Not a city to be left out, New York hosted some parties of its own during the movie industry’s most celebrated awards show. The three biggest annual events returned with simple, understated decor, leaving much of the glitz to Hollywood and the celebs on the red carpet.The New York chapter of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences once again held a formal viewing at the St. Regis Hotel for its members (along with past Oscar winners and nominees like Patricia Neal and Eli Wallach). Uptown, Entertainment Weekly’s Sheila Kelly planned the magazine’s 13th viewing party at Elaine’s, bringing back David Stark to decorate the tightly packed space. New York magazine’s second annual screening took over West Village gastropub the Spotted Pig, and this year the planning team—led by Lauren Starke—expanded into the third level of the restaurant to accommodate the growing number of guests. (The magazine estimated that 150 attended.) Soho House (which put up a temporary retreat in a private Hollywood manse) hosted a party too, providing voting sheets and awarding correct predictions with a free meal at the in-house eatery.
Elsewhere, New Yorkers watched the ceremony at ticketed events like the Mo Pitkin’s party, hosted by comedian and drag king Murray Hill; Spin Cycle’s 10th annual event at the Cutting Room, emceed by drag performer Shequida; and the Costume Cultural Society and Kostume Kult’s fund-raiser at Mannahatta, where there was “dedicated Oscar viewing in one room and creative mayhem everywhere else.”
—Anna Sekula
Posted 02.26.07
Elsewhere, New Yorkers watched the ceremony at ticketed events like the Mo Pitkin’s party, hosted by comedian and drag king Murray Hill; Spin Cycle’s 10th annual event at the Cutting Room, emceed by drag performer Shequida; and the Costume Cultural Society and Kostume Kult’s fund-raiser at Mannahatta, where there was “dedicated Oscar viewing in one room and creative mayhem everywhere else.”
—Anna Sekula
Posted 02.26.07
Local Academy chapter event director Patrick Harrison kept the Versailles room of the St. Regis simple, replacing the big screens used for last year’s viewing with eight plasma TVs spread throughout the room—allowing for better views and more tables.
David Stark embellished the tables at Elaine's with silk tablecloths in reddish brown, red, and yellow, and small arrangements of spring blossoms in similar colors. As it did last year, Entertainment Weekly placed M&M's decorated with "EW" at each place setting.
Staff from the Spotted Pig decorated mirrors inside the pub with New York's logo. Panasonic provided the plasma HDTVs.
Two eight-foot-tall Oscar statues (which arrived earlier in the week) stood in the cocktail area of the Louis XVI suite of the St. Regis for the Academy’s affair.
Entertainment Weekly’s party included cocktails like “Little Miss Moonshine,” “the Queen’s Tea,” and “Babel Bubbler,” inspired by the Best Picture nominees.
At New York’s event, sponsor Silverjet provided ballot cards as an activity (and a take-home item), as well as coasters inscribed with playful notes like “Arrive fashionably late.”
