The Main Event Planning Services Diane Rohan New York City West Coast Glamor Merged with East Coast Sophistication

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My Disney client is based in LA, and is used to spacious venues. One of her goals when hosting an event in Manhattan is to find a space with plenty of, well, space. This was especially important for the Kundun premiere in 1997. She asked me to scout a location near the famous Ziegfeld theater on 54th Street, where guests could walk from the theater to the after-party after the screening. As I walked from the subway stop to the Ziegfeld, I passed the old Studio 54. The doors were locked and the inside was dark, but I took one look at the Beaux-Arts design and had to go inside. I found the superintendent, who let me in to explore, then gave me the name and number of the owner. I found out they were hoping for an annual tenant, but he liked my idea to rent the space for events. My next hurdle was to convince Martin Scorsese (director) and Melissa Mathison (screenwriter) to host the after-party for a movie about the life of the Dalai Lama at the den of iniquity, Studio 54. Because the accoutrements of the club's heyday had been removed (the large spoon hanging from the ceiling, disco balls, etc.), I suggested once we decorate the space, no one would ever know. We made sure the invitation noted the address only, and converted the empty club into a peaceful, beautiful space. I thought it would be unique to have a tea bar in addition to a full bar, and we had Pan-Asian food (including dumplings from a Tibetan restaurant in Murray Hill). The film's elephant and several tapestries filled the cavernous space, and I created a lounge area on the second floor with rented Asian-style couches, tables and area rugs. A Buddha was surrounded by oranges and lit candles, and Tibetan prayer flags were stretched across the buffet spaces. Guests consulted with Buddhist monks using prayer beads, and a video of a mandala (a symbol which helps worshipers progress toward a state of enlightening) played on a loop. Guests were entranced by the mood and the setting, and enjoyed the party, especially the extra elbow room!

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