Have the Perfect Christmas in NoMad, NYC
Happy Holidays from all of us at The Fifth! We love this time of year in the city. It’s as if someone has encased all of New York in a Christmas snow globe and blanketed it with some of our most cherished qualities: generosity, wonder, indulgence, and opulence.
We are fortunate to have a team of professionals who have perfected this delightful quartet (among many other things), so we asked a few of them to share their holiday season highlights.
The Spirit of Generosity
“As a self-proclaimed ‘gift giver,’ I revel in any and all holidays that allow me to shower loved ones with gifts! Friendsgiving, Hanukkah, and Secret Santa are all staples for me,” says The Fifth’s proprietor Alex Ohebshalom.
We’re sure everyone on Alex’s gift list would love to be showered with nights at The Fifth. And since our hotel is in the heart of one of the world’s best shopping neighborhoods, there are endless other possibilities for finding the perfect gift as well, whether you’re spending Christmas in New York or anytime of year.
Wonder of the Season
Our chief concierge, Johannes Schaafsma, Member of Les Clefs d’Or, knows how to make every New York experience enchanting.
“For me, one of the best places to admire lights is Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. Adjacent to Bensonhurst (and for decades a bastion of the Italian-American community), the neighborhood takes Christmas seriously, and invites everyone to come and join in the fun. The local residents outdo one another in mounting over-the-top Christmas light decorations. Tens of thousands of tourists come to see the outpouring of creativity and fun, as light displays spill over their homes, roofs, and gardens.”
For those who want to stay in Manhattan, “I personally love the only-in-New York Christmas tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” Johannes says of The Met’s 20-foot blue spruce and Neapolitan Baroque nativity scene. You’ll find it in front of the 18th-century Spanish choir screen from the Cathedral of Valladolid in the museum’s Medieval Sculpture Hall.
At The Fifth, we’ve taken a similarly maximalist approach to our holiday décor (imagine that!).
We’ve seized every opportunity to adorn the hotel with exquisite decorations that evoke the spirit of holidays past, present, and yet to come. We’ve honored the romantic Gilded Age history of our mansion, the sparkling festivity of the moment, and our collective hopes and dreams for a future of peace, prosperity, well-being, and discovery.
Indulge The Senses
“I like to pour flavorful Alsatian whites, fresh and delicious Cru Beaujolais, and when the food or moment calls for it, a Barolo or Northern Rhone Syrah,” says Josh Nadel, Cafe Carmellini’s Master Sommelier of his favorite seasonal pairings.
In fact, Café Carmellini is treating the entire month as a moveable feast with extravagantly festive offerings like Cannelloni of Lobster and Golden Osetra caviar, and Beef Tenderloin Classico. Chef Carmellini even shares some of his own holiday nostalgia with his Grapefruit Sorbetto A.B.C., evoking for him a memory of his grandmother.
Opulent Escapades
When asked her favorite holiday moment of the year, our director of sales and marketing, Carrie DeMarte, didn’t skip a beat, “The Christian Dior Carousel of Dreams at Saks Fifth Avenue!”
Gracing the façade of Saks through January 5th, this illuminated rota fortuna designed by Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri and Roman artist Pietro Ruffo features colorful botanics and gilded Zodiac signs against a rich lapis lazuli background — no doubt auguring dazzling abundance for the year ahead.
There’s also a special magic to the stroke of midnight on December 31st. We’re ringing in 2024 with our Cheers to the Fifth offer, which includes two glasses of champagne, caviar, a Clé de Peau Beauté goodie bag, a personalized Haiku poem for the New Year, and a full American breakfast with 2 p.m. check out… to start things off in a leisurely, flâneur fashion!
