Last month, DMC employees and guests gathered to celebrate our accomplishments of 2016 and all we have to look forward to in the coming year. The annual Holiday Party is one of the most exciting events of the year. It's a great opportunity to chat with those you rarely get a chance to see and meet the new faces coming to DMC!
Here's how we celebrated in each office.
Denver
DMC Denver started their evening with drinks and a social hour at Guard and Grace, a steak house in downtown Denver. We were then treated to some incredible steaks, which was the highlight of the night for most. After dinner, we headed to a local bar for some more drinks to reflect on another great year at DMC. - Cameron Fyfe
New York and Boston
The New York office joined Boston again this year at Pier 6, a restaurant that looks over the beautiful Boston skyline. The drinks and food were fantastic, of course.
Even though I’ve been at DMC for under a year, this was my second DMC holiday party. I attended last year after I was hired and before my start date. It was really interesting to experience the party as a full time employee, and to meet the new hires and interact with them just like others at DMC interacted with me a year ago.
Cat, the Boston Administrative Assistant, set up some fun side games for the evening. In one game we gave everyone slips of papers with random phrases that we were supposed to incorporate in conversation. It was a great evening and I already can’t wait for next year’s party! - Eric Baggen
Houston
DMC Houston plans to celebrate their holiday party this month!
Chicago
As guests and the seven new employees who will be starting at DMC in 2017 arrived at Ignite Glass Studio, they made their way into a courtyard lined with string lights and blown glass decor. They caught a first glimpse of the evening to come through the floor to ceiling windows. Ignite boasts an industrial, modern event space that opens directly into their hot room.
Caution: HOT
The evening began with cocktails accompanied by a narrated blown glass demonstration. Guests were able to mingle, grab a cocktail from the bar, or take a seat for the demo. We watched in awe as members of Ignite Glass Studios created a beautiful blown glass bowl for DMC to keep.
During the demo, hors d'oeuvres were passed and the wine was flowing. Few people were able to step away from the hot room until the mesmerizing blown glass demo was complete. It is fair to say we were blown away!
Fun with Fusing
The fusing bar was another exciting aspect of this year's holiday party. Ignite staff showed us how to use glass cutting tools to break up scrap glass and decorate our very own tiles! Everyone was able to design a small 4"x 4" tile to be baked in Ignite's kiln. From abstract designs, to the Chicago skyline, to DMC's logo, the different designs were nothing short of impressive.
Big Delicious Meal
After the excitement of cocktail hour, it was time for a buffet dinner. The first catering company in the nation to receive 4-Star Certified Green Restaurant status, Big Delicious Planet focuses on locality and sustainability. Our dinner featured a wide variety of options for every taste, including rosemary balsamic chicken, Portobello ravioli, and braised short rib on creamy polenta.
Speech! Speech!
Once everyone filled their plates, Patrick Corcoran took to the microphone to surprise us all with the 'official announcement' of his candidacy for DMC presidency! Our comedian/emcee for the evening introduced our President, Frank, who graced us with a few kind words. We then heard from Ken, and learned his favorite word in the English language is "amazeballs" - also the perfect word to describe what DMC is continuing to achieve together. Ken's wife Tamara followed with a reminiscence of how DMC has grown over the last two decades while staying true to our core values.
Just Desserts
When it was time for dessert and coffee, guests decorated cheesecake martinis with their favorite toppings!
After a few hours of the smooth sounds of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, we turned up the tunes and listened to some of today’s top hits. Guests chatted over drinks or took on the fusing bar to finish their unique glass tiles before the night ended.
2016 brought new challenges, new faces, and new accomplishments for DMC. We've got a big, shiny bowl to remember this year by!