Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1366501
"I barely lasted two hours at t h a t d i n n e r party last night before I was winded and had to go home" … "I wore my 105 mm Manolos for the first time in ages and turned into a baby giraffe by the end of the cocktail soirée." If I had a nickel for every time I've heard such laments from dear acquaintances these past few months … Well, I could afford a new Hermès weekend bag. It seems no one is in party shape. I needn't remind you what a horrible year 2020 was for retailers, restaurants, and other businesses. For party planners, it was especially rough. The galas were canceled, and guest-list-heavy weddings hit the pause button. There was no need for a truckload of rented Chiavari chairs or an Instagram-ready pop- up ombré wall festooned with roses. Some were even doing drive-by baby showers. Alas, we had to live on #TBT Instagram posts where melancholy friends would plaintively post "vintage" photos captioned "Remember that fabulous 2016 DMA Art Ball when Anne Hathaway showed up?" or "I long for the days of one of Fancy Nancy's blowouts." Happily, invitations are arriving again; our Smythson datebooks brim with upcoming events. Gatherings may still be small, but they're reason enough to throw on a pair of current- season Tom Ford floral trousers or a La Vie Style House caftan with matching turban. So, the time seemed right to reach out to friends in the event-planning ecosystem and ask: How did you weather the past year? What do you envision for the rest of 2021? And how about some tips for hosting a paparazzi-worthy gathering, now that the social world is emerging from its long hibernation. As we suspected, conga lines may be a thing of the past. But we just might encounter a tipsy game of hopscotch in the near future. TODD FISCUS Don't let Todd Fiscus' boyishly handsome face fool you. This seasoned veteran has well over 20 years' experience in the big league of event planning, with clients ranging from Tom Ford to Audi, the Dallas Cowboys, and plenty of pretty pop stars. Sprinkle in weddings for offspring of Texas' mightiest oil and gas dynasties and business barons, and you get our drift: Fiscus knows how to throw a lavish shindig. How you pivoted when lockdown began in 2020. We staged houses and therefore started designing interiors. It's been fantastic, actually, and I have always loved it. Nice to add to our list of services. And I hope to continue. Dress code: More casual, or do guests want to throw on an entrance-making gown? Get dressed! It's time to put the casual clothing away. Now that many are vaccinated, w h a t t y p e o f e v e n t s a r e people asking you to plan? Everything. And they're coming in hot. Lots of parties and lots of traveling. Buckle up — it's going to be something! NEW SOCIAL ORDER By Billy Fong Conga lines might be on pause for a while. Any alternatives. Hopscotch? At this point, just getting to be with people is nice. I'm having Footloose flashbacks and actually hear people saying, "I just want to dance!" Socially distanced tablescapes you've designed that pleased you. None. I hate them. Coasters atop passed beverages and hors d'oeuvres under glass are kind of cool; maybe those will stay. I think blowing out candles on a cake and then serving said cake will be over for a looooong time. Best flowers for a fabulous spring/ summer soirée. Gobs of Japanese ranunculus in peachy tones, French tulips, dogwood, and lilacs for spring. Acid- green zinnias and palms for summer. Bright and happy! Signature 2021 cocktail. The Vaccine. It's champagne served ice cold with a splash of grapefruit juice, over a sugar cube with a torched grapefruit skin. With a squeeze vial of tequila. Because I love tequila and champagne. Mad Libs time: When I feel like lowering my [DESIGNER NAME] party-ready mask to drink a [COCKTAIL], expect me to [ACTION]. When I feel like lowering my Thom Browne party-ready mask to drink a Vaccine, expect me to hit the floor harder than John Travolta. MISSY PECK Girl about town Missy Peck started her boutique party-planning service, missyRSVP, in May 2019. Then she threw one of the most talked-about events of that year: a celebration of the Prabal Gurung + Miron Crosby collaboration, held on the great lawn of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. Guests were greeted with shots of tequila and a fashion show, with a catwalk flanked by rodeo queens on horseback, carrying custom flags. A truly Texas affair. Dress code: Casual, or not? I think people are ready to dress up. I, for one, am buying a few special Todd Fiscus with Ceron STEVE WRUBEL 38