Got Gobo?

Gobos. We've all used them, but here's an interesting, fun angle on them.

It all began innocently enough... During setup of a recent event, we were looking for logo placement in the lodge where we had the dinner (see blog post of November 10). We couldn’t find a clean wall for the projection. The carpet was out because it was too busy. So we sat there ... staring out the window ... then I saw it ... THE MOUNTAIN!

First we did a daylight focus first. Then as it got darker outside we adjusted it a little and focused it more. This photo is taken about dusk time. It looks like it’s lighter because I played with the aperture on the camera but in the pitch black the logo looked great. Of course I was nervous about whether it would work. Then I was nervous about it projecting on varying landscapes and getting broken up.

But it turns out that as soon as the first guest saw it, the word spread. At one time during the evening, almost everyone was outside taking pictures with it (the photographer figured out a way to shoot a couple in front of it with flash and still get the logo in the background).

It turns out that companies that are proud of their brand and their logo are very happy to see it huge as heck on the side of a mountain!

From that point on during the program, at the client's request, we chose an unusual place to project it. Who knew gobos could be so fun?

Making Magic

I know what you are thinking ... another beautiful tabletop in just another fancy hotel. But would you be surprised to learn that this dinner took place in a ski lodge? The client was!

Worried that their guests were used to five-star venues, they wondered how this very traditional ski lodge would stack up. But I knew by looking at the space that all it needed was a little magic. I turned out the lights, pinspotted the tables, and washed the wood walls and chocolate curtain in warm amber colors. The result was a stunner.

The tables were covered in Wasabi Wave (great name!) from Wildflower Linen. We customized the menu card by utilizing the graphics of the program, tying it in perfectly. The camel roses in the gold leaf container finished the look. And, yes, we brought in Chameleon Chair, which certainly helped as well.

Sometimes the simplest of accents really makes a difference. Here is a simple pillow candle holder on the outside patio tables. The band is warming up in the background.

An Event with A View

How do you get this view for your next event?

Here's how!

This event was held at the Bridger Collier Lodge which is located on top of a 10,000-foot-high mountain at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort resort. The only way up to the lodge is the Bridger Gondola which means a lot to a black-diamond skier, but to an event professional it means a slower load-in than normal. We had a crew at the top of the gondola that took the boxes and props off and put it in piles, and the crew that the bottom that loaded it. It was quite an operation that took an extra day to accomplish.

But it was so worth it!

A front row seat to a spectacular view is embellished with the beauty of a Citron Lamour linen from BBJ Linen and camel roses in gold leaf containers, a stunning combination.

The view of the cocktail party with the gondola in the background.

We've done an event at the top of this mountain more than once and have found the most important things for us “sea-level” folks is to drink tons of water when working at 10,000 feet.The altitude will make you lose your energy really fast and hydrating constantly helps you keep your energy. We've also found that we have to work at about half speed when installing or wel burn out really quick. Now, if you are from Wyoming, not a problem. But it’s not often we do events on top of mountains!

More posts of this "elevated" event to come ...

GUEST BLOG by Pauline Parry

About Pauline:

As I write this, Pauline Parry is jetting back from Singapore from a 10-day trip with her daughter and Chef de Cuisine, Joanne Purnell. The two were asked to travel to the country to take part in several conferences on catering and design. They couldn't have asked for better representatives of creative cuisine and food presentation. Pauline's company, Good Gracious! Events, always pushes the boundaries when it comes to menu creation and display. I have an immense amount of respect for Pauline and her team. It's no wonder she is considered royalty at Catersource and ICA and is held in such high regard with everyone in the catering industry around the country. And now we can all see her work in her new book, Food, Fun and Love: Party Styles. I can honestly say that I think Pauline has the best product in Los Angeles, hands down. In this post that she put together just before she left, she shares a day -- or rather, a weekend -- in her life.

David Merrell


What a Life!

By Pauline Parry

As event professionals, we don't always have a say as to how our weekends will go. Some roll out at a nice even pace, others are stop-start, or just stop, and still others have you running every which way. This was the case of a weekend last month as I prepared for my son's wedding.

The weddings of people in our own families have to be the most difficult of all events to plan -- or not to plan. It's so hard to not take over and do what we do every day. But as I planned a shower for my future daughter-in-law, I was pleasantly surprised as how easily it all came together.

As you may or may not know, the tagline for my company, Good Gracious! Events is "Food, Fun and Love." And, to those of you who do know me, you understand that to me this is not just a tagline but a way of life. Entertaining is my passion. I love to do professionally and personally so it was no problem to hold this shower at my home. And the concept was one I had been playing with for a while ... I wanted to give everyone my view of the world, because I have a tendency for better or worse to see everything through rose-colored glasses. Certainly a wedding shower is the perfect place for this!?

To ensure that everything came up roses, each guest received their very own set of rose-colored glasses!

If you notice the gift table in the background, you'll see that we even suggested to all the guests that they even wrap their gifts in pink.


The table was set in a variety of pink and red shades. The glassware was red as were the base plates.
And let the party begin!

FROM PRETTY IN PINK TO A SOPHISTICATED BEACH PARTY!
This same weekend we produced an event that was not only at the opposite end of the color spectrum but also setting, mood, tone and age-range. The weather was absolutely fabulous as we set up this elegant beach party.

The Amalfi Collection of rental furniture from Town and Country Event Rentals gave the look a rustic, natural feeling with a touch of glamour.
Fire pits from Rrivre Works surrounded by a variety of seating options was a popular spot to be.


A bar by Rrivre Works against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. How perfect is that?

Long tables are still a great look.

I love these clear view boxes for passed hors d'oeuvre!

As I come to the end of my post, I leave you with my favorite image of the weekend - the time when sun sets and everyone is in harmony. Here is the reason I love what I do ...

Thank you Dave and all the designdawgs for giving me this space to share with your readers a weekend in my life!

Pauline Parry

Pauline Parry, owner of Good Gracious! Events, an award-winning Los Angeles catering and event design firm, has produced, designed and catered hundreds of events and weddings. Named Caterer of the Year 2001 by Event Solutions Magazine, Parry’s forte is blending high-end, world cuisine with stylish and fun food presentation.

In her 14 years as owner of Good Gracious! Events, Parry has created many memorable events. Among them are a futuristic theme wedding in the Hollywood Hills; a 6,000-person event for Sony PlayStation; a private birthday celebration for Mel Gibson, a cutting-edge Day of the Dead celebration at the offices of L’Agencia (Los Angeles’ most powerful Latino public relations and adverting firm), and the largest private party in Beverly Hills for 1,300 guests at the home of the president of Herbalife which Parry duplicated for the same client in Monaco, France during an event at the World Music Awards.

This past year she published her first book, Food Fun Love: Party Styles by Pauline Parry featuring photos and recipes from a variety of unique events.

Parry credits her success to her personal motto with which she approaches every event, “It’s all about fun, food and love.”

The Four Seasons Part II: Fall and Winter

Autumn is here! As the days of this corporate program progressed at the Four Seasons, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the seasons in the hospitality lounge area changed. Sunflowers and fall leaves replaced the tulips of Spring.



And finally, winter sets in ...

The credenza transformed one last time -- great floral containers on this one!



This was the cocktail arrangement. A little fake flocking on juniper greens with a snow ball ornament dead center. I LOVED this look. . . simply and effective.

The Four Seasons Part I: Spring and Summer

In Los Angeles, we are constantly debating whether we actually have seasons. We may not have the types of seasons you find in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but we do both have The Four Seasons Hotel. And last month, AOO Events was there, at The Four Seasons in Jackson Hole producing a multi-day corporate program.

I love long programs because they give us the chance to really explore a theme. At this event, a hospitality suite was created where guests would have breakfast and lunch together every day. Our client wanted to play off the theme of four seasons so we changed the look each day creatively and affordably through the floral design.

Spring was well represented with this detail of a lady bug on driftwood branches flanked by yellow and pink tulips and by the photo above of butterflies on birch-covered vases on a credenza that was changed every day with a new look.

Outside the hospitality suite we created a lounge area and here too changed the floral and the pillows with the seasons.



And after spring ... summer! The pillow shams were changed to fabric in hot shades and arrangements of Gerbera daisies in glass cylinders were finished with sand and shells. Very fun look and again, very easy to do, very cost-effective.



And here is that credenza again with the hot colors of summer. Beach balls and sea shells drove home the visual point!



And what about fall and winter? They are coming soon. In fact, in Los Angeles we are even beginning to feel just a slight chill in the air. Could it be... a season? Tune in again to find out!

GUEST BLOG by Youngsong Martin

About Youngsong:

Eight years ago Youngsong Martin began Wildflower Linens. At that time, a shift was occurring in how we perceive and experience event design. Young’s linens, infused with looks hot from the runway thanks to her fashion design background, were right in keeping with what was happening. During those eight years which fell in the wake of 9/11 and then the collapse of the economy, event design has become more restrained, less focused on props and themes, more on color, texture and layers in much the same way that fashion and interior design are. Because of this, we rely so much more on linens (and chair covers) to lay the foundation – or table setting – on which we can build our designs.
-- David Merrell

Young Wisdom
By Youngsong Martin

I’ve called this Guest Blog “Young Wisdom,” but in all honesty this year has left me feeling older and wiser. It’s not been easy for any of us. Motivation and creativity have dropped among almost everyone I know. But one thing happened to me this year that lightened my outlook and helped me gain some perspective – I was asked to travel to Korea to consult with some event professionals there.

When you are traveling, you are in a different state. You see another world, but you also see your world more clearly and the opportunities within it. I would return with a tired body, but a mind refreshed and ready to take some chances.

For instance, I chose to open a fourth showroom in Costa Mesa in the belief that reaching out is better than closing inward. We also collaborated more than ever with different designers on various events, fundraisers (I’m a big believer that marketing dollars do well when applied to donations), and photo shoots.

So, in addition to the travel this year, collaboration with others has helped me stay fresh, engaged and excited about possibilities. Design is both intellectual and visual and the designers I’ve worked with talk in creative shorthand. Some of my favorite collaborations have incorporated many of the trends in today’s events – texture, layering, ethnic vibes, color, non-traditional use of style. Some of these trends are …

ETHNIC VIBES

Wedding design has totally changed away from tradition and towards personal expression. This is happening even with ethnic weddings. And just as we all cross the globe more than ever, so do design trends. The vibrant colors of India and Morocco, embellished by tassels, rhinestones and metallic thread, is lush and exciting.

EARTH BOUND
Not only is green a huge color right now, but earth tones in general are playing an important role in conveying the trend toward eco-friendly consciousness. Blue is also becoming important. It’s an optimistically friendly sky blue as you can see in this photo! In this photo, our line of Russian Linen, a naturally dyed hemp cloth in blue and ivory, is used.

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

With Julia Child making French food popular again, I predict that the more we have French food on the table, the more we’ll see French style on the tabletop. Black, white and red are a classic Parisian look while yellow and blue are perfect for the casual elegance of Provence. But here, we put our own spin on what we find “French” with the lush, candy colors from the era of Marie Antoinette – regal and over-the-top.

MOVEMENT

I have been using a lot of elements that evoke movement lately in my designs such as strips of curly chiffon shown here. The “Curly Willow” began as a chair cover with strips of two and three tones of chiffon and has been expanded to include linen as well. Other examples of these 3-D or “animated” linen pieces include flourishes such as rosettes and lily pads to linen and ruffles that stand straight up, anchored by lines of rhinestone.

While there is so much more I could say about linens (they inspire me, I could go on and on, but I don’t want to wear out my welcome with the designdawgs! Thank you Dave and all the dawgs, for letting me be a guest at the beautiful “table” you’ve set with your blog!


Youngsong Martin
When she began Wildflower Linen in 2001, owner Youngsong Martin created a new standard for tabletop and event design. A former fashion designer, Young infused her rental table linen and chair covers collections with rich colors, textures and patterns. She played with unique materials and even shapes to dress tables and chairs in looks as sexy and in vogue as those created for runway models. Ultimately, Young and Wildflower Linen have made table design haute.

young@wildflowerlinens.com
http://www.wildflowerlinens.com/