New York City is chock-full of amazing events. These exclusive events for New York City elites are available to you, too. Read on to learn how to get into some of the coolest events in the city.
Fashion Week events
Did you know that some Fashion Week events are open to the public? While you may not be able to get into the runway shows (which are usually invite-only), many of the city’s best shops and coolest brands offer free events and parties during fashion week.
These events celebrate fashion, beauty, and everything in between. They range from complementary makeovers and hairstyles to full-blown parties.
To learn about these events, TimeOut New York — which always publishes amazing Fashion Week event roundups — is a great place to start. To get a sense of the events you might be able to attend, check out TimeOut’s Winter Fashion Week 2019 event roundup.
Elite social clubs
Social clubs have been a “thing” for New Yorkers since the city’s founding. There was a time where you couldn’t call yourself an elite New Yorker unless you were a member of one of these clubs.
Today, these social clubs remain incredibly cool, intriguing and, yes, elite. To get into these rarefied groups, you’ll need a sponsor (or two), recommendation letters and the cash to pay for membership.
These are just a few of the coolest, most elite social clubs in the city:
- Ludlow House: this is a high-end members-only club in SoHo. It has four different types of membership. It boasts a bar, dining options, a living room and parlor for lounging, work areas, and a 22-person private movie theater.
- Norwood Club: this haunt for creative types is a modern, private space in an ultra-artsy part of the city. It’s steps from the Highline and Whitney Museum in Chelsea. Owner Alan Linn describes it as a “home for the curious.” The antique mansion has 13 original fireplaces, mahogany doors and an elegant ambiance. If you get in, don’t be surprised if you brush shoulders with celebrity members.
- Parlor: This swanky club becomes a hopping nightlife scene after 10pm. Some of the city’s hottest DJs come in to perform here. So, if you’re a party animal with cash to burn, this is the place for you.
- Core Club: Although you’ll have to have a ton of cash to join this club (the initiation fee is $50,000 and the annual fee is $15,000 a year), the perks are reportedly insane.
- Victory Club: This roaming dining club brings culinary and artistic creatives together for yummy dishes and great conversation. It’s founded by a chic twenty-something chef with an extensive contact list, so you can expect to meet some fantastic food world luminaries at these events.
See Also: The Secret History of Washington Square Park
Alumni networking events
New York is full of driven young professionals, and members-only networking events are all over the city. If you’re an alumnus or alumna of a school with a club in the city, that’s a good way to meet people through school alumni networking events.
Chef’s tastings at some of the world’s best restaurants
Thanks to the amazing variety of restaurants in New York City, foodie elites in the city — and you — are able to enjoy some of the best tasting menu in the world. Check out events at the James Beard House, your favorite high-end spots, and on Eater’s monthly recommended lists for some fantastic splurge options.
Some of the best tastings in the city include:
- Gramercy Tavern: five-course prix fixe
- Le Bernardin: chef’s tasting menu with a wine pairing
- Eleven Madison Park: tasting menu-only in a gorgeous Art Deco space
- Daniel: three-course prix fixe or six course-tasting menu with wine pairing
If you’re on a budget, check out: How to Have a Nice Brunch in New York City Without Spending a Fortune
Private tastings at restaurants in the city
If you’re really committed to the exclusive foodie event world, you’ll likely be excited to learn that there’s an exclusive private chef-led dining club called Tasting Collective. Members of this group get access to small, private tastings at some of the city’s hottest restaurants.
Foodies outside New York, don’t despair. Tasting Collective is also in Austin, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Philadelphia, the Bay Area, and Washington, D.C.
World-class music
New York City has some of the best music venues in the world. If you like classic music, go to Carnegie Hall. Or, take in jazz at Lincoln Center.
If you’re into more intimate concerts with up-and-coming artists, check out a Sofar Sounds show. You could also go to some of the city’s smaller music venues, such as (Le) Poisson Rouge.
Exclusive wine tastings
Thanks to the high number of wine snobs in the city, New York has great wine events. Some of the city’s best wine auctioneers, such as Skinner Auctioneers, have exclusive wine tasting clubs you can join. There are also events like La Nuit in Rosé, which is full of young rosé lovers.
