The Big Love Ball, created by Vancouver designer Wendy Williams Watt, is making appearances aboard Hornblower vessels across North America. The simple concept of the traveling ball is meant to celebrate love. The ball made its first appearance aboard boats in Niagara Falls, Canada, on September 7. The ball will make appearances at Hornblower locations in New York, San Francisco, and San Diego through October 30.
Offering a pretzel bar with several varieties puts a spin on the classic snack. Paramount Events Chicago has a pretzel station with plain, sea salt, cheese, and pepperoni pretzels that hang from a stand. Accompanying sauces include whole-grain mustard and tomato-bacon jam.
The 67th Emmy Awards Governors Ball will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center September 20. More than 45,000 Swarovski crystals in various sizes will be featured in more than 530 hand-crafted crystal strands weighing close to 450 pounds. About 30 chandeliers will drop 27 feet onto tables.
To celebrate the 2015 U.S. Open, American Express hosted "Rally on the River," a hydro-interactive tennis experience, on August 26 at Hudson River Park's Pier 97 in New York. The program allowed fans and celebrity guests to play virtual games projected on a 40- by 60-foot water curtain, which also featured holograms of past and present tennis greats.
Air France partnered with New York Road Runners for the first-ever France Run and festival, which took place August 29 in Central Park. More than 5,000 participants ran in the event, wearing festive attire including wigs in colors of the country's flag. After the race, a festival held at Naumburg Bandshell offered complimentary food, drinks, and activities from French vendors.
At this year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami, Coca-Cola presented its bottle in a sand sculpture at the Coke Cabana. The display was part of Coke Bottle 100, the brand’s 100th anniversary celebration of its bottle, which debuted in 1915.
In Chicago, Lookingglass Theatre's junior board hosted its summer benefit on August 29 at a new venue: Water Tower Works. During cocktail hour, guests sampled deviled duck eggs with bacon from local eatery Highline Bar & Lounge. D.I.Y.-style toppings included a variety of hot sauces and flavored salts.
Airstage, a Stuttgart, Germany-based company is known for constructing and flying cars at auto shows around the world. During an international trade show, a life-size backhoe loader floated and flew over the stage at a product launch event for Komatsu, a Japanese manufacturer of construction equipment.
Food & Wine magazine hosted its Food & Wine festival in Chicago for the first time August 29 and 30. After the festival's Saturday run, the "Toast and Taste" event took place in Grant Park from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The event—which required separate $225 tickets—featured live music, drinks, and dishes from out-of-town chefs such as Tim Love and Jonathan Waxman.
The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago hosted its annual gala this year during what turned out to be the wettest June in Illinois history. In addition to tenting the terrace area of the party space, organizers took the extra step of securing umbrellas for guests to use as they checked in, to set a tone for hospitality.
People magazine and the Entertainment Industry Foundation co-hosted the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Gala after the 22nd annual show at the the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Center on January 30. In a nod to Hollywood's golden age, the space was given an opulent look, which included glittering chandeliers and gold-framed movie posters.
As a hotel room alternative for the Super Bowl this weekend, fans bid on the opportunity to sleep in Oscar Mayer's customized RV trailer, the "Wienie-Bago," through an EBay promotion that was open through January 31. The RV, which sleeps four and has a kitchenette with snacks and drinks, will stop in San Francisco Saturday to Monday along with the brand's hot-dog-shaped promotional vehicle the "Wienermobile."
For a Super Bowl 50 catering idea, Shake Shack is offering a package that consists of 10 ShackBurgers, two pints of custard, and a limited-edition Shake Shack mini football. The package is available for $50 at nearly all Shake Shack locations.
The P.G.A. Merchandise Show took place January 27 to 29 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Organizers used wedding-style snail-mail to attract around 7,000 attendees to the event. The invitations offered three R.S.V.P. options: email, calling a concierge, or mailing a postage-paid response card.
Liquor brand Svedka hosted its "Broken Resolutions" party on January 19 at Hyde Sunset in Los Angeles. The event had ironic stations inspired by classic New Year's resolutions people are likely to break. One such station was a doughnut wall from Hollywood Candy Girls that was marked with an "Eat Better" sign.
Marquee-style lights that spelled out "Drink Less" made for an ironic backdrop for the bar. Similarly, signature cocktails had playful names, including "Eat More Fruit," a libation made with Svedka Grapefruit Jalapeno vodka and melon liqueur.
Nail polish brand OPI celebrated the launch of its new Hello Kitty-theme line with a branded truck that came to New York's West Side Highway and Bryant Park January 21 and 22. The truck gave passersby the chance to test out the new line and take photos with the mascot and also offered hot chocolate and treats from the Hello Kitty Cafe.
Patina Restaurant Group has developed five Grammy-inspired cocktails honoring this year's Record of the Year nominees. They include Gon' Give It to You, inspired by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars's "Uptown Funk" with a riff on the classic gin fizz, as well as She'll Be the Death of Me—paying tribute to the Weeknd's "Cant Feel My Face"—which combines heat from chili liquor with cool, fresh mint. The drinks are available at Los Angeles restaurants Nick & Stef's Steakhouse, Pinot Grill, Kendall's Brasserie & Bar, Ray's & Stark Bar, and Café Pinot.
The second annual Monogram Dinner by Design Presented by Caesarstone took place January 19 to 24 at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The event showcased 12 interactive dining installations from architect and design firms. The setting from firm Bortolotto was designed to have guests feel like they were dining in a construction site overlooking the city's skyline.
Interior design firm Parker Barrow's installation was inspired by the film Blade Runner and featured a variety of textures like wood, leather, and glass.
