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FROM NEW YORK Early in his remarks at the Moth Ball, host Garrison Keillor told the guests that he had recently suffered a stroke. The room fell quiet. He went on to say that his was a mild stroke, “the best kind to have.” Then he admitted that telling New Yorkers about it had a surprise benefit. “In the world of New York City conversationalists, it’s like having a handicapped parking permit.” Rather than being interrupted within 10 seconds, as is our city’s norm, he said, leading with the stroke news gave him a “fighting chance” to last, say, “20 to 30 seconds.”
It was his way of congratulating the 12-year-old organization on its surprising success in the city that “doesn’t sleep and certainly doesn’t listen.” The Moth is a not-for-profit group that holds story “slams” for anyone with a story to tell, now also in three other cities (Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit). People line up around the corner, sometimes waiting for an hour to pay and listen to (mostly) amateur storytellers. Hundreds of people at dozens and dozens of events, each with a different one-word theme—who knew?
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Diesel’s U:Music Tour, an extension of the brand’s online emerging band competition, stopped in Miami Tuesday night as part of its inaugural 10-city international tour. Miami served as one of only two U.S. cities on the tour, which also stopped in New York on July 30, and attracted more than 1,300 guests to the Paris Theatre. Local Diesel stores handed out free wristbands for entry to the concert over the previous weekend.
The clothing brand created the tour as a way to further promote the bands who won its online competition by pairing the winning band with established artists in each city on the tour. “There’s nothing better than showcasing [music] live to the public with our fans, our key customers, and people who really love the brand,” said Steve Birkhold, C.E.O. of Diesel USA.
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The premiere for The Twilight Saga: New Moon in Westwood Photo: Line 8 Photography
FROM LOS ANGELES Westwood, being a college town, is accustomed to groups of young people roaming about—but Monday night was no ordinary night in the village. The young people were out, for sure, but many weren't yet old enough to drive, and they were pressed behind barricades on closed streets for the premiere of Summit Entertainment's new installment of the Twilight series, New Moon.
Summit's Eric Kops oversaw the hotly anticipated event, tapping ELS for big-time tasks like crowd control and security, and Chad Hudson Events for roles including theater management and R.S.V.P.s, plus production of the after-party at the Hammer Museum.
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Holiday parties are about to kick into full swing, and according to our latest poll, they shouldn't be too over the top. Half of the participants in last week's survey think that informal nights out at bars or restaurants feel appropriate this year. Only 13 percent of readers think that full, catered affairs are in order, but even fewer—8 percent—think festivities should be kept inside the office. Still, another 29 percent feel that parties should be judged on a case by case basis, by the performance of the company.
This week we'd like to see what kind of entertainment you've booked recently. What did you do the last time you needed cocktail party music? Let us know by partipating in the poll on the left column of the home page.
Leo Burnett's employee art gallery Photo: Courtesy of Leo Burnett
In a year of cutbacks and salary freezes, perhaps now more than ever, hard-working employees need to feel valued, even in small ways. Jennifer Savica, TD Bank’s vice president of event management, rewards her staff with little perks throughout the year, like taking everyone out for ice cream in the summer, treating people to their favorite drinks at Starbucks on a cold day, and occasionally allowing casual Fridays. “I try to show appreciation for my team every day by creating a true democracy—asking their opinions, including them in many of the department decisions, and empowering them to do their job,” she says.
Boston Beer Company has a gift policy that prevents employees from keeping items valued over $10 given to them by clients and event sponsors. “If someone gets something over that amount, we raffle it off to the office as a thank you,” says Kristen Smith, the company’s travel and event planner. Past items have included tickets to charity events the company has sponsored, movie screenings, and Red Sox tickets. “It’s nice to raffle these things off and make them available to anyone—and at no cost to the company,” says Smith.
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A fire dancer at Nikki Beach's What Women Want event Photo: Rolo DeCampo
Miami Beach's overnight arts event Sleepless Night had more than 150 exhibitions and performances staged throughout the city from 6 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday. As a follow up to our story, here are some more images from the night.
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Tents N Events' new black tents Photo: Courtesy of Tents N Events
Looking for ways to jazz up outdoor events? Here are three new options that fit the bill.
1. Tents N Events recently added a line of black tents to its inventory. Similar to a traditional clearspan temporary structure, this version has black vinyl panels on the top and sides of the tent, giving an event an indoor feel. The tents can also be custom-designed with clear, white, and black panels, including combinations such as a clear ceiling and black walls. The structures range in size from 10 by 10 feet to 50 by 100 feet. Rental prices start at $125.
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Beatles tribute band Beatlemania Now Photo: John Parra/WireImage
Sold out for the fifth year in a row, the Make-a-Wish Foundation of South Florida’s annual fund-raiser took place on Saturday night at the InterContinental Hotel Miami with nearly 800 guests. The 15th annual event's decor took inspiration from famous Beatles songs of the 1960s and garnered more high-level sponsors—those donating more than $20,000 each, such as Wachovia—than in 2008.
“It’s earned a reputation over the last half dozen years as the place to be,” said the charity’s vice president and C.O.O., Richard Kelly. “So when you have people who want to be somewhere and be in the thick of the action, they’ll come in at a higher level of sponsorship to do that.”
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A table designed by Mario Pinto with Scott Heuvelhorst Interiors Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
FROM CHICAGO "This looks like a serial killer's home. There should be conspiracy theories written on the wall," said one guest at Thursday night's Cocktails by Design event, which served as a kickoff for a three-day Dining by Design benefit hosted by Design Industries Foundations Fighting AIDS. The event filled the eighth floor of the Merchandise Mart with 42 dining environments decorated by design-industry professionals ranging from painters to architects to fashion designer Maria Pinto. With so many creative professionals behind the tables, the environments ranged from a wooden box tacked with newspaper clippings and bathed in an eerie blue light—which inspired the serial-killer comment—to a cozy gazebo setting filled with fairy lights and plush Ralph Lauren pillows.
Though there were tables that defied categorization, some dining environments illustrated popular design trends; one theme was "dark and sexy atmospheres, which we're seeing everywhere this year," said Diffa's director of special events, Peggy Bellar. At an installation from Interior Investments by Gensler, black moving blankets hung behind a table surrounded with dark leather chairs; a chandelier made of painted black cardboard crowned the scene. Hermes glasses in deep purple hues spruced up place settings at a table that Herman Miller by Richard Bliss and Solomon Cordwell Bunez designed; and lacy black napkins dotted the table that Maria Pinto decorated with Scott A. Heuvelhorst Interiors. Artist Francine Turk's design also created a dark, moody ambience with black chalkboard walls, charcoal sketches of crows, and framed paintings of gold Gothic crosses.
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Mission International Rescue, a Dominican Republic-based organization that provides education, family, and health services to the country's underprivileged communities, held its largest fund-raiser in the United States at the Moore Building in Miami Thursday night for 350 people.
“The charity has really grown in the past few years and most of our supporters are from the States—they all fly to Casa de Campo [the group's Dominican headquarters] for our events—so we wanted to do something for them here,” said the organization’s executive assistant and only stateside employee, Ana Alba, who organized the event.
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