The 22nd annual Knock Out Abuse Gala took place November 5 at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. Inspired by Tusan dining, event designer André Wells used family-style dining tables with rustic wooden chairs for the dinner. Garlands of eucalyptus, lemon leaves, and fresh greens ran the length of the tables with oversize lanterns providing intimate lighting.
Taking inspiration from a French garden, New York-based Tyger Productions transformed the Four Seasons' ballroom for the event, which was held May 20 in Boston, with saturated fuchsia lighting, bright pink napkins, and custom-printed gold foil programs. Manicured boxwood topiary centerpieces adorned with hand-crafted feather butterflies proved to be the guests’ favorite decor item of the night.
This year, the Lyric Opera celebrated its newest production with a pre-performance dinner in the theater, as well as an onstage after-party with the cast on May 7. The table decor reflected the Asian setting of the musical with details like gold elephant accents.
The annual black-tie event was held at Morgan Manufacturing in Chicago’s Fulton Market district on April 16. The James Bond-theme night featured Bond girls, casino-style games, and a sit-down dinner with clever dishes like the Lady Luck Salad with “dice”—watermelon cubed, fontina wrapped in salmon, and cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto.
LT Steak & Seafood, an American restaurant located inside the Betsy South Beach, opened in June as a replacement for the hotel's BLT Steak restaurant. The 1,998 square-foot eatery, which has more sophisticated decor than its predecessor, is overseen by former BLT Steak chef Laurent Tourondel, and seats 120 guests. A private dining room seats as many 40 people. The restaurant is available for buyouts.
