11.19.09 11:53 AM
3 New Hotel Restaurants for Business Entertaining, Private Groups
Maialino Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
Casual eateries inside hotels are among the fall's newest restaurant offerings. Here's a look at the latest places to treat a client or a private group.Maialino , the hotly anticipated new eatery from Danny Meyer, opened its doors November 11, in the Gramercy Park Hotel. However, unlike its swanky surroundings, the Roman-style trattoria sports a warm and comfortable interior designed by David Rockwell. Amid oak wainscoting, beamed ceilings, wood and tile floors, and leather banquettes, chef Nick Anderer (former sous chef at Gramercy Tavern) serves a selection of traditional dishes from Rome, using locally scourced seasonal ingredients. In the rear of the cozy restaurant is a private room with a communal table for 22 people and views of Gramercy Park.
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11.03.09 11:32 AM
10 New Venues for New York Holiday Parties
Carnival Photo: Courtesy of Strike Holdings
Based on our recent readers poll, it looks like holiday parties are back in season after disappearing in 2008. However, like many events since the downturn, these end-of-year festivities may be on the thrifty side, so here are some places that won't require too many extra bells and whistles.Carnival , a circus- and carnival-style venue. Complete with Coney Island-style amusements and live circus performers, the nightclub sits under a big top and offers a full catering menu to match its theatrical motif. For guests less likely to partake in the dunk tank and other wacky activities, there's a lounge off the gaming floor and billiard tables. Carnival holds as many as 500.
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Corporate Holiday Parties
08.19.09 4:24 PM
5 Highly Rated Restaurants With Private Rooms, Plus 3 Notable Newcomers
Eleven Madison Park Photo: Courtesy of Eleven Madison Park
As Frank Bruni's reign as The New York Times restaurant critic drew to a close—his last review was published today and successor Sam Sifton is scheduled to take up the post in October—several targets for articles were old favorites like Eleven Madison Park , Savoy , Spice Market , and Union Square Café . Here's a refresher course on some of the most highly rated restaurants in the city and what they each offer, plus three newcomers to keep an eye on:Eleven Madison Park joined the few eateries with a four-star rating from The New York Times . The modern, ever-bustling restaurant from restaurateur Danny Meyer first opened in 1998 beside Madison Square Park. In addition to main room, Eleven Madison Park has two private dining areas in the balcony. These rooms (one seats 18, the other 32) can be used separately or combined and look out onto the park through 20-foot-tall windows.
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06.15.09 1:36 PM
4 New Warm-Weather Spaces, Plus Another for Fall
Palace Gate Photo: Frances Janisch
Spring brought a handful of new outdoor venues and since then several more have popped up. Here are four suitable for open-air events and business entertaining, plus one that will officially debut in the autumn.Palace Gate , the 75-seat outdoor lounge of in the courtyard of the New York Palace Hotel, opened earlier this month. Sitting beside the ornate wrought iron gates with a view of St. Patrick's Cathedral, this casual spot serves a menu of bites—including chilled oysters on the half shell and truffle potato fries—from the adjacent Gilt restaurant, as well as summer cocktails like Pimm's cup and punch. Paved and dotted with plants and trees, this area of the hotel is suitable for late-afternoon entertaining or can be used for events.
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05.26.09 12:38 PM
A Guide to This Summer's New Hamptons Venues
Philippe East Hampton Photo: R. Cole for Rob Rich
With Memorial Day weekend, the season of shortened Fridays and beach weekends is officially here—and a slew of restaurants, bars, and hotels in the Hamptons are open. This year affairs might be more low-key than in years past, but there are still plenty of glossy new places on the east end. Here's a list of venues for events, lodging, and dining this season:c/o the Maidstone hotel was recently purchased and renovated by Scandinavian hotel group c/o Hotels. Reopened last Tuesday, the 19-room property has a new restaurant, known as the Living Room, a lounge area furnished with chairs upholstered in Swedish design patterns, and refurbished rooms filled with Scandinavian antiques. The restaurant can be booked for private events, but there are also three cottages, separate from the main site, that are available for meetings and other functions.Southampton Racquet Club , a tennis club that sits on 18 acres in Southampton. Not only can members and non-members book courts for group lessons, there are also several grassy areas for outdoor events. Particularly secluded (and tentable) is the area around the club's private beach beside Little Fish Pond.
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05.05.09 9:01 AM
Quick Trips: Group-Friendly Venues Near Manhattan
Lodge at Woodloch Photo: Courtesy of Lodge at Woodloch
Need to take a group out of the city? These venues, within two hours of Manhattan, are suited to a variety of corporate outings.Secluded Incentive Trip Lodge at Woodloch is not new—the resort and spa originally opened in 2006—it still continues to receive awards for its food, classes, treatments, and facilities from high-end travel sites and publications. Sitting on 75 acres of private land by an idyllic 15-acre lake, this getaway is just 90 miles from Manhattan and is designed for incentive meetings and group retreats.
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Quick Trips
04.28.09 12:12 PM
3 New Rooftop Spots for Summer Events
Shang Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash
The unseasonably warm weather this past week is an early reminder that summer is finally on its way. For those planning outings in the coming months, here's a look at three of the latest open-air terraces to become available for events.Shang is the bar and restaurant in the new Thompson Lower East Side. Tucked away on the second floor of the boutique hotel, it has its own terrace overlooking the busy streets below. Comfy couches offer seating for 69, and the outdoor site can also be booked for parties of as many as 90. Up on the seventh floor, Above Allen is the members-only bar, which is also available for private events. The lounge has a retractable roof—so it can be used year round—and holds 150 for receptions.MORE >>
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Business Entertaining
04.10.09 9:30 AM
Business Entertaining 2009: Where to Go in the Financial District
Wall Street Burger Shoppe Photo: Mathias Gagg
Bars : Appropriately situated inside an old bank vault, Trinity Place is almost hidden from view—the entrance is on Cedar Street—but perpetually packed. From behind a 40-foot-long mahogany bar, the restaurant serves drinks as well as small bites like mini Kobe beef burgers. Farther south is Harry’s Bar , a bustling spot favored by traders. There’s an extensive list of spirits to complement dishes like clams on the half shell.
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Business Entertaining
04.08.09 9:30 AM
Business Entertaining 2009: Where to Go on the Upper East Side
Fishtail Photo: Courtesy of Fishtail
Bars: Flex Mussels , an offshoot of a popular seafood joint on Prince Edward Island, Canada, is suitable for casual groups. The cozy 75-seat place opened in late November and offers 23 different mussel dishes, which can be sampled with beer or wine at the bar up front. For more formal gatherings, the classic haunts in this neighborhood tend to be the best bets for entertaining. The 75-seat Bemelmans Bar is one, best known for its Madeline murals, jazz entertainment, and inventive drinks. Lesser known as a drinking spot is the Metropolitan Museum of Art ’s Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, which serves wine, beer, and cocktails. The pretty outdoor area is only open during the warmer months, typically between May and late fall.
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Business Entertaining
