Harrah's Archives - 2007 Toast of the Coast with Paula Deen



Friday night at the POOL at Harrahs Atlantic City


Harrah's Atlantic City had just opened their indoor Cabana Pool and to commemorate they brought me down to host a number of Food Network events in connection with the in house properties' own cuisine. 

The result was a spectacular culinary feast.  Some of the most fun I'd had. It was a 2 day event.

Friday night chefs from all over Atlantic City - restaurants on the boardwalk, Casino master chefs, Food Network stars all made a few dishes for people to sample and enjoy.

Sometimes it's hard to believe that I get paid to do this. 
 

Joe Piscopo dropped by to savor
eat and share a few laughs.



Celebrities mingled with high rollers and the gorgeous pool played the backdrop to phenomenal night.  If you left hungry you must have fallen asleep in one of the cabanas, because there was SO much food.

And almost everything was something you'd want to go back for thirds and forths for.
I was going to be doing a live show with the darling of the Food Network Paula Deen on Saturday afternoon, so I made my way over to introduce myself.  She is a hoot!  We took a few pictures together and it would be ungentlemanly of me to tell you where she was grabbing when the flashes went off.  But a lot of laughs were had.

To the right was the first of the shows we did on stage at Caesars AC inroducing Mia's Chef Chris Scarduzio. Here I'm asking the audience to take in the wonderful aroma of Chris' pasta.

Michael Sage on stage at Saturday night Vine & Dine at Caesars Palladium Ballroom introducing Master Chef Bradley Ogden (R) seen here on Friday night with his lovely wife.

Just below you'll see the show we did with Paula Deen and her son and grandson who made a special appearance on stage.

Paula revealed to the crowd some touching moments of her childhood which I was not aware of. 

It's in her books but she had a very bad case of Agoraphobia where she literally could not leave her house for many years.

Finally she overcame it and the rest as they say is history.  But what a personality.

Of the many times I had been down to the Atlantic City Properties I'd have to say that hosting these shows and the grand ballroom event for over a thousand people for Master Chef Bradley Ogden was an unforgettable experience.

If you're hosting multiple live events that require a many different abilities from Master of Ceremonies live events to hosting live shows with audiences give me a call.

If there's food invovled so much the better.  To contact Michael Sage Schindler to host your distinctive corporate events, launches, galas or fund raisers please call 917 204-9690.  Please give a 6 month to 1 year advance window, but some dates may be open just check in at info@lsny.net or call.

Michael Sage with Food Network Celebrity chefs Paula Deen and Iron Cat Cora



The Grove in Cedar Grove - the Highest Expression of Grand Hospitatily

Dazzling, Bravo, Beautiful...

I just got back from a site inspection  with event planner extroadinaire Martha Baum for an upcoming mitzvah in May.  The site is a brand new venue in Cedar Grove, NJ called The Grove.

LSNY is providing lighting and entertainment for the Kramers, a delightful family, who are related to Liz and Gary Kramer whose 3 childrens' parties we did at Mountain Ridge Country Club over the last many years.  Larry and Catherine selected this pristine venue before it ever had it's first party. They took a chance that it would be everything they wanted and I have to say from all appearances they made a fantastic choice.

All right here's my big prediction:  Mark these words, The Grove will be one of the elite venues for distinctive weddings, classy mitzvahs and special events.  Michael Subarsky has brought his wealth of culinary and special event experience and my initial impression at least of the space itself is they hit the mark straight on.

From the website, "The Grove represents the highest expression of grand hospitality. This spectacular new wedding and special event venue offers magnificent architecture and elegant décor as well as a coterie of the area’s most accomplished catering professionals including distinguished master chefs, event planners, banquet managers and the most extensively trained staff in the industry. The Grove provides you with the ultimate in elegance, service, professionalism and attention to detail."

The ballrooms are spacious with ample dance space. Each wall column has a crown piece that is fully lit with LED color changing lights from inside so they glow and slowly change throughout the evening.  Gorgeous chandiliers match the color changes creating a tasteful and elegant atmosphere.

Everything from the floors to the ceiling about this vernue has been chosen to enhance the vision of Grand Hospitality.

If you are looking for a venue with class, distinction, aesthetics and the highest caliber team behind it you will want to stop in and take a look at the Grove. 

I will happily have more to say in May after our grand event takes place with more pictures and hopefullly some video.

The Grove is located at  691 Pompton Avenue • Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

The Stroke of Midnight Ball - the event Cinderella wished she could have attended

Ever here someone say "I love it when an idea comes together." You have a concept, it's large and there's a lot of pieces. And you set a date and put the right people together and voila, it's magic. 

Magic is a great way to describe the atmosphere at Skylight One Hanson where The Stroke of Midnight Ball and annual fund raiser for The Berkeley Carroll School in beautiful Park Slope Brooklyn pulled off one of the classiest, coolest and distinctive annual auctions events ever. 
 

Patrick Boylan and Maureen Swetow the 2011 co-chairs of the event along with a GREAT supporting cast of folks, Jessica Langbein, Pam Cunningham, Megan Coombes, Laura Gaertner from Berekely Carroll put together a very strong team of top level professionals who all came together in tremendous fashion. This is the 2nd year for LSNY to participate with the school and it is a privilege and honor to work among such a dedicated, and genuinely nice people.

Speaking of fashion Patrick Boylan himself is an accomplished designer and teacher of design at a major design school as well as owner of Grace Liturgical Vestments in the heart of Park Slope designed a beautiful dress for co-chair Maureen Sweetow (see above picture).

A surprise entry toward the end of the live auction, Patrick offered his design skills to make a customized gown or garment for a BC parent.

Auctioneer Keith McLane from KLMAuctions worked the crowd with energy,  enthusiasm and humor.  "Listen you don't want to be sitting home in your boxers watching a rerun of Charles in Charge when you could be out on the town having the time of your life at a Broadway Show of your choice."

One of McLanes finest moments was auctioning off a dinner for 10 people to Babbo with Mario Batali.  In a whirlwind of bidding the winner created the high bid of the evening and bravo moment to remember for everyone. 

David Snow, a Berkeley Carroll parent, served as the host of the auction.  "There are only two religions in NYC.  The Mets and the Yankees." setting up a subway series ticket auction for 4.

I've been at many hundreds of affairs and eaten some amazing cuisine. Great Performances  put out a sumptuous buffet that ranked very high up in my gala experience. Every bite of the plump chicken breast was moist and delicious and the mushroom risotto was spectacular. Their motto is Celebrate Food and I can tell you I was savoring every bite.  Kudos to Shaun Roberts and his great staff.

L and M Sound are the sound and light folks at Skylight and Richard Tatum and his crew were on top of everything, providing the technical assistance for the LSNY crew at every step of the way.  They lit the room wonderfully and the after party downstairs in the Vault was as cool as it gets in NYC midnight Blue.

We at LSNY Entetainment  and Production were fortunate enough to come back this year and provide Plasma Screen Visual support for Bidpal the next generation of auctions made easy.  Bidpal automates the auction with their IPHONE like devices that makes bidding fun and easy. 

Originally Patrick and Maureen were looking to just have the necessary video screen coverage for Bidpals screen shot updates on the silent auctions.  They engaged LSNY to provide 6 60" Plasma Screens, and made a great decision to bring in a live camera and have digital photos taken throughout the event.  Since there were going to be over 500 people scattered about and Keith the auctioneer was going to be roaming and interacting, it gave them a variety of visuals along with Bidpals screen updates.  We provided the platform, camera and camera man, as well as digital photography to intercut onto the screen.

The volunteers did a tremendous job and while the reviews aren't in yet, I'd say it ranks up there with one of the most original and fun evenings they've had.

Then came the After Party.  This was a first for a BC School.  It was a stroke of midnight genius by the brain trust to create this dessert dance lounge.  They were very concerned that the after party have that NYC classy club feel with just the right touch of music.  LSNY supplied two of our star DJs for the night Joey Sigona and Frankie Espo.  With this team in place the energy hit the right mark from the first moment to a packed dance floor by the end.   They could have gone another couple of hours.  This was a first class affair by a first class school and organization.  Congratulations to all the BC parents, teachers, administration, donors and all the people who made up a fine, fine affair.

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.

BC Parents Stephen and Inna Berman with LSNY's Michael Sage Schindler



Patrick Boylan and Maureen Swetow auction off a Patrick Boylan Design



Michael Sage Schindler with 2010 Co-Chair Sophia Romero


 



Video Review of Carly's LSNY Experience

Carly Shonbrun Siege had a very animated mitzvah party at Water Street Restaurant last weekend. Besides the Ultimate Games Master skills and games - one of the great American Idol repertoires of all time. These kids had no inhibitions about getting up and putting it out there.

Once the adults came down later the energy kicked up a whole other level. Here's what Mom - Anne, Dad - Alan and Carly herself had to say about it.



Wyld Child, Rebecca and DJ Joey all brought their best to this really fun party. Such a good chemistry like they've known us for years. Congrats to Willem who was non-stop crazy energy the whole time.



Great job Carly!!! Hope to see you all soon.

Emma McIntosh mitzvah party with LSNY's MC Brian

The McIntosh family is not your typical mitzvah family. Dana Goldstein and Robert McIntosh are the founders of the Theater Garden ironically not more than a few minutes walk from where I used to reside in Windsor Terrace.

Emma had seen us at a number of parties and it was destined that we would be there for hers. BEST TO WATCH ALL VIDEOS in 480p (Change it at the bottom).



MC Brian who is an outstanding dancer and very personable host presided over this small afternoon gathering in Park Slope.

Along with everyone's favorite LSNY Superstar and Ultimate Games Master Rebecca, Brian started the afternoon off with a few ice breakers:



The Hora was one of the many highlights at the party as well with the entire family going up. Dana's rise to the top was particularly fun as it appeared that perhaps taking the elevation ride was maybe not what she had planned but how can you not when you're a theater person. Brian had the guys kicking like Russian Cossacks at the end - wish we had more footage of that.



Lots of good dancing, fun, trivia, for a nice intimate gathering, Brian set just the right tone not driving it over the top but hitting the sweet spot all the way through.



In the end a thrilled Robert and Dana, a very happy Emma and a future partier in David who we saw a few weeks later killing it on the dance floor. Congratulations to the family and thanks for having us with you.

Michael Sage Schindler