This week's roundup includes fish frozen into a sushi station at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami Beach, an adult spin on snow cones from a grand-opening party in Chicago, a drone carrying chickpea meatballs, and designer clouds at Marc Jacobs's fall 2014 fashion show in New York.
Part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Mix It Up With Morimoto & Friends was a late-night karaoke bash. The host dazzled guests at Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach with his fresh raw bar and sushi bites, which were served atop an ice-encased bar filled with frozen fish and other ocean delicacies.
At its barbecue during the fest, Thrillist handed out thoughtful on-brand gifts such as toothpicks, breath mints, and moist towelettes.
At the City View Loft grand opening in Chicago last month, a drink station from Pure Kitchen Catering had a drink dubbed "the Jam." Guests could drop pure fruit preserves into glasses of champagne.
Adding to the evening's carnival-like vibe—which can be applied to Mardi Gras parties— Jo Snow had a "boozy snow cone" station. Guests ordered the treats in flavors such as grapefruit-rosemary with vodka.
At the February 8 event in Toronto, teams of chefs battled it out in a timed cooking demo onstage. The audience also had a chance to participate in a challenge: a doughnut-decorating contest. Materials, including doughnuts and toppings, were placed on each tabletop.
On February 13, Marc Jacobs capped off a snow- and ice-filled Fashion Week schedule with a palate cleanser of a show evident immediately from the 500 soft sculpture clouds—individually hung at two different points and slightly altering heights—encased in stretch-jersey-covered foam. The set designer was Stefan Beckman, and KCD produced the show.
For his fall show on February 10, Thom Browne transformed Center548 in west Chelsea into a church filled with pews, burning incense, illuminated oversize crosses, and fashionable alter boys. Produced by Villa Eugenie, the show featured models dressed as chic nuns—with sharp eyebrows, dip-dyed black nails, and white veils.
On February 6, event-industry pros gathered at Chicago Union Station for an open house that had an “Aurora Borealis” theme. Food for Thought brought in an unusual serving device—a drone—that carried chickpea meatballs. “The drone has a load-bearing capacity of 1.5 pounds, but we needed to pick hors d'oeurves that were heavy enough so as to not be blown off,” said a rep for the catering company.
From January 30 to February 1, Yoplait Greek hosted a taste test at a pop-up space in New York's SoHo neighborhood. At the launch party for media and other invited guests, passed hors d'oeuvres included profiteroles made with Yoplait Greek Coconut yogurt.
For its spring 2013 installation, the Palazzo Las Vegas suspended 60 floating cherry blossoms from the glass dome in the Waterfall Atrium, making it look like the pieces were falling from a tree. The sun passed through multiple positions throughout the day, offering different shades and shadows—and photo ops for guests. The waterfall and infinity pond complemented the falling blossoms, and knotted grape vines (recycled from fall decor) along with cherry blossoms added to the branches to give a Japanese feel to the gardens.
