Last year The Plaza honored Eloise, the beloved fictional character who lives at the legendary NYC hotel, with a whimsical Christmas tree created by designer Betsy Johnson. This year the iconic hotel has commissioned Oscar winner Catherine Martin, the production designer of Baz’s Luhrmann’s new film The Great Gatsby, to design The Great Gatsby Holiday Tree. (Luhrmann’s highly-anticipated film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, will open in May 2013.) A Gatsby-inspired tree is especially fitting for The Plaza because F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of the book, was a hotel patron, and one of The Great Gatsby scenes takes place in a hotel suite.
To recreate the magic of the Jazz Age, Martin will decorate the 18-foot tree with100 pounds of glass, gold and silver ornaments created by Restoration Hardware. The annual “Tree Lighting Tea” will take place on November 26, 2012 at 5 pm in the Fifth Avenue Foyer and The Palm Court. Guests can enjoy the new “Fitzgerald Tea for the Ages” while watching the official unveiling ceremony. Reservations are open to the public and can be made via phone (212-546-5300) or via email, [email protected]; tickets start from $79 per adult and $45 per child, and includes a champagne toast as well as a “mocktail” for the kids. For more information, visit www.theplaza.com.