For New Year’s Eve, I had the opportunity to attend the Midnight Ball at the McKittrick Hotel.
An epic night in Manhattan indeed! The Ned NoMad members club and hotel hosted an all-out glam, Studio 54-style “Le Freak” Disco Bash with the popular Bushwick, Brooklyn-based performance art and production dance troop House of Yes on Saturday, December 31st, in New York City. The Ned NoMad is the uber exclusive and highly popular members club and hotel that opened in the summer of 2022 at 28th Street and Broadway, an offshoot of the Soho House brand, under the direction of hospitality leader Richie Akiva. Droves of VIPs and members decked in their best disco glam attire flocked to the exclusive spot, despite the rain, to celebrate their New Year’s Eve in guaranteed style. As is anything Akiva puts his name on, The Ned is definitely is the place to be and the invite-only New Year’s party was no different.
On the turntables were DJ Mel DeBarge, MartyPlay and LB1 who all performed DJ sets throughout the evening in both the main jazz club and Little Ned Bar. The House of Yes band called ‘Romantic Urgency’ was led by vocalist Mayteana Morales, and she did not disappoint, keeping desks dazzled and of high energy. The House of Yes performance dance troupe was led by their Creative Producer Adam Dishian. The dancers’ costumes were absolutely incredible, and a site for themselves filled with fun sparkle detail. Provocative go-go dancers, stilt walkers and pole dancers popped up throughout the night on various stages, raised platforms and mirrored backdrops.
The members club was filled wall to wall will with Manhattanites inclusive of notable industry players, creatives, suits, beautiful women and Ned Members, plus invited guests of the hotel and a few sports stars. The crowd was awesome, full of energy, positive vibes, and all dressed to the nines on-theme. The House of Yes dancers, performers and stilt walkers would immerse themselves on the dance floor and mingling with guests, for a great added element of hospitality.
Under their mile high atrium hung a variety of attention-grabbing, glistening disco balls paired with rotating spotlights as the rain hit the glass top, for an element of mystique and excitement. The Ned club room stage was adorned with an oversized gold glitter Studio 54 style moon, reflective of the fames disco venue. A golden lit up “DRUGS” Sign also adorned their signature fireplace located in the intimate parlor style room behind the stage and a giant horse statue replica of that at Studio 54 dazzled in the bar area. The parlor also included a “Future Self” letter station and a tarot card reader, for those brave enough to go into the New Year head first, and The Library room offered a tattoo artist.
Celebrity athletes such as NY Yankees’ handsome newcomer Harrison Bader, and Brooklyn Nets’ Royce O’Neale, among others, celebrated the new year at the members club disco bash. There was also an excitement buzzing upon Kevin Durant’s arrival, which was later in the night.
Animal KingdomSeason 5 & 6 star Jasper Polish, looked glam in a sexy metallic two piece outfit, and a variety of influencers and models posed in the gold glitz photo booth after popping into the disco glam makeup station, such as Kailyn Shephard, Amanda Giroux, Julienne Herring, Jeannie Pfeiffer, Michelle Wang, Nina Zwarycz, Megha Bajaj.
Moët & Chandon champagne was flowing all evening, as the events official partner. Upon entry through Little Ned we received an impressive orange infused champagne cocktail, and the entire venue had a glass of Moet in hand for the over-the-top, but perfect midnight countdown led by House of Yes. Confetti canyons with gold metallic confetti filled the room as we struck midnight, the entire venue of 300+ shouting numbers in unison, followed by tons of hugs, kisses and NYE screams, before the dancing commenced.
The food was also next level, from Tuna Tartare mini cones to delicious fried lobster bites to Cecconi’s signature meatballs, tons of passed hors d’oeuvres were on heavy rotation at every turn, plus late night burgers, and an indulgent caviar cart that their executive chef led around for caviar tastings topped paired with creme fraiche. The mens was definitely spot on.
Photo Gallery images by Mark Zhelezoglo and Clifton Mooney for The Ned NoMad.
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.
It’s New Year’s Eve and from the side of a warehouse in Brooklyn, you can see people freezing and pulling out tickets from their heavy coats.