| EVENT REPORT 10.07.08 4:26 PM |
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| Party Like a Rock Star |
| For the annual YouthAIDS gala, planners evoked a punk rock theme with a trashed hotel room, a fake tattoo station, and a tour bus parked in front of the Ritz-Carlton. |
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The Ritz-Carlton doesn’t generally encourage trashing its rooms, but Simon Cooper, president and chief operating officer of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, made an exception for the YouthAIDS gala after-party Friday night. To go along with this year’s “The Power of Music” rock 'n' roll theme, YouthAIDS deputy director Marshall Stowell recreated a rock band’s trashed hotel suite in the Tysons Corner hotel’s Old Dominion room, tossing lingerie on the light fixtures, tilting picture frames, and artfully arranging broken lamps, pizza boxes, and empty Jim Beam bottles on tabletops.
“I have to say, hats off to Simon Cooper,” said Stowell, noting that Cooper co-chaired the gala with BET co-founder Sheila Johnson. “He was fully onboard with the theme of the after-party. He allowed us to take that liberty with the Ritz-Carlton, which is such a lovely hotel. They were terrific sports about it.” |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | A mix of square and rectangular tables topped with flickering votives and Lucite cases displayed a variety of flowers as well as spray paint cans.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | Tables draped in black linens featured a graffiti-inspired menu, a glow stick at each place setting, and Aldo cuff bracelets, which were sold to help fund YouthAIDS.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | During the after-party, a fake punk band posed on a rumpled bed to evoke a wild night in a hotel. A model dressed as a maid pretended to vacuum up the mess.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | During the silent auction, a corner of the room offered cult video game Rock Band.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | A Gibson tour bus parked in the hotel's valet circle introduced the gala's rock 'n' roll theme. Models dressed as a punk band greeted guests outside the bus.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | To kick off the evening's presentation, the Urban Nation H.I.P.-H.O.P. Choir of Washington, D.C., performed "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by the Eurythmics in front of a backdrop by graffiti artist Claw Money.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | Colorful roses, mums, and orchids echoed the colors in the graffiti panels hung on the wall.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | Planners worked the evening's hip-hop and graffiti-inspired look into the table decor by placing spray paint cans in Lucite cases along with the floral displays.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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 | During the V.I.P. reception, a model showed off Cartier jewelry available during the live auction and posed with Cartier bell hops.
Photo: Jonah Koch for BizBash |
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The after-party was just one facet of the elaborate annual gala, which ranked as one of the top benefits in our roundup of Washington’s Top 100 Events. The evening honors political leaders, health professionals, musicians, and celebrities who have contributed to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The three-part benefit, which includes a V.I.P. pre-party, the gala, and an after-party, is known for drawing notables, and this year was no different. YouthAIDS global ambassador Ashley Judd, Sharon Osbourne, Bob Geldof, and Anna Kournikova all attended; Annie Lennox had to cancel due to a back injury.
The evening revolved around the hard-partying theme, evident in everything from the Gibson tour bus parked outside the hotel (complete with a fake punk band to greet the more than 550 partygoers) to the glow sticks added at each place setting in the ballroom. A fake tattoo station offered butterflies, hearts, or skulls and crossbones. Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza even got in on the act.
Stowell continued the punk look in the Ritz-Carlton’s ballroom, which had an industrial look with exposed light bulbs, patent leather tablecloths, and sleek black plastic chairs. The room decor also included 12 graffiti panels created by children at D.C.’s Words, Beats & Life nonprofit with the help of graffiti artist Claw Money, who contributed a 20- by 40-foot work placed behind the stage. The 49 tables in the ballroom featured roses, orchids, and spray paint cans displayed in Lucite cubes, some up to five-feet tall.
The night’s musical performances included a set by John Mellencamp and songs from students in the Urban Nation H.I.P.-H.O.P. Choir. And, although the event’s guest list was smaller than last year’s 650 guests, the gala still raised $1.2 million to help protect young people from HIV/AIDS, with Osbourne and Judd pitching in to win items from the live auction: Cartier jewelry and a golf trip, respectively.
—Adele Chapin
RELATED TOPICS
YouthAIDS, Ashley Judd, Sharon Osbourne, Bob Geldof, Anna Kournikova, Annie Lennox, Johnson & Johnson, Aldo, Kiehl's, American Beauty, John Mellencamp, Cartier
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