"Scattered throughout the space are interactive stations that foster philanthropy. At the ‘Candy Cane Kitchen,’ candy chefs from Papabubble in New York will put a spin on the classic candy cane, swirling together flavors like pear and clove, or lemon and ginger. Guests can eat them warm, and also give back by purchasing pre-packaged candy canes in cello bags, which will be distributed to a charity after the event.”
“After dinner dancing is led by the DJ spinning overhead in a rig designed as a chandelier. Aerialists simultaneously perform while hanging from the rig.” Custom rig designed by Lexi Pearl and Philip Solomon of Way 2 Much Entertainment
“Guests dine on heavy hors d’oeuvres in one-bite, no-mess portions.” Salmon lollipops with dill cream cheese, nori, and garlic grass, by Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events
“Celsius is known to most New Yorkers for their winter fare—for this party we hire them to serve some of their signature drinks, like the Snowcap: Kahlua, Absolut vanilla, hot chocolate, and whipped cream.”
“Several large-scale mirrors set up around the office reflect the interesting visual decor elements, offering double for your decorating money.” Rococo Mirror, $450, from Luxe Event Rentals
“The centerpiece is a Frank Gehry-inspired table made of ice, created by Okamoto Studio, and topped with a frosted recycled Plexiglas tabletop. Locally grown white amaryllis are frozen inside the crystal clear ice.”
“For dessert, the buffets transform into crepe and gelato stations.” Party pack, from $69, available in New York from L'Arte del Gelato
VenueOne
Designed by Event Creative C.E.O. Sean Cannon, VenueOne is a modern event center in Chicago created by event professionals for event professionals. Flexible and equipped with 33,000 square feet of space, the location offers a full inventory of custom-designed lounge furniture and is equipped with an array of technology, including a LED color-changing light system, a built-in sound system, and a seamless plasma wall.
Spin-Spun (which was formerly called "Spun") is a Chicago catering firm that specializes in cotton candy. Using organic sugar and either organic or natural flavors, founder Seth Bankier spins the treat in nearly 20 flavors including bacon salt, salted caramel, lemon-coconut, and truffle oil.
Instead of a straightforward Twitter feed, Samsung opted for dynamic projection art. The installation displayed words tweeted with the lounge’s hashtag falling down a wall and clustered together on the stationary shelves.
At Allison&Partners’ Late Night Saloon, Dominique Ansel debuted his latest creation: the chocolate chip cookie milk shot. The New York-based pastry chef brought along his famed Cronuts, too.
At the 2011 fund-raiser in Miami, Truman Capote's famous Black and White Ball inspired the look. Deco Productions created two 16- by 42-foot prints to display on either side of the stage, one showing a reclining model, the other showing a large eyeball. Each was divided into six individually framed panels and suspended from the ceiling.
Held at a private residence in January, the event had a "TaHEATi Beach" theme. Planners from A Joy Wallace Catering, Design, and Special Events filled the venue with beachside-style decor, including cabanas and wicker lounge furniture.
Country-style comfort foods appeared at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s December benefit in Chicago. During cocktail hour, servers made the rounds with warm pots of camembert cheese, spiced pears, and toasted baguettes.
At the futuristic Toronto event, snacks from the Food Dudes included freshly made chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. The treats were hand-churned using dry ice. Candice & Alison produced the function, which took place on March 27.
Chicago's Moto Restaurant has a new, summery dessert. Created by pastry chef Claire Crenshaw, the “100 Days of Summer” mignardise (or bite-size dessert) has coconut macarons painted to look like beach balls. The treats are plated with white-chocolate seashells and pineapple starfish, as well as “sand” made from brown sugar.
Refinery Rooftop, atop the Refinery Hotel in New York's garment district, offers views of the Empire State Building and Midtown skyline. The 3,500-square-foot space has three sections: an indoor area, a terrace, and an indoor-outdoor patio with a retractable glass roof. It is open year-round. The rooftop seats 75 or holds 240 for receptions and has a dedicated kitchen, audiovisual equipment, and an area for a step-and-repeat.
Downsize a favorite holiday dish into a bite-size hors d’oeuvre. Brett Galley, director of special events at Connecticut-based event planning company Hollywood Pop Gallery, suggests pork tenderloin with bacon and caramelized onion marmalade on a crostini.
Serve guest icy cocktails from behind the six-foot Diamond Mirror Bar, $595, from Designer8 Event Furniture Rental.
An embellished croquembouche served as an eye-catching display at the Hallmark Channel event.
This year's Governors Ball, held after the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles at Hollywood & Highland in March, featured massive vertical garden walls from Mark's Garden and a starry ceiling designed by Larry Oberman in association with ELS. Two 18-foot-tall structures filled with floral arrangements and moss insets flanked the entrance to the park-like setting.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation celebrated with its annual Breath of Life gala at the National Building Museum in Washington in 2011. Streamers divided the National Building Museum atrium into three spaces.
In 2006, the gala had an English garden look that tied to the Met's "AngloMania" exhibit of Britain's posh and punk fashion. Event designer David Monn set up 70 tables in separate mini gardens that were hedged by 400 feet of apple trees. The floors were swathed in carpets of spring grass.
The annual AIPAC Policy Conference set an attendance record this year, with about 16,000 people coming to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center March 1 to 3. To mimic the look of live olive trees in one lounge, Hargrove created café tables with stainless steel trees sprouting from them. The trees were topped with translucent lampshades printed with an olive tree pattern. Contemporary furnishings and bright accents rounded out the look.
Tommy Hilfiger's February 15 New York Fashion Week show at the Park Avenue Armory was produced by KCD and boasted a near-life-size Randall Peacock-designed ship, dubbed the T.H. Atlantic. The ship boasted two main cabins, steam stacks, operational architectural lighting fixtures, branded buoys, piles of antique luggage, and an overall dimension of 130 by 40 feet.
