Valentine’s leaving you cold? There’s no better way to warm up in New York than with a night of good ol’ fashioned partying. Read on for our edit of the Big Apple’s juiciest haunts.
More than a decade on from the New York burlesque comeback, OG vaudeville theatre The Box is still going strong and pulling in the city’s most exclusive crowd. Throw on your gladrags and cut your own opulent rug among glittering chandeliers, operatic decor, balcony booths, A-listers and titillating theatrical and burlesque performances. Reservations are a serious must.
If a simple shimmy is not enough for you, amp up the vamp at Brooklyn’s House of Yes, where creative, whimsical attire is nigh-on mandatory, and “casual attire” — and a casual approach to reservations — will leave you out in the cold. This laundromat turned flamboyant Bushwick boîte and OTT arts theatre is the closest you’ll get to the New York nightlife of yore, with aerialists, magicians, and gyrating cage dancers blurring the boundaries between performer and audience. Check their website for booking details, including a list of local stores stocking suitably outlandish fashion.
New York’s glamazons and glitterati fling themselves down the rabbit hole at bi-level West Village wonderland Up & Down. The warmly-lit ballroom-esque upstairs sports a classic clubby atmos with Cristal and sparklers galore, plus a hip-hop soundtrack, while the sultry downstairs, complete with pool table and velvety snugs, is ideal for some chill time. Look out for the two secret rooms.
If you’re after a slouchier hipster vibe, hotfoot it to Brooklyn’s best backyard BBQ Nowadays. Everyone from the double-denim crew to raver fams frequent this twinkly Edison bulb-lit garden cum nightclub, founded by the DJs behind the popular Mister Sunday and Mister Saturday Night dance parties.
For more in New York City devilry…
