The Bryant Park restaurant DaDong made a splashy debut in December as the Chinese concept's first location in the United States. Chef DaDong's signature dish is the roast Peking duck, but other notable options at the fine-dining eatery include slow-cooked lobster with saffron rice, Wagyu beef fried rice, and truffle-braised whole abalone. The sprawling venue covers nearly 13,000 square feet across three floors, with two private dining rooms and two terraces. For buyouts, the space seats 400 guests.
Located near the new Hudson Yards development and Javits Center, the Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan opened in late November with a spring grand opening. The design from architecture firm Stonehill Taylor features a New Modern industrial facade through which five 50-foot tall light fixtures can be seen from both inside and outside. The 251-room hotel has two spaces for events. The larger spaces, the Hudson Meeting Room, measures 1,200 square feet and holds as many as 60 guests. The Midtown Board Room, at 275 square feet, seats 13. The property's restaurant, TGA, serves American fare and adjoins a patio and beer garden.
Located within Union Square Park in the pavilion building, the restaurant Bocce USQ conjures the spirit of relaxed Italian summers with a menu of pizzas and sharable dishes and drinks menu of spritzes, frozen cocktails, and Italian wine. There's also an outdoor bocce court for guests to participate in the Italian pastime. The design concept, from Gachot Studios, includes playful touches such as lighting fixtures that resemble bocce balls. Overall the venue seats 99 inside and 62 outside. It opened in June and will stay open through October before transitioning to delivery for the winter. Catering will remain available year-round.
Peachy's, a cocktail bar in Chinatown, opened in underneath the restaurant Chinese Tuxedo in April. The design features colorful Gucci wallpaper, hanging lanterns, an overhead garden of peach blossoms, and pink neon signs with messages such as "No Photos" and "No Fighting" (in the early 1900s, the space was home to a neighborhood gang). These days, guests come for the cocktail list incorporates traditional Chinese spirits and holistic ingredients such as spirulina and blue algae, as well as modern Chinese fare such as dumplings, noodles, and grilled kingfish wings. The space seats 50 or holds 80 for cocktails and is available for private events.
The new Wagner at the Battery is an independent luxury hotel with views of New York's harbor, including the Statue of Liberty. Formerly the Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park, the 298-room downtown hotel has 18,000 square feet of space for meetings and events. The Wagner ballroom, measuring nearly 4,500 square feet, seats 340 at rounds or 440 in a theater-style set up, or holds 440 for receptions; the Harbor Vista pre-function space adds 2,800 square feet. The smaller Manhattan Ballroom measures 1,750 square feet and holds 150 at rounds or 175 theater-style, or holds 180 for receptions. There are a number of meeting rooms on the hotel's 14th floor with city views.
Sony Hall, a music venue from Blue Note Entertainment Group with sponsor Sony, opened in the former Diamond Horseshoe space at the Paramount Hotel near Times Square in March. The 12,000-square-foot venue underwent light renovations—it now has Sony technology integrated into the space—but retains amenities such as extensive lighting and sound capabilities, a full-service restaurant and bar, and more. The space holds 1,000 guests standing or 500 for seated events and can be adapted with a center stage, a catwalk, and other customizations.
Chef Marc Murphy turned his downtown Landmarc restaurant into a dedicated event venue, Landmarc Tribeca Events. Operated by Murphy's Benchmarc Events, with catering menus of Murphy's contemporary cuisine, the venue offers two levels with views of West Broadway. The downstairs dining room seats 36 or holds 60 for receptions; the upstairs dining room seats 50 or holds 70 for receptions. For buyouts, the entire venue seats 86 or holds 130 for receptions. The light-filled space features exposed white-painted bricks, wood floors and beams, and has audiovisual equipment including a 1080P projector and drop-down screen, dual handheld microphones, iPod and iPad connections, and HDMI/VGA component connections.
The Tribeca event space Town Stages is a new venue for performances and cultural events as well as an untraditional site for meetings or social events. The ground floor offers three areas for events: the Mainstage, Cabaret Lounge, and Gallery, while a lower level has green rooms, a prep kitchen, and bathrooms—all spread over 9,000 square feet. The downtown venue features exposed brick and wood floors as well as audiovisual amenities such as a soundboard, projection, and color changing LED lights. The venue holds about 300 guests. It opened in late 2017 and held its grand opening party in late June.
Paying homage to Marilyn Monore, the Lexington Hotel on the Upper East Side debuted the Norma Jeane Suite on the iconic actress's birthday, June 1. Monroe lived at the hotel when married to New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio, and the redesign of the 600-square-foot suite, with private 200-square-foot terrace, pays homage to both of them. Designed by Fringe, the space has the residential feel of a pre-war New York City apartment with pieces such as a tufted grey velvet Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams sofa. Decor elements include a Louisville Slugger baseball bat, a vintage Dom Perignon Champagne bucket in the bar, and framed photos of the couple throughout. The 725-room Lexington Hotel is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection.
Located in the meatpacking district, the Woodstock is 1960s-inspired cocktail and pizza bar with decor that pays homage to the iconic music festival. The 4,000-square-foot space feels like a basement rec room with wood paneling on the walls, a purple-felted pool table, and framed photos of the original Woodstock. The concept, from Black Rose Hospitality, is available for buyouts and holds 220 guests for reception-style events. It opened in April.
