4. Los Angeles Philharmonic Opening-Night Gala
#4 Benefit
The gala opens the season at Walt Disney Concert Hall. This year, the Los Angeles Philharmonic will celebrate John Williams, with sponsorship from Rolex. Gustavo Dudamel is the conductor, and Itzhak Perlman will be on violin. Next: September 30, 2014
Photo: Mathew Imaging
The event's footprint grew from a 28,000-square-foot hotel ballroom in 2013 to the 43,000-square-foot space at the convention center.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Amaryllis used 20- by 12-foot pallet wood sections to create the center structures for the food pavilions. On the larger stations, chalkboards covered the wood with images affiliated with the station's sponsor.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
The chalkboard drawings also included the menu of items served at each station.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Onomonomedia and Amaryllis worked together to create a photo opportunity outside the ballroom using a custom chalkboard drawings of Washington landmarks, echoing the decor used inside for the food pavilions.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
A draft-only bar on the upper level of the ballroom overlooking the main event floor served Heineken and Newcastle beers.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
A pavilion sponsored by the Citi Open tennis tournament focused on sports-event staples such as hot dogs, pretzel sticks with dipping sauces, and buffalo wings paired with Asian slaw, pasta salad, or potato salad.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Amaryllis also set up a lounge area for Citi Open and its guests with black leather chairs and a glass coffee table encasing tennis balls and paraphernalia.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Nearly 200 tables covered the floor around the food stations for event sponsors.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
At food stations sponsored by Chile, dishes included ceviche and marinated shrimp with avocado pebre. Coordinating with the food, the chalkboard centerpiece depicted scenes of the country's harbors and fishing boats.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
One of the most popular dishes at the Chilean station: grilled salmon over a rustic quinoa salad.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Chile served a traditional dessert made with Chilean olive oil and yogurt mousse topped with a berry compote.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Australia served Pavlovas—white meringue topped with berries—for dessert, a dish named for 1920s Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova after one of her ballet tours in the region.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Events DC sponsored a food pavilion and a champagne ice bar, while Amaryllis provided a lounge with circular white couches.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Rather than serving wine, as many countries did, the Peru pavilion served a cocktail made with the Macchu Pisco spirit, passion fruit, Earl Grey tea, and apple bitters.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
Nearly 1,900 people attended the award show and dinner, after which they hit the dance floor to the sounds of the band Onyx and late-night DJ Neekola.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
