Sneak Peek Of The Birdcage Enclosure At The 2015 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
When the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival kicks off this Saturday, all eyes will be on the horses but the real festivities will take place in the exclusive VIP areas in the Birdcage Enclosure.
This is where top shelf champagne will flow in the abundance of corporate marquees where thousands of dollars are spent to host VIP and A-list crowds in this by-invitation-only area at the Flemington Racecourse.
The Millionaire’s Row will feature the big names and it is here that the marquees put their best foot forward with fabulously themed parties with the renowned culinary names offering carefully curated menus for a seamless display of entertainment.
woman with drive stepped into these gilded Birdcage marquees for an exclusive preview at what the next four days will look like in some of them.
Emirates
Theme: Hello England. A touch of English grace strikes a grandiose pose in this fabulous marquee that comes equipped with its own toilets fit for royalty. It is all about Wedgewood and Royal Doulton fine china, a rose carpet and custom-designed wallpaper featuring the David Austin English rose. Guests will have access to Emirates’ famous beauty salon ‘The Sanctuary’ to touch up their hair throughout the day at the expert hands of Joey Scandizzo’s team using YSL products.
Food: Epicure Catering head chef, Tony Cimmino, will serve bubble and squeak fritters, coronation chicken sandwiches, elderflower jelly canapés, angus and beef oyster pies, kedgeree croquette and brioche summer pudding.
Special Guests: Lady Kitty Spencer, Millie Mackintosh, and British celebrity milliner, Stephen Jones.
Myer
Theme: Super Botanica. Think Jurassic foliage with flowers, blossoms and stems where birds of paradise spread their wings in this fresh and playfully chic marquee.
Food: The Big Group will be serving up cooling cucumber cocktails, raw kale salads, pickled baby cucumbers with chili oil and yoghurt, and freeze dried raspberries infused into large chocolate slabs. There will be a seven-meter long copper bar laden with fresh oysters and cocktails will flow throughout the day. This space will convert to a sweets bar in the later afternoon.
Special Guests: Jennifer Hawkins, Kris Smith, Lauren Phillips, Rachael Finch, Kate Peck, and Myer designers, Toni Maticevski and Alex Perry.
Mumm
Theme: French Alps on the upper floor and European-inspired ski-nightclub on the lower floor. Mumm wins for topping the celebrity guest list with a special appearance by French DJ David Guetta who will join the party on Melbourne Cup Day.
Food: The menu created by Neil Rocke from Peter Rowland Catering will showcase French food and champagne cocktails. Guests will also be indulging in champagne- flavoured macaroons and Yasa caviar flown in each day at a cost up to $4000 per kilogram.
Special Guests: DJ David Guetta, Melissa Rivers, Brad Goreski and Brody Jenner.
Lavazza
Theme: Italian mid-century design curated by painter and artist Vincent Fantauzzo with Neale Whitaker. The cloudscape wall and ceiling has been painted by Fantauzzo who has just returned from hanging out with Charlize Theron in Hong Kong. It is all blue skies dreaming as this coffee brand celebrates 120 years in business.
Food: Adam D’Sylva brings his magic touch to Lavazza with gnocchi, Espresso Martinis and a refreshingly appropriate Aperol Spritz. A coffee window has been built into the side of the marquee. Silvia Colloca (wife of actor Richard Roxburgh) rocks the dessert table with cannoli, almond crust mini tarts with dark chocolate ganache and of course, Lavazza coffee.
Special Guests: Emma Notarfrancesco, Vincent Fantauzzo, Silvia Colloca and Adam D’Sylva.
Wolf Blass
Theme: Australian artist, David Bromley, is the creative mind this year and his horse paintings have been screen printed to produce a striking sequence of majestic and larger-than-life images around the external wall. The interior is decorated with red lounges from France, a Murano glass chandelier and Bromley’s own Boy portrait chairs.
Food: Wolf Blass tasting wines with a rare taste of the 2014 Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Shiraz Malbec.
Special Guests: Samantha Wills, Kevin Sheedy and David Bromley
Main image credit: Wolf Blass
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