The official opening party for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, held at the Hotel Victor on Thursday, was spared the torrential downpour experienced at the weekend events, which was reason enough to celebrate. Since champagne is the drink of choice at any celebration, the bubbly—Veuve Clicquot, to be exact—sponsored the launch of the festival and also served as the prime decor for the evening. Under the direction of Shai Zelering of Touch Catering, the French company's trademark orange couleur covered almost every square inch of the venue for the Veuve Clicquot Bubble Bath event.Michael Pelissier, senior vice president of the southeast region of Moët Hennessy USA (which owns Clicquot), and Latonya Davis, its regional marketing manager, hired Touch to bring the event to life. "If diamonds are a girl's best friend, then Clicquot is her second best," Zelering said. "This company is all about pampering yourself. We took that idea and carried it through the event from beginning to end."
The pathway leading to the hotel doors was transformed with a carpeted runway and floor-to-ceiling curtains, all in orange. Local architect Facundo Poj refinished 10 antique bathtubs in the tangy Veuve hue. Bikini-clad models lounged in the Sunkist-colored tubs foaming with suds at six vignettes on either side of the carpet. On the hotel's lower patio, an oversize clear inflatable balloon housed a tub and boxes of Clicquot bottles—the company had 828 bottles on hand for the 650 guests. Attendees were taken to the rooftop lounge for the main event, which had tinges of tangerine and a barrage of branding everywhere, from Clicquot ashtrays and votive holders to ladies wearing plush monogrammed bathrobes.
Two more of the tubs were converted into bars where champagne bottles chilled, and two ice sculptures were carved to look like claw-foot tubs and used to chill additional bottles. The tubs also acted as seating arrangements and coffee tables set up on the rooftop's terrace. Hotel Victor's catering staff prepared tasty and portable hors d'oeuvres, including bites of seared mojo salmon with citrus fennel aioli, fried feta with black olive paste, strawberry halves with balsamic vinaigrette and a sliver of parmesan, and chocolate truffles—all served on lollipop sticks.
Parafernalia Productions lent one of its shadow dancers, plus two models, who strolled among the guests in pearly white ensembles resembling bath bubbles. The Spam All Stars performed a live mix of jazz and Afro-Cuban beats. Not even the pool was left untouched. Instead of the usual gobo projection, a six-woman team of synchronized swimmers performed an aquatic show before stepping out and pouring champagne for the surrounding guests.
—Vanessa Goyanes
Read more coverage of the 2006 South Beach Wine & Food Festival...
The pathway leading to the hotel doors was transformed with a carpeted runway and floor-to-ceiling curtains, all in orange. Local architect Facundo Poj refinished 10 antique bathtubs in the tangy Veuve hue. Bikini-clad models lounged in the Sunkist-colored tubs foaming with suds at six vignettes on either side of the carpet. On the hotel's lower patio, an oversize clear inflatable balloon housed a tub and boxes of Clicquot bottles—the company had 828 bottles on hand for the 650 guests. Attendees were taken to the rooftop lounge for the main event, which had tinges of tangerine and a barrage of branding everywhere, from Clicquot ashtrays and votive holders to ladies wearing plush monogrammed bathrobes.
Two more of the tubs were converted into bars where champagne bottles chilled, and two ice sculptures were carved to look like claw-foot tubs and used to chill additional bottles. The tubs also acted as seating arrangements and coffee tables set up on the rooftop's terrace. Hotel Victor's catering staff prepared tasty and portable hors d'oeuvres, including bites of seared mojo salmon with citrus fennel aioli, fried feta with black olive paste, strawberry halves with balsamic vinaigrette and a sliver of parmesan, and chocolate truffles—all served on lollipop sticks.
Parafernalia Productions lent one of its shadow dancers, plus two models, who strolled among the guests in pearly white ensembles resembling bath bubbles. The Spam All Stars performed a live mix of jazz and Afro-Cuban beats. Not even the pool was left untouched. Instead of the usual gobo projection, a six-woman team of synchronized swimmers performed an aquatic show before stepping out and pouring champagne for the surrounding guests.
—Vanessa Goyanes
Read more coverage of the 2006 South Beach Wine & Food Festival...
Orange was the color of the evening at the Veuve Clicquot Bubble Bath opening party for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
Architect Facundo Poj refinished antique bathtubs in orange and converted them into bars for chilling champagne bottles.
The catering staff of the Hotel Victor passed portable bites on lollipop sticks, including strawberries with balsamic vinaigrette and slivers of parmesan.
Synchronized swimmers in orange bathing suits performed in the hotel's pool before stepping out to serve champagne.
