Although Curb Your Enthusiasm writer, producer, and star Larry David is known more for his on-screen outbursts than his subtlety, the party following the season premiere of his HBO series was marked by just that. First, David introduced the screening of three episodes (one abridged and two in full) in the theater on the Paramount lot. After roaring with laughter, guests moved to the adjacent courtyard for a party dominated by a white palette with splashes of orange and green.
HBO's vice president of awards, events, and trade advertising, Lauren McMahon, tapped Poko Event Productions for the production and design of the party, which included white fringed chandeliers above white seating groups, and orange balls of various sizes floating in the courtyard's central fountain. A peek of orange fabric shone through pleats at the corners of white-clothed tables, and a san-serif Curb Your Enthusiasm logo hung above the DJ booth where DJ Pesce spun.
Poko's Inna Poncher described the look as "modern yet not too edgy, sophisticated and elegant," meant to "create a comfortable environment for the guests to mix and mingle."
Wolfgang Puck provided the dinner buffets, which quickly attracted lines after hungry guests emerged from the theater after 9 p.m. The menu included a salad of late summer greens with Chino Farms strawberries, goat cheese, and sweet shallot white balsamic vinaigrette; roasted halibut with heirloom tomato vinaigrette and shaved fennel salad; and grilled skirt steak with Argentine chimichurri sauce.
Dessert buffets included mini peach crisps with vanilla bean ice cream; mini cupcakes in coconut, tangerine, and mocha; raspberry sugar-dusted warm donuts filled with vanilla bean custard; warm Valhrona chocolate cakes with whipped cream; mini lemon tarts; and frozen chocolate Ovaltine bars.
Paramount Special Events worked with the team on logistics and facility support.
