Eddie Zaratsian created lush red and yellow floral designs inside the dinner tent. Photo: Dina Douglass
Hosted by local plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Chiu and his wife, Christine, the February 19 event at Two Rodeo had a Chinese New Year theme.
"Being that Beverly Hills is where Dr. Chiu and I met, got married, had a family, and essentially built our home—coupled with the unfortunate fact that most of our friends wouldn’t drive down to Chinatown—we decided to bring Chinatown to the 90210," explained Christine Chiu, who marked last year's Year of the Dog with a rooftop luncheon co-hosted by Burberry.
This year, she wanted to host a larger event to celebrate her heritage, since it was her son Gabriel's first Chinese New Year. Piaget and Bottega Veneta served as co-hosts.
Chiu worked with Los Angeles-based event firm Aliana Events to execute her vision, which involved a re-creation of the grand entrance to L.A.'s Chinatown; performances by ribbon dancers, martial artists, and other Chinese performers; a parade of dragon dancers; and a lavish dinner party in an on-site tent. Eddie Zaratsian created eye-catching red and yellow floral designs for the celebration.
"Many hours were spent designing something authentic and glamorous within the strict parameters given by the city of Beverly Hills," said Chiu. "We had four different floor plans permitted in preparation of poor weather, capacity issues, et cetera."
While the Chius originally planned to keep the guest list at 88 people (eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture), they ended up hosting about 130 attendees. For each guest, the family made a donation to support a child in China for one year.
"Good fortune boils down to these: health, food, shelter, friends, family, and being able to give back," Chiu explained. "We celebrated all this under the stars and lanterns."
