained a wealth of
True to the show’s name, vivid ideas
drizzled with rich chocolate; Mandler Sausage
knowledge on event style and strategy, with topics ranging from event design
and innovative concepts were found at
Company passed savory cured meat slices; and Tip
to luxury marketing and everything in between.
every turn throughout the day. Even before
of the Tongue catering provided elegant hors
entering the exhibition space, guests were greeted by CPR Multimedia Solutions’
d’oeuvres. Anyone weary from a full day could stop by Heartland Brewery for a beer,
impressive outdoor digital monitor, which played music and displayed branding and
Gotham Comedy Club for a pomegranate martini, or even 02 Bar NY for a quick,
welcome messages for the show’s entirety, as well as giant fabric balls created by Pink chem-free pick-me-up. And for those who just needed a comfortable place to
Inc. and colorful signage provided by Blazing Signworks. Across the threshold,
recharge, stylish furniture from Cort Event Furnishings in the food court, back lounge,
striking performers from Pink Inc. flanked the hall’s entryway, while the colorful bold
courtyard, Columbus Circle Experiences Room, and The Concierge Lounge provided
background at the registration desk, also provided by Pink Inc., immediately
and plenty of options.
communicated the spirit of the show.
Anchoring the center of the show floor was the OPEN from American Express®
On the show floor, vendors brought their A-game, resulting in a diverse collection Business Lounge, where event professionals could sit and relax while they learned
of booths that were visually stunning, interactive, and indicative of the latest trends
about the benefits of getting an American Express Business Card through BiZBash.
and technology in the event industry. Form Décor created a lush and inviting space
For those who applied and were approved for a Card at the trade show, OPEN®
with its stylish furniture pieces, while EventStyle offered a luxurious and open setting
provided automatic statement credits up to $250 and a fee-free first year of
incorporating white sofas. Adding whimsy to the mix were exhibitors such as Eclectic
Cardmembership, and BiZBash offered advertising discounts and complimentary
Encore and Screaming Queens, who offered photo ops with a hunky “Tarzan” and
enhanced listings in multiple BiZBash channels. BiZBash and OPEN will continue their
fabulous drag queens, respectively, and SPArty, who provided manicures to all who
partnership with a new value package for event professionals in 2007.
stopped by their white-shag carpeted space. Booths with eye-catching flair included
In the day’s first open general session, held in the Columbus Circle Experiences
Party Rental Ltd.’s floral vision in pink, and PBG’s arresting space topped with a
Room, Daniel G. Belmont, chairman of the Event Marketing Council for the
canopy of blue “cloud-covered” umbrellas. Just outside of PBG’s booth, an
Advertising Research Foundation, offered insight into “Engagement Marketing: The
interactive screen by Monster Media projected images from key sponsors such as
Hottest Trend Driving the Event Strategy for the World’s Most Successful Brands.”
American Express, MSG Entertainment, and Columbus Circle Experiences onto the
Belmont stressed the importance of creating a relevant, personal, and immersive
floor, which changed as passersby walked over them. Capturing all of the spectacles
experience for consumers, and illustrated the effectiveness of this strategy in
and activities throughout the day was Brightroom.com, the official BiZBash M&C
increasing overall customer engagement and sales citing examples ranging from the
Meeting and Event Style Show photographer.
brandscape of NikeTown to Lucasfilm’s extraordinarily successful retail partnership
Luxury brands also came out in full force, with companies such as Tourneau,
with Wal-Mart. All events in the Columbus Circle Experiences Room were enhanced
Bulova, Montblanc, and Simon Pearce all on hand to present planners with rewards
by the use of Alden HD Event Solution’s innovative WATCHOUT technology.
12/18/06
11:58 AM
Page 80
The afternoon general session featured Disney Events Group managing producer
Dennis Wirzman discussing “The Disney Approach to Meetings and Events.”
Wirzman illustrated how Disney goes the extra mile to customize its facilities and
events for clients, and injects both humor and the unexpected into the company’s
internal meetings. Both general sessions featured top-notch entertainment offerings:
Broadway’s The Umbilical Brothers, courtesy of CAMI Spectrum, provided a
whimsical opening act for Belmont’s talk, while Disney on Broadway punctuated
Wirzman’s remarks with performances from the Broadway cast of the musical Tarzan.
Additional learning opportunities were presented in more intimate education
sessions. More than 500 conference participants attended these workshops, which
addressed such topics as “Exploring the New Food Frontiers,” “Your Career Path,”
“The Cutting Edge of Event Design,” and “The Keys to Successful Business Planning
and Operations.” In “Creating and Evaluating Bids, Proposals, and Presentations,”
Dan Held of ADM Productions and EventStyle’s Mark Addison offered candid advice
on the best strategies for impressing and capturing potential clients. At “Production,
Technology, and a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Trade Show,” BiZBash Hall of
Fame honoree Peter Scharff of Scharff Weisberg demonstrated the current cuttingA panel discussion on “How Hotels and Other Venues Weigh the Value of Your Business”
edge uses of lighting and video, and Dennis Prueher, C.E.O., Alden HD Event
explored ways to think like a revenue manager during all business negotiations. Panelists
Solutions, showed the multiple capabilities of his company’s versatile WATCHOUT
from left to right: M. Thomas Buoy of Morgans Hotel Group, Taraleigh Lamb Masterson of
Hilton New York, Jessica Rothstein Berman of ESPN Zone, New York City, and Diana Voto
technology. All forums featured expert panels and speakers, and were followed by
of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
lively Q&A sessions. Later in the afternoon, The Flower Council of Holland hosted a
No event industry gathering would be complete without some kind of party or
packed demonstration illustrating the latest in floral trends and innovative design
two. The day’s activities were topped off, so to speak, by the BiZBash Hall of Fame
techniques.
cocktail party, sponsored by American Express Meetings Group, Absolut Vodka,
Roundtable luncheons provided not only the opportunity for colleagues to
Great Performances, and E&J Gallo. The party featured entertainment provided by
network and nourish, but entertainment at the show floor’s rear stage as well. (Even
Marcus Goldhaber, MC stylings from Chris Cardone of The Flair Bartenders’
the lunch itself, a stylish creation courtesy of Hudson Yards, created a buzz. The
Association Inc. (FBA), and the good-natured competition of the “Mix it Up”
translucent, multi-tiered box was taken home by many attendees, and word of it hit
bartenders contest, which awarded the Hard Rock Cafe’s Eric
the blogosphere the following day.) In
Noir the top prize. Runners-up included Danny Rosario of
addition, guests could take in presentations
Planet Hollywood, Eddie Jauqes of Gotham Comedy Club,
including “Incorporating Timelines into
and Justin Pallack of Slate, all of whom received prizes for
Everyday Client Communications,” from Alpine
participating. Tips collected during the mix-off were donated
Creative Group; “Rental Remix: Versatility and
to The FlowerPower Foundation, the industry nonprofit that
Creativity with Rentals,” courtesy of Party
repurposed all the floral arrangements from the trade show
Rental Ltd., and “Total ‘Eventagration’: Using
floor and delivered them to patients in local hospitals, nursing
Multi-touch Points to Fully Brand Your Event,”
homes, and more.
from Columbus Circle Experiences. For those
Finally, some of the event industry’s finest and mostwho needed a quick but tasty bite, the inviting
admired members were honored at the BiZBash Hall of Fame
central food court from Great Performances
ceremony, sponsored by MSG Entertainment. Courtesy of
provided a relaxing setting, along with
Comix, Comedy Central’s Greg Giraldo wowed the crowd with
offerings ranging from fresh fruit and paninis to
a refreshingly funny set, and then the golden statues, designed
crabcakes straight from the company’s organic
and provided by MK Shannon Awards and Rewards, were
farm, and water was provided by Sei.
General session presenter Daniel G. Belmont, chairman of the
presented. Honored this year were Felice F. Axelrod, president,
At the Tastemakers Luncheon, an inviteEvent Marketing Council for the Advertising Research
only crowd gathered for current chairman,
Foundation, spoke about “Engagement Marketing: The Hottest Council of Protocol Executives (COPE) and vice president,
protocol, Lehman Brothers; Susan Magrino Dunning, president
president, and C.E.O. of the West Paces Hotel Trend Driving the Event Strategy for the World's Most
Successful Brands.”
and C.E.O., Susan Magrino
Group Horst Schulze’s talk, “The Luxury Edge:
Agency; George F. (Jeff) Little II,
New Expectations for Events and Customer Relationships.” His audience included
president and chief operating
some of the industry’s top event planners from such companies as Morgan Stanley,
officer of George Little
Artful Affairs, Prudential Financial, Hotel Gansevoort, IMG, Maidenform, and the
Management, LLC (GLM®) and
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
the George Little Management
David Beahm provided the setting for the lunch with elegantly set tables draped
team; Liz Neumark, C.E.O., Great
in linens courtesy of Resource One. The topic-appropriate meal of “Lobster, Two
Performances and the Great
Ways” (warm lobster parsnip vichyssoise with lobster coral dust and lobster salad
Performances team; Peter Scharff,
nicoise on the same plate), which began with a truffled macaroni and cheese, came
chairman, Scharff Weisberg; and
courtesy of Abigail Kirsch Catering. To come up with the menu, Abigail Kirsch
Sylvia Weinstock, baker and
partner and C.E.O. Alison Awerbuch commented, “We brainstormed about
decorator, Sylvia Weinstock
traditional luxury items and wanted to bring a unique, contemporary twist to them.
Cakes.
As we thought of the definition of luxury, we wanted to make sure that we included
Of course, the crowd
elements of both comfort and surprise, with the food itself, and with the
gathered to celebrate afterward
presentation.” And kicking things off was award-winning violinist Lorenzo Laroc,
and was served a BiZBashwhose performance was presented by BONGARBIZ Acts & Artists Network Inc.
customized cake from Sylvia
In his remarks, Schulze explained that luxury means different things to different
Weinstock’s team, which was
people—a desired feeling, things, surroundings, or convenience—but that earning
created as a surprise for her and
and retaining the trust of the luxury consumer is paramount. And he guaranteed an
Comedian Greg Giraldo’s performance (sponsored by
featured
a miniature Sylvia on
evergreen and expanding luxury market in years to come, citing the retiring Boomer
Comix) was one of several throughout the day that
top. A delicious end to a feast of
generation and a thriving international economy.
was enhanced by the Alden HD Event Solution’s
a day.
innovative WATCHOUT technology onstage in the
Columbus Circle Experiences Room.
12/19/06
11:25 AM
Page 81
At the heart of the trade
show floor, the OPEN
from American Express®
Business Lounge gave
attendees a place to
relax and explore the
benefits provided for
event professionals who
receive an American
Express Business Card
through BiZBash,
including automatic
statement credits,
marketing support, and
professional
development.
Models from T and L Events, Inc. brought this year’s Meeting and Event Style
Show branding to life, sporting outfits and accessories made completely out
of BiZBash materials, courtesy of Mari O’Connor.
Top floral artist Pascal Koeleman of the Flower Council of Holland demonstrated how European flowers
can be arranged to create stunning compositions for corporate events, weddings, parties, and homes.
12/18/06
11:58 AM
Page 82
Roundtable luncheons gave attendees the opportunity to grab a bite while addressing
various event and meeting related topics.
The BiZBash Hall of Fame ceremony celebrated the achievements of six pioneers in the
industry. From left to right, in front of a 5-tiered cake by the team at Sylvia Weinstock
Cakes: Peter Scharff of Scharff Weisberg, Sylvia Weinstock of Sylvia Weinstock Cakes, Liz
Neumark of Great Performances, Allyn Magrino of Susan Magrino Agency, David Adler of
BiZBash Media, Richard Aaron of BiZBash Media, Felice Axelrod of COPE and Lehman
Brothers, and George F. (Jeff) Little II of George Little Management, LLC.
The Tastemakers Luncheon brought together many high-level planners, such as Joel
Boruchow of ENK International and Richard M. Fiorentino of NYSAE, for a talk by current
chairman, president, and C.E.O. of the West Paces Hotel Group Horst Shulze, entitled "The
Luxury Edge: New Expectations for Events and Customer Relationships."
Bartenders mixed it up at a fun floor event (sponsored by American Express Meetings
Group and Absolut) in front of elaborate backdrops provided by Atomic Design Inc.
)6%40/
:"3%4
$"5 & 3 * / (
!FRESHAPPROACHTOCATERINGANDEVENTSBY$ANNY-EYERS5NION3QUARE(OSPITALITY'ROUP
4HE 4UNNEL
%NJOYTHEEXCEPTIONALCUISINEANDWARMHOSPITALITYYOUVECOMETOEXPECTFROM
OURRESTAURANTSATYOURNEXTEVENT&ROMANELEGANTAFFAIRTOABACKYARD"LUE3MOKE
"ARBECUELET(UDSON9ARDS#REATEABEAUTIFULSEAMLESSANDUNFORGETTABLEEVENT
7*4*5
]nXcnX#Xdb
$ " - - (UDSON9ARDS#ATERINGSEXCLUSIVEVENUESINCLUDE4HE4UNNELAND"ERGDORF'OODMAN2ESTAURANT
ORLETUSCATERYOUREVENTATTHELOCATIONOFYOURCHOICE
12/18/06
2:01 PM
Page 83
This year’s trade show floor was packed with the highest number of attendees to date,
providing a constant flow of traffic and a dynamic exchange of ideas and information.
We Thank Our Services
and Suppliers
26+HELEN MILLS THEATER
GES EXPOSITION SERVICES
ABIGAIL KIRSCH
GLOBAL EVENT COMMUNICATIONS
ABSOLUT
GREAT PERFORMANCES
ACADEMY BUS
HUDSON YARDS
ALDEN HD EVENT SOLUTIONS
KVL AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES
ALLEGIANCE PROTECTION GROUP
LEVY LIGHTING
ALPINE CREATIVE GROUP
MARCUS GOLDHABER
AMERICAN AIRLINES
MK SHANNON AWARDS AND
REWARDS
AMERICAN EXPRESS MEETINGS
GROUP
MONSTER MEDIA
ATOMIC DESIGN
MSG ENTERTAINMENT
BAGMASTERS
MYST
BLAZING SIGNWORKS
NEW YORK MARRIOTT MARQUIS
BONGARBIZ ACTS AND ARTISTS
NETWORK INC.
OPEN FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS
BRIGHTROOM.COM
PIER 94
CAMI SPECTRUM
PINK INC.
COMIX
POWER PRESENTS
CORT EVENT FURNISHINGS
REGENCY LIMOUSINE INTERNATIONAL
CPR MEDIA SOLUTIONS
RELATED/TIME WARNER CENTER
DAVID BEAHM DESIGN
DISNEY ON BROADWAY
RENT-A-PC/ALLSERVICE COMPUTER
RENTALS
E. & J. GALLO WINERY
RESOURCE ONE
EMPIRE FORCE EVENTS
SEI
E-VENTS REGISTRATION, LLC
SINE AUDIO
FIRST PROTOCOL
THE FLOWERPOWER FOUNDATION
FIRST TRADE SHOW
TISHA
FLAIR BARTENDERS’ ASSOCIATION
TURNKEY SPORTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT
FLOWER COUNCIL OF HOLLAND
PARTY RENTAL LTD.
UNITED STAGING AND RIGGING
Save The Date
NOVEMBER 8, 2007 PIER 94, NEW YORK CITY
New Page Grid
9/11/06
5:36 PM
Page C1
P 85-94 EventDesignFirms.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
1:24 PM
Page 85
THE BIZBASH GUIDE TO
EVENT DESIGN FIRMS
Edited by Anna Sekula
Travis Bass designed a sleek look for the launch of the Porsche 911
Masterworks Series at Splashlight Studios during the New York
International Auto Show.
PHOTOS: STUDIO GADGE (TARGET), ROBERTO D’ADDONA (AUTO SHOW)
Kristen Barrett Brown’s playful design for a Target pop-up store
showcased Smith & Hawken products.
Wolfgang Thom placed large sculptural centerpieces at some
tables for the Museum of Arts & Design’s Visionaries gala dinner.
Taylor Creative and Strive Associates designed the Dreamgirls
premiere party at Gotham Hall, which included a large central bar
crowned with a trio of massive arrangements with white feathers.
ALWAYS ENTERTAINING
This event planning and entertainment company, owned and
operated by Elizabeth Bolick and David Mezias since 1985,
also offers floral design and decor services. Bolick (who studied acting, production, and design at North Carolina School
of the Arts) and Mezias work primarily with corporate and
nonprofit clients and specialize in creating environments and
custom-designed decor for companies such as the New
York Mercantile Exchange, Fairchild Publications, and
Bloomingdale’s. (10 West 15th St., 212.255.9540)
ANGEL CITY DESIGN
Founded in 1998, Los Angeles-based Angel City Design
opened its New York office in 2005. The event production,
design, and marketing firm works primarily with consumer
product, entertainment, and sports companies such as
Marina Village in Atlantis, Bahamas; Warner Brothers; and
Fox Broadcasting Company. Recent events include NBC’s
GoITV breakfast and production at 26 & Helen Mills Theater.
(325 West 38th St., Suite 504, 800.417.1336)
ANTONY TODD INC.
Antony Todd’s elegant work carries with it a level of cachet—
his background as a set designer is evident in his dramatic
and refined designs. Since establishing his company in
1996, Todd has become a recognized name in events (and
a retailer with stores in the West Village and Southampton).
Todd’s clientele includes numerous celebrities and private
clients, but he also works with companies in the fashion, art,
entertainment, retail, and media fields, as well as nonprofits.
He designed the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 2006
fall benefit. (260 West 36th St., 212.367.7363)
APARAT
Ukrainian-born Olga Naiman, the company’s founder and
artistic director, received an M.A. in scenography from
Central St. Martins College in London. She worked for 10
years as a magazine stylist and in theatrical set and costume
design. She describes her style as avant-garde concepts
with a focus on memorable landscapes, tables, and entryways. Aparat’s clients include Condé Nast Publications (she
designed the Domino launch), Time Inc., and literary organization the Moth. (135 Devoe St., Studio 2R, Brooklyn,
917.597.5874)
ARTFOOL
Matthew Robbins and Jack Myers of Artfool provide design
services for events including floral and environmental decor,
graphic design, lighting, and custom video projections.
Established in 2002, Artfool combines Robbins’ formal training in painting, drawing, printmaking, and textiles with
Myers’ experience in print design, as well as Web and film
animation. The firm’s client list includes companies in the art
and fashion industries. (161 Allen St., 212.253.2737)
AU CIEL
This full-service event design company was established by
Minoo Hersini, who trained as an interior designer and has
an interest in fine arts. She describes her style as sleek and
“very European”—taking a blank space and creating a visually stimulating environment with it. In operation since 1993,
Au Ciel works mainly with firms in the art and fashion fields
as well as some nonprofit organizations. Clients include
Morgan Stanley and Chase. (50 South Buckhout St., Suite
G105, Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y., 914.591.1135)
AVIDOV ADLER STUDIO
Avi Adler, who split with partner David Stark last year, has
continued to work on events and other in-studio projects
(such as commissioned paintings) with this new firm. Adler
has a well-established reputation as a creative and original
designer who draws inspiration from his training as a painter.
In 2006, the company served mostly private clients; it also
worked on an event for the Aid for AIDS nonprofit and
another for performing-arts organization Performa. (117
Grattan St., Brooklyn, 718.785.5958)
BARDIN PALOMO LTD.
Robert Bardin and Robert Palomo’s event design firm works
on high-end events for customers in a variety of fields—
consumer products, nonprofit, and social—and is the inhouse floral and event design team for the St. Regis Hotel,
where they also run a floral shop. Bardin Palomo enjoys
enhancing rather than disguising the existing architecture of
a space. (Bardin trained in architecture and fine arts, and
Palomo’s background is in retail merchandising and graphic
design.) (432 West 19th St., Suite 3, 212.989.6113)
BARKLEY KALPAK ASSOCIATES
Lynette Barkley and Jeff Kalpak established this full-service
event company in 1989, and production designer Michael
Reese (a member of United Scenic Artists) currently heads
the design team. Reese cites his fine-arts degree, years
spent in theatrical production, interest in modern art, and
the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright as influences. The
company created a circular split-level Art Deco stage
backed by a 60-foot concave rear projection screen for a
MasterCard International three-day business meeting. (315
West 39th St., Studio 607, 212.947.1502)
BOTANICA INC.
Founders Robert Mihalik and K. Leslie Newman formed this
floral and event design company. Drawing from their backgrounds in landscape architecture (Mihalik) and architecture
(Newman), they create work that takes on clean, modern,
and structural looks that are appropriate to the venue and
incorporate attractive flower arrangements. Most of the
company’s business is floral design, but a large portion of its
work is for corporate and nonprofit events. Clients include
financial firms, restaurants, food companies, and political
associations. (227 West 28th St., 212.563.9013)
bizbash.com/newyork
january/february 2007
85
12/19/06
1:24 PM
Page 86
THE BIZBASH GUIDE TO EVENT DESIGN FIRMS
Having an event
in Los Angeles?
We’ve got you
covered.
ALONG CAME MARY PRODUCTIONS
5265 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019
Contact: Erick Weiss, 323.931.9082
www.alongcamemary.com
Hollywood’s original cateress, Mary Micucci, has
developed Along Came Mary into the premier event
production and gourmet catering company in the
entertainment industry and beyond. ACM provides
complete coordination of design, catering, and
event logistics to fully realize the mission of your
event.
CLASSIC PARTY RENTALS
8476 Steller Drive, Culver City, CA 90232
Contact: Michael Miner, 310.202.0011
www.classicpartyrentals.com
Every event is a big event at Classic Party Rentals. As
the nation’s leading full-service event rental
company, we’ve got you covered from tent top to
tabletop. With a nationwide network of party
specialists, there’s no place we can’t be, and no
event is too large or small for us to help make it a
success.
ENTERTAINMENT LIGHTING
SERVICES
11440 Sheldon St., Sun Valley, CA 91352
Contact: Michael Friedman, 818.769.9800
www.elslights.com
Entertainment Lighting Services provides lighting
equipment sales, rentals, and production services for
stage, theater, film, television, video, events,
exhibits, trade shows, themed attractions, houses of
worship, and educational and retail environments.
From production equipment and production
supplies to design services, operations, and logistics,
ELS can support all your lighting and rigging needs.
EXHIBIT LIGHTING GROUP INC.
6520 Platt Ave., #628, West Hills, CA 91307
Contact: Jeff Rudner, 818.710.8152
www.exhibitlightinggroup.com
Exhibit Lighting Group provides theatrical lighting
services for the trade show and special event
industries, and employs many of the industries’ top
theatrical lighting designers and technicians. With an
abundance of the best and most advanced
equipment available across the nation, Exhibit
Lighting Group provides fair and highly competitive
pricing that allows its customers to profit.
NBC UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SPECIAL
EVENTS
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91809
Contact: Krista Boling, 818.777.9466
www.nbcuni.com/studio
Immerse your guests in the mystique of Hollywood
by having your event where movies are actually
made! The Universal Studios lot is the perfect site for
corporate, private, and social events. We can
showcase your event on a picturesque back-lot
movie set, historical soundstage, or our worldfamous studio restaurant. Additionally, we offer
party, meeting, and event locations at our NBC
Burbank and New York locations. Our Special Events
department takes a custom approach to each event
and can handle every detail.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
& Southern
California
& Southern California
$4.95
November/December 2OO6
$4.952
Volume 1, Issue
November/December
2OO6
For More Ideas
and News: BiZBash.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
More
Ideas
News:
BiZBash.com
E V E N T S M E E T I N G S M A R K E T I N G S T Y L E SFor
TR
AT
E and
GY
ID
EAS
The Biggest Emmy Parties
E V E N T S M E E T I N G S M A R K E T I N G S T Y L E S T R AT E G Y I D E A S
The Biggest Emmy Parties
THE
THE
VENUE
VENUE
ISSUE
ISSUE
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Summer’s Biggest Premieres
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
How Sponsors Choose Events
Summer’s Biggest Premieres
New York’s MTV VMA Parties
1,012 Hollywood Clubs, Posh Hotels,
Scenic San Diego Beaches,
1,012
Hollywood
Posh Hotels,
Desert
Resorts,
Studio Clubs,
Back Lots,
Scenic
SanBarbara
Diego Beaches,
Swanky
Santa
Spas,
Resorts,
Studio
Back Lots,
LuxeDesert
Screening
Rooms,
and More
Swanky Santa Barbara Spas,
Luxe Screening Rooms, and More
How Sponsors Choose Events
Ideas for Table Numbers,
New York’s
MTV
VMA Parties
Holiday
Parties,
Gifts,
and
Teambuilding
Ideas
for Table Events
Numbers,
Holiday Parties, Gifts,
and Teambuilding Events
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038
Contact: Kenneth Heidt, 323.956.8398
www.paramount.com/studiogroup/special.htm
In the heart of Hollywood, California, Paramount
Pictures is the oldest and only major working studio
left. Situated on 63 acres, Paramount offers a variety
of venues to make your event unforgettable. Your
guests can be treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of
the inner workings of a major motion picture studio.
The space is suitable for a wide variety of corporate,
private, and social events, as well as award and
fashion shows, weddings, and fund-raisers.
Paramount can accommodate as many as 5,000
guests on the famous New York street back lot.
SIGNATURE INC.
115 West Washington St., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Contact: Hayim Treitel, 213.747.3335
www.signatureincrentals.com
Signature Inc. Rentals offers a complete line of
coordinated furnishings, props, decor, and
accessories designed for the event industry. No
matter what your concept, our furnishings and
accessories will help you to achieve a look and mood
that is smart, sexy, and sophisticated. We continually
update and expand our inventory, introducing new
items, finishes, the most current colors, and the latest
accessories and decor in order to help you and your
clients make that “WOW” statement and stay on top
of the market.
WARNER BROTHERS STUDIO
4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg 225, Burbank, CA 91522
Contact: Kristie Alarcon, 818.954.2652
www.wbspecialevents.com
Warner Bros. Special Events is opening its doors for
the first time to corporate and social groups!
Whether it’s an intimate retreat for 20 guests or a
multi-event extravaganza for 10,000, Warner Bros.
Special Events can deliver a genuine Hollywood
experience for you and your guests on the Warner
Bros. Studios lot, at your location, or at both. Exotic
back-lot streets, a jungle, private screening rooms,
and a posh dining room are just some of the
locations available for your thoroughly unique event.
Contact us: Robert Fitzgerald
646.638.3600, ext. 103
[email protected]
BRETT BLUTH DESIGN
Established in 2003, this event decor firm specializes in
events for companies in the beauty, entertainment, and
fashion industries. Bluth, who worked as an event designer for Pure Rush (the Super Bowl’s celebrity fund-raiser),
often collaborates with full-service event company MSL
Productions (he became its entertainment director in
December 2005). Bluth describes his style as provocative
and sexy—in 2006 he suspended dancers in cages for
Penthouse’s Super Bowl party. (24-32 Union Square East,
201.923.4723)
CARMONA DESIGN AND EVENTS
Founded in 1996 by partners Mary Krueger and the
single-named Andrés, Carmona provides floral and event
design. Describing their style as highly conceptual and
often inspired by cinematic greats like Fellini, Kubrick,
and Welles, the partners do heavy artistic research for
each look, such as a recent event that involved a baroquestyle garden with 21st-century details. Approximately half
of their clients are companies in the entertainment and
fashion industries or nonprofit organizations. (200 West
20th St., 212.414.8400)
CASTLE & PIERPONT
Rori Pierpont’s company is a full-service event, floral, and
garden design studio. Trained in fine-art photography,
fashion illustration, and graphic design, Pierpont describes
her style as classic and polished. In business since 1987,
Castle & Pierpont has worked with companies in the art,
finance, and technology fields, including Moody’s
Investors Services, Unisonic, and the Marian Goodman
Gallery. (353 West 39th St., Studio 301, 212.244.8668)
CHRISTIAN WASSMANN
Formerly with Steven Holl Architects and also a furniture
designer, Christian Wassmann collaborated with Watermill Center founder and avant-garde theater director
Robert Wilson for events such as BAM’s Next Wave gala
before founding his own firm in 2005. Wassmann often
uses inexpensive materials that can be recycled for other
projects. Thus far, Wassmann has designed events exclusively for nonprofits. (352 West 15th St., Suite 502,
646.339.0305)
COLIN COWIE LIFESTYLE
Zambia-born Colin Cowie established his event planning,
production, and design company in 1994. With offices in
both New York and Los Angeles, the designer has earned
a solid reputation with celebrity clients such as Oprah
Winfrey (he designed her 50th birthday party) and Quincy
Jones, and had his own television series—Everyday
Elegance with Colin Cowie—between 1998 and 2001.
Although these days his firm works on more private
events than corporate, Cowie designed Cosmopolitan’s
40th anniversary in September 2005. (568 Broadway,
Suite 705, 212.396.9007)
COLOR OF MAGIC
Founders Kristine Ellis, Ron Guialdo, and Catherine
Guialdo make up this company’s design team. Established
in 2000, Color of Magic focuses its event work on the use
of texture and color—like filling clear glass vases with
stones, calla lilies, and white feathers for a Stork Clubtheme benefit. Approximately a third of the firm’s events
in 2005 were for corporate clients, primarily entertainment
and retail companies. (221 West 28th St., 212.967.5439)
CORPORATE EVENTS MANHATTAN INC.
Founded by Bryan Jacobson in 1997, this event planning
and production firm’s event manager and producer is
Linda Granett, who previously worked at Grayson &
Granett, a boutique interior design company based in
Hewlett, New York. Corporate Events Manhattan fully
designed approximately 35 events in 2006, and its client
list includes Corcoran, Shattuck Hammond Partners, and
Traditional Home. Other services include venue scouting
and entertainment production. (611 Broadway, Suite 709,
212.420.9655)
CORY DAVENPORT SPECIAL EVENTS
Cory Davenport established this floral and event design
firm in 1982, the same year he created and expanded
Parsons School of Design’s now-defunct professional floral design program. His company aims to create unique
environments that are sophisticated and elegant—for the
record-release party sponsored by Hennessy Paradis for
Kanye West’s album Late Registration, Davenport placed
seashells and albino goldfish in giant snifter-shaped vases
on tabletops. Other clients include Boar’s Head and the
D.E. Shaw Group. (145 West 28th St., 212.594.3537)
DAILY BLOSSOM
Owned and operated by designer Saundra Parks, Daily
Blossom has moved from floral design to full-service
decor and production for entertainment, financial, and
media clients. In 2006, Parks produced the opening-night
party for Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures’ Broadway
musical adaptation of Lestat, using velvet-covered buffet
and café tables to create a vampire-gothic feel. (236 West
27th St., 212.633.9000)
DAVID BEAHM DESIGNS INC.
David Beahm works with big, dramatic decor elements—
like models covered in body paint posing in front of a
matching backdrop for Diffa’s Viva Glam Casino benefit.
He doesn’t do minimalist looks. His floral arrangements
tend to be big and lush, often with a strong sense of
movement. Beahm works outside the United States several times a year, and 2006 clients included Jazz at Lincoln
Center, the New York Botanical Garden, Target, and Harry
Winston. (631 West 27th St., 212.279.1344)
DAVID E. MONN
Those familiar with David Monn’s work recognize his intri-
86 bizbash.com/newyork
cate detailing—something he’s perfected after 17 years in
interior design and jewelry design. After only three years
of working in events (he established his firm in 2003),
Monn has become an established name, getting plenty of
press for doing the Costume Institute gala in 2006. Highprofile clients include Fendi (he arranged an Italian
palazzo-inspired fete for the company’s 80th anniversary)
and the Guggenheim Museum (where he fashioned walls
inside a tent from brown Southern oak leaves). (807 Ave.
of the Americas, 212.242.2009)
DAVID STARK DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
David Stark, who received degrees from the Rhode Island
School of Design and the School of Visual Arts, has an artschool-style approach to events, product design, and
other marketing projects. In 2006, Stark (formerly the creative director at Avi Adler) showcased original and innovative design ideas at a Sundance Institute benefit, the
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s National
Design awards, and the New York City Opera’s fall gala.
(87 Luquer St., Brooklyn, 718.534.6777)
DAVID TUTERA INC.
Even while appearing on television shows such as The
View, Movie and a Makeover, and The Tony Danza Show
and in his own series, The Party Planner With David
Tutera, David Tutera still finds time to work on corporate
events and private affairs. He has designed events for the
G&P Foundation for Cancer Research, the American
Academy of Achievements, Toy Manufacturers of
America, and the Global Business Coalition. (470 Seventh
Ave., 212.229.9280)
DEAN CHRISTOPHER
Dean Christopher studied fine arts in California and
worked as a stylist for fashion shoots before setting up
this eponymous event design firm in 1987. Christopher
designs mostly for corporate clients plus a handful of nonprofits; his style is less about making a visual statement
and more about creating an experience. The majority of
the company’s work is done for fashion, hospitality, and
travel companies. Repeat customers include Chanel,
Christian Dior, and Louis Vuitton. (212.684.0881)
DEJUAN STROUD INC.
After working as a stockbroker in New Orleans and on
Wall Street, DeJuan Stroud approached French floral
designer Christian Tortu and studied flowers, color, and
design in Paris before forming this event and floral design
company with his wife, Debra, in 1996. Stroud’s style is
marked by strong colors and simple concepts—he created monochromatic tabletop floral centerpieces for the
American Red Cross of Greater New York’s centennial celebration ball and built a table, chandelier, and pavilion
structure out of cardboard for the New York Horticultural
Society’s benefit. (433 Washington St., 212.431.9099)
DELANEY T. BAGWELL ASSOCIATES LLC
Before establishing his firm in 2004, founder Delaney
Bagwell designed events for his college fraternity and
continued to do so after graduation. Now he cites such
seemingly incongruous inspirations as Billy Baldwin and
neo-Classical architecture. In 2006, Bagwell’s corporate
clients included the St. Vincent Foundation, the Arkansas
Cancer Research Center, and fashion design house
Ruffian. For the 2006 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’
Choice awards, Bagwell created an aquatic-theme cocktail area featuring oversize resin shells. (421 East 50th St.,
Suite 5R, 212.223.7362)
DE LA TORRE DESIGN STUDIO
Ernest de la Torre, who started his design career at Peter
Marino Architects and took graduate studies at Sotheby’s
Fine and Decorative Arts in London, founded his firm in
2001. The bulk of his event work is for financial clients and
such nonprofit organizations as Diffa, the New York
Botanical Garden, and Housing Works. For the Botanical
Garden’s annual Orchid Dinner in 2005, the interior
designer created a centerpiece that looked like a constellation, with an illuminated sculpture of yellow orchids rising from a neutral-colored pedestal. (526 West 26th St.,
Suite 6AA, 212.243.5202)
DESIGN FUSION
Founded by Jerry Sibal in 1996, Design Fusion has
created event concepts nationwide for corporate clients
including Citigroup, the Marriott Marquis, and Paulette
Wolf Events & Entertainment. Sibal’s background in architecture and interior design and his interest in traditional
Chinese painting are reflected in his typically clean and
contemporary style that often incorporates large, artful
floral arrangements—for a dinner at the New York
Marriott Marquis, Design Fusion’s all-white flowers
allowed the triangular table formations to be the focus.
(164 West 25th St., 5th Floor, 212.679.3229)
DEVIN DELANO PRODUCTIONS
A veteran of the marketing and creative departments at
MTV and Nickelodeon, Devin Delano started his own set
design and event production company in 1996. The
shop’s corporate clients include USA Networks and NBC
Universal. For the product launch of Cheer True Fit at the
Bryant Park Hotel, Delano created a white theme, using
clean sheets as well as white orchids, linens, and chairs.
(359 West 22nd St., 212.620.7849)
DEVINE IDEAS LLC
Founded in 2004 by Donald Brooks and Leslie Jefferson,
Devine Ideas is a full-service event management company providing event staffing and cleanup among other
services, with event design and decor capabilities. Devine
Ideas specializes in corporate events that are often
theme-based. The company works with technology corporations, law firms, and financial companies; clients
12/19/06
include Microsoft, Turner Construction, and Manning,
Selvage & Lee. (243 Fifth Ave., Suite 715, 212.886.1895)
DMD DESIGN GROUP
Founders Denise DeSarlo and Maria Roussos both taught
at Parsons School of Design—DeSarlo created classes in
tabletop design for the school—before setting up DMD
Design Group in 2003. The company predominantly
designs small, high-end events for art, beauty, and entertainment companies. Repeat corporate clients in 2006
included Greenwich Showroom, American Advertising
Federation, and the Mansion & Millionaires designer
showcase. (69 North Broadway, Suite 355, White Plains,
N.Y., 914.564.1654)
DOUGLAS KOCH VISUALS
Douglas Koch received a scholarship to study horticulture in England before coming to the U.S. in 1997 and
forming his company. Known for creating lush, romantic
settings, Koch has designed events for Goal USA,
Peninsula New York, and Altria Group. In 2006, he
brought an organic element to a Discovery Channel Latin
America event by incorporating beans, corn, and
papayas into the floral arrangements. (45 Morton St.,
Suite 9, 212.255.9079)
ED LIBBY & COMPANY INC.
When Ed Libby founded his company in 1985, he focused
on floral design before expanding into full event decor.
Inspired by his travels throughout Europe and Asia, Libby
describes his work as a “couture approach to atmospheric design,” often featuring signature concepts such as
large floral pieces, crystal chandeliers suspended above
tables, candles atop columns and fountains, and occasionally human statues from the company’s BodyCast
division, a department providing live body painting. The
bulk of the company’s clients are art organizations, fashion houses, and media companies. (609 Broadway, Westwood, N.J., 201.666.7776)
ELEVEN DESIGN LLC
This design studio and production company established
by Linda Falzarano in 2001 (and operated solely by
women) serves clients in the entertainment industry—
providing art direction, prop styling, and event and set
design. Falzarano, who studied photography at Parsons
School of Design and worked at Brooklyn-based set and
scenery construction company Largent Studios for six
years, has helped create product launches, live entertainment concerts, and Webcasts. (341 East 109th St.,
212.534.3900)
EMPIRE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
This full-service event production company, run by J.B.
Miller and David Yamner, also provides design services.
With offices in New York and Tokyo, Empire Entertainment works worldwide for corporate clients such as
Microsoft, 20th Century Fox, and American Express. In
2006 the company designed and produced DirectTV’s
Championship Gaming Series, the first annual LibertyJam
concert, the 2006 Webby awards, and the National
Geographic Channel’s upfront presentation. (560
Broadway, Suite 202, 212.343.1645)
THE EVENT COMPANY
Prior to forming her company in 1995, Mindy Dutka
served as the sales and marketing director for Chase
Manhattan’s conference center. To set the mood for the
Nature Conservancy’s Earth and Ocean gala, Dutka used
lobster traps, sand-filled bottles, and treasure chests overflowing with jewels, as well as fish and seahorses. The
company’s primary clients include nonprofit organizations
as well as beauty and real-estate firms. (471 North
Broadway, Suite 355, Jericho, N.Y., 516.939.2892)
EVENT DESIGN INC.
Thomas Noel is at the helm of this fast-growing company
with an emphasis on interior and architectural design.
Noel worked with Robert Isabell and Philip Baloun before
starting this firm in 2002, and that year he designed five
large parties at the Cannes Film Festival. The company
has also produced the UBS Cup since its inception, the
Wedding Salon bridal showcase, and, in 2006, the Dylan
Reed Capital Management launch, the D’Margitte launch
in Japan, and an event for Acumen Pharmaceuticals. (333
West 39th St., 212.971.9190)
EVENT DESIGNS NEW YORK
Kevin Verronneau, a native of Boston whose training
includes technical theater production and lighting design,
operated his own event business in Boston and worked
with Sutka Productions in Florida before founding Event
Designs New York in 1996. The design and production
firm works mainly with corporate clients, including beauty
companies Lancôme Paris and L’Oréal. For a Monumental
Life Insurance incentive event at the Bellagio Hotel in Las
Vegas, Verronneau’s design included programmable LED
curtains. (207 East 84th St., Suite 201, 646.422.0054)
EVENT ENERGIZERS LLC
After stints at Matthew David Events, Paint the Town Red,
and Musters & Company, John Ierardi founded Event
Energizers in 2004. The company produces and designs
events for beauty companies, consumer product businesses, and entertainment corporations. Ierardi specializes in custom-made decor—for SopexaUSA’s French
cocktail event at Blvd, he welded together several
Pommery Champagne bottles and a champagne bucket
to create a freestanding lamp. (141 East 13th St., Suite
1A, 347.562.2086)
EVENT GROUP INC.
Ellen Federico’s full-service event planning, production,
and design company has provided its services nationwide
to nonprofits, fashion houses, and pharmaceutical firms
1:25 PM
Page 87
since its inception in 1986. Federico, who worked for
eight years in the hospitality industry, has more than 30
years of experience in events and operates out of a 6,000square-foot West Village location with its own kitchen and
workshop. (406 West 13th St., 212.691.6100)
EVENTQUEST
Since founding EventQuest in 1994, John Schwartz (formerly at communications giant Jack Morton) and Mark
Veeder (who worked for two years at Burston-Marsteller)
have been designing and producing events for corporate
clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, and Liz Claiborne, establishing a reputation for inventive and stylish
work that incorporates smart marketing messages.
Concepts are typically stark and minimalist, with lighting
and projections providing the most visual and theatrical
elements. (568 Broadway, Suite 507, 212.966.3146)
EVENTS IN MOTION
Founded by Samantha Clark in 1995, this full-service planning and production company specializes in the entertainment industry (clients include 20th Century Fox, Warner
Brothers, and Lions Gate Entertainment). Events in Motion
regularly works on premieres, and its concepts are often
inspired by the movies themselves—the company created
a swamplike environment with smoke machines, vine and
moss centerpieces, and green lighting for the New York
premiere of Lady in the Water, and for the Los Angeles Ice
Age 2 premiere dressed Grauman’s Chinese Theater in
snow, 20-foot-high glaciers, and a custom pathway for
celebrity arrivals via snowmobile. (545 West 45th St., 6th
Floor, 212.752.3425)
EVENTS PLUS ENTERTAINMENT LLC
Specializing in casino-theme fund-raisers, Events Plus also
plans and produces game-show-theme events and corporate teambuilding activities. It provides entertainment,
props, and scenery as well as lighting and production
services. Founded in 1976 and led by David Warner, the
New Jersey-based company works mostly on corporate
and nonprofit events for academic institutions and charitable organizations. (622 Route 10, Whippany, N.J.,
973.503.1700)
EVENTS SOHO
Richard Phillips established Events Soho in 1985, after
years of overseeing floral design and theme parties for
nightclubs like Studio 54 and private clients including
Calvin Klein. Events Soho works with companies in the
music, fashion, and entertainment industries, and in 2005
created the all-red decor for the Brooklyn Museum’s
Brooklyn ball benefit. Phillips has also designed events for
the Cancer Institute. (242 West 29th St., 570.686.1013)
EVENTSTYLE NEW YORK
Founded in 1998 by designer and producer Mark
Addison, EventStyle New York does all its work for corporate and nonprofit clients—particularly for associations,
consumer products, and media companies—including
Bloomberg L.P., the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation,
and CNN. In 2006, Addison’s design for the Sara Blakely
Foundation benefit hosted by Virgin Unite in an abandoned Macy’s store included lounges styled after particular cultures: The African tent had a Moroccan theme with
large pillows and beds, and the Indian tent featured bamboo floors, low tables, and lanterns. (135 West 20th St.,
Suite 404, 212.924.7626)
FLORALIA DECORATORS
Founder Peter Grontas has 30 years of experience in the
event design industry and has established a reputation for
contemporary, sleek designs. Floralia works mainly for
companies in the sports industry, nonprofit institutions,
and private clients but has also designed events for medical organizations such as Beth Israel Hospital, Lenox Hill,
and Montefiore. (110 East 50th St., 212.759.6910)
FLORAL ICON EVENTS
Phillip Wong and Kimberly Yetka jointly run this full-service
event company. Wong, previously a freelance event production coordinator with a background in photography
and set design, and Yetka both attended Philadelphia
University of Textiles and Design. In addition to event
design, Floral Icon Events provides event management
services for clients in entertainment, fashion, and media.
(250 Fort Washington Ave., Suite 4C, 212.629.1816)
FLOWERS BY DAYE
Ritsuko Daye Deura’s studies at Musashino Art University
in Japan, the College for the Distributive Trade in
London, and Parsons School of Design form the basis for
her event design work and floral arrangements, which she
describes as “European flavor with an Asian twist.” Since
founding her company in 2001, Deura has worked with
art organizations, nonprofits, and private clients. Repeat
clients include Easter Seals, the Newark Museum, and
Macy’s. (404 East 88th St., Suite 3G, 212.410.1750)
FLOWERS, STICKS AND STONES: DESIGNS BY
SUSAN EDGAR
Formerly known as Susan Edgar Designs, this event
design company provides decor, floral, and lighting
design services. In 2005, Edgar worked on the Michelin
Guide to New York City launch, the opening-night parties
for The Odd Couple and Spamalot, and the Tony awards
supper ball. For her 2006 Horticultural Society benefit
table, she placed moss as well as yellow and orange
marigolds beneath a glass-topped table decorated with a
tall tower, yellow votives, and floating candles in vases.
(1104 Pacific St., Brooklyn, 718.623.6055)
To search for floral designers and decor
supply companies, go to BiZBash.com
bizbash.com/newyork
87
BiZBash Breaks Ground
in the Nation’s Capital
Washington, D.C., home to some
of the best venues in the world, is
giving BiZBash a warm welcome.
Building on our success in Los Angeles/Southern
California, New York, Toronto, and Florida, BiZBash
is launching an online presence in Washington in
February.
Washington planning professionals will now benefit
from the same great products that BiZBash offers
in its other markets, including an online resource
directory and a weekly e-newsletter focused on
Washington area events.
Subscribe to our Washington newsletter at
www.bizbash.com/subscribe or call 866.456.0517.
www.bizbash.com/washington
*Coming to Chicago in 2007
12/19/06
1:26 PM
Page 89
PHOTO: RYAN BERKOWITZ/PINK MONKEY EVENTS
FRANÇOIS-PIJUAN FLORAL DESIGN AND
EVENT DECOR
James François-Pijuan studied at the Parsons School of
Design and, after working for Preston Bailey, began his own
business in 1998. Applying a fine-arts touch to his designs,
François-Pijuan often incorporates unusual elements in his
floral arrangements and has created lush and detailed work
for the Organic Style awards, a Reebok product showcase,
the launch of Baby Phat’s Goddess fragrance, and the
International Emmy awards. (244 Fifth Ave., Suite 2109,
212.591.6639)
FRANK ALEXANDER NYC LLC
Originally trained as an architect, Frank Alexander established this event design firm, which works with clients such
as GQ and Fox Network. The firm’s diverse style can be
seen in its designs for a 2006 event for 20th Century Fox: a
trailer for My Name Is Earl featuring a clothesline with
hanging T-shirts and pink flamingos in a backyard-like setting, lockers painted with catchy phrases from the film
Napoleon Dynamite, and framed drawings by cartoonists
for a Family Guy gallery. (741 East 9th St., Studio X,
212.677.5176)
GEOFF HOWELL STUDIO INC.
President and creative director Geoff Howell attended the
Pratt Institute, designed store windows, and painted backdrops for magazine photo shoots before founding this
design studio in 1997. The studio’s attention to detail and
sophisticated work has garnered such clients as Estée
Lauder, Louis Vuitton, and Stephen Glass. In 2006, the studio designed and produced the 120th anniversary of Moët
& Chandon’s White Star Champagne at Liberty Island, the
Whitney Museum of American Art’s trustees dinner, and the
summer exhibit at the Wilderstein Museum. (150 West
22nd St., 212.366.0567)
GILL HOCKETT DESIGN
Gill Hockett worked in garden design for more than 15
years; when he started styling for magazines and private
homeowners, he picked up big-time clients and his business spread via emphatic word of mouth. Now in its sixth
year of business, his design firm is emerging as a top pick
for city institutions like Lincoln Center and New York
University. In 2006, Hockett’s stark, clean style appeared at
events such as Lincoln Center’s spring gala and City
Harvest’s Practical Magic ball. (140 Beekman St.,
212.406.1790)
NEW GIPSON DESIGN GROUP
Prior to starting his firm in 2006, Terry Gipson was a design
director at MTV Networks. His company works primarily
with corporate clients in the fashion, entertainment, and
financial industries. He continues to work with MTV and in
2006 designed the set for the MTV2 show Dew Circuit
Breakout. His company has also designed several exhibits
and information kiosks, equipped with bright lighting and
audiovisual technology, for a large financial company and a
professional sports association. (10 Crest Drive, White
Plains, N.Y., 914.347.6896)
GRAYSON BAKULA DESIGN
Two former event staffers for the New York Public Library,
Reginald Grayson and Carolyn Bakula, formed this boutique design firm in 2004. The pair designed the 2006
Central Park Conservancy’s Halloween ball, featuring hooded figures suspended overhead and spooky laser-cut
Edward Gorey-inspired plexiglass centerpieces. Clients
include the McGraw-Hill Companies, the Ritz-Carlton
Properties, Bingham McCutchen, and the Procter &
Gamble Alumni Network. (20 West 22nd St., Studio 514,
212.366.4096)
HATCH CREATIVE STUDIO
Barb Salzman founded her event design firm and studio in
2005, specializing in fun but simple and unfussy designs
reminiscent of the store displays she created during her
time as visual manager for Anthropologie. Salzman likes to
work with unusual materials and focuses on small details
like hand-stitched items or unconventional place cards.
Recently Hatch Creative Studio designed press events for
Disney’s re-release of The Little Mermaid and Pirates of the
Caribbean. (15 West 28th St., Suite 10B, 212.683.7821)
HAVEN LLC
Former Tommy Hilfiger staffers Gabrielle Giardina and
Meredith Lambert started this company in 2001. Giardina
(who oversaw Hilfiger’s event department) and Lambert
(who worked in celebrity service and entertainment publicity) provide production and publicity services for corporate
and nonprofit events, including benefits, fashion shows,
product launches, and press presentations. Among their
clientele in 2006 were Red Envelope, the Foundation
Fighting Blindness, and Cosmopolitan. (60 East 9th St.,
Suite 626, 212.633.2698)
H. DEVINN VISUAL
After graduate school at Syracuse University, H. DeVinn
Bruce worked in display design. He started his event career
after Estée Lauder plucked him from Macy’s to work on her
events. More than 20 years later, he still works with the
Lauder company, as well as other beauty and consumer
products companies, including Avon and Procter &
Gamble. Bruce calls his style minimalist and modern, and
says he usually looks for ways to use materials other than
flowers. (440 East 13th St., Suite 2E, 212.505.7453)
JACK MORTON WORLDWIDE
Established in 1939, this international event marketing
Pink Monkey Events dressed a room at 101 River Views with handsome accents for
Hoffmann-La Roche’s private dinner in November 2006.
agency designs approximately 1,000 events a year globally
and provides all aspects of production and planning. The
creative team is composed of designers, architects, communications strategists, and specialists in entertainment
and digital technology. Repeat clients from 2006 included
IBM, General Motors, and Nokia. The company does not
serve private clients. (498 Seventh Ave., 212.401.7212)
JES GORDON LLC
Formerly an art gallery owner in Taos, New Mexico, Jes
Gordon went from there to New Orleans and then came
to New York; in 1995, she started her design and production firm. The company has since expanded to include
event design and production for corporate clients such as
Club Med, Lifetime TV, and Smith & Hawken. Gordon’s
concepts are often quirky and always fun—for a JCPenney
product launch, the company built a chandelier using flatware. In late 2006, Gordon expanded her company with
an office in Los Angeles. (242 West 30th St., Suite 1004,
212.229.2165)
JHADA OF NEW YORK
Bert and Patricia Michaels have owned and operated this
full-service event production company since 1981. Both
have a theater background—they were previously Broadway, television, and movie performers—and they’re capable of handling all aspects of event production, including
thematic decor designs, lighting, sound, and flowers. In
2006 the company worked with entertainment companies,
accounting and consulting agencies, law firms, and private
clients. (316 West 79th St., Suite 1W, 212.873.5356)
JMVISUALS
Originally an accessory designer with experience in painting, printmaking, and visual merchandising, Jeffrey Marcus
founded his company in 2006. Marcus describes his trademark style as graphic and bold—for Moët & Chandon’s
Fashion Week lounge in February 2006 he arranged pink
tulip-shaped flutes along curvy acrylic ledges for a novel
wall installation. Clients include Banana Republic, Chanel,
and Absolut. (122 West 26th St., Suite 1004, 212.929.1686)
12/19/06
1:26 PM
Page 90
KAREN BUSSEN
Karen Bussen, an event designer who has published
books on wedding planning, runs this design and planning company that she started in 2000. Originally from
Ohio, Bussen did stints on cruise ships and in the restaurant industry (for restaurateurs such as Danny Meyer and
Pino Luongo) before moving into the event field, and has
since worked on events like the Museum of the City of
New York’s winter ball. Bussen-designed events are typically simple but rich with color and details that aren’t
fussy. (336 West 37th St., 212.643.6880)
KARIN BACON EVENTS
This full-service event company provides scenic, floral,
and decor design for events. Bacon—who worked in costume and theater design, painting scenery, operating
lights, and performing other production tasks before
working on events at the original Studio 54—describes
her trademark style as very theatrical. Today, she works for
nonprofits and corporate clients in the fashion, real
estate, and entertainment industries, including JPMorgan
Chase, Saks Fifth Avenue, and the New York Zoological
Society. (630 Ninth Ave., Suite 701, 212.307.9641)
KCD WORLDWIDE
Founded in 1984, fashion’s prominent public relations
and event production firm KCD is run by Ed Filipowski
and Julie Mannion. Located in both New York and Paris,
the company has garnered an enviable client list of highend fashion houses including Gucci, Alexander
McQueen, and Marc Jacobs. In 2006, events from KCD
included the Chanel cruise show at Grand Central Station,
the Cartier Love launch, the fashion segment for Fashion
Rocks, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America
awards at the New York Public Library. (450 West 15th St.,
Suite 604, 212.590.5100)
KRISTIN BARRETT BROWN DESIGN
Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology and display
work for Bloomingdale’s and Armani eventually led Kristin
Barrett Brown to event design. She started her company
in 1995 and describes her approach as clean and graphic, with unexpected whimsy or humor wherever possible.
For a recent event for Target, Barrett Brown designed and
installed a pop-up store in Chicago with unique pieces
like a chandelier composed entirely of garden hosing and
paper flower arrangements. (228 Thompson St., Parlor
Floor, 212.254.3577)
LANDMARK EVENT SERVICES INC.
This full-service design company has in-house production facilities capable of creating and customizing decor,
sets, graphics, and other aspects of production for
events. Aside from working for clients such as Procter &
Gamble, Wine Spectator, and GM, in 2006 Landmark
designed the gift suite for People en Español’s 50 Most
Beautiful awards gala and a plexiglass sound booth for a
Blender publicity stunt. (1230 Ave. of the Americas, 7th
Floor, 212.618.6313)
LAUBACH & COMPANY
Founder John Laubach studied art history and later
worked for Sotheby’s, for Chris Giftos, and as head
designer at Philip Baloun before starting out on his own
in 2000. Laubach provides a lot of floral decor for events
and also designs tabletops and works on lighting and
staging for events up and down the East Coast. A quarter
of his event work is for corporate clients, and half of his
business is with nonprofits—clients include the American
Ireland Fund, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Fordham
University. (24 Fifth Ave., Suite 1210, 646.382.5961)
LDJ PRODUCTIONS
Formerly an event planner at Calvin Klein’s cosmetics division, Laurie DeJong now produces and designs events
for clients in the beauty, consumer products, and fashion
industries. Describing her style as unique and unusual,
DeJong recently created a laboratory-theme event for
Joico’s 30th anniversary, bringing in old-school teaching
props such as overhead transparencies and a chalkboard
as well as an ambient soundtrack of lab sounds, like gurgles and equipment humming. Founded in 1999, the
company counts among its clients L’Oréal, Dewar’s, and
7th on Sixth. (154 West 14th St., 9th Floor, 212.366.4789)
LESLIE PALME DESIGN
Starting in 1987 as a production design manager for
events, and formerly on the faculty at Parsons School of
Design, Leslie Palme founded her floral decor and design
firm in 1991. Palme also creates atmospheric lighting and
provides props, floral arrangements, and table linens for
events. Palme works mainly with entertainment companies and financial firms; repeat clients from 2006 included
the Opera Foundation, Continental Airlines, and the
Brooklyn Hospital Foundation. (24 Fiske Place, Brooklyn,
718.622.6995)
LMD FLORAL EVENTS INTERIORS
Trained in horticultural and landscape design, founder
Lewis Miller is known for his creative floral arrangements.
A 10-year industry veteran, Miller has garnered a strong
following in fashion, beauty, and art circles and includes
Princess Cruises, the Whitney Museum of American Art,
and Planned Parenthood among his clients. For the New
York Public Library’s 2006 Young Lions Fiction Award gala,
Miller designed an F. Scott Fitzgerald-inspired event with
large arrangements of mock orange and pale pink faux
bois tables. (437 East 12th St., 212.614.2734)
LOT 71
Founder Michael Brown describes event production as
the art of storytelling through the use of physical space.
An example of this is Brown’s design for the runway of
Y-3’s spring 2007 fashion show—a subway-inspired con-
struction enhanced by conveyor belts and moving lights.
In 2006, Brown began designing the auditorium space for
a sit-down version of the show Stomp in the new Planet
Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas. (217 East 10th
St., Suite 2, 917.626.6775)
MARC-ANTOINE EVENT DESIGN
Founded by French floral artist Marc-Antoine Dupont in
1998, this design company takes its inspiration from 18thcentury European luxury and modern American art and
architecture. Dupont often creates abstract installations
and graphics for his clients, who in 2006 included
Restaurant Associates and Van Cleef & Arpels. He created tall centerpieces of daisies and bamboo (to connote
levity) for a Safe Horizon Champion awards luncheon, and
a simple tabletop design of pink flowers and gold glitter
accents for the New York Botanical Garden’s annual
Orchid Dinner. (150 West 28th St., Suite 1702,
212.627.2244)
MARC BLACKWELL INC.
Blackwell is an event decor designer and stylist working in
various cities across the country. Employing a fresh and
sophisticated style, Blackwell derives inspiration from an
event’s surroundings; leafless tree branches—signifying
Utah’s winter—decorated the dining area at the opening
of Chesafina’s new retail store in Park City, Utah. For 2007,
Blackwell is considering branching out into the rental
business, renting products such as dinnerware. (157 West
26th St., 212.696.2827)
MARC WILSON DESIGN INC.
Marc Wilson’s event and floral design firm, founded in
1998, works with a wide range of corporate clients,
including Rolex U.S.A., UBS, and Time Inc. Wilson, who
received a fine-arts degree in painting and textiles, works
out of a 3,500-square-foot studio that also serves as the
company’s showroom for its rental items and props. In
2006, the company’s design for the opening-night party
of Essence’s “Black Style Now” included a black plexiglass chandelier and columns covered in mirrored black
plexiglass panels. (51-02 21st St., 7th Floor, Queens,
212.749.2266)
MARK STEPHEN ENTERPRISES
Mark Testa studied graphic design, designed theater
sets, and built store displays for department stores such
as Macy’s and Bergdorf Goodman before working for
Condé Nast Traveler for eight years. Since founding his
own firm in 2001, Testa has produced events in Hong
Kong, the Caribbean, Berlin, Milan, and Rio de Janeiro as
well as in New York. Testa’s design work has architectural touches, with a focus on exhibit design. In 2006 he
worked on the launch for the Alexander McQueendesigned Samsonite black label, a pop-up promotion
for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, and Lucky’s gift suite during Upfront Week. (270 Lafayette St., Suite 204,
212.404.7620)
MATTHEW DAVID EVENTS
Trained as an architect, Matthew David Hopkins now runs
this event design and production firm, working with a
variety of clients and events ranging from the wedding of
one mayor (Rudolph Giuliani) to corporate events for
another (employee parties for Bloomberg L.P.). His style
varies, too: He draped a 30-foot-long red skirt over the
New York Public Library’s entrance for the American Heart
Association’s Go Red campaign, but designed subtle
decor and small flower arrangements for TNT’s Into the
West screening party. (246 West 18th St., 212.627.2086)
MCNABB ROICK & ASSOCIATES
Founded by Jim McNabb in 1981, McNabb Roick &
Associates provides production and management for
events including floral design, environmental design,
fabrication, and installation as well as other technical
coordination. The company designed the opening
events for Disney’s Broadway productions of Tarzan and
Mary Poppins, as well as the reopening celebration of
Les Misérables. On McNabb Roick’s client list are IBM,
Sotheby’s, and Cartier. The company has offices in New
York and Toronto and associate offices in Florida,
England, Germany, and Bermuda. (234 West 44th St.,
Suite 1005, 212.944.7784)
MODA TECH
Moda Tech is a boutique event production company that
specializes in fashion events and shows. Founded by Jay
Arcos in 2002, Moda Tech provides decor, set, and lighting design as well as other aspects of technical production such as casting, backstage management, and music
consulting. Repeat clients from 2006 included Kenneth
Cole, John Varvatos, and Cloak. (1123 Broadway, Suite
809, 212.929.9295)
MOMENTIUM EVENTS
Zach Lambrinon formed Momentium Events, a full-service
event planning and production company that works
nationwide, in 2002. Lambrinon was employed at various
event planning firms in New York for 15 years before venturing out on his own; he describes his design style as
classic and traditional. Clients include Forbes, Hershey’s,
Forest Laboratories, and other financial, consumer product, and media companies. (465 North Syracuse Ave.,
Massapequa, N.Y., 646.485.0895)
MOSHE AELYON STUDIO
Before starting his Connecticut-based event production,
management, and design firm in 1996, Moshe Aelyon
was a fashion designer, creating products for companies
such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. The company’s
signature style is modern, and it serves the New York
metropolitan area as well as other cities in the United
States. Corporate clients in 2006 included Boogie for
New Page Grid
12/14/06
10:54 AM
Page C1
EXPERIENCE the
difference
EXPERIENCE the
difference
image • inspiration • impression
EVENT DESIGN AND PRODUCTION AGENCY
N E W
Y O R K
A T L A N T A
S A N
F R A N C I S C O
135 WEST 20TH STREET SUITE 404 NEW YORK, NY 10011 212.924.7626 TMGES.COM
New Page Grid
12/12/06
2:15 PM
Page C1
BOWLING\INDOORGOKARTS\ARCADE\RESTAURANT\BANQUETROOM
,ONG)SLANDS0REMIER%NTERTAINMENT6ENUE
CORPORATEEVENTS\BARBATMITZVAHS\BIRTHDAYS
)TSTARTSWITHBOWLING7HEREITENDSISUPTOYOU3TRIKEOFFERSAN
AMAZINGLYTASTYMENUAWESOMEBAROPTIONSANDAGREAT
ATMOSPHEREWHEREEVERYONECANLETTHEIRHAIRDOWNANDHAVEFUN
5NION4URNPIKEs.EW(YDE0ARK.9ssSTRIKELONGISLANDCOM

12/19/06
1:27 PM
Page 93
Breast Cancer, VenRock Associates, and Cravath, Swaine
& Moore. (1869 Post Road East, Westport, Conn.,
203.259.7505)
NYC TONE DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Led by Tony Richards, NYC Tone is an event firm that supplies full decor and production services for events.
Richards, who started out in film and television production for Disney, Fox, and MTV (he worked on the afterparty for the first MTV Movie Awards, among others), primarily serves the entertainment industry with a focus on
performance-related events. His client list also includes
media conglomerates such as Time Inc., Bauer
Publishing, and Dennis Publishing. (458 West 52nd St.,
Suite 1A, 212.957.1171)
OVERLAND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
Led by creative director Paula Longendyke and president
Leane Romeo since founder Jonathan Scharer passed
away in 2004, this full-service production company, established in 1985, works on large-scale events and marketing
tours. One specialty is award shows: In 2006, the company produced the James Beard awards, Glamour’s Women
of the Year, and the One Show at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Overland is known for innovative concepts with a theatrical edge—the stage for the James Beard awards was
inspired by New Orleans’ French Quarter, and Diageo
North America’s 200th birthday party for Johnnie Walker
had several vignettes dedicated to each of the Scotch
labels. (257 West 52nd St., 212.262.1270)
PBG EVENT PRODUCTIONS
Gil Aldad, who is also the owner of Jewish DJ Service and
LEDecor Manufacturers, launched PBG in 1998, more
than 10 years after his start as a DJ. Primarily a production
company, PBG also provides design services for corporate clients including the Latin Grammys, Calvin Klein,
and Disney. At Donald Trump’s Building Association party
in 2006, Aldad hung 85 battery-operated LED discs to
simulate the appearance of suspended pearl strands,
while at Calvin Klein’s Euphoria fragrance launch he fabricated a 60-foot-long polycarbonate table. (6 Tulip Ave.,
Floral Park, N.Y., 516.358.0800)
PHILIP BALOUN STUDIO DESIGNS
After coming to New York to be a theatrical director,
Baloun founded this event planning and design firm in
1982. Best known for dramatic floral decor and his work
for private parties and weddings, Baloun also works on
corporate events for clients such as Cravath, Swaine &
Moore; Lenox Hill Hospital; and nonprofit organizations
including Casita Maria and the Washington Opera. (340
West 55th St., 212.307.1675)
NEW PINK MONKEY EVENTS
Before she established this planning and design firm in
April 2006, Michelle Tuccillo planned conferences and
events as Avenue Capital Group’s chief administrative
officer. Although the company’s clients are mostly private,
Pink Monkey Events has been building a corporate client
base of financial organizations and pharmaceutical companies. (115 East 27th St., Suite 1A, 212.840.9200)
POLLEN NATION
Collin Abraham worked as a floral decorator at the
Waldorf-Astoria before launching Pollen Nation in 1999.
Abraham designed more than 150 events in 2006 and has
worked with Jay-Z, L.A. Reid, and Warner Music. For
Beyoncé’s birthday and album-release party following the
2006 MTV Video Music Awards, Abraham encased flowers, manzanita branches, and live bees in five-foot-tall
glass tanks and created a floral arch of green, pink,
orange, and white orchids, magnolias, and hydrangeas at
the entrance. (2037 Fifth Ave., 917.400.6965)
PORTA FIORI FLORAL DESIGN STUDIO
Owner George Vallo, who sold his first flower arrangements to Macy’s at the tender age of 10, started this company in 1991. Drawing from his studies in costume design
and art history, Vallo describes his design style as “whimsically modern.” Clients include Joan Rivers, the New
York Athletic Club, and Macy’s. Vallo also designs floral
arrangements for Broadway shows, with recent work
appearing in Spamalot, The Vertical Hour, and The
Wedding Singer. (120 West 28th St., 212.620.4038)
PRESTON BAILEY ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN INC.
A former model, clothing-store owner, and NYU set
design student, Preston Bailey started this event design
firm in 1980 and has since seen his inventive, fantastical
designs featured in countless magazine pages and television segments on event style. When he’s not planning
elaborate celebrity weddings (he planned the Donald
Trump-Melania Knauss merger), lending his name to a
line of wedding packages with Sandals, or releasing
books showcasing his work, Bailey designs events for
clients such as Amway, United Technologies, and the
National Association of Chain Drug Stores. (147 West
25th St., 11th Floor, 212.741.9300)
PRUDENCE DESIGNS
Arturo Quintero and Grayson Handy started this fullservice production and design company in 1991.
Eschewing traditional design styles, Prudence looks to
create unconventional concepts for its clients in the beauty, entertainment, fashion, finance, and media industries.
For the opening of Parasuco’s flagship store in 2006, the
company used a 14-foot-tall skirt and six dancers from
The Show (Achilles Heel) to surprise and entertain guests.
(228 West 18th St., 212.691.1356)
RAUL AVILA INC.
Raul Avila, who spent 14 years working for Robert Isabell,
went out on his own in 2004 and quickly made a name
for himself, working on lavish fetes for Marc Jacobs, the
Frick Collection, and Imperia Vodka. Avila focuses on raw
and natural materials, making floral designs a large part
of the event decor, but never in an overwhelming way. In
2005, Avila turned heads with a 16- by 12-foot curtain of
5,000 hand-strung orchids and two walls of red, pink,
and fuchsia roses for H&M’s massive fashion show and
concert in Central Park. (20 West 22nd St., Suite 1012,
212.242.7673)
RENNY & REED
Renny Reynolds became one of the biggest names in
event design in the 1970’s (he began his career in 1972),
serving White House administrations and training some of
today’s top designers. The business was reenergized in
2003 when his nephew Reed McIlvaine joined the firm. At
the 2006 spring gala for the American Folk Art Museum,
the company followed a festive concept, creating a temple house for the auction area and placing miniature
Buddhas, bangles, and other colorful artifacts on the
tables. The company also operates a retail floral shop on
Park Avenue. (505 Park Ave., 212.288.7000)
ROBERT ISABELL INC.
For more than 20 years, Robert Isabell has been at the
top of the industry, working around the country with society swells, cultural institutions, and fashion houses. Since
1984 his company has expanded from a floral design studio to a full-fledged production shop that builds customized furniture and designs complete lighting plans.
More than anyone else working today, Isabell defined
modern event style—he has designed the Costume
Institute gala, Marc Jacobs’ after-show events, and the
Municipal Arts Society’s annual benefit. (410 West 13th
St., 212.645.7767)
RON WENDT DESIGNS LTD.
Originally from Texas, Ron Wendt studied garden design
at the University of Oxford in Britain, and his work is often
inspired by the textural aspects of gardens. When he
moved to New York, he started designing parties for
Tiffany & Company. In 1991, Wendt founded his company with Philip MacGregor, a former television and stage
actor. The firm often showcases twigs and branches or
unusual elements in its designs. In 2006 the company
designed Christie’s Black and White ball, a re-creation of
Truman Capote’s famous ball, and events for Swarovski,
Chanel, and Estée Lauder. (245 West 29th St., 5th Floor,
212.290.2428)
ROY BRAEGER LLC
Roy Braeger worked at Avi Adler for three years before
forming his own firm in 2002. His contemporary but playful style has included creating a supper-club environment, complete with 20-foot-thick ostrich palm trees and
a zebra-skin-upholstered tent, for Lincoln Center at the
Carl Icahn estate, and a Tuscan landscape with nearly
1,000 cypress trees for the Metropolitan Opera’s closing
gala in 2006. Braeger works primarily with nonprofits and
entertainment and fashion companies; his clients include
Sony, A&E, and Vanity Fair. (201 West 101st St., Suite 3C,
212.531.0506)
SC3 GROUP
This event design firm, founded in 2003 by former Barney’s
visual merchandiser Angela Giannopoulos, serves clients
in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle industries. SC3 Group
often applies an organic and modern style to events.
Recent projects include bringing in black candles and a
tall yucca plant to complement a black-and-gold palette
for a Donna Karan Gold press event and building wooden tables and incorporating a 60- by 70-foot sisal rug for
an event for the Dalai Lama. (123 West 18th St., 8th Floor,
212.367.7950)
SIDERIS CREATIVE
After more than 10 years in film production and live staging, John Sideris established this design firm in 1998.
Sideris works mostly with corporate clients such as
Campari and Skyy Vodka. In 2006, the firm designed the
House of Campari pop-up gallery in SoHo and the
Campari-sponsored party at Art Basel in Miami. (143
West 29th St., Suite 902, 212.496.4070)
SPAETH DESIGN
In 1945, Walter and Dorothy Spaeth founded Spaeth
Design, and the company’s current corporate and nonprofit client list includes Macy’s, the Jazz Foundation of
America, and Bloomberg LP. For the American Red
Cross’s Casablanca-theme Red and White ball, the firm
designed Moroccan archways; and for the Grand Central
Partnership’s Grand Gourmet event, it created a large
sculpture made from forks of varying sizes. (629 West
54th St., 6th Floor, 212.489.0770)
STILL LIFE
Former artist and poet David Mitchell formed this company in 1999, and he often incorporates his training into
his designs. Still Life works primarily with nonprofits and
clients in the entertainment industry. In 2006, the company designed events for the New Jersey Symphony
Orchestra, AmeriCares, and the Community Food Bank
of New Jersey. (49 Gaston Road, Morristown, N.J.,
973.889.3615)
STRIVE ASSOCIATES INC.
Company founder Paul Cunliffe has an extensive background in the event industry, including former ownership
of event production firm C.E.S. Strive Associates specializes in challenging locations, and designs primarily for
movie studios and fashion clients. For the launch of
Imperia Vodka on Liberty Island, the company created an
imperial Russian look with guest seating on the lawn, using
hundreds of glass lanterns, oriental rugs, and large custom
pillows. (109 West 26th St., 5th Floor, 212.414.2705)
bizbash.com/newyork
93
GREAT CORPORATE EVENTS...
...HAPPEN BY DESIGN
We know all about creating
unforgettable experiences.
They’re no accident.
• Creative design
• Event planning
• Comprehensive production
Clients include:
Emmy Awards
Anheuser-Busch
Clear Channel
Disney
The NFL
Yahoo
Look to our expertise to handle
every facet so you can connect
with your employee, business, and
consumer audiences....greatly.
E x p e r i e n c e t h e d i ff e r e n c e .
Call 201-261-4922
E-mail: [email protected]
876 Kinderkamack Rd.
River Edge, NJ 07661
www.fdproductions.com
P 85-94 EventDesignFirms.mc.FINAL2.qxp
12/19/06
3:20 PM
Page 94
Having an event
in Toronto?
We’ve got you
covered.
CAPITOL EVENT THEATRE
2492 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4P 2H7
416.322.3322
www.eventtheatres.com
Best original venue, lovingly restored to its original 1918
grandeur, the Capitol Event Theatre is the perfect venue
for your unforgettable function.
DIRECT ENERGY CENTRE
100 Princes Blvd., Toronto, ON M6K 3C3
416.263.3026
www.directenergycentre.com
Home of the BiZBash.TO Event Style Show since 2005,
Direct Energy Centre is the largest event and convention
facility in Canada at 1 million sf of space.
DREAMWORLD BACKDROPS
6450 Lusk Blvd., Suite E106, San Diego, CA 92121
858.452.4922
www.dreamworldbackdrops.com
The power to stun, dazzle and wow. Companies thrill at
how our backdrops transform any room into a world of
their choosing. Our 1,500 backdrops are hand-painted,
lightweight, and shipped anywhere in Canada.
EDEN PLANNING
1571 Dockray Dr., Milton, ON L9T 5L4
905.878.0638
www.edenplanning.com
Eden Planning Inc. strives to raise the bar for all your
event planning and decor needs. We make it our point
to understand what you want and transform your ideas
into well-planned events.
GINGER ISLAND CUISINE
2635 Eglinton Ave. West., Toronto, ON M9M 1T6
416.657.7957
www.gingerisland.ca
Our cutting-edge cuisine, stylish presentation and
attentive staff will add a new dimension to your next
catered affair.
GLADSTONE HOTEL
1214 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1J6
416.531.4635
www.gladstonehotel.com
The Gladstone Hotel offers unique artist-designed
accommodations plus two floors of multi-functional
venue spaces for social, corporate, and creative events
in an extraordinary landmark building.
GRANDPRIX KARTWAYS
75 Carl Hall Rd., Bay 3 Unit 10, Toronto, ON M3K 2B6
416.638.5278 Ext. 224
www.gpkartways.com
If making an impact and leaving a lasting impression is
the goal, then Go-Karting is the tool for you. Let GPK
be the innovative tool to effectively bring excitement
and thrills to your corporate event.
MASSEY HALL
178 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 1T7
416.593.4822 Ext. 304
www.masseyhallrental.com
The"grande dame of music halls", Massey Hall is a
fusion of Moorish-style architecture and a 1933 Art
Deco-inspired renovation. Since 1894, promoters,
meeting planners and community leaders have chosen
Massey Hall to entertain, enlighten and uplift.
ROY THOMSON HALL
60 Simcoe St., Toronto, ON M5J 2H5
416.593.4822 Ext. 304
www.roythomsonrental.com
Since 1982 Roy Thomson Hall has been home to many
events enhanced, not only by the magnificent glass
canopy, but by the aura of the talented artists and
personalities who have graced its stage.
SOUTHERN ACCENT RESTAURANT
& EVENT CATERING
595 Markham St., Toronto, ON M6G 2L7
416.536.3211
www.southernaccent.com
Southern Accent Restaurant & Catering, Toronto's
Louisiana cuisine and party specialist since 1984.
Located in downtown's Mirvish Village featuring private
dining, a 1940's bar and seasonal patio. 2006 Condé
Nast Traveler Readers' Choice.
STAR PRODUCTIONS
7095 Cadiz Cres., Mississauga, ON L5N 1Y3
416.219.8749
www.dj102.com
Star Productions professional DJ services and event
management is your one-stop partner for planning,
producing and executing your special events. Our team
consists of professional DJ’s, audiovisual production
engineers, and Certified Meeting Planners.
STINGRAY LIMO
42 Beulah Dr., Markham, ON L3S 3N2
866.546.6078
www.stingraylimo.com
At Stingray Limo we pride ourselves in our ability to
provide your special clients with reliable transportation
to and from your corporate events. Nothing impresses
your clients more than a ride in a stretch limousine.
YUKON TENTS &
EVENT FURNISHINGS
136 Martin Ross Ave., Toronto, ON M3J 2L4
416.514.0261
www.yukonevents.com
Yukon offers a unique mix of quality rentals to the special
event community. Our friendly service ensures that all
elements of your event furnishings and tent rentals are
looked after professionally.
Contact us: Susan Robinson
416.425.6380 ext.245
[email protected]
SURROUNDINGS FLOWERS
Founded in 1973 by Steven Buckwald, this floral and
event design firm has worked with clients such as the
Metropolitan Opera, Tommy Hilfiger, and MAC. Surroundings Flowers works mostly for beauty, consumer
product, and entertainment companies, including
DreamWorks and Estée Lauder. Surroundings also offers
gift baskets. (224 West 79th St., 212.580.8982)
SUSAN HOLLAND & COMPANY
Holland’s firm, founded in 1988, works primarily with
entertainment-industry clients as well as some nonprofits.
For the opening-night party of The Color Purple on
Broadway, Holland worked with Glow Lighting Design and
Tobak Lawrence Company to transform the New York
Public Library with subtle lighting in various shades of purple. Repeat clients from 2006 included Cooper Union,
Silverlake Partners, and Credit Suisse First Boston. (142
Fifth Ave., 4th Floor, 212.807.8892)
SUTKA PRODUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC.
Headed up by Bruce Sutka, this design firm and production company is based in Palm Beach, Florida, and works
frequently in New York. Sutka-designed events focus on
brand identity and have been featured on Lifetime, A&E,
CNN, and Good Morning America. In 2006, the company worked on events for Maybelline New York, Revlon,
and Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic in East
Hampton. Sutka also works internationally, producing
events throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. (555
Madison Ave., 29th Floor, 561.835.8455)
SWANK PRODUCTIONS
Established by Maya Kalman in 2000, event planning and
design firm Swank Productions dislikes repeating concepts and looks for events. Swank’s client list includes
media companies and law and sports firms as well as private clients. Swank has designed events for MTV, Maxim,
Atlantic Records, an end-of-summer party in Old
Westbury for a Fortune 500 company, and a big-bandtheme event at the New York Public Library for a law firm’s
employee-recognition party. (231 West 29th St., Suite
605, 212.643.3211)
TANSEY DESIGN ASSOCIATES
Bill Tansey, with a roster of big-deal galas to his credit, has
become the king of benefits, masterminding graceful
decor that wins over both guests and planners. Tansey
describes his style as bold and lush but believes that
“strong, clean design works best—a lot of fussy details do
not appeal.” For the 2006 New York Botanical Garden
winter ball, he created a Doctor Zhivago-inspired look
with snowflake-like chandeliers, thick white carpeting,
and projections of falling snowflakes on the exterior of the
tent. (155 West 29th St., Suite 10A, 212.594.2287)
TAYLOR CREATIVE INC.
Bobby Taylor’s event design and production company,
founded in 1997, works primarily on launches, trade shows,
and national consumer tours as well as press events. With
previous experience in retail and interior design, visual merchandising, and product marketing, Taylor creates environments that are modern, simple, and sleek. For the Lands’
End Cool Blue product launch in 2006, Taylor constructed
a wall with 250 large, empty Poland Spring water bottles.
Taylor also operates a prop house, Taylor Creative Props,
which he opened in 2004. (150 West 28th St., Suite 1001,
646.336.6808)
13 DESIGNS
Prior to founding her company in 1998, Daria Sullivan
worked on the other end of event design, hiring designers for product launches while working in PR. In 2006, the
firm designed events for Johnson & Johnson, Beiersdorf,
and Unilever; in September of last year, 13 Designs created an interactive pop-up gallery for Nivea USA, a monthlong exhibition of artwork. (391 Broadway, 212.625.8197)
T.L.C. INTERIORS
Founder Terri Lindahl-Castro describes her company as
“whimsical and traditional.” T.L.C. Interiors works primarily with academic institutions, the art industry, and consumer products companies. For a recent event featuring
Procter & Gamble’s PUR, Lindahl-Castro decorated Sky
Studios with ribbons, beach balls, and petals. Clients
include medical institutions such as the Deborah Heart
and Lung Center and Lourdes Hospital. (10 White St.,
Mount Holly, N.J., 609.346.0890)
TODD SHEARER
With a background in retail display, Todd Shearer is an
exhibit and event designer who specializes in events that
revolve around specific products. Shearer has 30 years of
experience working with high-end luxury fashion clients,
such as Chanel, Christian Dior, and Charles Jourdan. He
finds inspiration in his library of art, design, and painting
books as well as architecture and his keen interest in and
appreciation of 1960’s and 70’s fashion photography. (220
Madison Ave., Suite 5B, 646.649.5972)
TOMIK PRODUCTIONS INC.
Formed by Michael Kowalski, Thomas Bridget, and
Deborah Mayer, Tomik Productions provides decor, lighting, and sound production for events. Tomik also designs
and installs trade-show booths and merchandising displays
throughout the country. In 2006, Tomik designed events for
Fox Home Entertainment, Pfizer, and the New York Stock
Exchange. (117 Perry St., Suite 3, 212.367.7468)
TRAVIS BASS
Travis Bass came to New York from Los Angeles in 1998
to work on revamping nightclubs Limelight and Tunnel
for nightlife entrepreneur Peter Gatien, and later established this design and production company. Working in
New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, Bass has a client list
that includes celebrities as well as fashion houses and
film-production companies. Bass designed the opening
party for the Hawaiian Tropic Zone—a spectacle involving a sandy beach, surf gear, and beach umbrellas as well
as a number of scantily dressed models. And for the
Porsche 911 Masterworks Series launch during the 2006
New York International Auto Show, he created five-foottall plexiglass turn signals. (332 Bleecker St., Suite F8,
917.843.4414)
TRIPTYCH NEW YORK
In 2005, Dani Beyda, Lindsay Pauly, and Annabelle Rinehart formed this event marketing and production company. Both Rinehart and Pauly were production managers
at Antony Todd; Beyda coordinated Todd’s marketing
events at real-estate firm Athena Group. In its first year,
Triptych formed relationships with fashion houses, realestate firms, and consumer product companies. (111
Fourth Ave., Suite 7B, 212.842.0051)
URBAN DAHLIA
Katie Brack (once a visual coordinator for retail stores like
Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware) and Elizabeth
Rivera (a sculptor who worked for event designers and as
Restoration Hardware’s visual general manager) established this company in 2004. Urban Dahlia is a full-service
floral and event design company with a naturalist
approach (they often incorporate vines into their work)
and a focus on environments and artistic concepts. In
2006, Brack and Rivera worked on events for Deutsche
Bank, the Tribeca Film Festival, and Intel. (144 North 7th
St., Suite 404, Brooklyn, 646.734.3807)
VAN VLIET & TRAP
Brothers Remco van Vliet and Cas Trap, third-generation
Dutch floral designers who worked for their father’s event
design company in Europe, have become known for their
imaginative arrangements and artistic event environments. Chris Giftos, the former in-house designer for the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, handpicked van Vliet as his
successor there, and since then the company has been
designing galas for the Food Allergy Initiative, the New
York Philharmonic, and the Museum of Modern Art. (158
West 28th St., 212.352.3385)
VAN WYCK & VAN WYCK
Founded in Los Angeles in 1999 by mother-and-son team
Mary Lynn and Bronson van Wyck, this event design firm
now has offices in New York and works all over the country for charities including Friends of the High Line (Bronson
is on the board) and Love Heals as well as for entertainment, fashion, and political clients (they worked on some
of John Kerry’s campaigns). Events from the van Wycks are
elegant and polished, and occasionally theatrical. (224
West 30th St., Suite 1300, 212.675.8601)
WINK STUDIO
Following a 20-year career as an art director for magazines and department stores, Constance Sherman founded this company in 1999. She now works on events for
nonprofits, financial companies, and art organizations.
Clients include UBS and Bear Stearns. For the Carnegie
Hall Kids’ Concert and Luncheon benefit, Sherman created fun centerpieces using lollipops, maracas, and cookies. (400 East 58th St., 212.980.1739)
WOLFGANG DESIGN
Born in Germany and educated in Paris, Wolfgang Thom
runs this full-service design company—originally named
Decor Floral—that has worked internationally since its
inception in 1994. Thom’s experience with Henri Moulie,
Patrick Divert, and Christian Tortu, coupled with his painting and sculpture studies at the École des Beaux Arts,
influences his design style (organic materials with a strong
textural element). Clients include the Museum of Arts and
Design and the World Monuments Fund. (227 West 29th
St., 212.279.9066)
WORLD WIDE EVENTS LTD.
Owner Dorrie Pariser founded her catering, event planning, and design company in 1997, and the company’s
credits have expanded to include trade shows and benefits for such organizations as the Mount Sinai bone program. In 2006, the firm fully designed 200 events, working mainly with nonprofits, academic institutions, and
companies in the entertainment and beauty industries.
(500 East 77th St., 212.734.3638)
WRJ DESIGN ASSOCIATES LLC
Rush Jenkins earned degrees in fine and decorative arts
and landscape architecture before founding his company
in 2002. WRJ Design Associates works primarily with art,
entertainment, and fashion clients. For an auction of Cher’s
costumes, jewelry, and art collection at the Beverly Hills
Hilton, Jenkins re-created the singer’s home within the
auction space by designing rooms set into vignettes, and
included mannequins outfitted in Bob Mackie gowns and
an indoor courtyard populated by palm trees—as well as
Cher’s Bentley. (63 Wall St., Suite 1604, 917.860.8457)
XA, THE EXPERIENTIAL AGENCY
Darren Andereck moved from a career in finance to a creative path when he became partner of Alice’s Garden. He
developed the floral design firm into a full-service event
production company before it was acquired by XA in
2004. As creative director, Andereck oversees event
design for the Experiential Agency, including the look of
New York events like the Tag Heuer Strength and Beauty
exhibit at the Waterfront. (636 West 28th St., 9th Floor,
212.625.9191)
Search for vendors to supply plants, ice
sculptures, and more at BiZBash.com
New Page Grid
12/15/06
4:17 PM
Page C1
Do You Do
The Best Events
In New York?
Here’s your chance to show off your work to the rest
of the special events industry.
ENTER OUR AWARDS
To enter, go to:
www.bizbash.com/eventstyleawards/ESA_entry_form.pdf
event
style
awards
2007
To view the full list of 2006 categories, including the
two new categories “Best Video for an Event” and
“Best Meeting/Incentive Event Concept,” visit:
www.bizbash.com/eventstyleawards/categories.asp
The deadline for submissions is
Friday, January 26, 2007
Award Show to be held at
The Nokia Theater,
Times Square
March 28, 2007
Submitting your work is quick and easy: Just download a submission form for
each entry, and send it with as many as ﬁve photographs of the work and a short
description of the event and its purpose. Winners will be chosen by a team of
judges made up of special event industry experts and BiZBash editors. The fee for
each submission is $60. Only business or nonproﬁt-related events held in the New
York metro area in 2006 are eligible, and entries are subject to rules as listed at:
www.bizbash.com/eventstyleawards/rules.asp
New Page Grid
12/6/06
2:36 PM
Page C1
P 97-103 Rental Directory.jb.FINAL2.qxp
12/19/06
1:33 PM
Page 97
THE BIZBASH GUIDE TO
RENTAL AND PROP COMPANIES
Looking for furniture to fill a raw space? Need to find unusual props? Hunting for someone who can make custom chair
covers? Start your search here with our directory of rental companies and prop houses.
Servingware Includes serving pieces, trays or platters, food or coffee
service equipment, and chafing dishes.
Tables/Chairs Includes all types of tables and chairs.
Other Furniture Includes couches, lounges, coffee tables, etc.
Small Decor Items Includes candles, votives, and other tabletop decor.
Large Props Includes birdcages, screens, lanterns, etc.
Tablecloths/Linens Also includes chair cushions or chair covers.
Cooking Equipment Includes concession carts, burners, grills, etc.
Did we miss your company or a company you work with?
Let us know: Send an email to [email protected]
Edited by Anna Sekula
SQUARE
FOOTAGE SPECIALTIES
N.A.
Games, concession carts, amusements
ABBEY RENT-ALL
www.abbeyrent.com
203-16 Northern Blvd.
Bayside, NY 11361
800.924.0428
1954
4,000
ABBEY TENT, AWNING & PARTY RENTALS INC.
www.abbeyofct.com
158 Commercial Drive
Fairfield, CT 06432
203.368.6111
N.A.
ABC FABULOUS EVENTS PARTY AND TENT RENTALS
www.abcfabulousevents.com
149 Burd St.
Nyack, NY 10960
800.313.3710
ACE PARTY & TENT RENTAL
www.acepartyrental.com
171-27 Station Road
Flushing, NY 11358
ADAMS PARTY RENTAL
www.adamsrental.com
TABLECLOTHS/LINENS
YEAR
EST.
1993
COOKING EQUIPMENT
PHONE
718.265.4444
LARGE PROPS
ADDRESS
2765 86th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11223
SMALL DECOR ITEMS
NAME/WEB SITE
AARDVARK AMUSEMENTS
www.aardvarkamusements.com
OTHER FURNITURE
Marc Wilson Design fabricated a 15-foot-high plexiglass
chandelier for an event and now rents the modern piece—
which can be customized with logos—for events.
Among the new stock of furniture at Greenroom is a Chesterfield-style sofa designed
by Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, as well as matching ottomans.
TABLES/CHAIRS
HOW WE COMPILED THIS INFORMATION Our
researchers gathered this data from the companies themselves, primarily through an online survey and telephone interviews. Although our editors have reviewed the directory for
errors, we trusted that the information given by each company
was accurate. Some companies declined to answer some
questions, and others didn’t respond in time for publication.
Tabletop Rentals Includes china, flatware, barware, and glassware.
SERVINGWARE
PHOTOS: SCOTT ZELENETZ/DIGI FOTO (SOFA), GUSTAVO CAMPOS (CHANDELIER)
WHO WE INCLUDED We looked specifically for companies
that rent decor-related items including props, tabletop items,
and furniture in the New York metro area, and that are based
here or have offices here. We also included linen companies
that ship their items nationally. This directory does not include
companies that focus only on items such as electrical equipment, costumes, flooring, portable restrooms, carpeting, tents,
and musical instruments. However, you can find all those
companies in our complete directory on BiZBash.com.
WHAT THE DATA MEAN
Square Footage The combined total square footage of the company’s
showrooms located in the New York metro area.
TABLETOP RENTALS
About This Directory
l
l
l
ll
N.A.
lll
lll
1972
600
lll
l
ll
718.445.2600
1986
35,000
lll
l
ll
154 Turnbull Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08611
609.689.9500
1950
2,500
lll
l
ll
ADIRONDACK RENTS/A PARTYMAKER
www.adirondackrents.com
30-40 48th Ave.
Long Island City, NY 11101
718.204.4500
1926
6,000
lllll
ADVANCED SEATING LLC
www.chairs-and-tables-r-us.com
70 Waite St.
Paterson, NJ 07524
800.881.6799
1999
10,000
l
AGILE TRADE SHOW AND EVENTS FURNISHINGS
www.agiletradeshow.com
310 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10001
212.736.4200
2003
85,000
ll
ALMAR PARTY & TENT RENTALS INC.
www.almarparty.com
30 Loretto St.
Irvington, NJ 07111
973.391.9400
1974
N.A.
ALWAYS PERFECTION
www.alwaysperfection.com
4 West Chimney Rock Road
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
732.764.0028
1990
N.A.
AMERICAN FOLIAGE & DESIGN GROUP INC.
www.americanfoliagedesign.com
122 West 22nd St.
New York, NY 10011
212.741.5555
1991
15,000
Fresh and artificial plants
AMUSITRONIX—THE VR GUYS
www.thevrguys.com
39 Shady Lane
Bardonia, NY 10954
800.643.0589
1988
N.A.
Virtual-reality simulators, games
A-1 TABLECLOTH COMPANY
www.a1tablecloths.com
450 Huyler St.
South Hackensack, NJ 07606
201.727.8987
1989
N.A.
ARENSON
www.aof.com
1115 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
212.633.2400
1983
100,000
ART & INDUSTRY/DR. PROPPER LTD.
www.aid20c.com
50 Great Jones St.
New York, NY 10012
212.477.0116
1976
7,000
ATLAS PARTY RENTALS
www.partyrenter.com
554 South Columbus Ave.
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
914.636.6431
1940
N.A.
l
l
llllllll
l
lllll
l
l
ll
Mid-century modern furniture, 1960’s and 70’s Pop Art
llll
lll
bizbash.com/newyork
l
ll
97
12/19/06
1:34 PM
Page 98
TABLECLOTHS/LINENS
COOKING EQUIPMENT
LARGE PROPS
SMALL DECOR ITEMS
OTHER FURNITURE
TABLES/CHAIRS
SERVINGWARE
TABLETOP RENTALS
THE BIZBASH GUIDE TO RENTAL AND PROP COMPANIES
NAME/WEB SITE
ADDRESS
PHONE
YEAR
EST.
SQUARE
FOOTAGE SPECIALTIES
ATOMIC DESIGN INC.
www.atomicdesign.tv
10 Wynfield Drive
Lititz, PA 17543
717.626.8301
1992
N.A.
A TO Z TOOL & PARTY RENTAL
www.atozpartyrentals.biz
85 South Service Road
Plainview, NY 11803
516.293.4192
1968
1,200
BBJ LINEN
www.bbjlinen.com
7855 Gross Point Road
Skokie, IL 60077
847.329.8400
1983
N.A.
BEST CHAIR RENTALS
www.partyrenter.com
554 South Columbus Ave.
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
212.929.8888
1939
2,000
lll
l
ll
BROADWAY PARTY RENTALS
www.broadwaypartyrentals.com
134 Morgan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11237
718.821.4000
1980
100,000
lll
l
ll
CABARET TENT RENTAL
www.cabaretpartyrental.com
2704 Arthurkill Road
Staten Island, NY 10309
718.356.8500
1981
N.A.
lll
CAMELOT PARTY RENTALS INC.
www.camelotrentals.com
228 Carroll Ave.
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
631.737.8368
1998
N.A.
l
CHELSEA MARKETPLACE
www.chelseamarketplace.com
245 West 29th St.
New York, NY 10001
212.594.8289
1992
6,000
CIRCLE VISUAL INC.
www.circlevisual.com
225 West 37th St., 16th Floor
New York, NY 10018
212.719.5153
1958
8,000
CLOTH CONNECTION
www.clothconnection.com
80 Red Schoolhouse Road, Suite 215
Spring Valley, NY 10977
845.426.3500
1980
2,000
l
CONNIE DUGLIN SPECIALTY LINEN RENTAL
www.connieduglinlinen.com
425 Roberts Road
Oldsmar, FL 34677
877.675.4636
1982
N.A.
l
CORT EVENT FURNISHINGS
www.cortevents.com
401 Penhorn Ave.
Seacaucus, NJ 07094
201.867.5253
1971
N.A.
l
ECLECTIC/ENCORE PROPS
www.eclecticprops.com
620 West 26th St.
New York, NY 10001
212.645.8880
1986
85,000
lll
FLORASCAPE FLOWERS AND EVENTS
www.florascape.biz
120 West 28th St., 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001
212.242.3886
1996
2,000
FORMDECOR INC.
www.formdecor.com
26 Commerce Road, Suite F
Fairfield, NJ 7004
714.367.9772
2000
N.A.
ll
l
FREEMAN
www.freemanco.com
909 Newark Tpke.
Kearny, NJ 07032
201.998.6444
1927
N.A.
ll
l
FURNITUREFANCY.COM
www.furniturefancy.com
239 New Road, Suite B105
Parsippany, NJ 7054
973.227.8555
2005
N.A.
ll
FURNITURE MASTERS INC.
www.furnituremastersinc.com
81 Apollo St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
718.599.0771
N.A.
N.A.
Meeting
space
with
personal
space.
Stage backdrops, lighting, staging
l
lll
l
ll
l
l
l
l
Custom props
ll
ll
lll
l
l
Modern and mid-century modern furniture, accessories
Custom furniture
ll
•
Four venues, including tower suites, that accommodate
from 10 to 400 guests
•
State-of-the-art amenities
•
Moda Restaurant, offering superb Italian catering
•
Largest standard guestrooms in Manhattan
•
In-room workstations and wireless high-speed
internet connection
•
Excellent location in Midtown, just steps from the
best of New York
I N T I M AT E TA I L O R E D C O S M O P O L I TA N
A New York City Hotel
135 West 52nd Street
212.887.9515 ~ 1.800.FLATOTEL ~ www.flatotel.com
TABLECLOTHS/LINENS
NAME/WEB SITE
ADDRESS
PHONE
YEAR
EST.
SQUARE
FOOTAGE SPECIALTIES
FURNITURE RENTAL ASSOCIATES
www.furniture4rent.com
148 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10016
212.868.0300
1941
N.A.
GOLDEN OLDIES LTD.
www.goldenoldiesltd.com
132-29 33rd Ave.
Flushing, NY 11354
718.445.4400
1970
100,000
Antique furnishings and replicas, props and accessories
GREAT NECK GAMES & PRODUCTIONS INC.
www.greatneckgames.com
275 Jericho Tpk.
Mineola, NY 11501
516.747.9191
1976
3,000
Games, casinos
GREENROOM
www.yourgreenroom.com
270 Lafayette St., Suite 204
New York, NY 10012
212.625.1818
2000
6,000
Contemporary furnishings and accessories
HOSTESS INTERNATIONAL
www.hostessinternational.com
6002 Fort Hamilton Pkwy.
Brooklyn, NY 11219
718.436.1919
1995
N.A.
HUDSON VALLEY TENT
www.hudsonvalleytent.com
249 Hill Ave.
Montgomery, NY 12549
845.778.3175
1971
N.A.
IMMEDIATE TABLECLOTH INC.
N.A.
21 Joralemon St.
Belleville, NJ 07109
800.524.2588
1979
N.A.
INDIGO MOON
www.indigomoonlinens.com
498 Main St., Studio 3
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914.712.2690
2001
1,000
INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPTS
www.interactiveparty.com
101-14 Dupont St.
Plainview, NY 11803
516.349.5988
1989
3,500
JERSEY STREET FURNITURE RENTAL COMPANY
www.jerseystreetfurniturerental.com
51 Jersey St.
Paterson, NJ 07501
973.684.2244
N.A.
N.A.
JMELEMENTS
www.jmelements.com
122 West 26th St., Suite 1004
New York, NY 10001
212.929.1686
2005
N.A.
Modern furniture and decor
JOHN CREECH DESIGN & PRODUCTION
www.webuildeverything.com
129 Van Brunt St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718.237.1144
1994
N.A.
Broadway props, sets
JUDITH AND JAMES MILNE INC.
www.milneinc.com
506 East 74th St.
New York, NY 10021
212.472.0107
1980
8,000
American country furniture props, folk art, accessories
KRINGLE DISPLAYS
www.kringledisplays.com
36 West Front St.
Keyport, NJ 07735
732.335.0827
1996
1,800
Holiday items
LANDMARK EVENT SERVICES INC.
www.landmarkeventservices.com
1230 Ave. of the Americas, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10020
212.618.6313
2002
16,000
Custom event furniture, displays and exhibits
LINEN N’ STUFF
www.linennstuff.com
1440 Arrow Hwy., Unit D
Irwindale, CA 91706
877.962.7443
N.A.
N.A.
l
MAGNOLIAS LINENS LLC
www.magnoliasgroup.com
316 East 84th St.
New York, NY 10028
212.472.7708
2003
N.A.
l
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
www.mainattractions.com
85 Newfield Ave.
Edison, NJ 08837
732.225.3500
1961
N.A.
ll
llll
l
lll
lll
lll
l
l
l
Novelty entertainment, theme props
l
ll
llll
llll
ll
lllll
ll
NATIONWIDE SPECIALTY
LINEN RENTALS
Visit Our NYC Showroom at
245 West 29th Sreet, Ground Floor
212-585-1284 845-426-3500 www.clothconnection.com
COOKING EQUIPMENT
LARGE PROPS
SMALL DECOR ITEMS
OTHER FURNITURE
Page 99
TABLES/CHAIRS
1:42 PM
SERVINGWARE
12/19/06
TABLETOP RENTALS
TO GO FROM HERE . . .
TO HERE . . .
IS HARD WORK.
OUR TEAM PUTS IT ALL TOGETHER!
STARR TENTS 800-466-4811
www.starrtent.com | [email protected]
12/19/06
1:35 PM
Page 101
MANHATTAN FURNITURE RENTAL & DESIGN CONCEPTS 545 West 45th St., 8th Floor
www.manhattanfurniturerental.com
New York, NY 10036
212.751.7010
2004
4,000
MARC WILSON DESIGN AND PRODUCTIONS
www.marcwilsondesign.com
51-02 21st St., 7th Floor
212.749.2266
1998
N.A.
Custom items, plexiglass props
MARNE CAHN CONSULTANTS/EVENTS LLC
N.A.
511 East 80th St., Suite LG
New York, NY 10021
646.772.7160
2005
N.A.
Theme items
METRO PARTY RENTALS
www.metropartyrentals.com
188 Lafayette St.
Paterson, NJ 07501
800.234.2011
1985
400
MILLER’S PREMIERE SERVICES
www.millersrentals.com
764 U.S. Hwy. 1
Edison, NJ 08817
800.247.7510
1932
10,000
MODERNDOSE.COM
www.moderndose.com
3660 Waldo Ave.
Bronx, NY 10463
877.665.6344
2004
N.A.
Mid-century modern furniture reproductions
ll
MODPROP.COM
www.modprop.com
1044 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10021
212.628.7582
2001
7,000
Modern furniture and props
ll
MOSS INC.
www.mossinc.com
248 Northport Ave.
Belfast, ME 04915
800.341.1557
1971
N.A.
Tension fabric
NEW YORK DECORATING COMPANY
www.nydecorating.com
33-11 37th Ave.
718.361.1500
1860
10,000
l
NEW YORK FUN FACTORY
www.nyfunfactory.com
270L Duffy Ave.
Hicksville, NY 11801
516.822.6400
1990
15,000
ll
NEW YORK LINEN AND PARTY RENTALS
www.nylinenpartyrentals.com
123-15 97th Ave.
Richmond Hill, NY 11419
212.222.1185
1999
N.A.
NUAGE DESIGNS INC.
www.nuagedesigns.com
50 NW 73rd St.
Miami, FL 33150
305.573.7840
2003
N.A.
Lounge furniture
ll
OSO INDUSTRIES
www.osoindustries.com
647 Myrtle Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11205
347.365.0389
2002
N.A.
Custom pieces
ll
OVER THE TOP PARTY LINENS
www.overthetopinc.com
11880 State Road 84, Unit D5
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33325
954.424.0076
1993
N.A.
PARTY CLOTHS
www.partyclothsnewyork.com
1 Commercial Ave.
Garden City, NY 11530
516.746.5433
1986
1,500
PARTY INTERIORS
www.partyinteriors.com
57 May Ave.
Westbury, NY 11590
516.933.1991
N.A.
N.A.
Illuminated battery-operated furniture
PARTY KIDZ
N.A.
P.O. Box 340
Cutchogue, NY 11935
631.765.2500
1989
N.A.
Concession carts, games for children’s events
PARTY LINE TENT RENTALS
www.partylinerentals.com
21 Vreeland Ave.
Elmsford, NY 10523
914.592.1200
1990
N.A.
ll
llll
ll
lll
llll
lll
ll
l
l
lll
l
l
· Drapes Available from 1' To 50' High
· Orders Boxed by Area (Shop Prep)
at No Additional Charge
· All Goods Flame Treated & Color Fast
We also Rent:
Velours
Cycs
Scrims
Green Screens
Fiber Optic & LED Drops
Track
Pipe & Base Hardware
Call for a copy
of our 2007
catalogue.
172 pages of
great products
and ideas!
l
l
l
lllll
ll
l
ll
ll
lll
Rose Brand is your source for the highest quality Rental Draperies.
A huge inventory of sizes, colors and textures, kept in top condition!
TABLECLOTHS/LINENS
SQUARE
FOOTAGE SPECIALTIES
COOKING EQUIPMENT
YEAR
EST.
ADDRESS
LARGE PROPS
PHONE
NAME/WEB SITE
SMALL DECOR ITEMS
OTHER FURNITURE
TABLES/CHAIRS
SERVINGWARE
TABLETOP RENTALS
ll
12/19/06
1:35 PM
Page 102
TABLECLOTHS/LINENS
COOKING EQUIPMENT
LARGE PROPS
SMALL DECOR ITEMS
OTHER FURNITURE
TABLES/CHAIRS
SERVINGWARE
TABLETOP RENTALS
NAME/WEB SITE
ADDRESS
PHONE
YEAR
EST.
SQUARE
FOOTAGE SPECIALTIES
PARTY RENTAL LTD.
www.partyrentalltd.com
275 North St.
Teterboro, NJ 07608
888.774.4776
1972
6,300
lll
l
ll
PARTY TIME/ACADEMY CHAIR RENTING
www.partytimeofcourse.com
82-33 Queens Blvd.
Elmhurst, NY 11373
718.457.1122
1936
N.A.
lll
l
ll
PROPS FOR TODAY
www.propsfortoday.com
330 West 34th St.
New York, NY 10001
212.244.9600
1980
100,000
lllllll
PTG EVENT SERVICES
www.ptgeventservices.com
180 Oval Drive
Islandia, NY 11749
888.401.2020
1994
1,800
llllllll
RAIN OR SHINE TENT COMPANY
www.tentrent.com
184 Lake Ave.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
518.587.8755
1988
N.A.
RECREATION PICNIC SERVICE
www.recreationpicnicservice.com
36 East Drive
Livingston, NJ 07039
973.992.7785
1950
N.A.
RENTQUEST
www.rentquestnyc.com
568 Broadway, Suite 507
New York, NY 10012
877.778.3781
1999
28,000
RESOURCE ONE INC.
www.resourceone.info
1123 Broadway, Suite 1205
New York, NY 10010
212.255.0855
1990
600
ROSE BRAND
www.rosebrand.com
4 Emerson Lane
Secaucus, NJ 07094
800.223.1624
1921
N.A.
l
RUTH FISCHL
www.ruthfischl.com
141 West 28th St.
New York, NY 10001
212.273.9710
1997
10,000
l
SANCTUM INC.
www.sanctumnyc.com
207 West 37th St.
New York, NY 10018
212.244.5648
2001
N.A.
SAYZIE CARR STUDIO
www.sayziecarr.com
331 East 6th St., Suite 1
New York, NY 10003
212.529.3669
N.A.
N.A.
SCULPTWARE
www.sculptwareonline.com
16114 North 81st St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
888.282.8811
1986
N.A.
SEATING SOLUTIONS
www.sitonthis.com
60 Austin Blvd.
Commack, NY 11725
631.845.0449
1986
N.A.
SHIRAZ NYC INC.
www.shiraznyc.com
161 West 22nd St., 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10011
212.255.7001
2001
N.A.
SHOP STUDIOS
www.shopstudios.tv
442 West 49th St.
New York, NY 10019
212.245.6154
1997
9,000
SIGNATURE INC. RENTALS
www.signatureincrentals.com
5815 12th Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11219
917.923.8220
2005
20,000
SOMETHING DIFFERENT LINENS
www.tablecloths.net
474 Getty Ave.
Clifton, NJ 07011
800.422.2180
N.A.
N.A.
lll
Equipment for teambuilding activities
ll
ll
lllllll
l
Teakwood furniture, antique replicas, church props
l
llll
l
Tension fabric
l
ll
l
Custom furniture
l
l
llllll
l
TABLECLOTHS/LINENS
NAME/WEB SITE
ADDRESS
PHONE
YEAR
EST.
SQUARE
FOOTAGE SPECIALTIES
SOMETHING DIFFERENT PARTY RENTAL
www.somethingdifferentparty.com
107-117 Pennsylvania Ave.
Paterson, NJ 7503
973.742.1779
1984
2,500
STAMFORD TENT & PARTY RENTAL
www.stamfordtent.com
84 Lenox Ave.
Stamford, CT 06906
203.324.6222
1953
N.A.
STATE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT & PROPS
www.statesupplyprops.com
1361 Amsterdam Ave.
New York, NY 10027
212.663.2300
N.A.
N.A.
STUDIO 3
www.sc3group.com
451 Communipaw Ave.
Jersey City, NJ 07304
212.367.7950
2006
N.A.
TABLECLOTH COMPANY INC.
www.tablecloth.com
514 Totowa Ave.
Paterson, NJ 07522
973.942.1555
1980
N.A.
l
TABLE TOPPINGS INC.
www.tabletoppings.com
305 North Muller St.
Anaheim, CA 98201
800.700.6448
1984
N.A.
l
TABLE WRAPS LTD.
www.tablewraps.com
666 Cantiague Rock Road
Jericho, NY 11753
516.334.8833
N.A.
N.A.
l
TAYLOR CREATIVE PROPS
www.taylorcreativeprops.com
150 West 28th St., Suite 1001
New York, NY 10001
646.336.6808
2004
N.A.
TRIPPMIXX PRODUCTIONS
www.trippmixx.com
4 Squirrel Wood Road
West Paterson, NJ 07424
877.874.7649
1993
N.A.
TRISERVE PARTY RENTALS
www.triservepartyrentals.com
2350 Lafayette Ave.
Bronx, NY 10473
718.822.1930
2000
2,000
TROPICAL FANTASIES INC.
www.tropfant.com
426 West 55th St., 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10019
212.245.4240
1989
N.A.
Artificial-foliage props
ULTIMATE TEXTILE
www.ultimatetextile.com
18 Market St.
Paterson, NJ 07501
973.523.5866
N.A.
N.A.
Custom linens
VICTORIOUS EVENTS LLC
www.victoriouseventsnyc.com
628 President St., Suite 3
Brooklyn, NY 11215
347.408.1244
2006
N.A.
WHITE PLAINS LINENS/LINENS A LA CARTE
www.whiteplainslinens.com
4 John Walsh Blvd.
Peekskill, NY 10566
800.825.4646
1938
N.A.
WILDFLOWER LINEN
www.wildflowerlinens.com
18410 Bandilier Circle
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
714.965.7775
2000
N.A.
WIZARD EVENTS INC.
www.wizardevents.com
3663 Lee Road, Suite 429
Jefferson Valley, NY 10535
914.455.3600
1977
N.A.
Theme props, sets, custom decor
WIZARD STUDIOS – NEW YORK
www.wizardstudios.com
135 West 26th St., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
212.627.3058
1990
1,100
Custom sets
WORLD WIDE EVENTS LTD.
www.worldwideeventsltd.com
500 East 77th St.
New York, NY 10021
212.734.3638
1997
600
llllllll
lll
Theme props
l
l
ll
International contemporary furniture
ll
ll
ll
l
l
l
l
l
START TO FINISH
www.drapekings.com
ll
lllll
8 8 8 zD R A P E zM E
z
ll
llll
lllll
l
ll
lllll
P R O U D T O B E PA R T O F H U N D R E D S O F E V E N T S !
24/7 S E R V I C E
COOKING EQUIPMENT
LARGE PROPS
SMALL DECOR ITEMS
OTHER FURNITURE
Page 103
TABLES/CHAIRS
4:26 PM
SERVINGWARE
12/21/06
TABLETOP RENTALS
ll
P 104 TedKruckel.mc.FINAL.qxp
12/19/06
1:15 PM
Page 104
TED KRUCKEL
Tics of the Trade
Little things mean a lot, or at least something.
I’M INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT THINGS THAN MOST PEOPLE. INFOMERCIALS
are my favorite television shows. (The best one is where they bounce on a bed with a glass
of red wine.) I can’t sit through an entire movie in a theater, but I watch movies at home
over and over. For a few years, I only watched The Godfather. Now I’m into Serenity.
So when I go to a party, my eye wanders. I remember a big dance party I went to with
friends, an extravaganza, and the finale was this singer, I want to say Sheena Easton, but I
know I’m wrong by a decade. It was the one who had breast cancer. Kylie Minogue—that’s
it. Anyway, at the big moment, while all bodies were writhing in ecstasy, I couldn’t take my
eyes off the lighting truss. It was an enormous affair, with “intellibeams” and laser effects,
all seemingly professionally mounted and variously flashing, spinning, and spotting at a
dizzying pace. But something was bugging me. All the
wires and cords (and a big lighting truss is nothing but)
were secured with those plastic zippy things. You know
what they are; they’re like what you get with garbage
bags, only much stronger. Remember, the police used
them to handcuff demonstrators during the 2004
Republican National Convention? Anyway, the zippy
things were glow-in-the-dark. Not neon or those glowy
things they give you at really tacky events. Old-fashioned
glow-in-the-dark.
I just couldn’t concentrate on the show while I
examined them. I suppose they could have looked clever
if they were attached in a uniform, symmetrical way, or
something wackier—crisscross, harlequin-style maybe.
But these zippy glow-in-the-dark things were secured
normally with the ends hanging out. (A professional
would at least clip them. When Bentley Meeker did
lighting trusses for me, he covered the ugly parts with
fabric, which I appreciated.)
So as the silver streamers dropped, I took a survey
of my pals. Did they think the glow-in-the-dark zippy
things worked? Did it distract from the performance for
them? Was this something that the party host had dictated, or was this a misguided vendor innovation? I
mean, someone had to remember to lay these things
out in the light beforehand for this unsightly effect to
work, right? Who was behind this? And why?
Banished by my fellow revelers for ruining the big
moment (“It’s one thing to be chatty, Ted, and another
to be completely annoying”), I eventually got the skinny:
An important committee member who gave a lot of
money had seen them once and thought they were
“adorable.” ’Nuff said.
My point is, there are all sorts of basic things at events that leave an impression, and
often they’re not, well, just so. Here are a few more.
GREETING TABLES AND GUEST LISTS It’s one thing to have those little signs—
“A-G,” “H-L”—for a paid event at which money is being collected at the last minute, but
even then you could simply put a sign up for those few folks. What is the point of reminding guests of their school days, when children named Ziff always came last? And if you
and your wife or boyfriend have different last names, it’s annoying.
I’m old-fashioned. I like greeters standing with clipboards (sitting makes them lazy
and cavalier) and an easily identified door captain who never leaves the front of the house
and has complete entry authority. Either guests are welcome or they are not—and waiting
while somebody radios inside is high-schoolish.
HEADSETS Is it just me, or is putting a headset on a party worker akin to putting a dia-
mond engagement ring on a demanding bride? Have you noticed that headset-wearers
104
bizbash.com/newyork
have their own body language, avoiding eye contact and
sending a clear message to you, the guest, that whatever
babble is coming in their ear is way more important
than what you have to say? You can be in the middle of
a sentence—“Excuse me, I thought you should know
that there is a pregnant woman lying on the secondfloor lounge…”—and the headset person holds up her
index finger, sharply, remains quiet for a few seconds,
then says into her microphone, “That is a go, we will
open bars four to seven early. Please go to channel four
to have bartenders in place, and let security know of
flow change. Now, how can I help you?”
When I ran events, I would forego the headset and
let the walkie-talkie squawk. Employees knew something urgent required only the word “private,” meaning
I should step away from the partygoers to hear that a
fashion designer was lying on the street near the talent
entrance. (Also, I could never work that button.)
NAME TAGS Don’t you find name tags to be uni-
formly humiliating to wear, nerve-jangling to create
(misspelled names, the horror of the last-minute writeins), and often apparel-damaging? I loathe name tags,
but I respect executives who insist on them (Hearst’s
Cathie Black comes to mind). I’ll admit that once in a
while you get a cute one, but it’s rare. Think of the
breath-mint industry (by the way, you know that if
someone offers you a mint, you always say yes, right?):
These guys continually amaze me with new and different packaging. Why can’t they help us?
GARBAGE PAILS AND DROP TABLES Is there anything worse than a lavish evening, when you’ve paid 500
bucks to hear a speech about a disease that no one in your family has, and you get an appetizer that just won’t go down, and there’s nowhere to put it? Curry in anything does it for me,
and if I forget to ask and the waiter doesn’t announce what he’s serving, I end up with a partially masticated skewer of curried chicken that must be disposed of. But where?
Sometimes there are drop tables (rarely enough), but rude guests use them as private hitching posts. Then you find a plain old garbage pail, in a dark corner, as if you’ve
been party punished.
It’s easy to wrap and line a garbage pail with something we call duvotene, a cheap
plastic, nothing special, but it comes in nearly every Pantone color, so it can fade into the
decor. Once, when a caterer objected because I hadn’t remembered to include this on a
task list (but had remembered to order the gray duvotene), I cut and set up linings for 10
large pails, then tied ribbons around them to enhance the visual look, all with one helper
in about 15 minutes. Also, everyone knows that every bar has a waste bin beside it, on both
sides for a busy event, don’t they?
NAPKINS Every drink should be presented by the bartender with a napkin, no exceptions. A
pile, no matter how nicely twirled, is useless if you are a mensch carrying three drinks while
engrossed in conversation. Likewise, all passing servers should have napkins. If the hors
d’oeuvres they’re pushing are tricky, with props and utensils, instruct servers to wear jackets
with a patch pocket filled with napkins that guests can help themselves to. (My father taught
me that one.) And remember that napkins are needed elsewhere, so why not appoint a napkin maven, who places them about the room—and, better still, replenishes them?
I think you should always have napkins at the greeting table, too. I’d love it. You could
put a few in your pocket before you even enter the party. But then again, I’m the type who
looks at the lighting trusses.
New Page Grid
12/5/06
5:56 PM
Page C1
12/6/06
2:46 PM
Page C1
0HOTO¥3TEPHEN'REEN!RMYTAGE
New Page Grid
/NECATERERDOMINATESTHE.EW9ORKPARTYSCENE
CREATIVEEDGEPARTIESCOM