ARDI and U.S. Air Force Academy Cocktails

ARDI COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION 2018 BFA

On Thursday, November 1st, ARDI: The Academic Excellence Foundation hosted their first ever Cocktails & Conversation event in New York City at the iconic Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The ARDI illustrious visiting professors and programs provide the cadets with real-world challenges and insights, exposing them to diverse viewpoints and ideas that enrich their world-class education.

ARDI COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION 2018 BFA

The purpose of the event was to increase awareness of ARDI’s mission to enhance academic excellence at the United States Air Force Academy through the perpetual endowment of distinguished visiting professorships and support of other programs and initiatives that cover academic disciplines ranging from Arabic Studies and Economics to Professional Ethics and Space Systems Engineering. For more than 30 years, ARDI's ultimate goal is to build their endowment to provide an endowed ARDI professor in all 27 academic departments at the Academy.

Guests delighted in cocktails and passed bites as they had the opportunity to network with senior leadership from the United States Air Force Academy, ARDI executives and board members, and fellow supporters.

The evening also featured remarks by ARDI President, Mick Erdle, NYC Commissioner of Veteran Affairs, Brig. Gen. (ret) Loree Sutton, MD, and the honorable guests from the Academy.

Product donors for this event included Salute American Vodka, which supports American heroes through the sale of high-quality, American-made craft spirits, as well as Luminox, the notable Swiss high-performance watch brand. 

All photos by BFA

About ARDI: The Academic Excellence Foundation:

Since its inception in 1984, ARDI has had one singular focus and mission. ARDI strives to support and fortify academic excellence at the United States Air Force Academy by providing perpetually endowed academic chairs.

ARDI solicits tax-exempt donations to endow distinguished visiting professorships honoring great military and civilian leaders, past and present, selected by the major donors. ARDI intends to establish an endowed chair in each USAFA academic department. ARDI currently contributes approximately $1,009,000 each year in indirect support to USAFA through the endowed chair program and ancillary academic activities.

ARDI was co-founded by Brig Gen Philip J. Erdle, USAF (Ret) (a former Vice Dean of the Faculty and Permanent Professor Emeritus) and Maj Gen William Lyon, USAF (Ret), in consultation with the Honorable Verne Orr, Secretary of the Air Force. ARDI is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the state of Colorado and headquartered in Colorado Springs.

For more information, please visit http://www.ardifoundation.org/.

Harper's BAZAAR ICONS 2018

On Friday, September 7th, Harper’s Bazaar hosted its annual ICONS Party as part of New York Fashion Week. Often considered the Met Gala of the fall season, the party is the echelon of all NYFW parties. Not the case every year, but for New York A listers, there were two places to be last night: out celebrating Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary, or partying with Roitfeld. Most stars probably tried to be seen at both events.

The affair, which celebrates the ICONS September issue of the magazine, was centered around the theme of family -- more specifically, “The First Families of Music.” The September issue presented some of music’s biggest names posing alongside with their loved ones, with full spread featuring the families of Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Christina Aguilera, Lionel and Nicole Richie, Mariah Carey, Paris Jackson, Steven Tyler, Erykah Badu, and Keith Richards.

The night did not disappoint — there was lots of style, lots beautiful people and lots of drama. The night began when flocks of Beautiful models and stars showed up at the famed Plaza Hotel in their best gala attire. Christina Aguilera, who was the special performer at the event, made sure all eyes were on her as she walked the red carpet in a white gown billowing with feathers. After posing for the cameras, the celebs made  their way upstairs to Plaza's Grand Ballroom. However, the major story of the night happened outside the main ballroom in the landing area where the scuffle took place between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj.

Reportedly, the "Bodak Yellow" artist approached Minaj's "address" some issues, and a member of the Nicki’s bodyguards elbowed Cardi B's face, causing a noticeable swelling on her forehead. Cardi B retaliated by launching a red platform shoe at Nicki, which missed. Cardi B was seen leaving the Icons party after the altercation.

Inside the party, most of the fashion personalities and Hollywood superstars did not even know about the clash, or maybe they did not care. Everyone was either too busy or too excited to catch up with their equally-as-famous friends. The main act of the evening happened when Christina Aguilera took the stage and brought everyone back to the 2000s with some of her classics. In attendance were the Hadid sisters, Caitlyn Jenner, Tiffany Haddish and every major model imaginable, from Adriana Lima to Christie Brinkley, just to name a few.

Just another year of past, present and future ICONS gathering to celebrate an unforgettable night.

TCG Gala 2017

Tony Award nominees, loyal theater-goers, and community advocates gathered for the annual Theater Communications Group Gala held this past Monday. The event, now in its sixth year, was held at Espace, a venue that made attendees forget about their frigid night in midtown, and instead took them to a space reminiscent of a Miami nightclub.

The Theater Communications Group (TCG) offers services including networking, grantmaking, and professional development to the theater community. The organization has made huge strides in the field, and received the Tony Award for Excellence in Theater for recognition of their efforts.

The Gala is a night for TCG to celebrate their achievements of the past year and raise support in continuation of their programs. This year, the benefit honored the National Council for American Theatre and the creative team of War Paint, the Broadway musical. Guests dressed up in a festive array of gowns and suit-and-tie attire to enjoy drinks followed by dinner and performances.

Besides the selection of red and white wine available, classic liquors including 12-year Glenlivet, Patron, and Bombay Dry Gin were used used to create a collection of cocktails that would appease anyone. Between the flowing drinks and passed hors d'oeuvres of bruschetta and endives stuffed with diced beets, guests had ample time to get acquainted before taking their seats.

Marshal Jones III, TCG board member, opened the night by describing the appeal of performances: “We attend to be put in seats that take us outside the theater.” Anyone skeptical of Jones’ bold statement would soon be taken aback. Samuel E. Wright, known for his roles as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid and Mufasa in the original Broadway production of The Lion King, encapsulated the audience with performances of a few of his signature songs, including “Under the Sea.”

Witnessing moving performances and hearing about the impact TCG created in the past year made guests keen to back the organization. Members from all over the country told stories of how TCG brought nearly 1,000 theater practitioners together during their National Conference in Portland, OR, and awarded $1.184 million in grants to support audience engagement projects. When prompted to text a pledge to the non-profit, promises of donations ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars splayed across the screens. The room raised over 36 thousand dollars.

With victorious energy still in the air, the night wound down with dessert and a performance of “Dinosaurs” by John Dossettt and Chris Hoch of War Paint. After official award acceptances and closing remarks, no guest left empty handed. Piled on each table were copies of TCG books to take home, which included Water by the Spoonful, among 14 other Pulitzer Prize winning plays. Considering the lush price for a ticket, who would have expected any less?

Special thanks to the Theater Communications Group Board of Directors

Photos courtesy of Natalie Bero and Annie Watt

About TCG:

For over 55 years, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for U.S. theatre, has existed to strengthen, nurture, and promote the professional not-for-profit theatre. TCG’s constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to over 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 12,000 individuals nationwide. TCG offers its members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through conferences, events, research, and communications; awards grants, approximately $2 million per year, to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and through the Global Theater Initiative, TCG's partnership with the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute. TCG is North America’s largest independent publisher of dramatic literature, with 15 Pulitzer Prizes for Best Play on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning American Theatre magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its Member Theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field, and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre. www.tcg.org

NYSPCC Annual Food and Wine Gala

The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) hosted its annual Food & Wine Gala at the prestigious Metropolitan Club on November 7th, 2017. The event was attended by business leaders, public figures, and major philanthropists who enjoyed an evening of inspiration and action. The gala, which is the highlight of the organization’s year, celebrates NYSPCC’s continued work in investigation, removal, and placement of abused and neglected children.

This year’s gala featured renowned Chef Michael Ferraro, co-owner and executive chef of New York’s Delicatessen and Macbar, who designed a one-of-a-kind, four course menu for the roughly 250 guests. The food was delectable — most notably, Chef Michael’s fennel pollen dusted Long Island duck breast with coriander confit carrots, which was perfectly paired with a selection of wines, including those from La Scolca, Marziano Abbona and Baer Winery.

While the guests were enjoying their phenomenal meal, the evening’s host, Deborah Norville, Inside Edition anchor, and member of The NYSPCC’s Children’s Council, led a fascinating discussion on all things food with Nina and Tim Zagat, the co-founders of the world-famous Zagat Guide. Norville has been a strong supporter of NYSPCC. Her passion to support the program came from her roots as a local reporter in Chicago, which deeply motivated her to continue help exposing child abusers in New York City. She has served on the Children's Council for years, and has emceed the Food & Wine Gala many times.

"The statistic in New York is that every day there are 244 reported cases of child abuse," said Norville, stressing that many abuses go unreported every day. "That means that during the time we're at this dinner, 30 kids will be physically assaulted, sexually abused, or just emotionally traumatized. All the money that is raised here goes to help those children heal," Norville continued.  

Celebrated auctioneer Harry Santa-Olalla steered the gala’s reverse auction; and the entire event raised over $700,000 to fund The NYSPCC’s Trauma Recovery Program, which offers a specialized therapeutic program for children, ages 5-18, who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, neglect, traumatic bereavement, or who have witnessed family violence. The agency’s unique work serves as a model for child welfare agencies across the nation.

“We are the go-to agency for New York City” said Dr. Mary L. Pulido, Executive Director of The NYSPCC, who delivered a heartfelt speech about the need to protect children from abuse and neglect. “When you hear about a horrific story in the media, we are called to help. When a child endures indescribable abuse, we are called to provide counseling in our trauma recovery program.” Dr. Pulido introduced a video that featured the Society’s programs and personal stories from some of the children who have benefited from them. One of those children, now an adult, was Private First Class Alex Miranda, who was present at the event and received a standing ovation from the audience.

Child abuse is a national tragedy which affects millions of children and families every year. We need to work together to help strengthen and support families so that we can prevent such tragedies from occurring. This night's gala reiterate our belief in the American spirit and its power to bring renewed energy and commitment to securing the future of our Nation’s children.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN

Established in 1875, The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) was the first child protection agency in the world. Throughout its distinguished history, The NYSPCC has sought to develop and implement innovative mental health, legal and educational programs that protect children from harm and ensure their healthy development.

Today, the organization offer and promote programs aimed at the prevention of child maltreatment and the lessening of its harmful effects. Since its incorporation 140 years ago, The NYSPCC has investigated more than 650,000 cases on behalf of over 2,000,000 children. The NYSPCC has also educated over 50,000 professionals who work with children on how to identify and report suspected child abuse and neglect.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NYSPCC: https://www.nyspcc.org/

Twitter: @NYSPCC | #NYSPCCGALA

NYSPCC Food & Wine Gala

The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (The NYSPCC), the world’s first child protective agency, is hosted its fifth annual Food & Wine Gala on Tuesday, November 7th, 2017, at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan. This annual event brings together prominent business leaders, public officials, and philanthropists to help raise vital funding for the organization.

Icla da Silva Foundation Hope Gala

On October 18, 2017, the Icla Da Silva Foundation held its annual Hope Gala – a fundraising benefit to support patients in need of a bone marrow transplant -- at Guastavino’s in New York City. The annual Gala is the highlight of the season, bringing together benefactors and friends of the foundation for an unforgettable evening. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the organization’s dedication to saving lives.

The extravagant event was attended by business leaders, top influencers, major philanthropists, and many past recipients who enjoyed an evening of inspiration and action. The affair celebrated the foundation’s work to encourage everyday people to step up and become a donor.

The evening began at 6:30 with a cocktail reception, which was followed by a seated dinner at 7:30, when guests were greeted with a homemade soft dinner roll. An appetizer of a napoleon of grilled vegetables was followed by a main course of pepper crusted filet mignon. Caramelized peach cobbler was served for dessert. Throughout the evening, guests were able to bid on the silent auction which was stocked full of incredible finds. The Gala would go on to raise a grand total of $400,000 dollars.

The program continued with the awards presentation. Dr. Jeffrey Chell, CEO Emeritus of Be The Match was presented with the Legacy of Hope Award while East River Medical Imaging, a medical diagnostic imaging center based in New York City, received the Healthcare Leadership Award. Both of these awards were presented by Traci Fox, a patient who has been with the organization for over 10 years, and who has yet to find a match. “She takes an oral chemotherapy drug daily and except for occasional fatigue, is tolerating the medicine well and never complains. I want to find a match for my daughter, and the people in this room tonight gives me hope,” said Traci’s father.

"There are people who are alive because of the work we do,” said Icla da Silva Foundation’s President and brother of Icla, Airam da Silva. “Our job is not done, until every patient that needs a bone marrow transplant, receives one. Legacy is not leaving something for people, it’s leaving something in people. It’s because of Icla that today we continue to save lives.”

The evening's high point was the emotional first-time meeting between a patient and his life-saving bone marrow donor. Bone marrow patients are not able to meet their donors until at least one year after a successful transplant. Tancrede Bouveret met his life saving bone marrow donor, Samantha, for the first time. The two ran across the stage and gave each other the biggest hug. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. “A part of me is with him now, I feel like we forever bonded. I would do this again in a heartbeat,” said Samantha when asked if she would donate again. Samantha also had a message for the people who are hesitant about donating: “imagine yourself in that person’s shoes, what if it was you or a member of your family that needed a lifesaving match, you would not be hesitating at all.” After the emotional meeting, everyone got onto the dance floor and partied the night away.

There are still so many people in the world that need lifesaving matches. Do your part and sign up to be a donor. People often think of bone marrow donation as a very painful procedure. However, this is not the case. Registering to be a donor involves nothing more than filling in a form followed by a self-administered and painless cheek cell swab using four Q-tips, which are then packed up and sent through the mail to be processed and eventually stored in the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. In only ten to 15 percent of cases is it necessary to administer a general anesthetic and remove cells from the pelvic bone, which results in few days of soreness – alleviated, say the donors.  Please go sign up to be a donor so we can help people like Traci and thousands of other patients like her that are waiting for life saving bone marrow transplants

ABOUT TANCREDE BOUVERET, BONE MARROW PATIENT:

Tancrède was born at the Naval Medical Center of San Diego on May 14, 2004.  His father, Luc Bouveret, always dreamed of having a child, and so with the help of a surrogate in California, Tancrede entered the world.

In March of 2015, Tancrede was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), which progressed into Leukemia. The fathers were notified that their son had less than a 10% chance of survival.  The only cure is to receive a matching bone marrow transplant. After several months, a 90% match came through. With great hope, the fathers asked to wait a little bit longer for a 100% match.  Three weeks later, in July of 2015, a 100% matching donor was identified in Madison, Wisconsin.  Tancrede received his transplant on July 29, 2015.

Due to complications, he spent almost 2 years in the hospital.  His body needed an additional transplant of lymphocytes, which the donor agreed to, without hesitation. Tancrede is now 13 years old and despite his illness he continues to lead a normal life.  Although still in recovery, taking an abundant amount of medicines, antibiotics, monthly chemotherapy and blood treatments, he is persistent on keeping his above average attendance in school.  Tancrede has a knack for learning. He speaks four languages, is socially conscious, and has his own YouTube channel.

His fathers insist that none of this would be possible with the Icla da Silva Foundation and his life-saving bone marrow donor.

ABOUT ICLA DA SILVA FOUNDATION

The Icla da Silva Foundation was established in 1992, in memory of the 13-year-old Brazilian girl named Icla da Silva. After two years of fighting leukemia, Icla passed away in New York City, where she came hoping to get her life saving treatment: a bone marrow transplant. The young girl never found a matching donor. Upon her death, her family established the Foundation with the mission to save lives by recruiting bone marrow donors and by providing support services to children and adults with leukemia and other diseases treatable by marrow transplants.

Now in its 25th year, the Foundation, The Icla da Silva Foundation is the largest recruitment center for the Be The Match Registry in the United States. The Foundation holds over 2,000 bone marrow drives every year. It recruits over 38,000 new potential bone marrow donors every year, with a strong focus on minority communities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ICLA DA SILVA FOUNDATION: https://icla.org/

Instagram: @Icladasilvafdn | #BeTheMatch

Special thanks to Jennifer

Guggenheim YCC Party 2017

FlucT

An architectural wonder of New York City, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is as unique in construction as the art displayed inside. The art exhibited within the museum is both contemporary and modern with a concentration on pieces of 20th century and present-day design.  The Guggenheim is a remarkable place to experience continuous artistic innovation and cultural diffusion

Quenton Stuckey

Founded in 1996, the Young Collectors Council (YCC) has added more than 140 pieces of artwork to the Guggenheim’s permanent collection. The council, in collaboration with the Young Collectors Council Art Fund, encourages and financially supports both developing and reputable artists of contemporary focus.

Kim Brandt

On March 9th, 2017, the YCC invited guests to  the famous Guggenheim rotunda to celebrate an outstanding 20 years of supporting the arts. Only one party can dragged all of its distinguished gusts way uptown for an unforgettable night. Before the festivities, invitees were treated to an intimate dinner and cocktails at the Wright, the highly rated restaurant located within the museum itself. Afterwards, the museum came alive as celebration began in the late hours of the night. Throughout the night, guests were treated to modern dance performances by Kim Brandt, FlucT, Sam Roeck, and Quenton Stuckey. These young members definitely knew how to have fun and were urged to let loose on the dance floor to sets from DJ Ryan McNamara.

Ryan Mcnamara

The event space was truly unique, offering a carousel of multiple floors open to exploration. The rotunda walkway led guests upward for a view of the event from above.  However, no matter how far up you went, the party was never too far away -- or out of sight. The crowd was full of energy and the dancing continued late into the wee hours of the night. However, before leaving, guests made sure to take pictures with the wall of red and purple flower appliqué constructed specifically for the event.

Anne Huntington, Lauren Hinkson, Alexandra Economou, Kyung An, Noreen Khalid Ahmad, Susan Thompson, Ylinka Barotto

Michael Xufu Huang, Caroline Hoffman

The Guggenheim, typically only open during the day, re-opened its doors for art and fashion enthusiasts in celebration of the YCC’s 20 years. Funds raised from the evening will continue to benefit the work of contemporary artists and the masterpieces collected for permanent display within the museum. To make sure you are part of this amazing party next time be sure to check out all the latest happenings, including events like this one, at guggenheim.org.

Photos courtesy of BFA and Guggenheim

Whitney Art Party 2016

Reeling from the post-election slump, NYC finally awoke this week as a series of late-night parties and galas popped up inside New York City’s most beloved institutions of art, like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Guggenheim.

On Tuesday night, the Whitney Museum of American Art’s annual Art Party was the place to see and be seen. The Whitney has always been known to be thought provoking and promoting avant garde, and its guest list seems to reflect that. This party is one of the most high-profile, celeb-heavy gatherings with a collective of luminaries from across New York’s iconic creative industries such as fashion, art, and music.

Karlie Kloss, Common, Brandon Maxwell, Micaela Erlanger, and Michael Carl were co-chairs for the evening. Before the party kicked off, the co-chairs hosted a pre-party dinner for over a hundred artists, celebrities, and Whitney supporters including Victor Cruz, Brooke Neidich, Ian Cheng, and Rachel Rose. Following dinner, guests joined the rest of the Art Party downstairs.

Upon entering the Museum, guests were blinded by camera flashes due to the beautiful crowd turning up in their flashiest outfits. A long line led up to the red carpet, as everyone carefully strutted their intricate outfits. The normally modern furnished lobby of the Museum was transformed and adorned with Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling as if something straight out of Stranger Things. Wandering around the floors were two people covered in red paint doing some sort of performance art, with their bare butts exposed to the world as they plotted their way in dance-like form throughout the lobby level. People looked on nervously, as they were unsure whether to take photos because they themselves, would become pornographers.

Entertainment and music was in no short supply as music flowed steadily thanks to DJ Mia Moretti, Lion Babe, and Questlove. Guests also had the opportunity to check out the Whitney’s fall exhibitions including Dreamlands: Immersive Cinema and Art 1905-2016, RED IN VIEW, and Virginia Overton: Winter Garden. Celebrities and Whitney supporters alike made their way around the lobby up to the expansive 5th floor show, the “Dreamlands” video art exhibition. As if the exhibits were not instagrammable enough, Karrueche Tran was seen on the exhibition floor with her stylish Bermuda inspired outfit taking fun selfies with her friends.

Overall, the evening was a grand success, full of champagne glasses clinking and amazing works of art. One of the most amazing parts about the evening was seeing how many young people came out to support the Museum. With the hefty price tag of $500 at the door, these young men and women are probably in line with the millennial mindset of giving back early. With the recent presidential election nearly splitting the country into two sides, it’s good to see that art can always bring people together. Whether you were a Trump or Hillary supporter, you will always be an art supporter. All proceeds from tickets sales will go to support Whitney’s educational initiatives.

Photos courtesy of Neil Rasmus/BFA

Robb Vices Launch Party

It’s time to treat yourself (or a friend) to deliveries of incredible products that will satisfy your every vice. With Robb Vices, every month is a new surprise as they supply subscribers with everything from exceptional wines and foods to gadgets and accessories.

To give a few special people a sneak peak into this exclusive experience, Robb Report and Velocity hosted a launch party where guests could sample food and drink and look through past months’ boxes to see what Robb Vices is all about.

The party was hosted at the Cadillac House, which was featured in the August box, and as soon as guests walked in the door they were immersed in the sampling, offered their choice of wine from the Macari Vineyards of Long Island. Throughout the room, tables such as this were set up, with spirits of all kinds and delicious food piled high from businesses such as the Brooklyn Baking Barons and Melissa’s.

Perhaps one of the most exciting samples of the evening was the chance to win a complimentary BLADE Bounce helicopter airport transfer from Manhattan.

Boxes from previous months were also on display for guests to peruse throughout the evening. Each box comes with a glossy booklet explaining a bit about what’s inside and providing beautiful photographs and tidbits of information about the products. This epitomizes what CEO of Robb Vices, Daniel Curtis, enjoys most about working with the company. “Meeting the people behind the products and experiences that make life special [is my favorite part],” he says. “It is an inspiring thing to constantly be interacting and collaborating with truly passionate people.”

This past month’s box highlighted the Cadillac House where this party was held. Altogether, the building houses the Cadillac showroom, Joe’s Coffee shop, Visionaire art gallery, and a retail shop for fashion designer Timo Weiland, all of which were featured in the box and at the party.

Another past box, which CEO Daniel Curtis considers to be one of his favorites, included a pair of Master & Dynamic MH40 headphones and Dolce “Liquid Gold” dessert wine. According to Curtis, this box is referred to as the “Reset Box” and was “inspired by Henry David Thorough’s [sic] years of contemplation in the woods. We wanted to provide the same sort of enlightening escape from the maddening crowds that HDT sought out without needing to speed years in solitude next to a pond.”

The evening was the perfect way to reflect on where Robb Vices has been while also looking to the future of the subscription service. “The core Robb Vices experience is going to stay true to what it is,” says Curtis. “With that said…we will be launching several different subscriptions focused on specific categories that we cover. We have also developed a wonderful community of people who are unique and interesting. In person experiences, and access to unique events will be an increasingly important part of this experience.”

All in all the experience was truly wonderful, and I know I’ll be looking forward to what’s to come, both for the company and in next month’s box.

Photos courtesy of Chelsea Curtis Photography.

EDC New York

Last weekend, the parking lot of Citi Field was transformed into the otherworldly landscape of Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival, the biggest electronic dance music festival in the USA, with four stages, dozens of headliners and thousands of excited, happy people --  one of whom was me, the purchaser of a two day General Admissions pass.

Photo by Adi Adinayev

The lineup for this year’s EDC, featured music from Afrojack, Kaskade, and Zedd, had throngs of hopeful people gathered outside, hoping to score a ticket before the gates opened at 1:00 p.m. The lucky ones were able to join what undoubtedly was THE place to be for lovers of Electronic Dance Music all around New York.

Photo by aLIVE

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of EDM, but my friend had convinced me to shell out the cash for the tickets. The entire way there, I worried about whether or not I had made a huge mistake and if I just should have bought a pair (or two!) of new shoes instead. Entering the festival, however, I knew at once that EDC would be enjoyable. Even before I got through security I was taken in by the sight of people in banana suits and others in barely-there bikinis, people screaming on the carnival rides and singing along to the blaring music, and the scent of pizza, burgers, and my personal favorite -- fried Oreos -- wafting through the air. After trying out snacks from the many vendors, including Home Frite fries, The Nugget Spot, and Coolhaus, I headed to some of the carnival rides, braving the lengthy lines to spin around on the Wave Swinger and get a bird’s eye view of the festival from the Giant Wheel.

A view of the festival from the Giant Wheel!

Photo by Marc Van Der

Between rides, my friends and I explored the festival grounds and checked out the other headliners, among them Bro Safari, Fury, and Rusko, all of whom played simultaneously on the four extravagant stages prepared for their performances -- the cosmicMEADOWS, the kinteticFIELD, the neonGARDENS and the circuitGROUNDS. Keeping with the theme of universality, each of these stages corresponded to the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air, bonding together nature and technology in a way that reflected the harmonious spirit of EDM.  

Photo by Adi Adinayev

In addition to having fun attractions to accompany the headliners, EDC also provided complimentary amenities for attendees, like the Secret Refresh Station, which offered up mini deodorants, free arm painting, and beautiful installation art pieces for festival goers to admire.

Photo by Jake West

There were also abundant opportunities to take pictures with and enjoy the antics of any of the character performers hired to entertain on the grounds under the electric sky, from the colorful Coney Island Clowns to the marvelous Marching Majorettes.

Photo from EDC NY Gallery

Finally, following dozens of fantastic performances, the first day of EDC NY 2016 concluded with Zedd performing in the cosmicMEADOW  and DJ Snake in the kineticFIELD. In true rave fashion, all the EDC goers packed tightly together and sang, danced, and vibed along to the pounding beat, rocking out and having a great time.

Photo by Insomniac

Even though it was my first time at an event like EDC and my knowledge of electronic dance music was limited, the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd was infectious. Pretty soon I was just as pumped up as everyone else. While the weather wasn’t fantastic, I can completely understand why so many people were hyped to go to something like this -- EDC really is an EVENT, in every sense of the term. There was so much to see and do that by the end of the day, although my iPhone said I had walked ten miles and I was completely wiped out, I couldn’t wait to come back. 

Photo from EDC NY Gallery

EDM fan or not, EDC is definitely something people of all ages should experience at least once. And with EDM gaining more and more popularity as a genre, next year’s festival is bound to be just as sick -- so remember to buy your tickets early! I’ll be sure to see you there. 

Harper's BAZAAR Icons NYFW Party

Limited Edition Moet

New York Fashion Week always features great parties, and I was honored to be at one of the best ones. One of the most exclusive NYFW events was held at New York City's Plaza Hotel. Hostess Carine Rothfeld definitely knows how to throw a party. It was in celebration of Harper's Bazaar's "Icons" issue, and some of the most powerful people in every industry were in attendance. From fashion to business; and music, everybody who was somebody was present.    

Katy Perry performing

You know a party is good; when Katy Perry is performing. Katy debuted beautiful red hair, and had a short set performing five of her biggest hits. 

Fashion "it" girls Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid were in attendance to support Carine Roitfeld. 

Rachel Hilbert

My favorite model Rachel Hilbert was so sweet and obliged to entertain me with this picture. My roommate in college had pictures of her up on his wall, I knew he was crying somewhere. 

Josh Ostrovsky aka @thefatjewish

The @thefatjewish is one of the funniest people on Instagram. This guy was nothing but class, and he has the naturally ability to be a great story teller. Earlier that day, the @thefatjewish had debuted his fashion line "Dad Fashion" and it stood out of from all the other shows due to its diversity of models combined with hilarity.  Funny story: after posting this picture on instagram, @thefatjew actually liked it, and I had a spike in likes with over 200 more likes than I would usually receive, including a like from the Huffington Post. 

Jason Wu

Fashion designer Jason Wu looked like an Asian Gangster. I think we can pass for cousins, or maybe even brothers. I guess he is the more successful Jason in the family. 

kiernan Shipka

One of the most talented kid actresses. I was so happy to meet her because I watched her grow up as Sally Draper from Mad Men. She was so humble, and when I introduced myself to her; she went on and did the same. Never change, Sally Draper, never change.  

Carine Roitfeld

The hostess with the most. A gracious lady with nothing but elegance and grace, and damn she knows how to throw one hell of a party.

Robert Kraft

This billionaire' and Patriots owner, was a funny man. I made a few jokes about deflate gate and he was totally cool with it. Stay classy Mr.Kraft.

Michelle Rodriguez

Beautiful party girl Michelle Rodriguez lived up to her reputation and she was already in a different time zone when I met her and took this picture. 

Alexandra Ambrosio

Even though I looked like an idiot here, I had to post it, right? I mean, how many chances do you get to meet the hottest model in the world? Exactly. 

The night winding down

Jason Gao

Overall, probably one of the best nights of my life.