Only the most ludicrously expensive will survive. More

Your bonus cash won’t buy you entry into this Chelsea club … if it ever opens, that is. More

Ice sculptures, caviar, bottle service and themed parties are among the more extravagant trends that are emerging from Holiday Party ‘06. Two of the parties mentioned in this NYT article were for finance firms:

“One financial group is doing a lavish Art Deco gala, with a red, white and black theme, and a club-style entrance with a red carpet.”

and

“For a hedge fund firm, L’Olivier is creating an Aspen chalet-themed gala at the Morgan Library, with Ralph Lauren-style décor and fake animal heads for mounting on the wall, at a cost of about $100,000 (and that’s before the food and drinks).”

Wow. For $100,00 you would think they could get real animal heads.

Speaking of bottle service at Cain, one NYC councilwoman is attempting to outlaw the marking up of bottles at clubs, based on the idea that it “drastically increases patrons’ incentive to drink intemperately and promotes dangerous levels of drunkenness.” More