February 2005


   Heart To Heart      "An Affair To Remember"
New York City is indeed the gateway to the US. Our harbor welcomed the ships of the Dutch and English, and Ellis Island was the golden "door" to turn of the century immigrants. JFK is the new gate and after going through extensive renovations and building, it is now user friendly at last. You can actually take a monorail and train directly into Manhattan. This month symbolic gates festoon our beloved Central Park bringing a warm glow to the cold month of February.

And speaking of glow, Briggs recently helped one of our clients pop the question, dressed as King Kong, atop the famed and truly romantic Empire State Building. (see picture on the right) He asked...she answered...YES! Isn't that romantic?
 
   Hotels      Theatre
F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda, Eloise and Frank Lloyd Wright no longer have a room at the inn. The Plaza Hotel is closing its doors in April and being turned into condos. The exterior of the hotel is land marked and that will not change but the new developer can do what he pleases inside. There will be only 150 rooms for hotel use and they will be facing the dark side of the moon on 58th Street! Rumor has it that Harrod's of London (or possibly Zabars of NYC) will be taking up most of the retail space. All the restaurants will vanish except for the legendary Oak Bar. At least the classy ladies of the night will still be able to get a drink and pocket money.

On the brigther side, the Gramercy Park Hotel is being turned into a five star hotel by Ian Schrager.

Closings:
The Plaza Hotel
Gramercy Park Hotel

Openings:
Hard Rock Cafe Hotel
Rivington Street Hotel
 
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels! No, we’re not talking about Tony and Gary. It’s the new musical coming to Broadway, based on the popular 1988 film starring Steve Martin. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels centers around two con men living on the French Riviera. The first is the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jameson (John Lithgow), who supports his extravagant lifestyle by talking rich ladies out of their money. The other, a small-time crook named Freddy Benson (Norbert Leo Butz), is more of a swindler by preying on the compassion of women with fabricated stories about his grandmother's failing health. A battle of cons ensues, keeping audiences laughing, humming and guessing to the end! Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opens on March 3rd at The Imperial Theater.

Openings:
Good Vibrations: February 2
Brooklyn Boy: February 3
Monty Python's Spamalot: February 14
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: March 3

Closings:
Gem of the Ocean: February 6
   Central Park Gates      Romantic Restaurants
Can you think of a more magical winter wonderland than Central Park in February? This year from February 12 – 27, 2005, New York is in for a very special treat. After 26 years in the making, famed husband and wife artist team Christo & Jean-Claude will present their widely anticipated, extraordinary work of art, The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005. The monumental project consists of 7,500 saffron-colored gates placed at 12-foot intervals over 23 miles of pedestrian walkways that lace the park. There will be no opening ceremony, no tickets, and no invitations; this work of art is free for all to enjoy. If you prefer a bird’s eye view, The Metropolitan Museum is opening The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, which will offer spectacular views across Central Park for the 16 days that the exhibit will be installed.
Of course, we all know the private spaces for corporate meetings. But there are times when you need a special place to pop the question, celebrate an anniversary or intimate occasion. Three places come to mind: Chanterelle is the elegant place with 4 star cuisine. It's perfect for presenting that ring and being au courant at the same time since it is in trendy TriBeCa. Cafe des Artistes is the most romantic. Its famous murals depict frolicking scenes of love and are just suggestive enough that he or she will say yes to your proposal. One if By Land, Two if By Sea, an old carriage house previously owned by Aaron Burr, offers the glow of a fireplace and their famous Beef Wellington. There is an old risqué joke about this place, so when you speak to Gigi, ask her!

Other romantic spots:
Rainbow Room
River Cafe
Chez Josephine

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