Breakfast at Macy’s
What better way to celebrate the first day of spring than by taking a backstage glance at the 2015 Macy’s Flower Show? Follow me behind the scenes to get the inside scoop.
That morning I felt like Audrey Hepburn, living a scene straight out of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. But I wasn’t in Tiffany’s — I was checking out the “Art in Bloom” display at the world-famous Macy’s Store in New York City. After taking an inside look at this one-of-a-kind expo, I know that this is one event that I’ll be coming back to year after year — and so should you!
Wake Up Call
I opened the door of my Brooklyn apartment at 6:00am on a chilly Friday morning, wearing a long black coat that hid my festive floral dress underneath it. The weather might have been frigid, but the anticipation of going behind-the-scenes at Macy’s Annual Flower Show had my feet moving a mile a minute toward the subway.
As I emerged from the Q Train station at Herald Square, I was taken by a humongous sign directly ahead of me. “The World’s Largest Store,” it read, and large it was — the Macy’s on 34th and Broadway is truly the eighth world wonder to shopaholics like me.
As I opened the big, steel double doors underneath the sparkling entrance, a certain romance began to stir up inside of me. Even the cool March air couldn’t dampen the glamour of this event. The prospect of being almost completely alone in this legendary store was absolutely breathtaking.
8:00 AM Cocktails Anyone?
Three charming gentlemen greeted me at the door, each holding a tray of the most charming breakfast treats — all of them created with floral and art themes, of course. Highlights included hibiscus-infused prosecco garnished with an edible flower, toasted vanilla bean yogurt contained in a paint tube, thumb-sized goat cheese omelets, and watermelon flowers that sprung up out of a patch of faux grass.
Needless to say, I had to try it all. I mean, when dashing men in fashionable suits offer you prosecco and bite-sized chocolate, it doesn’t matter where you are. Can you say, “More please?”
Wait…Was That Monet?
As we walked around exploring the mountains of flowers placed smartly all over the store, I started to get the sense that this Macy’s strangely resembled a museum. That’s when I realized what the overarching theme of these varied floral installations was — they were all based on pieces by famous artists! It turned into something of a game as we walked through the displays, trying to guess which famous artist inspired the work in each section of the store.
Sprawled across the displays of purses, makeup, and jewelry were arrangements motivated by the likes of Monet, Matisse, Lichtenstein, and Mondrian. Nods and winks at artists of the past in a jungle of modern day goods made for a truly stunning contrast. The classically romantic appeal of art and flowers lingered in the air as we wandered around the store, sipping floral cocktails and tasting edible luxuries.
The most memorable part of the arrangements were the escalators overflowing with vividly colored flowers. Good luck trying to get up and down levels of this massive store on the first day of spring! The only visible part of the escalator were the railings that poked through the top, drowning in an ocean of brilliant colors.
My Chat with Susan Tercero, Macy’s VP of Event Operations
Near the end of the event, I had the privilege of sitting down with Susan Tercero, VP of Event Operations for the Macy’s Parade and Entertainment Group. She’s the woman behind the logistics of the Flower Show and other iconic Macy’s events. Tercero filled me in on all the preparation that goes into putting on this annual show.
Well, my theory was confirmed — Susan informed me that the Flower Show contains eight different gardens inspired by art from centuries past, including the Impressionist Garden, the Renaissance Garden, the Pop Art Garden, and more. She said that the artistic team wanted to identify key pieces throughout art history that would be recognizable to everyone.
She got particularly excited about a few technological tricks hidden throughout the location to enhance the flowers’ natural beauty. To my surprise, she told me that the Pop Art Garden contains 3D-printed orbs that have movement sensors, sending a signal that emits light and sound whenever someone walks by. And the classical David centerpiece contains something called 3D pixel mapping. This means that light projection is sculpted directly to the statue so that you can see different floral images contoured perfectly to the artwork’s shape.
The whole process gets underway about a year ahead of time, from initial brainstorming to the first public invitations. Once the design is in place, the famous flowers are sourced from Ireland Gannon Associates, located out on Long Island. Of course, most flowers are not actually blooming yet, so the florists go through a crazy process of freezing them and then warming them back to life, over and over again. This gets them to the perfect temperature so that they stay looking their best throughout the two-week event.
New York’s First Romantic Event of Spring
I left the store this morning with an extra spring in my step, feeling charmed and refreshed by the undeniable romance of my favorite season in New York City. Rushing back out into the brisk air and down into the crowded subway car, I carried on my day with a delicate grin on my face, knowing that I had “Breakfast at Macy’s.”
