Just one week after the first day of spring, the fourth annual PROM event at the Royal Ontario Museum attempted to bring some Miami heat straight from South Beach. Called "PROM IV: Ocean Drive" and hosted by the museum's Young Patron's Circle, the benefit transformed the museum’s Samuel Hall Currelly Gallery and the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal to look like the famous Delano Hotel and flew in two DJs who play South Beach clubs—DJ Mateo and Canada's own DJ JoJo Flores—to spin tunes throughout the night.
“It was like a stay-cation,” said Candice Best of Best PR Boutique, who co-chaired the event with Jennifer Bassett. “Guests experienced all of the heat and energy of what happens in the Delano Hotel on a Saturday night—but at the ROM.” Organizers drew inspiration from the museum’s new Schad Gallery of Biodiversity, which will house a live coral reef and opens May 12.
Green drapery surrounded four cabanas sponsored by Puma and Revolution Fitness. The loungey spaces were dressed with white couches, white and gold Kartell Bourgie table lamps, mirror-top cocktail tables from Contemporary Furniture Rentals, and lush greenery from Emblem florists. Upside down umbrellas filled with Puma sunhats and baseball caps sat at the entrance to the cabanas. A diamond pendant necklace, donated by DeBeers Canada and worth $15,000, was displayed in a glass case and featured in one of the cabanas prior to a midnight raffle.
As guests arrived at the museum and sipped on martinis and mojitos, IDRUM performed in the rotunda. Later, the 200 dinner guests entered Canada Court for a meal prepared by chef Mark McEwan (One, Bymark, North 44). Transparent lamps designed by Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell and purple orchids in rectangular glass vases topped rectangular white tables in the dining area.
McEwan prepared dinner as a television crew filmed an episode of the Food Network Canada show The Heat. The South Beach-inspired menu started with tuna tartare with wasabi crème fraîche, sweet and sour soup, and cold chicken and mango curry rolls. For the main course McEwan served braised beef short ribs with Texas Hong Kong glaze, baby bok choy, and King oyster mushrooms. Guests dined on a dessert of Satsuma chocolate pot de crème with fresh tangerine.
An additional 600 guests attended the after-party. Event sponsors included Grey Goose, DeBeers Canada, Puma, Revolution Fitness, Crossworks Manufacturing, Evoke Solutions, Eye Weekly, Flare, Gee Beauty, Icon, and The Globe and Mail.
