New York Adventure Club

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1982677438591

What do Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Reese Witherspoon, and Crazy Rich Asians all have in common? Tucked away on the 7th floor of a building in the heart of the New York City Garment Center is a century-old business that has created fabric flowers for everyone including A-list celebrities and film & television productions. Now's your chance to visit the historic facility where they're all made, one individual flower at a time.

Join New York Adventure Club for a private exploration of M&S Schmalberg, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Manhattan's Garment District that has been hand-making custom fabric flowers for over 100 years.

Led by one of the company owners, our unique experience with the last custom flower maker in New York City will include:

• An overview of the artificial flora industry, and how fast fashion and offshoring have affected the niche fashion craft
• The history of M&S Schmalberg, from brothers Morris and Sam Schmalberg starting the business in 1916, to becoming the premier fabric flower makers for top fashion designers including Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, and Marc Jacobs
• A private tour of the historic factory to see the fabric flower process from beginning to end — from cutting out the fabrics in a myriad of different designs, to hand assembling petals into tulips, carnations, or other varieties
• A live demonstration by the company's veteran artisans of the century-old cutting machines and custom-made hydraulic presses still in operation

Afterward, you'll have the opportunity to shop for your own custom-made M&S Schmalberg fabric flowers (at a steep discount), and even go home with a stylish piece of history!

Click here to read a featured article of M&S Schmalberg in The New York Times!

See you there!

*This experience is only conducted on weekdays when the factory is in operation

**Guests are encouraged to bring photos of clothes or dresses they want to pair with a fabric flower so the M&S Schmalberg staff can assist with finding the perfect match after the tour concludes

Testimonials
"The event was so much more that I expected! Not only did we get to see the actual steps (and equipment) to make BEAUTUFUL silk flowers, but we got to hear about a family’s history and how the business came to be. I learned so much. Walking home last night, I passed a store on the UES than had some silk (or otherwise) flowers strewn in its window. Thanks to the instruction from Adam Brand, I was easily able to identify them as NOT M&S Schmalberg’s flowers. I didn’t realize how many of their lovely flowers I’ve already seen on favorite TV shows and runways and galas. Thank you!" -Linda

"The owner giving the tour, the family story, and seeing the workroom. Super interesting." -Kala

"Adam is so passionate about the business, the heritage and present and future. He was fantastic." -Dena

"This was so special! It's rare to see inside a family owned factory like this, especially in NYC." -Justin

"Loved that they took the time to let us into their private workspace. Interesting and beautiful creations!" -Margaret

"Resonate tour and history of a vintage business still operating." -Gabriella

"A rare look inside a historic NYC industry." -Jerry
"The opportunity to see a working factory. Guide had lots of stories about his family and the business and was willing to allow photos." -Meryl

"One of the very best trips I’ve ever taken with you. The machines they’ve used for a hundred years still in use today was fascinating. Completely authentic — workers making flowers as we walked through. A trip that truly surpassed expectations. Nice shopping opportunity at the end too!" -Deb

Disclaimer
Event takes place rain or shine.

By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1981583397284

Before the world's fair faded from the American stage, New Orleans gave it one last flamboyant curtain call in 1984. Conceived as a bold effort to transform a crumbling section of the city into a year-round tourist destination, the fair brought 84 acres of the Mississippi River waterfront to life with colorful pavilions, rides, and restaurants. How did this ambitious celebration attract over seven million guests yet still go bankrupt before it ended? It’s time to revisit this vibrant spectacle and the surprising legacy it left behind.

Join New York Adventure Club as we delve into the full story behind the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans — from its optimistic beginnings and eye-catching attractions to its economic unraveling and lasting impact on the city’s waterfront.

Led by world’s fair historian and author Bill Cotter, this special experience will include:

• A deep dive into the 12-year planning saga, including the political wrangling and design overhauls that shaped the fair’s final form
• An overview of the fair’s attractions, from international pavilions and gondola rides to a monorail gliding above the Mississippi River
• A look at the financial collapse, and how the fair became the first world’s fair to declare bankruptcy before its scheduled close
• Rare behind-the-scenes photos and archival images, many sourced directly from the fair corporation’s own collection
• An exploration of the fair’s lasting impact, including the transformation of the site into New Orleans’ modern-day convention center and thriving arts district

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A session with Bill — any and all questions are welcomed and encouraged!
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week.
See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser
***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!

About Bill
Bill Cotter was inspired by the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair to pursue a career in technology, becoming a submarine designer out of college for the US Navy, working on the Polaris-Poseidon-Trident guidance and launch systems. Cotter was then hired by The Walt Disney Company to set up the company's initial computer security. He also contributed to the designs for several major computer-controlled attractions. More recently, Bill retired as a Senior Vice President of Information Systems for Bank of America and is now an active volunteer with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Bill has written 13 volumes about the history of world’s fairs. He has contributed to dozens of books and documentaries and served as a consultant on several movies, including Iron Man 2 (2010) and Tomorrowland (2015). Bill spoke at the 50th anniversary of the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair and Disney’s D23 celebration of the Fair held at Walt Disney World Resort. Bill is also the author of a comprehensive history of Disney television and other entertainment projects, and operates three websites devoted to the study of world’s fairs.

Disclaimer
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: Virtual, Moments in History

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1980998749587

“We do not mingle enough with minds that influence the world…We should measure ourselves through personal contact with outsiders … I want my club to be a place where actors are away from the glamour of the theatre.” — Edwin Booth

Join New York Adventure Club for a rare, private tour inside The Players , a private social club founded in 1888 by renowned Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth, who is arguably the greatest American actor — and Prince Hamlet — of the 19th century.

Our experience at this 128-year-old theatre society, and its original Stanford White-designed mansion facing Gramercy Park, will include:

• A walkthrough of the clubhouse , which contains paintings from Norman Rockwell and John Singer Sergeant , as well as Tiffany glass pieces

-A look inside historic rooms including the Grill, Great Hall, and Library

• Access inside Edwin Booth’s bedroom , which has been untouched since his death in 1893 — in it, rests the skull used in his famous 100 consecutive performances of Hamlet, and a small picture of Wilkes, the only evidence of their relationship that Edwin would keep

-A look at early photos of Edwin’s family and other personal artifacts and memorabilia of his life in theatre

If we're lucky, we'll see some of the club's more notable members walking the halls!

Click here to see pictures from one of our last visits!

*This experience can only be conducted on weekdays

**The Players does not have an elevator

Disclaimer

By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.

Categories: In-Person, Mansions & Private Clubs

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1979308294390

Behind the polished façades of the Upper East Side lies a powerful — and often overlooked — chapter of New York’s Gilded Age. What influence did German-Jewish elites wield as they carved out space in the city’s most rarefied circles, all while building institutions that still shape New York today? It's time to stroll up Fifth Avenue for an eye-opening journey through a neighborhood where wealth, identity, and resilience collided to redefine what it meant to belong.

Join New York Adventure Club as we uncover the rich Jewish history of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a neighborhood transformed by German-Jewish families who helped define the city’s cultural and philanthropic landscape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Led by licensed tour guide and native New Yorker Richard Soden, this unique walk along Fifth Avenue will include:

• A discussion of notable German-Jewish elite around the turn of the 20th century — prominent families like the Schiffs, Warburgs, Guggenheims, and Lehmans who lived in grand homes and championed cultural institutions
• A walk past historic Fifth Avenue mansions linked to the Jewish community including Otto Kahn’s former residence
• Jewish women’s philanthropic leadership — from establishing schools and hospitals to advocating social reform
• A stop outside Jewish cultural landmarks such as Temple Emanu-El, a monumental Reform synagogue that reflected the rising prominence of German-Jewish New Yorkers
• A trip inside the Payne‑Whitney Mansion — now home to the French Embassy’s Cultural Services, offering a glimpse into Gilded Age interior elegance

Our experience will conclude outside the Jewish Museum (the former house of Jewish banker Felix Warburg), which has free admission on Saturdays.
See you there!

*Please bring a water bottle and comfortable pair of shoes as we’ll be doing a lot of walking!
**Our experience will conclude outside the Jewish Museum at Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street

About Richard
"I am a native New Yorker who was born and have lived on the lower east side all my life. I love this city and all its beauty and peculiarities, and I love sharing it with native New Yorkers, newcomers, and returning visitors. I enjoy telling stories which I'll share with you. You’ll learn the many secrets about the city I call 'home.'"

Disclaimer
Event takes place rain or shine.
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
Categories: In-Person, Neighborhood Tours