I had the good fortune to attend the 2009 ISES Minnesota Star Awards on Friday. Managing Editor Amanda Fretheim Gates wrote about her impressions of the awards ceremony, and I agree that it was done very nicely, with a great mix of audiovisual components and short performances to break up the speeches. But let’s face it. The real reason for being there was the party, right?
OK, that’s not true. It was a very special night for all the deserving nominees and award winners. But when you throw a special event planned by people who, you know, plan special events for a living, it’s got to be pretty top-notch. And was it ever!The party, themed “Surreality: Behind Closed Eyes,” led guests through nine different “dreams,” each one a room with a different theme, designed by a different event design company. This was a great way to showcase the services offered by different companies while giving guests something new to look forward to around every corner. I kept saying it felt like nine parties in one. A few of my favorites:
- In the Psychosis room, servers clad in white lab coats and medical masks dished out a scary-looking “eyeball” dessert under eerie black lights. Good thing I’m the adventurous eater on staff. I mustered the courage to taste the eyeball and I can say it was every bit as delicious as it was creepy. (I forget exactly what it was—there was cherry and vanilla involved.)
- The Black & White room was whimsical yet chic, and the delicious squares of chocolate and vanilla cheesecake set out on white shelves cleverly matched the theme. The tasty pomegranate martinis didn’t hurt either. Amanda and I returned to this room several times for “just one more” cheesecake square.
- I have to give a shout out to the Nightmare room, where performers from Circus Juventas dangled from the ceiling on Spanish Webs. As a former CJ performer myself, I was super excited to see they'd been hired for the event. They also did a short hoops performance on the dance floor under the sweet gigantic disco ball.
- The Fairytale room may have been the most over-the-top. And I mean that in a good way. Not only did the winter-wonderland backdrop make me feel like I had stumbled through the wardrobe into Narnia, but there was a Swan Lake-esque ballerina dancing serenely in the middle of the serving table, which was filled with food served on flowery porcelain dishes. On the wall there was a mirror with a face in it that would actually talk to you and the room also had…wait for it…a pony! I suppose any fairytale worth its salt has to have a pony. My inner 8-year-old wanted to stay in this room all night.
- The Imagination room may have been the most fun, with Slinkies and other goofy toys on the tables and an awesome photo booth with feather boas, goofy glasses and other props outside. UPDATE: See photos of me and Amanda. I think the Groucho Marx and clown glasses are really working for us.
All in all it was a fantastic night and, from what I understand, it really upped the ante from the Minnesota Star Awards of yore. I don’t know how they’ll top this next year but if anyone can, it’s the folks from the ISES Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter.
Bravo, guys!
--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor
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