The Art of Celebration: A Birthday in Full Bloom
Michelle's Birthday Soiree
New York City has always held a sacred place in my heart — its energy, its layers, its unapologetic glamour. There’s a rhythm to this city that’s both electric and deeply soulful. For my birthday, I wanted nothing more than to share that feeling with my nearest and dearest. To invite them into the places, the textures, the moments that make this city feel like home to me. It was a love letter in the form of a weekend — curated, personal, and unforgettable.
Turning forty felt like a moment meant to be celebrated with beauty, intention, and a little magic — and this past June in Manhattan delivered just that. Every detail was steeped in meaning, design, and joy, shared with the people I love the most.
None of it would have been possible without my dearest friend and creative force Sara Danish of Sara Danish Events, who brought every detail of this vision to life. From venue to tablescape, she infused the weekend with meaning, beauty, and unforgettable heart.
We began the festivities in the private dining room with a welcome dinner for out-of-town guests at the iconic Polo Bar. Walking into that space is like stepping into a Ralph Lauren dream — handsome, tailored, richly layered with equestrian charm and quiet luxury. The private dining room glowed in candlelight, brass, and burgundy leather — a room that makes you lean in and linger. My husband opened the evening with a bottle of 1985 Château Lynch-Bages, my birth year in a glass. Bold yet elegant, with notes of cedar, dried cherry, and just enough age to feel rare — it was the perfect toast to a new decade.
We stayed at the ever-iconic Carlyle Hotel, a place where timeless elegance is just the beginning. The Art Deco details, the whisper of jazz in the halls, the soul of New York history — it’s a hotel that doesn’t just host you, it inspires you. The next morning, before the whirlwind resumed, I slipped for a quiet breakfast at Via Quadronno on the Upper East Side. It was the perfect pause — cappuccino, a warm cornetto, and that classic Italian café energy that makes even a Tuesday feel cinematic.
Then, the main event: our Manhattan soirée at the gorgeous Casa Cruz. This space is pure visual seduction — mirrored walls, lacquered wood, metallics, and a rich, sultry palette that feels like a modern supper club meets golden-age glamour. We began with a cocktail reception bathed in florals by Designs by Ahn — lush, textural, and wildly romantic. Guests sipped signature cocktails and my forever favorite: the perfectly icy dirty martini.
Dinner followed in the Palm Room, a jewel box of a space with hand-painted murals, palm fronts, and candlelight dancing on deep green velvet and brass. The energy was electric, elegant, and so very alive. And then — the cake. A true work of art designed and crafted by the brilliant Eunhwa Marie Kim of Bakes by Marie. It was architectural, feminine, and impossibly delicious.
Forty looks good from here — and I couldn’t be more grateful and excited for this next decade.
— Michelle Waugh
