an evening on the avenue of the stars

everything is always more fun when you’re with a fab friend. that’s why i just *had* to have one of my very best friends, kristin of the treasured petal, accompany me to thursday night’s industry party at the intercontinental hotel in century city. i think the event was first conceived as an upscale bridal fair, but it morphed into a mingle-fest for a fun group of southern california wedding professionals. there was great food, great entertainment, and of course… great company. kris — thanks again for joining me!

in the garden, ricardo luna of luna gardens created this unique altar piece. although i love the colors and lushness of it, the structure reminds me too much of a scaffold. a bit macabre for a wedding, don’t you think?

during an outdoor cocktail hour, we were entertained by the “aerial ballet” of troupe vertigo. it was a wonderful display of skill and grace, but i kept wincing watching all the seemingly impossible stunts. yikes!

the ballroom all a-buzz. fuzzy pic due to lack of skills, not artistry. haha

the ballroom had been draped and transformed into a dazzling lounge space with a central bar. at the front of the room was a fabulous latin band from deBois entertainment, and scattered throughout were various food stations. kris and i, in the name of research (of course), had to sample a bit of everything. there were cheese, fruit, crudité and charcuterie stations, as well as a live chef carving prime rib for little sliders… with horseradish! YUM. we also loved the tall steamers filled with dim sum and dumplings, a sushi station, and a dessert display that included chocolate-covered strawberries (our fave). but the pièce de résistance??

bite size amazingness.

the fresh mini donuts!! the fry girl was there turning out hot, delectable donuts covered in powdered sugar and cinnamon. oh. my. goodness. i need one of these in my house, pronto.

continuing with my love of all things mini, i had to snap this photo of the baby bagel bar. adorable!

troupe vertigo returned during the band’s break and presented a dazzling, gasp-inducing performance. here the female is bent over backwards and the male is balancing on her abs with only his arms. ahhh!!

now he’s on one foot, and she’s upside down, like a cross on his arms, balancing his hat on her foot. haha 😉

as we headed out, i snapped a pic of the draped walkway between the lobby and ballroom.

all in all, it was an enjoyable evening!

today i’m relishing a very unusual free saturday since my wedding this weekend is on sunday! wait till you see what’s in store… i will come back with a sneak peek to share on monday or tuesday. i hope you all enjoy the beautiful, beaming weather! it’s pinkberry-perfect! xox