It's my gf's 21st, help me plan (in NYC)

[mak15]

cliff notes: give me a good hotel, restaurant, and lounge in mid town new york for me and my 21 year old girlfriend. do you think lingerie from la perla is a good gift?

OK. So quick background: She and I are both going to be seniors next year and have been dating off and on since first semester of freshman year. I play MSNL and so have more money than necessary for a 21 year old, but I'm not a huge baller either. That said, I don't have a budget in mind but would like to spend somewhere from 1000-2000 i guess.

She is interning with a bank and her sister who lives in the city is going on vacation next week so we are staying in her sisters apartment from friday-tuesday of this week, then the plan is to stay in the dorm room she is renting (2 bedroom, 4 girls) until i leave saturday the 28th. her birthday is thursday the 26th. she works 6:30-6:30 mon-friday and will be doing so the entire week i'm there.

my tentative plan for the day is to get a hotel in mid town (near her office on 57th and 7th or so). i'll probably just tell her the night before so she can pack a bag for me to take when i check in that day. after work i want to take her out to dinner and then out for lowish key drinks. this is where you come in oot.

hotel: who's got a good hotel in mid town for the occasion? What do people think is better, 1 night in a really awesome hotel room followed by 1 night in her twin bed in the dorm, or two nights (since ill be there 1 night after her bday) in a good hotel room?

Dinner: Looking for really good food (price is almost not an object) but not too stuffy of a feel. Will just be the two of us, but we will probably have a couple drinks and plan to go out after.

Lounge/Bar: Again, trying to stay in midtown where is a good spot to grab a couple drinks without going out too hard. She already has stated she doesn't want to do 21 shots or anything crazy since she has work at 6:30 am the following morning, but we may meet some friends to do a bit of drinking/hanging out.

Present: So i don't really want to get her jewelry again, but I also don't have any really good personal ideas or anything. Right now I'm leaning towards really nice lingerie since I've never gotten any for her and she's mentioned it in the past kind of in passing so i'm pretty sure she'd like it, as would i. i'm thinking La Perla, is that the best place? I also might bring a guy friend who has bought lingerie for an ex since I never have. what kind of sizing info do i need going in? i think i know her bra size but can double check when i'm there. i'm thinking i should get two outfits so that she'll at least really like one? if you don't like this idea, you got a better one?

ok, that's about it. i'll clarify when necessary. if i get good advice i'll post a very mundane pic of us. she's 5'4", petite, half japanese and way too hot for me if that's any incentive.

[Wu36]

I got a couple suites for my 21st @ le parker meridien not too long ago and it went pretty well. Spent most of the night drinking though so I don't have a solid restaurant rec or any concrete knowledge of where I got my drinks.

[slickpoppa]

Woh, you are approaching this in the wrong way. First of all, even if you have no problem affording 1000-2000, that seems like an unhealthy amount for a college student to be spending on his GF's birthday. But more importantly, the 21st is a birthday that should be spent with friends getting drunk. She doesn't have to do 21 shots or anything, but going out to a really nice dinner then maybe meeting up with friends sounds really lame for a 21st birthday. Save the romantic stuff for your anniversary or Valentines Day. It would be a lot cooler if you arranged for all of her friends to surprise her at dinner (while of course encouraging her to drink a lot at dinner) and then all of you go out together to a nice club after that, at which point you would have an opportunity to throw around money, which you seem to want to do. You should have no problem getting into one of the nicer clubs in the meat packing district if you buy a couple of bottles and have a lot of 21 year old girls in tow.

But then again, an Asian girl who works at a bank from 6:30-6:30 everyday might have a different idea of what a 21st birthday should be like than most of the girls I knew in college, so I could be way off in my assessment.

[BretWeir]

Midtown hotels can be a little business conference-oriented, but there are a few that are more fun/romantic. The Bryant Park Hotel on W. 40th (near the library) is nice, kind of hip, with a cool lounge in the basement. The Hudson on W. 58th is super-trendy and a little edgy, has a fun nightclub, rooms are really tiny but cool looking. The Parker Meridien by Carnegie Hall is upscale and classy (there's also an awesome hidden burger shop off the lobby -- not for the nice dinner, but could be fun for luch or something). I'd stay away from Times Square -- there are a couple of decent hotels, but it's too much of a tourist scene.

For dinner, maybe the Four Seasons? It's definitely old-school, but actually not that stuffy (jacket required though). The food's great, and the Pool Room can be very romantic. I took a girl there when I was around 21, and she was literally speechless when we walked in.

If you want to give lingerie, I think Agent Provocateur blows La Perla away. This stuff is beautiful, classy, totally sexy -- but not cheap (a set will run you $200+). The staff's very helpful, so should be able to work with you to pick something out if you have measurements. Even better, bring her in and let her pick something out. They have curtained-off changing areas, and they don't care if boyfriends go in for a preview, so you can have her model some stuff for you and pick something out together. The shop's in Soho.

[turnipmonster]

I second the agent provacateur recommendation, it's a great gift. starting prices for a set are around 275 last time I checked a few months ago. if you'll have any advance time in the city they can do a gift cert for you to give her at dinner or something.

[mak15]

[ QUOTE ]
Woh, you are approaching this in the wrong way...

[/ QUOTE ]

i understand and appreciate the advice. but, we've definitely talked about big dinner, club, etc, but she decided she didn't want that. a lot of our friends are in the city for the summer and a lot are having 21st birthdays complete with the big dinner and club following so she feels like she doesn't really need or even want to do that given she has work the next day. i also don't want to "throw around money" per say, just threw out those numbers to show that i didn't want people to hold back on recs based on prices. also $1000 will go pretty fast all tolled for the night. obviously she knows that i make money and don't need to impress her in any way, but we both like nice things and so i'd like to spend the little extra on dinner/hotel/gift if it improves the quality since luckily i'm able to afford to.

[kmak]

I like the Hotel Plaza Athenee on the east side. Very classy, small.
Lots of good restaurants nearby - David Burke & Donatella is excellent, younger crowd.
Definitely stay two nights.

[jws43yale]

I am friends with a slightly older girl (28) who absolutely loves La Perla. Basically has told me anything from there she would love. I think this is a great gift, esp since it is not lingerie that is just sexy for the guy.

[fluffpop62]

WELL mak15, I like the way you think A LOT. because my birthday is Aug. 21 and I am really sad because all of my friends from VA start school by then but none of my friends from SD do so I will just be spendign my 21st with my fam!

Even though I don't have anywhere to recommend, I think that you have a really sweet idea in getting her something that she has requested but you have never actually purchased before. You seem like a nice guy and POST PIX duhh

[samjjones]

mak - PM mrkilla. I'm sure he'd be willing to show your gf a good time around midtown.