Indianapolis 500 Mitzvah Comes to NY

"I feel the need...the need  for speed."  Name that movie. Answer below.

That catch phrase although was about racing with another type of vehicle, certainly played a role (roll) in the theme of Matthew and Benjamin's mitzvah last weekend in Mt. Kisco, NY.



Laurie Silberstein put together boy's dream mitzvah at Grand Prix New York - a supercharged high reving - party for more some 70 kids.  The party started with all who wanted to getting briefed on the driving instructions and then hitting the track for the suped up race-grade professional go karts. 

Those who didn't race got deeply involved with the Ultimate Games Master skills and games and taking pictures with our Foto Favor green screen computerized photos.

The black and white dance floor continued the theme of a checkered flag.  The adults were treated to Sushi and drinks during cocktails and those that wanted to race were free to do so. 

Talk about a fun party.

After all the racing came the main party, and the kids were triple revved up.  Race cars act like a triple espresso on kids and they could hardly contain themselves. 

It was wide open fun with the games area and dancing, photos and a casino table.  There was something for everyone. 

The movie by the way was "Top Gun".  Matthew and Benjamin ended up having one of the memorable parties of the season.  Congratulations to Laurie, Steve, William and the whole family.

Review: NYC Mitzvah - Keeping the Best Party Ever Going Strong

We are thrilled to receive this letter from Ken Alberstadt.  As you all know who read this blog we are dedicated to creating the best parties ever.  Ken has so eloquently delivered some of the ingredients for us in his review.



Michael:

Thank you so much for the amazing party you put together for Angelika's bat mitzvah!

LSNY doesn't just provide entertainment; it provides the energy and atmosphere that are the makings of an event people will always remember. I can't tell you how many people have called us to talk about the wonderful time they had. It was the best party we've ever been to, and we could not have done it without you.

As I'm sure you remember, when we started talking almost a year ago, Alex and I were having a difficult time choosing a venue.

The only one that seemed to work at that point was outside the city and wouldn't have been convenient for our out of town guests.

Even before we signed on with LSNY you were generous with your time and connected us with potential locations we hadn't considered. Your insights – especially about how the layout of the event space would affect the dynamics of the party – allowed us to choose a venue that worked with our budget and was absolutely top notch.
Everything about the bat mitzvah was done with incredible professionalism and attention to detail.

There's a lot of anxiety in planning a large party for the first time, but I felt constantly reassured that everything was being taken care of.

I always felt free to call you for support and you were always gracious, available and incredibly responsive – it seemed that no matter the time of day or night, I could expect a call or an email from you within minutes!

You sent draft after draft of how the evening would unfold, always coming up with suggestions about how to fill 10 minutes here or 15 minutes there, make sure all of the meal courses and other activities were coordinated and get the attention of the room for toasts, candlelighting, etc.

The result of your efforts was a party where everyone was engaged from start to finish and there was never a dull moment.

Michael, the investment we made in LSNY paid off handsomely. We got a lot more party for our money than we could ever have expected. It was truly the night of our lives.


Best,

Ken Alberstadt

How to have the Best Ever Parties Series - What to watch in videos?

Another in the series of how to choose your entertainment to have the Best Party Ever.

What to look for in a DJ and Entertainment Video?

NYC Angelika Style- The Sweet Taste of Celebration

A Candy Theme - how can you ever go wrong with that one?  Pictures of yourself on your favorite candy?

The theme perfectly matched the mitzvah girl Angelika one of the sweetest girls we've met this year. 

It's such a cool journey to go from meeting a family and a future mitzvah child for the first time to the actual day of the party. The first time it's a casual meeting sitting in a living room or kitchen getting to know the family.

When I came to meet the Alberstadt family of Manhattan it was a cozy fun early evening following a Saturday afternoon event. Angelika was in sweats and was articulately describing to me her likes and wants for her party.  She practically glowed with each new idea.



Fast forward to 10 days ago and Angelika looked like a goddess in black and white. Mom and dad looked fantastic and all that hard work paid off. A gorgeous party. Jeno from Manhattan Penthouse was a perfect gentleman and saw to their every need.

Our staff of lighting crew, photographer, videographer, foto favors, camera man/dancer, entertainers, and DJ were all on point for Angelika and her friends and family. This party literally took the cake.

At the end of the night Ken gave away a cake. The EMS of Fair Lawn and the Fair Lawn Police Department all thanked him for it.

If you have an important event upcoming give me a call at 201 475-5769. I'd be delighted to make it the Best Party Ever for you.

What if they don't Dance? Solution: The Ultimate Games Master Party

SPECIAL ULTIMATE GAMES MASTER DEAL

JUNE THROUGH AUGUST

SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS

What do you do if you're having a mitzvah, a birthday party, a communion and the kids are not big dancers? You still want to have a fun time. You know dancing really ties a party together emotionally, but if they don't dance how can you get that same GREAT feeling?

That's why I created the Ultimate Games Master and Ultimate Games Master Dance Parties.

The video shows you just a few more of the skills and games that we do. We also have the original one on our website.

What if some of the kids are dancers but some aren't? The UGM Dance Party covers you perfectly. The UGM is a proven success for mitzvahs and even corporate events. Last December we had the UGM team at the NYU School of Medicine Holiday Brunch for 1500 people and 400 kids.

They loved it so much they're bringing us back this year.  "There's no where in Manhattan you can go to get this kind of interactive experience." Brad McLelland - event director of NYU School of Medicine.

What we've found out over 1200 parties is that the human interaction betwen our charismatic UGMs and kids (adults love it to) trumps the arcade style stuff every time and captivates kids like nothing else. So give us a call  - if you're doing a party in the summer you can

Get 30% off our rates!!!!! 

Mention Video Log to get that special.

Here's to celebrating your life.

Michael Sage Schindler

Hora in NYC Manhattan Penthouse

The Alberstadt family came to party. Here's a quick sample of the Hora - you tell me who was having the most fun.



Our foto favors were making up all kinds of crazy shots for these guests. This was also a candy theme so we gave away photos on candy boxes as well. Check out some of the outrageous pictures by clicking here.

More from this party to follow.

The Perfect Crazy Opening to Get Their Crowd into the Party

The Kramers march to their own beat. It's one of the wonderful things about them. Isaiah and Hannah were no different. As a family they created a party that truly reflected all of their flavor and nuances.

I was surprised when after hearing that Isaiah and Hannah aren't really dancers that they wanted to not only do an opening number but the whole family wanted to join in. That's great fun! And the impact that something like that can make on a party cannot be underestimated.



Our LSNY crew went to work with the family and as you can imagine with crazy schedules and the stress of all that goes into making a mitzvah party there were times when we thought it might not come to be.

But as you can see from the video it was an amazing moment. Hannah who came up to me before the party told me she was really nervous. I told her that was good. She'll have the right energy going into it and it means whe really cares about it.

She said to me afterward, "I had no idea that they would react like that during the dance." That's what you can never know. How powerful and wonderful it feels to have the support of your audience cheering you on. It's like your flying.

Good job to the whole family!

Add a Carribean Flavor to your Party

Clients are always asking us what can I do to make it feel differently at our party. The Kramers in creating their own flavorful Around the World Party - with mostly a Tropical feel - did just that.



The dress code was spelled out for their guests. Come in all white or colorful dress wear. Although The Grove is certainly a place where you would have a black tie affair like the Plaza, The Palace or The Waldorf Astoria, the Kramer's vision was to turn it into a fun collage of cultures.

The adult cocktail 90 minute stretch had our World Class 5 piece Steel Drum Band playing classics and remade rock classics.

This really set the tone for The Kramer's as you could see their guests were really happy, and boppin to the tunes. And how could you not, it's the ultimate feel good music.

If you would like to book a Steel Drum duo, trio or band for your event please give me a call at 201-475-5769. No Problem Mon.

Around the World at The Grove!

Talk about the colors of the world, Saturday night at The Grove the Kramer family provided a kalidescope of color for their guests to revel in.



Planner Martha Baum and I came together to create a lush multi-colored palatte with separate decor spots and beautifully mounted centerpieces of renowned spots.

But there was so much more to this party than the visuals which included a 3 minute entrance video in the style of the movie INCEPTION which Isaiah and Hannah acted to perfection picking up laughs and oohs and ahs along the way.

Check out the next couple of posts for more fun video and visuals.

CBE's Successful Journey Home

Congregation Beth Elohim's The Journey Home was a success due to the efforts of a tireless staff and planner in chairperson Amy Bender, Debbie Nelson, Toby Rappaport, Amy Daly Fisher, Rabbi Bachman, and a whole slew of support team from Didi Kavanaugh with decor and Steven Brown Catering and many more that I don't mean to  leave out.



We provided the lighting and monogram and atmosphere for the ballroom, social hall and entryway. This event was truly put together in less than 2 weeks when it came down to production and I'm proud of my crew to work so well with everyone to create a great synergy.

Enjoy some of the pictures here.

If you are looking to add distinction, class, first level service, excitement and creative and technical support for next gala, fund raiser, or corporate event, contact us at 201-475-5769 or 917 204-9690.

If you are looking for one of the finest special event DJ and MC services for your wedding, mitzvah, summer picnic, or holiday party, that's our performance specialties, contact us at 201-475-5769 or 917 204-9690.

Congregation Beth Elohim - The Journey Home Event May 5th

Lightning Shakes New York is proud to be joining CBE for their annual Dinner and Auction this year.  We've been asked by amazing Chairperson Amy Bender and the great staff at CBE to come in and make it light up the space and provide support for the auction.

As most of you know CBE  is one our favorite places in Park Slope Brooklyn to celebrate.  We have been doing parties with CBE congregants for more than 10 years and each family holds a special place in our hearts and minds.

Last October we did Rabbi Bachman's daughter Audrey's mitzvah there and it was a crazy happy party and a love fest.  We've gotten to know a lot of people there and our relationship keeps expanding. 

It's my hope that they bring in enough contributions there to fix the roof, and continue to create a great environment for everyone there.