| NEWS 04.01.09 3:06 PM |
|
In The News: Travel Industry Continues to Promote Meetings, Madonna's Fund-Raising Faux Pas
|
Travel Industry Combats Cancellations: As the U.S. Travel Association continues to lobby the government to support meetings and events during the recession, more statistics have emerged to illustrate how different facets of the industry are suffering. Canceled events accounted for a $220 million loss in room revenue during January and February, and Starwood Hotels—which owns the Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, and W brands—has booked 40 percent fewer group events in 2009 compared to this time last year, prompting the company to eliminate 10 percent of its staff, or approximately 6,000 employees. [NYT]
Host City Braces for G20: Protesters in London for the G20 Summit are causing quite a stir. To protect the world leaders in town for the series of meetings on the global financial crisis, London has enlisted a record number of police to maintain order. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that approximately 3,000 officers will be on patrol during the two-day summit, and that number could double, should riots erupt. [Telegraph]
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Madonna, Gucci, Unicef, Raising Malawi, G20 Summit, U.S. Travel Association, Starwood Hotels, Vanity Fair, Cannes |
 |
| EVENT REPORT 02.24.09 11:00 AM |
|
Montblanc Stages Big Reveals to Heighten Drama at Charity Dinner
|
Two days before the Academy Awards—with so many top-tier celebrities swirling around Hollywood—Montblanc hosted a charitable gala, dubbed Signature for Good, to benefit education and literacy programs for Unicef. Michael Friedman of Delphi Productions spearheaded the production for the event, which began on Friday when a group of 250 arrived to a red-carpet set on the Paramount’s New York Street.
During the cocktail hour that preceded the gala in the foyer, larger-than-life portraits of 12 celebrities for the cause were revealed, including portraits of Susan Sarandon, Milla Jovovich, Emily Blunt, Helen Hunt, Eva Longoria, Mira Sorvino, Andie MacDowell, Sienna Miller, Christina Ricci, Jessica Lange, Lauren Hutton, and Marcia Cross. A rigging system brought in all the portraits, which stood onstage behind the celebrities during the gala's presentation portion.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Montblanc, Paramount, Unicef, Oscars, Award Season |
|
| NEWS 02.18.09 11:17 AM |
|
Oscar Week: Vanity Fair's Back, Mercedes Moves to Montage, Governors Ball Tones Down, Suites Abound
|
 | The 2008 Governors Ball
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography |
|
The catastrophic state of the economy hardly bears repeating here—except to say that it hasn't done much to diminish the sheer number of Academy Awards-related event offerings on this week's calendar, even if it has affected those events' budgets. From an array of suites to Vanity Fair's apparently triumphant return, many guests' dance cards—even in this recession—are completely full.
The plethora of gift and hospitality suites around town include GBK’s “Circus of the Senses” at the SLS Hotel on Friday and Saturday. The event will give 20 percent of its proceeds to four charitable organizations. Melanie Segal’s “Be the Change” Oscar lounge, presented by Sensé Beautiful Science, will take to the Pali House on Thursday and Friday. Silver Spoon’s suite today and tomorrow benefiting the Chrysalis organization offers spa treatments, caviar tasting, and gifts. Stuart Weitzman's Oscar styling suite kicked off yesterday at the London West Hollywood hotel, and runs through Saturday with beauty treatments and a chance to peek at the shoe designer's 2009 red-carpet collection.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Oscars, Award Season, Vanity Fair, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Gift Suites, Chrysalis, 95.3 the Beat, Brandaid, Sense Beautiful Science, Tag the World, Essence Magazine, Stuart Weitzman, Governors Ball, W.W.E., Global Green, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, U.S.-Ireland Alliance, Montblanc, Unicef, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Children Uniting Nations, Dior, BMW, Chopard, VH1, AIDS Project Los Angeles |
|
 |
|
| TOP 100 EVENTS 02.29.08 11:15 PM |
|
Southern California's Top Benefits 2008
|
 | The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County's Dinosaur Ball
Photo: Lee Salem Photography |
|
1. Carousel of Hope
Usually called the Carousel Ball, this red-letter event on L.A.’s social calendar is such a production that it’s held only once every two years. The host is Barbara Davis, half of a Hollywood power couple with her late billionaire husband, former 20th Century Fox owner Marvin Davis. Their A-list friends will turn out in droves at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in October for this fund-raiser for children’s diabetes.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Southern California's Top 100 Events, Nancy Davis Foundation for MS, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Saks Fifth Avenue, Mercedes-Benz, Unicef, U.C.L.A. Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, HollyRod Foundation, Chrysalis, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Friends of the USC Libraries, Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, Concern Foundation, Los Angeles Magazine, California Science Center, Fulfillment Fund, Geffen Playhouse, Tiger Woods Foundation |
|
| NEWS 12.10.07 4:44 PM |
|
Guests Wave Credit Cards in the Air for Unicef
|
 | Ruben Studdard performed at Unicef's Snowflake Ball.
Photo: John Sciulli/Berliner Studio/BEImages |
|
Sinbad had to back out of his hosting duties for Unicef's Snowflake Ball due to sudden illness, but the fund-raising dinner moved forward nonetheless with Grammy-winner David Foster taking the comedian’s place at the Beverly Wilshire on Thursday. Foster kicked off the evening’s lineup of celebrity musical performances, accompanying 11-year-old August Rush actress Jamia Nash on the piano for a two-song set. Other musical guests included Natalie Cole—who sang “Unforgettable” following her presentation of the Danny Kaye humanitarian award to friends Tamar and Bob Manoukian—as well as Reba McEntire and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard. (The reality series received the Champion for Children award for its "Idol Gives Back" programming, which helped raise funds for children’s charities, including Unicef.)
After silent and live auctions, the organization gave guests another opportunity to contribute on the spot, asking them to simply raise a credit-card-clutching hand to donate $500 toward water pumps for communities lacking clean water sources, or $175 to provide school supplies for as many as 80 children. With those specific examples of how their dollars would be spent, guests shot Amexes, Mastercards, and Visas in the air, purchasing supply sets and 50 water pumps. The evening raised more than $850,000. —Rosalba Curiel
RELATED TOPICS
Unicef, Snowflake Ball |
|
|
