LV Inspiration

December 18, 2018

Fatherly Pop-Up

The entrance to the pop-up featured hanging paper snowflakes and colorful tree statues with toys as ornaments.

Photo: Courtesy of Fatherly

The Italian margarita at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse is made with silver tequila, limoncello, blood orange juice, simple syrup, and Campari. The restaurant has 10 locations along the East Coast and one in Irvine, California.

Photo: Briana Moore Photography

The duo of artists known as Hybycozo: the Hyperspace Bypass Construction Zone created steel sculptures that made intricate patterns on the Renwick's walls.

Photo: Ron Blunt

Churro wheels, cinnamon-glazed pretzels, and candied bacon hung suspended from the Gravity Dessert Art Bar.

Photo: Pixelme Studio

Spirit of Saint Nicholas Ball

In December, Catholic Charities hosted the 29th-annual Spirit of Saint Nicholas Ball at the Hilton Chicago. The event raised almost $1.5 million, with proceeds benefiting the child development centers, after-school programs, counseling services, and teen parenting centers the organization provides for children throughout the Chicago area. The tables featured Father Christmas figures as centerpieces.

Photo: John Reilly Photography

Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage Gala

At this year’s event, held at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto in November, guests enjoyed a dinner created by Nota Bene executive chef David Lee on the stage of R. Fraser Elliott Hall. A close-up shot of roses was projected on the large screen behind them.

Photo: Gaetz Photography

Imagination Ball

In October, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and Arsht Families hosted its children’s Imagination Ball. The afternoon event featured immersive activities and a light and dance show by iLuminate on the Lynn Wolfson Stage of the Ziff Ballet Opera House.

Photo: World Red Eye

Governors Ball

"I mean, who doesn't love balloons? These giant colorful trees (built by Founders Entertainment with balloon arrangements supplied by Katie Balloons) were sprouting up around the festival grounds at Governors Ball this year. Talk about instant photo bait! And such a clever way to reinvent what some may consider a tired design trope." —Michele Laufik, style editor

Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash

Thai coconut carrot bite with finger lime caviar, red pepper puree, coconut mousse, toasted cashew, and micro cilantro, by Stephen Starr Events in Miami

Photo: Courtesy of Stephen Starr Events

Gluten-free waffles topped with maple-pecan coconut-milk-based ice cream and chocolate-maple sauce, by Leslie Durso in Los Angeles

Photo: Courtesy of Leslie Durso

Zucchini cannelloni with truffled tofu ricotta, broccoli fond, lemon mosto oil, and garnished with pine nut Florentine, by Blue Plate Catering in Chicago

Photo: Courtesy of Blue Plate Catering

Beet panna cotta, served with strawberry puree, pickled rhubarb, sorrel, and Chinese long pepper gel, by Stephen Starr Events in Miami

Photo: Courtesy of Stephen Starr Events

Italian Caprese summer roll with Napa cabbage, fire-roasted tomato, pesto, mozzarella, and balsamic reduction, by Puff ’n Stuff Catering in Orlando

Photo: Courtesy of Puff 'n Stuff Catering

Springtime risotto made of minced zucchini and broccolini “rice,” served with green pea and lemon sauce, fiddlehead ferns, tricolor baby carrots, and baby fennel, by Blossom in New York

Photo: Alex James Photography

Portobello frites with crispy basil, Parmesan cheese, and balsamic aioli, by Stephen Starr Events in Miami

Photo: Courtesy of Stephen Starr Events

Wonton lasagna with black garlic coulis, seasonal vegetables, crispy lotus chips, and mushroom tofu ricotta, by Blue Plate Catering in Chicago

Photo: Courtesy of Blue Plate Catering

Lobster mushroom-crusted, beet-marinated potato and grilled zucchini, served with bluefoot mushrooms, grilled kale, roasted salsify, and chive cream, by Blossom in New York

Photo: Alex James Photography

Grilled vegetable pesto pizza topped with mushrooms, zucchini, and grape tomatoes, by Leslie Durso in Los Angeles

Photo: Courtesy of Leslie Durso

Cashew cheese with triple peppercorns, honeycomb, balsamic syrup, and caramelized apricots, by Blue Plate Catering in Chicago

Photo: Courtesy of Blue Plate Catering

Grilled North African-spiced tempeh kebabs made with zucchini and cherry tomatoes, served with horseradish crème, by Blossom in New York

Photo: Alex James Photography

Simple Decor

At the Canadian design fair the Interior Design Show in 2013, Ikea took over the ticket counter, using a lamp as a simple, homey touch that made the space feel less clinical. The brand also decked the back wall with a leafy, wallpaper-like design and placed its bright red logo front and center.

Photo: Arash Moallemi

Storybook Theme

In 2012, the Washington Ballet's Jeté Society hosted an Alice in Wonderland-theme dance party. A large white tree decorated with red hearts inspired by the story's Red Queen served as the backdrop for the check-in desk.

Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com

Costumed Attendants

For a Catch Me if You Can screening in New York in 2011, Stella Artois transformed the restaurant Casa Lever into a 1960s airport lounge. The hostess stand was remade as the departure gate counter, where guests could check their tickets against a seating chart.

Photo: Joshua Dalsimer

Apothecary-Inspired

At the WWD Beauty C.E.O. Summit in 2012 at the Breakers Palm Beach in Florida, the apothecary-inspired registration desk held different-sized jars filled with colored liquids, cotton balls, and Q-tips. Pink peonies in white vases, bright-colored towels, diffusers, and WWD magazine issues also adorned the desk.

Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig

Electronic Signage

When Progressive Insurance hosted auditions in 2010, the company built a space inside the Metropolitan Pavilion designed to look like the fictional Progressive store in its commercials. As such, the check-in desk at the front was decorated in the brand's signature white with blue and orange accents, and a large sign touting the website served as the backdrop.

Photo: BizBash

3-D Logos

The check-in area at Turner's 2010 upfront in New York included cut-outs in the walls and 3-D logos on pedestals. David Stark handled decor.

Photo: WireImage.com

Bright Colors

Fairchild Fashion Media's Kristen Wildman worked with XA to create the modern design of the WWD C.E.O. Summit inside the Plaza in New York in 2013. A color scheme of bright yellow against white was used throughout, including in the registration desk, giving the decor a clean, uniform look.

Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com

Statement Decor Pieces

At the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's annual ball in 2013, the theme of "Saturday Night Blues" influenced the decor at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The check-in area reflected the theme with statement decor pieces including hanging saxophones and crystal orbs.

Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash

Oversize Florals

At a private event by David Beahm, the check-in area was "influenced by our surroundings. We let the decor of Blue Hill at Stone Barns rule our aesthetic, letting nature dictate the design," Beahm said. "The hand-hammered copper urn visually grounded the design."

Photo: Brian Dorsey Studios

Logos

Shiraz Events designed the registration desk at the FN C.E.O. Summit in Miami Beach in 2013. The bold blue and yellow table featured a grid behind it featuring the summit logo, and it held flowers and candy jars with white treats.

Photo: Javier Sanchez

Rainbow Draping

The check-in desk at a law firm's "Big Gay Party" in July 2014 included draping that matched the rainbow hues in the pride flag.

Photo: Camilla Pucholt Photography

New York-based catering company Abigail Kirsch offers three fruity mocktails for events. The first is the pom fizz mocktail, which has pomegranate, orange, and lemon juices mixed with sparkling cider.

Photo: Courtesy of Abigail Kirsch

Abigail Kirsch’s peach rosemary mocktail includes peach puree, rosemary infusion, and sparkling soda.

Photo: Courtesy of Abigail Kirsch

Abigail Kirsch’s also offers an alcohol-free mango mule with mango and passion fruit puree, honey syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer.

Photo: Courtesy of Abigail Kirsch

Bar Mercado, a Spanish tapas restaurant in Atlanta, serves the Tomato King. The drink has fresh-squeezed watermelon, basil-infused agave, muddled cherry tomatoes, and fresh lemon juice, topped with club soda and a half tomato sprinkled with smoked sea salt.

Photo: Courtesy of Bar Mercado

Civana, a wellness resort located just outside of Scottsdale, serves the Citrine. The cocktail features whiskey, simple syrup, 20 mint leaves, fresh carrot juice, and ginger beer.

Photo: Lisa Diederich Photography

Atlanta-based Oak Steakhouse serves the From Nowhere. The alcohol-free drink includes lemon juice, Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters, soda, and basil.

Photo: Courtesy of Oak Steakhouse

The Conservatory at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, located south of San Francisco, serves a mocktail called the Juniper Tree. The drink has elderflower tonic, juniper berry syrup, and lime.

Photo: Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

Sushi restaurant O-Ku in Atlanta serves the White Dragon mocktail, made with lychee, mint, and sparkling green tea.

Photo: Heidi Geldhauser

The New York and Las Vegas outposts of American restaurant Beauty & Essex serve specialty mocktails. The Platinum Peacock is made with two slices of cucumber, mint leaves, apple puree, pineapple juice, lime juice, and mint simple syrup.

Photo: Courtesy of Beauty & Essex

Beauty & Essex’s also serves a mint lemonade mocktail, made with lemon simple syrup, lemon juice, six to eight shredded mint leaves (not strained), and club soda.

Photo: Courtesy of Beauty & Essex

Beauty & Essex’s third mocktail, the garnet gimlet, includes white cranberry juice, strawberry puree, lemon simple syrup, lime juice, three shredded basil leaves, and a splash of ginger ale.

Photo: Courtesy of Beauty & Essex

Donetto, an Italian restaurant in Atlanta, serves a rosemary limonata, which has water, lemon juice, simple sugar, lavender bitters, and rosemary.

Photo: Henri Hollis

Tequila brand Patrón has two reduced-guilt cocktail ideas for January. The first is a cucumber-coconut margarita, made with Patrón Silver, coconut water, lime juice, simple syrup, and slices of cucumber.

Photo: Michael Haskins

Patrón’s second cocktail is the Detox Tonic: Patrón Silver, Fever Tree citrus tonic water, 10 mint leaves, a cucumber slice, and a cucumber ribbon and mint spring for garnish.

Photo: Courtesy of Patron

Spanish eatery the Iberian Pig in Atlanta serves a dark green drink called the Dreamsters. It has cacao-infused almond milk, cinnamon matcha syrup, and tapioca pearls.

Photo: The Iberian Pig

The spiced chocolate pate creation from Truffleberry Market features a champagne and Valencia orange reduction and is topped with vanilla bean-mascarpone whipped cream, cardamom meringue, flake-salted hazelnut brittle, and shaved hazelnut snow.

Photo: Brittany Ferrin

A chocolate mousse parfait with chocolate-macadamia crumble from Abigail Kirsch is filled with liquid caramel bourbon and blood orange sauces and is garnished with a toasted macadamia tuile.

Photo: Andre Maier

This curvy confection from Puff 'n Stuff Catering boasts alternating layers of hazelnut mousse, dark chocolate ganache, white chocolate mousse, and chocolate genoise (an Italian sponge cake), all topped with toasted, crushed hazelnuts and a banana chip.

Photo: Rosy Usmani

At the Shedd Aquarium’s black-tie gala in June 2015, guests dined on an edible terrarium dessert, prepared by Sodexo, with chocolate mousse, mango, cake “dirt,” edible flowers, chocolate rocks, rose crystals, pink guava sorbet, and raspberry-infused chocolate twigs.

Photo: Courtesy of Shedd Aquarium

Austin-based chocolatier Maggie Louise Confections’ clever collections include sweet sushi, which can be customized with logos, colors, and more, for party favors, as well as a tech-theme “You’re the Bomb” set that works well as a corporate thank-you gift. All of her chocolates are hand painted and made to order. The sushi bento box with 11 pieces costs $42 and the “You’re the Bomb” box contains 18 pieces and costs $54.

Photo: Courtesy of Maggie Louise Confections

Levy Restaurants offers a made-to-order crepe station that features a rotating chocolate gyro, which is shaved and incorporated into the crepes. The station with attendant costs $8 per person.

Photo: Courtesy of Levy Restaurants

For a sweet pick-me-up, Relevant Events offers espresso mousse in a chocolate demitasse cup.

Photo: Courtesy of Relevant Events

This raspberry and chocolate semifreddo dessert from Brûlée Catering by chef Jean-Marie Lacroix comes garnished with a financier, champagne sorbet, mint syrup, and a sesame tuile.

Photo: Courtesy of Brûlée Catering

Puff 'n Stuff Catering’s version of a financier features an almond-chocolate sponge cake coated with dark chocolate flakes and topped with a chocolate hazelnut crémeux.

Photo: Rosy Usmani

Truffleberry Market’s ice cream sandwich trio features three flavors: dark chocolate and peanut butter, white chocolate and roasted banana with salted caramel, and red velvet and strawberry cream cheese.

Photo: Misty Winters Photography