David's Blog

I don’t always go half way around the world to check out a perfect site but recently I traveled to Hong Kong to scout out unusual venues for a fascinating international event.

I also wanted to visit Hong Kong’s flower market. It’s a fast paced scene, packed with energy and lots of calling out and shouting. You practically run from vendor to vendor. Within an hour, I needed a respite so I found a curb and parked myself. Immediately this wonderful dog greeted me. I felt he was telling me, “Slow down. Take time to smell the roses.”

He and I watched the Hong Kong world swirl by.

As we sat, I had this notion that Hong Kong is a metaphor for a really memorable party. A gathering that goes from great to being absolutely stupendous. The dog gave me the idea. As we sat, he began to sniff the air; his nose kept pointing higher and higher, so I followed the trajectory. That’s when I noticed that the visuals of Hong Kong are constantly changing, a veritable kaleidoscope of life. On any street in this exciting city, the senses are never bored. Hong Kong is a classic and sophisticated fusion of two distinct creative forces: East and West. Here in the flower market, and during the previous evening’s dinner at the Peninsula Hotel, I was witnessing a place of diversity— where new and old meet at every turn. It’s a city where the old can be truly ancient. And new typically is remarkably sleek and modern. Some streets twist and turn, shaped by a distinctive past. But often they lead to the most modern buildings. Despite its reverence for the past, Hong Kong imparts a strong sense of the future.

So there you have it: That’s the metaphor that came to mind. Really great events know how to do the exact same thing. They may give a nod to the past, or pay homage to certain traditions but they really must surprise us in the best of all possible ways. Like Hong Kong, a memorable celebration should have a certain forward motion that permits each guest a glimpse of what will be.