Lounge Life
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Hush Lounge
Heat Ultra Lounge Apple Restaurant and Lounge
VENUES
Lounge Life
These new bars and clubs—from intimate to huge—offer
space for nighttime entertaining for groups of all sizes.
A BIG O.C. CLUB The newly opened Anaheim GardenWalk—close to the A REVAMPED SPACE Hollywood’s speakeasy-style 86 debuted under
Anaheim Convention Center—has added the club Heat Ultra Lounge to new ownership as Hush Lounge in August. Co-owners Robert Palmer and
its growing list of venues. The space, designed by Nikko Hendi, features Brenda Phillips remade the space with upholstered leather banquettes and
deep red, slate gray, and dark wood tones. Decor includes natural ele- crystal chandeliers in homage to the venue’s history as a speakeasy belong-
ments like trees, plus three crystal chandeliers. Heat spans more than ing to Rudolph Valentino. The 5,377-square-foot supper club features live
10,000 square feet, with two distinct areas for entertaining that can be jazz performances on the weekends and can accommodate 160 for seated
combined to accommodate 900 guests. The main room has a dance floor events or 300 for receptions. The Autumn Leaves lounge seats 20, as does
and two bars, while the smaller lounge area has one bar; both areas have the Valentino dining room. Chef Keith Silverton’s menu features entrées
their own DJ stations. There is a glass-walled indoor smoking lounge such as braised short rib and hanger steak with truffles and herbs. (6533
with a ventilation system that funnels smoke outside. Heat does not Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323.467.4874)
PHOTOS: NIKKEL DESIGN & DEVELOPERS (HEAT ULTRA LOUNGE),
serve food but works with preferred caterers and allows outside catering A TASTE OF NEW YORK Under the co-ownership of Allison Melnick, Robin
for events. (21 West Katella Ave., 714.776.4328) Antin, and Bryan Ogden, Apple Restaurant and Lounge is now open in West
A HOLLYWOOD HAUNT Loyal Pennings, John Terzian, and Grace Hollywood—complete with a red apple-shaped disco ball over the downstairs
Fernandez are partners in the 10,000-square-foot Hollywood supper club lounge. The lounge area for 149 references the Big Apple, with red Plexiglas
COURTESY OF HUSH LOUNGE, BIZBASH (APPLE)
Stork, which features exposed-brick and concrete decor created by Amanda accents and a palette of black, red, and white. A mural of paparazzi in the
Scheer Demme. Adjacent to the Kodak Theatre, Stork is composed of two bathroom with blinking lights for camera flashes adds a local touch to the
separate structures joined on a second floor and linked by a walkway. It also New York theme. The 125-seat restaurant features decor in earth tones, dark
includes a lounge that accommodates 315 and a gallery space with its own wood floors, a water wall behind the bar, and reclaimed barn-wood walls.
bar. Available for full buyout, the venue holds 650 guests. Steven Arroyo Outdoor dining is available, as is a semi-enclosed cabana for 16 on a patio
(owner of Cobras & Matadors) oversees the kitchen and created the menu, along Robertson Boulevard. The venue is available for full or partial buyouts.
which includes entrées such as steak frites with chive aioli and seared scal- At press time, the Pussycat Dolls Lounge was slated to open next door in late
lops with shiitake mushrooms and snap peas. (1738 North Orange Drive, September, under the same ownership. (665 North Robertson Blvd., West
Hollywood, 323.462.3663) Hollywood, 310.358.9191) —Shilpa Gopinath & Laura Kasavan
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 29
Wolfgang Puck Catering at La Jolla Playhouse:
Dramatic Events in an Artful Setting
Wolfgang Puck Catering at La Jolla Playhouse sets the stage for dramatic dining and artful
entertaining. Located in the San Diego coastal suburb of La Jolla, California, on the UC San Diego
campus, this beautiful venue is set in lush landscaping and is the perfect place for intimate dinners,
private receptions and corporate events. Whether it’s an event for 20 or 2,000, Wolfgang Puck
Catering brings delicious food and legendary service to create a truly world-class, restaurant-quality
experience. And with nearly limitless menu options, your meal will be as unique as the occasion.
Jaí by Wolfgang Puck | La Jolla Playhouse | 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
t. 858.638.7778 x204 | www.wolfgangpuckcatering.com
The Linkery
DESTINATION REPORT Sea Rocket Bistro Whisknladle
SAN DIEGO
Privacy, Please
Eateries with private dining options are popping up all over San Diego. Here’s where to go…
FOR A MODERN SPOT Formerly Fresh(er), the modern, minimalist June. Architect Matthew Ellis is behind the space’s western decor, which
Whisknladle reopened in February after a complete remodel. A large cov- includes exposed-beam ceilings, landscape photographs, and cow-skin
ered patio with earth-toned seating out front serves as the main dining area. walls. A private dining room seats 16 or holds 25 for receptions. The bar
Inside, the bar features white leather bar stools, brown leather couches, and features leather booths and offers bites such as beef medallions with blue
white Lucite cube tables. A 16-seat private dining room has a walnut dining cheese and mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese, bacon, and spinach.
PHOTOS: ANGIE VOORHIES (SEA ROCKET), DOUG GATES (LINKERY), COURTESY OF WHISKNLADLE
table, white leather chairs, a large flat-screen TV, and audiovisual equipment. Entrées include a variety of hand-cut steaks from the on-site butcher shop.
(1044 Wall St., La Jolla, 858.551.7575, www.whisknladle.com) (640 10th Ave., 619.450.5880, www.thecowboystar.com)
FOR SURF AND TURF Vigilucci’s Restaurant Group opened Vigilucci’s FOR A SUSTAINABLE MENU The Linkery moved to its current location
Seafood, Steak & Chop House in La Jolla Village in January. The and held its grand reopening in mid-July. Available for private events
5,000-square-foot restaurant features a 55-seat private room with its own on weekdays, the 177-seat space has a raw feel, with salmon walls, a big
bar and an outdoor patio that accommodates 60. Entrées include Atlantic wooden bar, an open kitchen in the center, and glass garage-style doors
salmon and asparagus in a brandy-cream sauce with wide-ribbon pasta, that open in warmer months. A private room with wine-hued walls and
and a veal chop with wild mushrooms in a cognac sauce. (909 Prospect wood furniture seats 35. The menu changes daily and features farm-raised
St., La Jolla, 858.454.9664) meats. (3794 30th St., 619.255.8778, www.thelinkery.com)
FOR COMMUNAL DINING Restaurateurs Dennis Stein and Elena FOR AN OPULENT EATERY Entertainment and real estate development
Rivellino opened farm-to-table restaurant Sea Rocket Bistro in Northcompany EnDev Enterprises opened comfort-food spot Dish in May.
Southern California design firm Davis Ink is behind the 1,600-square-foot
Park in June, emphasizing local and sustainable seafood. Entrées include
restaurant’s detailed decor, which includes padded snakeskin walls, gold
market fish with seasonal vegetables and seafood paella. A 20-foot-long
banquette seating, and peacock prints. The space features an outdoor patio
communal table in the semiprivate front room seats 20 for events, the
and three indoor dining sections, including a private table for 12 bordered
main dining room seats 32, and the bar accommodates 14. (3382 30th St.,
619.255.7049, www.searocketbistro.com) by the eatery’s wine collection. Chef Antonia Friscia’s menu includes
deconstructed matzo ball soup, and a lounge menu features small plates
FOR SOUTHWESTERN KITSCH Restaurateurs Jon and Angie Weber and such as sliders with truffle aioli. (1220 University Ave., 619.296.3474,
executive chef Victor Jimenez opened Cowboy Star in East Village in www.endevevents.com) —Laura Kasavan
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 31
he
Raise T Bar.
P L A N Y O U R N E X T E V E N T AT B U C A
If you’re looking for a great one-of-a-kind meeting or event spot, Buca
di Beppo is the place. Our atmosphere is inspired by traditional Italian
restaurants, with family style portions that are perfect for small and
large groups. We have a variety of rooms available for private parties,
and four banquet packages that are molto bene! So bring your next
event to Buca di Beppo.
866-EAT-BUCA sm
(866-328-2822)
Open daily for lunch at 11:00 bucadibeppo.com
EVENT REPORTS
PHOTO: GABOR EKECS
SOUTH AMERICAN STYLE
Designer Billy Butchkavitz gave HBO’s Emmy
after-party a look inspired by modernist Brasilia.
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 33
EAST MEETS WEST For TV Guide’s after-party
at the Kress, Event Eleven’s Tony Schubert
transformed 150,000 square feet of adjacent
parking lot into an Asian-influenced space
in keeping with the club’s decor. MGMT and
the Bravery performed in a tent draped with
150,000 yards of red Taipei silk and decorated
with 1,000 origami cranes.
Television’s Big Night
The ratings for this year’s Emmy awards demonstrated that the show itself fell flat—but the related
parties, with their striking decor, entertainment, and venue offerings, were a high point.
By Rosalba Curiel, Alesandra Dubin & Irene Lacher
PHOTOS: GABOR EKECS (HBO), ALEX BERLINER/BERLINER STUDIO/BE IMAGES (BILLY IDOL),
NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY ( ALL OTHERS)
MODERNIST MOVEMENT For HBO’s Emmy party, the network’s
longtime collaborator Billy Butchkavitz let his imagination wander
5,800 miles to the modernist utopia of Brasilia. Working with HBO’s
vice president of special events Eileen Rivard, Butchkavitz applied
a palette of blue, green, and yellow to the Pacific Design Center’s
fountain plaza. Percussionist Ravi Jakhotia manned the drums, and
blowups of paintings by South American artists decked the walls.
34 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
ANNIVERSARY PARTY Governors Ball co-chair Dwight Jackson’s
design for this year’s diamond anniversary ball was inspired by
Marilyn Monroe’s performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best
Friend” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Diamond-shaped chande-
liers, as well as Schiaparelli pink roses (the same shade as Mon-
roe’s dress) decorated the Los Angeles Convention Center.
IDOL WORSHIP After moving the Entertainment Tonight
party last year to the Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown,
organizer Lisa Summers Haas decided to keep the party
where it was—minutes from the award show’s new venue,
the Nokia Theatre. Billy Idol entertained the celeb-heavy
crowd of about 1,200. Sponsors set up product lounges on
the patio while Crumbs stacked cupcakes inside.
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 35
Mirrors and fabric flowers decorated tree
planters in the courtyard of the theater.
Theatrical Production
Patrons of the Mark Taper Forum celebrated the venue’s $30 million renovation
with a big-scale gala and debut of The House of Blue Leaves.
AFTER BEING CLOSED for a yearlong top-to-bottom makeover, the ner, Dame Edna did table interviews with guests, which were projected
Mark Taper Forum opened its doors to donors, celebrities, and V.I.P.s with onto large plasma screens, followed by a skit of Dame Edna touring the
a gala celebrating the renovated theater on September 13. Dame Edna (the new Taper. Then she emerged, leading a marching band, while a simul-
character played by Australian comic Barry Humphries) hosted the event, taneous light show revealed the remade theater. She then invited guests
and her unscripted humor lent an element of surprise to the evening. to come inside and see the new space’s inaugural show, John Guare’s The
Center Theatre Group’s Charity Wu enlisted the help of p.g/:R House of Blue Leaves.
Productions to produce the event. “Considering this is a theatrical event, As guests watched the play, organizers transformed the courtyard
decor is highly exaggerated—it’s not your regular sit-down dinner. Dame into the setting for the after-party. Patrons came out to find candy stations
Edna is very over the top, so decor is over the top,” said p.g./:R Productions on large glass tables, a live band, and a dance floor. Dame Edna made a
event producer Anie Andonian. final champagne toast to the new theater while her butler (who was by
Guests entered by way of a red carpet, where Dame Edna conducted her side the entire night) brought a large
Mark Taper Forum
PHOTOS: NADINE FROGER PHOTOGRAPHY
interviews with celebrities and took pictures with patrons. A cocktail box of fake dynamite to the platform.
Reopening Gala
area was dressed in royal blue carpet, ice-blue linens, and modern floral Joined by donors and V.I.P.s, the group
arrangements containing coral, green bamboo, and fuchsia. Custom-made made a gesture to set off the dynamite box, Catering Patina Group
Decor, Design Studio RFD
bars surrounded by large orchid arrangements complemented the new fueling a fireworks show for a dramatic Fireworks Pyro Spectaculars
design of the Taper. reveal of the new Mark Taper Forum. Flowers Square Root Inc.
Lighting Brite Ideas
At the end of cocktail hour, Dame Edna came through 14-foot-tall Though the hostess left shortly after the Production p.g/:R Productions
wooden doors and invited guests to be seated for dinner. The dining area fireworks display, guests continued to flock Rentals Resource One Inc.,
included mirrors surrounding tree trunks and large white fabric flower to the dance floor until after midnight. Classic Party Rentals
Venue Mark Taper Forum
shapes embedded in planters. Blue silk linens covered tables. During din- —Shilpa Gopinath
36 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
Custom bars featured large, Dame Edna came through huge wooden
colorful floral arrangements. doors, inviting guests to be seated for dinner.
As guests followed Dame
Edna and a marching
band into the theater, a
light show revealed the
renovated space.
A fireworks show concluded the event.
Stilt walkers and dancers dressed in silver
A floral piece in the shape of one of Dubai’s hues greeted guests and circulated around
man-made islands floated on the pool’s surface. the estate throughout the evening.
Arabian Night
To celebrate the launch of Trump International Hotel & Tower Dubai, Donald Trump and
real estate developer Nakheel channeled the new property and its Middle East locale.
IT TAKES CLOSE to a day to get to Dubai from Los Angeles, so when miniature models, as well as the estate’s full-scale buildings. “We took
it came time to celebrate the launch of the Trump International Hotel & our creative direction from the [hotel and tower] building itself,” said
Tower Dubai on August 24, Donald Trump and his business partner, real Obscura Digital’s Mia Choi, who acted
estate developer Nakheel, spared guests the journey, inviting them instead as the event’s executive producer. “In Trump International Hotel
& Tower Dubai Launch
to a more conveniently located fete on a three-and-a-half-acre estate in Bel terms of mood for the event, we definitely
Air. However, providing attendees with a feel for the new property and the went with water and steel blues—things Audiovisual Production Video
Applications
city in which it is located was still important to the developers, who turned that represented the building as well as Car Service EmpireCLS
to Obscura Digital to create an environment that read a little more Middle Dubai itself.” Worldwide Chauffeured
Services
East than West Coast. The event was the second stop in a world tour that In another notable nod to the Middle Catering Wolfgang Puck
began in New York and is scheduled to hit four additional stops, including Eastern city, a floral creation in the shape Catering
London, before concluding in Dubai. of one of Dubai’s man-made islands floated Decor Production 911
Drapes Frank Alexander NYC
As guests walked around the mansion’s massive grounds and past atop the center of a swimming pool. A map Flowers Krislyn Design Inc.
stilt walkers—some of whom wore hats in the shape of the property—they of Dubai that included the palm islands Furniture Rentals FormDecor,
glimpsed a 60-foot-diameter dome structure. Inside, Obscura technicians served as the backdrop to a stage erected Lounge22, Designer 8 Event
Furniture Rental, Taylor
had coated the dome with continually changing video scenes from Dubai, on the Bel Air property’s tennis court, Creative Inc.
including vehicles racing down city streets, yachts sailing along the coast, where Christina Aguilera performed a four- Lighting Ed and Ted’s Excellent
Lighting
and ground-level footage of the Trump International Hotel & Tower that song set. Donald Trump lauded the R&B PR Dan Klores Communications
gave onlookers the sense they were standing underneath the property. singer’s talents to the assembled crowd, and Production, Video, Dome
“We were virtually transporting party guests, bringing Dubai to them informed everyone that he had “been with Obscura Digital
Security Security Industry
PHOTOS: ASSOCIATED PRESS
through video technology,” said Obscura Digital C.E.O. Patrick Connolly. her many times,” quickly following with, Specialists
“The guests got to experience what it’s like to be there, but we didn’t have “not in a sexual way,” ensuring that the Set Construction Los Angeles
to fly 1,000 people to do the same thing.” evening—now complete with a comment Guild
Sound Clair Sound Worx
Next to the dome, guests could scrutinize an intricate model of the involving sex and celebrity—did after all Stilt Walkers El Circo
hotel—flown in from Dubai—complete with functioning elevators, as mix some down-home L.A. material into the Tents Classic Party Rentals
Valet Chuck’s Parking Service
well as a one-hundreth scale model of the city. Blue lighting bathed the Dubai-centric evening. —Rosalba Curiel
38 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
The interior of a dome structure
featured video imagery from Dubai.
The celebration took over three and a
half acres of a private Bel Air estate.
A model of Dubai gave guests
a bird’s-eye view of the city.
The interior of a dome structure
featured video imagery from Dubai.
The celebration took over three and a
half acres of a private Bel Air estate.
A model of Dubai gave guests
a bird’s-eye view of the city.
Tru Blood decals plastered bars.
A metal structure supported a 30-foot-tall
bayou-inspired tree with 340 branches.
Blood Bath
PHOTOS: DALE WILCOX FOR BIZBASH (THIS PAGE, TRU BLOOD BOTTLES), GABOR EKECS (ALL OTHERS)
HBO launched its new vampire series True Blood on the rooftop of Hollywood’s ArcLight
with a party that employed cemetery-style set pieces and plenty of red.
HOW MUCH DOES HBO love Alan Ball, executive producer of its hit Six Lining the walls were copies of posters decorated with devils that appear
Feet Under and its trumpeted new vampire series True Blood? Enough to in the show’s vampire nightclub, Fangtasia. The neon sign for Merlotte’s,
send the cable channel’s favorite event planner, Billy Butchkavitz, to the set the local watering hole where much of the action takes place, beamed over
to find inspiration for the after-party for True Blood’s premiere on September the party, which was dotted with gazebos
HBO’s True Blood Party
4—a first in Butchkavitz’s 14-year collaboration with HBO. And enough to strung with plastic garlic and planted with
cover the roof of the ArcLight Hollywood parking structure with 30,000 headstones. Butchkavitz topped tables with Catering Along Came Mary
Productions
square feet of crimson carpet, topped with banquettes, buffets, and seats wooden birds, red Mardi Gras-style beads Design, Decor Billy Butchkavitz
covered in 2,400 yards of cut red velvet to create a vast vampire-friendly and cemetery lanterns holding pillar candles, Design
DJ DJ Pesce
landscape the color of blood. embellished with tarantula magnets. Lighting Images by Lighting
The evening began with a Cinerama Dome screening of two hourlong The series also has a mischievous side, Rentals Town & Country Event
episodes of the Southern Gothic series. Nearly 1,200 guests ascended to and the party had plenty of fun elements: Rentals
Security Special Event
the roof party, where waiters met them with bottles of Tru Blood cocktails jars filled with plastic fangs, devil masks, Management (SEM)
(rum and cranberry and pineapple juices), named after the synthetic blood and waitstaff T-shirts and boxes of mints Set and Tree Frame
consumed by the show’s vampires. Working with HBO vice president of emblazoned with “Suck on this.” The party Construction Event
Construction Services (ECS)
special events Lauren McMahon, Butchkavitz combined props from the was still going after midnight, when revel- Tree Green Set Inc.
set with Mexican shrines and wooden birds to create an atmosphere of ers filled the dance floor to tunes spun by Venue ArcLight Cinemas
Hollywood
creepy elegance. DJ Pesce. —Irene Lacher
40 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
Tru Blood decals plastered bars.
A neon sign announced Merlotte’s,
the local watering hole on the show.
Guests drank bottles of Tru Blood
cocktails, named after the synthetic blood
consumed by the show’s vampires.
Blue and green lighting referenced
the oceanside setting.
Green and white cabanas dotted the beach.
Abundant dinner offerings included a
White furnishings evoked carving station, a wok station, a mashed
the look of an opulent home. potato bar, salads, and desserts.
Beverly Hills 90265
To fete the premiere of the CW’s 90210 redo, the network evoked the feeling of a
Beverly Hills mansion at a Malibu lot on 300 feet of ocean frontage.
BEVERLY HILLS. It’s nice and all, with its gracious mansions and gener- high. Kinetic Lighting cast the foam numbers in changing LED lights—
ously spaced property lines, but homes in the landlocked city don’t offer hues of aqua, hot pink, purple, and blue—to make them pop, and illumi-
much in the way of ocean views. Not typically, that is. nated the Pacific as a dramatic backdrop. “It was absolutely breathtaking
For the August 23 premiere party for 90210, the CW’s update of the to walk in and see this beautiful lit 90210 with the lit ocean behind it,”
’90s high school drama, organizers recreated the look of a rich Beverly Poncher said.
Hills home up the coast, taking over a Malibu lot on 300 feet of Pacific A full dinner from chef Jon Fernow included multiple stations: a
Ocean frontage south of the Pepperdine University campus. CBS vice mashed potato bar, a seafood station with ahi and sea bass, a carving sta-
president of talent relations and special events Ian Metrose oversaw the tion with turkey and hot pastrami, and an Asian noodle bar complete with
event for about 450 cast members, network and studio execs, affiliates, and a wok. Dessert stations featured cupcakes
press folks, tapping Inna Poncher of Poko Event Productions to produce and mousse shooters, and a cappuccino bar The CW’s 90210
and design it. provided guests the fuel they needed for Premiere Party
“I said to Inna, we’re in a Beverly Hills mansion that just happens to the midnight drive back down PCH to L.A. Chairs Chameleon Chair
Collection
be on the beach in Malibu,” said Metrose of his creative direction. “But (Some guests arrived in limousines or cars Ice Curtain Ice Bulb LLC
we didn’t want to do that over-the-top look, the stereotype of people with on loan from GM for the evening.) Lighting Kinetic Lighting
money—we wanted to do something very classy.” Crystal chandeliers, “The most magnificent thing was the Parking, Shuttle Z Valet
Production, Decor Poko Event
custom furnishings, and a blanket of white carpeting created a luxe look location. There aren’t too many lots out Productions
PHOTOS: JOEL H. MARK
under the party tent. On the beach, white ottoman seating surrounded there like that,” Poncher said. Rentals, Tenting Town &
Country Event Rentals
glowing fire pits, and white and green cabanas dotted the sand. Since the The temperature on the late-summer Security Special Event
lot is vacant and completely raw, organizers trucked in water, and built day helped, too. “The weather was perfect,” Management (SEM)
subflooring and stairs to the beach. Metrose said. “We had heat lamps that we Sound, DJ Groovy Lou
Water Wall Mirage Water Works
Outside, a raised display bearing the show’s title towered nearly 10 feet never turned on.” —Alesandra Dubin
42 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
A beaded ice curtain popped under blue lights.
Crystal chandeliers
hung overhead.
Kinetic illuminated a display that
read 90210 and the ocean behind it.
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The event called upon the
rivalry between USC and
Rides at Pacific Park were open for guests. UCLA in carnival games.
College Party
Victoria’s Secret launched its Pink collegiate collection
at the Santa Monica Pier with an emphasis on an
old rivalry, and an hourlong Fall Out Boy concert.
THERE ARE FEW things more all-American than collegiate rivalries, and
there are few places more all-American-feeling than the Santa Monica Pier,
with its new Ferris wheel over the Pacific and its idyllic beach views. Identifying
those convenient facts, Victoria’s Secret chose the seaside venue to launch its
new Pink collegiate collection, a collaboration with the Collegiate Licensing
Company. The retail chain’s large-scale, semi-public party on July 17 was nomi- Guests took over the Santa
nally hosted by model Behati Prinsloo, the new face of the line. Victoria’s Secret Monica pier for the event.
Pink vice president of public relations Sara Tervo oversaw the event, and tapped
Tony Berger of Relevent to produce it.
On a late afternoon that felt warm even down by the water, guests began
to flow in holding the “Pinkapalooza” party passes they had scooped up at
Victoria’s Secret Pink stores or from street teams or downloaded from the
Internet. The passes allowed entrance to the party and free rides and games
at Pacific Park. Students and fans competed in carnival games like Skee-ball
PHOTOS: JOHN SCIULLI/BERLINER STUDIO/BEIMAGES
and the water-balloon toss that pitted old rivals the University of Southern
California and the University of California-Los
Victoria’s Secret Angeles against each other.
“Pinkapalooza” Attendees toted around new purchases from
Launch Party the collection: Victoria’s Secret and university
Lighting Felix Lighting co-branded gear; two pop-up stores on site sold
PR Alison Brod Public Relations
Production Relevent Group LLC
the merchandise.
Staging All Access Staging & Around 9 p.m., Fall Out Boy performed an
Productions hourlong set for the crowd. Danny Masterson
Venue Santa Monica Pier, Pacific Pop-up shops sold merch from the
Park — Santa Monica was also on hand to spin summery tunes.
new Pink collegiate collection.
—Alesandra Dubin
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 45
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EVENTS & PROMOTIONS
BizBash Hosts Breakfast Event in San Francisco
Bay Area planners attended an intimate BizBash breakfast event
on August 12 to celebrate BizBash’s 2009 National Venue Guide
and to hear the latest word on green initiatives. The group of
hand-selected planners feasted on a sumptuous breakfast
prepared by celebrity chef and former Top Chef contestant Ryan
Scott at Mission Beach Cafe.
BizBash president Richard Aaron led a discussion that included
Linda Thompson, president and C.E.O. of Cappa & Graham Inc.,
the first green-certified company in the local hospitality market.
Planners listened to chef Scott, who spoke about how to run
a green restaurant—by selecting fresh ingredients from local
green markets, Scott puts together innovative menus for Mission Neil Adams of Blue Print Studio, Linda Thompson,
Beach Cafe. For the breakfast, he created a signature salad of chef Ryan Scott, and BizBash L.A. associate publisher
Melissa Arnold at BizBash’s breakfast event in San
watermelon, red onion, and watercress, which tantalized taste Francisco.
buds and created a buzz among attendees.
BizBash Names L.A. Advisory Board Reserve Your
To better serve the event Marc Friedland, Patricia Ryan, President Copy of the 2009
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National Venue
professionals to its L.A. advisory
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Mary Micucci, Founder & Katy Sweet & Associates Inc. BizBash’s 2009 National Venue
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ELS Cyd Wilson, Director of Creative
Productions markets with coverage of
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Special Projects, Universal Ellen Pazanti, Co-Owner nightlife!
Pictures Levy Pazanti & Associates
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rate? Find out in the January/ Directory L.A. Event Style Expo (BizBash L.A.
Destination September/October issue), Erick
February issue. Lighting Ideas Report: Miami
Weiss’s first name was misspelled
in a photo caption on page 41. The
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Fendi’s Fashion Show on the
Great Wall of China
correct spelling is Erick. Erick led a
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Advertising deadline: November 21, 2008 named in the article.
Amber illumination shone The opening-night gala got a look
on Romanesque arches. reminiscent of an Italian town square.
Viva Italia
The Los Angeles Opera’s opening-night gala
transformed the Music Center Plaza into a
setting evocative of an Italian town square.
WITH THE LOS ANGELES Opera’s opening weekend celebration to kick off
its 2008-2009 season, general director Plácido Domingo’s collaborations with
Hollywood directors reached a crescendo. The program featured classic and
new works performed back to back, directed by film giants William Friedkin,
David Cronenberg, and Woody Allen, in his opera debut.
Longtime board of directors gala chairwoman Mary Hayley designed the
weekend of parties, and Jill Michnick, assistant director of development for
special events, executed it with the help of Special Occasions Inc., which con-
structed the Italianate town square-style setting for the September 6 gala.
In a subtle nod to the film directors’ usual milieu, the red carpet for the
first event was edged with six-foot-high topiary letters spelling out the title of
that evening’s opera, “Il Trittico” by Puccini. The topiary touch was inspired by
Vanity Fair’s ficus formations at its legendary Oscar party. The gala dinner that
followed took its cue from Puccini’s native Italy, where the operas take place.
The party took to the Music Center Plaza, which was enclosed by hedge-
rows. The entrance was flanked by 10-foot-high arrangements of sunflowers
and yellow and white roses. The cheery hues lit up the party interior as well, with
flowers and gold-rimmed crystal and china topping yellow raw-silk cloths.
Tables for 530 guests surrounded a square formed by four Romanesque
arches uplit in soft amber; along the upper curves, the operas’ names appeared
in white neon letters. Stretching out from each arch was a dance floor. Inside
the arches, a four-piece band rotated slowly on a
Los Angeles Opera platform as it played standards designed to get
Opening-Weekend the black-tie crowd on its feet.
Michnick said the point of the central design
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Celebration
Catering Patina Group was to make all guests feel they had a good
Decor Special Occasions Inc. table. Along those lines, board chairman Marc
Flowers Mark’s Garden Stern and Domingo took turns speaking from
Lighting Images by Lighting
Rentals Classic Party Rentals opposite ends of the party. “I want everyone to
Hedgerows enclosed the Music
Sound Dyal Productions feel part of the party,” Michnick said.
Venue Music Center Center Plaza for the gala.
—Irene Lacher
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 47
Greens covered Matthew White and
Frank Webb’s Weeds living room, mixing
organic elements and making a few
blatant references to marijuana.
The Californication library featured a tower
of immovable books, designed by Jamie
Drake to illustrate the maddening effects
of character Hank Moody’s writer’s block.
Designer Amy Lau built the Dexter
room around a dining table that
featured silverware fashioned into
jagged tools, ceramic place settings
that will be sold to the public, and
glasses etched with fingerprints.
As Seen on TV
For the latest incarnation of its annual show house, Metropolitan Home teamed up with
Showtime for a project that would give all of their time and money a lot more mileage.
DESIGNING A DINING room that brings the psyche of a serial killer and carefully folded rolling papers in the Weeds living room required close
to life with a bloody crime scene may not be high on the to-do list of a inspection, while the blood-splattered Dexter dining room haunted the first
typical Metropolitan Home reader, but for the 2008 installment of the floor with the ghosts of a dinner party gone horribly awry.
magazine’s show house, it forged a unique partnership that involved just The most difficult task, however, seemed reserved for Tori Golub, who
that. Thirteen designers turned a $20 million, 8,800-square-foot Greek was charged with designing a bedroom based on the upcoming series The
revival townhouse on Gramercy Park into an embodiment of Showtime, United States of Tara. Golub built the bedroom and adjoining bath and
with thematic rooms inspired by seven of the network’s series. walk-in closet without ever even seeing an episode. All she was given was a
“Most magazines in the shelter category put on a show house every script for the pilot. That kind of creative control seems to have worked for
year,” explained Metropolitan Home publisher Deborah Burns. “You run everyone involved. Burns was thrilled by how designers such as Amy Lau,
some images in your magazine and then basically it’s over. It’s a tremen- Vincente Wolf, and Jamie Drake were able to innovate while remaining
dous amount of work, and I’ve always felt that the inside the tight parameters of the themes. “The real payoff is that they were
FROM NEW YORK return, in today’s world, is not what it used to be. able to create trends with legs,” she said.
When I joined Metropolitan Home, I wanted to know what we could do This year’s show house had longevity in more ways than one. In addi-
differently.” tion to remaining open for four weeks, with walkthroughs to the public
“Differently” meant finding a way to tap into a larger audience, and during the day and events scheduled every night, including a season pre-
Metropolitan Home sought to accomplish this with a partner that shared miere party for Californication and Dexter, the partnership gives the house
its modern aesthetic and willingness to take risks. Showtime was an early a second life on television. Showtime filmed construction and design of
suggestion, and during conversations between the two entities, the idea the home from the day it was gutted, and the footage will be edited down
of rooms inspired by individual series and characters came up. Designers into a documentary that will air on the network. Profiles of rooms will also
would be assigned one of the network’s series and given free reign to build be available to On Demand subscribers.
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a room around that show. One of just three single-family homes remain- The magazine anticipates creating
ing on Gramercy Park, the historic four-story home chosen for the 2008 more than 60 million impressions with Metropolitan Home
show house provided a substantial blank canvas. the house, far surpassing the reach of Showtime Show House
It took five months for the whole project to come together, and when its previous incarnations. Burns said the Opening Party
the doors of 23 Gramercy Park South opened for the September 9 launch partnership with Showtime is something Catering Archer Lyon Events
party, 470 guests celebrated in rooms inspired by a 16th-century despot Metropolitan Home is keen to keep up. “We and Catering
Cleaning New York’s Little Elves
and a Miami Beach serial killer. The series chosen—Californication, Weeds, certainly don’t see why not,” she said. “Every Publicity Clifford/Bratskeir
Dexter, The L Word, The Tudors, and The United States of Tara—all captured designer would interpret these shows in a Public Relations
Security Heightened Security
their muses with a mix of subtlety and playful literalism. The hemp carpet different way.” —Michael O’Connell
48 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
G E T A F R E S H P E R S P E C T I V E
Photo: Jay H. Gattveg
C a l l 1 . 8 8 8 . C O RT. Y E S o r Vi s i t
w w w. C O RTeve n t s. c o m t o v i ew
the complete CORT Product gallery.
THE BEST OF 2008
A look at the innovative
strategies, people, and ideas
from this year that are sure to
inspire events well into the future.
PHOTO: ALICEANDCHRIS.COM FOR BIZBASH
Shakespeare's Wild Sisters, artists in
residence for the Watermill Center's
summer benefit in the Hamptons, created
an installation featuring two colorfully
dressed women on towers who controlled
human puppets that crawled in the grass
beside the main entrance.
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 51
THE BEST OF 2008
For the opening of the Los
Angeles County Museum of
Art’s Broad Contemporary
Art Museum, event producer
Ben Bourgeois included
a floating stage that
descended from the ceiling
for a dinner performance.
SPICED-UP STAGING
PHOTOS: NADINE FROGER (TOP), KEITH SIRCHIO FOR BIZBASH (LEFT), JOSEPH ALLEN
For the Kennedy Center’s Art of
Film Music gala, platforms and
OBO, Sculpted Ice Works, and scenic backdrops for models (in dresses
designer Jonathon Beck used 1,143 blocks worn by actresses at major award
of ice as a dramatic backdrop for the Y-3 ceremonies) were interspersed
runway show in New York in February. among tables in three rooms.
52 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
LG collaborated with Shan Swimwear for the
Fashion Forward launch of the Chocolate phones. What was your
goal in creating that partnership?
I wanted to make Canadians aware of the
Chocolate phones, and Shan—a fashion house
Andrew Barrett is driving big sales out of Montreal that has a really good global
footprint and awareness for its brand—needed
increases at LG Canada with large event to boost its profile. We were able to put both
sponsorships, including a new series brands together, and we co-launched with the
Chocolate Temptation fashion show in Montreal
of fashion industry partnerships. and at the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival
in Whistler. In all of our activities, our goal is to
partner with somebody who can get as much
out of it as we can … we have never really tried
to do a stand-alone event.
How do you evaluate or measure the success of
these events?
We measure the PR value. Did we achieve that
PR objective in terms of total value that was
generated, as well as the messaging that was
the result of the event? The second thing we
look at is the consumer awareness and impres-
sion created by the event. So, how aware were
the people in Quebec of the LG Open, and what
was their disposition toward that event? We
measure consumer engagement and reaction.
The third thing we measure is, how effectively
did it drive the online traffic goal that we set for
that event? And finally, did it stay on budget?
Where do you see the company’s marketing
strategy going next year?
We need to broaden the geographical footprint
we are appealing to. The second thing that will
change going forward is that we are working
very hard to build some recurring associations—
things like the Canadian Texting Championships
that we hope will become ongoing events for us.
LG unveiled its Fall Fashion Collection in Sep-
tember, which included a partnership with Fash-
As vice president of marketing at LG Electronics the fastest-growing corporate reputation of any ion Television during the Toronto International
Canada, Andrew Barrett has spearheaded the company in Canada in 2007. Our unaided brand Film Festival and a Maroon 5 concert during
marketing campaigns for several products— awareness grew from about 27 to 48 percent Fashion Week in October. What is the signifi-
including phones and HD televisions—since … so we’ve seen the brand really explode, and cance of this campaign for LG?
joining the company in October 2006. Under his that’s been based on a massive investment in What we launched this fall is a foundation for
direction, LG expanded its marketing depart- marketing and events and PR-related activity. where we see all of our future events and mar-
ment and increased its budget tenfold, with How has that emphasis factored into LG’s mar- keting campaigns being rooted going forward.
roughly 25 percent going to events. Meanwhile, keting strategy? We worked on this for close to a year, bringing
the company experienced a 30 percent sales in- We’ve spent a lot of time doing product-dedicated in all these really great partners, like the Fashion
crease in 2007, to $1 billion in annual revenue. PR, and there’s always an event component tied Design Council of Canada, Fashion Cares, and
Among LG’s event efforts are a runway to that. Our second goal has been to increase Fashion Television. It’s the biggest thing we’ve
show at the foot of Whistler Mountain during the association of the brand as being one that’s ever done at LG Canada.
the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival and a getting involved in Canadian communities, en- What do you hope to achieve with this campaign?
70-yard golf hole in downtown Montreal during hancing Canadians’ lifestyles and doing cool and Everything that we’ve done in the last 12 months
the President’s Cup. Next up: In September, LG interesting things. to get to here is just a starting point to where
announced a series of fashion partnerships. In Montreal, events and community are very I hope to end up another year from now. We
To what do you attribute the brand’s success important to the fabric of the city. So LG coming are looking to further expand our involve-
over the past year? in [during Presidents Cup week in September ment in Canadian fashion. We’re trying to find
One of the first things has been a continual in- 2007], building the LG Open [a 70-yard golf hole ways to go beyond just Toronto. We’re trying
PHOTO: JILL KITCHNER FOR BIZBASH
vestment in innovative new products that have in downtown Montreal], and giving Montrealers to get more and more Canadians who haven’t
quickly established a leadership position. The a chance to get involved in an event, to become experienced the world of fashion in our country
second area that’s really helped has been the engaged with the brand and PGA golf and feel to get involved, to see it, to be part of it, and to
explosive development of LG brand awareness the excitement of what was going on that understand what an important industry it is to
among Canadians in the past 12 months. The week—that really contributed to their overall Canada—and along the way, really revere LG for
Leger Marketing Survey in Canada said we had positive impressions. getting engaged. —Susan O’Neill
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 53
THE BEST OF 2008
DIY Power
One of the green initiatives at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts
A Wild Photo Op
Festival in Indio, California, was Anthem magazine’s pool party during the
Global Inheritance’s energy factory Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival attracted
installation, which allowed attendees a raucous young crowd with plenty of silly
to power devices like cell phone activities. Instead of a traditional photo booth,
chargers and misting fans using the planners planted a live donkey in front of a tropical
energy generated by pedaling bikes. backdrop as a prop for guests’ photos.
Profit Centers
Elizabeth Baker Keffer has turned
around Atlantic Media’s event
division, sharpening its content-heavy
programs and making them profitable.
Elizabeth Baker Keffer has had a busy year. Last How do you increase brand
December, she took over Atlantic Live—the awareness?
event arm of Atlantic Media, parent of The Atlan- We think that Atlantic Live
tic, Government Executive, and National Journal. has had a major impact in
She had already worked for owner David Bradley promoting Atlantic’s name,
for 24 years, most recently as publisher at The since we always have our
Atlantic. Now she’s developing new event mod- talent at the center. At the larger public events part of Atlantic is a way to be subtle about their
els, such as salon dinners that bring advertisers we get more media attention, like the Aspen outreach and about building very strong rela-
such as Allstate, GE, and Microsoft together with Ideas Festival in June, where we had [Secretary tionships. We also don’t want to take on dozens
journalists, policy makers, and Atlantic editors on of Homeland Security] Michael Chertoff inter- of partners, because we think part of the beauty
a particular topic. Along the way she’s increased viewed by our national correspondent, Jeffrey of this is the feeling of exclusivity. We’d rather
revenue for Atlantic Live by 10 percent. Goldberg, in front of 1,000 people. It’s a way to work with the same partners on multiple events
PHOTOS: BIZBASH (COACHELLA, DONKEY),HECTOR EMANUEL FOR BIZBASH
How have your years with the company set you give our talent and editorial a larger stage. across a several-year stretch, because we think
up for this position? The smaller events that we’re getting well that’s the right way to have an impact, since the
What I’ve seen is the intense interest that cli- known for are the salon dinners [for 20 to 25]. It’s dinners touch so few people at the same time.
ents, sponsors, and advertisers have in big ideas hard for us to promote those, because they’re by Which Atlantic events from 2008 would you
and in integrated programs that create more of and large off the record. But there is always such consider most successful?
a three-dimensional message. If done effectively, a highly influential audience that attends that At the Aspen Ideas Festival, which is our signa-
it can help us stand out from other companies. we feel like, even in a small circle, we’re reaching ture event, we had a record 11 sponsors. We also
How do your events contribute to the company? important people and increasing our exposure. did a lot more this year to integrate them, rang-
Atlantic Live delivers added-value programs What has been the response to the salons from ing from Chevron’s pedicabs to Intel’s Segway
for advertisers, so we produce events that are sponsors and advertisers? scooters. The other event that comes to mind
earned through an integrated advertising plat- A senior-level client will usually get the fact is the 100-person State of the Union viewing
form. We’re contributing close to a quarter of that there are some audiences that are hard to dinner, which we held in January at the Plaza
the advertising revenue, and that’s well into the reach. But if you can create an experience that hotel in New York before it reopened, with our
seven figures. We’ve moved from having a loss is unique and content-rich, it’s attractive to that correspondent Jim Fallows there to lead the con-
at Atlantic Live to a profit. audience. They immediately get that being a versation. —Danielle O’Steen
54 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
Change in
Washington
André Wells offers an
alternative to classic D.C.
entertaining: decor-heavy
evenings ripe with surprises. Branding It Both Ways
Inspired by Macbeth, the Folger Shakespeare Library gala in Washington had
mystical elements, including beef tenderloin seared with a pentacle symbol by
André Wells is the go-to planner for companies in the capital look- Occasions Caterers—a trick that could also work with a logo or other design.
ing to break from the standard. He started his company, Events by
André Wells, in 2003, after 13 years on the D.C. circuit at PBS, RSVP
Catering, and Capitol Companies. Now his clients include Microsoft
and Dell, and for BET
Network he produced
two nights of star-stud-
ded soirees for its first
BET Honors award show
in January. The after-
party alone transformed
the otherwise bare
Ronald Reagan Building
and International Trade
Center into a purple-
draped affair with regal
aspirations. But his most
involved 2008 event was
Washington Life’s “The
Young and the Guest
List” party in February,
Sushi Platter Shake-Up
PHOTOS: RON ARIA (WELLS), PEPE GOMEZ (BEEF), GARY BEECHEY FOR BIZBASH (SUSHI), JOE FORNABAIO FOR BIZBASH (CENTERPIECE)
where he dressed three
different venues—the Instead of serving sushi on a picked-over platter, Toronto’s Liberty Grand
St. Regis, Halcyon House, Entertainment Complex put rolls in stemless martini glasses, complete with
and Josephine Lounge— chopsticks, at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Mozart Unlaced benefit.
for three consecutive
events in one evening. Most impressive: keeping everything a secret
from the 350 guests.
How do you prepare for these complex, multivenue events?
You have to be very focused, and you have to anticipate problems. I
always imagine myself as a guest. If you have A, B, and C locations,
you have to wonder, “Am I going to ride a shuttle bus? Is parking
near?” You have to ask those questions. You want the guests to have
an experience and to not have to think about anything.
What’s your favorite space in Washington?
The Mandarin Oriental is a great spot for big events, because they
give you a lot of autonomy. For smaller functions, I’ve always loved
the Decatur House, because it’s cozy and unique and is in a great
location.
How is D.C. different from other cities?
Washington is a conservative town and is known for its cocktail
parties, which start at 5 p.m. and are over by 8 p.m.. But the next
generation of D.C. socialites and business executives is looking for a
different sort of night. So I try to start things at nontraditional times
and look for ways to wow them. You have to reach those expecta-
tions and supersede yourself. —Danielle O’Steen
A Centerpiece With a Second Life
For the Robin Hood Foundation’s gala in New York, David Stark created decor
ON BIZBASH.COM with goods that were donated after the event. XO laptops served as center-
Our coverage of Andre Wells’ work for BET and Washington Life. pieces and flashed images of flowers, statistics, and a dinner menu.
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 55
THE BEST OF 2008
David Stark designed a tentlike dining
environment for the New York City
Opera’s spring gala, taking a cue from
CEILING MAKEOVERS the medieval vibe of the evening’s
production of King Arthur.
PHOTOS: JOE FORNABAIO FOR BIZBASH (TOP), MARY HILLARD (LEFT), KEITH SIRCHIO FOR BIZBASH
Van Wyck & Van Wyck
fashioned a drop
ceiling of interwoven
Van Wyck & Van Wyck crisscrossed 3,000 bands of fabric at the
yards of blue, red, and green silk strips above Whitney Museum of
the dinner tables for a New York benefit for American Art’s Art
arts nonprofit Studio in a School. Party in New York.
56 bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008
Scripting Reality
Valerie Brown is promoting Bravo’s new and returning
series with attention-getting stunts and tours.
In television, like fashion, you’re either in or you’re advice seminar with the star of Million Dollar replicas of all
out, and staying relevant in the still-evolving Matchmaker, and dance classes at Crunch gyms five New York
medium is not as easy as it once was. Internal nationwide to promote Step It Up and Dance. “As City boroughs
marketers need to approach their existing and you grow, budgets become more accessible, but in Grand Cen-
potential audiences from every direction, and for at the same time, you have to maintain profitabil- tral Station for
Bravo director of digital marketing and events ity,” says Brown. “We pick anchor events to invest the launch of
Valerie Brown, that task hinges on creating signa- in and to put on a large platform. When you have the New York
ture moments to herald the premieres of new and the breadth of programming we have, you have to season of Top
existing series. make strategic decisions.” Chef. The contestants will cook ethnic cuisines
representative of New York neighborhoods for
FIRST IN A SERIES Brown joined the network in A CUT ABOVE In one of the year’s standout guests willing to donate $10 to the New York Food
2004, on the eve of an extensive rebranding initia- events, Brown gave hairstyling competition Shear Bank. Earlier this year, Brown maintained buzz for
tive. That effort included the launch of Project Genius a push for its sophomore season that it the series with “Top Chef: The Tour,” a three-month
Runway, the first series she worked on closely, didn’t receive for its first outing. The series’ 11 promotion in which past contestants gave cooking
collaborating with producers Magical Elves and contestants, along with host Jaclyn Smith, set up demonstrations at Whole Foods markets in 20 cit-
IMG Fashion to run the front of the house for the shop in a makeshift salon in the middle of Times ies across the country.
contestants’ Bryant Park fashion shows. In the four Square, using artistic chairs designed by students
years since, Bravo has grown each year, posting re- at the School of Visual Arts. “We hit every goal ANOTHER PROJECT This fall Bravo lost flagship
cord ratings in 2007 and then again in the second with that one,” Brown says. “High traffic, iconic property Project Runway to Lifetime, but it’s hard
quarter of 2008. location, working with a creative partner in SVA, for Brown to dwell on the departure. Her network
and creating a showcase where we were able to has a record 24 new and returning series slated
EXPANDING LINEUP Brown became team display the talent of the stylists on the show.” for 2009, and she’s already brainstorming how to
director in 2006, working with Bravo senior vice tackle them all. “At the end of the day,” she says,
president of marketing Ellen Stone. She recently GLORIOUS FOOD Trying to achieve all of those “I want to create a strategy where we’re creat-
produced a competition to find a new cast goals moving forward, Bravo’s biggest 2008 event ing events for all of our new series and all of our
member for gym reality show Work Out, a dating sees Brown and designer Larry Abel creating 3-D returning franchises.” —Michael O’Connell
A Dressed-Up
Step-and-Repeat
Target debuted its new Converse
collection at an unofficial MTV
Movie Awards after-party in Los
Angeles, where event design firm
Caravents framed the retailer’s
and shoe company’s logos on the
press wall.
PHOTOS: BRAD DECECCO FOR BIZBASH (BROWN), LINE 8 PHOTOGRAPHY
bizbash.com/losangeles november/december 2008 57
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