Last night the Astor Center NYC celebrated its grand opening with a boozer for the food and drink set. Pegu Club cocktails and Magnolia cupcakes were served; Sasha Petraske stepped out of the shadows for a brief moment to attend; and there was a band (Nottin But Stringz). Before we get to the hangover observations, the Astor Center is a brand new "place that will be hosting its own great calendar of wine, spirits, cocktails, and culinary events," according to Astor spokesperson Phil Baltz. So far, it looks simply like the Astor team has figured out a better way to deal with the half of Serafina Lafayette that was alternately empty or a promoted club (on Wednesdays, circa 2005). In either case, our thoughts from last night:
1) All-in a nice party, this. Important PR lesson: it matters less that you explain what the venue is exactly, than that you never have fewer than 1,000 Little Owl sliders in circulation.
2) Seamus Mullen wears a Panerai watch; Scott Conant, cowboy boots; Petraske, a caramel corduroy blazer and plaid scarf. In order, approve, disapprove, on-the-fence.
3) We didn't wake up entirely lucid this morning (mission accomplished), which might explain why it's still entirely unclear why Kate Krader was hoarding bottles of T? Nant water. Hoarding.
4) If anyone at Astor is wondering where all their promo buttons went, you might want to look in the purse of Boulud staffer Jennifer Lynn Pelka. Maybe it was because she had two dozen others, including an I Heart Duck Fat ear-marked for her boss, Daniel, that she was willing to trade us an I Heart Tequilla for an I Heart Duck Fat (pictured).
5) Attendees included Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Jim Meehan, Eben Freeman, Sasha Petraske, Joey Campanaro, Seamus Mullen, Josh DeChellis, Scott Conant, Kate Krader, Danyelle Freeman, David Rabin, Sue Torres, Anne Saxelby, Barry Wine, and Cutlets. Last person out the door: (people, put your hands together for) Mister Cutlets.
· Astor Center NYC [official site]
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