Twenty-Third Annual Founder's Dinner
On Thursday, June 2, 2022, Student Sponsor Partners hosted their Twenty-Third Annual Founder's Dinner at The Pierre in New York City. This year, they made the decision to celebrate each component of their name and the hyper-local effect they have had, especially the healthcare heroes who have given them hope and helped them get through the epidemic. This night will go down in history as the one that honored and celebrated these shining lights among the Students, Sponsors, and Partners. Through their dedication to SSP and their work in the medical field, each category of the distinguished guests has made a positive difference on people's lives and in the communities in which they reside. Additionally, they have put their purpose into action.
Using the power of great education and mentoring, Student Sponsor Partners helps low-income and academically average New York City adolescents break the cycle of poverty and realize their full potential.
Student Sponsor Partners' programs have given thousands of New York City high school students with a great education and mentoring for more than three decades, equipping them for a future with limitless possibilities. Partner schools, sponsors who support their scholarship and education programs, mentors who help students along the way, and college and job preparation opportunities guarantee a pleasant experience and lasting influence.
Students: This year’s dinner featured SSP alumni Dr. Jorge Aguilar and Tyler Roche. Dr. Jorge Aguilar's sponsor and mentor fanned his interest in science, which led him to Swarthmore College and on to receiving a medical degree and a PhD, enabling him to ultimately lift his family out of poverty and give back to his community. Tyler Roche, a 2020 graduate from Cardinal Hayes, is attending St. John's University on a scholarship for baseball and maintains a close relationship with his sponsor and mentor.
Sponsors: We are also thrilled to honor the Flanigan Family. Peter Flanigan was our founder and visionary, and the heartbeat of this organization. Today, his family keeps his legacy alive through their sponsorship and support of the organization. In the spirit of Peter’s dedication to the value of our mission, they are seeding a generous endowment.
Partners: Our partners across New York City are vital to helping us hyper-locally meet the needs of our students and their families. Healthcare partners in our communities provide a critical anchor for health and wellness. Throughout the pandemic, Healthcare Heroes not only devoted themselves to saving lives but also to supporting SSP students through mentorship and volunteerism. We look forward to honoring and celebrating the healthcare stars of SSP for all they’ve done and continue to do for our students, families, and communities.
For more information please visit https://sspnyc.org/
Slate Rooftop Opens
Slate, which has operated in Chelsea since 2000, raised the roof to commemorate its 22nd birthday this month. Slate Rooftop opened in Williamsburg just in time for summer. The Pod Brooklyn Hotel now has Brooklyn's only solar-powered rooftop.
Brooklyn's greenest rooftop bar is this outdoor haven. The rooftop and courtyard beer garden are powered by solar panels that recycle electricity. The rooftop solar panels generate enough energy to power the venue. Solar panels cover approximately 1800 square feet on both sides of the roof.
Guests at the launch celebration were urged to take the lean and green route up to the rooftop to help save even more energy and see some of OG Millie and Colby Rosenthal's spectacular art. From the ground level to the rooftop, the stairwell is an art lover's paradise, with one-of-a-kind works.
Executive Chef Darryl Harmon of Slate Rooftop has devised a menu of shared foods such as Beef Short Rib Birria Tacos, Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas, Korean Spicy Cauliflower, Crispy Mac N' Cheese Bites, and more. There are also artisanal pizzas, salads, and desserts to choose from.
In addition to four rotating beers on tap, Froses are a mainstay on the cocktail menu. The Slate Smash features vodka, aperol, muddled raspberries and mint, lemon juice, and simple syrup; the Jenga Gingersnap features Earl Grey vodka, ginger beer, thyme infused ginger syrup, lime, crystallized ginger, and fresh thyme; and the Queen's Gambit features bourbon, peach puree, honey syrup, lemon juice, peach bitters, a lemon wheel, and rosemary.
The new roof, which is loaded with fun and games, is now open for brunch on weekends and from late afternoon to evening on weekdays. There's also a large, al fresco private event room with a view of the NYC skyline where guests can celebrate important milestones.
Photo Credit: Greg Groovez
Facticerie: The Largest Fragrance Bottle Collection in The World
From Fabergé Eggs to traffic cones, the Guinness Book of World Records has seen some incredibly niche collections over the years—and in 2022, they’re adding a new one to their list. As of June 8th, businessman and collector Sudhir Gupta’s Factice Fragrance Collection has officially been recognized as the largest collection of its kind in the world, and can be viewed at the exhibit Facticerie: The Factice Collection now open in Hackensack, New Jersey.
But first—what is a factice? Simply put, a factice is an oversized perfume bottle made for display purposes. Sometimes filled, sometimes not, these items are rare treasures that are becoming increasingly harder and harder to find. For Sudhir Gupta, working at a perfume store after immigrating to New York from India in 1992, seeing a certain Nina Ricci Factice (pictured below) was like love at first sight. After saving up to buy it, Gupta proceeded to scout and purchase more and more factices to satisfy his passion. Today, he owns over three thousand of these factices, all well-preserved, extravagant, and precious.
But despite their aesthetic appeal, stores have moved on from using factices to advertise, instead relying on the pull of social media, celebrity, and salespeople. For Gupta, however, that makes his passion even more important. After all, the bottles are not just a manufacturer's sale tactic—each piece is a work of art, as well as a physical manifestation of fragrance history. By continuing to collect, he not only fulfills his passion, but is able to show exactly how magical and beautiful a perfume bottle can really be.
So if you’re an avid perfume collector or maybe just like pretty things, feel free to swing by the Factice exhibition in New Jersey to get a glimpse of this new world record! You can make an appointment at their site before stopping in, or just follow the collection for more updates or tidbits here: @facticerie.
Dave & Buster's Brooklyn Opening
On Monday, May 9, Dave & Buster's launched its second Brooklyn location, joining a smattering of other retailers and eateries in the Atlantic Center. After a two-year hiatus owing to the pandemic, the second Dave & Buster's facility in Brooklyn has finally opened at Atlantic Terminal. The new location of this iconic establishment is easily accessible, conveniently located near the Atlantic terminal at Barclays Center.
As the ultimate destination to eat, play, drink, and watch sports, the new Dave & Busters features an over 34,000 square-foot space with hundreds of the latest and greatest arcade games, a new chef-crafted menu with options for every taste and diet preference, inventive drinks, and the state-of-the-art D&B Sports Bar featuring a 40-foot “WOW'' wall of high-definition screens for an unparalleled stadium-like viewing experience.
We enjoyed craft cocktails along with a series of delicious bites that gave us all the energy we needed to enjoy the many games. From cruising down the racetrack with Mario Kart to shooting hoops and tearing up the dance floor with Dance Dance Revolution, Dave & Busters has something for everyone… which makes it the perfect place to host a party! Whether it’s a company team-bonding event, a birthday, or any other celebration, Dave & Busters has a private room with catering options and offers a personal planner to ensure your event goes perfectly.
Though Dave & Busters is already known for having the most thrilling and playful energy, their just-opened location will definitely be the new headquarters for all Brooklyn fun.
This Dave & Buster's establishment not only gave Brooklyn another venue to interact and have fun, but it also produced roughly 170 jobs by hiring the attendants, servers, managers, cooks, and bartenders needed to bring the arcade to life.
Wild At Heart Beach Club Pop-up at The Skinny
No need to travel outside Manhattan for a beach club vibe this Memorial Day weekend! The Lower East Side staple The Skinny (174 Orchard St) is gearing up to debut its first spring/summer pop-up, Wild At Heart Beach Club.
The Skinny, transformed into an edgy tropical oasis, will be decked out floor-to-ceiling with palm tree wallpaper, a greenery covered wall with protruding hot pink skulls, the ceiling covered with oversized upside down cocktail umbrellas (aka paper parasol), with more surprises to make you feel like you’ve been whisked off the paradise, without a care in the world.
Wild At Heart Beach Club will boast special food items, beachy themed cocktails like Mermaid's Wish and Asphalt Oasis; and no beach club is complete without speciality frozen drinks.
Expect events to take place throughout the summer, with entertainment and specials including Thursday night Retro Beach A-GO-GO Party, with GoGo dancers starting at 10:30pm and $10 specialty cocktails, Friday night Burlesque show every Friday 9pm-11pm, upstairs at The "Lady Orchard Lounge," Saturday & Sunday 2hr Bottomless Brunch from 12noon-4pm ($39). Additionally, Sunday & Wednesday will feature .50 cent wings and Monday-Friday there will be $10 specials Food item with a beer (food selection changes each day)
For more information, visit: https://www.theskinny-nyc.com and follow on IG at @theskinnybar
A Conversation On The Future of Museums
On May 25th, Villa Albertine hosted an exceptional conversation between Laurence des Cars, President of the Musée du Louvre, and Laurent Le Bon, President of the Centre Pompidou, on the future of museums. The discussion was moderated by András Szántó, author of The Future of the Museum: 28 Dialogues (2020), and was the last in a series of encounters organized by Villa Albertine with major French museum directors in Spring 2022.
Villa Albertine headquarters in New York.
Moderator András Szántó kicked off the conversation by recognizing a shift in the idea of a museum as a singular entity to a much more inclusive structure that is no longer vertical and one-directional but is rather becoming more horizontal.
In agreement, Laurence des Cars noted that the idea of polyphony was a very clear priority in the modern collection of the Louvre. The President of the Musée du Louvre discussed the historic diversity and inclusivity in the institution’s collections and explained that it should now more than ever, be a platform that welcomes differences. She further identified that the beauty of these places is found in the possibility of being confronted with international expression.
In describing the DNA of the Louvre, she added that it is about dedication, curiosity, freedom of expression, expression of beauty, and freedom of thinking.
“C’est la maison des artistes”!
Photo: Left to Right: András Szántó, Laurence des Cars, and Laurent Le Bon.
Laurent Le Bon also expressed the need for modern institutions to be different and clarified that although there is more than enough quantity of artworks, quality is missing. In this modern age of art, he discussed the need for provocative artists, who are filled with inspiration and do not follow trends.
After all, we need more “Picassos”!
The President of the Centre Pompidou pointed out that the museum has to be a movement, where visitors get immersed in the context of collections and can experience new adventures even in the most permanent collections. Laurence des Cars added that the movement of these institutions is what makes them charming and special, as they are never finished but always transform with the time to remain relevant. Des Cars acknowledged the museum as a place where history can be rewritten and highlighted the need to more explicitly express the history of inspiration.
After this insightful conversation, an intimate cocktail reception followed, where delicious wine, champagne, and canapes were served.
There is nothing less to expect from French hospitality; a beautiful space, exquisite alcohol, delicate flavors, good humor, and an intellectually curious audience!
Opera Lafayette Celebrates Baroque Musique Festival
Jérémie Robert
On May 17th, InvitedNYC was welcomed to a cocktail reception hosted by Marifé Hernández and Nizam P. Kettaneh at New York’s French Consulate to toast Opera Lafayette and their upcoming New York Baroque Musique Festival; The Era of Marie-Antoinette Rediscovered, June 7 – 9, 2022.
Consul General of France in New York Jérémie Robert shared “This festival will redress some misconceptions about Queen Marie-Antoinette. For one, she was fond of Gretry’s Silvain, a work Opera Lafayette will present on June 7th, that reflects on land rights of farmers as well as on the softening of paternal authority through the display of familial virtue, evidently sympathized with both aspects. The Salon de musique of Marie-Antoinette, to be performed on June 8th, reminds us on the one hand that she was a musician and that she was open minded, having the Chevalier de Saint-Georges as one of her chamber musicians and composers.
On June 9th will be a performance of Concert Spirituel aux Caraïbes, which illustrates the global reach beyond Europe of the queen’s musical taste for French opera-comique and for Italian music.” The beauty of each of the programs presented during this festival reveal the discerning taste of Marie-Antoinette.
(Albert Simons, Robert Quinlan, Alberto Mariaca [Right to left] )
Opera Lafayette’s festival programming highlights the relation of historical women in 18th century France to the musical life of their time. The three-day event features baroque music performed by international musicians, a roundtable discussion, gala dinner, and reception. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://operalafayette.org/festival2022.
Albert Simons, Robert Quinlan, Alberto Mariaca
Mattias Ederer, Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane, Galina Novikova, Samuel Triboulet
InvitedNYC sipped cocktails with some guests including: Angela Chen, Susan Clearwater, Beatriz Coles, Matthias Ederrer, Mr. and Mrs. John French, April Gow, Susan Gutfreund, Sharon King Hoge, Roberta Downs Sandeman and Arthur A. Houghton, Ambassador and Mrs. Kimihiro Ishikane, Caroline and Max Jahn, Ellie Manko, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quinlan, Barbara Tober, and Rosemary Zraly.
Stranger Things: The Experience
Stranger Things fans rise up: the hit Netflix show is in New York! No, not literally, of course, you’ll still have to catch up on Eleven and Mike’s adventures through your screen. But if you’re looking for a fun, interactive way to spend time with the gang and save Hawkins from the Upside-Down, head on over to the Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn for the all new Stranger Things: The Experience.
Guided by the Stranger Things gang themselves, this one-of-a-kind experience gives you a unique perspective and role to play in an all new storyline that takes you through Hawkins Lab and into the Upside-Down. We won’t spoil too much, but let’s just say there’s a slight chance you might have to get up close and personal with a demagorgon. It’s a lot of fun, maybe a lot of pressure (saving the world and all), and definitely a little intense, but don’t worry, you’ll have your guide, group, and the gang to help you through.
After the experience is over, you’ll be guided into a full on 80’s-style medley of locations from the show, including Scoops Ice Cream, where you can get an Eleven approved waffle sundae, and the Arcade, where you can play Pacman and pinball until the lights go out. Adults can even pick up a Stranger Things themed drink from the bar, and there are plenty of photo opps with the cast, as well as a replica set of Joyce’s Living Room complete with Christmas lights.
So if you, or someone you know, is a huge Stranger Things head, this experience might just be the perfect outing. But move fast! Tickets are limited and can only be booked through strangerthings-experience.com/newyork.
Learn more about the new Stranger Things Experience at strangerthings-experience.com/newyork or follow them on instagram @strangerthings.experience.
Nashville Hot Chicken at JACX&CO’S
JACX&CO (28-17 Jackson Avenue), a new food hall in Long Island City (28-17 Jackson Avenue), debuted in November of last year to rave reviews. The food hall is located on the plaza level of The JACX, a 1.2 million square-foot creative office campus developed, owned and operated by Tishman Speyer. JACX&CO’s intuitive architectural design and branding set the stage for the food hall’s culinary experts, with an expansive dining room (reminiscent of a modern, airy courtyard) surrounded by the vendors’ booths which line the perimeter of the space.
The food hall reflects the vibrant culture of its neighborhood with diverse cuisine and versatile culinary options from celebrated chefs. All food options are available for indoor dining, pick-up and delivery, with a full service bar and outdoor dining.
JACX&CO recently opened their outdoor patio – perfect for enjoying a delectable meal from JACX&CO’s standout vendors, including the new Hot Chicken Takeover (HCT), which opened on 5/17.
HCT is a community-focused restaurant serving juicy, perfectly fried Nashville Hot Chicken. Founded in Columbus, Ohio in 2014, HCT prioritizes quality ingredients like fresh, never frozen chicken, housemade sides and fixings. A majority of HCT’s employees are hired through its Fair Chance program, which provides supportive employment to those who have been impacted by the justice system and adversity due to incarceration, homelessness and addiction. Some of the items on the menu includes:
Nashville Hot Chicken – marinated for 18 hours and fried-to-order with four heat levels
Miss B’s Banana Pudding – can also be made gluten-free!
Ma’s Slaw – made with tangy vinegar, not mayo
Hand punched fries – fresh cut daily
Ma’s Sweet Tea
The Bar at JACX&CO also serves up expert wine selections for those who want to go the classic route and premium craft beer for those who want to kick back and relax. Those who find themselves looking for a nightcap before heading home would find that The Bar at JACX&CO will more than satisfy their need for a buzz.
Bottles of top-of-the-line drinks filled the shelf from left to right. Surrounded by coat-covered high stool chairs, wooden tables, and comfy ottomans, the bar was full of guests looking to try inventive new drinks and some old favorites. There’s a lot of fun to be had just from the playfully named cocktails: a sweet-with-a-kick Gantry Park Fizz, Sunnyside, Spice & Smooth, Tale of 2 Cities, Side Piece, a classic Jacx & Coke, Queens Gold, and a smooth Highlander.
The full vendor list at JACX&CO’S
Beebe’s - a crispy, thin-crust pizzeria paying tribute to New York City’s original-style pies.
Hot Chicken Takeover - made-to-order Nashville-style hot chicken and delicious sides
Lotus + Cleaver - a fast-casual Chinese spot that highlights a mix of traditional and modern Chinese flavors featuring locally sourced ingredients in curated and make-your-own bowls, fresh salads, and seasonal market sides.
Méxology - chef Ivy Stark’s fast-casual Mexican spot using locally sourced, naturally raised and organic ingredients whenever possible, Méxology features bright flavors and fresh ideas with plates, bowls, tacos, and sides.
Taïm - chef Einat Admony’s popular falafel chain. Israeli inspired Mediterranean street food using the finest quality ingredients and spices.
Jia - specialty Chinese dim sum
Biao Sugar - bubble Tea
Temakase - lively hand roll sushi bar
Ghaya - an all-day Tunisian cafe from pastry chef Ghaya Oliveira
For more information and hours https://jacxandco.com/
Taste of Tribeca 2022
Taste of Tribeca — the 26th annual fundraiser for PS 234 and PS 150 — returned to Duane Park on May 21 after a two-year hiatus. Covid canceled the events in 2020 and 2021, but the volunteer organizers found a way to raise money by purchasing meals from local eateries, which were then delivered to hospitals throughout the city during the pandemic's deadliest days. It raised $70,000 and fed 8000 people.
The 26th Annual Taste of Tribeca highlighted a roster of Michelin-starred, award-winning, and other excellent restaurants, allowing attendees to sample the best dishes and drinks that Lower Manhattan has to offer.
While the weather was unseasonably hot, over 60 of Tribeca's top restaurants came together for an incredible outdoor food festival and public school fundraiser. Participating restaurants included 1803 NYC, AMERICAN CUT TRIBECA, AÑEJO TRIBECA, BELLE REVE, BENARES, BILLY'S BAKERY, BUBBY'S, CITY VINEYARD, CLASSIC NEW YORK BEER, TORCH & CROWN BREWING COMPANY, DOWNTOWN YOGURT & ICE CREAM, EDWARD'S, ESTANCIA 460 & NORTH BAR. FONDA, GIGINO TRATTORIA, GRANDAISY BAKERY, HAMLET HOUND, HOOK & LADDER 8, IL MULINO, INSOMNIA COOKIES, JUNGSIK. KHE-YO, L' ANGOLO TRIBECA, L' ABEILLE, MACAO TRADING COMPANY, MAMAN, MAX, MONK McGINN'S, MONTAUK BREWING COMPANY, MUDVILLE, ONE WHITE STREET, ONESEED, PAISLEY RESTAURANT, PUFFY'S TAVERN, PEPOLINO RESTAURANT, RESTAURANT MARC FORGIONE, SERAFINA TRIBECA, TAKAHACHI, TERROIR, THE HIDEAWAY, THE ODEON, THE PALM, THE ROXY HOTEL, TINY'S & THE BAR UPSTAIRS, TRIBECA GRILL, TWO HANDS, WALKERS, YVES, ZUCKER'S BAGELS & SMOKED FISH, ZUTTO JAPANESE AMERICAN PUB
Guests were also urged to bring their children to the KidsZone (located in Duane Park) for family-friendly activities, which included arts and crafts with Craft Studio and Spotlight Kids, games with Cocoon, edible art with Cricket's Candy, coding with The Coder School, and reading at Book Nook. Fashion Squad School, Dance with Miss Rachel, Arc Athletics, BB Skate Club, and Nicol Squash all gave performances.
All revenues will go toward music lessons, museum and author trips, and technological upgrades for over 800 youngsters at PS 150 and PS 234 public schools. It's never been easier to indulge for a good cause!
Bongos - Dinner through comtemporary noir lens
Bongos (85 Orchard St) — a new neighborhood bistro and cocktail bar located in the LES — has officially opened on May 17.
Owners Michael Beaumont Bray and Noble Harris, who also operate Kind Regards and Dingaling, bring their distinct sensibility to Bongos (Bongos is their first full service restaurant as owners). Bongos is the neighborhood's new go-to spot for group dining, conviviality, and shared experiences, drawing inspiration from supper clubs and designed to feel like a sophisticated and dynamic dinner party every night of the week.
Bongos has a laid-back, welcoming ambience that brings back memories for everyone who walks through its doors. Imagining the dinner party through a contemporary noir lens, they pay tribute to the Lower East Side as they live it – with dinner served until midnight, along with a curated beverage menu and weekend brunch.
Bongos’s menu features modern renditions of classic American Dishes. Popular bites include:
Charbroiled Oysters with pecorino, Aleppo, and herbs
Steak Tartare with black sesame, ancho, and pickled mustard seed
Bongos Chicken with Calabrian relish, house pickles, and herbs
Pacific Whiting with guajillo mojo, sourdough, and fennel
The cocktail menu offers something for everyone; options include:
The Chamomile Martini, plus classic and dirty martinis
"Negronis-ish” – a selection of Negronis and “Negroni-adjacent” libations, including Rum-Banana-Coconut, Mexican Coffee and Mezcal-Coffee-Amaro options
The Bongos Highball (scotch, honey, ginger, lemon)
The Orange Julius (vodka, vanilla, tangerine, lemon)
The Southside (gin, mint, cucumber, lime)
The restaurant's four separate areas (including the amber-hued grand dining room and rear atrium) are all inspired by the Lower East Side's personality and based on the concept of a dinner party in a private residence. Enjoy B-grade noir films on repeat, as well as terrazzo and handpicked outsider art in the decor.
Bongos's menus can be found online here.
Interior photos by Bongos
Grey Lady Happy Hour
Grey Lady (77 Delancey St) — the Lower East Side restaurant and late-night bar inspired by the casual beach towns of coastal New England. Offering an unpretentious, farm-to-table menu of seafood dishes and seasonal cocktails, Grey Lady is a laid-back escape for locals and visitors alike. They’ve been open for 10+ years (a feat in NYC) and are truly better than ever! This place is the spot for happy hour after a long day at work.
What’s On Tap at Grey Lady This Summer?
Dollar Oysters: All summer long, Grey Lady will offer weekday happy hour from 4pm - 6pm — including $1 oysters, $6 drafts, $9 wine, and $10 cocktails
Lobster Rolls: Make sure you don’t miss Grey Lady’s 1¼-lb freshly-shucked Maine lobster rolls – perfect for those who know you don’t have to leave New York to find great seafood
Nantucket-Inspired Cocktails: Enjoy refreshing libations like Grey Lady’s Nantucket Blueberry Lemonade, Sconset Slammer, and Spicy Watermelon Margarita
Grey Lady is open every day of the week until midnight or later (and until 4am on weekends), with reservations via Resy.
Intimate Cocktail Tasting at Bond 45
On May 17, we were welcomed to an intimate cocktail tasting and happy hour with Gabriele Guidoni, Corporate Beverage Director of Fireman Hospitality Group, at Bond 45 in Times Square (221 West 46th Street).
Guidoni demonstrated Fireman's upcoming spring and summer cocktail program with samples of the Pink Grapefruit Negroni Sorbet, Sgroppino Al Limone, The Pain Killer, as well as martinis (which have always been a fan favorite at FHG and continue to see an ongoing demand from guests), including their Espresso Martini. Cocktail samples were accompanied by light snacks, and mocktail choices were available upon request.
Espresso Martini
Pineapple Mojito
Guidoni has been with Fireman Hospitality Group for nearly 8 years and has previously held executive positions at award-winning restaurant groups in Rome, Doha, Vancouver, and other cities. He is a sommelier who attended the Italian Sommelier Association in Rome.
Fireman Hospitality Group features a portfolio of iconic restaurants located in high-traffic entertainment destinations and cultural centers including Broadway, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center – including Bond 45 New York (221 West 46th Street), Café Fiorello (1900 Broadway at Lincoln Center), Brooklyn Delicatessen (200 West 57th Street), Brooklyn Diner (155 West 43rd Street and 212 West 57th Street), Redeye Grill (890 7th Avenue), and Trattoria Dell’Arte (900 7th Avenue).
66th Viennese Opera Ball
The 66th annual Viennese Opera Ball, the oldest and most prestigious outside of Vienna, was held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City under the auspices of the US Austrian Chamber of Commerce. The music therapy program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center benefited from the gala, which was made possible by the Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. Jean Shafiroff, a philanthropist, served as the evening's Gala chair. Sylvia Hemingway and Peter Thomas Roth served as vice chairs. A special thanks goes to Ernst Woller, President of the Vienna Provincial Parliament, and the City of Vienna for their ongoing support.
Some notable attendees included: President of the Viennese Opera Ball Silvia Frieser, event chair and philanthropist Jean Shafiroff, Artistic Director of the Viennese Opera Ball Daniel Serafin, President of the Vienna Provincial Parliament Ernst Woller, Peter Thomas Roth, Martin Shafiroff, Winemaker Leo Hillinger, owner of A.E. Köchert Jewelers Wolfgang Koechert, Iurii Samoilov, Carolina López Moreno, Emily Mohr, Cole Rumbough, Patricia Shiah, Mrs. Brookfield, Ana Stone, Scott Stone, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, Maria Fishel, Kenneth Fishel, Maribel Lieberman, Nicole Salmasi, Alice Lutz, Annabel Oreste.
The evening began with a delicious VIP cocktail hour, which was followed by the formal presentation. The celebration began with their Debutantes, just as it did in Europe. This year's ball had the theme "A Night of Love," with the goal of sending peace and love to their guests and the world, as well as celebrating the love and friendship of Austrian-American friends and connections. To emphasize the night's theme, Royal Flowers, in collaboration with Luz Flora, donated 20,000 red roses. To raise funds for Caritas Ukraine, a donation table was set up.
The Viennese Opera Ball welcomed a new Austrian wine sponsor, Leo Hillinger Wine, for the first time. Leo Hillinger, a winemaker, was also present at the ball. Another event sponsor was A.E. Köchert, and its owner, Mr. Wolfgang Koechert, who presented the magnificent diamond 'Sisi' star brooch at the live auction.
Carolina López Moreno, Iurii Samoilov, Johanna Will, Matthew White, and Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi were among the opera stars who performed at the 66th Viennese Opera Ball. Iurii Samoilov also sang a moving tribute to his homeland Ukraine, singing a folk song to remind guests of the terrible situation in Ukraine, the importance of remembering what is going on in that part of the world, and to help raise funds throughout the evening. Vinicius Kattah conducted the Viennese Opera Ball Orchestra.
Jean Shafiroff and Martin Shafiroff
Leo Hillinger, Silvia Frieser, Ernst Woeller, Wolfgang Koechert
8 West Point Cadets
The annual white-tie charity gala celebrates Austria and America's cultural and economic ties, bringing two continents, two cities, and two centuries together in one glamorous evening. It was founded 66 years ago as a tribute to both their former hometown Vienna and their host city, New York, by Austrian immigrants to the United States. The gala draws an international audience of diplomats and dignitaries, international corporations, and professionals.
Photos by Patrick McMullan
You Need PR Book Launch
You Need PR is just as it sounds. It is an approachable guide for early-stage startup companies and individuals looking for a robust PR strategy, but do not yet have the budget or the capacity to hire the full PR firm on retainer. It is an Inc. Original Imprint launching early May.
Life Rooftop
As the summer weather commences, Life Rooftop is the ideal setting to enjoy a delicious cocktail and gaze at the sunset over Central Park.
Life Rooftop is a modern lounge and terrace atop hotel Le Meridien in midtown, with two bars fixing an array of alluring cocktails while also offering delicious bites from Executive Chef Anastacia Song. Life Rooftop’s clever design features a sleek indoor lounge to relax on those breezier nights, with also a covered terrace area to be able to enjoy the rooftop rain or shine. The perfect blend of elegance and comfortability.
Image courtesy of Assante Public Relations
Image courtesy of Assante Public Relations
The extensive bar menu features beautifully adorned craft cocktails as well as various options of bottle service. There’s even a delightful Rope Hanger Punch pitcher perfect for celebrations with friends. Executive Chef Anastacia Song’s menu offers an array of bar bites such as assorted cured meats and cheeses, as well as fun pub pretzels, cajun spice wings and everything bagel pastry pups.
The Seersucker (Rum, Fresh Strawberry, Lemon and Cinnamon) and a Classic Old Fashioned
The Tropical Nymph (Vodka, Blue Curacao, Pineapple, Mango, and Orgeat)
The Rope Hanger Punch perfect for sharing
New York native Anastacia Song switched from medical school to the hospitality industry upon realizing her heart was in the kitchen. She began her career in bartending before learning from Chef Harold Moore at Commerce where she continued to be a Chef de Cuisine in Jersey City, before returning to New York to work at Martha in Fort Greene, and Treehaus in Midtown. She became Executive Chef at American Cut for two years discovering her love of steak before helming the kitchen at Kumi in Le Meridien. Her expertise now brings small plate creations to the Life Rooftop.
Life Rooftop is owned and operated by Disruptive Restaurant Group led by Sam Nazarian, incubating globally renowned culinary brands and critically acclaimed restaurants, lounges and nightclubs.
Start your summer off with a visit to Life Rooftop and catch the dazzling Central Park views for a real living it up in NYC experience!
Tastemakers: The 18th Century French Luxury Market and the Global Art Trade
Last week, Villa Albertine Headquarters located at the French Embassy in New York, hosted an event to honor its recent exhibit called, “Tastemakers: The 18th Century French Luxury Market and the Global Art Trade.”
The exhibition showcased over thirty pieces from the collections of Galerie Kugel, one of France’s most prominent galleries. Some of the works date back to 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and were previously owned by the likes of Marie Antoinette, Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry.
The marvelous collection of luxury items had previously belonged to “Marchands merciers,“ who were the tastemakers of the 18th century French luxury market. As described by Diderot in 1751 Encyclopédie as “makers of nothing, sellers of everything.“
The exhibition was part of series of events Villa Albertine hosted this year. The collection is expected to continue traveling around the world, meanwhile Villa Albertine is hoping to host more events in the upcoming few months. For more information on the Tastemakers exhibit, please visit Galerie Kugel.
Arcadia Earth HoloLens
This month, the Arcadia Earth Exhibit at 718 Broadway will introduce the first mixed reality environmental art exhibit with hololens technology. HoloLens is Microsoft's new augmented reality headset that enables users to introduce interactive holograms into their real world experience. Users use the headsets to activate the world around them by looking in the direction of the holograms they see, bringing them to life and unlocking hidden gems, environmental facts, and lifelike animations. The experience brings together the entertainment of a video game, the education of a museum, and the immersion of a VR experience together.
The HoloLens tour at Arcadia Earth was developed in partnership with Enklu and enhances the extended reality exhibit in New York City, which features captivating experiential art that showcases ecosystems such as forests and the open ocean and global issues such as single-use plastic waste and overfishing. Sharing in the Arcadia Earth mission to empower changemakers, Enklu is an impact-driven team of spatial creators that develop holographic experiences for the real world.
Using HoloLens’ Mixed-Reality to Journey Through Planet Earth | After putting on HoloLens, visitors are welcomed by a friendly orb who acts as their guide through the experience. The headset enhances Arcadia Earth's colorful and sculptural multisensory exhibit with a lit path, gaze-collectible gems and proximity-triggered audio and visuals.
Stepping into the first room, visitors learn about the plight of coral reefs as they view a life-size diorama animated by augmented reality. They are invited to collect holographic gems, each of which offers a new tidbit about coral reefs. Visitors learn, for example, that coral reefs are home to over a quarter of the oceans’ marine life, but that 70% of reefs are threatened by bleaching. Participants watch a holographic coral bleach white before their eyes.
Another gem reveals that by simply changing the type of sunscreen you use, you can help protect these hubs of biodiversity. Clicking on a button sends this recommendation to the participant’s phone to review later. Throughout the journey, visitors have moments to step into a space where they can pause and add information to their carbon footprint calculation, with the goal of better understanding the practical steps they can take to help the planet.
Transforming the Future of Physical Exhibits| Introducing augmented reality wearable devices brings exciting possibilities to the world of Arcadia Earth with the potential to endlessly reimagine the experience. Unlike permanent physical installations, the holograms can be updated at any time to add new information, innovations or entirely new experiences for the visitor. The potential for refreshing exhibits becomes endless.
Tickets for general admission start at $27 off-peak for children, students, seniors 65+, veterans, and active military with valid ID. Other tickets are $39 peak and $33 off-peak, with the HoloLens tour being offered as an exclusive experience accessible by a special ticket price of $59. As part of Arcadia Earth’s mission to be carbon neutral, proceeds from tickets sold will go towards planting mangrove trees – chosen for their effectiveness in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. Charitable supporters of Arcadia Earth include Oceanic Global and WWF.
Learn more about Arcadia Earth at arcadia.earth
SWCRF Cocktail Party to Kick Off Hamptons Happening
The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) hosted a special Cocktail Party on Tuesday, April 26th, 2022, at Versa in New York City to kick off two critical SWCRF fundraising events: the 18th Annual Hamptons Happening and the virtual Step Up To Turn Off Cancer. Events like these have enabled SWCRF to invest more than $100 million in collaborative cancer research, supporting hundreds of investigators around the world and leading to numerous breakthrough discoveries.
Dr. Samuel Waxman, SWCRF CEO and Founder, this year's Hamptons Happening honorees, Bess Freedman, CEO Brown Harris Stevens; Chef Julian Medina, Chef & Owner Toloache, Tacuba, Coppelia, Kuxe, La Chula & El Fish Shack; and Mark Melchiorre, Executive Managing Director, CIO & Head of Brean Investment Group; event chair Mark D. Friedman, co-chairs. For more information visit www.waxmancancer.org/events/hamptons/.
Bess Freedman, Julian Medina, Mark Melchiorre
This year's Hamptons Happenings, one of the most anticipated events on the Hamptons summer calendar, will take place on Saturday, July 9th, 2022, at Kenneth and Maria Fishel's beautiful Bridgehampton Estate. Attendees will enjoy a night of delectable tastings from dozens of chefs, restaurants, and beverage companies while helping to raise critical funds for cancer research.
The Step Up To Turn Cancer Off is a new virtual fundraising event in which participants track their physical activities to meet their daily "step" goal. Almost any activity, such as walking, running, swimming, dancing, yoga, gardening, and so on, can be converted into steps using an easy-to-use online tool. Participants can register individually or as a team, then share their progress with their peers and family to raise funds. The week-long challenge will take place from June 6th to June 12th, 2022. For more information, to register, or to sponsor a participant or team, visit www.waxmancancer.org/events/stepup/.
About the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF):
The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is an international organization dedicated to curing and preventing cancer. The Foundation is a pioneer in cancer research and its mission is to eradicate cancer by funding cutting-edge research that identifies and corrects abnormal gene function that causes cancer and develops minimally toxic treatments for patients. Through the Foundation’s collaborative group of world-class scientists, the Institute Without Walls, investigators share information and tools to speed the pace of cancer research. Since its inception in 1976, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation has awarded more than $100 million to support the work of more than 200 researchers across the globe. For more information, visit www.waxmancancer.org.
The Grand Opening of Wonderland
Wonderland, a new nightclub and adult nightlife venue in Chelsea, officially opened at 20 West 20th Street with a grand opening party hosted by Rick Ross, sword swallower Le Reine The Thrill, and ax juggler Sam Urdang. This innovative new venue combines a high-energy big-room NYC nightclub experience with the best in after-dark entertainment. Wonderland features a variety of live stage acts, celebrity guest hosts, bottle service, and a mezzanine for guests to dine on. Wonderland is poised to set the industry standard for years to come. On April 28th, former NFL star turned rapper Antonio Brown will perform, followed by a headlining DJ set by Diplo on Friday, April 29th.
Twenty West Partners, who have over 25 years of experience in nightlife and adult entertainment in New Jersey, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, run Wonderland. Richie Romero, one of the forces behind Nebula nightclub, Hidden Lane, Temakase, Innocent Yesterday, and Zazzy's Pizza, leads the team.
SBS Slammer by SBS Designs created and designed Wonderland. The Hybrid SBS Slammer for Wonderland combines today's state-of-the-art Class AB Amplification, which is completely hand-made to spec by SBS Designs with no off-the-shelf parts, and offers High end Analog Processing by SBS Slammer & SBS Designs, which offers the widest frequency response on the market, with the best vintage front end preamp to add full control and unique texture in the voicing of playback, so it provides the sweetest sounds. The DJ booth features high-end Denon hardware, including two SC6000 media players and an x1850 mixer, as well as SBS Modified Italian RCF 2 way monitors powered by an SBS Designs S4 Class A + AB amplifier with 950 watts of pure power, to ensure that the DJs never miss a beat.
The venue was formerly owned by singer-songwriter husband and wife duo Ashford & Simpson and was known as 20/20 before becoming the VIP Room in the mid-1990s and then Wonderland in 2022. The main stage at Wonderland is the focal point, with two 12-foot video LED video walls, mirrored pillars throughout, trace lighting above, and a mezzanine to catch the action from any angle. The space is just under 10,000 square feet, with a capacity of 300 guests spread across two floors. A private members-only speakeasy will also open later in 2022.
Truffle Butter Popcorn, Guacamole & Chips, Baja Quesadillas, a Charcuterie Board showcasing imported meat, cheese, olives, and seasonal fruits, Smoked Brisket Empanadas, a Freshly Baked Jumbo Pretzel, Chicken Fingers & Fries, Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls, and Wagyu Cheeseburger Sliders with cheddar cheese on a brioche bun are among the small plates In addition, there is a full bar and bottle service menu.
For more information, visit https://nycwonderland.com/ or follow @wonderland.ny on instagram
Photos courtesy of Hideki Aono and Wonderland