Free Virtual Event: From Budget to Brilliance.

Join us on Dec. 7 for a virtual event that will explore the perfect balance between creativity and financial feasibility.

VENUE: Japan Meets Brazil at Vela

April 7, 2004

E3622disc 04 0407 Vela 1 152

A Japanese menu with Brazilian touches await diners at Vela, a pretty, 100-seat restaurant in the Flatiron District. The entryway has a dramatic waterfall and walls sprayed with 18-carat gold paint. The dining room has dark woods and gimmicky tables with hydraulic systems that can raise the table height from 22 inches to 30 inches. Decorative steel screens with Brazilian-inspired diamond patterns section off portions of the dining room from the bar and the semiprivate lounge area. Vela is scheduled to open Monday. —Mark Mavrigian
Posted 04.07.04
More new venues...

Bb40u40 2024 Noms Open 880x496 Article Image

Call for Nominations: BizBash's 2024 40 Under 40

Conferences That Captivate Pixis 880x496 Article Image

Conferences That Captivate: 10 Most Cutting-Edge Meetings of 2023

The week culminated in performances from the likes of Shania Twain, Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, and Pitbull.

Conferences That Captivate: Walmart Associates Week 2023

Conferences That Captivate: The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything Festival

Brands & Event Pros

Call for Nominations: BizBash's 2024 40 Under 40

BizBash is highlighting the impressive industry leaders who have made an early mark on the meeting and event industry—before celebrating their 40th birthday.

Bb40u40 2024 Noms Open 880x496 Article Image

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: 10 Most Cutting-Edge Meetings of 2023

Formerly known as our "Most Innovative Meetings" feature, this list of meetings, conferences, trade shows, and more proves that business doesn't have to be boring.

Conferences That Captivate Pixis 880x496 Article Image

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: Walmart Associates Week 2023

The 15,000-attendee celebration mixed key messaging with moments of team unity and headline-grabbing entertainment—including a surprise message from Tom Cruise.

The week culminated in performances from the likes of Shania Twain, Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, and Pitbull.

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything Festival

Fun fact: The stage backdrop from the festival now provides shade at a community garden in Brooklyn. Here’s how else the team leaned into upcycling and sustainability-focused volunteerism at the annual event.

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: SWAN Pacific Bitcoin Conference

The inaugural event adopted a festival-like atmosphere, with two stages catering to diverse audience preferences and learning styles.

'The real star of the event was the VIP area,' said JJLA's Jared Sampson. 'It granted prime access to main stage viewing and the comfort of lounge seating and charging areas, and provided convenience from dedicated bars and restrooms.'

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: Psychedelic Science 2023

The largest psychedelic conference in history featured important conversations on the power and promise of psychedelics—along with some surreal art exhibits and tech-forward sponsor activations.

A gold Burning Man dragon installation was a focal point in the roomy 'Deep Space' exhibition. Speakers, performers, and artists utilized the surrounding space for engaging conversations.

24 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Expedia, TikTok, Peacock, and More

Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix: Behind the Scenes of the Race's Biggest Events

This Year's Billboard Music Awards Had a New Format. Is This the Future of Award Shows?

This Event's Eye-Catching Decor Celebrated the "Wonder and Magic" of Its Desert Setting

Call for Nominations: BizBash's 2024 40 Under 40

Conferences That Captivate: Psychedelic Science 2023

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: NAMICon 2023

The National Alliance on Mental Illness' annual convention featured thoughtful, inclusive programming and unique experiential touches.

New this year, the show floor featured therapy horses from Acres for Life to show attendees how animals can help with mental health.

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: ManpowerGroup's Circle of Stars 'The Art of Success'

The annual business event celebrated success and reinforced company values through an over-the-top experience featuring a custom drone show, a "Summit of Success" on an actual pyramid, and more.

ManpowerGroup's annual Circle of Stars business event was designed and produced by Events of a Lifetime Productions.

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: IDEOlogy Health's 2023 Texas Lung Cancer Conference

The inaugural conference flipped the stale continuing medical education format with a unique venue, music-infused programming, and a boxing-style debate between two physicians. (Yes, you read that right.)

Inspired by the conference's music venue setting, the team collaborated with Musicians on Call—a local nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to patients' bedsides—for daily opening live music performances. 'Whether through live performances or in videos, the carefully curated music played a pivotal role in striking the right balance of excitement and storytelling,' said Wilson Dow Group's Nikki Padavano. 'Music brought an emotional depth and energy to the space.'

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: Horizon 2023 National Sales Meeting

An immersive stage design and emphasis on storytelling kept employees focused and inspired during a time of change.

The 1,200-attendee meeting's panoramic main stage was created with 980 LED panels spanning five screens, complemented by 225 tailor-made kinetic LED lights that shifted and synchronized with the content. 'By incorporating the overhead kinetic LED lights, we extended the stage above the audience and enhanced the sensory experience of the content by bringing it closer—as close as four feet above attendees' heads,' said Wilson Dow Group's Gino Pennacchio.

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: Google Cloud Accelerate23

Google Cloud's largest-ever metaverse-based experience engaged its 17,600 attendees with gamification elements, a unique tour guide, and more.

A professional actor served as an event guide throughout the space. 'We scripted a character that is friendly and helpful but also funny and a little irreverent,' said Opus Agency's Jason Curtis. 'We worked with a casting agent, and after 85 auditions and two callbacks, we found Brittney. Smart, hilarious, and friendly, she creates a connection with the audience that feels genuinely playful and aligned with Google's culture.'

Meetings & Conferences

Conferences That Captivate: C2 Montréal 2023

Whether they were unexpectedly crashing a "wedding" or helping program an AI-generated prime minister, guests at 2023's C2MTL business conference quickly learned to expect the unexpected.

Blending theatrical performances with unique brainstorming sessions has long been a cornerstone of C2MTL, which was born from a partnership with Cirque du Soleil.

Page 1 of 155