February 27, 2017: Oscars End in Awkward Chaos, Trump Won't Attend Correspondents' Dinner, Waldorf Astoria Closure Marks End of an Era

1. OSCARS END IN AWKWARD CHAOS: The 89th annual Oscars on Sunday was chock-full of memorable moments, including politically charged speeches and the ongoing feud between host Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon. But the most talked-about moment was the end of the ceremony, when the award for Best Picture was mistakenly handed out to La La Land instead of Moonlight. Los Angeles Times: "The last few major awards shows, after all, were not only about handing out trophies but a chance for honorees and presenters to voice their white-hot anger toward President Trump’s executive travel ban, Mexican wall and a divisive America they no longer recognized. Sunday, however, the academy appeared to take a step back, and counterbalance the political tension of the past few months by refocusing on what Hollywood does best — entertain. Some of the levity was delivered via intentional stunts, such as candy and snacks dropping out of the ceiling attached to parachutes, while other moments — presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway naming 'La La Land' the winner for best picture when it was in fact 'Moonlight' — was not. In one of the top moments of the evening before the show’s surprise ending, host Jimmy Kimmel ushered a group of stunned tourists who’d just disembarked from a Starline bus on Hollywood Boulevard into the Dolby Theatre mid-ceremony. Dressed in cargo shorts, baseball hats and carrying selfie sticks, they were introduced to gown- and tux-clad luminaries such as Nicole Kidman, Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep. There were plenty more comments about America post Nov. 8, but the tone was less charged than that at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes last month, when honorees such as Streep angrily ripped into Trump and his policies." http://lat.ms/2mBGEkC

2. TRUMP WON'T ATTEND CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER: President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he will not be attending the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in April. Washington Post: "On Sunday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders acknowledged on ABC’s 'This Week' that there had been tensions between the president and the media. 'I think it’s … kind of naive of us to think that we can all walk into a room for a couple of hours and pretend that some of that tension isn’t there,' Sanders told 'This Week' host George Stephanopoulos. Trump would skip the dinner to instead 'spend the night focused on what he can do to help better America,' Sanders said. Shortly after Trump’s tweet on Saturday, the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, which sponsors the annual event, said in an email that the dinner would take place even without Trump’s attendance. The dinner 'has been and will continue to be a celebration of the First Amendment and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic,' said Jeff Mason, WHCA president. 'We look forward to shining a spotlight at the dinner on some of the best political journalism of the past year and recognizing the promising students who represent the next generation of our profession.' Since Trump’s inauguration, calls to boycott the annual event have grown louder amid his increasingly fraught relationship with the press." http://wapo.st/2mvnkWY

3. WALDORF ASTORIA CLOSURE MARKS END OF AN ERA: The famed Waldorf Astoria in New York closes for a complete transformation on Wednesday, marking the end of an era for an iconic luxury hotel. The New York Times: "For New Yorkers, the shutdown will mean one less icon on the landscape for a while — and that the galas that have filled the Waldorf’s ballroom night after night will have to find new homes. The closing is scheduled for Wednesday. Checkout time is noon. The Waldorf will be reconstituted as a smaller hotel with more apartments; the Waldorf Towers, reached through an entrance separate from the hotel’s, has been a suites-only address with longtime residents since the Waldorf opened in 1931. The new apartments are expected to be condominiums. How many there will be has not been announced. Neither have the prices. The plans are not yet final, but a spokesman for the hotel’s owner said the Art Deco public areas would be restored. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is scheduled to decide whether to designate a long list of Waldorfiana as interior landmarks, from the grand ballroom to the 'wheel of life' mosaic above the Park Avenue entrance, which was made with 148,000 marble tiles. 'You can see the décor is in need of refurbishing,' Mr. Gibson, the Scottish bakery manager, said. 'Some of the rooms are a tad shabby. Nothing you’d complain about. But financially, we’re going home a lot lighter.' The Waldorf has long had a reputation for elegance and élan, a reputation that began when it opened in 1931 as the largest, tallest and most expensive hotel ever built, with 2,200 rooms, 47 stories and construction costs that were estimated at more than $40 million. The hotel’s website listed single rooms for two adults for Friday night for $210 to $829." http://nyti.ms/2l3wBIL

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  Art Alliance Austin's annual Art City Austin will take place March 31-April 2 at Palmer Events Center. The fine arts festival will showcase more than 200 national artists, hands-on art activities, and live music on two stages.
 

LOS ANGELES:  The Nintendo Switch Experience Tour had its kick-off event hosted by John Cena on February 23 at the Desert at Blue Cloud Movie Ranch in Santa Clarita. The tour, celebrating the new video game system that launches Friday, brings an interactive living room space to unexpected locations.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Kimpton Epic Hotel has appointed Stacy Rosario as director of social catering.

NEW YORK:  Westchester Magazine's seventh annual Wine & Food Festival will take place June 6-11 at various venues in Westchester County. Along with festival staples including the Grand Tasting Village and the Burger & Beer Blast, new events taking place this year include Salute, A Wine Tasting Tour of Italy at the Westchester Italian Cultural Center and Taste & Style at Savor Westchester.

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

TORONTO:  Celebrate Toronto will take place March 5-6 at Nathan Phillips Square. Celebrating the city's 183rd anniversary, the event will feature live performances, food trucks, local vendors, and a photography competition.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Washington Marriott Georgetown has completed its $28 million renovation, which includes updates to its 18 existing meeting rooms and three new rooms including the 4,800-square-foot Metropolitan Ballroom.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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