Talk about chutzpah. To mark its 20th anniversary, Creative Edge Parties invited 300 local event world notables—clients, fellow vendors, and even competitors—to a black-tie dinner at the IAC Building last Friday night. In their (fairly brief) comments to the crowd during dinner, partners Carla Ruben and Bob Spiegel explained their intention to bring together the industry and thank people who had helped them—even by competing with them.
That spirit colored the whole event, with many guests sharing genuine surprise and delight at the concept , which felt more like an industry award show or a wedding than a promotion, as old friends air-kissed and business rivals smiled for photos or sat next to one another at dinner.
So what did the hosts' competitors have to say?
Olivier Cheng emailed on Monday, "There was a great feeling of camaraderie—no schmoozing—[people were] just there to have a good time, and it was great to see these competitors in one room being friends. So what can I say—fun evening, great company, and some delicious food."
Christopher Robbins of Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs said, "Carla threw the party that every caterer is hoping our clients decide to host in 2010 and beyond—a seated dinner for hundreds of guests, beautifully designed, venue to menu, sophisticated and impressive. I asked Carla if she was out of her mind throwing such a huge event and she replied, 'I must be.' And then we both laughed."
All of which is not to say the evening didn't have its on-brand touches. The caterer's logo lit up the venue's enormous video wall, and there were nods to the playful images of chickens and eggs emblazoned on the firm's ads and trucks. Silver plastic netting that looked like chicken wire covered the tables, and the first course was a savory custard served in hollowed egg shells. Although the proceedings showed what Creative Edge is capable of, the party didn't feel like a sales pitch.
Guests were still talking about the party on Wednesday night, as Bentley Meeker celebrated his own 20th anniversary with a more modest but still densely populated party at Ampersand Studios, the newly rechristened first-floor space in his building on Tenth Avenue.
