The Heartwood

Experience the excitement of New York City and journey though time to discover it's dynamic history and rich culture on a first class immersive adventure. Our expert led private guided tours and experiences will captivate you with amazing stories and surprising secrets as you explore through the world renown neighborhoods of New York. Discover the inspiring chronicles of the legendary people and extraordinary places behind this metropolitan melting pot of world culture that influenced American society and ultimately helped shape our modern global civilization.

Located in New York City’s founding neighborhood, Pier 17 is drenched in history. A stone’s throw from the Financial District and The World Trade Center, the area has more recently been synonymous with Wall Street workers and tourists visiting the 9/11 Memorial. But this summer changes all that with the re-launch of Pier 17 at the Seaport District NYC. Home to the Seaport Museum and the city’s largest concentration of restored maritime buildings, Pier 17 is being reclaimed for New Yorkers via dynamic food, drink, art, architecture, retail, and entertainment concepts that foster community and engage the city’s denizens, year-round. Pier 17 and the surrounding Seaport District comes out of its tourist trap shadows as its new tenants incorporate the neighborhood’s rich past, while embracing its future as a port of discovery. For history buffs, Pier 17 is one of the most interesting places in NYC. The economic growth of New York in the first half of the 19th century was driven by the Port of New York’s position as an import–export exchange and cargo center for emerging American and global markets. The Seaport and Pier 17 became a gateway for international shipping, maritime activities and the wholesale fish trade. South Street was known as the “Street of Ships” and the Wavertree, which is docked alongside Pier 17 to this day, arrived in New York City in 1895 en route to Calcutta with jute cargo aboard. The ship was acquired by the South Street Seaport Museum in 1968 and went through a 16-month, $13 million restoration. “These are the kinds of ships that built New York,” says Jonathan Boulware, executive director of the South Street Seaport Museum. A hub of commercial virtue (the finance, sea trade and printing press businesses were all located in this dense port) and accompanying vice (the area is home to some of the city’s oldest drinking dens, which played host to all manner of illicit activities back in the day), the Seaport was the first 24-hour district in New York, hence the phrase “the city that never sleeps”.

Our company was founded in 2008 by Alana Hoye Barnaba. Originally from upstate New York, Alana moved to New York City and immediately began her love affair with its food, history, and culture. For years before creating her company, Alana tried every type of food the city had to offer and began specializing in the tastes of ethnic neighborhoods. Some of her first experiences with the city’s culinary adventures were fresh dumplings and homemade mozzarella — foods included on the signature tour today. Soon after, Alana started Ahoy New York Tours & Tasting and has been sharing her love for the passion, culture, and history of the city through food tours of New York neighborhoods. Ahoy New York Tours and Tasting’s goal with each tour is for customers to leave not only with the knowledge of the area and full of delicious food but also an experience to tell friends and family about long after the tour is complete

In 1992, New York Offstage began, when founder, Bev Sambrotto, left her role as Assistant Director of Visitor Services at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Her tenure at Lincoln Center gave her invaluable experience as a producer of refined cultural events. This experience included talent recruitment and coordination with world-class talent from Lincoln Center’s companies, cutting edge event planning and production for Fortune 500 corporations, and creative, interactive program content for patrons, and international travel and luxury group clients. New York Offstage flourished as the industry leader in these immersive, behind-the-scenes experiences showcasing New York’s cultural world. As the company grew it was evident that its services and business model could be copied in other leading cultural destinations and in 2007 the brand was renamed The Offstage Group. Until 2012 The Offstage Group served groups of all sizes. The company had weathered several economic downturns and as a safeguard changed its business model to include memorable experiences for individual travelers. Your VIP Pass was born!

Located in Midtown Manhattan, Lightbox’s venue is equipped with multi-level, state-of-the art sound and lighting systems, HD projection mapping technology, and other customizable digital features. These components collectively make up the DNA of Lightbox as a leading destination for immersive product launches, elevated corporate meetings, and experiential activations of the future. Since 2013, Lightbox has worked with 1000+ of the most innovative brands to create experiences that blur the lines between digital and physical. The Lightbox venue features 4000+ sq ft of space, high ceilings, fully programmable walls, customizable vinyl options, an onsite kitchen and more.

JoJo: Established in 1991, Jean-Georges' first restaurant, named after his childhood nickname that his mother would call him, has recently reopened in a duplex townhouse on the Upper East Side, creating a modern and fresh design, yet still maintaining an understated, warm and friendly atmosphere. JoJo is a simple and casual neighborhood friendly restaurant serving a farm to table menu with mostly organic and local ingredients. Inn at Pound Ridge: Chef Jean-Georges introduces a casually elegant restaurant ensconced in the picturesque town of Pound Ridge, New York. Here, Jean-Georges cultivates a truly seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine, with ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley and New England whenever possible. Constructed in 1833 as a residence and serving later as an inn, the building has been painstakingly renovated to preserve as many of the original materials as possible, including four working fireplaces. Thomas Juul-Hansen designed the restaurant’s interior with a modern yet rustic sensibility; zinc and marble accent stone and reclaimed wood. Comfortable seating encourages lingering. The restaurant’s lighting, artfully conceived by Hervé Descottes, employs paper shades and Edison fixtures to create warmth throughout. Perry St: Chef Jean-Georges brings relaxed elegance to the West Village with Perry St, which opened in 2005 and has been awarded three stars by the New York Times. Located in the spectacular Richard Meier Towers, the restaurant offers beautiful waterfront views of the Hudson River. The stunning dining room, decorated in soft shades of brown and white, was designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen, whose Danish background lends a mid-century modern design sensibility. With only 60 seats, the restaurant feels intimate yet casual and fun. Chef Jean-Georges’ son, Cedric Vongerichten, helms the kitchen, creating dishes that reflect his own keen instinct for balancing flavor and texture with an exquisite blend of French, American, and Asian influences and ingredients. The menu is inspired by the season, centering on the local market at Union Square.

8 Stratton Events is a premier event planning agency based in Boston, MA that specializes in event planning, design and production. From intimate gatherings to large-scale productions, we offer full-service planning support designed for corporate, nonprofit and private clients seeking a partner that offers inspiration, organization and collaboration. Our clients span a wide range of industries, including finance, real estate, entertainment, retail, sports, and technology. As a trusted partner, we operate as an extension of our clients' teams in prioritizing clear communication, shared vision, and seamless collaboration. From innovative concepts to flawless execution, we deliver events that surpass objectives and set a new standard for guest experience every year.

A full-service ground transportation management company serving North America. 414 LC specializes in customized ground transportation solutions to meet every need. From single-transfers to city-wide convention shuttles, and everthing in between, 414 LC has extensive experience coordinating transportation programs of varied size and scope. We strive to provide exceptional customer service while creating a seamless transportation experience that lessens the load for our client partners and enhances engagement for program attendees.

The Mini Rose Co. is a family run small business that prides itself on the hands on interactions with each of its clients. We have built deep, ongoing relationships with our clients, staff and vendors to create products and services that are uniquely cultivated and cared for, growing with the ever changing needs and vision of our incredible clientele.

Tom Wardle is Brooklyn-based British singer/guitarist, bringing his brand of acoustic pop, rock and soul to high-end parties in the New York City, the Hamptons and across the US, as well as Turks And Caicos. Tom’s mix of acoustic guitar and his raspy vocals have captured significant press attention since his move to the States, with Rolling Stone Magazine saying his “gritty vocals echo Rod Stewart”, and the socialite Hamptons Magazine calling his music “Perfect for a summer’s evening”, when they profiled him on his move over to the States. His recent client list includes such luxury brands as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Manolo Blahnik and Vogue Magazine, as well as events for fashion mogul Donna Karan. Tom has been a live music favourite across the Hamptons for the last six years, becoming a summer staple at such hotspots as Wölffer Estate, Gurney’s Montauk and Bounce Beach to name a few.