This week's roundup includes a visit from Prince William and Duchess Kate to New York, a Christmas tree decked in pearl necklaces in Toronto, a deconstructed Cobb salad in Washington, and two ideas from Art Basel in Miami: avocado tartare hors d'oeuvres and two hand-painted teepees.
Several Miami properties hosted arty events surrounding Art Basel Miami Beach. The Teepee Project, featuring two 22-foot hand-painted teepees by artists Jen Stark and Misaki Kawai, were on display at Mondrian South Beach from December 2 to 14. The hotel launched the project with a dinner party on the property.
Karla Conceptual Event Experiences catered a V.I.P. preview of 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, a luxury development slated to open next year. The December 5 brunch included passed hors d'oeuvres such as fresh Florida avocado tartare over colorful tuber crisps with hackleback caviar and crème fraiche.
The Official VH1 & Scope Party, now in its third year, was held at Mansion nightclub in Miami on December 5. Artist and calligrapher Aerosyn-Lex Mestrovic hand-painted hundreds of feet of Japanese synthetic paper, creating an art installation that event planners described as the longest continuous painting shown during this year's art fairs.
The Kennedy Center Honors took place at the Opera House of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 7. Restaurant Associates pre-plated the first course, a deconstructed Cobb salad. A main course of meatloaf came with wild mushroom sauce, potato puree, baby carrots, and haricot verts.
To honor its uptown home of 48 years, the historic Breuer building, the Whitney Museum of American Art threw a packing party of sorts for the 2014 gala on November 19. The cocktail and studio party decor included a bar and cocktail tables constructed from repurposed shipping crates—some were authentic crates from the museum, others were newly manufactured for the event.
To fete its latest exhibition, “Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile,” the Chicago History Museum's Costume Council hosted the Costume Ball on November 13. Dessert sponsor Eli's Cheesecake provided a fittingly glamorous cake for the gala's after-party. Designed by pasty chef Laurel Bogel, the three-tier confection, in a classic cheesecake flavor, was decked with an edible purse, shoes, and sequin-like embellishments.
For its Heirloom Mix event at the Grove on November 21, M.A.C. Cosmetics brought its holiday collections to life. Oversize recreations of M.A.C.’s oval-shaped, faux-pearl-trimmed Keepsakes Face Palettes decorated the stage, as did freestanding pearl-like strands.
Last month in Los Angeles, iconic American beer brand Schlitz hosted a vintage-inspired night of boxing and retro eye candy dubbed the Schlitz Bouts at the Hollywood Athletic Club. Vintage boxing cards—similar to baseball cards—inspired cards bearing the images of the night's fighters. On site, a letterpress stamped the back of each card with a postcard format. Guests could write the cards to friends, and organizers later mailed them.
To celebrate its 100th anniversary—and the festive season—Casa Loma is hosting a 100 Years of Christmas exhibit through December 26. Lynda Reeves, publisher of House and Home, decorated a tree in the spirit of the 1940s. Specifically inspired by a Christian Dior look from that era, Reeves topped her sparkling tree with multiple strands of pearls.
The Great Britain Campaign hosted an event for the duke and duchess of Cambridge on December 9. Held at Neuehouse in New York, the event included branding on a step-and-repeat that bore the campaign's logo. But the main attraction, of course, was the royal couple.
