#12 Benefit
The benefit kicks off the summer season at the Hollywood Bowl. The gala starts with a V.I.P. pre-concert cocktail reception and dinner, followed by a concert with fireworks under the stars. Each year the event raises more than $1 million for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s music education programs, which serve more than 150,000 youths, families, and teachers every year. Next: June 18, 2016
In addition to connecting event hosts to a directory of florists across the country, New York-based Bloomerent also allows hosts and planners to share their floral arrangements with another nearby event. After a host chooses a florist and collaborates and designs their desired floral arrangements, Bloomerent lists the flowers for sharing on its site. When someone else opts in, the first host receives 10 percent back and the second host gets the pre-styled centerpieces for up to 60 percent off. Following the first event, the florist freshens up and transports the florals to the second location. The service includes florists located in cities across the U.S. such as Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Madison, Wisconsin.
Caribbean food joint Miss Lily’s in SoHo recently debuted a weekly ital-theme special menu. “Ital,” which is derived from the English word “vital,” is a type of vegetarian-based cuisine consisting of food that is natural and clean. The three-course menu ($26 per person) will rotate seasonally; current offerings include roasted pumpkin soup with coconut cream, callaloo and mushroom lasagna with blistered tomato sauce, and chocolate mousse with peanut crunch. The menu is served every Tuesday night.
Located at the iconic Industria space in the West Village, “Exhibitionism—The Rolling Stones” features hundreds of rare items, including instruments, onstage and offstage clothes, works of art, handwritten lyric books, personal diaries, recordings, unseen film and photos, and an interactive recording studio, all from the private archives of the legendary rock band. The exhibit, which is sponsored by DHL, culminates with a 3-D concert experience. Private viewings are available and can accommodate as many as 300 guests; viewings start at 6:30 p.m. and last nearly two hours. In addition, events following the viewing can be booked at Industria’s Studio Ten, which is located across the street; the venue has partnered with top restaurants and caterers to create Rolling Stones-inspired menus. Pricing for private events and viewings are available upon request. The exhibit runs through March 12.
Eat Offbeat, located in TriBeCa, delivers authentic ethnic meals that are conceived, prepared, and delivered by refugees who are resettled in New York. Signature dishes, which are cooked by chefs from countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Nepal, include lamb pulao, chicken shawarma, and baba ghanoush and are delivered in ready-to-eat compostable containers. Drop-off delivery is available for groups of 10 or more people throughout Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn and Queens; a full food and beverage table or passed service for large groups from 100 to 1,000 guests is also available. Menu options range in price from $15 to $30 per person, depending on the number of items.
Sugartooth Tours specializes in walking dessert tours that showcase the best bakeries and sweet spots of New York, along with lessons about the city’s cultural and culinary history. In addition to popular holiday tours, the company also offers themed tours like Downtown Village to Village Cupcake Crawl, which spans the East and West Villages and includes at least six tastings with the option to upgrade to a beer or wine pairing at the final destination. Tours are kept to a maximum of 16 people per group and can be tailored to personal tastes. Tickets cost $50.
In February, Snapchat began offering on-demand geofilters. The service is intended for individuals and businesses that want to create a geofilter for their location or event, such as a conference or party. Users design the filter, use a map to set the boundaries of where the filter will be accessible, and choose the dates and time it will be available. On-demand filters can be created for 30 minutes or up to 30 days, with pricing starting at $5 depending on the size of the geofence and the amount of time the filter will be available. Hosts also get access to a dashboard to check total views and total uses.
Jitjatjo is an app to facilitate on-demand temporary staffing for venues, caterers, events, and more. When a user requests staffing, the app handles the entire process from hiring through payroll. Requests can be made as late as an hour before a scheduled shift, for examples to replace people who have called in sick or simply don’t show up. The app analyzes requests and selects talent based on their experience, location, skills, availability, history, and ratings. Users can also request specific attire, include details regarding an assignment, and send messages in the app without having to share their contact information. Jitjatjo launched in October. It's currently available in New York, but the company is making plans to expand to other cities.
