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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Chez Margaux
The creatives’ party spot
What: A scene-y club with a sexier atmosphere than its rivals. It is set in the former Spice Market space, and the decor is all 1930s Parisian glamour courtesy of designer Lauren Mishaan, the grand staircase welcoming members into subterranean splendour lined with crimson banquettes and gilded private nooks. Roam through the big-cat-themed Lounge; enjoy chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s inventive takes on sashimi. But Gaux Gaux – the caviar-and-cocktail bar/after-hours nightclub with its solid glass Sogni di Cristallo bar and chandeliers – is really the spot to see and be seen.
Where: Located at the intersection of West 13th and Greenwich Streets, it has a red-lacquered entrance reminiscent of a secret cabaret.
Who: A cool, creative and well-connected crowd that includes Taylor Swift and Zoë Kravitz. Come for the black pepper shrimp, and stay for the party that begins at 10pm at Gaux Gaux. The membership is largely downtown and young – as is reflected in the pricing (under-30s pay a $1,250 initiation fee, then a $3,000 annual fee; upwards of 30 is a $2,500 initiation, $4,000 annual fee). Khaite tailoring and Jessica McCormack diamonds abound.
Coco’s at Colette
The corporate raiders’ canteen
What: The city’s ritziest power-lunch scene, located within the co-working club dubbed “WeWork for the 0.01 per cent” by Bloomberg. Run by Edmond Safra, of the billionaire Safra banking family, and Juan Santa Cruz, of Casa Cruz restaurant empire fame, the stylish Gonçalo Alves wood-panelled space hums from breakfast through to dramatically lit dinner. The mirror-lined omakase sushi bar is perfect for discreet negotiations.
Where: The 37th floor of Midtown’s imposing General Motors Building, at the sweet-spot intersection of Fifth Avenue, Midtown and the Upper East Side.
Who: CEOs, hedge-fund managers and beauty execs meet for efficient yet delicious meals: egg-white omelettes and green juices are in demand early, while the Rainbow salad (add protein) and the Dover sole served tableside are crowd favourites at lunch and dinner. Membership tiers are split between the restaurant Coco’s (membership, $5,000; then $4,000 annual dues) and the full club space, Colette (POA). The latter caters to the businessperson who wings into New York for the day and needs an office, catered conference room and gym. Members love the personal-box service (a posh version of a locker) where beauty products, supplements or photographs can be stashed for subsequent visits.
The Twenty Two New York
The bright-young-things hangout
What: This offshoot of the popular Mayfair hotel and members’ club is already a magnet for New York’s bright young things. Reuben Brothers, which is backing Robin Birley’s uptown venture Maxime’s, is also involved here, with the club occupying the second floor of a landmarked brownstone that also houses a hotel and restaurant. The interiors by London-based Child Studio are cinematic, with leopard-print carpets and Calacatta-marble surfaces, along with rooftop dancefloors and excellent cocktails (order the white Negroni). Members love the all-female chef team formerly of local Mediterranean restaurant Raf’s and the Michelin-starred The Musket Room.
Where: Uptown meets downtown in this former Vanderbilt-owned mansion in Union Square.
Who: With initiation fees based on age, the crowd tends younger – and flashier (under-30s pay $1,200; “local patrons” or those 30+ pay $2,000; “global patrons” get the use of both London and New York clubs, $3,000). Think the Biebers and Kendall Jenner, whose 818 Tequila figures prominently at the bar, along with models and actors (Joan Smalls and Laura Harrier are regulars). The club’s motto is “come as you are”, and casual dressing is welcome.
San Vicente West Village
The A-list’s haven
What: Hotelier Jeff Klein always nails it (he’s responsible for Hollywood hotspots Sunset Tower and San Vicente Bungalows) and this East Coast foray is no exception. Spread over six Rose Uniacke-designed floors, San Vicente West Village, which opened in March, is already the go-to for the bi-coastal elite who enjoy chopped salad on Uniacke’s velvet-swathed Jane sofas in the ballroom-turned-dining room. With nine guest rooms and a ginkgo tree-lined roof deck, its every Akari lamp, Tarka Kings artwork and bronze candlestick conveys serene refinement.
Where: Situated in the Jane Hotel, a red-brick Georgian Revival building at the edge of the Hudson River.
Who: Billionaire status won’t help you here: the members are a curated mix of low-key celebrities, fashion insiders, SNL cast members and art-world types who range in age from early 20s to 60+ (an age-based sliding-scale initiation fee starts at $3,200) and are mainly dressed in The Row. Lauryn Hill attended the SNL 50th-anniversary party here and her records frequently soundtrack the low-lit billiards room, multiple bars and underground disco. But you’d never know, as phone cameras are covered with aubergine-coloured stickers upon entry.
Maxime’s
The Upper East Side’s home from home
What: The stateside arrival of Maxime’s has been years in the making. Backed by the London-based Reuben Brothers and spearheaded by British businessman and “king of clubs” Robin Birley (best known for London’s 5 Hertford Street and Oswald’s), it has been shrouded in secrecy since its soft launch took place in March. Expect exacting taste, cultivated manners, country-house details and fine wines. Representatives were tight-lipped about the details, but insiders report that the club houses multiple restaurants and bars. And if 5 Hertford Street is anything to go by, there will be the requisite tableware from Florence-based porcelain makers Ginori 1735, to which Birley is “devoted”.
Where: Set in the old Westbury Hotel, at the corner of East 69th Street and Madison Avenue, Maxime’s has already had its share of delays, with residents wary of idling Cadillac Escalades fighting the project. We hear they are now warming to Birley’s British charm.
Who: The members list is closely guarded – as are membership fees – but it will skew vaguely Euro and blue-blooded. If the dress code is anything like those of Birley’s London clubs, it will include a ban on sandals, shorts and polo shirts: Birley himself is never seen out of a suit and tie, and the dining here is in keeping.
