BizBash New York News

GUEST QUESTIONS: Calvin Klein's 40th Impresses With Strict Minimalism, Access to High Line

]]>Last night on the far west side, Calvin Klein hosted one of Fashion Week's most-hyped events, celebrating the label's 40th anniversary. A temporary pavilion designed by architect John Pawson was built specially for the affair next to the High Line, a one-and-a-half-mile-long abandoned railway being transformed into a public park. The guests, who left the party around midnight, wore black and white clothing and hailed from the fashion, beauty, and entertainment industries. Most were completely surprised by the magnitude of the event, and some even plucked white roses to take home as a memento.

A longtime supporter of the nonprofit organization Friends of the High Line, Calvin Klein dropped $3 million for the party, a sum The Daily News reported also includes a donation to the development of the elevated oasis. We asked guests whether the birthday bash was indeed the biggest event of the season.

“When they donate millions of dollars and erect the great wall of Calvin Klein, it’s pretty amazing.”
—Molly Sims, actress and model

“The food was amazing. I loved the tuna tartare, and there was a little ginger cookie that was delicious.”
—Dani Stahl, accessories director, Nylon magazine

EVENT REPORT: Tumi and Abercrombie & Kent Explore Upper East Side With Playful Launch

]]>It’s a particularly niche group of consumers who find themselves needing to be outfitted for a trip to Tibet, but if you’re looking to market a line of ruggedly high-end luggage and bags, the Upper East Side’s Explorer’s Club is probably a good place to start. Home to some of New York’s wealthiest adventurers and world travelers for more than a century, the club launched Tumi’s T-Tech collection Wednesday night to members and a few fashionable outsiders.

Partnering with travel company Abercrombie & Kent, Tumi wanted to capture the spirit of exploration with the new line and, similarly, the launch party. Tumi executive creative director David Chu worked with Shin Advisors and designer Gaurin Buara to create the event, which took over the club’s second-floor library, trophy room, and patio. Instead of having guests merely look at the luggage, each piece was incorporated into two collaborative installations conceived by Chu and Buara.

EVENT REPORT: Tim Gunn and Models Help Launch P&G's New Campaign

]]>Procter & Gamble launched its new Tide and Downy Total Care detergents last night under the orange glow of the Empire Hotel’s neon sign. Some 125 guests packed the hotel’s rooftop pool deck overlooking Central Park for the kickoff of the company’s $60 million fashion-centric marketing campaign.

“This is our biggest product launch ever,” said Kash Shaikh, a spokesperson for P&G. “We’re transforming fabric care into fashion care by promoting the idea of looking good by taking care of your clothes.” And to elevate the concept of fashion care, P&G has enlisted a host of stylists and so-called fashion experts to market the new lines. Project Runway's Tim Gunn will dole out fashion tips online, and June Ambrose, Jorge Ramon, and Charla Krupp will be featured in other advertisements.

All of the fashion advisers were on hand for the event, as were designers Laura Bennett and Cristina Ehrlich. The group produced a mini fashion show featuring Wihelmina models wearing fall trends. Several laminated plaques bearing each stylist’s trend picks for the fall lined the front of the catwalk.

EVENT REPORT: Taste of Tennis Returns With More Than a Dozen Chefs and First Red Carpet

]]>Gluttony and athleticism rarely go hand in hand, but the partnership seems to work for the annual Taste of Tennis party held on the eve of each US Open. For the 2008 incarnation, held August 21 at the Midtown East W Hotel, the culinary event benefiting the Food Bank of New York City partnered with title sponsor BNP Paribas to give 400 guests a chance to sample foods from restaurants like the Waverly Inn and South Gate.

Tickets cost $350, but that bought a bottomless plate to an all-you-can-eat buffet promising significantly fancier fare than a trip to Ponderosa. More than a dozen restaurants and chefs showed off their signature dishes in the hotel’s Forest Ballroom, and the meals in highest demand seemed to be Peter Howard’s Australian lamb chop over ratatouille, the Waverly Inn’s miniature chicken pot pies, and the New York strip with wasabi ponzu from Japonais.

EVENT REPORT: Nike Opens SoHo Flagship With Stadium-Style Block Party

]]>On the eve of its global flagship store opening, Nike took 600 guests out to a ball game. The brand teamed up with Strategic Group and design firm 2 x 4 to create a stadium setting in SoHo with rubber flooring and Astroturf, hot dog and cotton candy concession stands, and lots of beer. Giant clocks mounted on metal stands in the center of the street counted down to 9:21 p.m., when the doors at 21 Mercer officially opened. During Thursday night’s invite-only block party, kids joined athletes, artists, actors, and the media to celebrate the only location from the company to carry the full Nike Sportswear line.

“The sportswear apparel and footwear is a remix of an iconic past with new, innovative technology,” said Nike spokesperson Demetria White. “To help promote the reinterpretation of our latest NSW [Nike Sportswear] collection, we wanted the block party to be a culmination of present and past sports icons with super fans and a stadium theme.”

VENUE NEWS: This Week: Citi Field Event Spaces Revealed, Javits Expansion Still on the Books

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The Mets will offer their new stadium, Citi Field, as a spot for meetings and events. [BizBash]

Officials still hope to expand the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, albeit with a scaled-back plan. [NYT]

Sean MacPherson opened his new hotel the Jane in time for Fashion Week. [Hotel Chatter]

The city is encouraging nonprofit arts groups to take a historic Harlem spot. [NYT]

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt of MTV's The Hills may replace Murray Hill's Dip with a sports lounge called the Hill. [W mag]

Coney Island's Astroland amusement park closes this Sunday. The landmarked Cyclone rollercoaster will continue to operate. [NYP]

Construction from the redevelopment of Lincoln Center is causing some problems for visitors to the performing arts campus. [NYT]

LOCATION SCOUT: Where a Team Can Do a Ropes Course�Without Leaving New York

]]>If bonding over drinks or private screenings isn't enough to motivate a team, the Alley Pond Park Adventure Course offers a more physical form of teambuilding. Hidden away in the 655-acre Alley Pond Park in Queens, this is the only adventure ropes course in the city and the largest of its kind in the Northeast. Only a year old, the course is built specifically for corporate groups and consists of obstacles—including a climbing wall, balance platforms, and a zip line—all designed to challenge participants physically and intellectually. Operated by the Urban Park Rangers through the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, these programs can be tailored to each group, depending on the objectives. The adventure course programs are available for groups as small as 10 people or as large as 70, and the fee includes a catered lunch.

VENUE NEWS: Mets and Aramark Release Details on Citi Field Meeting Spaces

]]>Citi Field is really getting a headstart over the new Yankee Stadium—the soon-to-open Mets ballpark has already secured eateries from Danny Meyer, and today comes another announcement: In a joint venture, the New York Mets and Aramark have launched Metropolitan Hospitality, an operation that will manage events and meetings at the 45,000-seat stadium. With this statement come details about the different spaces available for rental.

VENUE NEWS: Portion of Pier 61 Damaged, Some Facilities Closed

]]>A routine annual inspection to Chelsea Piers revealed some isolated damage to the northern tip of Pier 61. As a precaution—and to allow engineers to carry out repairs safely—officials have closed the West Rink (at the Sky Rink), the Lighthouse, and the Sunset Terrace. A spokesperson for the Hudson River sports facility told us that, despite some reports, the East Rink of Sky Rink was not affected and its closure over the Labor Day weekend is not due to the damage.

On Tuesday, September 2, Chelsea Piers will post on its Web site updates regarding the repair work and when the venues will reopen.

VENUE NEWS: This Week: Is Sacco's Reign as Nightlife Queen Over? Brooklyn Bowl to Open This Fall

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Page Six magazine talks to former nightlife queen Amy Sacco about her success and the decline of West 27th Street. [NYP]

This fall Peter Shapiro and Charley Ryan will open the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. [BizBash]

Hotel Gansevoort owner Michael Achenbaum talks about the plans for the property at 29th Street and Park Avenue and likes La Esquina for late dinners. [BlackBook]

Grub Street has the first photos of new Chinatown bar and lounge Apothéke, slated for a September 5 opening. [NYMag]

Steve Lewis gets word that New York Artist Series owner Joe Dirosa is working out a deal with Avalon's landlord to rent it out as a a place for "film, TV, corporate and special events." [Good Night Mr. Lewis]

Brooklyn Brewery owner Steve Hindy is still having problems finding room for his expanding business. [Village Voice]

South Beach Wine & Food Festival founder Lee Schrager talks about his upcoming New York event. [TONY]

THE SCOUT: A Photobooth That's Customizable Inside and Out

]]>ShootBooth is a different kind of photobooth, one with a few extra bells and whistles. The eight-foot-tall device, which resembles a giant antique camera, is equipped with a digital SLR camera and built-in lighting to produce high-quality prints. The company can build custom booths or an open-air setup with no booth at all. And instead of a plain backdrop, ShootBooth offers three playful frames, including twinkling lights and ornaments, and an LED light pen that guests can use to draw around themselves on a clear plexiglass surface placed in front of the camera. Daily rental fees start at $3,400. The price includes transportation, set up, four hours of photo taking, on-site printing within two hours, and a CD of retouched images at the end of the event.

THE SCOUT: A New All-in-One Resource for Catering and Event Design

]]>Launched in May, Halcyon Gourmet is a full-service catering and event planning firm, run by partners Maria Rizzo and Archie Giannzio. Rizzo, the former chef de cuisine at ‘Cesca, handles the culinary side of the business. Although she creates custom menus for every event, her specialties include homemade pasta and pan-seared Chilean sea bass with saffron beurre blanc. Giannzio, who has worked on events for the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Carnegie Hill Neighborhood Association, takes care of all the other components, including invitations, floral design, and rentals. For now, the company can handle events for as many as 100 people (within the tri-state area), but is working to open a commercial kitchen later this summer that will allow it to handle bigger functions.

INFLUENCES: A Celebration of Japanese Design Arrives in Midtown

]]>Felissimo Design House. The exhibition, called Japan©, covers a lot of ground, with more than 70 Japanese firms and designers represented in the areas of fashion, home, food, stationery, beauty, and pop culture. The curated collection of products includes dishes, tinwork, fabrics, jewelry, handbags, furniture, art supplies, toys, and kitchenware.

Not only are the various objects out on display, but Felissimo has organized a series of speakers, designers and industry leaders who will talk about the influence of Japanese design. Focus will shift each week to another topic and its representative goods. During the first week, modern interpretations of traditional items—from kimonos to pottery—will be highlighted. During the final week, Taste of Japan, new and traditional food trends, will be presented. The showcase is open to the public, free of charge, through November 1. A select number of items will be available for sale.

INFLUENCES: Fringe Festival Brings a Grab Bag of Acts

]]>New York International Fringe Festival, which begins on Friday, offers a diverse selection of independent theater, dance, and performance art pieces, and takes over 20 venues for roughly 1,300 performances.

Included in this year's lineup are comedies like For Reasons Unknown, a play written and performed by BizBash contributors Andi Teran and Jeff Long, about a New Yorker who comes home to find a pile of feces on his couch, and how he and his best friend investigate its origin. And there are serious pieces, too, like Lucasville: The Untold Story of a Prison Uprising, which focuses on the 1993 riots at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility and delves into the subject of the death penalty.

THE SCOUT: Personal Chefs Offer Corporate Catering�

]]>Yum Yum Chefs has recently branched out into the corporate events world, offering a range of catering services. The Brooklyn-based company can now accommodate sit-down dinners for as many as 200 people, deliver in-office lunches, and offer a full menu of organic cupcakes for gifts and events. The company’s five chefs, who have worked in a variety of New York restaurants, including Daniel, WD-50, and Casa Mono, specialize in local and seasonal fare, sourcing most of their ingredients from Sang Lee Farms on Long Island. In addition to catering, private group cooking classes are also available, starting at $85 per person.

MY FAVORITE VENDORS: BAM Sets the Stage With Fleurs Bella

]]>Glenn Stiskal joined the Brooklyn Academy of Music in February, and now oversees 40 to 50 events per year as its director of special events. Before BAM, Stiskal planned opening-night parties for New York City Center and Second Stage Theater.

Flowers: “Bella Meyer and her team at Fleurs Bella have a flair for drama and passion like no other in their decor and arrangements. It would be difficult to write the genius that is Bella. They are our exclusive florist and have worked on the Paul Simon spring gala, for which they crafted organic centerpieces tied into the African theme. Bella took inspiration from the dry deserts and lush jungles to make the individual tables reflect the continent. On another ocassion, she conjured up a prom for grownups, making corsages for 1,000 guests—and she only has a staff of 10. Bella is our most invaluable asset.”

Music: "DJ Idlemind creates the perfect atmospheric background music for our gala dinners. This year, he DJed the spring gala that celebrated Paul Simon's 'Under African Skies.' He played a compilation of music from 'The Rhythm of the Saints' and 'Graceland,' with some Latin and African influences. He found just the right mood and vibe—without spinning any Paul Simon. He also always manages to avoid crossing into pop territory."

TED KRUCKEL: At the Southampton Hospital's Golden Gala, All That Glittered Was Sometimes Plastic

]]>Well, the organizers of Southampton Hospital’s 50th annual Golden Gala on Saturday certainly had my sympathy as I arrived at their annual summer throwdown on Wickapogue Road. The weather had been indecisive all day, occasionally spitting out rain and blowing wind, then breaking for a humid burst of sunshine.

It’s not that I was worried about getting wet—this is a tent party to rival all tent parties, and the cocktail and dinner stretches each feel as large as a football field. Even the entry tent is huge, which facilitates an efficient check-in and a chance to gander at the raffle prizes. (Such a simple idea, why doesn’t everyone do this?)

But a bad day at the beach makes for grumpy partygoers. A brilliant sun encourages all the ladies to go for broke, baring skin to show more tan and jewelry, and making their husbands kind of matchy-matchy with sherbet blazers or embroidered pants. But when the wife goes for gray or black, you can be sure that the husband will too.

I could see this was the case well before arrival because the Southampton police always make a huge deal of organizing the traffic—cones, motorcycles, flaming flares, you name it. So it takes a while to go the last block or so. Some partiers take their chances and park blocks away so as not to get stuck waiting for their cars at the evening’s end. It’s a cruel joke on the ladies, I think, making them trudge the last half mile in chiffon and heels, but a very entertaining fashion show for those of us queuing.

Q & A: A Conference in the Hamptons Makes for Unexpected Obstacles and Benefits

]]>Earlier this summer, almost 100 mergers and acquisitions professionals made their way to Southampton for "Convergence: M&A Summit in the Hamptons." Behind the event were president of ImageQuest Communications Cindy Smith, and chief executive of the M&A forum Warren Strugatch. Together they had to entice attendees to the atypical location, scout a suitable venue, and work with local vendors unacustomed to business events—all while trying to lay a steady foundation for what they’d like to be an annual conference. We spoke to them about some of the biggest successes and pitfalls of moving a business conference out of the comfort of an urban environment.

What made you decide to hold the M&A Summit in the Hamptons?
Warren Strugatch: We had been working in the mergers and acquisitions field, and we saw a great need for something different when we went to conferences ourselves. They tended to be very boring and very predictable. We thought that there had to be something more interesting than this. Then we thought about how as soon as a conference was over, [attendees] would take off. It was just a matter of going through the motions. People want to hear more interesting speakers and gather someplace that’s more conducive to meeting people than a Midtown conference room.

We naturally thought of the Hamptons, and how there’s just a ton of dealmakers that live out there on the East End.

MY FAVORITE VENDORS: Cooper-Hewitt Depends on Bowman Dahl

]]>Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum as special events manager in December 2007. Roan previously spent two years at Gen Art as the event coordinator and art program manager. At the Cooper-Hewitt she organizes several large annual events, including the National Design Awards Gala.

Flowers: “Brian Bowman and Dan Dahl (previously of Gotham Gardens) are behind Bowman Dahl and are a severely creative duo. Regardless of the theme or atmosphere, I can depend on them to produce unusual arrangements, not generic square vases with banana leaves. The flowers are always fresh. If you call up and say, ‘I want this many white roses’ and a quick turnaround, they’ll do their utmost with what they have available that day; their off the cuff interpretations often wow me.”

Caterer: "Restaurant Associates has a super-professional staff and consistently covers all the bases at our biggest events. The director of catering, Ezra Nanes—who also works with the Guggenheim—makes every event chic, whether it’s casual or black tie. For our summer cocktail events, the skewered grilled shrimp with heirloom tomato gazpacho vinaigrette and braised beef short rib sandwiches with Korean BBQ sauce are delicious."

TED KRUCKEL: Watermill Benefit Has Become Rote, But the Installations Are Still Fun

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Over the years, the presentations, which once seemed so new and invigorating, have taken on a slight air of staleness. This is not to say that this year’s (or any year’s) performances lacked creativity and originality—actually the opposite is the case. One year there were little wood nymphs running around and whispering to each other. Another year there were “scarecrows,” which were actually just people with really long sleeves who seemed to beckon you upon arrival.

Instead, what seemed so clever about using the gardens and hidden walkways (all meticulously landscaped and bug free, FYI) now seems a tad rote. But still, the installations are fun, if not meaningful (to all).

This Saturday at the building’s main entrance, two girls wearing stilts and really long dresses giggled suggestively while pulling long yellow nylon cords attached to two shirtless (and shapeless) Asian males who danced slowly—not necessarily suggestively, but not wholesomely either. Perhaps the idea was about rich and poor, or sexual slavery or something. (The girls on stilts were colorfully dressed, while the males were half-naked.) But the movement between the puppeteers and puppets weren’t coordinated in any way, so the whole thing struck me as a tad silly. Still, the idea was clever, and myself and others stood and watched for a minute, trying to make sense of it while blocking the narrow entrance.

NEWS: Fashion Week Pics: Elie Tahari and La Perla Show Poolside, Interview Goes Surreal

]]>Getting Fashion Week off to an early start, a handful of designers presented spring 2009 collections last night, trotting out colorful prints at different settings across the city. Underwear company La Perla showed off its black label, swimwear, and ready-to-wear collections at the Empire Hotel's rooftop. Also poolside was Elie Tahari's presentation at the Four Seasons, where approximately 300 guests filled the Pool Room for a cocktail party-style presentation with drinks and nibbles. And in Hell's Kitchen, guests for the Trovata show entered through a school bus.

NEWS: Rachel Roy, Elie Tahari, and Interview Magazine Kick Off Fashion Week Tonight�

]]>The big white tents are already in place at Bryant Park, but before the fashion editors and buyers start cramming in for the official shows, Fashion Week kicks off tonight with a handful of presentations and parties.

In just a few hours Rachel Roy will be one of the first fashion shows to use the IAC Building, utilizing the lobby (and its 120-foot-long video wall) of the Frank Gehry-designed site in west Chelsea. Up in Hell's Kitchen, Trovata has some tricks up its sleeve that it's not revealing yet, but remember that this is a label that surprised guests last September with a peformance by Perry Farrell. And Elie Tahari will showcase designs at its first formal show, bringing models into the Pool Room of the Four Seasons. Perhaps the most offbeat of this evening's presentations will be from Yummie Tummie. We have confirmed that, as rumored, the underwear company will have pole dancers as part of its presentation at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Now for the parties. In addition to the official Mercedes-Benz event at Saks, which launches the Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper shoe collection, and the pre-party for Fashion Rocks at Mansion, tonight will see Interview magazine's relaunch at the Standard New York. Celebrating the September issue, the magazine is hosting the first event at the High Line-straddling, André Balazs-owned hotel, which is still under construction. Another big one tonight is the Mini Rooftop's first event—featuring popular band MGMT—at Skyline Studios, the newest space from the owner of Skylight.

NEWS: Saks, Daily Candy, and Mini Among Fashion Week Party Hosts

]]>Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is edging closer, and we've got more news on this season's slew of shows and promotions.

Among the kick-off parties slated for Thursday, September 4, is the official Mercedes-Benz gala at Saks Fifth Avenue, debuting the Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper collection. The event, hosted by Saks and Warner Brothers Consumer Products, is in anticipation of the 70th anniversary of the musical film starring Judy Garland and will unveil designs from Abaeté, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, and others, all inspired by Dorothy's famous red shoes. The items will be on display at the department store as well as inside the tents at Bryant Park, and will also travel to Miami Art Week in December.

Also on Thursday—the day before the tents officially open—are several presentations, including one for intimate apparel maker Yummie Tummie at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. According to The New York Post, event producer Kevin Krier is looking for exotic dancers for "a pole-dancing extravaganza." Over at Hudson Terrace, DailyCandy will celebrate the launch of its Fashion Week blog, the DailyCandy Dossier, and Elie Tahari will stage its first formal presentation in the Pool Room of the Four Seasons Restaurant.

NEWS: P&G's New Marketing Campaign Billed as Biggest for Tide Brand

Tonight at the Empire Hotel's rooftop, Procter & Gamble will debut the new Total Care laundry detergent and its fashion-focused marketing strategy, in what some are calling the biggest product launch for the Tide brand. According to the Associated Press, the Ohio-based corporation is introducing a $60 million campaign for Tide and fabric softener Downy, tying the products more closely to lifestyle and fashion.

The BMF Media-designed event includes Tim Gunn, June Ambrose, and Cristina Ehrlich among its list of guests. Gunn and influential stylists such as Jorge Ramon and Charla Krupp will appear in online videos (found at dresstothesevens.com), reaching out to a different demographic to promote Total Care and how it can help maintain the color and shape of garments. The marketing plan also centers around the product being a more budget-friendly alternative to dry cleaning.

NEWS: Prepping for Fashion Week: What's Scheduled for September

]]>Fashion Week may still be weeks away—the rag trade's biannual event starts September 5 and runs through to September 12—but save-the-dates are already coming in, as is news of who's doing what for the week.

Among the emails in our inbox was the release that a fairly new management tool will be utilized at several shows this season—the implementation of which will hopefully make for a much more efficient check-in process (that and Diane von Furstenberg's plea to designers to start their shows on time). Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, and Zac Posen are just a few of the designers to use Events GPS, a technology that uses bar codes, scanners, and color-coded virtual seating charts.

Perhaps the biggest to do of the season will be Calvin Klein Inc.'s 40th anniversary party, for which the company has hired architect John Pawson to design a three-story temporary structure in a parking lot in west Chelsea. According to DNR, guests will be able to walk onto an unfinished section of the High Line from the roof of this building. Calvin Klein is donating an unspecified sum to the Friends of the High Line.