Who’s about ready to say goodbye to 2018 and hellooooo to 2019?!? Can’t even believe that a new year is upon us; this one flew by (as always), but at Leonard’s Palazzo we had the amazing opportunity of making 2018 the best year yet for our couples and countless other celebrants (from sweet sixteens and bar and bat mitzvahed young men and women, to misters and misses with milestone birthdays and companies in need of a hell of a holiday party). We look forward to seeing all the photos pour in of our 2018 premiere parties – because each event was one for the books!  

And the party don’t stop, until 2019 walks in… That’s right, tomorrow may be January 1st, but we always have room for one more epic evening in Long Island. It’s our annual New Year’s Eve Celebration and it’s never one to disappoint. Ever. In fact, we see so many familiar faces every year, because the time is so great, they can’t imagine ringing in 2019 anywhere else.

Before we get into the specifics of our own special soiree, we thought it’d only be fitting to discuss all the reasons why going out for the night is just so right:

• You’ll be able to make it to midnight. Let’s be honest, spending New Year’s Eve at home sounds pretty amazing – movie marathons, snacks on snacks on snacks, plus no obligation to wear anything other than PJs – but being so comfortable is a one-way ticket to yawns well before midnight. If you’re out and about, your adrenaline will certainly keep you energized enough to watch the ball drop AND keep the party going as long as possible.
• You don’t have to worry about cleaning up once the night has gone down. Unless you’re partying at a close friend or family member’s house, you can have the time of your life, throw some confetti, pop some bottles, and eat until your heart’s content without having to concern yourself with the cleanup. Anyone who is partying at Leonard’s Palazzo certainly doesn’t have to! They can show up for the night, have a wicked good time, and then peace out once they’re pooped!
• You’ll make sure 2018 goes out with a bang. At some point, everyone has said that New Year’s Eve is hardly a big deal. You’ve gone through 364 days already, what’s one more night? Well, yes, that’s true, but if the last night of the year has the potential to be the best night ever, why wouldn’t you want to make it count? Plus, this time of year is all about spending time with those who make you smile [the most], so having a glass (or two) of champs, indulging in devilishly decadent dishes, and reminiscing over 2018 highlights with your crew is the only thing to do!

Our New Year’s Eve party is sold out, but for anyone who can’t wait until next year to light it up like we do at Leonard’s Palazzo, you can borrow a few of our party pointers – just make sure you plan to revel with a crowd… Because cocktails and epicurean delights are in no short supply!

Here’s how we do it in the North Shore with:

An extended cocktail hour.
Who said cocktail hour only had to be that, an hour? For our party, we offer a 1.5 hour cocktail hour to make sure anyone who’s fashionably late can still take advantage. And those who do show up on time get an extra 30 minutes of sips and dips (hey! If you’re doing your own thing, you don’t necessarily need to get fancy – gourmet chips and dips get the job done 😉). We just happen to do it with creative salads and artisanal antipasti, jumbo shrimp cocktail displays, carving stations, and lots more. Including a fabulous four course seated dinner and open bar all night long (of course!).

An exciting ambiance.
For us, that means a DJ doing the most to make sure guests are on the dance floor from party start to party end. But for anyone DIY-ing at home, that can mean a killer Spotify list packed with awesome tracks from 2018, noisemakers, party hats, confetti poppers, etc. We also keep a live feed of Times Square going in the background so that our guests can check in with Ryan Seacrest any time they want!

And sweet treats for the ride home.
We send our guests home in the sweetest way possible, with breakfast to go. Think croissants, bagels, muffins, pancakes, sausage, and hash browns – all to feed those late-night cravings and curb any possibilities of New Year’s Day hangovers. We also do a hot pretzel and popcorn station placed by our valet, so that people can snack as they wait for their cars. If you have friends or family coming over and want to wow them, or if you’ll be heading over to someone’s house for the night, think about a fun ‘exit’ strategy complete with scrumptious sweet treats. They’ll LOVE IT.