VIP Den

Duck down into the discreet basement entrance of a 4,000 square-foot townhouse in New York’s Greenwich Village to enter the glamorously low-lit La Ranita restaurant. Breeze past the bar, turn left through the mirrored one-way doors and find the entrance to Omar’s, the private members-only supper club run by nightlife veteran Omar Hernandez. The dapper Venezuelan has been a behind-the-scene fixture on the party circuit for the past decade, having presided over the Raleigh hotel in Miami; the Standard hotel in West Hollywood; and the Mercer Kitchen, Hotel Americano and the Lion in New York- he also helped organize 22 parties during Art Basel Miami one year.

Hernandez’ title might have been hospitality consultant- someone who oversees the scene at a restaurant, club, or hotel to ensure the environment gels with the crowd- but a more fitting job description may be ambiance director, which he adopted when he was working for hotelier extraordinaire Andre Balazs. Two years ago the host for others finally got his own party, when Omar’s opened in the former Hotel Griffau. The membership draws from the arts, publishing, film, finance, music, and advertising. The quintessential Omar’s member is an international bon vivant jet-setter, which is dominating the New York social scene these days. Think of Omar’s as a riff on London’s private clubs in the 60’s like Annabel’s… or an even more intimate Soho House.  www.omar-nyc.com