On New Year’s Eve, we celebrated the countdown to the New Year with Matthew Gavin’s New Year’s Eve Party at the Marriott Marquis overlooking the iconic Times Square.
Musical acts joined were The Four’s Cheyenne Elliott (the granddaughter of Grammy award-winning recording artist, Dionne Warwick), multi-platinum artist (and former lead singer of Poison) Bret Michaels, legendary pop star and teen icon Tiffany, and Billy Gilman. Other notable guests included emcees Alyse Zwick and Rashad Jennings (former NFL running back for the New York Giants), and the cast of Bravo’s Summer House (Lindsay Hubbard, Carl Radke, Danielle Olivera, Steve Traversie, Kyle Cook, Amanda House, Yvonne Najor, and Nick Barber).
Beginning at 8pm, guests ushered in the festive spirit with a theme of bright and sequined cocktail attire, as both men and women took on the opportunity to shine in the midst of the crazed New York City pandemonium. The holiday party commenced with an eager rush to the luxury dinner buffets on the two-story Broadway Lounge, featuring an exquisite sushi bar decorated with mouth-watering wagyu beef rolls and sashimi, a delectable hard-carved meat station, and a zesty asian fusion stir fry destination.
Once satiated, emcees Rashas Jennings and Alyse Zwick paused the live music to introduce new-coming artist Cheyenne Elliott, who showed gratitude to her grandmother, Dionne Warwick, in advising her “to be [your]self and genuine on and off stage” and hopes that young artists take a resolution to “take the same advise and guidance into their careers and just have fun.” DJ Mister E kept the excitement with live music while the dessert room opened featuring an otherworldly centerpiece, vesseled with ornate layers of sweets and a bevy of gilded details. The centerpiece was garnished with decadent treats like coffee religieuse puffs, red velvet lollipops dipped in gold, alongside an a la carte ice cream station, setting the senses into overdrive in a sugar-filled precedent for dancing and free flowing cocktails on the spacious main floor.
The main musical talents Tiffany and Bret Michaels brought the party back to nostalgia with their hit classics that transported the crowd back into the 80’s and 90’s, compelling middle aged partygoers to race towards their favorite artists like Shawn Mendes-crazed teenagers of today. Bret Michaels’ “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” brought the decade to a close before the chanting towards the countdown began as floods of eager NYE enthusiasts bellowed out in synchrony facing the famous New York City Times Square Ball.
Leading up to the final seconds, vivid rainbow lights decorated the sky awaiting the last single digits to zero. Finally, the New Year was celebrated with the ball drop followed by fireworks and confetti blasting into the streets. Overlooking the patio of the Broadway Lounge, guests cheered into the new decade with unparalleled and unobstructed views of Times Square as the confetti snowed onto the excited emotions of city.
Exhilarating to the eyes and tastebuds alike, Matthew Gavin’s Marquis New Year’s Eve party was an unforgettable and truly one of kind experience.