Main Event Caterers' new grass-patterned linens are not your average picnic table coverings. The repeating print is taken from high-resolution photographs of grass—with varying shades of green and a three-dimensional look (which helps it blend in with the real thing at outdoor events). The all-cotton tablecloths can be requested in custom sizes, with rental prices starting at $50. —Danielle O'Steen

THE SCOUT

07.01.08 2:35 PM

Two Local Caterers Push Green Initiatives

The noodle bar from Ridgewells' new eco-friendly menu
Photo: Freed Imagery

Catering in D.C. just got a bit more green. Last week Ridgewells hosted a soft launch of its new eco-friendly menu, and yesterday Occasions Caterers begins its own plan towards a sustainable future.

"It just makes more sense to get tomatoes from your backyard than to ship them from Mexico," said Ridgewells C.E.O. Susan Lacz. "We're also putting money back into the local economy." The company will now offer organic (and when possible, local) foods for event menus. The new additions include fresh-pressed paninis with smoked duck and manchego cheese and Asian noodles in bamboo baskets accompanied by a full bar of fresh toppings. The next step for Ridgewells will be to reduce paper products and upgrade to a biodegradable cleaning process. READ MORE

Going Green

TREND SPOTTED

06.30.08 9:00 AM

Prom Themes Aren't Just for High Schools Anymore

BAM's prom-inspired kickoff for the Sundance series opening.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash

High school proms are big deals to teens, but grown-ups don't seem to tire of the many balloons, streamers, photo ops, and revelry, as this roundup of recent events shows. —Lisa Cericola

Brooklyn Academy of Music, Gen Art, Once Upon a Prom, Sundance Institute

THE SCOUT

06.26.08 11:00 AM

A Mod Tasting Plate

Tast's new double bowl
Photo: Courtesy of JB Prince

Barcelona-based servingware company Tast offers disposable high-design vessels that can jazz up catering trays or tasting stations. The line's latest addition is a sleek double bowl that comes in black or white matte plastic. Although the collection is designed to be tossed out, the bowls are sturdy enough to be washed and reused. New York-based culinary supplies company JB Prince sells the bowls in packs of 150 for $101.80, and will ship throughout the U.S. and Canada. —Lisa Cericola

ASK BIZBASH

06.23.08 9:30 AM

How Do You Keep Annual Events From Getting Stale?

Planners for Casey House's annual SnowBall keep things interesting with decor.
Photo: Gary Beechey for BizBash

“We hear from people during gala season who go to a lot of galas that a lot are boring and formulaic,” says Elaine Bowen, director of development for the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, which has hosted its annual Downtown Dinner in New York each May for the past four years. She and other planners of annual gatherings know that to ensure guests come back, each year has to be better than the last. So how do they keep their yearly rituals fresh?

Though the cultural council gala follows a typical formula—cocktail reception, dinner, and award ceremony—the event is anything but. Guests have come to expect the unexpected, like guerilla dancers infiltrating the crowd, an M.C. dressed as a clown, and a huge string art installation covering the dining room. “There are always spontaneous things happening,” says Bowen. Celebrity guests are also a draw—this spring, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was an honoree, as were playwright Edward Albee and artist Kiki Smith. READ MORE

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Human Rights Campaign, Casey House

FRESH FACE

06.18.08 10:30 AM

Chef Focuses on Local Foods for Catering and Classes

Chef Oliver Friendly at the Dupont Circle farmers market.
Photo: Hector Emanuel for BizBash

Sustainable Shopping: When it comes to Washington area farmers markets, chef Oliver Friendly is the expert on what’s fresh now, and what’s on its way. That’s because he supplies his catering company, Eat & Smile Foods, with whatever’s in season, whenever possible. “Farmers markets for me are like candy stores,” says Friendly, who launched his business in February.

Making Moves: Friendly followed a circuitous path to cooking. He pursued acting in New York and worked for John Kerry’s presidential campaign before enrolling in L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg in 2005. The school’s externship set him up at Peter Smith’s then-new Penn Quarter restaurant PS 7’s for a 14-month stint. But it was his next position, at Georgetown’s Hook, where he found his purpose. “From [Hook chef] Barton [Seaver], I realized how good food can be if you start with the freshest ingredients you can get and then let the food speak for itself,” he says. Friendly left the restaurant world and got into catering to control his menus and, more importantly, his time. “I wanted to be able to go to the farmers market that morning and get whatever was fresh. When you are the chef of [a] restaurant, you work 20-hour days for years. That is, at least for now, something I won't do,” Friendly says. READ MORE

THE SCOUT

06.18.08 10:00 AM

A Sky-High Way to Get Noticed

Flogos
Photo: Courtesy of Flogos

You can draw attention to an event or promotion with cloudlike creations from Flogos, a new division of Snowmasters. Helium-injected biodegradable soap foam forced through a stencil by a generator results in high-flying designs that float thousands of feet into the sky—roughly
one design every 15 seconds. Standard shapes (stars, triangles, circles) start at about $2,500 for eight hours. Custom designs are an additional $500. —Mark Mavrigian

THE SCOUT

06.17.08 4:28 PM

Eco-Friendly, Disposable Dishes Made From Leaves

VerTerra's nine-inch hexagon plates
Photo: Courtesy of VerTerra

VerTerra, a new eco-friendly servingware line, features dishes, plates, bowls, and cups made entirely from fallen leaves and water—no plastics or chemicals. The pieces have a wood-grain look and are oven-, refrigerator-, and microwave-friendly. They are sturdy enough to be hand washed and reused, but will naturally compost in under six weeks. Retail pricing (for packs of 100) ranges from $70 to $90, and wholesale pricing is available through the company. —Lisa Cericola

Going Green

THE SCOUT

06.16.08 11:00 AM

A Tabletop Guests Will Notice

Holo-Walls' new tabletops have colored liquids encased within the surface.
Photo: Courtesy of Holo-Walls L.L.C.

The holographic film manufacturers at Holo-Walls now make Liquid Fusion tabletops—liquid-filled circular tiles (similar to their dance-floor tile system), that fit on top of standard 30-inch round cocktail tables. As guests interact with the surfaces by touching them and applying pressure, free-forming, shifting patterns evolve as two colored liquids react with each other. There are five color combinations available: orange-purple, green-blue, blue-dark blue, and violet-lilac. Each tile measures 31.5 inches in diameter and is a quarter of an inch thick. The pieces are available worldwide; rental prices start at $90 per tile. —Mark Mavrigian

THE SCOUT

06.11.08 10:30 AM

Where to De-Stress a Group After a Meeting

The Face-Val-U class can be held at the Mandarin Oriental spa's pool.

Photo: Courtesy of the Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel now offers Face-Val-U classes from instructor Valeria Georgescu. The class goes through a variety of stress-relieving exercises that work to tighten and stretch the 57 muscles in the face, with Georgescu leading groups in a relaxing series of expressions. Open to men and women, Georgescu's class can use the spa's pool or in any of the hotel's meeting rooms. Rates range from one-on-one classes at $110, to a group session for five or more at $35 per person. And attendees take home a list of techniques for their own practice. —Danielle O'Steen

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