Wednesday was just as quiet a night as any at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, except for the Temple of Dendur, where nearly 400 guests gathered to mark the launch of Rupert Murdoch’s latest cable offering, Fox Business Network. Guests such as Bo Derek, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Bob and Harvey Weinstein took in cocktails, a light meal, and a performance by Counting Crows under the massive structure’s humbling shadow (or perhaps it would have been humbling, if not for all the big egos in the room).
Fox News chairman and C.E.O. Roger Ailes joked that the location was chosen because Emperor Augustus of Rome was “sort of the Rupert Murdoch of his day.”Laurie Luhn, senior director of corporate and special events at Fox News, said the decision was more serendipitous. “We started looking at venues in about March,” she said. “I went to look at the Met and first thought of the sculpture court. When we went through the temple, though, it just felt right. I could see how we could work the party.” The Met’s calendar fills up quickly for October, so she reserved the space immediately.
As for the decor, it all started with one color. “We talked about amethyst first, and just went from there,” she said of the purple, blue, and gold that colored the fabrics, tables, and lighting.
Guests were ushered through the museum’s Great Hall, down a red carpet, and through the lengthy catacombs of the Egyptian galleries before they reached the Temple room. Across the still pool, topiary letters spelling out “Fox Business” were sculpted into a hedge that spanned half the width of the room. Entrances to the party space were on either side of the hedge, and each was sandwiched between a bar and a buffet, making the evening’s fare easily accessible.
In addition to passed hors d'oeuvres, the light meal included a masa-cake assembly line, with toppings like cheese, salsa, chicken, or pork, and a selection of Pan-Asian dishes such as Peking duck rolled in pancakes, pork dumplings, and coconut shrimp that guests ate from miniature takeout cartons.
The temple itself was off-limits to attendees, but a string quartet played behind its giant gate until Counting Crows took the stage. When Luhn needed to book a band for the event, she was surprised that one of her top choices needed little convincing. “They really just liked the idea of playing the Met.”
Fox News chairman and C.E.O. Roger Ailes joked that the location was chosen because Emperor Augustus of Rome was “sort of the Rupert Murdoch of his day.”Laurie Luhn, senior director of corporate and special events at Fox News, said the decision was more serendipitous. “We started looking at venues in about March,” she said. “I went to look at the Met and first thought of the sculpture court. When we went through the temple, though, it just felt right. I could see how we could work the party.” The Met’s calendar fills up quickly for October, so she reserved the space immediately.
As for the decor, it all started with one color. “We talked about amethyst first, and just went from there,” she said of the purple, blue, and gold that colored the fabrics, tables, and lighting.
Guests were ushered through the museum’s Great Hall, down a red carpet, and through the lengthy catacombs of the Egyptian galleries before they reached the Temple room. Across the still pool, topiary letters spelling out “Fox Business” were sculpted into a hedge that spanned half the width of the room. Entrances to the party space were on either side of the hedge, and each was sandwiched between a bar and a buffet, making the evening’s fare easily accessible.
In addition to passed hors d'oeuvres, the light meal included a masa-cake assembly line, with toppings like cheese, salsa, chicken, or pork, and a selection of Pan-Asian dishes such as Peking duck rolled in pancakes, pork dumplings, and coconut shrimp that guests ate from miniature takeout cartons.
The temple itself was off-limits to attendees, but a string quartet played behind its giant gate until Counting Crows took the stage. When Luhn needed to book a band for the event, she was surprised that one of her top choices needed little convincing. “They really just liked the idea of playing the Met.”
A topiary stood at the entrance to the party.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash
A large topiary across the still pool spelled out "Fox Business."
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash
Before the Counting Crows took the stage, a string quartet played in front of the museum's famed temple.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash
Catering by Restaurant Associates provided a spread of light, Pan-Asian fare.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash
The colors of the fabrics used in the seating and table covers matched the purple, blue, and gold lighting.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash
Hedges decorated the seating areas.
Photo: Marina Fragoso Senra for BizBash
