I started the night meeting my new buddy, Hoboken resident and bad-boy chef from the Food Network, Chris Nirschel, at The Central Park Boathouse for NYJTL’s Summer Gala With The Stars. For those that aren’t in the know, The New York Junior Tennis League is the largest tennis and education-themed community organization in the United States and offers comprehensive school and community based programs throughout New York City’s five boroughs. They held your usual gala type event fully equipped with NYC socialites, men wearing Farragamo loafers, women with their best couture, and everything else that falls into those categories with the added bonus of Gondola rides for the guests.
Sure there were lots of people there with deep pockets, but none were all that notable. Until, that is, we spotted a familiar Morgan Freeman look alike rocking a pink pinstriped blazer; it was former Mayor of NYC David Dinkins. Despite being mid-chew with a mouth filled with food, he was actually quite cool and very friendly. He informed me that at 84-years-old he is still holding down a job teaching at Columbia University and loves it. Chris and I chatted and posed for a few pictures with Mr. D, then decided to head off to the GuestofaGuest.com rooftop party at the Maritime Hotel.
Guest of a Guest is a hip online site that covers the people, places and parties of Gotham 24-7 365 days a year. They held this years summer soiree at the Maritime Hotel’s Sky Room Rooftop. When Chris and I arrived we were greeted with tasty booze filled root-beer floats. The floats didn’t distract Chris from noticing all of the females in attendance. He remarked to me that none of the girls there were above a 6, and being the good wing man that I am, we mutually decided to jump in front of a few GuestofaGuest cameras before heading off to see Snooki at the YRB Magazine’s Summer Issue Celebration.
The magazine held the event in the garment district hot spot, District 36 with 2 ladies from MTV’s Jersey Shore, Snooki and Deena Cortese. As we entered the club, I noticed the poor journalists were lined up like cattle in line on a stairwell, desperately waiting for some earth shattering news from the girls who were in a secret room downstairs. Even the reporter I met from the New York Times had to wait in this preposterous lineup like everyone else.
Minutes later, my chef-tastic friend and I hit the Red Carpet before we made our way up to the girls’ VIP section. Thankfully, I was spotted by Snook’s dad Andy Polizzi, who remembered me from her birthday bash, and we were immediately pulled into the squared off leather couched area surrounded by security goons with Snooki, Deena and about six of their BFFs in the middle of it all. Along with our trusty photographer friend Yoni Levy, we hung with the nephew of Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Fredo and the Shore crew for about two hours, eating mini ice cream cones, drinking, posing for pictures along with lots of small talk.
At midnight, I decided I’d return to the state that these girls have made so popular in the past two years, so I kissed Deena and Snooki goodbye. I ‘accidentally’ took Snooki’s gift back home instead of my own. It was not filled with anything special or geared toward the Princess of the Poof’s liking such as leopard print goodies or fried pickles. It was actually just filled with the same junk I always get.
Although I called it a night, Chris who seemed pretty chummy with Deena hadn’t. He called me the next morning to fill me in on more details from the night. According to Chris, the “Jersey Shore” trooper rocked it out with the chef despite barely being able to see out of one eye, irritated and sore, caused by the color contact she was wearing for the event.
The chef, even turned First Aid expert, stopping at a local Duane Reade Drugstore for some drops to help sooth her eye, but it didn’t give her any relief. Although some of his memory of the night is a bit cloudy, he apparently continued club hopping with Deena and her girlfriends all around NYC before parting ways at around 3 a.m. Chris went on to say “I’m looking forward to feeding her and all of her friends at my restaurant.” Well, since they are Italian. I’m sure they will enjoy some good food from this culinary master.