Bringing back the 80’s
Those who experienced the 80’s as teenagers are often nostalgic when it comes to the decade of decadence, and for good reason. Culturally speaking, the 80’s had a unique flavor. Music, fashion, film and television – you just had to be there. And as it so happens, Joanna, a prominent Israeli businesswoman who turned 40 in November of 2013, was.
Joanna wanted to celebrate her 40th birthday party in style – 80’s style – and we embraced the challenge of propelling her back in time to her teenage years. First of all, we had to choose a location that would accommodate our vision. A club on Tel Aviv’s Ben Avigdor Street was selected, with Chef Ran Shmueli at kitchen’s helm.
The most important thing for everyone involved was to realize a unique 80’s concept. Knowing the design has to be perfect, we gave special thought to selecting unique items that symbolize the 80’s – old TV sets blaring 80’s shows and films, 80’s stickers and pins, disco balls, colored furs, images of red hot lips, a checkered dance floor and more. The space was peppered with items that are considered archaic – such as record players and double cassette boom boxes – yet provided 80’s teens with countless hours of joy.
The event’s 200 guests received an invitation inspired by Cocktail, the 1987 Tom Cruise film. The innovative design was chosen to awaken dormant 80’s memories. The invitation read: “Research shows that being in an environment that re-enacts a time from our past actually makes our body younger…so let’s celebrate, dance and party all night long…”
Upon arrival, the guests received must-have 80’ party accessories that included hats, guitar-shaped glasses and pins, and were accompanied to the dance floor by a blitz of beloved 80’s music hits and videos from MTV’s golden age.
The food prepared by chef Shmueli was deliberately inspired by Joanna’s favorite restaurants growing up: the iconic Me Va Me and Tandoori. To make the evening perfect, we teamed up with Joanna’s husband and prepared a film that told her life story. For dessert, the band “Limouzina Express” took the stage for an energetic live act consisting of wonderful 80’s music. Not surprisingly, everyone had the time of their lives, as they partied like it was 1985 all over again.
