Rockin` Robin Hood Benefit Goes Red

EventShowcase
Rockin’ Robin Hood Benefit Goes Red
Robin Hood Foundation benefit • Javits Center • Wednesday, 05.28.03, 6 PM to 12 AM
Frankly, it wasn’t the most original design
theme. All-red décor has been a common standby
in this low-budget, back-to-basics time. But this
was red on a bigger scale. Much bigger. While a
few other galas gather more society cachet, the
Robin Hood Foundation’s annual fund-raiser is New
York’s biggest benefit in terms of money raised,
physical size and production values. This year’s
event drew 3,400 people and brought in $16
million, and an army of 700 caterwaiters,
registration volunteers and production people
worked inside three vast rooms created by draping
a section of the Javits Center with black fabric.
As in years past, Laurie Fabiano, Robin Hood’s
director of communications,
marketing and events, worked with
an all-star team of vendors to put
together the event, which requires
to-the-minute planning. “People
giggle when they see the schedule,”
she says. “Because we say ‘8:32’ and
we mean 8:32.”
The event is known for its
blockbuster live entertainment
(last year Mike Myers was M.C.
and David Bowie and Stevie Nicks
performed) and out-of-this-world live auction
lots. This year’s M.C. was Billy Crystal, and Elton
John and James Brown each played sets after
dinner. Big spenders could bid on a chance to
meet fashion designers Oscar de la Renta, Carolina
Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney and Diane von
Furstenberg and choose outfits from their lines,
plus cook lunch with Daniel Boulud and have a
dinner party with help from Glorious Food and Avi
Adler. And that was just one lot.
The event is also known for Adler’s fantastic,
astounding décor, including last year’s glowing
under-the-sea look and 2001’s black-and-white Op
Art kaleidoscope. While past years’ designs have
focused more on installations and objects—tables
of 20-foot green poles, hundreds of crystals
hanging over a reflecting pool—this year Adler
and his partner, David Stark, focused on creating an
unusual atmosphere with lighting and video
projections. The result didn’t have the same initial
dramatic impact, but it would be difficult to walk
through this event’s completely original
environment without being impressed.
Inside the cocktail area, Adler put up two giant
chandeliers made with 10,000 plastic glow sticks,
and hung red tubular fluorescent light bulbs
throughout the rest of the room. Mirrored panels
covering facing walls made the already vast space
seem infinitely large, and glowing blue, magenta
and violet lighting created a black light effect. To
make everyone a part of the event’s atmosphere,
volunteers passed out tiny blinking red lights;
benefit-goers wore them on their lapels, on their
gowns—even as earrings.
In the dining room, Adler surrounded 347 all-red tables with enormous
projection screens.
For the after-dinner concert, Atomic Design, NYX Design and Event Resources
collaborated on a set with mirror balls, draping and dynamic, colorful lighting.
Avi Adler hung red tubular fluorescent light bulbs and two giant chandeliers made with 10,000 plastic
glowsticks in a cocktail area created inside the Javits Center for the Robin Hood Foundation's blockbuster
benefit. Blue, magenta and violet lighting created a black light effect.
In the dining room, all 327 tables had pretty
straightforward looks: red tablecloths, red
cushions on gold chairs, red or pink
centerpieces. The atmosphere came from the
videos projected on enormous screens that
surrounded the room. Graphic patterns
morphed into animation, and later landscape
paintings with gilded frames appeared static
until people and objects moved inside them,
creating surreal effects. As a useful echo to the
cocktail area’s décor, glow sticks on every table
served as bright auction paddles to get the
attention of Sotheby’s auctioneer Jamie Niven.
For dinner, Glorious Food’s considerable staff
worked swiftly from an enormous prep area
behind the black draping. (Even a rival caterer who
got a sneak peek backstage one year commented to
us on the precision of Glorious’ operations.) The
menu started with tricolor orecchiette with
shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel and artichokes
in tarragon sauce, and the entrée was cold roasted
filet of beef and chicken breast filled with white
truffle mousse Cumberland sauce.
After dinner, everyone went to a third room for
the performances, where set designer Tom McPhillips
of Atomic Design decorated the stage with rows of
mirror balls and draped fabric, and Abigail Rosen
Holmes of NYX Design lit the set with lively, colorful
lighting patterns. Both headliners went over their
allotted time to give full-hour sets, keeping the
party going until midnight. —Chad Kaydo
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
15
EventShowcase
Designers Flaunt With Flowers
Horticultural Society of New York’s Flowers & Design: A Floral Symphony benefit • Cipriani 42nd Street • Tuesday, 04.22.03, 7 PM onward
CIPRIANI 42ND STREET’s ballroom was in
fragrant, full bloom for the Horticultural
Society of New York’s Flowers & Design: A Floral
Symphony benefit, which brought together 41
New York floral designers to create
different table designs. Cathy Knowles, the
society’s director of special events, placed
430 dinner guests at 47 uniquely designed
dinner tables, many of which incorporated
the musical theme into the table décor.
“Music and flowers are so similar in
the ways they inspire people,” said
Knowles, who credited HSNY
development director Jennifer Klopp with
the event’s theme and title. Each year
Knowles invites a variety of designers to
participate, which makes the growing
event a great place to find new talent—
and steal ideas. “I always try to mix new
designers with more established ones,”
Knowles said. “New York is a competitive
town, so [new designers] don’t always get
a chance. I consider this a showcase
where new florists can show off and
prove themselves.” —Suzanne Ito
Antony Todd created a dining environment with a long banquet table paired with overstuffed cushions and a canopy of vines dotted with bunches of pink peonies. The table
featured dense arrangements of more pink peonies dotted with orange flowers.
Miho Kosuda’s centerpiece featured dozens of white calla
lilies wrapped and twisted in sections.
Meredith Waga Perez of Belle Fleur incorporated an antique music stand into her centerpiece, which featured a wild
arrangement of fiery orange poppies and striped tulips.
16
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
Jane Packer used neon Lucite musical notes, round
flower arrangements and square candleholders.
Glasses of candy-colored gel and bright flowers covered Bill Kocis Designs’ table, which featured a fish bowl-shaped
container atop a tall Lucite pedestal in the center.
Renny Reynolds of Renny’s Designs for Entertaining used silver bell-shaped vases in his arrangement.
Elizabeth Ryan’s tall floral sculptures of violinists stood near the entrance to the event.
Lilies appeared to float in thin air with Les Marrons’ slender plastic tubes behind the bar.
Aisling Flowers’s towering display of orchids was
wrapped with silver wire decorated with musical notes.
Mille Fiori’s stark, simple table featured a towering vase of
white calla lilies and scattered glass pebbles.
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
17
EventNews
Are TV’s Sales Meetings Reruns?
The television networks have introduced their new lineups during Upfront Week for almost 40 years. Do the events still work?
18
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
At NBC’s Upfront Week sales presentation at Lincoln Center, the cast of Will & Grace clowned around with Jeff Zucker, the president of
the network’s entertainment division. The networks have used their Upfront events to announce their new lineups to advertisers for
almost 40 years, and the presentations haven’t changed much in that time.
be the first one out of the gate,
so we went for the 9:30 a.m.
start to get in front of the NBC
presentation later that day,”
Kirby said. More than 800 people showed up at the
Ford Center for the Performing Arts for breakfast from
Great Performances and performances by Jewel and
the cast of The Producers. Kirby wouldn’t share his
budget, but claimed Clear Channel didn’t spend as
freely as some other networks. “There’s been a lot
of debate about the usefulness of Upfront week,”
he said. “We wanted to add to that debate.”
Jack Myers, editor and founder of the Jack Myers
Report, a newsletter that tracks and analyzes media
trends, admits Upfront week has fallen into a
stylistic pattern, but it serves its purpose. “You can
argue that [these presentations] are part of a
broken system, but the fact is, they work,” he says.
“The presentations and parties are very much a
part of the process that networks use to define
themselves and their message, and that buyers use
to validate their decisions.” —Erika Rasmusson
Jewel (right) and the cast of The Producers (below) performed at a promotional
event where Clear Channel pitched its non-TV advertising vehicles to
advertisers during Upfront Week.
Photos: Chris Haston (NBC), Theo Wargo/WireImage.com (Clear Channel)
The television industry’s big Upfront
presentations in May meant long hours of
watching TV show clips and carefully chosen
entertainment acts for the advertising executives
in attendance. It meant even longer hours of
preparation for the event planners charged with
making the presentations memorable enough to
get those advertisers to part with their money. But
it didn’t mean much of a break in the business-asusual approach to the week.
For nearly 40 years, television networks have
put on these sales presentations for advertisers,
and one critique is that the process hasn’t changed
enough. “They kind of follow a formula,” said one
reporter covering the week. “I can
only surmise they don't want to
frighten advertisers by doing
anything different or interesting.”
(We won’t even ask what he
thinks of the new shows.)
This year’s events follow the
tried-and-true formula of
executives spouting research data
intermixed with introductions of
new and old network talent and
clips from shows. The major
networks strutted their stuff at
familiar locales: CBS presented for a
third year at Carnegie Hall, NBC went to Lincoln
Center, and Fox held its event at City Center. The one
small surprise: ABC went to Radio City Music Hall,
which has hosted NBC for the past two years.
Brenda Major, ABC’s vice president of
conference planning and special events, explained
that the network moved to Radio City because it
already had access to the venue for ABC’s
broadcast of the Daytime Emmys there later in the
week. “The venue is more expensive than normal,
but the seating capacity is larger,” she said. “It’s a
good trade-off because we want to invite as many
clients as possible.” After the presentation,
ABC shuttled nearly 2,000 guests to the
after-party at Cipriani 42nd Street in 25
Campus Coach buses. Major says her budget
for the party “remained flat” from last
year, and she brought back Mille Fiori for
décor.
One thing that was different about
Upfront week, however, was the presence
of a newcomer. Clear Channel isn’t a TV
network, but Mark Kirby, senior vice
president of activation and brand
management for its marketing division,
wanted to sell the Upfront audience on
the company’s radio, outdoor, online and
live entertainment advertising venues.
“We thought it was important for us to
PARATORE
AUDIO-VISUAL
INC.
_EQUIPMENT RENTALS
_TRADE DISCOUNTS
_EVENT PRODUCTION
_SYSTEM DESIGN / INSTALLATION
_INDOOR / OUTDOOR EVENTS
_ON SITE TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT
_PRIVATE EVENTS / CORPORATE EVENTS
_VIDEO TELECONFERENCING / WEBCASTING
HEAR IT
SEE IT
P 212-594-2080
EXPERIENCE IT
F 212-594-2042
511 West 33rd Street - Ground Floor - New York, NY 10001
www.paratore-av.com
ImpresarioQ&A
Mercedes-Benz Event Marketing Head
Carol Goll
How she manages Mercedes-Benz’s
high-profile event sponsorships
As the general manager of brand
event marketing for Mercedes-Benz
USA, Carol Goll oversees the luxury car
company’s presence at high-profile
events like Fashion Week and the
Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge.
Why are events an important part of
Mercedes’ marketing strategy?
Events really allow us to create an
environment that showcases how the
brand intersects with customers and
lifestyle interests, and they allow us
to really be somewhere that’s relevant
to customers and engage them in a
no-sell environment. It’s part of
establishing and maintaining a
dialogue with them.
How do you choose what to sponsor?
We look at who our target consumer
group is and what their lifestyle
interests are, and we try to be in
places that are relevant. We’ve
narrowed down [the kinds of events
we sponsor] to sporting events like
golf and tennis, fashion and
entertainment events, and those that
provide a unique product experience.
How do you measure the return on
investment?
We look for a few things. It could be
media impressions or ratings. If
we’ve changed the attitude of a
prospective buyer, have we affected
their opinion of us? And we look at
the number of leads generated. It
depends on the objective of the event.
There’s also a lot of grassroots
feedback we get.
How do you ensure that the events
continually evolve, and offer attendees
something new and exciting each time?
We try not to do the same thing year
after year. A lot of it is staying on top
of trends and knowing our
customers’ interests. And we try to
be creative in our approach. Also [it’s
important to know] when an event
has peaked. Obviously there are
changes in the economic
environment and changes in what
new customers enjoy. We really have
to gauge that. There’s also a lot of
competition, so we try to do things
that are unique to our brand.
20
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
Has the economy impacted the type and
number of events Mercedes sponsors?
We’re really trying to be very
targeted in the things we do. We’re
trying to provide more of a personal
experience, so it’s really important to
be in touch with [customers’]
interests and plan accordingly.
Are you ever at odds with event
planners at some of these events? Do
their goals for an event ever conflict
with what you want and need to
promote the Mercedes brand?
We probably would never have
gotten involved with them in the
first place. It’s critical to evaluate an
event and make sure it’s a good fit.
If you have the opportunity, check
something out before [getting
involved] to see if you consider it
well-run.
How involved do you get in the details?
How much control does Mercedes have
over the events that it sponsors?
It depends on [the level] of our
sponsorship. Obviously as title
sponsor we have a little more control
than if we’re an under sponsor. For
Fashion Week and the Polo
Challenge, we’re very much involved
in every aspect. We like events that
are turnkey—when we’re working
with partners who provide a lot of
[the details] for us. They need to
understand our vision and represent
the brand, but for a lot of the day-today details we rely on the organizers
of the events to take our concept or
vision and work it into the event.
—Erika Rasmusson
MWDesigns is a full-service event and floral design company
offering complete party and event planning including special theme
development, weddings and fresh cut flowers for any occasion.
Marc Wilson Design
460 W. 128th Street NYC. 10027 212 749 2266 f:749 2241 MARCWILSONDESIGN@aol.com
www.marcwilsondesign.com
EventShowcase
Cool Booth Ideas From the Auto Show
New York International Auto Show • The Javits Center • Saturday, 04.19.03, to Sunday, 04.27.03
Judging by the displays at the New York
International Auto Show, it’s clear that carmakers are a
crafty bunch. After designing their new cars to
appeal to how potential buyers perceive
themselves, the auto companies created displays
with all sorts of themes—modern, futuristic,
sporty—to help showgoers envision themselves in
a brand new car.
As New York’s biggest trade show (it draws
about 1.3 million people to the Javits Center each
year), the Auto Show is a great place to see
innovative trade show ideas and major marketing
muscle at work. —Suzanne Ito
Shiny, white, undulating panels surrounded the Toyota Prius display. A space-aged garden with
bundles of plastic fiberoptic wire flanked the sides, and plastic blue consoles with words like
“Healthy” flipped over to reveal video screens on the other side.
Mercedes displayed a convertible beneath a white parachute-shaped roof
suspended over a round, rotating platform.
Mini’s section had a giant, eye-catching neon sign, shiny white floor panels underneath the
vehicles, and a vending machine that dispensed information booklets.
The Range Rover showed off its off-road prowess with a
towering display that featured its SUV on a bed of rocks.
The Boutique Hotel Effect
MANY OF THE DISPLAYS at the Auto Show looked more like the
lobby at a stylish hotel than a trade show booth.
Lincoln created a sleek black and white environment with white-framed video
screens that displayed images of moving car parts.
Dotted with donut-shaped seats and long white benches, the Mercury display
featured a sleek bar set with Apple iMacs and futuristic stools.
Buick cars surrounded a fountain that squirted jets of water above a shiny
black pool.
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
23
Let the dynamic minds at Creative Event Planning
give you two ways to plan your event:
Free Location Referral Service
Including:
- Cost analysis
- Vendor comparison
- Contract negotiation
Full-scale Event Planning Coordination
15 years of creating successful and memorable events
on all levels:
- Holiday parties and theme events
- Executive events and meetings
- Client dinners and product launches
- Employee summer outings and team building
- Non-profit galas and cabaret events
Contact Creative Event Planning
to Plan the Perfect event:
212-421-9080
lynn@creativeeventplanning.com
www.creativeeventplanning.com
EventShowcase
Costume Institute Goes Gucci-Style Greek
Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit • Metropolitan Museum of Art • Monday, 04.28.03, 8 PM onward
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute
benefit is really two very different events. There’s
the one everyone talks about—the “Party of the
Year,” the one with Nicole Kidman and Adrien Brody—
and then there’s the after-party. This year the
Nicole party had 750 society, fashion and movie
star types in $3,500 dinner seats
and a gorgeous dining room
inspired by the institute’s
“Goddess” exhibit. A few hours
later, the other party drew a
plebeian crowd who paid $250 a
head to boogie in the Temple of
Dendur and gawk as Kidman and
crew scuttled out from dinner in
their Grecian-inspired finery to their town cars.
Kidman’s co-chairs were Vogue editor Anna
Wintour and Gucci Group creative director Tom Ford,
who brought a few of his own touches. Well
before the commoners showed up, 60 male models
lined the walk from a cocktail party in the Great
Hall into the museum’s restaurant for dinner.
With its Grecian columns, the restaurant was
an apt room, and Robert Isabell gave it an all-white
look inspired by the exhibit. “It was a goddess
temple,” said Chris Giftos, the Met’s manager of
special events. “It all worked together—the room,
Hundreds of votive candles decorated the giant
staircase in the Met’s Great Hall (left) for the museum’s
Costume Institute benefit.
the décor, what people were
wearing.” Isabell draped the room
with white fabric and covered the floors
with white carpet to create a crisp, clean
background, and then dotted the room with
hedges of hydrangea. He illuminated the
tables from underneath their white linen
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s grand Costume Institute benefit, Robert Isabell
designed an all-white look inspired by the institute’s new “Goddess” exhibit.
tablecloths and decorated them with crab
dessert treats, although a large group satisfied
apple blossoms and peonies.
themselves watching Kidman, Brody and other
Glorious Food’s menu started with lobster and
high-profile guests exit. The crowd left a narrow
caviar with a lemon mousseline sauce. The entrée
passage for the well-dressed dinner guests to slide
was a rack of mint-encrusted lamb with spring
through as some of the more vocal onlookers
vegetables and roasted rosemary potatoes.
gasped (“I just saw Kirsten Dunst!”). —Chad Kaydo
The folks at the after-party got a few mini
Fashion’s Bright, Shiny Awards Show
Council of Fashion Designers of America’s awards • New York Public Library • Monday, 06.02.03, 6 PM to 10:30 PM
Photos: Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Mary Hilliard (CFDA Awards)
Sparkle and shine were back at the Council of
Fashion Designers of America’s awards show when it
returned to the New York Public Library after last
year’s scaled-back ceremony. This year, KCD led the
planning and production, and designer Robert
Isabell created an enticing, colorful setting to toast
top designers.
For the cocktail hour in Astor Hall, Isabell
draped grand-looking persimmoncolored silk curtains from the hall’s
three tall archways to the floor. He
At the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s awards,
fashion folks converged in the New York Public Library’s
Astor Hall for cocktails (right). One long row of tables was
decorated with large antique sterling silver candelabras
and mixed greenery centerpieces (below), and the seating
for the ceremony was lit to match the stage (far right).
trimmed the curtains with crystal vines and
leaves made from thousands of individual
crystals from event sponsor Swarovski. A jazz
trumpet called the start of
dinner in the Great Gallery, and
guests settled into a communal
dining area (with one long row
of tables) where Hank Tomashevski
Catering served herb-crusted filet of beef with
heirloom tomato and mint compote. Isabell
covered the tables with dove grey-colored cotton
cloths and added color
with orange silk seat
cushions. Large antique
sterling silver
candelabras and mixed
greenery served as
centerpieces.
To enliven the
awards ceremony,
Isabell created a supper
club-style seating area
in the Celeste Bartos Forum. Rows of
banquettes topped with hot pink silk
cushions faced the stage, where Sarah
Jessica Parker played host. Dividers
separated each row and were lit in
changing colors that matched the stage
lighting. Each area had individual
champagne and dessert service, with
caterwaiters offering chocolate truffles,
fruit tartlets and cookies on trays lined
with more Swarovski crystals.
—Jill Musguire
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
25
New Venue Guide
The scoop on New York’s newest spaces—where they are,
when they open and what to expect
IN THE WORKS
Bread Tribeca From Luigi
Comandatore, specializing in Italian
fare from the region of Liguria. (301
Church St., 212.777.3455) Scheduled to
open in late summer.
LQ A large-scale nightclub, bar and
lounge in Midtown. (511 Lexington
Ave., 212.966.5000) Scheduled to open
in June.
Mix Alain Ducasse and Jeffrey
Chodorow's version of casual dining in Midtown, designed by
Patrick Jouin. (68 West 58th St.,
212.957.3005) Scheduled to open in
September.
Sumile A 60-seat West Village
restaurant offering French-influenced
Japanese from chef Josh DeChellis,
formerly of Union Pacific and
Bouley. (154 West 13th St., 212.777.3455)
Scheduled to open in early fall.
Surface Hotel A brand-new, 20-
story hotel on the Lower East Side,
with design ripped from the pages
of Surface magazine. (107 Rivington
St.) Scheduled to open in September.
Terre A French countryside-
inspired restaurant in the West
Village from Christian DeLouvrier,
formerly of Lespinasse. (861
Washington St., 212.777.3455)
Scheduled to open in the fall.
RECENTLY OPENED
(April 2003 through June 2003)
Park West and 79th St., 212.769.5350)
Reopened in May 2003.
Anthem Gallery A 3,000-squarefoot art gallery located in SoHo. (41
Wooster St., 212.334.9364) Opened in
May 2003.
Azalea A 90-seat Italian restau-
rant from chefs Giovanni Apicella
and Camillo Basani, showcasing
cuisines from Parma and the
Amalfi coast. (224 West 51st St.,
212.262.0105) Opened in May 2003.
Aigo An Upper East Side
Bauhaus A bi-level restaurant
Mediterranean bistro, with cuisine
by Richard Farnabe, former chef at
Mercer Kitchen and Lotus. (1608
First Ave., 212.327.4700) Opened in
May 2003.
and lounge located on the Lower
East Side. (196 Orchard St.,
212.477.1550) Opened in June 2003.
American Museum of
Natural History's Irma and
Paul Milstein Family Hall
of Ocean Life The famous whale
got a makeover in this favorite New
York City event space. (Central
Branch Midtown nightclub and
event space. (226 East 54th St.,
212.979.8844) Opened in May 2003.
Dumonet The in-house restaurant
of the Carlyle Hotel reopened with
cuisine from executive chef JeanLouis Dumonet. (35 East 76th St.,
212.744.1600) Opened in May 2003.
Heartland Brewery and
Beer Hall The fourth Heartland
location is a 50-seat beer hall with a
mahogany bar, tin ceiling and walnut pews. (93 South St.,
212.645.3400) Opened in March 2003.
Kemia Bar A Moroccan-inspired
bar and tapas lounge in Hell's
Kitchen. (630 Ninth Ave.,
212.582.3200) Opened in May 2003.
Mermaid Inn East Village
seafood restaurant from Danny
Abrams and Jimmy Bradley, owners
of the Red Cat and the Harrison.
(96 Second Ave., 212.242.1122) Opened
in March 2003.
Counter An East Village vegetari-
Mission NYC A 4,500-square-
an restaurant and wine bar. (105
First Ave., 212.982.5870) Opened in
May 2003.
foot bi-level bar, lounge and event
space on the Bowery. (217 Bowery,
212.473.3113) Opened in February 2003.
Learn the Kama
Sutra at K Lounge
TIME HOTEL OWNER Vikram Chatwal and Gotham and
Mallika Chopra (the son and daughter of new age
guru Deepak Chopra) have collaborated to create
K (30 West 52nd St., 212.265.6665), a sex-centric
bar and lounge in Midtown. Inspired by ancient sex
manual the Kama Sutra, the space features gold, red
and burnt orange colors in the carpet and low lounge
furniture. An elevated VIP area (shown here) has
plush pillow, engraved silver tables, and carvings
illustrating the Kama Sutra technique on the walls.
The entire space can hold 150. —Suzanne Ito
Morrells New American cuisine
from the owners of the Morrell
Wine Bar & Cafe in Rockefeller
Center, located in the Flatiron
District. (900 Broadway,
212.253.0900) Opened in April 2003.
Nice Matin An Upper West Side
restaurant from Simon Oren
(Marseille, Sushi Samba) and chef
Andy D'Amico, Nice Matin features
French, Italian and Mediterranean
cuisine. (201 West 79th St.,
212.873.6423) Opened in April 2003.
Ocean's 21 A restaurant and
lounge with 50’s-inspired design.
The cuisine is Italian-influenced
American. (21 West 9th St.,
212.475.1551) Opened in April 2003.
Ola A Midtown restaurant from
chef Douglas Rodriguez, formerly
of Chicama and Pipa, offering
tapas, ceviches and high-protein
dishes for the diet-conscious. (304
East 48th St., 212.759.0590) Opened in
March 2003.
26
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
Pelagos Upscale Greek fare from
Set Sail for the
Maritime Hotel
chef Peter Spyropoulos, formerly of
Milos and Avra. A basement-level
ouzerie offers a selection of Greece's
favorite drink. (103 West 77th St.,
212.579.1112) Opened in March 2003.
THE PARK RESTAURANT OWNERS Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson are
about to unveil their latest project: The Maritime Hotel (88 Ninth
Ave., 212.242.4300) will open in July inside the former headquarters of the Maritime Union in Chelsea. Built in 1966, the building
is famous for its all-white exterior dotted with rows of five-footwide porthole windows. The hotel will feature a 5,000-square-foot
ballroom, 120 guest rooms and four penthouse suites. A 120-seat
Mediterranean café will open on
the plaza level, adjacent to a
10,000-square-foot garden
designed by landscape architect
Roberto Burle Marx. A Japanese
restaurant will occupy a space
below the lobby, and features high
vaulted ceilings (inset). —S.I.
Rocco’s Rocco DiSpirito and
Jeffrey Chodorow’s Italian restaurant, which will be the subject of
NBC's reality show The
Restaurant. (12 East 22nd St.,
212.353.0500) Opened in June 2003.
Sage A restaurant serving New
American cuisine, in the former
space of TanDa. (331 Park Ave. So.,
212.253.8400) Opened in March 2003.
Snackbar Casual Chelsea bar
and restaurant from Krim
Boughalem and chef Nicholas
Tischler. (111 West 17th St.,
212.627.3700) Opened in May 2003.
Taj An Indian fusion restaurant
from floral designer and Bloom
founder Lesly Zamor and Lesly
Bernard, owner of NYC in the
West Village. (48 West 21st St.,
212.620.3033) Opened in March 2003.
Tribute Tribute is an 11,000-
Twenty Four Fifth Located in
the former Fifth Avenue Hotel in
Greenwich Village, Twenty Four
Fifth is a ballroom and event space.
(24 Fifth Ave., 212.505.8000) Opened
in April 2003.
WD50 After his departure from
Eiji Takase, founding executive chef
of Sushi Samba. (24 East 12th St.,
212.924.4283) Opened in March 2003.
71 Clinton Fresh Food, chef Wylie
Dufresne's long-awaited solo project. (50 Clinton St., 212.477.2900)
Opened in April 2003.
For daily updates on
new venues, go to
Yujin South American-influenced
Japanese cuisine from chef-owner
www.BiZBash.com
Photos by Kevin McCormick
square-foot multimedia event space
that features two theaters equipped
with three dimensional HDTV
digital projection facilities.(24
Broadway, 212.952.1000) Opened in
April 2003.
New York’s most reliable and versatile event space.
Call - 212 463 0071
www.metropolitanevents.com
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
27
Top 10 Reasons Corporate Event
Planners Rely on
bÇÄç cxÜyxvà ctÜà|xá
to Assist in Planning and
Producing Their Events:
• Location, Location, Locations...
• 20 Years Event Producing
Experience
• Volume Discount Pricing Based on
Extensive Clientele
• Complimentary Planning Firm
• Stellar Resource & Client
Relationships
• Flawless Reputation
• Unique & Unlimited Event
Resources
• Creative Theme Concepts & Design
• Personal Attention to All
Details
• Convenient & Time Saving Service
bÇÄç cxÜyxvà ctÜà|xá Guarantees to Exceed
Your Expectations in Every Aspect
nycparties@aol.com
event style awards
Awarding the Best of the Event Biz
BiZBash Event Style Awards • Grand Hyatt New York • Monday, 03.10.03, 6 PM to 8 PM
More than 350 guests filled the
Grand Hyatt’s Manhattan Ballroom for
BiZBash Media’s second annual Event
Style Awards, which honor innovation
and creativity in the special event,
meeting and trade show industry.
Two big winners of the evening were
event production company EventQuest,
which won awards in the Best Fresh
Idea and Best Overall Décor categories, and Karlitz & Company, which
was awarded for both Best Gift Bag and Best
Incentive Trip or Meeting. The event
was sponsored by Visual Word Systems,
Audiovisual Techniques, the Sensory Project
and Absolut, and produced by Mark Steele
of Steele Productions.
The show combined a soothing décor
scheme with high-tech features. Designed
by Philippe Muller of the Sensory Project, the
ballroom had three separate environments
with corresponding food and entertainment. A
red, Asian-themed area featured a variety of sushi
and noodle dishes, and a Kabuki dancer and drummer performed. A bellydancer jiggled near the yellow, Mediterranean-themed area, which offered
dishes like stuffed grape leaves, couscous and
miniature pita breads with hummus and baba
ghanoush. A cool, blue-themed area featured Ice
Art’s giant ice raw bar with shrimp and lobsters
frozen inside. The bar was topped with an abundance of shrimp, lobster and mussels.
Low, square cocktail tables draped with shimmery green cloths from Cloth Connection and topped
with small flower arrangements from Floralia were
set around the room, surrounded by cube seats
from Cort Event Furnishings. To keep guests abreast
BiZBash’s Event Style Awards filled the Grand Hyatt’s new ballroom with event planners and cool touches:
Graphic Globe’s high-tech crystal balls flashed the event logo (above, left), and a drummer performed
after the presentation (right). Alpine Creative Group’s invitations had copper and silver accents.
of the happenings during the event, Visual Word
Systems placed eight plasma screens throughout
the event’s three rooms.
BiZBash president Richard Aaron and Grand
Hyatt general manager Gary Dollens welcomed the
crowd, and BiZBash CEO David Adler introduced
Robert Isabell, the 2003 inductee to the BiZBash
Event Style Hall of Fame. Then BiZBash editor
in chief Chad Kaydo announced the award winners
in 11 categories. Following the awards presentation, Jim Dale, senior catering manager of the
Grand Hyatt, invited guests upstairs, where Cort
made the second floor meeting rooms feel more
like an intimate lounge
with plush,
jewel-toned
furniture,
and the
hotel served
coffee and a scrumptious buffet of delicatelooking desserts and confections by Michael Hu of
Pearl River Pastries and Chocolates. The drapes that
surround the ballroom then opened to reveal the
ballroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook
42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. —Suzanne Ito
AWARDS JUDGES
Ice Art’s giant ice bar, branded with the BiZBash logo, had giant shrimp and lobsters frozen inside.
Amy Scott from Creative Intelligence, Maris Segal from Karlitz & Company,
James Brodsky from Sharp Communications and John Schwartz from
EventQuest posed for pictures after accepting their awards.
Leslie Applebaum
Armani Exchange
Meryl Katz
Miramax Films
Laura Aviva
Travel & Leisure
Chad Kaydo
BiZBash
Karine Bakhoum
KB Network News
Angela Lomascolo
HBO
Cyndie Burkhardt
Swatch Group U.S.
Mark Mavrigian
BiZBash
Mary Callaghan
Lincoln Center
Cynthia Parsons McDaniel
In Style
Caryl Chinn
Bon Appétit
Pamela Miller
Project Renewal
Laurie Fabiano
Robin Hood Foundation
Jill Musguire
BiZBash
Graciela Hall
U.N. Special Programs
Candida Romanelli
New York Auto Show
Suzanne Ito
BiZBash
Jennifer Savica
Citigroup Private Bank
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
29
event style awards
And the Winners Are...
Best Overall Event Decor
Best Overall Catering
WINNER: GQ Men of the Year Awards,
Submitted by EventQuest
WINNER: Brooklyn Museum of Art’s Brooklyn Ball,
Submitted by Great Performances
FINALIST: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PreRelease Screening, Submitted by AOL
FINALIST: Fortune 500 Company Holiday Event,
Submitted by Bridgewaters
FINALIST: Teen People’s What’s Next 2002 Concert,
Submitted by NYC Tone Design & Production
FINALIST: Publicis Christmas Party for L’Oreal,
Submitted by Shiraz NYC Inc.
EventQuest created an inviting space at Hammerstein
Ballroom with lots of lights, spandex and branding for
GQ ’s annual Men of the Year Awards. Guests entered the
building via a spandex tunnel decorated with GQ branding on the carpet and walls. Inside, tables were covered
with silver cloths to reflect the moving lights, and metal
and wood veneer sculptures with bouquets of red, yellow
and orange roses served as centerpieces.
The Brooklyn Ball celebrates the spirit, taste and art of
Brooklyn, so Great Performances created a menu representing cuisines from the borough’s different neighborhoods. Dishes were served against bright, colorful decor,
and included peasant bread pizza from Bensonhurst
served in individual pizza boxes stamped with a “BMA
pizza” logo, sliced filet of beef tenderloin from
Williamsburg, and chocolate cream pie and egg creams
from Midwood.
Best Food Presentation
Best Incentive Trip/Meeting
Best Gift Bag
WINNER: Shonen Jump Press Launch,
Submitted by Allure Catering
WINNER: IBM’s Race for Success,
Submitted by Karlitz & Company
WINNER: International Day of the Child,
Submitted by Karlitz & Company
FINALIST: Donna Karan Black Cashmere Fragrance
Launch, Submitted by Olivier Cheng Catering and Events
FINALIST: Fortune 500 Company’s Diplomatic Intrigue
Event, Submitted by Brigg’s Red Carpet Associates
Allure Catering designed a menu with colorful foods presented on custom-made trays to complement the colorful
décor at the press launch party for Shonen Jump, a
Japanese comics magazine. Tuna tartare with truffle oil
in a Parmesan cone was served on a light wood tray set
against a backdrop of dry ice and floating lights, while
Alaskan crabmeat quesadillas with Vidalia onions,
tomatoes and Monterey Jack cheese were served on
bamboo trays illuminated with lights placed underneath the trays.
FINALIST: Scitor Corporation’s Kick Off 2003,
Submitted by PRA Destination Management
FINALIST: Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ MTV Video Music
Awards After-Party, Submitted by Flying Television
Productions
To showcase the best of New York to IBM’s International
Systems Group’s top-performing salespeople, Karlitz &
Company coordinated a weekend of activities customized for each guest. After surveying the salespeople,
Karlitz sent them customized itineraries featuring a
range of activities, from a helicopter tour of Manhattan
to a private reception in artist Peter Max’s studio. Karlitz
also coordinated New York-centric gifts for guests each
night, including Tiffany champagne flutes and a Daniel
Boulud cookbook.
30
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
Karlitz & Company coordinated fun, functional gift bags
for the first International Day of the Child event, which
pairs children from New York’s foster care system with
adult volunteers for a day of activities. The kids got
backpacks from Modell’s Sporting Goods filled with
school supplies, candy,
books, CDs and sports gear
from local
teams.
event style awards
Best Tabletop Design
Best Lighting Design
WINNER: Horticultural Society Benefit (Antony Todd
table), Submitted by Antony Todd Inc.
WINNER: HBO’s Sex and the City Season Premiere
Party, Submitted by Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging
FINALIST: James Beard Foundation Holiday Auction (Strip
House table), Submitted by the Glazier Group
FINALIST: Cotton Inc.: Celebration of American Style,
Submitted by DSA Productions Inc.
For the Horticultural Society of New York’s spring fundraiser at the Sony Atrium, Antony Todd designed a table
using an outdoor garden theme with vibrant turquoise
and apple green dupioni silk cloth and natural elements
on the tables. Todd floated gardenias and votive candles in a water moat in the middle of the table, then
lined the perimeter with wheatgrass and rocks to
resemble a hedge.
FINALIST: U.S. Foods Sales Meeting Party,
Submitted by Big Wave International
Best Invitation Design
WINNER: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s
Award of Courage Benefit, Submitted by Creative
Intelligence Inc.
FINALIST: Baker Furniture Tribeca Store Opening,
Submitted by Susan Magrino Agency
FINALIST: Hackensack University Medical Center
Foundation Reception, Submitted by John Kneapler
Design
Because Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s annual benefit was
awarding two former New York Knicks players, Creative
Intelligence designed invitations to look like a basketball.
The invites were made of leatherette paper that felt like a
basketball’s pigskin finish with the players’ signatures printed in black ink to make it look like an autographed ball.
Bentley Meeker used deep blues and pinks throughout
hallways and stairwells at the American Museum of
Natural History’s Powerhouse event space for Sex and the
City ’s premiere party. As guests ascended the grand
staircase, slowly rotating pink constellations and galaxy
patterns lit the space to complement the venue’s sciencefriendly theme.
Best Event Concept
WINNER: Moet & Chandon Floating Dinner,
Submitted by Lisa Lori Communications
FINALIST: JPMorgan Chase Holiday Festival,
Submitted by Karin Bacon Events Inc.
FINALIST: Verdura: A Designer’s Perspective
Submitted by Sharp Communications
Best Conference/Trade Show
WINNER: Showcase Canada 2002,
Submitted by Sharp Communications
FINALIST: Accessories the Show,
Submitted by Janet Racy & Company
FINALIST: Coach Store Managers Conference,
Submitted by Dogmatic Inc.
The Canadian Tourism Council enlisted Sharp
Communications to boost corporate tourism to Canada.
Sharp followed up with a conference in Tentation’s
kitchen for corporate event planners with more than 40
vendors from the country’s food, hospitality and trade
industries. Guests browsed their booths while noshing on
eclectic Canadian food.
To promote the Moët & Chandon brand—and the beverage’s versatility—Lisa Lori Communications developed
a floating dinner party where editors sampled dinner
courses paired with non-vintage marques of Moët &
Chandon at four different restaurants in the Park
Avenue South area. The invited lifestyle journalists
(rather than food and wine reporters) travelled in the
latest BMW car models between Chango, Arezzo, Sushi
Samba and Blue Smoke.
Best Fresh Idea
WINNER: Allsteel #19 Chair Launch,
Submitted by EventQuest
FINALIST: James Beard Foundation Holiday Auction,
Submitted by M. Young Communications
FINALIST: Rowenta Product Launch,
Submitted by Olivier Cheng Catering and Events
EventQuest turned office chairs into dramatic decor at
the launch of Allsteel’s #19 chair. After guests entered
the venue through a white fabric tunnel, EventQuest
aired a 3D virtual reality show that had chair parts
“flying” around the audience, then assembling themselves into the new model. A live performance followed,
with aerialists performing among an installation of 50
hanging chairs.
BiZBash Event Style Reporter • www.BiZBash.com • Summer 2003
31