Nightclub impresario and chess champ Noah Tepperberg puts down his BlackBerry for long enough to mince words with Portfolio‘s Lloyd Grove, who’s gone from reporting on the antics of celebrity life in short form to reporting on the antics of celebrity life in long form.
Tepperberg, seen here with biz partner Jason Strauss and an unidentified blonde, is, of course, the co-owner of Marquee and a lead at Strategic Group, the special events and marketing giant that’s also in the business of celebrity wrangling. (He was also featured in Bar Mitzvah Disco.)
The common masses will blame him for what nightlife has become: velvet ropes and bottle service (just banned in Boston!). The privileged set will celebrate him, also, for what nightlife has become: more exclusive, more parties. And for the uninitiated, he will explain the difference — why there is still a line down the street to get into Marquee, and why you’re probably standing in it instead of inside, on a banquette.
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When the sun kissed gods of Miami grace New York City with their presence, and we’re invited, we hardly decline. And because the opportunity to skip dozens of people in line still thrills us, we trekked up to Marquee last night to celebrate the special New York issue of Ocean Drive.
Admittedly, we were there half as press and half as party goers, but we made every attempt to contact the hosts of the party. The host list which read like a who’s who of SoHo House, promised such socialites and scenesters as Patrick McMullan, Tinsely Mortimer, Jonathan Cheban, and Michael Musto. Oh, and we were told Maer Roshan would be there too.
Yet, when we arrived at the Ocean Drive party section of the club, there wasn’t even a PR person to be found. And while we’re definite fans of Michael Musto, he played the role of “stand in the corner and don’t talk to people host.” No Tins, no Patrick … not even Peter Davis made an appearance.
We did, however, find Hilary Duff sitting in another corner, surrounded by friends and of course her sister Hailey, and being blocked by her bodyguard. Who was allowed to smoke inside. When we tried to talk to her, she looked at us, looked at her bouncer, and we were quickly shooed away by the very, very large man. And despite the help of Ben Widdicombe, we were unable to locate a Maer Roshan or a single Radar-lite among the sea of clubbers.
Somewhat disappointing — we were promised the Tins, we got the Duffs — but nothing a few mojitos and random hotties from Denmark couldn’t cure.
Since the Grey Lady decided that Marquee’s second birthday is worthy of over 1000 words, we thought that we should wish the boozy, drug-addled toddler a Happy Birthday as well.
There have been of-the-moment clubs in New York City since before the first cocktail was shaken. But in recent years, most of these clubs have been over faster than a meal with Nicole Richie. So it is quite an achievement that on Dec. 8, Marquee, on 10th Avenue between 26th and 27th Streets, will celebrate its second anniversary still buzzing.
What does this seminal birthday mean for one of New York’s finest? Well, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a two-year-old should be able to do perform the following tasks:
• Pulls toys behind her while walking
• Carries large toy or several toys while walking
• Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted
• Turns over container to pour out contents
• Uses two- to four-word sentences
• Begins make-believe play
Judging from the antics of Marquee’s clientele, and if dancing on tables and pouring out containers’ contents in bathroom stalls counts, things are looking developmentally appropriate.
Club Stays Hot at Ripe Old Age of 2 [NYT]
Developmental Milestones by the End of 2 Years [Medem]