My Launching

Minimal branding by Just One Eye, the event's host, came in the form of gobos projected against the façade of the retailer's historic setting—once home to Howard Hughes' film empire.

The Hollywood venue's massive 10,000-square-foot roof provided varying height levels that allowed production company Bureau Betak to stage ample spotlights, bathing the space in purple light without interfering with the cocktail and staging areas.

The dark, stark ambience of the event allowed the celebratory object—a $12,500 Ulysses Tier 1 disaster relief kit—to glow bright atop the vast roof of the Just One Eye store on Romaine Street in Los Angeles (the Art Deco building formerly owned and inhabited by Howard Hughes).

Eric Buterbaugh Flower Design created four main arrangements—two towering on each bar—that featured birds of paradise vacuum-packed and displayed in plexiglass light boxes. Vanda orchids, calla lilies, and anthurium were also displayed on tables to complement the event's stark, cement-abundant appearance and also vacuum-packed for an added survivalist effect.

At around 8 p.m., 35 musicians emerged, taking their spots in a makeshift "orchestra pit." Their commencement marked the start of the evening's daredevil festivities. "The idea was to create a modern 'romantic and rough' performance to reveal the survival kit," said Bureau Betak's Alex de Betak.

As guests watched, three helicopters buzzed in circles above the orchestra. "Some romantic songs were played to counterbalance the dance/stuntmen/helicopter performance," said de Betak.

With bright spotlights focused on them, a group of 16 stuntmen scaled the walls, adding further drama.

For the finale, 25 dancers clad in black eye masks and skullcaps broke from their formation and swarmed the guests, all the while drawing them toward the survival kit on display. The performance closed with a single spotlight positioned over the product.

Following the performance, a spotlight drew guests to the center of the venue to examine the survival kit. Guests were able to get an up-close-and-personal look at its contents, displayed within a brightly lit, mirrored case.

The waitstaff matched to the event's unconventional theme, donning white flight-inspired jumpsuits under utility vests, harnesses, and side packs from which the event's menu of foods were distributed.

Bureau Betak enlisted Lucques Catering to create a custom drinks menu. Adhering to the restaurant's farm-to-table philosophy, head barman Christiaan Rollich devised four drinks (one non-alcoholic) that "delivered a product that the client, as well as their guests, felt special about." Served in glass jars with metal straws, the drinks bore names like Green Goddess, City of Lights, Moonraker Fizz, and Lebowski.

Waiters handed out chicken liver pâté, served in tubes, along with crackers. Also served were foie gras pop rocks in mylar bags.

Candied orange and ginger slices dipped in white and dark chocolate were served in "seal and peel" envelopes. In total, more than 3,000 "rations" of food were prepared and served by Love Catering. "The food had to be packaged to withstand the environment while still being sophisticated," said Clausz.

The combination meal of wild salmon tartare, quail egg, horseradish emulsion, dill, and potato gaufrette is part of Love Catering's repertoire, but, according to owner Hermes Clausz, "rendered completely new and different [served] in an anchovy tin that had to be pulled open." Guests ("survivors") were given a stainless steel mini tool (sfork) and told it was "essential to their survival" so they could eat different appetizers with it.

The "Rx salad" consisted of roasted shallot vinaigrette, lettuce, tomato, honey citrus, and olive oil. "The idea of giving out pills, in this case forming the different flavors of a salad all juiced and 'spherified,'" said Clausz.