Cocktails and dinner with South Korean pop star Rain, stand-up comic Dane Cook, primetime news anchor-to-be Katie Couric and Wikipedia.org creator Jimmy Wales--not a fantasy dinner party, but a snippet of the guest list for the "Time 100" party, hosted by Time Magazine to pay tribute to 100 people who are transforming the world. The event, produced by New York-based EventQuest on May 8 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, drew 400 guests, including VIPs incredible in their varied achievements.
It was EventQuest's first time tackling this event for Time, with the aim of making the celebration inventive and fresh—a challenge since the space had been used the year before for the same event. EventQuest's main goals were to reflect the lofty stature of client Time and to provide VIP guests with a memorable experience.
The decor literally sparkled with a dazzling exhibit of Cartier jewelry. Eight display units showcased baubles that had been manufactured over the years for influential people, mostly from the '20s, '30s and '40s. In the reception area, existing pictures of jazz legends were covered with a Lycra wall in dove gray. Images of past Time 100 honorees were projected onto the wall, juxtaposed with real-time images of this year's honorees, who were downstairs in the dinner area. Catering was provided by New York-based Great Performances.
The night's performers included Top 100 listers the Dixie Chicks, music legend Paul Simon and comic Stephen Colbert. Video and lighting were provided by Scharff Weisberg.
A Swarovski Crystal display at Time 100 (top); the dinner area inside Jazz at Lincoln Center (bottom).
