Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – Monarch Rooftop Lounge

If you were one of the millions of viewers glued to your television screen last year during the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade you’re certain of one thing.  It just keeps getting better year after year.  And let’s face it.  That is definitely not true of most things today. With hundreds of one of a kind floats, amazing performances and giant pop culture balloons, some requiring as many as 90 handlers, the yearly spectacle which began way back in 1924, tops the bucket list for most visitors to the Big Apple during the holidays.  But if you’ve ever tried to be up close and central at any outdoor event in Manhattan involving hordes of people, you know you need nerves of steel, the smarts of a wizard and the patience of a saint, not to mention sheer endurance to make it to the end. Why not watch the parade in comfort perched high above it on the same level as those beloved balloons? And no, you don’t need a VIP pass to be there.

The Monarch Rooftop & Indoor Lounge, situated atop Herald Square on the corner of 6^th Avenue & West 35^th St., is a prime viewing spot for this year’s festivities. The 5,000 square foot penthouse space was opened by nightlife impresario Ric Addison in the summer with a menu of craft cocktails and light fare. It boasts an expansive interior and exterior accommodating more than 300 guests. The chic décor, designed by Natalia Todorova, features an indoor lounge that radiates glamour and an exterior patio oasis with sliding floor to ceiling glass doors. Vintage bricks, white-washed paneled walls and raw iron columns evoke a feeling of a Scandinavian summer home while Tom Dixon’s black pendants cast gold shadows on the natural tree form bar. Deep seated upholstered sofas invite guests to relax and bask in the views of Midtown Manhattan framed by the iconic Empire State Building.

The Monarch Rooftop Lounge will be hosting a viewing party of the renowned parade this year, along with a breakfast/brunch. It looks to be the most comfortable and enjoyable way to watch the action in person rather than braving the throngs along the parade route just to catch a tiny glimpse of the famed balloons.  Stay warm 18 floors above the action on the enclosed winterized terrace while feasting on brunch and sipping specialty cocktails.  A continental breakfast including coffee, juices, bagels, cereal, oatmeal, fresh fruit, egg salad, chicken salad, and sandwiches will be served.  Specialty cocktails like a Hot Caramel Cider and a Chocolate Russian will usher in the approach of Santa.  And Monarch is making sure we won’t miss a beat of Mariah Carey’s performance, boasting several 70 inch HD screens and an 80 inch projector that will display the broadcast of the parade live.

The party kicks-off at 8 a.m. and continues until 2 p.m. The cost for this year’s viewing is $175 per person for General Admission, $225 for Open Bar and $50 for kids . And you thought you were out in the cold this year!