It’s the Difference Between the Ordinary and the Extraordinary
Whether you have a corporate or leisure request, call Discover New York’s Destination Specialists to help you turn the ordinary into the extraordinary event.
Read about our clients’ visits – it reflects what can be designed personally just for you. Call for your custom experience at 1-212-370-1319 or click on Design Your Destination!
DNY Stories
What does it take to get to Broadway?
Imagine entertaining your Board of Directors with a private show before dinner.
Our Destination Specialist asked the client what his Board Members and their spouses would enjoy most that would be memorable and intimate. The answer was that they all enjoyed Broadway, but did not want to see a show that evening. They wanted to enjoy that quality of talent and yet be able to talk to one another at dinner.
To make the dinner more special, DNY offered the event in a private room with a piano and Broadway cast members who performed songs from various shows just for them. The cast stayed and answered questions and talked about their life in the theater, posed for photos, and signed autographs.
The dinner proceeded with lively conversation and the guests enjoyed dinner and the entertainment in an intimate space so that it remained special.
50th Birthday Celebration on a private yacht for 40
Imagine creating a dinner event themed in “New York gangster style” on a private yacht for 40 people.
Our DNY Destination Specialist asked the client what he most wanted his birthday celebration to represent. The answer was a memorable occasion for his entire family where they could spend the weekend together watching his son play baseball and then celebrate the birthday at a party.
Family and friends came into New York for the event. Discover New York handled all transfers to and from the hotel, booked and managed all services for their rooms, including a private breakfast. DNY then took them to the son’s baseball game complete with lunch from the client’s favorite deli, handling all of the individual requests for special sandwiches, drinks, and snacks.
After the game, the guests were driven back to their hotels by DNY to change into their gangster costumes. The entire group of four sons and their spouses, children, cousins and friends were then chauffeured to the private yacht.
Family members and friends arrived in costumes where they were greeted by character actors dressed as James Cagney, WC Fields, Jean Harlow, and were presented with fedoras, long black gloves, feather boas, and long cigarette holders.
DNY provided the perfect yacht with three levels. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the first level, while a photographer took photos of the guests posing against a backdrop. The photos were printed in sepia tones, placed into frames and handed to the guests later to take home with them.
A beautiful buffet dinner was served on the second deck with an ice luge for martinis in the guest of honor’s name. A six-piece band played while the guests enjoyed craps and blackjack. Guests sat at art deco themed tables pin spotted from above.
Level three was the finale where dessert was served in front of the Statue of Liberty. A gorgeous woman popped out of a custom built cake and sang Happy Birthday while the party enjoyed cheesecake. The family members also each played an instrument and wanted to perform on board the yacht that evening; so they serenaded this 50-year old using the band’s instruments.
The videographer and roaming photographer captured the evening and DNY created DVD’s to send to each guest as a memory of the evening.
Since one of the young sons had to return to college before curfew, the yacht was “hi-jacked” to the Jersey Shore where the FBI (not real of course) came on board. In exchange for the loud music, joyous fun, gambling and general carousing, they would take one of the boys. It just happened to be the one who had a curfew to meet.
The party continued happily for the rest of the evening. It was a 50th birthday party like no other!
Casting Call
Imagine requesting tickets to five shows over a long weekend for yourself and your granddaughter to create a special weekend.
Our Destination Specialist asked the grandmother if her granddaughter wanted to go to the theater or if she wanted to be in the theater. The answer was, “Both!” because the granddaughter was taking acting lessons. So we ensured that she was able to go backstage with a cast member at each show and see the wigs, props, make-up, and costumes as well as meet the cast.
The highlight was when the granddaughter was able to fine-tune her acting skills, by going into a rehearsal studio with a musical director and cast member from Wicked and learning one of the songs from the show. At the end of the session, DNY provided a Broadway casting director who came into the rehearsal studio and evaluated her audition and provided tips for her next audition! When asked how she felt at the end, “This was the best thing I’ve done all week. I will never forget it!”
Happy 80th Birthday!
Imagine dinner at Tavern on the Green for 250 guests to celebrate an 80th birthday where guests enjoyed a reception and passed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails under the stars on a June evening.
Our DNY Destination Specialist asked what this guest of honor enjoyed most. The answer was that he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera.
To make the evening special, Discover New York provided a string quartet in the garden during the cocktail reception. Dinner was served in the Crystal Room. After the appetizer had been served, this 80-year old’s family, friends, and guests enjoyed a performance by a tenor, soprano, and bass singing arias from his favorite operas! The guest of honor was thrilled with his present and the attendees were truly delighted to be able to share the experience with him.
Keeping the Business in the Family
Imagine creating an event to learn about the challenges and opportunities of running a family business.
A group of YPO Members wanted to spend time together, have fun, and learn about how family businesses are run, how they grow, and what the challenges and opportunities are involved with running a family business.
DNY created a wonderful event where ideas flowed freely in a format that was fun and entertaining. Guests enjoyed cocktails and dinner in a private room with Oscar Hammerstein to learn about the business of the theater.
From every high school and college musical performance to the Broadway stage, the members heard what it is like to run a family business where everyone knows your name. Oscar Hammerstein spoke about the family business and how his grandfather started in the world of opera and then worked on Broadway. Guests learned why certain songs are in certain shows and the historical perspective that allows the lyrics and music to work together in a timeless way.