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Built on Integrity: The Gregg Schenker Story
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The cover feature this month features Gregg Schenker, president of ABS Partners Real Estate. He is one of my dearest friends that I’ve known for over 40 years—when he began at Helmsley Spear. He was working with Harry Helmsley, Alvin Schwartz, Earle Altman and Steven Hornstock. What led to the relationship I have with Gregg stems from my father, Irving Mann, partnering with Harry Helmsley. My father was a legendary name in the fashion industry, and Helmsley, who owned many of the buildings in the fashion district, partnered with my father through Irving Schneider, and they started investing in real estate together. I believe their first acquisition together was the Empire State Building in 1942, before I was born. Years down the line, as a result of working with my father in the fashion industry, I had proposed he, along with my brothers, start a commercial brokerage firm: The Mann Group. I knew all the landlords and tenants, and my instincts proved me right with the firm being an instant success.
Two brokers I had worked the most with were Gregg Schenker and Steven Hornstock. They ended up being brokers for two buildings—1001 Avenue of the Americas and the Bricken Arcade. I was a person who knew everyone on 1400 Broadway—all the businesses with showrooms, a shipping and back office. I knew the manufacturers in 1400 Broadway would benefit most from being at 1001 Avenue of the Americas and the Bricken Arcade. This is how the story of Mann and Schenker truly started.
That friendship allowed for me to watch the evolution that was Helmsley Spear to ABS. And here we are now because of my branching into starting a newsletter called Fashion Mannuscript for people in the garment industry during the time of my family’s brokerage firm, a time where I felt the industry needed a specific voice. What started out as a newsletter became a magazine, and a place where I can shine a light to individuals like Gregg and Steve, who have a great success story worth reading.
The rest of the magazine contains the many great stories that we include. We have been receiving more inquiries from the residential world because of who advertises with us and the photo events we showcase. We seem to be covering a new niche with this developing interest. One of the events you will see in this issue is of Christie’s International.
Every month, whether in New York or Palm Beach, I go to—as well as receive—top-notch events and then feature them in the magazine. Everything else in the magazine has been carefully selected by our editor Penelope and I. I can’t believe how much content we get, but we carefully select our choices so that we can provide the best and most interesting content for our readers.
We wish you all a Happy Passover and Easter
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
― Maya Angelou
Hello Everyone!
I usually start off speaking of the weather because at least here in NYC, it often feels like a crisis of some sort during the winter. It is April now so I hope warm days are ahead of us soon. Now, with our beloved Mann About Town magazine, I always like to provide lovely reads that touch as many individuals as it can with the variety of content I share. Let’s dive into the summation of it all.
An art installation, an art-filled loft, a venue with an ARTist—take an eye stroll through our Out on the Town photo events. You’ll learn how Priscilla Presley is advocating for mental health services, a major art installation appeared on the Park Avenue Mall opposite The Armory and of Judith Pisar opening her Fifth Avenue art-filled loft for Young Concert Artists to announce their 65th Anniversary Gala on April 7th.
When it comes to fashion, we have some fun new options to wear with Scotch & Soda’s Jean-Michel Basquiat inspired collection and XTRATUF’s performance-driven collection of street-ready style shoes.
I feel as if there is a little bit of everything in this issue, but it can all tie together. Take these collections for example—you can also spritz some Floral Street, “Bridgerton”-inspired perfume on you and apply some Ilia Beauty makeup all while
listening to Chloe Jane’s new classical pop single, “Sleepless Nights.” You can also watch MexicanAmerican actress Veronica Long on the all-new procedural drama “Blue Skies,” which blends mystery and action with emotional storytelling and the heartwarming bond between a detective and her canine companion. So this means it is only right for those animal lovers to invest in their pets with The D Diamond New York—a luxury jewelry line for these pals of ours.
Don’t worry though, for our readers that love travel and food, we still have some stellar destinations, drinks and eats. The Eighth and Area 15 are something to check out for sure.
And for our cover, we have Gregg Schenker, founder, president and co-managing partner of ABS Partners Real Estate. He has brought integrity, honesty and discipline to all that he does. Going above and beyond with what he puts his mind and energy to has paved the way for his successful journey.
I won’t take up any more time here, so start reading!
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Inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s Autobiography
The official ribbon cutting for Christie’s International Real Estate Group’s Wright Group Art Gallery— in the 1920’s Hall Building located in the heart of historic Montclair, New Jersey, at 46 Church Street— was held March 11th. Gallery owners Curtis and Erica Wright, both award-winning brokers with the esteemed Christie's brokerage firm, selected internationally recognized contemporary artist John Ransom Philips for the inaugural exhibition. This is the global premiere of Phillips’ series, “Born to Remember,” which was inspired by New Jersey icon Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography “Born to Run.”
A portion of art proceeds will benefit the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
The Wrights’ mission is to bridge the worlds of fine art and luxury real estate in this renovated space. Not only brokers, but selected brand ambassadors for Christie’s, the Wrights are liaisons to the legendary auction house and work seamlessly with clients on both their
real estate portfolios and personal collections. The collegiate Gothic-style Hall Building is exclusively represented by The Wright Group, with the gallery on the street level. The Wrights partnered with premier designer Rachael H. Grochowski of RHG Architecture + Design to create a space that provides an elevated atmosphere for both the fine art gallery and their luxury real estate services.
The well attended event drew Montclair Mayor Dr. Renee Baskerville, Christie’s International Real Estate Group’s Executive Vice President Sonja Cullaro and Executive Director of the Montclair Center Business Improvement District, Jason Gleason.
Wright Group Gallery is by appointment MondayFriday (weekends upon request). For more information on the gallery and exhibitions, please visit WrightGroupGallery.com.
The Center for Family Services Palm Beach County held their signature fundraiser, The Old Bags Luncheon (OBL) at the iconic Breakers Palm Beach. The event combines fashion, philanthropy and social engagement, attracting some of the most influential individuals in the region to support the critical work of the organization. Palm Beach County continues to experience a growing need for accessible mental health services, with families facing challenges such as economic hardships, trauma and mental health disparities. The Center for Family Services serves as a beacon of hope, offering these families the resources and professional care needed to overcome adversity. This year’s event sold out in record time once tickets became available with a long wait list.
This year, the 2026 OBL Celebrity Speaker was Priscilla Presley—cultural icon, actress and philanthropist who brought her singular story and passion for advocacy to The Breakers ballroom. The OBL 2026 “It Bag” designer was RobertJames. Handcrafted in the United States by master artisans, the OBL 2026 IT Bag features jewelry-like platinum-tone hardware that gleams with understated sophistication. The versatile chain allows for multiple expressions of wear—short shoulder, long shoulder or effortless crossbody,
ensuring timeless elegance for every occasion. The auction of the OBL 2026 IT Bag broke the record for the highest sum raised, contributing to the center’s critical fundraising drive for mental health services.
Notable attendees at the event included: Priscilla Presley, Lora Drasner, Marzia Precoda, James Norton, Robert Walden, Dr. Norman, Mia Rowe, Dr. Charles and Anna Pierce, Dr. Ruth Celestin, Veronica Webb, Joan Yanow, Sonja Stevens, Audrey Gruss, Karen Swanson, Jamee Gregory, Ramona Singer, Lois Pope, Jean Shafiroff, Alyssa D. Quinlan, Michelle Russell-Johnson, Barbara Pendrill, Theodora Pace, Amy Abrams, Bobbi Brown, Aileen Carlucci, Terri Schottenstein, Diana Retzer, Cecilia Wehrle, Renee Scott, Lisa Harwood, Jessica Cristobal, Kimberly Hogan, Aimee Lettich-Pearson, Gisela Gaudreau, Kristen Cottiero, Joseph and Max McNamara, G. Russel, Mariam Hagan, Arlette Gordon, Barbara and Allison Nicklaus, Francis Lindner, Sybil Yurman, Cassie Donegan, Valerie Cooper, Beth Fishel, Tracy Turco, Robin Fleming, Ruchi Kotahwala, Shawn Jan, Christine Rezvanian, Danielle Rollins, Todd L’Herrou and Lyndsey McMillan.
Judith Pisar opened her Fifth Avenue art-filled loft for Young Concert Artists (YCA) to announce their 65th Anniversary Gala, occurring April 7, 2026.
“For 65 years we have been helping young musicians at a pivotal moment in their careers,” said YCA President Daniel Kellogg. “350 musicians have come through the organization, receiving the life-changing opportunities that our community provides. This is thanks to our founder, Susan Wadsworth. When I first met you, as a brand new artist on the roster in 2002, I was quite intimidated because you are a legend, a formidable presence in our field, and because of what you have done with your life and your passion. It is a great responsibility and privilege to follow in your footsteps.” Susan Wadsworth shared, “I have worked with great musicians, and those musicians have given me my life… everybody who has joined YCA has given us the power, the energy and the artistry that allowed the organization to thrive.”
“As many of you know, Susan and I were just kids, barely the age of some of YCA’s youngest musicians, sharing an office, when she set out to invest her time in finding new music, new artists, young artists—at the time it was quite a revolution,” said Pisar, a YCA Board member and longtime friend of YCA founder Susan Wadsworth. “Decades later, Young Concert Artists remains a pioneering organization that continues to move the needle for classical music. The excitement of discovering new musicians each year is rejuvenating and brings hope at a time when we really need it. Art is the ultimate common language and a way to foster exchange and dialogue.”
The evening featured YCA artists Chaeyoung Park (piano), Oliver Neubauer (violin) and Benett Tsai (cello), performing Fritz Kreisler’s Viennese Rhapsodic Fantasietta, Claude Debussy’s Beau soir, David Popper’s Serenade, Op. 52, No. 2, Gabriel Fauré’s Papillon, Op. 77 and a thrilling rendition of Maurice Ravel’s La valse.
The upcoming 65th Anniversary Gala will honor distinguished YCA alumni Carter Brey, principal Cello of the New York Philharmonic, and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, artistic director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival. The event is co-chaired by Eva-Marie and Ray Berry, Marijke and Lodewijk de Vink, Angela and William Haines, Andrew Hawkins and Lisa Walsh-Hawkins, Michael L. Lubin, Judith Pisar, Paul J. Sekhri, Mark Duvall Gude and Cathy Stone.
At the kickoff soirée, guests included board members Paul Gridley, Sharon Bowen Gurtler, Karen Lindquist, Michael L. Lubin, Judith Schlosser and Ratna Subrahmanyam; YCA alumni Carter Brey, Courtenay Budd, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Ida Kavafian, Anne-Marie McDermott, Todd Palmer, Paul Shaw and Pinchas Zukerman, as well as Lee Auchincloss, Eva-Marie and Ray Berry, Ilse Melamid, Liane Pei, Leah Pisar, Nathan Saint-Amand, Mary Tanner and Stanley Shuman.
Young Concert Artists is the premier force in discovering and launching the careers of classical music’s future leaders. The organization empowers gifted musicians to become “cultural ambassadors” through the transformative YCA Jacobs Fellowship. This three-year program, accessed via the prestigious Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, provides artists with comprehensive management, global performance opportunities and highprofile debuts in New York City and Washington, DC. By fostering a farreaching professional network and a legacy of artistic excellence, YCA has shaped the trajectories of world-renowned alumni—including Emanuel Ax, Pinchas Zukerman and Julia Bullock—ensuring the continued reach and relevance of the art form for global audiences. For more information, please visit yca.org
Quietly, a major art installation appeared on the Park Avenue Mall opposite The Armory —Talisman: A Sacred Grove, a new work by Michele Oka Doner.
The event was celebrated inside the Armory with nearly 150 guests hosted by Elihu Rose and Barbara Tober. Opening the evening was a conversation with Michele Oka Doner and Micky Wolfson (founder of The Wolfsonian Museum) and author Kai Bird. “I wanted to bring back the primeval forest that used to exist here in New York. It’s an organic thing, it’s alive, and it will change, as the city does,” said Oka Doner. Wolfson added, “Michele Oka Doner’s objects demand participation and dialogue. These talismans are a sort of new language through her, which is the intimate element of her creations.”
Following the conversation, guests moved to the Armory’s elaborate “Tiffany Room” where champagne and a dozen seafood towers, provided by the artist’s longtime friend Keith McNally (Balthazar), refreshed the art lovers.
Oka Doner’s sons Jordan and Jeremy Doner, and her husband, Fred Doner, welcomed guests, including His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Sultan bin Fahad, bin Nasser, bin Abdulaziz and Princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, Paola Antonelli, Carrie Rebora Barratt, Laurie Beckelman, Cora Cahan, Amy Cappellazzo, Kyle DeWoody, Layla Diba, Tiffany Dubin, Jane Farhi and James Barron, Joanna Fisher, Anthony Haden-Guest, Rachel Hovnanian, YueSai Kan and Alan Pollack, Harold Koda and Alan Kornberg, Irina and Andres Serrano, Betsy Sussler and Ruben Toledo.
The project was commissioned by The Sculpture Committee of The Fund for Park Avenue, with additional support from The Lionheart Foundation, The New York Foundation for the Arts and Barbara Tober’s Acronym Fund.
The talismans, drawn from folklore and mythic forms, hang from trees native to the area and will be visible, especially after dark, when fiberoptic lights illuminate them. Over nine months, the vegetation will evolve, the project remaining on view through November. The talismans range from five inches to a foot and a half, handcrafted out of pulp and organic materials. Placed on a raised platform, planted with bushes, foliage and 25 trees native to Manhattan, sourced from Long Island and Upstate New York, with a dedicated “water nanny” to maintain them. The installation took four days to complete, involving cranes and a team of 10.
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Jerseys are in vogue—Marc Cain brings stadium style to the streets
Jerseys are this season’s must-have item. Straight from the stadium to the city center, they are taking the fashion scene by storm and becoming a hot trend piece. Following on from tennis, skiing and golf, the new Marc Cain jersey continues the popular sports club series and combines a dynamic sports look with modern, urban style. The Marc Cain jersey in rosé combines an oversized cut, flowing, lightweight jersey fabric and sporty details with urban style. Contrasts such as the knitted polo collar in white, stripes with a subtle leopard print, detailed patches and the number 73 on the back as a tribute to the year Marc Cain was founded make the shirt a fashion statement off the pitch. Perfect for anyone who wants to combine sporty chic with modern street style, this must-have item will be available from May 2026, just in time for the World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Since its foundation in 1973, Marc Cain has stood for high-quality fashion that combines innovation, precision and timeless elegance. They design garments with unique knitwear designs, extraordinary prints and radiant colors for modern, self-confi dent women who love fashion and value unique design and these high-quality materials. From the first collections to the international success story—their journey is characterized by passion, creativity and the pursuit of perfection.
Shapellx: The Mother’s Day Gift That Supports Her Every Day
This Mother’s Day, Shapellx celebrates moms with gifts designed to support the way they truly live their lives; balancing work, family and everything in between. Known for its innovative shaping technology and elevated design, Shapellx off ers solution-based pieces that combine sculpting support with everyday comfort, making them a thoughtful gift for women who rarely put themselves fi rst. Unlike traditional shapewear that can feel thick, restrictive and uncomfortable, Shapellx styles are engineered with breathable fabrics and flexible construction that move with the body. The brand’s targeted sculpting technology helps smooth and support the midsection while maintaining a lightweight feel, addressing the natural body changes many women experience after motherhood. What makes Shapellx especially fi tting for Mother’s Day is its versatility. These pieces are designed for real life. They’re easy to wear from morning routines and school drop-off s to work meetings and evening downtime without sacrifi cing comfort or confi dence. It’s shaping that works quietly in the background while moms focus on what matters most.
Available through premium retailers like Nordstrom and the brand’s online store, Shapellx blends modern style with performance-driven designs that empower women to feel supported, comfortable and confi dent every day.
About Shapellx
Shapellx is a full-category shapewear brand built on cutting-edge shaping technology and refined design aesthetics. Through premium international retailers such as Nordstrom and its own online platform, Shapellx connects with women who value both quality and style. The brand is dedicated to meeting the dual needs of fashion expression and body contouring in everyday wear, empowering women to radiate confi dence from the inside out.
Scotch & Soda, the Amsterdam-based fashion brand, released their latest collection featuring the work of the legendary American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Bringing together Basquiat’s powerful artwork with Scotch & Soda’s commitment to artistic expression and creativity, the collection highlights his energetic imagery and text in a new context reinforcing his lasting legacy.
As a Brooklyn-born artist, New York City’s rich culture had a heavy influence on Basquiat’s work. He drew inspiration from its music, history, energy and social issues to create raw and layered artwork, often featuring expressive figures, fragmented text and impactful symbols. Similarly, Scotch & Soda uses the vibrant culture of Amsterdam as an ever-evolving source of inspiration.
Basquiat was known for combining high art with street culture, and this collection showcases how his work continues to influence both contemporary art and fashion. It is a celebration of the intersection of the two worlds and a tribute to legacy, urban culture and the role clothing and art play in selfexpression. Scotch & Soda’s refined textures and signature silhouettes offer a new background for Basquiat’s archival artwork. The men’s, women’s and kids’ collections include graphic t-shirts adorned with Basquiat’s highly recognizable crown logo, Scotch & Soda’s signature Zee denim, a camp collar top and bomber featuring rich embroidery, and distinct Breton stripe tops.
The collection also features Basquiat’s “Unbreakable” painting as a new allover statement print. Featuring Basquiat’s signature unfiltered energy and expressive language, it is layered with bold colors and fragmented symbols. The painting was a natural fit for Scotch & Soda, embracing imperfection and mixing street culture with refined craftsmanship. It reflects a spirit of confidence shaped by experience and strength that comes not from being untouched, but from enduring and evolving.
“At Scotch & Soda we celebrate individuality, authenticity and self-expression, and Basquiat’s raw and energetic artwork falls very much in line with that ethos,” said Joey Gabbay, CEO at Bluestar Alliance, Scotch & Soda’s parent company. “Through this collection, his masterpieces are reimagined, merging his bold artistic language with our signature design DNA to create pieces that are expressive and creative.”
The Jean-Michel Basquiat x Scotch & Soda collection is available at scotchandsoda.com (Europe and the United States) and select retailers with prices ranging from $48 to $268. For more information, visit scotchandsoda.com or follow Scotch & Soda on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
XTRATUF is charting new territory this season with Out of the Ordinary—a collection that reimagines the brand’s legacy of uncompromising performance through a more fashion-forward lens. Long trusted by those who work on the water, the brand now brings that same durability and reliability to everyday life, designing boots that feel just as natural on city streets as they do along the coast.
Blending signature functionality with contemporary design, the collection introduces modern silhouettes tailored to today’s versatile, on-the-go lifestyle. Rooted in XTRATUF’s coastal DNA, each style is built to handle shifting conditions while delivering a refined, street-ready aesthetic that elevates casual outfitting.
“Every once in a while, we like to develop something a little different,” said Mike Roundhouse, vice president of XTRATUF. “This season, we set out to create a boot that brings our tried-and-true performance features into a more trend-forward, street-worthy design.”
Inspired by the iconic Ankle Deck Boot, Out of the Ordinary introduces updated styling and new features that make it distinctly its
own. A slip-resistant, non-marking vulcanized rubber outsole provides dependable traction, while recycled-yarn webbing pull tabs allow for easy on-and-off—even with cold hands. A molded Biolite footbed delivers lasting comfort throughout the day.
Wearability sits at the core of the collection. Soft pull tabs, cushioned support and a flexible fit ensure the boots move effortlessly from morning commutes to weekend errands, and evenings out with performance you don’t have to think about, in a look you’ll want to wear everywhere.
The debut assortment arrives in a curated palette that balances versatility with personality. Men’s styles come in Dark Sea Green and Cloud Vintage Indigo—understated hues with depth—while women’s options in Vintage Indigo/Glacier Lake and Fig/Lilac offer subtle contrast and a fresh pop of color. Together, the tones echo coastal landscapes while feeling distinctly modern.
With Out of the Ordinary, XTRATUF expands its legacy beyond the docks, inviting a new generation to experience boots that deliver trusted performance, everyday comfort and style that transitions wherever the day leads.
BY MERILEE KERN, MBA
Nestled within an upscale residential neighborhood, just a short five-minute drive from Puerto Vallarta airport, the AAA Four Diamond Casa Velas stands as a serene, adults-only boutique resort exemplifying standards in the luxury all-inclusive sector. As part of the prestigious Velas Resorts portfolio—renowned for being the only chain with four properties in U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top 25 all-inclusive resorts in Mexico— Casa Velas continues to exceed expectations with its unique charm and bespoke hospitality. Unlike traditional hotels, this Spanish hacienda-esque resort feels like a private estate replete with attentive staff members who add a personalized touch to the guest experience.
The 80 traditional, artwork-adorned Mexican-styled suites at Casa Velas are designed for utmost comfort, each featuring a private terrace with a plunge pool or in-suite Jacuzzi, hypo-allergenic pillows, goose down feather duvets, free WiFi, satellite TV, safe deposit box, coffee maker, bathrobes and slippers, L’Occitane bath products and a fully stocked mini bar. Guests can choose from five room types: Master Suite, Grand Class Suite, Ambassador Suite, Governor Suite or the Presidential Suite.
For those seeking copious privacy and space to spread out, the 3,000-squarefoot, four-bedroom Presidential Suite is a haven offering a top-end luxury escape. The space, suited for up to eight guests, boasts original artwork by Mexican artist Sergio Bustamante, a large dining room, living room, master suite with a spacious marble-laden bathroom and an expansive terrace with an oversized plunge pool and Jacuzzi. It also comes complete with its own butler and bartender. It’s worth noting that Casa Velas actually has Bustamante’s sculptures in the majority of the suites, allowing most guests to enjoy the captivatingly authentic artwork.
Amidst its Spanish-style architecture and captivating interior design, the resort is ensconced in a lush garden setting on the 18-hole Marina Vallarta Golf Course. The tropical landscaping and abundant flora and fauna woven throughout the entirety of the hotel create a breathtaking setting, attracting wildlife—including Koi ponds and “pet” snapping turtles.
For golf enthusiasts, Casa Velas guests receive special access and discounts at Marina Vallarta and Vista Vallarta Golf Clubs. For its part, the par 71 layout of Marina Vallarta’s 18-hole golf course, designed by Joe Finger, is rife with flourishing vegetation, wildlife-laden lagoons and beautiful views of Banderas Bay. Guests can also enjoy discounted golf privileges at two other top 18-hole, 72 par golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf located at the Vista Vallarta Golf Club only 20 minutes away.
Casa Velas guests can soak up the sun at its private pool cushioned in a tropical landscape that overlooks the golf course. Its swim-up Aqua Bar ensures refreshments—including local brews, tropical drinks and classic Mexican cocktails crafted from premium liquor brands.
The newest offering at Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta allows guests to experience pure relaxation with their own “Wellness Cabana.” Available in the intimate space of their suite or at the botanical garden adjacent to the spa labyrinth, wellness-focused amenities include aromatherapy, a personal speaker with calming meditation music, spa water, a Muse meditation headband and mandala adult coloring books, among other items.
For those desiring to unwind and explore off-site, the resort also provides complimentary shuttle service to the private Táu Beach Club, offering guests a beachside retreat with cushioned loungers, cabanas, food and beverage service for lunch and dinner, and a pristine infinity pool and Jacuzzi area proffering idyllic panoramic views of the sparkling sea. Plus, the property is a mere 15 minutes from the popular downtown area, where there are art galleries and the famed El Malecon boardwalk.
Also making Casa Velas a standout is its elevated gourmet food and beverage program, which raises the bar for all-inclusive hotels globally. The on-site, AAA Four Diamond Emiliano restaurant offers guests unlimited access to gourmet cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The intimate, romantic indoor/outdoor dining space provides lovely vistas of the pool and vibrant golf course beyond. Each evening, Emiliano features a five-course gourmet tasting menu created and overseen by head chefs from its sister resort, the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit. Rotating each night, menus include Mexican, French and Italian-Mediterranean.
A novel offering is the resort’s “taco therapy”—Casa Velas’ latest food and beverage offering for guests assisting in anxiety and stress relief, improving sleep quality and boosting antioxidants. The new tasting experience features four curated tacos that provide holistic benefits for the mind, body and soul.
There are an array of other activities at the resort as well. “Workshops range from arts and crafts such as natural jewelry and abanicos, to culinary workshops such as the Molcajete option, where guests explore Mexican culinary traditions,” said Enrique Sinencio, the resort’s general manager. “Another activity is DIY Botanical Cocktails, where guests can pick their ingredients for their drink at the onsite garden. Perfect for creative beverage concoctions, the garden features rosemary, lavender, mint, basil, lemongrass,
peppermint, a Mexican tea called epazote, aloe vera, sage, nopales cactus pads, thyme, tamarind, jackfruit, mango, guava and more. Our mixologist will use the selected ingredients to make a personalized botanical cocktail to enjoy on the Koi pond-dotted terrace. Varieties of fruits, herbs, vegetables and botanicals are also used in the cuisine and spa treatments at Casa Velas.”
For the health conscious, a spa food menu is available as well. Casa Velas’ commitment to excellence extends to its impressive on-site organic botanical garden, where the resort grows its own herbs, flowers and vegetables. These fresh ingredients find their way into cocktails and culinary creations, adding a farm-to-table element to the dining experience. The beverage offerings at Emiliano, and throughout the entirety of Casa Velas, are equally impressive, featuring premium domestic and international wines and liquors. Also enjoyable are sprit-induced nightly events like wine pairings and beer, tequila, wine, martini and other food and beverage tastings that foster socialization among guests.
Relative to in-suite victuals, the resort's in-suite mini bars also depart from the ordinary by offering healthy, freshly-made options on-demand. This includes two different selections of crudités—a “Mexican turnip” with a combination of carrots, cucumber and jicama; and another including celery, beetroot and pineapple. These come complete with three different choices of dressing: mango, chipotle or basil, to enhance flavor while keeping the snack light and healthy. Guests can also choose from a menu of freshly made juice options available year-round.
Speaking of health, also included in the daily rate for all-inclusive Casa Velas guests is access to its fully equipped gym. A visit to the property also would not be complete without experiencing services at its on-site Abja Spa. The 6,500 square foot sanctuary offers a wide variety of massages, body wraps and facials, a hydrotherapy area, spa boutique and beauty salon.
Notably, Casa Velas is just as committed to the environment as it is to providing impressive guest experiences. “Our luxury resort’s environmental responsibility is a driving force behind the entire operation, from conservation efforts and recycling, to planting our own herb garden,” Sinencio noted. “From natural composting and fertilizing of our onsite gardens, to water-saving initiatives, solar heating, and meticulous separation and processing of all waste and recyclables, Casa Velas sets the benchmark for green tourism and hospitality in Puerto Vallarta and beyond. We also recycle burned cooking oils to a supplier for conversion to biodegradable fuel. Local companies are in charge of processing glass, plastic, metal, cardboard and toxic material to handle their recycling, and proper disposal.”
“In addition, we clean the sand daily of any foreign debris,” Sinencio continued. “Teams of more than 30 employees are organized monthly to thoroughly clean, sweep, dig and sift the sand for extra cleaning. Designated containers are strategically located for the recycling garbage around the property. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Casa Velas has implemented rigorous health and safety protocols in accordance with local and international guidelines. This includes enhanced cleaning procedures, regular sanitization of common areas and the adoption of contactless services where possible. We keep our guests informed through various channels, including our website, social media and direct communication with booked guests. We want everyone to be aware of the measures in place and feel confident in choosing Casa Velas for their stay.”
So pristine the locale, it’s become a highly-coveted option for weddings and other important events. The resort boasts a 3,600 square foot Convention Center that is ideal for meetings, seminars, formal banquets, cocktail gatherings or a spectacular and elegant wedding for up to 300 people. The center of the space is adjacent to the resort’s garden area and the Marina Vallarta 18-hole championship golf course. To ensure a memorable, hasslefree event, Casa Velas provides professional services for planning weddings
from beginning to end. With settings by its beautiful pool area or the Táu Beach Club terrace surrounded by sand and sea, Casa Velas offers unforgettable scenery for the special wedding day.
For utter and complete privacy, groups requiring up to 80 suites can take over the entire hotel to ensure fully private access to pools, beach areas, gardens, activities and restaurants. While at the restaurants, the “bubble buyout” offers a group their own personalized menus prepared with everyone’s diet in mind. Along with having the resort to themselves and custom cuisine, group activities range from DIY mixology with ingredients from the onsite botanical garden, yoga, Mexican wine and craft beer tastings, casino night and more.
With various international dignitaries and multiple Mexican presidents having experienced the resort's hospitality, Casa Velas continues to redefine the all-inclusive category. This pristine property is an ideal choice for discerning travelers who value a personalized and pampered luxury travel experience.
PORTO CERVO’S MOST ANTICIPATED OPENING
Porto Cervo has long been the address of choice for those who know. The yachts, the light, the particular quality of a Sardinian evening — these things are not accidental. And yet, for all its glamour, the Costa Smeralda has never quite offered what its most discerning visitors actually want: Space. Seclusion. The feeling of a home that happens to be magnificent. Until now.
La Tiara di Cervo opens in May 2026—and it arrives as something genuinely new. Not a hotel. Not a villa rental. Something in between, and better than both.
Perched high above Porto Cervo Marina on a hilltop within a protected 10-hectare Mediterranean park, this intimate collection of 26 private residences—one, two and three-bedrooms—has been sculpted from local granite and reclaimed Sardinian stone, conceived to disappear into the landscape rather than impose upon it. The views across the bay are, quite simply, uninterrupted.
What sets La Tiara apart is its insistence on space as the defining luxury. In a destination accustomed to the constraints of the traditional hotel room, these residences offer genuine proportions: generous living areas, fully stocked Sardinian kitchens, terraces that extend into the warm hillside air—all offered alongside the attentiveness of five-star service:
A dedicated concierge. Twice-daily housekeeping. Breakfast prepared in-residence each morning. Private chefs, yacht charters and beauty treatments arranged at a guest's pace, not defined by a hotel’s operational schedule.
The sea, always present from the hilltop above, is equally within reach: reserved sunbeds await at Cala Granu, just minutes away by complimentary shuttle, while the Marina, and everything moored within it, sits moments below via courtesy car.
For evenings that call for something rooted in the island itself, Lu Pisantinu, an established Sardinian trattoria set within the La Tiara estate, offers exactly that—the unhurried warmth and flavor that no hotel restaurant can replicate.
At the helm is Aldo Melpignano, whose vision has quietly shaped some of Italy's most revered independent properties. La Tiara di Cervo is his most compelling statement yet: that true luxury, in 2026, is not what surrounds you— it is how freely you move within it.
La Tiara di Cervo is reached via Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB). The opening of La Tiara di Cervo fabulously coincides with the launch of the first-ever direct flight from New York City to Sardinia via Delta Airlines in May 2026. Rates begin at €500 in the low season, and €1000 at peak.
Pier Sixty-Six Returns
Honoring the Space-Age Architecture That Defined an Era
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the milestone has prompted a renewed look at the cultural moments that shaped the country. From fashion and travel to art and design, the past two and a half centuries reveal a nation constantly imagining what comes next. Few periods captured that spirit of optimism quite like the mid-20th century.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Space Race captured the national imagination, highways expanded across the country and a new architectural language emerged to match the moment. Known as Googie, the futuristic architectural style embraced sweeping lines,
dramatic angles and space-age motifs designed to catch the attention of drivers speeding past in cars.
In South Florida, one of the most striking examples opened in 1965 along the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale: Pier Sixty-Six.
The historic site began as a fuel dock for Phillips 66 Petroleum in the 1950s along the famed Intracoastal Waterway. Over time, the location evolved into a world-class marina in what would become known as the yachting capital of the world. In the 1960s, the Pier Sixty-Six hotel and its iconic spire tower were built, forever changing Fort Lauderdale’s skyline.
The 17-story tower quickly became one of Florida’s most recognizable expressions of Googie architecture. At its peak sat the rotating Pier Top cocktail lounge, offering panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway as the room slowly revolved above the harbor.
“At the time it opened, Pier Top was an expression of the future,” said Colm O’Callaghan, managing director of Pier Sixty-Six. “It captured a moment when travel, technology and design were all moving forward at the same time.”
The lounge quickly became a social hub for Fort Lauderdale. Celebrities, yacht owners and international travelers gathered for sunset cocktails and sweeping waterfront views, making Pier Sixty-Six one of South Florida’s most recognizable destinations. The property and its exceptional waterfront location drew civic leaders, local society and visitors from around the world.
The property closed in 2017, beginning a yearslong multi-billion-dollar redevelopment led by Tavistock Development Company. In 2025, Pier Sixty-Six reopened as a reimagined resort and residential destination while restoring the landmark that defined it.
“When you are working with a place that holds so many memories for a community, you approach it with a lot of respect,” O’Callaghan said. “Preserving the original elements of Pier Sixty-
Six was not just about maintaining aesthetics. It was about protecting the character and history that made the property so special for generations of visitors.”
At the center of the transformation was the preservation of Pier Top and its distinctive Googie architectural identity. The legendary spire tower was fully restored to preserve its bold angular shape and its recognizable crown of trihedrons, which pay homage to the V-shaped canopy design of Phillips 66 gas stations from the 1950s.
“The tower is the heart of the property,” O’Callaghan said. “When people see it in the skyline, they immediately know where they are.”
Set on 32 waterfront acres, the redevelopment introduced a resort with more than 325 guest rooms and suites, along with the first residential offerings at Pier Sixty-Six featuring 88 luxury condominiums and resort residences. Other standout features include 12 dining destinations and Zenova Spa & Wellness, which spans 13,000 square feet and includes the region’s first snow room.
Each of Pier Sixty-Six’s waterfront structures reflects a distinct coastal identity, with spacious cantilevered balconies and exteriors inspired by natural coastal forms such as coral and windswept sand dunes. Inside, the resort’s interiors celebrate its mid-century modern roots with contemporary design, neutral palettes and expansive windows that frame views of the marina, waterfront and surrounding palm trees.
As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, landmarks like Pier SixtySix offer a glimpse into how Americans once imagined the future. Today, guests who step inside the rotating lounge experience more than a view. They step into a living piece of architectural history.
The body, when rendered with conviction, becomes more than form—it becomes memory, resistance, aspiration and, at times, something approaching the divine. Sculpture has always carried this burden. From the contrapposto elegance of ancient Greek marbles to the tensile, almost unbearable perfection of David, the medium has functioned as a site where humanity negotiates its own permanence. It is exacting work. It demands not only anatomical fluency but an almost philosophical commitment to the figure as a vessel of meaning.
What remains striking—perhaps even unsettling—is how rarely this tradition has fully embraced the Black body with the same technical reverence and historical seriousness. Not absent, never absent but too often sidelined, stylized or conceptually reframed rather than allowed to stand, unequivocally, within the classical canon. Which is why encountering Basil Barrington Watson felt less like a pleasant surprise and more like a necessary correction.
Discovered at the Harlem Fine Arts Show, Watson’s sculptures assert themselves with a kind of poised authority. There is no theatricality, no overstatement. Instead, one is met with a rigorous clarity of form—a sculptural language that is both historically literate and entirely selfpossessed. His figures carry weight, not only physically, but culturally. They stand within space as though they belong there, which, of course, they always have.
The technical command is immediate. Musculature is rendered with a precision that suggests not observation, but understanding. There is an ease in the tension, a fluency in the movement, as though each figure exists midthought rather than mid-pose. Bronze, in his hands, does not feel static. It circulates. It holds energy. It resolves into gesture.
This level of control is not incidental. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and the son of Barrington Watson, Watson was shaped within a lineage of artistic discipline from the outset. His training at the Jamaica School of Art provided a formal foundation, though his evolution into one of the Caribbean’s most accomplished figurative sculptors speaks to something deeper—an enduring commitment to craft, refined over decades of practice.
That refinement becomes particularly resonant in his public works. Watson has produced major monuments across the United States and internationally, including commanding representations of John Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. These are not passive commemorations. They resist inertia. His figures lean forward, carry momentum and insist on presence. Even in stillness, there is movement.
His sculpture of Usain Bolt exemplifies this sensibility. Rather than freezing the athlete into a singular moment, Watson captures something more elusive—the sensation of speed itself. It is an ambitious undertaking, and one he executes with remarkable clarity, allowing the viewer to experience motion as both form and idea.
Recognition has followed accordingly. In 2016, Watson was awarded the Order of Distinction (Commander) by the Government of Jamaica, a distinction that underscores both his artistic and cultural impact. His work now occupies a global stage, with installations spanning the United Kingdom, China, Guatemala and multiple cities across the United States. Each placement reinforces his role within a broader, increasingly necessary reconfiguration of sculptural history.
Yet what resonates most is not scale but intention. Watson’s work operates without excess. There is no ornamental distraction, no unnecessary flourish. Each piece feels distilled, reduced to its essential elements, allowing the figure to communicate with clarity and force. There is a confidence in this approach—a refusal to obscure meaning behind complexity.
Perhaps most compelling is the way his sculptures recalibrate the viewer’s expectations. They do not ask to be contextualized as exceptions or departures. They exist, instead, as continuations—fully realized contributions to a lineage that has always been more expansive than it has been allowed to appear.
Standing before his work, one senses not only technical brilliance but a broader cultural shift. The canon is not static. It is not closed. It is, in fact, still being written.
Basil Barrington Watson is writing himself into it with undeniable precision.
Basilsculpture.com
Nike, Pepsi, Louis Vuitton, Snoopy, Uniqlo, Nintendo, Sesame Street: Iconic yet totally different brands that all have one man in common.
Beginning May 1, 2026, the Design Museum in London will stage the very first retrospective on Nigo. The visionary designer and creative director is credited as one of the first designers to bridge the worlds of streetwear and luxury fashion. One of the founding fathers of “hype culture,” Nigo has applied his creative mind to some of the world’s most recognizable brands and cultural icons, as well as pioneering his own streetwear and luxury fashion labels.
Nigo, the first Japanese artistic director of Paris fashion house Kenzo since its founder Kenzo Takada, rose to prominence with his streetwear brand A Bathing Ape (BAPE) in the 1990s. Nigo went on to launch Billionaire Boys Club with American musician Pharell Williams in 2003 and Human Made in 2010. Recognized for his unique ability to identify trends and sample cultural references across wide-ranging disciplines, Nigo is responsible for setting some of the most influential trends in recent fashion history. Over the course of his 30-year career, he has successfully bridged fashion, music, architecture and interior design, infusing a range of influences spanning vintage Americana, streetwear, hip-hop, traditional Japanese craft and growing up in 1980s Tokyo.
Featuring over 700 objects—with 600 from Nigo’s own personal archive—the exhibition will chart Nigo’s expansive career from the back streets of Harajuku to the runways in Paris. Highlights include a recreation of his teenage bedroom, rare and early era BAPE designs, ceramics handthrown by Nigo himself and a life-size glass tea house made specially for the exhibition.
Nigo said, “I am truly honored for my first retrospective exhibition to be held at the Design Museum in London, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to present my work in such an iconic space.”
The exhibition will be split into four sections: The Future is in the Past, Evolution, The Nigo Effect and New Traditions
Beginning with a replica of Nigo’s 1980s teenage bedroom, visitors will be able to examine objects collected and preserved from his youth that shaped his creative influences. As elements of American culture trickled into Japanese fashion and music following the post-Second World War military occupation, Nigo’s collection of childhood ephemera represents a meeting of two worlds.
Fascinated by Americana, Nigo started collecting objects as a teen and developed a signature style donning 1950s Levi’s denim jackets, vintage baseball caps and varsity jackets, several of which will be exhibited. He has amassed over 10,000 pieces in his personal archive, which until now has been kept mostly private. As part of this first section, Nigo has personally selected 300 objects that are both meaningful and have shaped his craft and approach to design. Nigo chose USM Modular Furniture to showcase his personal archive in the exhibition, the same shelving system used to display his collection in his Tokyo studio.
Cherished figurines and toys, including Donald Duck, Felix the Cat and Star Wars characters, will be on show with his Japanese toys, music and magazines from the era, demonstrating this mingling of cultures. This fusion can be seen in a vintage film poster for Tom Hank’s American classic “Big” translated into Japanese, or a Japanese tabletop game reimaging the favorite American pastime: baseball. This mix of figurines, objects and ephemera sets the distinctive stage of 1980s Tokyo and the influences that would go on to inspire Nigo to this day.
The second section, “Evolution,” leads from Nigo’s early career with his first store Nowhere, co-founded with fashion designer Jun Takahashi in 1993, part of the “Ura-Hara” scene centered around the backstreets of Harajuku, Tokyo. In the same year, Nigo launched his clothing line BAPE. This section features early design drawings from Nigo’s time at fashion college as well as rare early era BAPE clothing items: sweatshirts, t-shirts and a variety of jackets including nylon, camo, varsity and puffer styles.
A marketing maverick, Nigo soon developed the model of limited-edition runs, novel packaging and exciting collaborations that fueled collecting and hype culture. T-shirt packaging that looks like spray cans, membership cards that resemble credit cards and collaborations with the likes of Kaws, Mac, Pepsi, Disney and Nintendo are just some of the ingenious creations that feature in the exhibition.
Being one of the first to break down the barrier between streetwear and luxury set Nigo’s designs apart and propelled him to the global stage, introducing him to leading American hip-hop artists including regular collaborator Pharrell. Nigo’s love for fashion is intrinsically tied to his love for music, styling several of his favorite artists from the 1990s into the 2000s, launching his own record label BAPE Sounds and forming the band Teriyaki Boyz. Teriyaki Boyz CDs will be on show alongside playful merchandise, including snow globes, playing cards, figurines, stamps and even a model of a Teriyaki Boyz branded burger.
design. In this section we see collaborations with the same brands that inspired and defined Nigo’s childhood, drawing parallels between the objects he collected as a child in his bedroom and the projects he went on to create.
Known for his signature sunglasses, his “Millionaire,” “Bolivia” and “Havana” style sunglasses for Louis Vuitton’s Spring-Summer 2005 show will be featured, a collaboration between Marc Jacobs, Pharrell Williams and Nigo. An ensemble from his very recent collaboration with Pharell Williams for the Louis Vuitton menswear Fall-Winter 2025-2026 show will be displayed in conjunction with earlier collaborations with Virgil Abloh for the brand.
Nigo’s ongoing partnership with Nike will be explored, with limited edition t-shirts and a signature Varsity style jacket featuring the Nigo x Nike swoosh emblem. Sealed 2024 Ape-force trainers and the accompanying figurine will be on display, exhibited alongside his other specially designed Air Force III trainers.
“The Nigo Effect” examines Nigo’s career after achieving cult status, a trendsetter who became one of the most soughtafter partners for brands across fashion, music and
The final section, “New Traditions,” will explore Nigo’s personal explorations into Japanese craft and rituals, finding new creative practices in traditional techniques. Following his own motto “The Future is in the Past,” Nigo finds inspiration in heritage and aims to translate this into his contemporary practice. Alongside training to be a master of tea ceremony, Nigo also practices ceramics, creating pottery from his studio in Tokyo and traveling across Japan to learn regional styles. This final section will showcase 25 of his own hand-thrown ceramic creations, in conjunction with a life-size glass tea house made specially for the exhibition, a modern interpretation of a traditional Japanese tea house designed by Nigo in collaboration with exhibition supporter Not a Hotel.
Tim Marlow, director and CEO of the Design Museum said, “Nigo’s contributions to the fashion industry as we know it today are highly significant and under-explored. He has helped redesign the landscape of brand collaboration as well as continuing to blur boundaries between streetwear and luxury. The Design Museum is delighted to present the first global retrospective of his extraordinary career and showcase the impact of a Japanese pioneer on global fashion culture.”
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If you’ve followed luxury real estate and lifestyle media, you’d likely know Jill Lotenberg, of Jillphotography, from her numerous assignments, covers and spreads in Mann Publications— thanks to the publisher, Jeff Mann. As Jill was recapping her latest travel assignments, Jeff Mann graciously offered a tableau to share her world-class travel photos.
Fresh from her journeys with MyLuxCruises, Celebrity Cruises around Europe, Jill invites us
to share a slice of her lens. Her images capture the beauty of the icy Arctic, luscious rainbows weaving between Fjord Waterfalls and the quiet luxury found in fleeting, golden-hour moments. Each frame feels cinematic yet personal— elegant, immersive and alive with detail.
Jill has a gift for turning architecture into art, and travel into narrative. Whether she’s photographing sweeping coastal vistas or intimate onboard gatherings, her work balances
sophistication with spontaneity. She doesn’t just take photographs—she tells visual stories that linger long after the journey ends.
Based in the tri-state area and available beyond, Jill is currently booking portrait, architectural and event assignments. Ready to elevate your next project? She’s prepared to bring her signature style—and a bit of that European magic—to you.
MICHAEL LIMAN captures New York City with a steady, direct eye, moving from Central Park to the outer boroughs. In the park, model sailboats cross Conservatory Water. The perspective then shifts to the Edge at Hudson Yards, where Lower Manhattan unfolds toward the harbor, and One World Trade Center stands as a solitary anchor. In the Midtown grid, the Garment District is marked by Claes Oldenburg’s Button and Needle. Further out in Coney Island, the steel frames of the Parachute Jump, the Thunderbolt and Deno’s Wonder Wheel line the boardwalk horizon. Finally, the Brooklyn Bridge brings the scene together with its classic architecture of stone and cable.
@michael_liman_photography | Michael.liman.photo@gmail.com
Michael Liman is a New York–based street photographer and visual storyteller whose work captures the layered, ever-evolving spirit of urban life. A multiple Honorable Mention recipient at the Paris International Street Photo Awards (2025) for Girl on Orchard, The Band and Space Man, Liman explores what he calls
“settings within settings” moments where people, architecture and time converge to reveal the quiet rhythms and hidden narratives of the city. Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, he works in both film and digital, in color and black-and-white, with a focus on place, memory and the passage of time. His first project, “The Sands of Summer,” documents the vibrant yet fleeting life of Atlantic Beach, New York, capturing the warmth, nostalgia and human rituals of the summer season. This early work laid the foundation for Liman’s enduring interest in place, memory and the passage of time.
His acclaimed book, “NYC Streets,” is a portrait of Manhattan as a living, breathing organism, always changing yet timeless, filled with countless untold stories. From crowded intersections to forgotten corners, Liman’s photographs highlight the interplay between presence and memory, documenting how the smallest gestures and interactions shape the city’s collective identity.
Liman contributes monthly to Mann About Town, a leading lifestyle magazine where he presents ongoing visual narratives of New York City. He is also developing additional long-term projects: one centered on Coney Island, exploring themes of transformation and continuity within Brooklyn’s iconic seaside landscape; another set in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, where Liman turns his lens toward the vast American landscape, examining the relationship between natural beauty, solitude and the human impulse to explore and preserve.
With more than 45 years in the television and motion picture industry, Liman brings a cinematic sensibility to his still photography, combining narrative insight with technical precision. Beyond his work behind the camera, he is an avid collector of Leica cameras and lenses, as well as Hasselblad and Rolleiflex systems, drawing inspiration from the enduring craftsmanship and history of photographic design.
From his earliest days running a neighborhood business at 14 to cofounding one of New York City’s most respected real estate firms, Gregg Schenker has built a career—and a gratifying life—based on relentless work, uncompromising ethics, deep civic commitment and the quiet conviction that family is ultimately the most important thing he will ever build.
There are men who speak about hard work, and there are men who embody it. Gregg Schenker—founder, president and co-managing partner of ABS Partners Real Estate LLC—belongs firmly in the second category. Over more than three decades in New York real estate, he has built a reputation not simply for intelligence or dealmaking skill but for consistency: of effort, judgment and values.
In an industry that often celebrates speed and swagger, Schenker has quietly built something more lasting. His career has been defined by seeking excellence, a strong ethical code, civic engagement and a longview approach to business. At the same time, he and his wife, Lisa Baron Schenker, have built a family life on Manhattan’s Upper East Side centered on the same principles: responsibility, service and care for others.
His story did not begin in a boardroom. It began much earlier.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
— Mark Twain
At 14, Gregg Schenker was already running a neighborhood lawn-care business. What made it notable was not merely that he had customers but the way he approached the work. He took the time to understand what made a lawn healthy and green, which chemical products worked and how to deliver visible results. The business grew because the work was done well. Demand eventually exceeded what he could handle himself, thereby leading him to develop his earliest partnerships.
That initial success revealed a pattern that would define the rest of his life: he was never interested in doing something halfway. He wanted to understand the mechanics, master the details and perform at a level that earned trust.
His parents reinforced that discipline. Work was expected, and so was structure. As Schenker puts it, he always worked, but he also tried to figure out how to work intelligently. That combination—effort plus thoughtfulness—became central to the way he approached every chapter that followed.
His father and grandfather were attorneys, and summers at his father’s law firm gave him an early education in professional standards. One of his assignments involved maintaining a Sanborn New York Land Map that had belonged to his grandfather. As buildings rose and zoning lots changed, Gregg updated the volume by hand, cutting and pasting revisions into the book. It was painstaking work, but it taught him to pay close attention to both the physical and legal fabric of the city. Today, he still keeps that book in his home library, complete with the pages he updated as a young man.
Even then, though, real estate—not law—was pulling at him. Looking up at the skyline, he wondered how buildings came together, how
projects were financed and how owners turned ideas into structures that literally reshaped the city. His curiosity led to his desire to work with the people creating those great outcomes. With no family pipeline into the business, he decided he would find his own way in.
Before he was negotiating leases or advising owners, Schenker learned construction the direct way: on a job site. During two summers in college, he worked in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, for contractor Nick Russo as an assistant to the foreman. He moved through different trades and saw firsthand how a building is assembled—brickwork, framing, windows and the day-to-day realities that never appear in an investment memo.
That experience mattered. It gave him a practical understanding of buildings that many people in the business never acquire. He learned not just what could be drawn or budgeted but what could actually be built. He paired that hands-on education with formal study at the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate, attending classes at night while working during the day. The program exposed him to leading practitioners, including figures such as Stephen Ross and Larry Silverstein. Years later, he endowed a scholarship at NYU Schack, with the intention of increasing it over time so that others may also realize their full potential.
Like many lifelong New Yorkers, Schenker also carries a deeply personal memory of September 11, 2001. Standing with Lisa and watching the skyline change in real time remains one of the defining moments of his life. The devastation was almost impossible to comprehend. Yet for him, the years that followed also reinforced something essential about New York: the city’s refusal to stay down. The city’s ability to rebuild against the greatest odds has mirrored the qualities he most respects in both institutions and people.
Schenker’s entry into major real estate came through Helmsley Spear— then one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the country. When he applied, he framed his ambition in direct terms: he wanted to learn the industry well enough that both he and others would regard him as a true professional. Money, in his view, was a mere byproduct of becoming truly capable.
At Helmsley Spear, he developed exactly that reputation. One early
moment became emblematic. While working on a project for Stephen Green, Schenker ran detailed calculations by hand at the same time that others were using a new computer model in Lotus. His longhand work matched the computerized results. It was a memorable proof point: diligence, patience and accuracy mattered, and he was prepared to do all of the work necessary to earn confidence.
The most important relationship for Schenker was his mentorship under Earle Altman, the legendary head of Helmsley’s sales and leasing divisions. Altman did more than supervise him; importantly, he challenged him to stretch. When a lobby renovation was estimated externally at $250,000, Altman asked Schenker what he thought it should cost. Schenker said closer to $50,000. Altman’s response was simple: then go build it. Despite his protests that he had never done such a thing, Altman told him that he was more capable than he realized. With that, Schenker successfully designed and built the lobby.
That kind of trust was formative. It reinforced Schenker’s belief that real growth comes from responsibility accepted before comfort arrives. It also sharpened a professional identity that would define him for decades: serious, prepared, detail-oriented and not interested in shortcuts.
By his late twenties, Schenker was already being asked to lead. He became chairman of the board of ARMI—the Association for the Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill—a nonprofit focused on supportive housing and homelessness prevention for vulnerable New Yorkers. During his tenure which lasted more than a decade, the organization evolved from scatteredsite housing to the development of two ground-up buildings in Manhattan created specifically to support New Yorkers in need.
The work mattered to him because it addressed dignity as well as shelter. Housing is never merely physical. It affects stability, identity, health and the possibility of community. One of the projects developed during his time as chair was designed around the idea that social connection itself is part of healing.
His civic commitments extended well beyond housing. He served for roughly 20 years as chair of the Real Estate Council of Carnegie Hall and also joined the Board of the Real Estate and Construction Council of Lincoln Center. These roles reflected one of his enduring convictions: that the arts are not just ornamental to a city like New York; they are part of its identity.
After the death of Harry Helmsley and retirement of Alvin Schwartz, the chapter that had defined Helmsley Spear came to an end. In 1999, Schenker, Earle Altman, Steven Hornstock, Daniel Burack and Peter Burack co-founded ABS Partners Real Estate LLC. The name came from the founders’ initials, a fitting reflection of the firm’s character: it was built around people and reputation more than around branding.
The new venture began with immediate credibility because the principals had already established themselves in the market. Even so, Schenker is clear that ABS was not an overnight success story in
One of Schenker’s more notable early moves was helping negotiate to acquire an interest in the Flatiron Building, one of New York’s most iconic landmarks. The stake may have been economically modest but it carried meaningful influence over major decisions involving the property. The original intent was not to flip the investment but to increase ownership over time.
The ownership years ultimately became more difficult, especially during the pandemic, when stress and diverging views among partners made consensus harder to achieve. Yet the Flatiron chapter also deepened Schenker’s civic involvement in the neighborhood. He became a founding member and served as chairman for more than a decade of the Flatiron Business Improvement District (BID) and also served on the board of the Union Square Partnership for a decade—during a period when both districts were evolving into two of Manhattan’s most energetic commercial and cultural corridors.
the usual sense. It grew steadily and deliberately. That pace was not a weakness; it was a philosophy. The firm was built to last and forge longstanding partnerships, not to chase quick wins.
Under Schenker and his partners, ABS developed a reputation for handling complex assignments for owners, organizing investment ventures and advising families with generational holdings. The firm’s business spans leasing, sales advisory, investment ownership, asset management and strategic consulting. Across those categories, certain principles have remained constant: long-term thinking, conservative use of leverage and the importance of maintaining well-capitalized enterprises.
These roles reveal an important aspect of Schenker’s perspective. He does not see real estate simply as an asset class. He sees people as vital to progress, and neighborhoods as ecosystems that require stewardship, collaboration and long-term attention.
In a competitive business, the honors that have mattered most to Schenker are the ones bestowed by peers—people who understand exactly how difficult it is to do this work well and ethically over a long period of time.
In 2008, he received the Young Real Estate Man of the Year Award at the Real Estate Board of New York’s (REBNY) annual banquet. In 2012, the Flatiron 23rd Street BID honored him with its Community Service Award. In 2019, the Young Men’s/ Women’s Real Estate Association (YM/WREA) named him Senior Professional of the Year. The Madison Square Park Conservancy presented Schenker with the Madison Square Award in 2015, in recognition of his support and commitment to Madison Square Park.
In 2021, at REBNY’s 125th Annual Banquet, Schenker received the Louis Smadbeck Memorial Broker Recognition Award, an honor associated with personal and professional integrity, leadership and standing within the brokerage community.
Then in 2025, Schenker and his ABS partners Randy Modell and Steven Hornstock received REBNY’s first-place Henry Hart Rice Achievement Award for the sale of 1450 Third Avenue. The deal was extraordinary for both its complexity and creativity: splitting a residential building in two while remaining occupied.
In 1993, Gregg Schenker married Lisa Baron Schenker. More than three decades later, he speaks about her with admiration and gratitude. He describes her as one of the kindest people he knows—not performatively kind but genuinely oriented towards helping others.
That spirit is reflected in her volunteer work with the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Foundation, where she serves as a board member and wildlife rescue responder. The work demands patience, toughness and emotional resilience. It also tells you something about the values that shape the family’s life away from business.
Together, Gregg and Lisa raised two daughters, Emma and Olivia, in New York City. Both attended Madison Avenue Presbyterian Day School and later Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School. Emma graduated from Connecticut College and earned a master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education. She is now a first-grade teacher at the Ethical Culture School, helping children better understand the world around them. Olivia graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Environmental Policy, choosing a path oriented toward the future.
For Schenker, these are not incidental accomplishments. They are central. When he speaks about his greatest achievement, he does not point first to a building, a transaction, or an award. He points to his daughters and to the character they developed growing up amid all the distractions and intensity of New York. He is quick to credit Lisa for much of that outcome.
Outside the office, he reads widely – his varied interests include history and poetry, and Schenker often refers to the great quotations that have influenced his thinking. He also sails, listens to music, collects contemporary art, and values communities that provide intellectually stimulating conversation.
“Character, courage and strength come through at the highest point of adversity.”
— Gregg Schenker
For Schenker, principles mean little if they disappear under stress, the truest test of resiliency. The pandemic offered a severe test of that belief. COVID reshaped New York real estate overnight, putting extraordinary pressure on owners, tenants, lenders, investors and brokers.
At ABS, Schenker says, the ethical standards of the firm did not bend regardless of the pandemic’s many challenges. The team looked for practical, creative ways to help tenants and keep buildings functioning. The steadfast, underlying philosophy was simple: everyone involved is part of the same community.
One of the clearest examples of strength under pressure was 270 Madison
One of the clearest examples of strength under pressure was 270 Madison Avenue. The building had become deeply troubled, with vacancy approaching 60% and another 20% of tenants not paying rent. Instead of walking away from the problem or looking for an easy way out, ABS doubled down in its efforts, and with its partners reinvested and rebuilt, using their own in-house design build team. By rethinking interiors creatively, salvaging useful systems while improving others and leaning on long-developed market relationships, the firm repositioned the property at a cost far below conventional expectations. Within nine months, it was substantially leased.
Schenker sees that turnaround not just as a business success, but as proof that long-term credibility matters. People trusted ABS because the firm had that track record, spending years behaving in a trustworthy way.
Schenker’s civic record is not a side note to his career, it is woven into it. His leadership at ARMI, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Flatiron BID, the Union Square Partnership, REBNY and the YM/WREA reflects a longstanding commitment to helping sustain the institutions and neighborhoods that make New York what it is.
He is also deeply invested in mentoring younger professionals, a commitment that shows up both informally and institutionally. He has made significant financial contributions to the New York Junior Tennis and Learning program, an organization which mentors young people. And through his NYU Schack scholarship, he has created a direct bridge between his own early years—working during the day, studying at night, trying to earn credibility—and the students now trying to do the same.
Mentorship, in his view, is not a one-way act. Experience matters but so does openness to the next generation’s perspective, especially in a world being reshaped by technology.
ABS remains active and ambitious, but Schenker is also focused on what comes next. The firm continues to grow organically while applying lessons learned from earlier cycles, including mistakes made before the pandemic. One major priority is continuing to upgrade the firm’s technological capacities and invest in its team, hiring and retaining the best people. For example, the firm is developing a streamlined proprietary software platform aimed at unifying tools used by tenants, employees, investors, vendors and other stakeholders.
As he turns 60, he is not preoccupied with summing up the past. Instead, he is focused on what he may still be able to build. Watching mentor Earle Altman during the decades between 60 and 80 left a deep impression on him. Those years, he observed, can be among the most productive of a professional life because experience, relationships and judgment have fully converged.
Schenker hopes the same will be true for him. He wants ABS to realize more of its potential through the strength of its team and to leave behind a company known above all for its values, work ethic and integrity. He also wants to be remembered more simply: as someone who cared, worked hard, kept trying, and understood that failure is a natural part of growth.
The lawn-care business at 14, the hand-updated land map, the construction work in Brooklyn, the night classes, the mentorship under Earle Altman, the nonprofit leadership, the iconic buildings, the awards, the scholarship and the gratifying family life all point back to the same beliefs: Work matters. Character matters. Service matters. And success means little if it is not built in a way that lets you respect yourself when the day is done.
For all that he has accomplished, Schenker still speaks with the energy of someone who feels there is more to do. He loves the act of building in real estate because, unlike in many fields, the results are tangible, visible. You can look at what was imagined, worked for, negotiated, repaired or revived —and is standing there for all the world to see.
Gregg Schenker has spent decades building visible things in New York City. But beneath them all is an invisible framework that matters even more: integrity, persistence, discipline and devotion to the people, communities and institutions that make life truly meaningful.
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. ”
— Ernest Hemingway
33RD
Honoring FEDERICO CHECO
Chief Executive Officer
Prestige Wellness Group Inc.
Gala Chair
JENNIFER L. WIDAY
Kaback Service, Inc.
Chairs Emeriti
KATHY A. CHAZEN, CLU, ChFU
Trustee, National Jewish Health
ROGER A. SILVERSTEIN
Silverstein Properties, Inc.
Trustee, National Jewish Health
BENEFITING
Ascent Lounge New York NEW YORK AIR SOCIETY 2026 GALA
Thursday May 7, 2026 | 6:30 p.m.
Register at njhealth.org/NYAir or contact Mattie Shepheard: ShepheardM@njhealth.org or 212.297.0857 @ nyair society
Dearest Readers,
hat happens when the world of fine fragrance collides with the irresistible intrigue of Bridgerton? A sprinkle of magic, a dash of mystery and a brand-new bottle of olfactory wonder.
Floral Street, the award-winning British fragrance brand, together with Shondaland and Netflix’s hit show “Bridgerton,” have created a first-of-its-kind vegan and cruelty free fragrance to bring the cult-favorite modern fairytale to life.
Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum is inspired by the first intriguing, scent-trailed encounter and the ensuing love affair that blossoms between Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek at a masquerade ball in the show’s long-awaited fourth season that premiered on January 29th, 2026, only on Netflix.
An alluring floral gourmand, Enchanted Masquerade is romantic, spellbinding, elegant and spectacular all at once.
Fresh Pear, Hazelnut and Gardenia immediately sparks curiosity, while honeyed Centifolia Rose quickens the heartbeat. Underneath, a flush of skin musks and sweet cedarwood lingers on the skin.
TOP LAYER
Green Hazelnut | Juicy Pear |Mandarin |Pink Pepper Extract
MIDDLE LAYER
Gardenia | Jasmine Petals | Rose Absolute (Grasse)
BASE LAYER
Cedarwood | Patchouli | Skin Musks
Created by Floral Street founder Michelle Feeney and master perfumer Jérôme Epinette, the fragrance collaboration encapsulates an unforgettable encounter, a spellbinding love affair and playful British flair.
“We’re honored to have partnered with Shondaland and Netflix to bring this story of two worlds colliding and true love blooming to the dressing tables of ‘Bridgerton’ fans around the world. While creating this scent, we were inspired by this season’s storyline and the idea of unmasking your true self. This fragrance has a captivating and uncompromisingly confident aura. It’s a scent you wear to capture attention, but also for laying your cards on the table and revealing who you truly are. It also deeply connects with our brand motto—‘Who will you be today?’ All Floral Street fragrances are created to match our moods and enable us to embrace self-expression. We’re so happy to be sharing our expertise in creating mood-boosting, vegan and cruelty-free fragrance with a show as beloved as ‘Bridgerton.’ We know that both new and established fans will adore Enchanted Masquerade.”
– Michelle Feeney, Founder and CEO of Floral Street
“With Enchanted Masquerade, I wanted to capture the essence of a magical evening full of unexpected joy and allure. This fragrance evokes a sense of playful elegance, where vibrant, fruity notes of pear and mandarin dance with the soft, romantic embrace of gardenia and rose. As it settles, the warm, cocooning base of vanilla and musks wraps you in a comforting, sensual and elegant aura, like slipping into a beautiful outfit—creating an enchanting, unforgettable presence that lingers with you like a whisper long after the night ends.”
– Jérôme Epinette, Perfumer at Robertet
Floral Street Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum is available on FloralStreet.com and exclusively at Bloomingdale’s.
$35 for 10ml | $99 for 50ml
Founded in November 2017 by Michelle Feeney, a global, clean beauty pioneer and entrepreneurial leader whose mission is to create ethical fine fragrances accessible to all. Independent, sustainable and British, Floral Street is “powered by flowers” and inspired by diverse and vibrant London culture.
Jérôme Epinette, one of the finest perfumers in the industry known for his mastery of natural ingredients, created each Floral Street fragrance using sustainable raw materials, responsibly sourced and synthesised by the iconic fragrance house, Robertet.
Floral Street offers fine fragrances and luxury gifts with uplifting, vegan and cruelty-free scents designed to match every mood and spark the senses.
Tiktok: @floralstreet_ Instagram: @floralstreet_ Facebook: @floralstreetfragrances_
Global Green Beauty Awards 2025
Get the Gloss beauty awards 2023
Marie Claire Sustainability awards Winner 2023
Beauty shortlist wellbeing awards 2023 Editors’ choice
The Veggie awards 2022 Highly Commended Eluxe Awards Floral Street Winner 2022
“Bridgerton” captivated viewers around the world when Netflix and Shondaland debuted the iconic series in 2020. The fourth season of “Bridgerton” turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict (Luke Thompson). Each of its three seasons are among Netflix’s Most Popular, with Seasons 1 and 3 currently ranking as #5 and #7, respectively, while the fan-beloved prequel, “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” dominated the Global Top 10. The franchise has amassed a global fandom that caters to an underserved romance audience, piercing the cultural zeitgeist with unparalleled success and igniting trends as fans celebrate their love of the series through memes, music, books, fashion, décor and more. Live experiences like “The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience” and immersive offerings at both Netflix House in Philadelphia and Dallas locations, as well as a growing collection of consumer products, have catapulted the “Bridgerton” name into an extraordinarily sought-after lifestyle brand. The franchise will continue to offer fresh ways for its passionate fan base to immerse themselves in the “Bridgerton” universe both on and off screen. Follow @BridgertonNetflix
The Eighth, Chelsea’s newest concept, is a cocktail-driven restaurant rooted in atmosphere, ritual and emotional resonance. Conceived as a space outside ordinary time, it offers an alternative to the speed, spectacle and trendchasing that dominate much of New York’s nightlife. The experience is meant to be intentionally slow and layered—designed to be felt rather than immediately understood. With design at the core of its conceptualization, The Eighth is the brainchild of Opus Hospitality, the newly established hospitality group led by award-winning New York interior designers Julien Legeard and Valmira Gashi of Legeard Studio, in collaboration with seasoned hospitality veteran Richie Romero.
Inspired by Chelsea’s evolving and often overwritten history, The Eighth’s mission is not to attempt to recreate a specific era, but the opposite. Instead, it draws from the absence of history—the moments, stories and emotions that have slipped through the cracks. The result is a space that feels familiar yet elusive, intimate yet transportive. Patrons are invited to linger, return and build their own relationship with the venue over time.
At its core, The Eighth is about pause. It’s a place where cocktails are treated as rituals, conversation unfolds naturally and presence is valued over performance. The goal is longevity—creating an inviting space that becomes a quiet constant in the neighborhood rather than a fleeting destination.
The name “The Eighth” comes from the idea of an imagined eighth day— something beyond the known calendar and outside the rigid structure of time. It represents a surplus moment: a pause not governed by productivity, obligation or urgency.
The name is intentionally abstract. It’s not tied to a single historical reference, event or literal meaning. Instead, it leaves room for interpretation—much like the experience of the bar itself. The Eighth suggests permission: to slow down, to indulge, to exist momentarily outside the expectations of daily life. It also subtly references cyclical time and infinity, reinforcing the idea that this is not a place defined by beginnings or endings, but by return. “Nothing here is meant to feel new or old. It’s meant to feel lived-in, layered and slightly out of time,” noted Julien Legeard.
The Eighth’s logo mark is centered around an hourglass—a known symbol of time, ritual and intentional loss of awareness. Rather than depicting time as something rigid or finite, the hourglass is reimagined to feel fluid and ambiguous. It hints at liquid pouring while simultaneously suggesting sand falling, blurring the boundary between measured time and indulgent suspension. This duality is intentional.
Two symbolic animals recur throughout the design language. The snake, which represents transformation, renewal, temptation and cyclical time— its coiled form echoing the number eight and the idea of infinity. It reflects reinvention, shedding and the constant evolution of place and identity. The moth represents attraction and surrender—the instinctive pull toward light and warmth. Just as a moth is drawn to flame, guests are to be drawn toward the glowing bar at the heart of the space.
The cocktail menu is structured not just around ingredients, but around time and transformation. Central to the experience are three nightly cocktail and bite ceremonies at 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.— quiet, ritualized moments that mark the progression of the night.
These ceremonies form a temporal structure that defines the experience, moving from intention to indulgence to surrender. Cocktails draw from classic foundations refined through contemporary technique, emphasizing balance and clarity over spectacle.
Each ceremony invites a distinct shift: 8:00 p.m. signals arrival, 10:00 p.m. deepens the experience, and 12:00 a.m. opens into the unknown. Together, they guide guests through a progression that mirrors the way time loosens over the course of the evening.
The cuisine is designed to complement rather than dominate—small plates that encourage sharing, comfort, and lingering.
The broader program remains focused and restrained. Nothing is rushed; nothing is excessive. Together, the menu and ceremonies reinforce The Eighth’s philosophy: drinking and dining as intentional acts.
While early previews introduced The Eighth to initial audiences, the longterm vision is rooted in consistency and return—a space that reveals itself over time rather than all at once.
The Eighth is a cocktail-driven restaurant rooted in ritual, atmosphere and emotional resonance. Designed as a space outside time, it invites guests to slow down, return often, and experience drinking and dining as intentional acts.
The intention is not only to create a place to visit, but a feeling to carry with you — shaped by atmosphere, pacing, and subtle shifts throughout the night.
The Eighth is conceived not as a destination defined by attention, but as a place defined by meaning, ritual, and return.
“This place isn’t chasing what’s next. It’s meant to feel slightly out of time— like you found it, not like it opened,” remarked Romero.
The Eighth is located at 132 7th Ave, in Chelsea. Visit online at theeighth.nyc and follow on social media at @theeighthnyc.
Area15, the pulse-pounding hub of experiential art and entertainment situated parallel to the Las Vegas Strip, introduced Oddyssey Manor, a theatrical cocktail experience where immersive performance, craft mixology and alluring nightlife entwine. Taking place from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, having begun March 5, the manor invites guests to step beyond the velvet curtain and into a shadowy world where curiosity is rewarded and every choice determines how the night will unfold.
Inspired by Area15’s hidden lore, Oddyssey Manor is the surreal home of the enigmatic Felix and Penelope. Guests arrive to celebrate Felix’s birthday—but it’s no ordinary party. The manor is alive with residents eager to welcome visitors with cocktails, nibbles and secrets in equal measure. Oddyssey Manor unfolds through a rotating cast of captivating characters and unexpected encounters. Guests never know who they’ll meet, what they’ll uncover or where the night will lead. After all, Felix and Penelope aren’t merely throwing a celebration—they’re hosting an enrapturing soirée no guest will ever forget.
Here, cocktails are more than a spirited addition to the party. They are keys. Throughout the experience, guests imbibe imaginatively crafted libations, each one unlocking a different corner of the manor and revealing deeper layers of narrative, character and discovery. As they round the next bend, guests are apt to find one of Oddyssey Manor’s engaging barkeeps ready to dispense a transporting libation, such as Felix’s Nightcap, a RumChata and tiramisu liqueur masterpiece, or Penelope’s Love Letter, a robust and bittersweet blend featuring rye whiskey and Aperol.
“Oddyssey Manor occupies that liminal space where myth and nightlife collide,” said Winston Fisher, CEO, Area15. “Every visitor who crosses the threshold becomes part of the story, and the line between performance and reality blurs in the most satisfying way imaginable.”
A Theatrical Cocktail Experience Where Mystery and Nightlife Collide in elevated cocktail attire with theatrical flair, and plus to enter.
they can select from four tempting ticket options: The Voyeur ($79) - Includes entry for one into Oddyssey Manor, five one-ounce craft cocktail tastings and two full-sized craft cocktails as well as complimentary entry into Oddyssey Noir (for guests on Friday and Saturday night). Additional beverages are available for purchase.
The Explorer ($99) - Includes all the above, plus one small bite from the Manor’s kitchen
The Dinner Guest ($149) - Includes all the above, with guest’s choice of three small-bite offerings
The Ultimate Party Guest ($239) - Includes five one-ounce craft cocktail tastings and four full-sized craft cocktails, with guest’s choice of four small-bite offerings and a special gift from the hosts, Felix and Penelope
Once Oddyssey Manor concludes on Friday and Saturday nights, guests can stay for Oddyssey Noir and revel in the venue’s signature late-night experience. On Fridays, Oddyssey Noir – Liquid Gold offers a living editorial shoot, wildly free and rooted in unapologetic creative freedom, where Las Vegas’ provocateurs and culturally fluent create an eruption of fabulousness. Interactive performers move through the room, dissolving the line between guest and spectacle. After a little Liquid Gold, everyone is the main character, selfexpression is the ritual and the dance floor is the only place that matters.
On Saturdays, Oddyssey Noir – Art in Motion, delivers an immersive nightlife experience shaped by music, performance and atmosphere—a living environment rather than a traditional club. Masterful selections, legendary DJs and interactive performers curate sound, movement and human connection, creating a dynamic chemistry meant to be entered, explored and felt. Oddyssey Noir takes place Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. General admission tickets start at $18 per event, and table packages are also available.
Oddyssey Manor attendees are invited to arrive in elevated cocktail attire with theatrical flair, and
Oddyssey Manor and Oddyssey Noir are for 21plus to enter.
Area15, located parallel to the Las Vegas Strip, represents the world’s first purpose-built immersive entertainment district offering live events, distinctive attractions, interactive art installations, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, ground-breaking technology, bars and eateries, and much more. Area15’s curated mix of dynamic destinations—including LiftOff Bar and Ride, Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, Illuminarium, Dueling Axes, Five Iron Golf, Kaia, The Beast, Wink World: Portals Into the Infinite, Museum Fiasco, John Wick Experience and many more—represents what’s next in experiential entertainment. With a robust, everchanging roster of concerts, events, immersive art exhibitions, out-of-this-world nightlife and boundary-pushing production shows, Area15 attracts visitors of all ages
Area15 has received numerous accolades, including being named “Another Unmissable Stop for Art Lovers” by The Times UK, “Most Innovative Venue in the USA” and No. 2 on the list of “10 Best Immersive Experiences in the U.S.” by Timeout, and more.
Independent pop artist, DJ and formally trained figure skater Chloe Jane released her new single, “Sleepless Nights.” The track leans into a classic pop sensibility, blending riveting orchestral elements with Chloe’s commanding vocal performance to create a romantic, danceforward sound. Produced by Tor Eimon (Ava Max, David Guetta), “Sleepless Nights” is inspired by the experience of being swept from the darkness of isolation into a love that guides you to the light of your most confident self.
“It’s about the moments when time disappears, when conversation stretches into dawn, when you don’t want the night to end because being present feels too precious to interrupt,” shared Chloe. “The song reflects the feeling of finally letting your guard down— of allowing yourself to stay awake inside of something beautiful instead of running from it.”
THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “SLEEPLESS NIGHTS” BRINGS ROMANCE TO THE RINK
The official music video for “Sleepless Nights” was shot in the in -25 degree snow and swept valleys of Alberta, Canada. It was directed by film maker and pro-skater Max Varren, with choreography by Olympic skating-director Vanessa Bauer, drawing heavily on Chloe’s background as a professionally trained figure skater. Set against the motion of the frozen lakes and
the Banff National Park, the visual uses skating as a metaphor for freedom, trust and emotional release.
Chloe first stepped onto the ice at the age of three, and it quickly became clear that skating was more than a childhood activity. She trained consistently at her local rink and by age nine, she joined a skating academy with aspirations of becoming an Olympic ice skater.
“Skating gave me purpose. It gave me something to hold onto,” said Chloe.
“Ice skating and music became the places where I escaped, where I felt confident and where I remembered who I was. Then I fell in love, and for the first time I did
not have to choose between music, the ice art or being with my significant other. I could exist fully as myself. That freedom felt familiar, like skating, like music.”
Raised in New York, Chloe landed her first DJ gig at just 13 years old, opening for Paris Hilton in Ibiza. She now blends pop and 2010s-inspired EDM into a melodic, high-energy sound built for the dance floor.
Fresh off the release of her Rolling Stoneacclaimed single “Shut Up” (featuring Flyana Boss) and a guest DJ appearance for Paper Magazine, Chloe has continued to build momentum with recent releases, including her camp-forward anthems “Famous” and “Oopsie Daisy,” the latter earning her a live interview on Fox 5 NYC. Her work has also been featured in publications such as LadyGunn, Wonderland Magazine and EarMilk, further cementing her status as a rising force in dance-pop.
Chloe Jane’s debut album, “Princess of the Night,” set to release later in 2026, will further solidify Chloe Jane's reputation as a genreblending artist unafraid to challenge pop conventions and create art that is as intelligent as it is entertaining. Executive produced by Tor Eimon (Ava Max, David Guetta, Faouzia) and featuring collaborators Jakke Erixson, Soulshock, Karlin B and Maya J'an, the album reflects her diverse influences from Swedish House Mafia to Lady Gaga.
“Clothes are not going to change the world. The women who wear them will.” - Grace Kelly
H.O.W. – Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper, a Palm Beach–based nonprofit dedicated to ovarian cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, invites you to make an impact.
We are seeking donations of new or gently worn designer dresses and outfits to support women facing ovarian cancer. Your donated pieces will be thoughtfully curated and offered at a special price during:
Thursday, October 15 | 6 – 9 PM
The Colony Hotel, Palm Beach
An evening where luxury fashion is reimagined.
Internationally recognized designer
whose collection will be featured during the evening’s runway show.
Proceeds benefit H.O.W.’s Glenda M. Wright Angel Fund, providing critical financial assistance to local women bravely battling ovarian cancer.
All donations are tax-deductible, and areceipt will be provided.
To donate, purchase tickets, or learn more, please contact: Jennifer McGrath
Jennifer@howflorida.org | 561-262-634
Ilia Beauty, the pioneer in clean beauty, launched Skin Blur Serum Concealer, a soft, featherweight concealer that melts into skin for a creaseresistant, blurred 12-hour wear. With carefully selected ingredients meant to perform harmoniously and to protect your skin, Skin Blur Serum Concealer pushes the boundaries of clean, high-performance formulas. Skin Blur Serum Concealer boosts elasticity and firmness, and provides 12-hour hydration, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and reinforces the skin barrier overtime, through powerful skincare ingredients—Matrixyl 3000 Glyx peptide complex to plump, sea fennel extract to brighten and smooth, and caffeine to depuff. Infused with powdered microspheres that diffuse skin, Skin Blur self-sets, delivering a naturally flawless finish in 34 shades.
“Skin Blur Serum Concealer creates a soft, airbrushed canvas,” said Ilia founder, Sasha Plavsic. “The finish is blurred versus dewy, while still hydrating, which is key. The formula, as a serum concealer, has more skincare benefits—as you wear it. Skin Blur helps make your skin better, creating a beautiful transformation over time.”
In a clinical study of 53 people(*); after 12 hours (**); after 21 days (***):
• 100% said Skin Blur instantly blurs skin.*
• 100% said Skin Blur feels weightless.**
• 96% said Skin Blur doesn't crease.***
• 100% said bare skin looks healthier and more even.***
Skin Blur Serum Concealer is clean, safe for sensitive skin, non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, vegan and crueltyfree.
Priced at $32, Skin Blur Serum Concealer is available in store and on iliabeauty.com, sephora.com, sephora. ca and ulta.com.
Ilia celebrated Skin Blur Concealer as the new holy grail concealer with lovers of the brand at The Complexion Residency, an immersive mobile experience and pop-up experience, which ran from March 3rd through March 8th in Los Angeles, CA. The Complexion Residency pop-up returns on April 9th through April 12th in Vancouver, BC. For more information on how to join Ilia in real life, visit @iliabeauty on Instagram.
Out with the old, in with the new
12
7
4 456
9
1. Dr.Jart+, Every Sun Day Invisible Korean Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 (19g/0.67oz.), $30, drjart.com 2. Dr.Jart+, Vital Hydra Solution Jelly Bear Lip Mask with Hyaluronic Acid ( Tinted, 17g/0.59 floz), $25, drjart.com 3. Stine Goya, Scoopneck Pockets Vest (Dark Green), $116, us.stinegoya.com 4. Guest In Residence, Jane Check Cardigan (Seaglass Combo), $365, guestinresidence.com 5. Elie Tahari, Bella Ribbed Dress (Capri), $298, elietahari.com 6. Rhoback, The Birdie Stripe Men's Short Sleeve Performance Polo (Fairway Green/White), $98, rhoback.com 7. Desigual, Polo Knit Sweater (Khaki), $139, desigual.com 8. Proper Cloth, The Stretch Wool and Linen Dress Pant (Beige Houndstooth), $285, propercloth.com 9. Blue Lagoon Skin Science, Blue Lagoon Shampoo (10.1oz), $50, us.skinscience.bluelagoon.com
By R. Couri Hay
Karen LeFrak’s American Promise
The Miami Symphony Orchestra (MISO) honored America ahead of its 250th Anniversary with “American Promise.” The orchestra, conducted by Maestro Eduardo Marturet, returned to the Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts for a powerful evening of music reflecting the ideals that have shaped the American journey: freedom, unity, aspiration and the courage to imagine a shared future. The show opened with the world premiere of “American Promise” by composer Karen LeFrak, commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra as part of the national celebration of the United States Semiquincentennial. DJ Khaled, Emilio and Gloria Estefan also contributed their talents to the concert. Bruce Weber, Kimberly Paige Bluhm, Susan and John Hess, Ann and Andrew Tisch, Beth Dozoretz, Richard LeFrak and the city’s mayor, Mayor Eileen Higgins, led the applause. themiso.org
Star-Studded Gala
Mick Jagger’s fiancé and former American Ballet Theatre (ABT) ballerina, choreographer and author Melanie Hamrick will be honored at this year’s Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Gala at the David Koch Theater in Lincoln Center. Mick and Melanie, who have a nine-year-old son named Deveraux, have moved to London full time, where their son goes to school. The inseparable couple, who have been together for 12 years, still love coming to NYC, and, in addition to YAGP, Melanie will co-chair this year’s NYC Ballet Spring Gala on May 7th. Mick loves the ballet and has attended both events to support Melanie in the past. Love Shack Fancy’s founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen will also be honored at the event, and former dancer and Knicks cheerleader, Marcella Hymowitz, will reprise her role as the gala’s “Creative Chair.” In 2024, her husband donated one million dollars to the organization, founding the Marcella Hymowitz Creative Fellowship. Guest artists from around the world will grace the stage, including the NYC debuts of Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko of La Scala Ballet, and the return of Polina Semionova of Berlin State Ballet. For the third year, the gala will include an auction of custom-designed pointe shoes, created by leading designers who have previously included Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, Alice + Olivia, Helmut Lang and Herve Leger. yagp.org
Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT) winner Jennifer Hudson and Grammy and Tony nominee Josh Groban will be hitting the road this summer. The compelling duo will appear at Madison Square Garden on June 12th as part of their North American Tour. Groban recently sang with international rock star Yoshiki, who lives in Los Angeles, during the encore of his concert at Orchard Hall in Tokyo, where the duo received a 10-minute standing ovation. The two longtime friends captivated the audience with a performance of Yoshikis song “Endless Rain.” Groban sang in English and Japanese, accompanied by Yoshiki on the piano. The rocker will hold his “Yoshiki Classical: Eve of Awakening” concerts this spring at the Tokyo Garden Theater. yoshiki.net
Original Hamilton cast star, Sydney James Harcourt, is taking the stage as the male lead of “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” The original “Cats,” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, inspired by the poems of T.S. Eliot, ran for 18 years on Broadway. The reimagining of the musical with the same music and lyrics does away with the cat costumes and turns the characters into participants of the Harlem ballroom community that flourished in the ’60s and ’70s. After a successful run off-Broadway, the show is now on at the storied Broadhurst Theatre, and co-stars Hadestown Tony Winner Andre De Shields. Harcourt, who started out understudying five roles in Hamilton, thinks the new show will be a huge hit. “This could be ten times bigger than the original ‘Cats,’” he said. Broadway insiders are already predicting a Tony nomination for Harcourt in his role as Rum Tum Tugger. instagram.com/sydneyharcourt/
Black History Month was celebrated at the Southampton Art Center with a screening of “I Was Born This Way” that includes interviews with Dionne Warwick, Lady Gaga and Billy Porter. The film, directed by Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard, explores the life and legacy of Carl Bean, a disco singer who became an archbishop and pioneer in the LGBTQ civil rights movement. His most famous song was “I Was Born This Way” in 1977, which Questlove says was “a song ahead of its time...This one song started a revolution.” Bean moved to the city and became a gospel singer at Harlem’s Christian Tabernacle Choir, then moved to Los Angeles in the mid-’70s, switched to R&B, and formed a band called Carl Bean and Universal Love. southamptonartscenter.org
Fancy restaurants are about more than food. “Elevated dining is about intention and orchestration: the seamless integration of food, service, atmosphere, narrative and exclusivity, coming together to create a cohesive experience that feels purposeful rather than transactional,” said Herb Karlitz, the veteran event marketer. Karlitz produced a panel at the NY Restaurant Show at the Javits Center to tackle the topic with chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Simon Kim, Ayesha Nurdjaja—executive chef at Shuka and Shukette—and Eugene Remm, the restaurateur behind Catch Hospitality Group. karlitz.com
BY MICHÈLE GERBER KLEIN
A fabled bridge between the past and the present, the 82nd Whitney Biennial opened with the Calder Circus, now 100 years old. Still a hit, the circus had surprises for practically everyone, including a court jester blowing a trumpet, some witches being crafty, a seeing eye dog with a great sense of humor, huge burnished insects, an art film tornado, a think piece on motherhood, a glowing installation on the AI planet and more. For some of the—old and new—beautiful people who thronged the opening, please see below.
The Whitney Biennial is the longest-running , very prestigious showcase of contemporary American art, held by the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. The 2026 edition consists of 56 artists whose focus is on “relationality,” where themes explored include technology, kinship, political, ecological and technological systems.
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Mexican-American actress Veronica Long, best known for Heather on Netflix’s “The Wrong Paris” and Manuela Bowdre on MGM+’s “Billy the Kid” (opposite Tom Blyth), stars as Detective Nora Esposito, a series regular, in the all-new procedural drama “Blue Skies,” premiering every Thursdays on UPtv in the U.S., Citytv in Canada and streaming worldwide on Amazon.
“Blue Skies” blends mystery and action with emotional storytelling and the heartwarming bond between a detective and her canine companion. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the fictional Crystal Ridge National Park, the series follows former military police officer Jodi Larsen (Scarlet Hunter), who returns to her hometown to begin again as a criminal investigator with the National Park Police. Driven by justice and a love of the outdoors, Jodi works to protect the park, its visitors and her community—while navigating grief, family tension, a new team and an unexpected partner: a mischievous stray Labrador named Blue, whose instincts rival any trained K9.
Featured on Cosmopolitan, Tudum and Hollywood Stage Magazine, Veronica plays Nora Esposito, a down-to-earth detective with a sharp sense of humor and an unwavering commitment to justice. Nora is fiercely loyal, grounded and empathetic—qualities that make her both a trusted colleague and a standout presence on the team. Veronica has said the role feels unusually personal, as Nora’s values and worldview closely mirror her own.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Houston, Texas, Veronica grew up performing in community theater, appearing in more than 25 plays and musicals. She attended Houston’s Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) before earning her BFA in Acting from USC. After college, she stayed in Los Angeles, driving Uber, performing improv
an all-Latinx
LA and UCB,
At 24, Veronica relocated to Vancouver, starting from scratch to pursue film and television, adapting from a theater background to on-camera work. She now splits her time between Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where her mother and extended family are from.
As a mixed-race actress (half Mexican, half white), Veronica brings a layered, authentic perspective to her work—shaped by growing up between cultures, languages and identities. That lived experience deeply informs her performances, particularly in roles rooted in empathy, justice and human connection. When she is not on set filming, Veronica lives an active lifestyle walking, yoga, hiking and biking.
“Blue Skies” marks an exciting new chapter for Veronica Long, showcasing her warmth, humor and grounded strength in a role that feels both timely and deeply resonant.
In a city where style and storytelling intersect, The D Diamond New York distinguishes itself not only through exceptional craftsmanship but through the meaning behind every creation.
Founded by creative force Racheli Waters Shamir, the New York based fine jewelry house created exclusively for dogs was born from her deep love for her two rescue dogs, Luli and Fancy.
Celebrating the unspoken bond between people and their four legged companions, the brand designs exquisite collars, charms and fine jewelry pieces that feel less like accessories and more like heirlooms. Each piece is handcrafted in solid 18K gold and set with natural diamonds, reflecting loyalty, elegance and the joy pets bring into our lives.
Racheli’s vision is grounded in a simple yet powerful belief: Our dogs give us unconditional love and they deserve adornment that honors that devotion. The D Diamond New York signature collections, along with bespoke creations made by request, are designed to mark life’s quiet and meaningful moments such as an adoption day, a milestone birthday or a final farewell. These pieces transform everyday walks into lasting memories and allow clients to carry their stories in visible, meaningful form.
But style is only part of the story. The D Diamond New York is built on heart and purpose. The brand donates 10% of profits to dog shelters in New York City, supporting organizations dedicated to helping dogs in need find safety and loving homes. Through this commitment, clients do more than purchase fine jewelry. They participate in compassion, rescue and second chances.
The D Diamond New York represents a new vision of modern luxury—one where brilliance is measured not only in diamonds, but in compassion. It is a celebration of love made tangible in gold and diamonds, and a legacy created for the companions who give us their hearts every day.
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP, one of the country’s leading law firms, has built a reputation on counseling clients through complex issues. Whether negotiating a contract, resolving a dispute, or providing guidance to navigate the construction process, Zetlin & De Chiara is recognized as a “go-to firm for construction.”
The Mount Sinai Hospital has been recognized for high-quality care in the Newsweek /Statista World’s Best Hospitals 2025 survey. #1 in New York, again.
Newsweek, 2025