Gracie's Gorgeous, Record-Inspired Mitzvah

Gracie's mitzvah this past weekend was nothing short of exquisite. From the record-themed decor to the custom-made confections to the crowd clearly bursting with excitement, the evening was everything a milestone celebration should be. We were truly impressed by the creativity, attention to detail, and sense of design that shined through, throughout the night. 

Below are just a few of our favorite things from a spectacular night. We hope this brings you inspiration!

Gracie on the dance floor, surrounded by friends and family. Photo by Art Photographers.

This one take's the cake! Lori's Cakes designed this custom record player cake for Gracie, complete with her favorite record (pictured at left). Photo by Art Photographers.

Gracie's candle lighting ceremony involved close family and friends who were there to commemorate the milestone. Photo by Art Photographers.

The dance floor featured paper lanterns, gobos, and LED - raised platform, lounge ottomans, and more. Photo by Art Photographers.

It's all in the details - from left to right - hanging mobile made of records, candy bar, and porthole signage. Photo by Art Photographers.

In addition to the creativity of Gracie and her mother, the following vendors worked hard to make for a magical event: Cake by Lori's Cakes | Candy bar by Lisa Blacker | DJ, dance floor platform, and gobos by Total Entertainment | Flowers by Merriel Weston Floral Design | Lounge furniture provided by HELEN MILLS.

Planning a Mitzvah or other celebration? Contact us for more information or click here to learn more.

Planning from afar? Virtual Tours of HELEN MILLS Are Here!

Our clients come from across the world to host events at HELEN MILLS, traveling from places as far as England, Bulgaria, and Los Angeles, to places so close that we can (literally) wave to them.  This means for some that they can't easily stop in to see the space, envision how their guests will spend their day, or plan for decor and signage to make their event that much more special. 

To help make the planning process seamless for our current and future clients alike, we've just released our very first Google Inside Street View Virtual Tour!

The virtual tour features:

• A close-up view of each part of the venue

• A selection from of our in-house furniture inventory

• One of three curtains we provide that add intimacy to the space (hung at the entry table)

• Sample floral arrangements designed by the very talented Merriel Weston

• A peek into the theater greenroom and backstage area

You'll see the tours both below and here, here, here as well as when you search for us on Google...of course, the invitation always stands for in-person tours! Please contact us to get in touch :).

BizBash's Live Gathering Tools Hosts Global Demo Week at The HELEN MILLS Theater

Bizbash CEO and Founder, David Adler (l), and Jeff Banish hosted all three days of the livestreamed first Global Demo Week.

For three days this week, Live Gathering Tools, Bizbash's new website, hosted their first-ever Global Demo Week at the HELEN MILLS Theater. The event was livestreamed through the Live Gathering Tools platform, a virtual trade show environment complete with a lounge, demo halls, theater with live and on-demand presentations, and more (check it out here). Bizbash CEO and Founder, David Adler, and Jeff Banish hosted with contagious, joyful enthusiasm for events and event tech. 

Topics ranged from Event Management, Event Buzzwords, Budgeting, and Mobile Engagement. Each topic was accompanied by expert presentations (available through the Live Gathering Tools platform) led by industry leaders, including: AllSeated, #TWUBS, Bonfyre, Intros, and more.

Photos from the event below! For more information on the event and to see the presentations, sign up for the Live Gathering Tools platform or simply watch the video here.

A screenshot of Live Gathering Tools' on-demand content with video, presentations, and comments from attendees.

Planning an event of your own? Contact us to learn more or check-out our theater and event space pages for more information.

Inside the Starry Product Launch!

While we don't profess to be tech experts, this morning was an exciting one for one of our clients! Former Aereo founder, Chet Kanojia, unveiled both his new company, Starry, and their line of products which use millimeter wave technology to deliver wireless internet access. If you're unclear on what this means, check out more coverage here or on your preferred tech news source!

In the meantime, below are a few photos of the products, signage, and displays that graced the event.

Planning a Tech Event or Product Launch? See here for more information or contact us to learn more.

So Phun, So Dance, So Party: Sophia's Bat Mitzvah

This past weekend, HELEN MILLS was home to Sophia's Bat Mitzvah - an fun, elegant, and dance-filled party that lasted well into Saturday night. The night kicked off with the ceremony that included readings, singing, and some very touching words of advice from the parents of the Mitzvah girl. A cocktail reception with blue-themed mocktails for the kids followed - complete with a photo booth and pop-a-shot booth. Finally, the dancing started with a group photo on the LED dance floor, followed by great music and dancing.

The party was wonderfully decorated from the porthole windows featuring Sophia and her family's dogs to the beautiful floral displays throughout the venue. Check out the photos below for more highlights and fun ideas.

As guests arrived, they were greeted by photos of Sophia and her family's dogs in the venue door's portholes.

Beautiful blue wall wash, elegant table centerpieces, and Sophia's customized 'ssj' gobo made for an elegant bar and lounge area:

Gorgeous small florals and candles contributed to the elegant feel of the party.

As guests entered, they were greeted by a sign-in board where they could write their greetings and well-wishes for the Mitzvah girl.

The tables had tall centerpieces, perfectly complementing the venue's high ceilings. The branches were perfect for the Fall timing.

Guests sat for the ceremony before the cocktail hour and reception began.

The dance floor before the dancing started. The LED lighting made for a fun place to gather.

The pop-a-shot and photobooth were a hit with guests.

Sophia's love for soccer was reflected by the soccer balls hanging from the ceiling, adding a personal and unique decor touch to the space.

Sophia's friends posed for a group photo right before the dancing began.

Looking for a venue to host your next Mitzvah or Private Party? Contact Us or check out the Mitzvah Photo Gallery for more inspiration.

It's All in the Details: Indoor Ag-Con's EVENT at HELEN MILLS

Indoor Ag-Con, the US indoor agriculture’s industry’s leading conference, hosted their first New York conference at the HELEN MILLS Event Space and Theater. The one day, fall event featured 12 industry leaders discussing their visions, from bringing open source big data to farmers and hydroponic growing techniques. Speakers included CEOs from See Jane Farm, Agrilyst, Sundrop Farms, BrightFarms, and more. In addition to gathering great talent, the event was brilliantly produced. Below are some of the highlights with accompanying photographs.

The event planning team used fun, eye-catching graphics to brand the event throughout the venue. From portholes on the venue doors (pictured below) to gobos to attendee gift bags, the team didn't miss an opportunity to communicate with guests.

A wider view (below) of the event's signage which utilized HELEN MILLS' street-level door portholes and sidewalk showcase. The portholes features the partner logos, in addition to the event's branding.

The event featured 12 keynotes from industry leaders in the HELEN MILLS Theater (below). While most of the attention was focused on the speakers, guest were welcomed to the presentations by individual gift bags with fun giveaways and groundbreaking industry research.

The lunch featured unique centerpieces: hydroponically grown radishes and beets grown by one of the event organizers. These were not only unexpected but were a perfect match for the topics of the day. The apples brought an intense pop of color.

The event was catered by the talented Harvest Real Food Catering, who sources many of their ingredients from the nearby Hudson Valley. The meal was wonderfully put together, from the butter dish garnished with a fresh sage leaf (below) to the mouth-watering French cut cider braised chicken breast with roasted brussel sprouts. 

For More information on Indoor AgCon check out their website.

Thinking of hosting a conference or other event? Contact us for more information or check out more of our recent events:

Fort Worth Comes to the Big Apple

The Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau brought the three 'B's - Barbecue, Boots, and Bulls - to their event at the HELEN MILLS Event Space and Theater. The 2016 NYC Media Preview showcased what the 'City of Cowboys and Culture' has to offer, including attractions like the Stockyards Station, the Fort Worth Zoo, and the Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. 

The event featured eye-catching signage both inside and outside the space, unique bar decor, and some surprise guests (hint: Jack the penguin made an appearance). Take a look at the galleries below for images of the event.

The Event Included Eye-Catching Branding...

Unique Bar Decor

Texas You Want wall projection

Surprise Guest Appearances

Fort Worth stock yards with longhorns

...and of Course, Tasty Eats - Texas Style

Menu with salad display

About the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau: The City of Cowboys & Culture is the 16th-largest city in the United States and part of the No. 1 tourist destination in Texas, welcoming 6.5 million visitors annually. Fort Worth is comprised of seven primary entertainment districts each offering distinct dining, shopping, entertainment and cultural amenities. In only a few days you can enjoy a range of experiences: from NASCAR racing to rodeos, world-class museums to cowboy cuisine, boutique shopping to a Top 5 zoo, biking to horseback riding. See more here.

Want to learn more about hosting your event at HELEN MILLS? Contact Us or check out more recent events below.

KC Makeup 101 Master Class at the HELEN MILLS Theater

Celebrity makeup artist, image and skin care consultant, Karuna Chani, held her Makeup 101 Master Class at the HELEN MILLS Theater. The workshop focused on educating women in the Indian and South Asian Communities to "love their beauty, enhance their beauty and reap the 'confidence' rewards." Topics included finding the right foundation for your skin tone, highlighting and contouring techniques, and creating a professional look.

Below are photos from the event, courtesy of Tara Sharma Photography.

Karuna applying makeup to the model. A close-up image is projected on the theater screen for the audience to see the fine details. Photo by Tara Sharma Photography.

Close-up of Karuna applying makeup to the model. Photo by Tara Sharma Photography.

The model poses for the audience. Photo by Tara Sharma Photography.

Karuna led the audience through each step of the process. Photo by Tara Sharma Photography.

Karuna speaks with fans after the tutorial. Photo by Tara Sharma Photography.

Karuna Chani of KC Makeup is an internationally recognized make up artist, image and skin care consultant. For more information, tutorials, and photos, see here.

Looking to host your own event? Contact our team for more information or check-out or galleries for more photos.