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Andaz Wall Street Housewarming Party

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

Usually a "soft launch" is a quiet affair with friends and employers gathered for a big round of encouragement smiles, trying menu items and testing out drink concoctions. Someone forgot to tell that to Hyatt, who gathered a crowd of 300 to toast their highly anticipated new Andaz hotel in Manhattan.

Andaz is a new boutique concept from the hotel giant with locations in West Hollywood and London. Andaz Wall Street is the first in New York, with another on Fifth Avenue to open this spring. The Wall Street location officially opened to the public on Jan. 18.

At the housewarming, the restaurant, Wall & Water, was packed to the gills as guests gathered around marble "bars" for tastings of smoked salmon, arugula salad, grilled scallops and other bites being cooked before their eyes in the dining room.

Downstairs at Bar Seven Five, guests could try a choice of several different drink concoctions including a signature bourbon drink served flaming. Instead of a traditional bar with mixologists working their magic on one side and guests on the other, the lounge is laid out with a series of square-marble islands that break down the wall between guest and server, giving the bar an air of a high-end kitchen. Alchemy, a duo behind several successful New York speakeasies, designed the cocktail menu with an appropriately hip retro flair.

At right, Dr. Oz's daughter, Daphne Oz, with Lily Cowles, Natasha Lennard and Elizabeth Cordry.

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