Anyone living in the city who wants to know what’s going on when the sun goes down should be following @NYDoorman. The nightlife guru tweets about the most exclusive parties, the toughest doors, and really whatever thoughts cross his mind –and we love it. For a little insight into the man behind the bow tie, we’ve talked to the Twitter celeb about his favorite spots in the city, how to snag an invite to the hottest parties, and more. Check. It. Out.
How did you get started in nightlife?
Way back before meatpacking boomed I worked in TriBeCa in a restaurant and became really good friends with the manager who would take me out with him. When I stopped working there, I more or less stopped going out and focused on other hobbies and then continued going out when Le Bain opened up. I didn’t like the idea of table service or bottles and Le Bain offered that kind of party and they have a really strict door policy. I became really good friends with Simonez and Ian and built from that.
Are you NY bred?
Lived in NY my entire life.
Why did you choose to be anonymous? Will you ever come out of the closet, so to speak?
As much as people would like to believe that nightlife people only work at night, the truth is a lot of them work in the day. They either work for the venue and do all the back end work, coordinate events, etc., or don’t work for a venue and have a day job. I prefer to keep my day life and nightlife separate. It’s nice to have some balance in my life and nice to go into my office and know that no one knows what I’ve been up to.
What are some of your favorite spots to hang out in the city? Why?
Favorite spots: Goldbar. Jonny Lennon and Anthony have been like big brothers to me since before this Twitter started and stuck with me throughout when things have gotten a little crazy. Goldbar will always be like my second home because I know I can go there at any time and find my friends DJing, partying, or working. It also doesn’t hurt that the space is visually stunning and very unique. Goldbar has a very special place in my heart. When I’m not there I’ll go to No. 8 because it’s a nice place to de-stress and unwind, especially earlier in the night. I usually go there to do work from my laptop or take people to dinner since I know we can talk comfortably.
Favorite cocktail right now?
Goldbar has this cocktail called Flight To Paris. I suggest you try it – it’s amazing. Otherwise I stick to champagne and vodka. I’m easy going.
What events are you looking forward to most this May?
Every year Goldbar does a Memorial Day BBQ with Uncle Mike so that’s going to be great. I’ve gotten into the art scene recently so there are a lot of great shows this month. Summer is almost here so mostly I’m looking forward to working with the people going out east and trying to set up events and what not.
Any tips for our readers on how to snag a coveted spot at one of NYC’s hottest events?
RESEARCH. You can’t go to a party if you don’t know about it and you’ll never know if you don’t do research. Most of the top events are handled by the same PR firms, so if you can manage to snag an invite to one always be gracious and polite. Their job is to create guest lists and if you’re a hot mess you probably won’t get invited again. You’d also be surprised how far good manners get you. I’ve seen people get rejected from countless doors because they have a sense of entitlement and are pompous about it.
