Cynthia Fraser, vice president of human resources at GL Homes, didn't want to mark the home-building company's 30th anniversary with a typical holiday party. Instead of kitschy glass ornament centerpieces and an explosion of red and green seasonal colors, Sandie Cohen of Festivities took her cue from the South Beach nightclub scene to design a sophisticated environment reminiscent of Ocean Drive.
Five greeters stationed at the entrance to the Great Hall of the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa wore gloves with fiber-optic lasers sewn onto the fingertips that beamed purplish streams of light. "We custom-made the gloves for this event because the client wanted it to be over the top," Cohen said. "The greeters created a laser show effect typically seen in a nightclub."
Using colored lights, Cohen swathed the space in shades of purple and lavender. The company's 450 employees dined at rectangular tables dressed with crisp white linens and Louis Ghost armchairs. Half of the tables featured plush white banquette seating from Nuage Designs Inc. along with arrangements of chenille and silk pillows in lavender tones. The centerpieces were glass vessels of various heights bursting with dendrobium orchids in purple or with floating candles. Dramatic blue and purple lighting added even more color to the room.
The resort's catering staff served a romaine wedge with tomatoes, bacon, and blue cheese with a choice of balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing; lobster bisque in puff pastry; filet of beef tenderloin and Gulf shrimp, whipped potatoes with roasted garlic peppercorn sauce and tomato relish with seasonal vegetables. For dessert, guests had flourless chocolate cake with mocha crème anglaise and freshly brewed Starbucks coffee.
The attendees really began to celebrate thanks to a performance by J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang. Taylor kept everyone on their feet for almost an hour and for the finale brought GL Homes C.E.O., Itchko Ezrati, onstage and presented him with a vintage autographed Kool & the Gang record.
—Vanessa Goyanes
Photos: Gerlinde Photography
Five greeters stationed at the entrance to the Great Hall of the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa wore gloves with fiber-optic lasers sewn onto the fingertips that beamed purplish streams of light. "We custom-made the gloves for this event because the client wanted it to be over the top," Cohen said. "The greeters created a laser show effect typically seen in a nightclub."
Using colored lights, Cohen swathed the space in shades of purple and lavender. The company's 450 employees dined at rectangular tables dressed with crisp white linens and Louis Ghost armchairs. Half of the tables featured plush white banquette seating from Nuage Designs Inc. along with arrangements of chenille and silk pillows in lavender tones. The centerpieces were glass vessels of various heights bursting with dendrobium orchids in purple or with floating candles. Dramatic blue and purple lighting added even more color to the room.
The resort's catering staff served a romaine wedge with tomatoes, bacon, and blue cheese with a choice of balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing; lobster bisque in puff pastry; filet of beef tenderloin and Gulf shrimp, whipped potatoes with roasted garlic peppercorn sauce and tomato relish with seasonal vegetables. For dessert, guests had flourless chocolate cake with mocha crème anglaise and freshly brewed Starbucks coffee.
The attendees really began to celebrate thanks to a performance by J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang. Taylor kept everyone on their feet for almost an hour and for the finale brought GL Homes C.E.O., Itchko Ezrati, onstage and presented him with a vintage autographed Kool & the Gang record.
—Vanessa Goyanes
Photos: Gerlinde Photography
Festivities put together a South Beach-flavored event using white and purple tones for the GL Homes holiday party at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa.
Laser-gloved greeters created a spectacle at the party's entrance.
Centerpieces consisted of glass vases with purple dendrobium orchids or floating candles.
J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang sang his popular tunes, adding an old-school element to the event.
