• by Kelly Samardak , May 6, 2010

Brugal Rums Party For Jet Blue, Maritime Hotel North Cabana
WWD&S Cinco De Mayo,  WWD&S Office
New York
May 5, 2010

If you live in a big city like New York or anywhere near a college town (poor things!) then you already know that St. Patrick's Day is the original amateur night - the night where underagers try to get served (but pre-party to barf status before heading out to try), suburbanites stream in through bridges, tunnels, and tracks, and those who ordinarily stay in their studio apartments talking to the walls decide to come out and "be Irish for the night!"  Cinco De Mayo runs a close second, with the day after turning into a dodge-the-regurgitated-tortilla-pile gauntlet.  This is why I was eager to celebrate in the safety of invitation-only, private-type parties.  I have a feeling, based on my second party pop-in, some agency types are squinting, wincing, and gurding today.

My first stop was the beautiful Maritime Hotel North Cabana to celebrate Jet Blue's new service from JFK to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  It was there that I joined up with my second wind (which escorted me on the sunny side of the street) and Buddy Media's Jenean Chapman, who was ready to schmooze.   Fue hermoso! It was a gorgeous evening and the air was all sizzly with the potential of troublemaking.

The first person we met was the Brugal Rum brand ambassador, who had two kinds of rum lined up for sipping, not shooting.  One was regular style (Anejo), the other, Extra Old (Extra Viejo).  I took two sips and felt the familiar put-the-glass-down burn that Extra Viejo Kelly identifies as associated with bad choices.  It was deliciously dangerous and I had to bid it adieu in search of a less powerful (or so I excused) choice.  That came in the form of the golden mojito.  Yum, yum yum.  All around the cabana were a diverse smattering of guests, some courtesy of DailyCandy (an inboxer I've been reading since before I even lived in NYC), who invited 50 of their readers to join the party.

Two DailyCandy readers were sisters and executive assistants alike, Natasha and Katrina Radojevic.  And, coincidentally (not really, since DailyCandy was a party sponsor) around the corner from the sisters Radojevic was DailyCandy Editor-at-large Dannielle Kyrillos; Meredith Howard, Director of Communications; Melissa Greenberg, Account Exec and cigar aficionado; Danielle Muschetto, Account Exec at DailyCandy; and Scott Schiller, SVP of Comcast Interactive Media and his adorable hippo tie.  And of course, my favorite Westchester hot tamales from SqueakyWheel Promotions, Karen Mizrahi Hertz and Jackie Saril.  The Squeaky ladies extended the party invitation to me, and I thank them for the weird feeling in my liver today!

After watching the Costa Rican dance troupe spin, sparkle, and skitter to the musical stylings of the house band, I had to head out to the other side of town for the WWD&S 3^rd birthday/Cinco De Mayo party.   It was in their small but boisterous office (fueled by liquid heaven from Margarita Man) that I met the partners Harry Woods, Phyllis Dealy, and Gill Witt.   I also met WWD&S art director, Chris Pace and his wife as well as Hard Candy Shell's Dan Maccarone, who incidentally owns Destination Bar in the East Village.  Which I've never been to.  Which he couldn't believe.  You know what I can't believe?  That on certain nights they serve free mac and cheese.  I'm so there.

I had a hard time going home last night because when that cooling night wind whipped up, NYC turned damn near exotic.  It's so hard to cash in your chips on a night like last night, but I did.  And tonight I'm back at it again with the Mashable Headquarters Warming party.

What does one bring to a Headsquarters Warming Party? Toner?

Keep those invitations rolling into kelly@mediapost.com - summer party season is getting hot!

Photos are up on Flickr!