July 17, 2009 | Eco-Chic Entertaining

A Green Gathering

It may not have been your typical Bastille Day celebration, but last Tuesday night’s Opportunity Green bash was still about power to the people.

Along with co-hosts MINI, Marc Alt, Notes on a Party, Neighbor, Environment and Ecofabulous, LA based conference Opportunity Green co-hosted, “An Evening Celebrating Style with a Conscience,” and made their East Coast debut to an audience of the leading thinkers in the green community.

In town to promote their upcoming annual business conference for ecopreneurs on November 7th and 8th, 2009, Opportunity Green co-founders Karen Solomon and Mike Flynn were greeted by over 300 guests who gathered at the Environment showroom (876 Broadway) for organic cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and lively conversation about how to be green and profitable at the same time.

“In our role as connectors, it’s important for us to bridge the gap and create dialogue between innovators and leaders in LA and NYC,” explains Flynn. “Both cities have excellent green leadership on many levels including their mayors (Villaraigosa and Bloomberg, respectively) and now is the time to work together to create a bright [green] future.”

Notable guests from a variety of industries attended including Graham Hill and Ken Rother (Treehugger/Discovery), Julie Gilhart (Barney’s), Michael Dwork (Verterra), William Allen (TED), Rohit Aggarwala (Mayor Bloomberg’s Office), Helen Walters (BusinessWeek), Toby Daniels (Social Media Week), sustainable fashion designer Bahar Shahpar as well as long time sustainable activist and founder of Green Drinks, Margaret Lydecker.

The three level Environment showroom was dressed with organic floral arrangements by Celadon & Celery and filled with tables of organic catering by Sage Events including a lavish spread of whole poached salmon with cucumber slices and grilled shrimp siracha skewers with jalapeno corn bread. Fruit cocktails were provided by all natural Stirrings mixers and Square One Organic Vodka. Guests sampled delicious green goodies such as Peak Organic Pomegranate Wheat Ale with Acai, Honest Tea Mango Green Tea and organic Whole Berry Blast ProBars. In the corner of the store, a NYC Photobooth was set up to let guests strike their best poses for a vintage 6 photo strip.

But, the scene stealer of the night may have been the row of MINI electric cars tightly packed together and filling the entire curb lane from 18th to 19th Streets. Called the MINI E, the still-in-test-mode, 100% electric car boasts zero emissions and cutting edge technology.

Proof that good (green) things really do come in small packages.

For more information about Opportunity Green and to buy tickets to the upcoming conference, click here.

For a complete gallery of event photos, visit Manhattan Society or the event page at Opportunity Green.