| EVENT REPORT 02.15.06 1:22 PM |
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| Guests Encounter Paradise at DX Benefit |
| The annual fund-raiser combined heaven and the Garden of Eden in a night of dining and musical entertainment. |
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| For the annual Design Exchange fund-raiser supporting education programs for young designers, Gillian Hoff, DX's senior director of meeting and event services, started with the idea of transforming the museum (former home of the Toronto Stock Exchange) into a celestial setting. But as she worked with the Aragon Group to plan the event, her vision evolved. "I went from a focus on heaven to both the Garden of Eden and heaven," said Hoff, adding that she decided to decorate the main floor as an enchanted garden and the second floor as an afterlife paradise. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | | A raised lounge with white furnishings from Contemporary Furniture Rentals was one of the main elements at the Design Exchange's annual fund-raiser supporting education programs for young designers. |
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 | | Catered Affare served Asian noodles with wild ginger dressing in tall wineglasses with chopsticks sticking out. |
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 | | Eventscape formed partially enclosed lounge areas using white spandex as wall material. |
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 | | CCR Solutions jazzed up the event with a coffee table featuring four built-in TV screens. |
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Aragon teamed with design firm HOK Canada to make over the main floor. Decor included lush green topiaries and vignettes of exotic green plants and brightly coloured wild flowers. Models from Sutherland Models dressed as Adam and Eve strolled around casually, acting as though they lived there. Marigolds & Onions, one of six caterers, promoted its presence with a barely clad male model who passed "poisoned apples" to guests.
To bring the heavenly theme to life upstairs, Aragon collaborated with JAAC Corporate Events. They chose white as the dominant colour and created a raised lounge in the middle of the room with white faux-fur flooring and white furnishings from Contemporary Furniture Rentals. White urns with lush greenery and tall bamboo poles hung with silver disco balls further enhanced the look. Eventscape created two smaller, partially enclosed lounges with white furnishings and white spandex walls.
Besides Marigolds & Onions, the list of caterers included Presidential Gourmet, Catered Affare, Daniel et Daniel, En Ville, and 10tation. Each operated a food station on the second floor around the periphery of the space. At Hoff's request, signs, logos, and other promotional materials were kept to a minimum to reduce interference with the theme.
To start the evening's entertainment, Debra Byrd, vocal coach on American Idol and Canadian Idol, sang with the Toronto Mass Choir. The 700-plus guests in attendance were invited to join in as DX officials lit the former stock exchange trading floor—something they hadn't done publicly in more than 10 years. Afterward, the Real Divas, Shakura S'Aida, and several other groups performed. Then DJ Kush took over, playing dance music late into the night.
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