More than 550 costumed characters and masked guests arrived at Rumsey Playfield for the Central Park Conservancy’s Halloween ball to discover that the usually colorful event had been transformed into a sinister black and white forest scene, inspired by Edward Gorey’s morbid illustrations. The conservancy’s event team, headed by Jill Pall, manager of special events, Laura Hall, event consultant, and Robyn Delman, special events coordinator, hired Grayson Bakula Design to interpret this year’s “enchanted forest” theme. “We chose the black and white palette to replicate Gorey’s pen-and-ink drawings,” firm partner Carolyn Bakula said. “And we knew that it would make an excellent backdrop for the guests’ colorful costumes.”Sonnier & Castle began dinner service with a dramatic flourish: When guests were seated, waiters poured hot butternut-squash and roasted-pear soup over bowls of diced squash and pears. After dining on zinfandel-braised short ribs paired with quince and champagne risotto and roasted asparagus, and black forest bombe with black cherry gelato, guests prepared for the costume contest. Judges Ross Bleckner, Phillip Bloch, and Patrick McMullan chose the winners—who took home Cartier-donated watches and pens—while everyone walked away with gift bags that included a Fishs Eddy tote, Bridgewater chocolates, and an Edward Gorey book.
—Sara Neuffer
Posted 11.01.06
Photos: Liza Young (centerpiece, hallway, tables and hooded figures)
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—Sara Neuffer
Posted 11.01.06
Photos: Liza Young (centerpiece, hallway, tables and hooded figures)
Related Stories
Central Park Party Has Dark Decor
Central Park Has Far-out Fete
Centerpieces That Made a Statement
Grayson Bakula Design's enchanted forest looked slightly more sinister with Bentley Meeker's barren branch projections.
Grayson Bakula's menacing hooded figures-created from moldable cloth-hovered over the dinner guests.
The Gorey-inspired floral centerpieces consisted of intersected pieces of laser-cut Plexiglas, which offered four distinct views from different sides of the table.
Studio 4B photographed costumed guests during the cocktail hour for entry into the costume contest.
Sonnier & Castle's waiters poured hot butternut-squash and roasted-pear soup over bowls of diced squash and pears.
Sonnier & Castle passed hors d'oeuvres on black and white trays garnished with spiky-topped succulent plants during the cocktail hour, such as curried chicken with toasted coconut and currants wrapped with bibb lettuce bundles and tied with a chive.
Grayson Bakula Design's gargoyle-like topiaries-silk flowers and spiky garland-moved slightly in the air.
Guests walked through a hallway with glowing orange eye projections to enter the dinner tent.
Izquierdo Studio fabricated costumes for the carnivorous critters that posed on low platforms in the cocktail tent.
