Behind the Met Gala's (Hand-Painted) Red carpet

 

The Met Gala is arguably one of THE most elaborately orchestrated, complex and closely watched productions every year. Major respect to Vogue’s special projects consultant Sylvana Ward Durrett and director of special events Eaddy Kiernan with the help of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s in-house staff who were responsible for creating a flawless celebration of the acclaimed avant-garde designer Rei Kawakubo with "Art of the In-Between”. The red carpet (well, technically hand painted sisal with royal blue trim) was expectedly glamorous, only this time we were enthralled by shapes not usually seen on it. Seriously, how did Rihanna get in this dress?!?

Screen Shot 2017-05-09 at 7.02.32 PM.png

As event planners, we like looking behind the glamour to see how the largest museum in the US transformed for this momentous evening. Because who doesn’t want to know every detail about the larger-than-life floral installation (first photo above) by Raul Àvila inspired by a single dress? The place settings paid homage to Kawakubo’s Japanese heritage - sake cups and gold-tipped chopsticks - love!

MetGala2017 Menu.jpg

Those sake cups were placed on the table for good reason! Ginjo and wine flowed freely throughout the evening with Japanese-influenced cuisine. The menu was all things luxurious from Caviar with Lobster and King Crab to Matcha to Coconut Mango, and Yuzu Citrus Mochi dessert. This year’s menu gave us serious hunger pains!

We may still be thinking about Rihanna’s dress or the countless hours it must have taken Raul's team to complete the floral installs, but one thing is certain: this year’s Met Gala was another one to remember and a fitting celebration of Rei Kawakubo.

Here's to the next first Monday in May!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: Vogue

 

Your Own Private Island

 

Have you dreamed of relaxing on your own private island, sipping a nice bottle of vino while listening to waves crash? Luxury Retreats makes this a reality (for at least a week) with Coco Prive, a private island in the Indian Ocean. So how can this 1.4 hectare island make your dream a reality?

Let’s start with the basics. Guests arrive via luxury yacht to "a place where no one can find you, and there is no one to hide from." Greeted by white sand beaches, the only thing you will need to worry about is how to live your dream. Want to learn about the plethora of marine life around you while snorkeling? The in-house marine biologist can introduce you to the resident sea turtles! If culinary is your delight, indulge in a Maldivian culinary masterclass or choose a bottle of wine from the expansive cellar to drink while gazing at the sunset over the Indian Ocean. The opportunities are endless on this private oasis with a dedicated staff to ensure anything you can imagine is obtainable.

Maldives_CocoPrive_49.jpg

With unique properties like this and over 3,000 other professionally inspected luxury accommodations around the world, it is no surprise Luxury Retreats was recently acquired (Congrats!) by Airbnb. There you have it - there's really no excuse not to get your own private island now (at least for a week).

Enjoy Island Living!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: Luxury Retreats

 

#dishwasherproblems

 

We all remember rolling up our sleeves and doing dishes as kids. But do you know many Asian-American families never outgrow this? Dishwashers in many Asian-American households are frequently (almost exclusively?!) only used as drying racks. Truth. We love how this cultural quirk has now made it to mainstream media on ABC!

Fresh off the Boat uses humor to shed light on different experiences of Asian-Americans and growing up in the 80's - and we love it. While in reality parents won't go so far as to tape over dishwasher control buttons to hide the machine's true identity as Eddie's mom does in this FOBT episode, the show is frequently spot on.

Whatever quirky customs you may have, we welcome that some of ours are on primetime TV - so we can stop explaining the double decker drying rack in our kitchen already :)

Happy Drying!
-DTE Team

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

 

Empowering Women Across the Globe

 
GFW.jpg

The 5th Annual Global Fund for Widows (GFW) Gala was a philanthropic evening filled with fashion, pampering, Egyptian cuisine and exclusive NYC experiences up for auction. We worked with GFW to ensure fundraising goals were met while producing a flawless event for dignitaries and influencers.

With so many exclusive auction items it was important each item be displayed strategically to maximize fundraising. So how did we display the unique items in a very limited space? Creatively! A Nespresso machine displayed on a colorful Egyptian side table, a Tulio De Sagastizabal painting balanced ever-so-carefully and Egyptian bowls strategically placed to raise luxury publications to ensure no item was overlooked. A special VIP cocktail hour gave guests time to peruse each item and start their mobile bidding while mingling with Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative, UK Mission to the UN, Peter Wilson, CMG.

Guests dined on Egyptian cuisine while listening to heartfelt words by GFW Co-Founder Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, Author Kristin Meekhof, and Ambassador Peter Wilson which gave insight into the plight of young widows and the tremendously important work GFW is doing. After the emotional appeal, Brook Hazeleton, President of Christie’s Americas, brought out his gavel to start the live auctions to raise more funds.

The Global Fund for Widows is doing truly amazing work to empower young widows around the world with the means to take care of themselves and their families. We were truly honored to contribute to this cause.

Here's how you can help!
-DTE Team