Events 2013

Located in a two-story craftsman bungalow built in 1922, Winflo Osteria is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria serving fare made in a 92-inch Forno Bravo wood-fired brick oven. The 3,700-square-foot space opened in January in the Clarksville neighborhood and took care to preserve the home's original architectural features such as a fireplace, bookcases and cabinetry, and exposed wood walls. The second-floor dining room seats 50 and has a padded banquette that wraps around two walls. Timed with this spring's South by Southwest festival, the restaurant opened a downstairs "listening room," a 50-seat space that has a wooden stage and can be used for private events. An outdoor wooden deck—underneath a lighted live oak tree—seats 40.

CYC, an indoor cycling studio, opened in November and is available as an event venue in addition to teambuilding spinning sessions and custom private rides. The 920-square-foot soundproof studio has a 27-square-foot stage and can accommodate 300 guests. Audiovisual equipment includes two large TV projections, a sound system, and a projector. The space was designed by Glen Coben, who has designed Niketown stores across the United States.

Qui, a new restaurant from Top Chef and James Beard award winner Paul Qui, is opening this spring. The space will include 55 seats and a 10-seat tasting room. Qui said the concept combines an homage to his past—classic culinary training and Japanese cuisine—as well as inspiration from his worldwide travels.

Sway, a family-style Thai restaurant, opened in December with an emphasis on shared plates served at communal tables. The restaurant is available for buyout and has an inside seated capacity of 92 guests, including counter and bar seats, or 122 including the patio. Receptions can accommodate as many as 125 guests inside or 150 with the patio.

Opening in May, Searsucker is the third outpost of the concept from Top Chef finalist Brian Malarkey. The restaurant, which also has locations in San Diego and Scottsdale, Arizona (pictured), is in Austin's warehouse district and will serve New American classic cuisine with cocktails, craft beer, and wine. The 7,000-square-foot space will seat 293. The entire restaurant will be available for buyouts, and a semiprivate space will seat 12 to 14 people.

The farm-to-table Mexican restaurant El Monumento opened late last year in Georgetown, just north of Austin. The 7,700-square-foot restaurant features plants native to rural South Texas and Mexico and has four dining areas.

The American craft beer bar Chicago House opened in late January in a historic building in downtown Austin. The two-story venue covers 2,500 square feet and can host groups of as many as 300 people. Smaller groups can use the upstairs space. The bar offers 20 rotating taps and two cask ales, along with a full bar. Catering is available, and the bar has audiovisual capabilities.

The Italian restaurant Cherry Street opened late last year in midtown and serves house-made antipasti, pizzas, and pastas, along with Italian-influenced classic cocktails. With 60 seats, the spot offers buyouts for dinners or happy hours and can create custom menus for private events.

ELM Restaurant Group's bistro Arro is slated to open in the former Haddingtons space in June. The 4,000-square-foot warehouse district restaurant will seat 99 guests and feature French-inspired comfort food from executive chef Andrew Curren and pastry chef Mary Catherine Curren. Suitable for smaller groups, Arro will accommodate reservations for 12 people or fewer.

Russian House, which opened in late 2012, serves traditional Russian dishes as well as an extensive vodka list, which includes more than 70 house-infused Russian vodkas. The restaurant offers buyouts for a 300-person reception or 118 seated and has three private rooms that can be combined for larger events. Each space has audiovisual equipment. A five-person V.I.P. room, known as the Pillow room, offers floor seating as well as its own karaoke system.

At TEDActive in Palm Springs, buttons with blank fields labeled "Talk to Me About ... " invited guests to write a short list of topics they love or are knowledgeable about, to encourage meaningful mingling.

Looking to boost event-day proceeds, Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation eschewed the basic silent auction setup of placing the prizes on a table, instead enlisting a group of hunky male volunteers to roam the crowd showcasing auction items on platters at its Wine, Women & Shoes benefit in February.

At last year’s subway-themed Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York, guests received personalized cards resembling MetroCards that enabled them to donate funds ­anonymously throughout the night at their tables via IML devices, which were ­embedded into the centerpieces.

At the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s “World of Chocolate” event in November, a silent auction let guests bid at different levels starting at $50. After selecting a bidding level, guests chose a corresponding number on a punchboard. Event staffers dressed as boxers then punched a hole through that number to reveal a prize.

Massachusetts General Hospital’s annual Storybook Ball in Boston traditionally uses carnival-style games as a strategy to raise more money. Guests can purchase access to a V.I.P. area with games including Skee-Ball for $500.

Charity:Water’s benefit in New York last December sold helium balloons for $5 a pop, which guests could release into a 28-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide net rigged to the ceiling. As the balloons filled the space it began to resemble a giant Jerry can, the charity’s symbol.

At the DX Intersection benefit for Toronto’s Design Exchange last November, organizers arranged a balloon-pop raffle. Models wearing body paint sold balloons for $20, $50, and $100. Each balloon had a number inside that corresponded to a prize.