The Design Exchange (DX) chose steel as the theme of its annual black-and-white ball in recognition of the pivotal role the versatile metal plays in architecture and industrial design. The official name of the 2006 gala fund-raiser was Steel Blue, which referred to the bluish colour steel turns under the application of heat. "Steel Blue honors the magic moment when steel is the most malleable and achieves its unusual color," said DX president and CEO Samantha Sanella. The event, held on site at the museum, featured numerous industrial accents, like the exposed skeleton of an Audi car that hung from the ceiling; a woven metal facade from Steel Art Designs; and the students of event management at Seneca College the main-floor reception desk.As arriving guests passed the reception desk, staff greeted them with blue-hued Hpnotiq liquor cocktails in keeping with the blue colour motif. Blue lighting lit up a mock prison cell used to hold guests and a scaffold vignette that served as seating. Various pillars and wall areas also displayed industrial-patterned wallpaper and woven metal designs.
On the main floor, Louis Ghost stools surrounded cocktails tables distributed liberally throughout, while internally lit water-column cocktail tables from Solar Aquatics appeared sparingly with a strong visual effect. A stage occupied the far end of the room. The evening's musical entertainment included the groups Kush and God Made Me Funky and dance troupe Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque. In lieu of a live ceremony with remarks by the fund-raiser's organizers, pre-recorded comments played on TVs suspended from the ceiling by CCR Solutions. Caterers Presidential Gourmet and Daniel et Daniel served up food, the first offering jerk spiced chicken satay with mango salsa dip and grape and fig gorgonzola toast, the latter, emincee of grilled chicken with caramelized apples in calvado cream sauce atop celery root mash.
A separate room on the main floor featured burlesque-style decor and settees in a light metallic shade from Contemporary Furniture Rentals. Sequined silver pillows and bouffant green palm fronds from Earthwork provided additional accents. The room also contained a small stage and a large bar. En Ville Event Design and Catering passed hors d'oeuvres such as miniature sushi burgers and barbecued eel early in the evening, and later set up a dessert station.
Upstairs, two Audi display cars flanked a centrally located bar. Two more caterers operated food stations on this level. 10tation Event Catering served Blue Point oysters and tuna tataki on mini metal cocktail forks, while Marigolds & Onions offered fig and prosciutto with mascarpone cheese on crostini and wild mushroom with Asiago cheese. The only seating was a low couch with a water column in the centre and blue cushions from Solar Aquatics.
—Robyn Small
Posted 11.17.06
On the main floor, Louis Ghost stools surrounded cocktails tables distributed liberally throughout, while internally lit water-column cocktail tables from Solar Aquatics appeared sparingly with a strong visual effect. A stage occupied the far end of the room. The evening's musical entertainment included the groups Kush and God Made Me Funky and dance troupe Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque. In lieu of a live ceremony with remarks by the fund-raiser's organizers, pre-recorded comments played on TVs suspended from the ceiling by CCR Solutions. Caterers Presidential Gourmet and Daniel et Daniel served up food, the first offering jerk spiced chicken satay with mango salsa dip and grape and fig gorgonzola toast, the latter, emincee of grilled chicken with caramelized apples in calvado cream sauce atop celery root mash.
A separate room on the main floor featured burlesque-style decor and settees in a light metallic shade from Contemporary Furniture Rentals. Sequined silver pillows and bouffant green palm fronds from Earthwork provided additional accents. The room also contained a small stage and a large bar. En Ville Event Design and Catering passed hors d'oeuvres such as miniature sushi burgers and barbecued eel early in the evening, and later set up a dessert station.
Upstairs, two Audi display cars flanked a centrally located bar. Two more caterers operated food stations on this level. 10tation Event Catering served Blue Point oysters and tuna tataki on mini metal cocktail forks, while Marigolds & Onions offered fig and prosciutto with mascarpone cheese on crostini and wild mushroom with Asiago cheese. The only seating was a low couch with a water column in the centre and blue cushions from Solar Aquatics.
—Robyn Small
Posted 11.17.06
A skeletal structure of an Audi car hung from the ceiling at the Design Exchange during the museum's annual black-and-white fundraiser.
Lush greenery topped settees with sequined pillows from Contemporary Furniture Rentals, while red lighting created a burlesque feel.
Guests sat on a bench in a blue-lit scaffold vignette.
A perforated steel structure from Steel Art Design was one of many steel accent pieces.
Blue lighting gave the mock prison cell a sense of drama.
Chains and candles in clear glass vases decorated buffet stations.
Solar Aquatics provided water column cocktail tables lit from within.
Industrial-style vases contained delicate flowers from Earthwork.
Optiadmedia projected a moving image of molten lava high on a wall.
