In a story published online Friday and in yesterday's Styles section, The New York Times went behind the scenes of last Thursday’s New York Women’s Foundation gala, exploring the obstacles the first-time benefit faced: The economy is in a state of disarray, the charity is not a household name, and the benefit competed with the highly anticipated vice presidential debate. Despite the challenges, the foundation managed to eek out a happy ending by drawing 280 guests, including Robert De Niro (thanks to his wife, event chairwoman Grace Hightower) and Mayor Bloomberg, and raising $675,000.
The article’s overarching focus, however, was on the economy's affect on benefit season. “I think it’s going to be overall disastrous for charities, with no end in sight,” Sanford J. Schlesinger, a New York trust and estates lawyer, told The Times. Some of his clients have put off creating foundations and are rethinking major gifts.
2009 Michelin Guide to New York City Photo: Courtesy of Michelin North America Inc.
At a press breakfast this morning, Michelin Guide global director Jean-Luc Naret unveiled the 2009 Michelin Guide to New York City and its selection of rated restaurants and hotels. To be released tomorrow, the book includes 563 eateries in all, and of the 42 that received stars from the inspectors, some newbies made the list and a couple others jumped up in the ratings.
Masa, the highly regarded Japanese restaurant from chef Masa Takayama that currently holds four stars from The New York Times, moved from its two-star ranking to the top tier, joining Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, and Per Se in the guide’s highest category. The Michelin inspectors also bumped up Gilt, the in-house restaurant of the New York Palace Hotel, from its one-star standing to a two-star one, and awarded new restaurants Adour, and Momofoku Ko the same grade.
The inside of Coty's Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Lounge Photo: Courtesy of Coty Prestige
FROM TORONTO The four Harajuku girls Gwen Stefani employed for her 2004 solo tour weren't around to promote the new Harajuku Lovers fragrances in Canada—but they were emulated by models dressed in short skirts and pigtails as part of manufacturer Coty Prestige's traveling Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Lounge, which visited several locations in Toronto and Montreal from Thursday to Saturday. They also inspired Stefani's new fragrances, with each of the four girls, plus Gwen, representing one of the five scents.
"The fragrances are really fun, and we wanted to get the girls involved in the event," said Kim Husted, director of marketing at Coty Canada. The lounge—held in the Jam Van, a 24-foot vehicle designed for experiential marketing events—promoted the new scents in high schools, malls, movie theatres, and nightclubs in Toronto and Montreal over the three-day period. The mini tour started October 2 with a media preview.
The 2008 International Art and Design Fair got underway at the Park Avenue Armory with a gala preview on Thursday night, and hundreds of enthusiasts and collectors showed up at for an advanced look at this year's selections. The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design and Culture celebrated the fair (and the school's continued involvement with the 108-year-old event) by hosting "Design Design," a post-preview dinner for 125 just three blocks south at 583 Park Avenue.
Honoring the design school and the work on display at the fair was a hefty order to fill when conceiving the evening's decor, so designer DeJuan Stroud turned to BGC's fair exhibition, "Knoll: Furnishing Textiles in the Clothing Context." Designed by Proenza Schouler, the display showcases the various designers making use of Knoll textiles and even incorporates them into a wall installation. READ MORE RELATED TOPICSInternational Art and Design Fair,
Bard College,
Bard Graduate Center,
Proenza Schouler
History Channel's fully-wrapped train Photo: Sam Chase/History
Some New York commuters got an eyeful of some genuinely unsubtle marketing Friday morning when the Metropolitan Transit Authority unveiled its first subway train completely covered in "full body wrap" advertisements—with every car, inside and out, showcasing the same promotion. The campaign for History Channel series Cities of the Underworld is the first of its kind, and the MTA says it won’t be the last.
Like many transit groups throughout the United States and the world, the MTA is turning more and more to ad sales to cover the mounting costs of refurbishments, expansions, and general operations. This push is evident in an increase from $38 million to $106 million in annual advertising revenue over the last decade, and the amount of space on the trains and stations covered in ads. The biggest efforts prior to today came from Cottonelle and HBO, which were two of the early brands to advertise using the entire interior of subway cars—seats included.
READ MORE RELATED TOPICSHistory Channel,
Metropolitan Transit Authority,
MTA,
Cities of the Underworld
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Rendering: Courtesy of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Following a full renovation, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum returned to New York harbor on Thursday and will open to the public on November 8. [BizBash]
The latest proposal for Pier 40 has failed to meet the Hudson River Park Trust's criteria. [Crain's]
Macy's may aid the renaissance of Harlem if, as is rumored, the department store will take one of a handful of vacant spots near the Apollo Theater. [WWD]
The Port Authority's revamped plan for the World Trade Center site schedules construction for completion by 2014. [NYT]
Page Six hears rumors that chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten will open a place inside the new Mark Hotel. [NYP]
Regardless of the lawsuits and protests that have plagued the Atlantic Yards construction, Barclays Bank—the company that will pay $20 million for the naming rights of the planned basketball arena—still supports the Brooklyn development. [Crain's]
Aurora Kessler left her position as senior vice president at Rubenstein Public Relations on Monday and will begin her post next week as director of public relations for Amanresorts in Southeast Asia. She will be based out of Singapore.
Alison Brod Public Relations brought in Ashley Berg from Kravetz & Company two weeks ago as lifestyle senior account executive.
Courtney Jacobs left her position as senior account executive at Dan Klores Communications for Alliance, a branded entertainment and sports marketing agency. Jacobs began working yesterday as the development director of public relations and sports marketing.
Fast Company's Masters of Design event Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
To celebrate its annual Masters of Design issue on Wednesday, Fast Company brought some of its featured designers to the new home of the Museum of Arts and Design to chat about their work and how it translates to the world of business. Approximately 300 designers, Fast Company advertisers, and members of the magazine's editorial team filled seven floors of the Columbus Circle museum for discussions, private gallery viewings, and food and drink. The three-hour cocktail reception and party was planned by the magazine's executive marketing director, Tara Mitchell, and its events marketing director, Tracey Vitale.
READ MORE RELATED TOPICSFast Company,
Rockport,
Woodford Reserve,
Dymo,
Morgans Hotel Group
Panic at the Disco performing at a Rock Band 2 party
Photo: Jordan Strauss/WireImage
FROM LOS ANGELES MTV Games senior director of promotions Kelley Electa is overseeing the Rock Band Live Tour—a traveling concert program to promote the video game Rock Band—which kicks off this weekend in San Diego. A new marketing concept for MTV Games (a division of MTV Networks that creates interactive products for its target audience) and partner AEG, the tour will visit 28 cities across the U.S., plus Toronto, ending in Texas in November. Before the kickoff weekend, we asked Electa about the strategy behind the new program.
Why did you pick the tour format to market the game?
We really feel that Rock Band is an authentic music experience, and we wanted to give fans and families a chance to really experience what it's like to perform live rock 'n' roll. We think that can be achieved by partnering up with some great bands whose songs are featured within our game and have a pretty broad appeal to our consumer base and let our consumers get involved with the show from playing Rock Band in their living rooms to playing Rock Band in an actual arena.
The Brooklyn Chidren's Museum's new building Photo: BizBash
Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children's Museum is one of the world's oldest museums dedicated to kids, and in mid-September the institution reopened after a $80 million expansion project. Twice the size it once was, this new venue was designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects and is billed as one of the city's first museums certified green by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Among the 102,000 square feet of space are several areas available for private events and meetings, including an expansive rooftop plaza.
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