| EVENT REPORT 06.28.06 9:00 PM |
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| Starwood Brings Italian Garden Party to Hollywood |
| Since the company couldn't take all its guests to its Italian hotels, it filled the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre with appropriate food and music. |
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| To introduce Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's Italian properties—like Rome's St. Regis Grand Hotel, Milan's Le Meridien Gallia, and Florence's Westin Excelsior—to the local travel and entertainment media, Burditch Marketing Communications threw a sophisticated Italian-theme garden party. The historic Ebell of Los Angeles's gorgeous facade, lush garden, dramatic archways, terra cotta roof, and fountain area served as the perfect setting. With a string trio playing Italian Renaissance and Baroque music in the background, guests hardly felt like they were in Hollywood. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | | The Ebell of Los Angeles got an Italian look for Starwood's party. |
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 | | Buffet tables filled with pasta, grilled meats, and desserts were strategically placed on the patios and around the fountain. |
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 | | A string trio played Italian Renaissance and Baroque music in the background. |
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Last year the event was held at the restaurant Campanile. For something new and different this year, Starwood's Sofia Peluso, director of sales and marketing for St. Regis Grand Hotel and the Westin Excelsior, worked with the Ebell's executive director of special events, Lauri Ringer, along with her staff and vendors—Buster's Flowers and G2 Audio Lighting—to transform the urban garden into an Italian country estate.
Guests moved easily around the garden, sipped prosecco, noshed on Italian specialties, and met with the visiting Italian hoteliers. Buffet tables filled with pasta, grilled meats, and desserts sat on patios and surrounded the fountain. After being served by the friendly uniformed staff, it was simple to find a table to stand or sit, which isn't always the case with this sort of reception. (Who hasn't juggled drink, plate, fork, napkin, and business cards—all while standing?)
The menu, which featured regional Italian dishes like orrechiette pasta with braised turnip tops and Parmesan cheese, poached John Dory with.phparagus, and Roman-style veal scaloppine, was a collaborative effort between the Ebell's kitchen staff and Daniele Turco, the executive chef at Venice's Hotel Gritti Palace.
—Lesley Balla
Posted 06.29.06
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