Dear Donovan Friends & Family
I just wanted to take a moment to say "THANK YOU" to all of you who have supported me and my events in 2005. Collectively, as a community, we accomplished enormous milestones in redefining and breathing new exciting life into San Francisco nightlife. In 2005, due to your incredible support, our events embraced tens of thousands of new like-minded party people seeking more innovation, more culture, more refinement, and more cosmopolitan spirit out of San Francisco. Together, we made great strives in continuing to build our city's unique upscale scene. A unique scene about high fashion without pretentiousness. A unique scene about classy, upscale venues opening their doors to new unconventional ideas. A unique scene committed to preserving our city's unique music culture by educating the masses on the beauty and sophistication of house music. I appreciate those of you who "get it". So "Thank You" for your incredible support in attending my events and spreading the word and philosophy about my parties. We are truly changing "San Francisco" together...
2006 holds a lot of wonderful new plans and opportunities that I cannot wait to create with you... All new venues. All new vibes. All new experiences. However, before we embark on these new adventures, I wanted to take a personal moment to look back on 2005 and the many incredible times and achievements we shared... It's pretty remarkable. So I hope you will enjoy my tribute to our 2005's greatest defining moments together. If you have any friends that ever wanted to know what Donovan and his parties in San Francisco are all about, please forward this on to them....
DONOVAN'S DEFINING MOMENTS OF 2005
"GOLD": New Year's Eve 2006
There was no better way to end 2005 than with the biggest, grandest, most elegant production of my career. I saved one of the most breathtaking venues in all of San Francisco, The Mark Hopkins Hotel Grand Ballroom, all year for our New Year's Eve Party. With the support of my good friends and San Francisco's most reputable promoters Martel & Nabiel, we planned one of the most elaborate theme productions of the city costing over $40K to produce. And what more elegant theme for New Year's than GOLD? Gold-Chocolate Fountains, Gold-Painted People, Gold Statues, Gold Everything... The place was absolutely stunning and the crowd was dressed to the 9's. We definitely raised the bar on New Year's Eve productions and I'm very proud to have been a part of such an unprecedented event. I am extremely grateful to the 1,200 people that joined us on this special evening and got to see and experience this incredible undertaking. Thank you to Adriano & Lucciano of industry415 for making our vision a reality. Thank You to our amazing hosts that rallied all of their friends to support this party. And a very special "Thank You" to Sean Olmstead of the Mark Hopkins Hotel for believing in us and our event from beginning to end.
See Party Pictures from the "GOLD: New Year's Eve" Party @ The Mark Hopkins Hotel Grand Ballroom, Click Here.
The "Top Of The Mark" Thursday Parties
After a incredible year of private parties in 2004, we opened Top Of The Mark (the 19th floor of the Mark Hopkins Hotel) to the public on March 10, 2005 and a new era in San Francisco party nightlife was born. Top Of The Mark dominated Thursday nights in San Francisco and revolutionized upscale nightlife in this city, setting an all-new unprecedented party standard. Week after week, Top Of The Mark consistently drew an impeccable fashion-forward crowd like nowhere else in the city and built a new upscale community of urban chic. Always consistent, always dependable, yet always different, Top Of The Mark hosted some of the biggest DJ talent in San Francisco such as Mark Farina, Behrouz, Julius Papp, Andy Caldwell, and Mauricio Aviles. Week after week, we consistently delivered unprecedented events with highly respected, world-famous fashion brands such as Armani Exchange, Bebe, Benetton, French Connection, Miss Sixty/ Energie, SOMA Magazine, San Francisco Magazine, and STARS Modeing Agency. Top Of The Mark Thursdays celebrated some of the biggest and most successful holiday parties (St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, French Bastille Day, Halloween, etc.) and our "STEP UP YOUR STYLE" monthly fashion event at Top Of The Mark became of one of the most influential fashion culture events of San Francisco. We chose to end Top Of The Mark Thursdays on December 1, 2005 while at it's peak with full-capacity, sell-out events week after week. Due to your incredible support, The Top Of The Mark Thursday parties will always hold its place in San Francisco nightlife history. Thank You to our incredible staff (Russell, Thena, Matt, Juliet, Chris, Jay, May, Deidre) for their unyielding loyalty and commitment to making Top Of The Mark a comfortable home and family for all of our guests.
See Party Pictures from All the Past "Top Of the Mark" Parties in 2005 @ The Mark Hopkins Hotel, Click Here.
The "Step Up Your Style" Fashion Events
As everyone knows, I am very committed to helping build the "fashion culture" in San Francisco. In April of 2005, I conceived an event to motivate fashion-conscious people to creatively express themselves in a comfortable environment where other like-minded people would appreciate their fashionable efforts. "STEP UP YOUR STYLE" Fashion Night was born and became a social movement to encourage people to have fun "dressing up" with a reason to get excited about wearing that "daring" outfit they never had an excuse to wear or styling their hair or make-up differently. We rewarded the most creative, fashion-forward individual with a FREE $500 shopping spree at their favorite clothing store of choice. The response was phenomenal and people wore some remarkably outrageous outfits and rocked their unique style like I've never seen. "STEP UP YOUR STYLE" became the most popular night of the month at TOP OF THE MARK drawing a gorgeous crowd you rarely get to see. It was a very rewarding experience to bring all of these beautiful people together, for others to see "fashion as art" and to witness people become inspired to "STEP UP THEIR STYLE" in the future... I really felt this event made a positive difference for our city and it's fashion scene. Thank you to everyone who supported what we were trying to create and did their part to "STEP UP THEIR STYLE"...
See Pictures from All the Past "Step Up Your Style" Fashion Events in 2005 @ The Top Of The Mark, Click Here.
The 4th Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball
On Saturday, October 29th, I was blessed to be a part of the hottest, most sought-after Halloween party of the city as we hosted our 4th Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball and introduced the enchanting Lodge Level (aka "The Red Room") of the historical Regency Center. Beyond our wildest expectations, we completely SOLD-OUT of tickets almost 2 weeks in advance and raised thousands of dollars for The "Gifts Within" Charity Organization for Children with Learning Disabilities. The room was perfectly haunting for Halloween with thirty-five foot ceilings, hanging chandeliers, stained glass windows, theatrical balconies and a very spooky huge hand-painted cemetery-setting mural that covered the entire backdrop of the stage. The crowd was impeccable as always with some of the most elaborate and extravagant Halloween costumes we've ever seen (and some of the outright sexiest too!). THANK YOU to Sunwoo Hwang of NNOO Production who co-promoted this event with me and has been my partner on this event for 4 incredible years, Jeff Slayter of the Gifts Within Organization for his incredible support, and Nadia Patel for producing one of the most haunting Halloween settings of any party to date.
See Party Pictures from the 4th Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball at the Regency Center on October 29, 2004, Click Here.
The "COSTA DEL SOL" Day Parties
I knew the city was hungry for a new day party. For 3 years I had been searching for a beautiful new day party venue that met my community's more refined tastes. Having grown up partying at the original "Wet" Pool Parties at the Phoenix Hotel and the early "2nd Sunday" parties, I longed for that old-school vibe again, however, with a new upscale flavor. In all of my searching, never did I think to look to other side of town. One beautiful spring day, my friend Aaron Parrish dragged me out to Ocean Beach to a hidden gem called Beach & Park Chalet Restaurant and showed me pure paradise. On June 26th, we launched our first "COSTA DEL SOL" day party to our closest friends and supporters and created a new party phenomenon that grew to over 900 of the city's "cool kids" driving out to Ocean Beach in September. We broke every sales record in the Beach/Park Chalet history! This party was pure magic and anyone who made that drive and saw and felt this place became an instant "believer". We had some absolutely beautiful moments at COSTA DEL SOL and are very proud to have hosted some of the biggest local DJ talent in San Francisco: Miguel Migs, Julius Papp, David Harness, Andy Caldwell, Franky Boissy, and Mauricio Aviles. Thank you to Aaron Parish for introducing me to Beach Chalet and sharing his hidden gem with me. Thank you to Martel & Nabiel (co-creators of the "Wet" Pool Parties) for supporting our event and bringing that old-school magic and vibe. And thank You to Lara of the Beach Chalet for believing in our vision and letting us try something different at her venue.
See Party Pictures from All the Past "COSTA DEL SOL" Summer Day Parties @ The Park Chalet, Click Here.
The 5th Annual "White" Party
For the 4th year in a row, I had the great honor of being asked to perform at the biggest, most famous annual event in Ruby Skye history: THE WHITE PARTY. I was blessed with the opportunity to play the primetime slot from 11pm to 12:30am when the place hit full capacity and was in a complete frenzy of celebration. As always, this was the spectacle this party is famous for with every "who's who" in the house partying like a rockstar. Ruby Skye pulled out all the stops to make this an evening no one will ever forget. Thank You Ruby Skye, Martel & Nabiel, Delicious Karma, and NNOO Production for continuing to make me a part of this annual San Francisco tradition.
See Party Pictures from the 5th Annual "WHITE" Party @ Ruby Skye, Click Here.
2nd Annual San Diego Memorial Day Weekender
Everyone needs to get out of town once in a while. Without a doubt, one of the most refreshing experiences of 2005 was our 2nd Annual San Diego Memorial Day Weekender. Close to 200 San Franciscans flew down and partied A-List/VIP status at all of San Diego's hottest clubs by dark and recovered on its beautiful, warm sunny beaches by day. We organized travel packages for as low as $300 (airfare and hotel) and for only $25, people received a VIP pass to 4 of San Diego's hottest parties! As the photo gallery below shows, it's a whole different world in San Diego: just like the weather, the men and women are hot, hot, hot... Anyone who came down can attest, San Diego was insane and this was a ridiculous weekend no San Franciscan will ever forget! I had one of the most memorable DJ experiences of my career that Saturday Night at San Diego's hottest hotspot Aubergine. The place was wall-to-wall packed with a bottled-up energy that exploded with every song I threw down. Thank you to everyone who came down and partied with us and Thank You to San Diego's DJHere for being such gracious hosts.
View Party Pictures from the infamous 2nd Annual San Diego Memorial Day Weekender from May 27-30, 2005, Click Here.
"MI CASA" CD Release Party
As most of you know, my signature sound is my Latin beats. In early 2003, I had released my first Latin House Mix called "MI CASA" that became the most popular and sought-after CD I have ever produced. After two years of testing out new incredible Latin music that blew up dancefloors across the city and through my travels, I produced my follow-up Latin House CD "MI CASA 2" in May of 2005. I'm extremely proud of this music compilation and feel it represents some of my best work. In my efforts to provide another unique, upscale experience for my community, on May 21, 2005, we hosted a Latin-themed "MI CASA" CD Release Party in the Mark Hopkins Grand Ballroom with an army of conga drummers, a live saxophonist, and salsa and flamenco dancers. With the promotional support of my good friends Martel & Nabiel, over 1,000 people came out to shake their hips to the passionate energy of MI CASA and receive their complimentary CD. It was another momentous evening that inspired me to continue seeking non-traditional upscale venues to throw bigger and better parties for my community in the future.
See Party Pictures from the "MI CASA" CD Release Party @ The Mark Hopkins Hotel Grand Ballroom on 5/21/05, Click Here.
Listen to Donovan's "MI CASA" CD Mix: "Sexy Latin & Brazilian House, Vol. 2" Mixed Live by Donovan (Real Player)
Listen to Donovan's "MI CASA" CD Mix: "Sexy Latin & Brazilian House, Vol. 2" Mixed Live by Donovan (Windows Player)
The "BUDDHA BAR" Party
Having just visited Buddha Bar in Paris in early 2005 and being an enormous fan of its world-famous CD series, I was completely honored to have been asked to be a part of an evening celebrating the unique magic of "Buddha Bar" and performing with their famous resident DJ Sam Popat. On Friday, July 8, 2005, Club Mighty was creatively transformed into "Buddha Bar Paris" with a mesmerizing 20 foot Buddha Statue, impeccable floral and decor arrangements, 360 degrees of provocative Eastern visuals, live Bhangra and belly dancers, and Eastern World-Fused Music All Night. When Sam Popat performed, it truly felt like you were magically transplanted into Buddha Bar Paris. Anyone who had ever been to Paris appreciated the magic that was recreated that night. Due to everyone's support, the event was an blow-out success and Club Mighty's biggest, most successful Friday night party. It was a beautiful combination of our upscale community uniting and celebrating with the underground crowd of San Francisco. Thank you to Franky Boissy and Gilles Brassart (co-owners of Pink), who conceptualized, organized, and hosted this ground-breaking event and asked me to be a part of it. A special "Thank You" to Buddha Bar Paris' Sam Popat for bringing his musical magic to San Francisco and "educating" us all.
See Party Pictures from the "BUDDHA BAR" Party @ Club MIghty on July 8, 2005, Click Here.
The "BEDROOM" Parties
After an absolutely incredible first year run in 2004, The BEDROOM Party at Fluid came back strong in 2005 with a whole new vengeance. As a house music answer to the mash-up craze and to bring a fresh new vibe to the party, I introduced my new Rock-Fused House sound at the BEDROOM mixing house beats with classic AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Cream, Lenny Kravitz, Nirvana, Guns 'N Roses, etc. I'll never forget that first night of people screaming in surprised excitement, jumping up and down on their beds, hands up in the air, singing along with the songs. The entire place went absolutely nuts. From a DJ perspective, it was utterly euphoric. Thank you for that. After several incredible parties, due to my crazy schedule, we tried to take a break for a few months, but Fluid was flooded with hundreds of emails and phone calls wanting more BEDROOM madness. So in November, we pulled back the sheets one last time for 2005 and blew the roof off the place with a full-capacity crowd and a line a mile long outside. Due to your incredible support, THE BEDROOM Party has not only become one of San Francisco's most famous parties, but has made a reputable name for itself in other major cities such as New York, Miami, and LA. People have booked beds and flown in just for this party! Thank You to Fluid's Derek Bonner for helping us create this phenomenon. Thank You also to Nadia Patel for her breathtaking interior design work as she completely transformed Fluid into an entirely different "bedroom" world each time for us all to play in.
See Party Pictures from All the Past "BEDROOM" Parties @ Fluid Ultra-Lounge, Click Here.
The "Butterfly on the Bay" Parties
The "Butterfly on the Bay Parties" have always been a community favorite with its breathtaking view over the water; however, to preserve its magic in 2005, I reserved this gorgeous venue for a select number of special events. The first being a very special reunion with my old friend DJ Dimitris Mykonos after 18 months. Our two unique communities came together for a blow-out evening on 4th of July Weekend and there was only "pure love" in the air. We couldn't have asked for anything that felt more beautiful. In September, I was blessed to throw one of the biggest and most exciting Labor Day parties of the weekend with my good friend DJ Frenchy Le Freak. Finally, on Wednesday Night, November 23rd, I was excited to host my first Pre-Thanksgiving Party with the support of San Francisco's famous fashion magazine SOMA MAGAZINE. Each party was amazing in its own regard and I thank all of you who attended and helped make them a success. I also wish to say THANK YOU to Butterfly owner Robert Lam for always having my back and being such a breath of fresh air to work with.
See Party Pictures from All the Past "Butterfly on the Bay" Parties @ Butterfly Restaurant, Click Here.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2005
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