It started as a typical Wednesday evening. I was just about finished writing a press release, when I received a text message. I knew one of my girlfriends was in town for work and planned to meet her for dinner later, but I was not expecting the following, “Are you free tonight for a slumber party in The Plaza?” It was the night of the Rockefeller tree lighting and all the hotels in Midtown were sold out, EXCEPT the renowned and luxurious Plaza Hotel. I squealed with delight and quickly finished my work. Now the important question was, what would I wear? I quickly decided I needed to stick with my staples – all black and a turtleneck. I paired it with an asymmetrical skirt from Zara, patterned tights, sock booties and a vintage fox collared, grey suede coat gifted to me by my mother. And, we’re off!
The Plaza is New York City’s most iconic hotel and a National Historic Landmark. It is located on Fifth Avenue and Central Park South and offers every indulgence. The hotel has hosted some of the world’s most famous celebrities and has appeared in numerous films and been referenced in countless novels.
After ogling and awing in the foyer we made our way to The Champagne Bar which overlooks Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain. After discussing the selection of cocktails with our waiter, we ordered the French 75 champagne cocktail, which he insisted was the hotel’s finest.
“As the story goes, during WWI some American soldiers stumbled upon a stash of gin and champagne while marching through the French countryside. Not being able to satisfy their craving for a proper Tom Collins due to a lack of club soda, they used the champagne in its place and the French 75 was born. The Champagne Bar at the Plaza uses Plymouth gin or Hennessy VSOP shaken with freshly squeezed lemon juice then topped with brut champagne to create this classic soldiers favorite.”
Wednesday is also the bar’s weekly live jazz night and we enjoyed a mixture of swing and cool jazz as we proceeded to order a second round. The pours were generous and the service superb. It was the ideal venue and atmosphere that brought to life the old world, opulent New York feel. Everyone was dressed fabulously and the room was dripping with elegance and poise. We even saw Julianne Hough dancing her way back to her hotel suite in a glittery, sequined jumpsuit after performing at the tree lighting. It was so much fun to bask in the glory that is The Plaza.
After enjoying our cocktails, we returned to our room. It was exceedingly large with a king bed, a roll away, a sofa, two televisions, a dresser, two large arm chairs, a desk, a wet bar, two spacious closets and two bathrooms. The main bathroom was insane. Gold mosaic tiling filled the space with 24-karat gold-plated sinks and fixtures. The shower alone was almost the size of my entire apartment bathroom. The bath products were Guerlain, a famous French perfume and skincare house.
We ended our night with pizza, of course, and a robust night of Disney music karaoke. I’m not sure if I’ll ever have the opportunity again to stay at The Plaza, but here’s to hoping. This was one Wednesday I will always remember.
