Another day….. Another, Blah, Blah, Blog…..Bar
Mitzvah Blog today…….!
Can I be honest?
If I have to do one more football/basketball/baseball
themed party, I may just throw up! Now, I know I don’t have kids myself,
but is there not anything else these “Budding Little Adults” are into??? Well….anything we can invite the
neighbors too that is!
How about a… “Hey, I just found dad’s
playboys in garage” party…. Or an “Ed Hardy….Love kills slowly” Mitzvah!!!!! Or the very popular, “I’s got’s me some Apple bottom Jeans Ho-down”….. No????
Let’s face it…that IS what most pre-pubescent 14 year olds are into these days!!!! Am I right?
All right, all right…. But can we at least
put our creative thinking caps on? The Mitzvah scene IS changing a little bit
here in Washington…. But some people really need to get with the program and “Hora” into 2008.
I just recently did a FABULOUS party at Wash Hebrew,
with the spunky (and always… stylishly dressed) Jodi m. After Temple service
the adults were invited to a two hour cocktail party in the main foyer area, which was transformed into such a simplistically
hip room, that you’d thought you had died and gone to Feng Shui haven! “Organically Hip” were the exact words I heard referenced to my work..….
(God, maybe I am brilliant!). Complete with a 40ft long bamboo topped bar, matching
square bamboo café tables and lacquered mushroom stools. Just inside the ballroom
was another “Organically Chic” adult lounge with groupings of sofas, a 30ft long Farm Table Tequila Bar, placed
in front of a scrim diffused forest of shadowy, sculptural, knurled trees. The
centerpiece for the room was a flag stone table filled with polished river rocks, just waiting for guest to write a one word
inspirational message on the stone for the BMB (Bar Mitzvah Boy), and place it into a large glass urn (this was Jodi’s
idea….damn it!).
After the adults noshed on passed “tapas style”
small plates (offered by the always wonderful but always worried)….. Joel Wolke of Occasions caterers… they were
(nicely) invited to LEAVE AND GO HOME!!!!!PARTY OVER for the adults!
The kids area in the remainder of the ballroom,
and for the remainder of the party…. was an eco friendly night club with lounging sofas and beds, “Fat Boy”
beanbag chairs, steel bar and buffet and a DJ flown in from LA….that’s Los Angeles!!… (none of that trashy,
east coast ghetto rap crap for these kids!)….. This party was sooooo hip, they even handed out Kabala Bracelets (and
BTW….Jodi…..I never got mine….hello, you promised) and the kids were treated to a hot, freshly made to order,
donut machine……can you say….yummy! “Sure….eat all
that sugar coated processed carb goodness now while you can…..you’ll regret when your 40!!!!!” (42, but
who’s counting)
The point is….. The party was tasteful, religious,
meaningful, fun, different and reflective of the entire family hosting the Bar Mitzvah.
I’m sure the kid was into sports, camp and their beach house….just like all my clients’ sons and
daughters… but they really meant it when they said they wanted something different… which was quite refreshing
for me!
Some other “out of the box” Mitzvahs
I’ve done…..”COSMIC SOCCER”….”A KABUTS IN THE COUNTRY”…”TOP CHEF”
and how about, “ WRESTLING IN THE GARDEN”… (No, not a gay porn flick I saw recently…. a Bar Mitzvah
that me and my partner in crime Sue Katz, designed at the Fairmont, years ago! Don’t ask, Don’t tell I say!)
And now for the good stuff….. The gossip!
Did you hear Disney came to Washington?….It’s
called the Gaylord! Water that magically changes color and sings Old Time Americana
Hymns, “ Colonial Williamsburg ” themed gift shops, housekeepers
that unexpectedly break out into song and dance, color changing lights in every corner, a building big enough to have its
own zip code, and hordes of “fanny Pack’n” tourists wandering around in a hypnotic daze…staring straight
up into the sky!
All kidding aside, despite a few opening miss haps….
This is one hotel that you MUST SEE! Well thought out, well laid out and well
planned! I love any hotel that has over 20 loading dock bays…..If you need
a LOT of space for your next event (or a room that has 30 to 35ft tall ceilings), the Gaylord Hotel is just waiting for you! It is truly destined to be one of Washington’s most spectacular hotels….
This past week I attended the ISES GALA (God, how
I hate to use the word Gala)…. Remember wayyyyyy back…..being in
student council when you were in high school….working on the junior/senior prom????? That’s ISES! Actually, for those of you that don’t know, “International Special Events Society”. This
is an organization of event professionals for all of the DC area. And I have
to give my props to Sue, Terri and Debbie from Distinctive Events who baby sat…oops! I mean, organized this year’s
Gala…oops! I mean party! And kudos the props to Rick Davis of Amaryllis,
Janet Flowers of “herself” florist, the adorable Rose Rabin of Party Rental Ltd., the en”light”ed
John Farr (light…get it?)and everyone else who styled this year’s event….truly spectacular! It was organized
and TASTEFUL this year, unlike previous Galas! (…and this time, I will use the word)…..
My little birdie was back on my shoulder this month……
Who’s the biggest, self- proclaimed princess you know (besides Mark Chaikowski……and myself!)?????? Well, after a long absence from DC, she’s
back!!!!!!!!!!!! More about that later! And I can’t wait to tell all!
Well party fans…. That’s all for now….more
later, so keep checking back!
Remember,
Celebrate
in Style and Party till ya die!
K
2/28/08
Well Hello My Party Peeps…… This
is my first ever KBlog…. A tidbit of latest and greatest, a little special event gossip and some, more then likely,
useless information! Today I have a TID and a BIT to discuss….
First the TID….
Last night was the third annual “SIP
AND SAMPLE” at the FAIRMONT HOTEL. A way for clients and vendors to sip
a little champagne, see the innovative plates from Chef Jason and Chef Aron (BTW, the ovens aren’t the only thing hot
in the kitchen), and sample the this year’s savories and sweets on the Fairmont menu.
Last night was a virtual “Who’s Who” of the special events industry.
If AL’QAIDA wanted to wipe out the entire events industry of DC with one blow….. Last night could have
done it!
The Colonnade looked fantastic (if I do say
so myself) thanks to my wonderful staff at CDE as well as Janet Flowers, Party rentals and SWANK. For me, creating a table to represent the latest trends meant NEW YORK MINIMAL….. sleek, sophisticated
and elegant. Our new white gloss table with an embedded garden of crystal rocks,
black gloss Manzanita branches and clustered succulents created a cutting edge and hip look that would fit right into any
high fashion New York hotel or restaurant. Black and white is still,
Smok’in Hot!
And apparently we are all still “Pretty
in Pink”….. BARBIE BE REPRESENT’N last night in an all pink corner of bubblegum pin tuck drape, pink bengaline
linens, signature Party Rental pink bar stools and a wash of pink light (which always make everyone look fabulous!)….
CDE showcased our white shadowbox table filled with all the goodies a girl would want including roses, candy, kisses and boas! Topping the table were round pink orbs of the “C” word….no, no,
no…. carnations! But Bob…. Why did you put The Grooming Lounge, Chris
Laich and Martin from Blue Sky in the ”GIRLY-GAY” pink corner……”Trying to tell us something??????”
The plate presentations were “TO DIE
FOR” (well, except maybe for the “Flintstone” style bone chop on a plate….that was even too much meat
for me!). And the anticipated BITES did not disappoint the taste buds…
Especially the artistic desserts. I had one of each! Thanks to Aron’s devilish
desserts I’ve had to walk around all day with my mouth DUCK TAPED so I don’t add to my already overloaded calorie
counter.....
And speaking of which, while standing in
the Carnivorous corner gnawing on my lamp chop, a little birdie landed on my shoulder and chirped a little song about a very
serious relationship developing between two children of two PARTY POWERHOUSES…… more on that later as it develops. But this could be one hell of a Washington Wedding!
My only fear for Bob and his hotel is that
the décor gets better and better and outshines the “Sip’n and the Sampl’n”………. and
how come the Bling Bling wasn’t one of the door prizes???? “what’ up with tat???
And now for the Bit…… This
week my dear friend Jodi and I visited the new Monaco Hotel in Alexandria, which I’m re-naming the Monaco HOTT-tel! I stepped into the lush lobby and thought….”Dorothy, We’re not in
Alexandria anymore!” This place ROCK’S! As a designer it’s visually stimulating, creative, lush and edgy… but still comfortable, cozy
and unpretentious. A perfect place for FREAKS AND GEEKS (which at various times
I seem to fall into both categories). Now I know that those who live on
THIS side of the river rarely travel across the bridge to the other…. But I ventured out and I’m so glad I did…the
(long, hard exhausting) trip was worth it!
The sleeping rooms are so well appointed
and cleverly designed that I didn’t even notice the hint of “AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY DRAB” that usually bores
me to sleep (But maybe that would be good for a hotel sleeping room…..hummmmmm, very interesting!). Including a two story loft style suite that makes me want to move right in and start paying rent
(even if it is in Virginia!!).
The event space is small, so I don’t
see any Starlight Balls moving there or anything…. But this IS a Boutique Hotel.
And they have a “tent-able” courtyard that helps expand the space.
And you know how much we event designers love tents…….the more to decorate the better!!! MORE IS MORE!
The restaurant “JACKSON 20” was hot and happening when I was there at lunch time and again, extremely well designed….
I just loved it….. Kudos to designer Cheryl Rowley who does all the interiors for the Kimpton Group Hotels. You can’t do me, but you can do my house anytime!!!!!
Tomorrow I’m off with my super exclusive
“Supper Club” friends (Jealous?) to the NEWSEUM for a private tour with MS. Robin and then to Lunch at SOURCE. Gee, NEWS….. Another usually snoozer of a subject for me, but the design, venue,
food and drink always makes a big HEADLINE to me! I’ll keep ya, POSTED! ALL PUNS INTENDED……
Remember…..
“Celebrate in Style and Party till ya die!”
K
Style savvy wedding trends...here a few of the top trends in weddings this season.
Black Orchids...these rare flowers are a must for your chic spring wedding. Hard to find, rarely grown and pricey, style
savvy brides are incorporating black orchids into bridal bouquets and centerpieces for a very exclusive wedding feel.
Chandaliers provide the perfect bling for stylish weddings. Hanging over tables in the ballroom, chandaliers bring
a touch of romance into any wedding. Black chandaliers are a prefect way to include the color black in your wedding
decor.
Couture wedding cakes are a wonderful way for brides and grooms to further express their personal styles. Wedding cakes
decorated with black and white polka dots and black and white pearls are two of the most sophisticated designs this season.
