Harbor club ideas

Hand-painted salvaged wood menu designed by Mélangerie Inc.

At the Delegates Party during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, Best Impressions Caterers displayed shrimp cocktail and seared ahi tuna on stainless-steel shelves.

Oysters XO servers make their way through a crowd, shucking oysters on the spot.

In July at Travel & Leisure’s annual World’s Best Awards in New York, sponsor Patrón displayed a sleek wall that housed five tanks of Patrón-based cocktails from which guests could pour their own drinks.

Beauty brand Fresh’s 21st anniversary party in New York included an interactive mixology bar by Shiraz Events with a wall of drink tanks filled with purées and infused juices. Guests filled their cups from the dispensers, then brought them to bartenders who added Belvedere vodka.

Chicago-based Redmoon Theater’s annual benefit in March had a performer topping off guests’ glasses with the company’s “Wine Bike,” which features a spinning chandelier of wine glasses and a series of gears that pour bottles of wine.

The Los Angeles launch party for Zing vodka in July had a unique take on a shot bar: Gloved hands emerged from a rose-covered wall to offer guests glasses of the new spirit.

At Hendrick’s Gin’s “Voyages Into the Unusual” event in Chicago, a bar dubbed the Monster Box was manned by a server wearing a fuzzy “monster paw” who stood behind a curtain. When guests approached, the beastly hand poked through holding a drink—the particular concoction that each guest received was a surprise.

Leek cheesecake with arugula pesto, caramelized onions, and a sweet grape tomato served in a pesto cracker spoon, by Puff ’n Stuff Catering in Orlando

Fresh sardine with red and yellow pepper pearls, pickled garlic, Spanish olives, candy tomato, and saffron milk foam in a sardine tin, with an edible fish head and bone, from the Catered Affair in Boston (781.982.9333)

Savory whoopie pie with corn bacon and cheddar cheese, filled with smoked tomato panna cotta with watercress, wrapped with recycled parchment with label wrap and served with tempura asparagus and green beans, with a wasabi aioli in a paper cup, from Good Gracious! Events in Los Angeles (323.954.2277)

Medjool dates stuffed with marcona almonds and blue cheese wrapped in bacon, by M.B.C. Michelle Bernstein Catering in Miami

Smoked copper river salmon, beluga caviar and caramelized onion foam cones, by Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando

Shepherd’s pie served in jars, by Design Cuisine in Washington