The Junior League of Minneapolis held their annual Duets event this past Saturday! This event always draws quite the crowd & this year was no exception! Held at BMW of Minnetonka, the evening was filled with the soulful sounds of the Kurt Jorgensen Band & perfect parings of food & spirits from outstanding Twin Cities restaurants including Al Vento, Barbette, Be’Witched Deli, Create Catering & The Dining Studio, French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, Keys Cafe, La Belle Vie, Lost Lake Lodge, St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill, Red Stag Supperclub, Rinata, Santorini, Seachange & Sweets Bakeshop! Live & silent auction items donated by amazing organizations such as the the Minnesota Twins, Southwest Airlines & General Mills, to name just a few, helped the organization reach their fundraising goals!

Last night was yet another extremely successful Junior League of Minneapolis Duets Event! Pictures of the evening coming soon!

On Friday, November 18^th 2011, the “360” was launched at Hammer Made.  This beautiful addition to the Hammer Made line is a distinctive, limited-edition shirt made of premium fabrics & accented with the brand colors of The Social 360.  There was no better way to celebrate than to throw a launch party!

At the event, the crowd enjoyed scrumptious food & drink from CRAVE while music sensation Solid Gold performed live all night long.  It was great spending time with old friends & wonderful meeting new friends.  A very special thank you to CRAVE, Solid Gold, & to all of the amazing people who came out to help us celebrate!

Would you like a new shirt at Hammer Made named after YOU?  Stay tuned, and be sure to “like” the Hammer Made page on Facebook, because we’ll be announcing some exciting news very soon!

The Social 360 is working with a new client & we couldn’t be more excited about it! The Child Neurology Foundation (CNF), founded in October 2000, was created by the Child Neurology Society (CNS) to support research, education & advocacy for all children with neurological problems.  Its missions include scholarships for medical students to work in the laboratories or clinics of senior neurologists, research funding in the earliest stages of a clinical investigator’s career, education about neurological disorders of children to pediatricians, primary care providers & the general public as well a new role as umbrella organization for all advocacy groups providing care to children with disorders as common as ADHD & epilepsy and as rare as Rett syndrome & Dravet syndrome.  CNF & CNS members represent almost all of the approximately 2,000 child neurologists from the United States, Canada, as well as more than 30 other countries around the world. Advocating for children & adolescents with neurologic & developmental disorders at every level from diagnosis to legislative initiatives has become CNF’s major direction.  Other activities include projects to promote awareness of career opportunities in child neurology, providing respite care manuals to families with disabled children & increased awareness of the need for transition from pediatric to adult medical care.

Over the past two years the Child Neurology Foundation teamed up with Christopher Straub, MN native & Project Runway’s Season 6 Fashion Designer, to bring his fashions to the runway in a benefit for the CNF! The house was packed & the fashion was “flashy, fun, sexy & edgy”! This was a show not to be missed!

Before we dive into all the flashy imagery, we would like to welcome guest blogger Rachel Ryan of RRPR! We are every excited for you to experience the fashion show from her perspective! Enjoy!

“When I purchased my ticket for the Christopher Straub Fashion Show for the Child Neurology Foundation, I was excited to be a part of something big. I was thrilled that the contribution of my ticket was going towards a greater cause, and I was elated to be surrounded by people who wanted to be a part of something bigger than them.

When I walked into The Westin-Galleria, photos of Christopher Straub on huge easels led me straight to where my ticket was waiting. My hand was stamped after my ticket was scanned and I immediately noticed a table filled with fabulous silent auction items. There were a multitude of items to bid on including a basket of goodies donated by Rocco Altobelli Salon, watches and jewelry, gift cards from CRAVE and an autographed Tim Mahoney Rolling Stone magazine! Christopher Straub even donated a customized red petal tote bag, designed with a flare, edge and funk that I was particularly fond of!”

“I walked through the doors to where the fashion show would take place and was immediately bathed in the blue and purple glow of the stage lights. My chair was waiting for me in the VIP section. A Christopher Straub specially designed tote bag stuffed with goodies was a welcome surprise.”

“The evening was dedicated to a little girl, Mya, who represented one of the 18 million children who have a neurological disorder. Mya made an on-stage appearance with John Stone, Executive Director of the Child Neurology Foundation, in a one-of-a-kind Christopher Straub dress designed especially for her. It was a very touching moment for the entire audience when Christopher made his appearance on stage and was welcomed with a big hug from Mya.”

“The fashion show began with music provided by Tim Mahoney, a Twin Cities-based musician who was most recently on NBC’s The Voice.  He sang two different pieces, the first one being his audition piece from The Voice, “Bring It On Home”. The second piece titled, “Hey Adam Levine” delivered plenty of humor and was dedicated it to his former coach from The Voice, Adam Levine, lead singer of the band Maroon 5.”

“Before the models hit the runway, Christopher came on stage and explained his vision with the line. Inspired from seashells, Christopher actually photographed them and sent the photographs away to be made into fabric. The fashion show we were about to watch would take us through a day in the life of this sea world.”

“After the first model took center stage on the runway, it was very obvious that Christopher Straub had created this line with a specific vision, debuting a personable, flashy, fun, sexy and edgy line of clothing that was as inspiring as it was jaw-dropping. The patterns and textures of the fabrics showed up in surprising and thought-provoking combinations that left me wanting more.”

“After the show came to a close and Christopher took his last bow, the lights lifted a little and I, along with everyone else, began to gather my things. To our surprise, though, the models took to the stage again! After lining up single-file down the runway, every other model turned around at the direction of the handler and, on cue, took a step towards the outside of the runway. This was such a fun twist and my absolute favorite part of the evening as now we had the opportunity to take a closer look at Christopher’s designs and take pictures with the models!”

“On my way out I waited in line to thank Christopher Straub for such a wonderful fashion show and for partnering with the Child Neurology Foundation. I left the event thinking about all of the good we can do for others, and all the fun we can have, when a community comes together. I am thrilled to say that I was able to be a part of it all!”

The Social 360 has been very fortunate to work closely with the Children’s Cancer Research Fund on a multitude of different projects. From Social Butterfly & Date for Life to Glamorama, the Children’s Cancer Research Fund has been an amazing organization to partner with and the 31st annual Dawn of a Dream was no exception.

Close to 800 guests filled The Depot on Saturday, November 5th to raise awareness for children’s cancer! From the “Tiffany & Co. Forest” to the Man Cave “Punch” there was a little something for everyone. A moving photo essay, powerful spoken word performance & upbeat urban choir music captured the joys & heartache of the children, families, doctors & researchers in the trenches of the cancer experience.

Among other amazing trips, like Fashion Week in February & a Great Barrier Reef Cruise, the live auction included a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the 2012 Summer Olympics in London! It’s not surprising that proceeds from the live auction topped $100,000! Overall, more than $1 million was raised to support groundbreaking research for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund!

The Social 360 is excited to be working with an amazing new client, ReVamp Salon Spa! Christopher Hopkins dreamed of creating a comfortable, peaceful & professional environment where people could realize their ultimate image. From hair, to make up, to personal style that resource was realized in ReVamp Salon Spa. Located in the “Uptown” area of Minneapolis between Lake Street & Lagoon Ave, ReVamp’s warm inviting atmosphere draws you in & Christopher’s creative vision will take your look to the next level! What are you waiting for? Book your appointment today!

The Social 360 is honored to be working with a new client, ECCO! On Friday, 4 November, ECCO opened the doors to store No. 1,000 at the Mall of America! The Danish maker of the world’s most comfortable, stylish & technically-advanced footwear, is now open on Level 2, North. The brand is famous for its Scandinavian design, comfort & quality which is reflected in the ECCO store concept, which is up-to-date, light & welcoming. See the 1000th store opening HERE!
The 1,000th store worldwide features the ECCO Autumn/Winter 2011 collection including casual, formal, sport & natural motion products for both men & women. In honor of their commitment to local communities, ECCO also made a donation of $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities!

When visiting the Mall of America this holiday season make sure to stop by ECCO!

We recently had the opportunity to work with Urban Eatery & here are some of their new fall/winter menu items! From the meaty buffalo wings to the warm apple crisp, no taste sensation is over looked on this menu! Urban Eatery is located at the street level of Calhoun Beach Club & offers diners a diverse menu along with a great view of Lake Calhoun at a great value. Become a Fan on Facebook for up to the minute lunch, happy hour & dinner specials!

Christopher Straub, Minnesota native & Project Runway’s Season Six Fashion Designer, will be unveiling his Spring/Summer 2012 collection at a fashion show to benefit the Child Neurology Foundation in luxurious and conveniently located Westin at the Galleria in Edina, MN! Come join us on Sunday November 13th at 4pm! The event’s MC’s will be Twin Cities Live hosts John Hanson & Elizabeth Ries & the show will include live musical entertainment by a local Minnesota vocalist in addition to the runway show!

VIP ticket holders get the best seats in the house & first access to all the action at a special reception starting at 3:15pm. Front row VIP ticket holders will also receive a custom tote designed by Christopher himself!

VIP-Front Row – $100.00
Front-row seating
Special Edition Christopher Straub bag
Access to VIP pre-reception starting at 3:15pm (appetizers & drink ticket included)

VIP-Second Row – $50.00
Second-row seating
VIP goodie bag
Access to VIP pre-reception starting at 3:15pm (appetizers & drink ticket included)

General Admission – $25.00
Standing room with hi-top tables

Raffle ticket – $10.00
Winner will receive a limited edition Christopher Straub Petal Purse ($350 Value). This is the perfect gift for you or others. NOT an Admission Ticket.
Note: Winner announced during the event but you need not be present to win!

Doors open at 3:15pm for VIP ticket holders & 3:45pm for general admission. The fashion show starts promptly at 4pm. Tickets are limited so click on the link HERE to purchase yours right away!

Haven’t heard of The Child Neurology Foundation? Founded in October 2000, CNF is the outreach arm of the Child Neurology Society, providing information, education, & advocacy for child neurologists & other medical professionals—& for patients, parents, & member groups dealing with an array of neurologic conditions. Members of the Child Neurology Society include more than 1,300 child neurologists from the United States, Canada, as well as more than 30 other countries around the world.

Can’t make it to the fashion show but still want to give? To make a contribution to the Child Neurology Foundation, please use the online gift form, or contact John Stone, Executive Director at 952-641-6100 or at jstone@childneurologyfoundation.org.

Did we fail to mention that there will be AMAZING silent auction items that have been generously donated from Rocco Altobelli Salons, CRAVE, Sopranos & Urban Eatery just to name a few?! This is a must attend event!

“Milkweed Editions, one of the nation’s leading independent, nonprofit literary presses, publishes with the intention of making a humane impact on society, in the belief that literature is a transformative art, uniquely able to convey the essential experiences of the human heart & spirit. We achieve our mission through book publication, the creation of audiences for emerging writers, the Alliance for Reading program, community events, & a publishing internship program.”

As a non-profit, Milkweed Editions depends on philanthropic support from individuals & corporations who recognize the importance of literature to our culture. The annual Milkweed Editions Book Lovers Ball raises money through silent auction items so that they can continue to produce literary art! The Social 360 was excited to be on hand again this year to capture all of the evenings festivities! Enjoy!