10 Best Ideas of the Week: Emmys Governors Ball Preview, Charlie Trotter's Closing Gala, Evian Wood Racquet Cup

To kick off its 21st year as a U.S. Open sponsor, Heineken hosted a party Tuesday in New York to celebrate the skill of the perfect serve—both on the tennis court and behind the bar. At Ph-D at the Dream Downtown, Heineken's Draught Master challenged London Olympic Gold Medalists the Bryan Brothers to a match of the best Heineken pour. Post competition, guests had the chance to master their own pour.

This year’s Emmys Governors Ball will have a "romantic rhapsody in red" theme, with red roses and overhead decor pieces meant to evoke the look of rose petals. The look, from longtime producer Sequoia Productions, was revealed at a press preview Wednesday in the lobby of the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles.

Luxury car brand Jaguar took over a vacant lot near New York’s High Line August 16 with a winter-inspired experiential promotion designed to highlight the all-wheel-drive feature of its 2013 car models. The centerpiece of the three-day event was the large snow globe-like tent, which housed a synthetic ice-skating rink and one-on-one lessons with professional figure skaters.

A high tech-looking display using 150 LED tiles served as the backdrop for the London premiere of the film Total Recall August 16. Premier PR designed an arrivals area that included a brightly lit stage backdrop where the movie’s stars posed for fans and the media, as well as a DJ booth. Audiovisual company XL Events supplied the FX-11 LEDs, which were chosen for their brightness in the outdoor setting.

Charlie Trotter's 25th Anniversary Gala drew 90 guests for a dinner August 19 in Chicago that was, hopefully, pretty unforgettable, since the cost was $2,500 a head. To prepare the meal, chef Trotter collaborated with guest chefs Nathan Myhrvold, Tetsuya Wakuda, and Sean Brock. Myhrvold prepared fruit minestrone with vacuum-infused fruits and vegetables and candied white beans.

Convention organizers on Monday unveiled the stage inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Designed by Jack Morton Worldwide, the stage is backed by 13 LED screens of various sizes. Videos projected on three overhead screens give the appearance of a skylight. The podium was made of cherry, mahogany, and walnut woods to give viewers the sense they are looking into “America’s living room.”

To celebrate its sponsorship of the upcoming U.S. Open, Evian hosted the first Wood Racquet Cup on August 18, bringing tennis-inspired activities to the West Side Tennis Club in Queens. The backdrop for the photo op played off the whimsical promotion, with pink tennis balls on oversize racquets spelling out “Evian WRC.”

In a bid to boost its presence on a national level, Spotify is going offline and hitting the road with Bacardi for a mobile marketing campaign known as the "Spotify on Tour With the Big Green Bus." The traveling promotion—a branded vehicle outfitted with an interactive boom box—reached Los Angeles August 8 with Bacardi cocktails, tacos, ping-pong, and performances from Grouplove, Yacht, the Henry Clay People, and Jjamz (comprised of members from Maroon 5, the Like and others).

Oikos hosted a Christmas-themed media dinner in Toronto to showcase its brand of Greek Yogurt August 15. Chef Rob Rossi of Top Chef Canada prepared a three-course holiday menu using the yogurt, with dishes including curried lentil and yogurt soup and harissa-and-yogurt-marinated organic chicken. Michelle Mawby, the interior design expert on The Marilyn Denis Show, decorated the dinner table with festive, glittering tropes.

BBJ Table Fashions hosted a 30th anniversary blowout at the Chicago History Museum on August 16. The event showcased new items from nearly 20 local vendors. Behind the registration area, Event Creative topped tables with branded spray-paint cans. BBJ’s shiny orange linens spread out below the cans, mimicking the look of spilled paint.