Leave it to nightlife impresarios Henry Stimler (of SOHO restaurant, Jezebel) and Seth Greenberg (of the luxurious, Manhattan event space, Capitale) to produce events that have been named among the “Top 10 Parties to Attend." The parties have brought hundreds of New Yorkers out and about in the middle of a cold January. Following their last successful endeavor, Midnight in Paris, the team was back on January 26th with Casino Royale, a James Bond-themed gala.
Set in Capitale, a former bank vault with an electric history, the Casino Royale-themed event brought the beautiful people of New York out to play. Dressed in gowns, sequins, bow-ties and James Bond-like costumes, partygoers were greeted by gold-painted, lingerie-clad girls serving martinis (shaken, not stirred) and sexy appetizers from Stimler's restaurant, Jezebel. Guests were seen using the 007 ice sculpture as a backdrop for pictures; and while the top tier bottle service provided at the event was delivered only to tables and VIP rooms, other guests sampled shots from Alcatran Tequila.
A live symphony orchestra performed songs alongside several glittering singers, gamblers played on the gaming tables, trying their luck at craps, roulette and blackjack and a few lucky attendees had their fortunes read by the sultry tarot card reader. Later in the evening DJ Antonio de Angelis of Pacha Ibiza entertained the late-night crowd with beats that went until 4 am. Stimler also celebrated his birthday that evening, with a curvy-figured cake delivered by the golden ladies and a personal burlesque performer. Twenty percent of the ticket sales went to the Tunnel of Towers in support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
