Loud, late nights—especially in the middle of the week—aren't the usual party style of the Capitol Hill gang in Washington, D.C. But CNN's attempt to gain ownership as the ultimate after-party for the annual radio and television correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton added enough New York state of mind to generate a late-night dance party. Dinner guests—a group of ambassadors, generals and journalists—mingled among the various news organization's parties at the hotel, but found themselves at CNN's the latest.
"It's rare for this D.C. crowd to be out until 3 AM on a Wednesday night, " says Ali Zelenko, CNN's PR director in Washington, who planned the party. CNN's past parties were pretty traditional (read: boring) with a standard buffet and string quartet. This year, the news network aimed for something more hip and fun, says Zelenko, a former publicist for event-friendly magazine People.
Zelenko worked with Design Cuisine (the company also worked on Bloomberg L.P.'s big bash that followed the White House Correspondents Association dinner) to transform a ballroom at the Hilton into "Club 24"—a lounge decorated in the style of a New York club and named for the network's non-stop news coverage. Red and black furniture dominated the scene, and plasma monitors showed CNN clips throughout the party. Frost Lighting lit the room in low, red lights to complete the lounge scene, and Design's sushi, fruit and cookie stations encouraged guests to mingle.
—Jill Musguire
Photos courtesy of CNN
Read about Bloomberg LPs big D.C. bash...
"It's rare for this D.C. crowd to be out until 3 AM on a Wednesday night, " says Ali Zelenko, CNN's PR director in Washington, who planned the party. CNN's past parties were pretty traditional (read: boring) with a standard buffet and string quartet. This year, the news network aimed for something more hip and fun, says Zelenko, a former publicist for event-friendly magazine People.
Zelenko worked with Design Cuisine (the company also worked on Bloomberg L.P.'s big bash that followed the White House Correspondents Association dinner) to transform a ballroom at the Hilton into "Club 24"—a lounge decorated in the style of a New York club and named for the network's non-stop news coverage. Red and black furniture dominated the scene, and plasma monitors showed CNN clips throughout the party. Frost Lighting lit the room in low, red lights to complete the lounge scene, and Design's sushi, fruit and cookie stations encouraged guests to mingle.
—Jill Musguire
Photos courtesy of CNN
Read about Bloomberg LPs big D.C. bash...
CNN created a New York-style lounge with red and black decor at its after-party for the radio and television correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington D.C.
A long carpet was branded with the black and red CNN logo.
Design Cuisine set up a sushi station as an alternative to traditional buffet tables.
Party guests flooded the dance floor—and stayed until 3 a.m.
