Party Report: Laurel Hook’s Totally Awesome Birthday “Prom”

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor

Laurel and Blair Hook at her birthday "prom." Photo by Byron Beck.

So how did lawyer Laurel Hook pull off one of the coolest parties—ever?

“Honestly, Jody Stahancyk picked the theme,” says Hook, a family law lawyer and shareholder at Stahancyk, Kent & Hook. "We've had ‘big decade’ parties for Jody over the years (beach bash in Gearhart at 50, rodeo at 60…). I too was hoping for a big (40th birthday) bash and know an amazing theme is always the key. Jody suggested the theme as her first idea and I initially brushed it off. Then I thought about all of the fantastic music and clothes and realized that, once again, Jody nailed it.”

And so that was how Laurel’s birthday—a 1980’s prom—was born. “I lived the 80’s: Rubik's cube, Pac Man, MTV and Pop Rocks. I'd hoped we'd have a solid 80's attire showing—but I was frankly shocked that nearly EVERYONE came dressed in their 80's finest.”

And as for the party? “The dance floor was part 80's dance moves/part karaoke. The common thread is that everyone knows the words to 80's hits. So much hairspray, so many puffy sleeves, all the taffeta and lace, not to mention blue eyeshadow, shoulder pads and white tuxedos. Rad! 80’s were all about excess!”

Male party-goers sported Flock of Seagulls hair-dos and powder blue tuxedos. Hook even recreated her original prom dress, and many female attendees pulled their old ones out of the back of their closets.

For the party, Hook and her posse took possession of the Hotel deLuxe. “It was our "neighborhood watering hole" for the 11 years the firm was located across the street,” said Hook (their office is now located on Southwest Fourth Avenue). “Taking over the whole hotel for corsages, prom photos, two bars and a dance floor made it perfect.”

And Pretty-In-Pink-perfect it was with guests coming from near and far including Bend (where SK&H have an office), Coos Bay, Seattle, Sacramento, the Bay Area, and Southern California to join Hook, her hubby Blair, and everyone from childhood friends to college and law school pals to colleagues and clients for the celebration. Awesome!

Bobby Wagner and Refinement Israel getting cozy at Laurel Hook’s Totally Awesome Birthday “Prom” at the Hotel deLuxe.
Photo by Byron Beck.

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Kristine "Rad" Rader

The very "lady of the 80's" Kristine Rader at Laurel Hook’s Totally Awesome Birthday “Prom” at the Hotel deLuxe.

Photo by Byron Beck.

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Party people and the Birthday Gal (center): Kate Crawford, Jody Stahancyk, Laurel Hook, Summer Ali, Juan Flores, Ami Margolin Rome, Nick Bernat, Eloise Hook, Kelli Gamble, Aubrey Artz, Andrew Mannheimer, Dana Cazacu and Brittany Newton at Laurel's Totally Awesome Birthday “Prom” at the Hotel deLuxe.