New Year's Eve

[BryanZ]

I feel rather pathetic turning to eG for NYE ideas but seeing as I don't have any viable ideas I'm asking you all.

The prospect of me sitting in a friend's basement in suburban New Jersey make me want to kill myself. As does the prospect of paying $100 for an open bar at some shitty sports bar with my friends. As does the mere thought of going anywhere from like 30th up to 60th streets. Noticing a trend here?

I also don't particularly want to pay lots of money for a meal that will be worse than I can get a day earlier or a day later for half the price. And I'm certainly not staying home with my family, that's what Christmas is for.

Sorry for the bitching.

Does anyone have any ideas? Momo Ssam would be right up my alley, but I can't swing the $300 with all the other dining I'm doing. Bite Club also sounds very interesting, but it's also a little out of my price range. I'm trying to think of something that'll be like $100ish, not necessarily with food, but for drinks/a cool place to be. Are any of the good cocktail spots not closed for private parties?

Thanks for the help.

[Luckylies]

degustation.

[BryanZ]

Anything special going on there? I'd love to rent the place out and just cook for friends in that sweet little space and nifty kitchen but something tells me that'd be out of my price range.

[Jaymes]

The prospect of me sitting in a friend's basement in suburban New Jersey make me want to kill myself. 

Perhaps too late for this year, but as a New Year's resolution, and in order to facilitate a more appealing choice for next year, I'd suggest you broaden your circle of friends to include somebody that has a livelier and more sophisticated spot for entertaining.

And then help him/her to throw a party.

Have your party begin at 11pm, so that everybody's not all partied out as the big hour approaches, and so that other folks can arrive from less-wonderful parties in people's basements in New Jersey. Start with classy appetizers and then the champagne at midnight, followed up by a smashing breakfast buffet.

Edited December 16, 2007 by Jaymes (log)

[rjwong]

The prospect of me sitting in a friend's basement in suburban New Jersey make me want to kill myself. 

Perhaps too late for this year, but as a New Year's resolution, and in order to facilitate a more appealing choice for next year, I'd suggest you broaden your circle of friends to include somebody that has a livelier and more sophisticated spot for entertaining.

And then help him/her to throw a party.

Have your party begin at 11pm, so that everybody's not all partied out as the big hour approaches, and so that other folks can arrive from less-wonderful parties in people's basements in New Jersey. Start with classy appetizers and then the champagne at midnight, followed up by a smashing breakfast buffet.

←

Jaymes, who says it's too late for Bryan to have a NYE party/NYD breakfast this year?? Bryan just needs to find a place to cook that's not at home or suburban New Jersey. Easy, right??

[Daniel]

I would say a fun thing to do would be to drive to Montreal or Philly for the weekend.. Thats what I would be doing if I wasnt working.. Priceline some rooms and try that.. Might be out of your price range but a drive somewhere would be cool.. I have spent New Years in Vermont too and thats always a fun spot with young peoples.

But really its one night, with little importance to me certainly.. Just treat it like a normal night and you will have a fun time and more money.

P.S I wish I we had space for you in the kitchen.. It would be great to have you there.

Edited December 16, 2007 by Daniel (log)

[Jaymes]

The prospect of me sitting in a friend's basement in suburban New Jersey make me want to kill myself. 

Perhaps too late for this year, but as a New Year's resolution, and in order to facilitate a more appealing choice for next year, I'd suggest you broaden your circle of friends to include somebody that has a livelier and more sophisticated spot for entertaining.

And then help him/her to throw a party.

Have your party begin at 11pm, so that everybody's not all partied out as the big hour approaches, and so that other folks can arrive from less-wonderful parties in people's basements in New Jersey. Start with classy appetizers and then the champagne at midnight, followed up by a smashing breakfast buffet.

Jaymes, who says it's too late for Bryan to have a NYE party/NYD breakfast this year?? Bryan just needs to find a place to cook that's not at home or suburban New Jersey. Easy, right??

Well, that was why I suggested he get started now. Perhaps by next year, he will have been able to worm his way into the heart of someone with a handsome flat overlooking Central Park.

[weinoo]

We're (my wife and I) are going to see Patti Smith at the Bowery Ballroom - for like the 8th year in a row. Something we'd be doing even if it wasn't New Year's Eve, as we're pretty big Patti fans.

Just not worth it for us to go out to a restaurant and/or bar. Hasn't someone used the term "amateur night" for NYE? Or was that for Valentine's Day?

Now, New Year's Eve being a Monday night, perhaps johnder and donbert will be behind the bar at PDT? Which wouldn't be a bad way to spend at least part of your evening .

[BryanZ]

I would love to host at my house, but I do not yet have my own housing, so my family will be there. And that's lame. Not quite as lame as drinking Bud Light in a friend's basement or apartment on the UES (I have friends who live up there, too), but that's not optimal. I need an EV loft or need to become a kept man to get that apartment overlooking Central Park or just need cooler friends. Gotta work on that.

NYE is definitely amateur night, hence my not wanting to go out to a prix fixe meal per se. Something like Momo would be cool and more my scene but again there's the price.

Is PDT doing anything special or will they just be open? I can't imagine it's the latter, but if so I'll just camp out there with some friends. That more than works for me. 24 hr K-Town BBQ may also be in order.

The whole driving to Canada was always a fun option when my friends and I were underage, but now that we're old and stuff and the dollar is getting pummeled there's not too much benefit. As an aside, we're going to the wonder that is Atlantic City in January on the 2nd, so that's the "trip" side of things.

So that's a lot of irrelevant personal information. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see what's going on in the cocktail bar world and perhaps build around that.

[markk]

If you want to stay in Jersey, check out the surprisingly good Cafe Matisse

It has a thread here on eG with nary a negative comment, as well (or so I think).

[kathryn]

You can come over here and, um, cook in my kitchen? Our table only seats 6 though.

I live in the East Village. Not in a loft, however.

Edited December 17, 2007 by kathryn (log)

[nibor]

You can come over here and, um, cook in my kitchen?

I live in the East Village. Not in a loft, though.

←

Why not take Kathryn up on this - throw an eGullet party in her apartment! That would be a fun New Year. I would come but I live 2500 miles away.

[kathryn]

I don't have any fancy equipment like induction hubs, sadly.

[BryanZ]

I actually just received a PacoJet on lend ("Cooking" thread will be coming). Not sure how that's at all related but I'm excited. It, umm, travels well, so I can get by without the induction hobs.

[nibor]

Oh come on Kathryn, give in to temptation. I want to see to a New Years Blog starring BryanZ emanating from your apartment. Don't be a sissy! If BryanZ can run a restaurant out of his dorm room, think what he could in your flat!

[kathryn]

Actually I just got invited to dinner at a friend's house; perhaps some other time.

[Busboy]

Last year I overcame my longstanding aversion to New Year's Eve to go to a Parliament-Funkadelic concert followed by tequila shots and ultimately home-made truffle boudins-blanc with bacon and fried apples and a bottle of excellent right-bank Bordeaux.

Confident that that experience will never be topped, I look forward relaxing with a bottle of iced vodka, a tin of Uruguayan caviar and a classic movie. For BryanZ, I recommend a similar, low key even, only the vodka should be made into an "air," the caviar deconstructed, and the movie should be something Wim Wender-ish

[BryanZ]

Or perhaps deconstructed then made back into "caviar."

[Nathan]

I'm trying to figure this out as well...since work is preventing me from going somewhere else this year...(South Beach is actually quite tolerable on NYE).

I guess it's probably worth checking to see what D&C and PDT are doing...although my friend wants somewhere to dance...

as for food, I figure that part is best done at home....

the best NYE in NY I've been to was years ago...involved me, Giorgio DeLuca, his (and another) Tribeca loft...and about 20 women....and scrambled eggs with ossetra caviar at 4 a.m.

[weinoo]

Last year I overcame my longstanding aversion to New Year's Eve to go to a Parliament-Funkadelic concert followed by tequila shots and ultimately home-made truffle boudins-blanc with bacon and fried apples and a bottle of excellent right-bank Bordeaux.

←

Ahhh, the "mother-ship" has landed - and I like the food choices.

[raji]

I'm trying to figure this out as well...since work is preventing me from going somewhere else this year...(South Beach is actually quite tolerable on NYE).

I guess it's probably worth checking to see what D&C and PDT are doing...although my friend wants somewhere to dance...

as for food, I figure that part is best done at home....

the best NYE in NY I've been to was years ago...involved me, Giorgio DeLuca, his (and another) Tribeca loft...and about 20 women....and scrambled eggs with ossetra caviar at 4 a.m.

←

Keep me posted, I'm similarly trying to figure out as well - will probably have 6 or so friends, there might be some karaoke involved but either way we'll be on the roof at midnight to see the various fireworks and balls - I think Nate's been up there, or was it eliot?

All the dance clubs will suck and suck your wallet big time, I might have a dj gig tho, if so I'll post it

Edited December 18, 2007 by raji (log)

[BryanZ]

My friend just sent me this link to NYE at Cipriani.

http://www.cipriani-newyearseve.com/?gclid...CFQMsFQod53rZ6Q

She's no longer my friend.

Edited December 18, 2007 by BryanZ (log)

[jdanton]

My friend just sent me this link to NYE at Cipriani.

http://www.cipriani-newyearseve.com/?gclid...CFQMsFQod53rZ6Q

She's no longer my friend.

←

Cipriani's ahem, reputation not withstanding, $165 and not even real Champagne (no knock on prosecco, but more on their margins).

Anyway, Bryan we may end up doing 5 courses at a friends in N NJ--PM me if you're interested.

[Nathan]

PDT is doing something. price yet to be announced...but apparently tickets will be sold through clubzone.com

[donbert]

PDT is doing something.  price yet to be announced...but apparently tickets will be sold through clubzone.com

This is news to me but if Kathryn changes her mind and hosts a party I'll come bartend.