NY Social Agenda

The Third Annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic Shakes & Stirs New York City Delivering Five-Days of Indulgence & Education, Marrying Lifestyle & Luxury, Spirits & Technology

manisha — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:45:54 +0000

New York, NY (May 17, 2012) – The third annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic wrapped on Tuesday, May 15 with a top-secret “Anti-Gala” for over 1000 of the spirits industry’s movers and shakers – the last hurrah of New York’s most spirited festival of the year, and a tongue-in-cheek antidote to the über-glitzy (and impossibly sold-out) opening night Gala held at the landmark New York Public Library. The festival’s opening Gala was attended by over 3,000 well-heeled attendees, who sipped on nearly 30,000 hand-crafted cocktails served up by over 150 of the world’s greatest bartenders. Other (quantifiable) highlights from the evening included 5,000 oysters, 5,000 meatball sliders, 300 pounds of charcuterie, 300 pounds of jumbo shrimp, 6 live jazz bands, 6 tons of ice, 5 barbers, 3 deejays, 3 popsicle carts, and 1 much-photographed taxidermied grizzly bear.

This epic (and epically proportioned) event was but the opening bell of the five action-packed days of Classic festivities. With 67 other publicly ticketed events on offer, as well as a multi-day invitation-only trade conference, the 2012 Classic garnered over 8,000 attendees from both near and far afield. The aforementioned “Industry Invitational”, headquartered at the stunning Andaz 5^th Avenue Hotel, ran parallel to the publicly ticketed events, and on its own proffered over 100 panels, presentations, tastings, and activities over the course of the four-day conference.

“We’re never content to just sit on our laurels,” says festival founder and director Lesley Townsend. “The Industry Invitational was a mammoth undertaking this year – as was our NFC-enabled ‘cocktail tracking’ experiment at the Gala. But both were received with such unbridled enthusiasm…how could that not inspire us to keep chasing after bigger and better things in 2013? We have about a million and one ideas up our sleeve at any given moment; the hard part is just choosing which crazy ideas we’re going to try to tackle next.”

While the full reveal may not come until later, the Classic has indeed announced its dates for next year’s festival: May 17 – 21, 2013. For more information, please visit the official website at www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

For press inquiries and photo requests, please contact Diana Bianchini, Di Moda Public Relations 310.288.0077, diana@dimodapr.com.

LIKE us on Facebook: facebook.com/ManhattanCocktailClassic; Follow us on Twitter @cocktailclassic; join the conversation using #MCC2012

Announcing OnTheBar: The Official App of the 2012 Festival

manisha — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:55:13 +0000

100,000 Cocktails. 100 Events. 5 Days. 4 Boroughs. Now, all in the palm of your hand.

And you thought we’d filled your tech dance card…

With so many dizzying events (not to mention dizzying cocktails), we figured a mobile guide might come in handy. And not just any guide, mind you – but one built by geniuses who love cocktails (and the people who make them) just as much as we do.

So we partnered with OnTheBar - already a snazzy tool for bartenders and cocktail aficionados – to develop a customized Manhattan Cocktail Classic iPhone and Android app guaranteed to enhance your festival experience like never before.

With this handy app, you can:

Navigate the Library’s four vast floors of merriment and mayhem at the Gala, sorting by booze, bartender, brand (or even bathrooms).
Follow your favorite bartenders (and the new ones you meet on the way).
Map and track all festival events, and store them in the your personalized calendar:MyMCC.
And, if you’re one of the fine folks slinging drinks this weekend, you can upload photos, profile information, and more!

We like to think of it as the digital way to let your liver know what’s coming.

Happy downloading, and bottoms up!

Click here to download the app now!

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic to Elevate Social Media Interactivity with NFC Technology at the Opening Night Gala

manisha — Fri, 04 May 2012 22:05:51 +0000

This is absolutely incredible and too cool to keep to myself! Check out what the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala is up to this year -

New York, NY (May 3, 2012) – In mere days, the third annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic will let loose upon New York City, offering up a decadent, cocktail-fueled flurry of nearly 100 events spread over 5 days and 4 boroughs. The festival kicks off on Friday, May 11, with its now legendary (and impossibly sold out) opening night Gala at The New York Public Library. While the event will deliver all the usual mayhem and mischief Gala devotees have come to expect, this year the Classic is layering on a cutting-edge digital component to the Gala experience: providing all 3500+ guests with NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled bracelets with which users will be able to track their drinks, upload photos, check in on Facebook, and more – all with a simple tap of the wrist. Then, on Monday morning, all NFC users will receive a customized email curated by TastingTable.com containing detailed recipes for each drink they sampled.

“What we’re able to do now with NFC technology is truly mind-blowing,” says festival founder and director Lesley Townsend. “Beyond just merely keeping track of cocktails sampled – a feat in and of itself – this just opens up a whole new world of social connectivity, with really limitless potential.” Gala guests will even be able to tap-to-Like selected guests’ outfits – styled and NFC-enabled by Bonobos – in a beautiful marriage of technology and fashion. Often citing SXSW and TED as sources of inspiration for the Classic, Townsend brought on a new marketing agency this year, ClearHart Digital, specifically to ramp up the “innovation” angle of the festival. In addition to the NFC integration at the Gala, there’s a full docket of “Mixology + Technology” app demonstrations slated for the Industry Invitational (the Classic’s invite-only trade conference headquartered at the Andaz 5^th Avenue Hotel).

With nearly half of this year’s events already sold out and festival attendees still begging for more, the Classic has just announced an ambitious new addition to the calendar on Saturday, May 12: The Gentleman’s Cocktail Crawl, presented by Bonobos. This “black-tie-optional” crawl includes over a dozen of New York’s most famed and fanciful hotel bars, and is open to both men and women, despite the name. In addition to Bonobos, the festival has added a number of premium non-endemic sponsors, including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Perrier, and Heineken – all of whom will be featured in unique activations at the aforementioned opening night Gala.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

LIKE us on Facebook: facebook.com/ManhattanCocktailClassic and Follow us on Twitter @cocktailclassic;

join the conversation using #MCC2012

FREE Writing Classes at Gotham Writers’ Workshop

manisha — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:09:29 +0000

Gotham Writers’ Workshop offers several free classes throughout the spring! See below or click here for details:

“Gotham frequently offers free one-hour workshops in the New York metropolitan area in partnership with area booksellers. There is no need to register for these events. Click on the name of a free lecture location near you to see the latest lecture schedule. Or scroll down and browse through them all.

Become a fan of Gotham on Facebook to connect with fellow writers, faculty, and friends. You’ll also receive Gotham updates and announcements.

You can also follow Gotham on Twitter to get all kinds of useful and interesting tidbits for writers.”

Tavern on Third Grand Opening – FREE Open Bar & Hors D’oeuvres

manisha — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:40:05 +0000

From our friends at Tavern on Third:

Come check out the newest addition to Murray Hill… TAVERN on third! We invite you to our Grand Opening Party this Thursday, March 29th from 6pm – 8pm where you’ll enjoy a complimentary open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres. RSVP by CLICKING HERE and get a glimpse of your new neighborhood hangout!

TAVERN on third is a high-end sports bar with a laid-back atmosphere, located on 3rd Ave between 27th and 28th. Most notably, TAVERN on third is one of the few bars in Manhattan to have individual draft tables. You can pour your own beer right from the table while a computerized system keeps track of exactly how much you drink!

Complete with over 30 40″ HD TVs and three 70″ TVs, this is your spot for all things sports. We play the sound for all the big games and New York teams and it is the perfect spot for the NCAA games this weekend. The Library, a private room near the back, accommodates 50 people and has a private bar, big screen TV, and a separate sound system for music or the game of your choice.

TAVERN on third’s menu is compiled of “gourmet bar food” and everything is made from scratch. Featured items include a blue cheese stuffed burger topped with apple slices and a honey spread, Cordon Bleu Mac and Cheese Balls, and Chef’s famous “smashed” potatoes.

RSVP now for our Grand Opening Party this Thursday,
March 29th from 6pm – 8pm to see all we have to offer!

Opening of New York’s Newest Fitness Studio

manisha — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:53:15 +0000

Check out the opening of Chaise 23, New York’s newest fitness studio!

To keep up to date on special events and deals in NYC posted by NY Social Agenda, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook!

Bloomingdale’s Denim Days VIP Shopping Event

manisha — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:40:45 +0000

NYLON GUYS and Bloomingdale’s invite you to kick off Denim Days with a VIP Shopping Event! See below for information:

To keep up to date on special events and deals in NYC posted by NY Social Agenda, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook!

Third Annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic – Full Line-Up Revealed!

manisha — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:36:31 +0000

Third Annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic

Reveals Full Line-Up of 2012 Festival Events

**Plus a special one-day-only pre-sale for Facebook Fans**

New York, NY (March 14, 2012) – The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, New York City’s annual five-day celebration of cocktails and culture taking place May 11-15, today revealed the official roster of 2012 festival events via a special sneak-peak pre-sale on Facebook. While the public unveiling is not scheduled until tomorrow, eager attendees can head to the festival’s Facebook page today to get first dibs on all the festival’s fabulous parties, pairings, educational events, and more – including much-coveted tickets to the opening night Gala at The New York Public Library.

In addition to the festival’s standard fare of parties, pairings, and educational events, the 2012 calendar offers some ambitious newcomers to the table: a Tiki tour of Staten Island and New Jersey, a mixology master class at Momofuku Milk Bar, a hands-on distilling workshop in Red Hook, a lively installation of the “Next Iron Bartender” cocktail competition – all packed with legendary cocktail luminaries and filled to the brim with impeccably crafted cocktails.

But perhaps the most titillating addition to the 2012 docket is the headlining event slated for Monday night: a special, whisky-fueled incarnation of “Sleep No More: The Darkest Night” presented by Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This one-night-only performance of the twisted and surrealistic, interactive theatrical event has taken New York City by storm. At $125, tickets include drams of the intense Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest, captivating cocktails, delectable nibbles and noshes, and a punch created by famed spirits historian David Wondrich.

“It’s thrilling to see the Classic expanding into other cultural arenas beyond food and drink,” says Lesley Townsend, the festival’s founder and executive director. “The Gala is now considered by many to be a ‘fashion event’, where what people are wearing is almost as important as what they’re drinking; and with Sleep No More: The Darkest Night, we’re branching out into the performing arts. Cocktails truly are an idyllic muse: next year, maybe we’ll do a boozy ballet!”

The full calendar of events is presently available via the Classic’s Facebook page, and will be posted publicly on the festival website at noon ET on Thursday, May 15. For more information about the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, please visit www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

Make sure to LIKE them on Facebook: facebook.com/ManhattanCocktailClassic and Follow them on Twitter @cocktailclassic; join the conversation using #MCC2012

Girls Night Out Shop & Sip Event – FREE Admission & Giveaways!

manisha — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:08:49 +0000

Looking for something fun to do this Friday night? Check out Girls Night Out Shop and Sip to get all of your Valentines Day needs.

There will be lots of vendors selling a little bit of everything!

RSVP to: nycshopandsip.eventbrite.com

To keep up to date on special events and deals in NYC posted by NY Social Agenda, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook!

Wig Out Event at Irish Exit Bar – FREE Drinks 9-11pm

manisha — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:43:58 +0000

Do you by any chance have an old wig hanging around that you would love to rock for the night? Check out Irish Exit’s Wig Out Event this Saturday!

Anyone who rocks a wig will get FREE DRINKS from 9pm – 11pm. There will also be plenty of raffles and giveaways too.

Date: January 28th, 2012
Time: 9pm – Onward
Location: Irish Exit NYC, 978 2nd Avenue

Click here to RSVP!

To keep up to date on special events and deals in NYC posted by NY Social Agenda, follow us on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook!