When the American Heart Association gave its “Passion of the Heart” award to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center cardiologist Asher Kimchi, the organization’s corporate events director, Dora Gil, knew she would be entertaining some prominent people from the entertainment industry, including honorary chairs Cindy and Alan Horn, president and C.O.O. of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and Dr. Cheryl and Haim Saban, an entertainment mogul. That presented a special challenge. “I wanted it to be different because of the top executives in the room,” Gil said. “They’ve been to every rubber chicken dinner. I wanted them to walk away and say, ‘Wow.’” Western Direct managed the event.For many events in the Regent Beverly Wilshire’s ballroom, party hosts put posies on the tables and call it a day. Gil decided to make an inexpensive splash by painting the ceiling with red and yellow light. She also chose unusual centerpieces: domes of ice with floating hearts inside uplit with LED lighting. White mums, ivy, and dark-chocolate hearts surrounded the ice domes.
Given the crowd Gil offered heart-healthy snack options during cocktail hour. Guests grazed on a buffet of crudités, vegetable pot stickers, and cheese platters while waiters passed herb-crusted California goat cheese on olive bread and crab cakes, forgoing high-cholesterol shrimp. After dinner guests closed out the evening dancing to standards played by Steve Tyrell and Orchestra.
—Irene Lacher
Photos: Thomas Brown
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Given the crowd Gil offered heart-healthy snack options during cocktail hour. Guests grazed on a buffet of crudités, vegetable pot stickers, and cheese platters while waiters passed herb-crusted California goat cheese on olive bread and crab cakes, forgoing high-cholesterol shrimp. After dinner guests closed out the evening dancing to standards played by Steve Tyrell and Orchestra.
—Irene Lacher
Photos: Thomas Brown
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Benefit Has Stand-Up Comedy, Sit-Down Dinner
Rosy Hospital Benefit Raffles Car at Auto Museum
The American Heart Association transformed the Regent Beverly Wilshire’s ballroom for the Heart awards gala.
Centerpieces were domes ice with floating hearts inside that were uplit with LED lighting; white mums, ivy, and dark-chocolate hearts surrounded the ice domes.
After dinner Steve Tyrell and Orchestra performed for guests.
