While bricks and mortar luxury retail is struggling elsewhere globally, it has never been hotter in New York City. We are not only seeing major brands like Gucci opening amazing new spaces in areas like Wooster Street, we are also seeing trendy online retailers like AYR and RealReal launching new physical stores in the same neighborhood. This provides destination corporate meeting planners with more opportunities to provide unique private shopping experiences for their attend

Whether or not you think pretzels are the healthiest snack, New York City is seeing a huge increase in artisanal, fancy pretzels. Your attendees might crave chocolate toppings or sprinkles, or something else. Overall, there is really no limit to what you can provide with this meeting break idea. It's really a product of your imagination, and the imagination of your attendees. If your meeting is held at an evocative venue that includes kitchens, we would recommend incorporatin

Corporate retreats are going all-in on wellness, and this summer, we have found that Hamptons hotels on Eastern Long Island are really ramping up their game in this category. We are especially intrigued by the idea of bringing in energy healers. One venue is offering hypnotherapy for stress reduction sleep and happiness, and reiki, which is a Japanese technique to balance and restore the body. Your attendees can also find options for T7 yoga and ModeFIT programs, card reading

Many destination corporate meeting attendees love finding after-hours venues where they can experience some of the world's leading DJs. Now they can go to venues DJs open themselves in Brooklyn! We love one in particular that features a Trinidadian vibe and features some of the finest rum your attendees will taste anywhere. This includes Angostura 1919 and Banks Golden Age. And of course, you can expect the music to be amazing and authentically paired into a process its celeb

While juicing has been a trend for a few years in New York, we have never seen an option for destination corporate meetings that takes the experience found at venues like McCarren Park on weekends to the level worthy of an after-hours event. Until now. You can simply import juices that are truly remarkable and customized for your attendees, And that's the key. Don't get restrained by what you think the beverage or food menu might be. New York is more flexible than you think!

This is the time of year when rooftop venues are booming in Manhattan, and they are great choices for after-hours events at destination corporate meetings. We love one new venue in particular that has opened at a hot hotel in Manhattan. This rooftop brand began as a pop-up at Miami’s Freehand hotel in 2012, and it has since become a cocktail destination in multiple US cities. It has earned two James Beard Award nominations, and is No. 14 on a list of the world's top 50 bars.

Broadway productions are continuing to be a huge draw for major global acting talent. The headliner, of course, is Denzel Washington in "The Iceman Commeth." However, your attendees can also enjoy major draws that include Diana Rigg from "Game of Thrones", who is playing the lead in "My Fair Lady"; Armie Hammer from the Academy Award-nominated “Call Me By Your Name” in "Straight White Men"; and the "Big Bang Theory's" Jim Parsons in "Boys in the Band." And then there is sta

Have you noticed there is a "step-and-repeat" at almost every event and venue entrance now? This concept, originally conceived to leverage celebrity appearances and major brand sponsors, has grown so much, it might not be as big a deal anymore. The burger joint down the street from us just had a step-and-repeat for Cinco de Mayo, so maybe it's time for meeting planners to re-think the concept's overall prestige! As an alternative, we found a very elegant red carpet decor idea

Shackman Associates New York has run multiple private shopping experiences for destination corporate meeting attendees and their spouses at some of Manhattan's most luxurious stores. The concept is now evolving beyond simply looking, trying and buying. We found a New York City clinical psychologist who has opened a unique fashion practice that can help any attendee feel a closer connection between clothing and overall life outlook. In fact, this expert, who has very relevant

We hear that Joel Robuchon, the legendary chef behind the former Four Seasons restaurant in New York City, and the most Michellin starred chef in the world, is making a Midtown Manhattan comeback within the next six to eight months. Because Robuchon has lost almost 60 pounds by overhauling his own diet, we are expecting his new 2-floor venue to feature healthy options with the delicious twists only he can deliver!