While many people are nostalgically looking back at 2010, Skylight Soho and The Economist are bravely looking forward to 2011.
On December 2, 2010, The Economist hosted the 2nd annual World In Festival gala at Skylight Soho, timed in conjunction with “The World In 2011” annual publication, a compilation of predictions on ideas, trends and issues that will shape the following year.
With fresh-faced volunteers scattered about in their Sunday best, Skylight Soho was buzzing before the 6:30 lift-off and I was there to take it all in. 
Guests enered as if through the magazine issue
Guest entered through Skylight Soho’s front doors and archways that mimicked “The World In…” magazine cover, metaphorically entering 2011— a cheeky design concept by the DC based producers of the event, Chris Wayne + Associates. It was onto cocktails and hors d’oeuvres by ISIS Event of the Year winner, Neuman’s in our corridor, which was converted into a gallery space hanging oversized covers of “The World In…” issues from the past 25 years. The exhibit started with The World in 1987 when Dirty Dancing and Mrs. Thatcher were all the rage, and wrapped around to the current 2011 edition dawning a frenetic global matrix with the likes of President Obama, Jamie Oliver, Usain Bolt and all things China.
The corridor was a gallery of past "The World In..." issues
Guests then entered the main room that was a glowing and spirited magenta color, complimenting the dark purple calla lily centerpieces and making the blue-lit stage pop. There was this lively, wide-eyed energy throughout the room. As guests sat down for dinner, I saw Chef Jose Andres trying to catch the ear of Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu, and overheard him say that he’s looking to use solar powered pressure cookers in the near future and how excited he was.
Each table was themed with a past issue
Isis "Best Coporate Event Winner" Neuman's provided the food
A highlight of the night was K’Naan, a Somali musical sensation, who perfectly set the tone for the night. I loved his Bay-Area-hip-hop meets-African-beats vibe, think Will.I.Am, sprinkled with a little Bob Marley and Fela Kuti.
Somali musician K'Naan
Then came US Secretary of Energy and Nobel laureate Dr. Steven Chu. He had a thorough yet charismatic and refreshingly off-script speech with his borderline-giggling pursed lips (probably because he knew his PR reps were shuttering). He opened with a line from Yogi Berra “When you come to a fork in the road…Take it” and went on to make predictions about 2011 and beyond, making clear note of his anticipated rise of China as an energy superpower.
Energy secretary and nobel winner, the charming Steven Chu
Behind the scenes, the program shifted minute by minute based on the keynote’s flight schedule. Security was receiving the play by play of his flight from Zurich to Teeterboro and journey through the Holland Tunnel on their headsets. I realized he must have finally arrived because the stone-faced security guys stood up a little bit straighter. The program changed again, and the keynote got bumped ahead of two others, Chef Jose Andres and musician Loudon Wainwright III. Finally, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for, the one and only, the 42nd US President, Bill Clinton! ROAR!
He was tall and slim with his signature shocked white hair, and those familiar warm eyes and smile that we all grew to love. He had me at “Hello.”
He touched on all the points that one would expect, from the environment and economy to the importance of college and health care for all Americans. He also stressed that going back to a fact-based discussion was essential to a productive future. He used sports as an analogy saying that “when we care about something like football, we know the facts because it matters to us,” a striking contrast to the American political mindset of today, and that one thing he “really really hopes is that a higher number of Americans will develop a framework with which they know how to interpret what they read.”
Then it was time for the Q&A. Right when he sat down, his eyes bulged out of his face and his mouth dropped as he found himself sitting on the microphone. He laughed it off and his default smooth mode fell into place. When asked about his personal hope for 2011, he said “My personal wish for 2011 is that my daughter’s first year of married life will be happy”, which was followed by a big “AWWWW” from the audience. Everyone was completely enchanted by former President Clinton. I myself counted 6 times that we caught eyes, but I fear that I’m not alone?
It seemed that he was looking right at me...
He was met with a standing ovation and within a second of walking offstage, he was engulfed by guests clamoring to shake his hand. After 15 minutes the venue was half empty and after much deliberation in the green room, the brave James Beard award winning Chef Jose Andres took the stage and jokingly thanked Bill Clinton for warming up the stage for him. If not for the Spaniard’s passion and zeal for food and its future, the room would have emptied. He closed the night with the prediction that he would trim his waistline in 2011, and that Americans should too!
Everyone's clamoring for a piece of Bill!
