ADVERTISEMENT
At the Dangene - The Institute of Skinovation on the sixth floor of 66 East 55th Street, clients receive LED-light treatments — a service that Robert Schaltenbrand claims will make you look five years younger. "I've gotten it half a dozen times," he explains. We make our way downstairs through the Paul Labrecque salon, a dining terrace where a bunch of suits are holding a meeting, and finally to the library on the third floor. Welcome to CORE: club, a self-described "real-time snapshot of the zeitgeist" with an off-the-record clientele that would blow your mind.
Schaltenbrand's role at CORE: is technically director of marketing and communications. But, he's more of a cultural curator — the man who decides what and who are worth knowing for the club's members. The atmosphere at CORE: is surprising; we sat among books on art and architecture while Katy Perry's latest track played over the sound system. Everyone on staff greets you and hopes you're having the Best Day Ever — but you're not left with the forced-cheer feeling you get from, say, the cashier at Trader Joe's.
Perhaps that's because everything about CORE: is handpicked and distilled for its elite membership. Yet, the club manages to exist not as a celebration of itself, but as the epicenter of all things interesting. “We always talked about what really differentiates this place from other clubs or institutions out there, and I think the answer’s always twofold. It’s the community, and it’s the content," Schaltenbrand explained. Ahead, find out what's inside New York's most exclusive club, and meet the man behind the magic.
ADVERTISEMENT