Get the Point?

With less than 30 days and counting till the Point Suite Ball, taking place on September 24, artist, ingenue and New York Insider Annika Connor threw a pre-party to raise the excitement level for the ball from very high to even higher. Held at Chelsea nightclub The Gates, the party brought out patrons of the arts and patrons of the bar alike.

If the pre-party is any indication, the Point Suite Art Ball, which will take place at Studio 450, is going to be one amazing night. Be sure to purchase your ticket sooner rather than later. Contributions are tax deductible and also entitle  donors to receive a special access card for VIP entry into The Gates, good for several months worth of visits. Get the Point? Good. Now get your ticket!

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Open the Gates!

The young art lovers who turned out to support GenArt at last night's big benefit decamped to Chelsea nightclub The Gates for an after-party that lasted well into the early morning hours.

GenArt, the organization that supports emerging fashion designers, musicians and visual artists, celebrated its fifteenth anniversary with a night whose mission was to raise money for the struggling organization. (A cruel irony, given that GenArt itself was founded to help struggling artists.) But times are tough and GenArt decided to hold its first benefit in more than ten years to help bring in some much-needed funds. Among the supporters in attendance were Miss USA Kristen Dalton, Real Housewife Alex McCord, Gossip Girl Laura Breckenridge and Project Runway victor Christian Siriano.

To help fill the coffers, seventy artists donated pieces that were put up for sale, at prices from $300 to $5,000. One of the earliest sellers of the evening was a large portrait of Robert DeNiro, by photographer Paul Gerben.

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Nothing Formal, Just a "White Tie Affair"

Fresh from their appearance at this weekend's Bamboozle music festival, band The White Tie Affair held an after-party at The Gates, in Chelsea. Not yet officially opened, The Gates also hosted a weekend fête for The Real Housewives of New York City. The Chicago-based members of The White Tie Affair (who nonetheless don't seem to wear ties, white or otherwise), cite musical influences from Stevie Wonder to The Police and are currently touring the country performing songs from their debut album, Walk this Way.  The party's venue, The Gates, will open officially this weekend, as the lounge's pre-selected "ambassadors" (125 élite members of the city's social set) and their guests will be marvel over the stunning lounge's marbled walls (reported to be worth $2.4 million) and bronze detailing. Managed by owners Danny Kane and Rod Surut, the space is the former home of restaurant The Biltmore Room (2002–2006). This time, here's hoping that the Gothic iron gates that lend the space its name remain open for a many years to come. 

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