The Pierre PeriodicalInsider Picks For A Perfect Stay
Don’t miss out on all the buzz. Check our blog to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in and around The Pierre Hotel.
A Brief History of Afternoon Tea
Arguably the most iconic meal at the Pierre is our famous afternoon tea. With the hotel’s timelessly elegant tradition, guests are treated to flavorful teas, sweet pastries, finger sandwiches, and more. But what are the origins of this lovely late-day custom?
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It’s said that afternoon tea as we know it began in England in the year 1840. Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, found herself hungry during the late afternoon. Between lunch and dinner, she began requesting trays of tea, cake, bread, and butter to be delivered to her room at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. From there, she spread it to others by inviting them to join her.
Through the remainder of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, afternoon tea grew in popularity with Britain’s elite and royal family. To this day, it remains a fashionable and delectable way to entertain guests and delight in a dignified afternoon refreshment.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Merchant’s House Museum
Our name may be French, but like the rest of New York, on Tuesday, March 17, we’re all Irish. At 11 A.M. on the morning of the 17th, the NYC Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 44th St. and 5th Ave., marching its way north 36 blocks to the American Irish Historical Society, much to the delight of millions of onlookers.
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Our location at 61st St. and 5th Ave. makes the Pierre Hotel the ideal spot to enjoy the festivities. Many of our guests won’t even have to leave their rooms to see the 150,000-person procession in all its emerald green splendor. If you’ll be in NYC in the days preceding the parade, we also recommend a visit to the Merchant’s House Museum, the 19th-century home of a well-to-do merchant family, the Tredwells. The house and its contents tell the story not only of the wealthy family who lived there, but also the many Irish servants who kept the home running smoothly for close to a century. From March 12 to 16, the museum will host various special tours that highlight the experience of both the Tredwells' Irish servants and Irish-American immigrants in general.
The Merchant’s House Museum is located at 29 East 4th Street in Greenwich Village.
The New York Philharmonic: Guardians of the Past, Innovators of the Future
As the country’s oldest symphony orchestra still in existence, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) has long been one of the foremost engines of cultural change in the world.
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Maestro Jaap van Zweden, 26th Music Director of the NYPO, has continually fortified the Philharmonic’s commitment to both the established repertoire and innovative contemporary compositions. His latest recording with the Philharmonic, the world premiere of Fire in My Mouth by Julia Wolfe, an oratorio dedicated to the victims of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, garnered rave reviews from critics. Individual members of the Philharmonic are no less dedicated to breaking down barriers of all sorts. NYPO Concertmaster Frank Huang first appeared as soloist with the Philharmonic in 2016 in a program that paired 18th-century Italy and 21st-century Argentina with rousing renditions of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Ástor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Principal clarinetist Anthony McGill is known not only for his recordings of Brahms, Mozart, Nielsen, and others, but also for playing alongside Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and Gabriela Montero at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and for becoming the first African-American principal player in the history of the NYPO. Principal percussionist and Grammy Award-winner Christopher Lamb has been featured soloist for not one but three NYPO world premieres of concerti written for him by leading contemporary composers, and his research as a Fulbright Scholar in Australia has fundamentally reshaped percussion pedagogy.
These astonishing accomplishments are just a small sample of the overwhelming virtuosity that makes the New York Philharmonic an unstoppable force in the music world. For a full listing of all NYPO performances to come in the 2019/2020 season, see the official calendar here.
Address: 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
The Eclectic Art and Antiques of the 66th Annual Winter Show
With the success of programs like Antiques Roadshow and American Pickers in recent decades, interest in antiquing has surged across the nation. In just a few weeks, from January 24 through February 2, enthusiasts from across the world will come to NYC for the 66th annual Winter Show, the most highly-anticipated antiques event in America.
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Hosted on the Upper East Side at the historic Park Avenue Amory, this year’s Winter Show boasts 72 prestigious vendors dealing in artifacts that cover an astonishing 5000-year range of human creativity and craftsmanship. Each exhibitor carefully designs a unique display that often combines an eclectic mix of art objects from several eras united by a central theme. If you’re an art or antiques lover who will be visiting New York at the end of January, you must make time to stop by the Winter Show. As an added bonus, money raised at the Opening Night Party, various special events, and general admissions will benefit a wonderful charitable cause, the East Side House, which helps impoverished communities of the Bronx and Northern Manhattan access life-changing educational opportunities.
Address: 643 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065
The Most Beloved Ballet and Ballet Company in America
Occasionally a work of art is created that transcends time and even medium. Such is the case with Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker.
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“The March of the Toy Soldiers,” “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “The Waltz of the Flowers”—all of these are instantly recognizable to millions of people across the world, even those who have never set foot in a ballet hall. If you’ll be in New York any time through January 5, you must make time to see one of the world’s finest ballet companies present Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. The New York City Ballet’s rendition of The Nutcracker is like none other, dazzling audiences not only with the beloved score but also with the inimitable choreography of George Balanchine, hailed far and wide as the father of American ballet. As a guest of The Pierre, you are ideally located to attend one of these breathtaking performances at the David H. Koch Theater of Lincoln Center, less than 10 minutes by car (or 20 minutes by foot through serene Central Park) from our hotel.
Address: 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
On A Roll:Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Marks 93rd Year
No doubt you are among the millions who have seen the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV (after all, it has been televised since 1952) but, this year, consider catching this quintessential NYC experience from a perch on the parade route.
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This year’s parade begins at 77th Street and Central Park West at 9:00 am on Thanksgiving Day and will feature 30 gigantic balloons ranging from Snoopy and SpongeBob to everyone's favorite Grinch. In addition, 34 floats will roll through the city streets, carrying classic characters including Big Bird, the Ninja Turtles, and Santa Claus (naturally). You can also catch performances by the Black-Eyed Peas, Chicago, Billy Porter, Idina Menzel, and more. After the parade, head back to The Pierre for a flavorful, family-style feast with all your holiday favorites.
Spooky Sailing: The Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla
There’s something spooky floating beneath Central Park’s golden trees this October. Every fall, the Central Park Conservancy hosts its annual Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla. It’s one of New York City’s most unique holiday attractions—an armada of illuminated jack-o’-lanterns, slowly making their way across Harlem Meer.
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The event is jam-packed with fun for you and the kids. To participate, simply carve a pumpkin at home and drop it off at the designated area—the flotilla is limited to 50 entries, so make sure to get yours in early! Afterward, relax and enjoy the festivities; a host of Halloween-themed events, from scary storytelling to a costume parade, leading up to the final launch, which is a fantastic sight to witness when the city grows dark.
Participation in the event is free of charge. Whether you walk through the park or catch a cab to get there, it’s an easy trip up 5th Avenue from The Pierre Hotel. So join in the fun, and come enjoy a festive celebration of autumn in the Big Apple!
