The Big Apple, The City that Never Sleeps, and Gotham are all nicknames for the most populous city in the US – New York City. It’s the largest, most diverse, wealthiest, and most influential American metropolis – making it the cultural and financial hub of the country.
Andy and Todd talk to Prince A. Sanders, the managing director of the iconic Park Lane New York hotel, which has recently been completely reimagined. They also get comedic insight into the nightlife of NYC with stand-up comedian, actor, and resident Adam Mamawala.
Tune in as they share their must-visit places in the city and clue you in on their favorite places to be on a night or day out. Get tips for tourists straight from the locals.
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Watch the episode here.
New York City Featuring The Historic Park Lane Hotel And Home Grown Comedian Adam Mamawala
The Big Apple, The City that Never Sleeps, and Gotham are all nicknames for the most populous city in the US – New York City. It’s the largest, most diverse, wealthiest, and most influential American metropolis, making it the cultural and financial hub of the country.
In this episode, Andy McNeill and Todd Bludworth sit down with Prince A. Sanders, the Managing Director of Park Lane New York, and Adam Mamawala, a stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster based in the city.
Prince A. Sanders
Prince oversees every aspect of the hotel, from sales to hospitality, facilities management, and personnel. He started his professional experience as a leader in hospitality with W Hotels. Prince also used to be a professional ballet dancer. As an artist, he now uses that creativity and passion to transform the hotel industry.
The Reimagining of Park Lane New York
In his current position, Prince contributed substantially to the hotel’s reimagination through the design and especially in the creation of culture. He wanted a space where people would see themselves within their team members, the music, and the food offered and see it as a space of comfort and sanctuary where you would see representation from all sorts. He is proudest of creating a culturally diverse atmosphere on billionaire’s row, which is not typically known for this kind of openness and awareness.
The 47th Floor – One of the iconic spaces on the property is the 47th floor, where you can experience what he calls a garden oasis in the sky. They have a rooftop lounge, Darling, with views unmatched throughout New York City, accented with an eclectic, eccentric, and boudoir style.
The First Floor – Another crown jewel is the first floor that houses Rose Lane, an indoor-outdoor space designed with a nod to being in a French Riviera. The space is about 2000 ft and offers Alfresco dining. It also houses their empire room, a 3000-ft meeting space with a private terrace.
Andy’s Destination Favorites:
- The World Trade Center
- The Tenement Museum
- The Tour at NBC Studios
- Fraunces Tavern
- Chelsea Market
Adam Mamawala
Adam is a stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster. He has appeared on Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and SiriusXM, and his debut album, One of the Good Ones, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts. Adam has been a freelance contributor to Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update and Someecards and currently co-hosts podcasts Away Games and HORSE, recently featured in the New York Times.
Best Places For A Real True Comedy Experience
The Comedy Cellar is the preeminent New York City comedy club and Adam’s personal white whale. It is the peak of where you can go as a club comic. He frequents the two locations on the upper west side: Gotham Comedy Club and Carolines on Broadway. If you’re in New York and you’re not looking to spend an arm and a leg at a club, there are free shows every single night that are independently produced either at bars or restaurants and still often have some of the top comics in the country.
Adam’s Favorite Food Spots
One of Adam’s recent visits includes the Han Dynasty, which has multiple locations across the city. The place offers fantastic food served family-style. Living in Queens, which is statistically the most diverse county in America, Adam experiences a lot of different cuisines. He recommends his favorites: Charles’ Pan Fried Chicken, The Edge Harlem, and Fumo Pizzeria.
Tourist Spot Recommendations
Adam knows perhaps all the must-see sites in the city. One of the experiences he recommends is a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, where you can get a fantastic sunset view of the Statue of Liberty for free. The touristy thing to do is to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, but Adam’s advice is to walk across the Manhattan Bridge because that way, you get a view of the Brooklyn Bridge. Some parks you can go on for a stroll are Brooklyn Bridge Park, Central Park, and a recent addition called Little Island, located on the west side.
About Prince A. Sanders
Prince A. Sanders is the Managing Director of Park Lane, New York, overseeing every aspect of the hotel, from sales to hospitality, facilities management, and personnel. Prince was approached by Highgate, the owner and operator of Park Lane New York, with the Managing Director position to embark on a new chapter for the property and take part in its reimagination.
Prince was instrumental and heavily involved in the direction and design of the hotel’s rebirth. His mission was to create a retreat on Billionaires’ Row with its own identifying and strong culture rooted in unique inclusivity rather than exclusivity. Under his stewardship, Park Lane New York reopened as a bold departure from its neighbors, offering an unexpected space with playfulness and a little mischief.
Prince has worked with five-star properties for over a decade and executed opening and training programs for new hotel properties, including the first three EDITION hotels in Hawaii, Istanbul, and London; W Hotels across the USA; and he also held a position as a speaker with The Ritz Carlton Leadership Center to train staff on property and in non-hospitality industries such as finance and medical. Before joining Park Lane New York, Prince was General Manager at Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City, earning him the title of “Prince of the City” in an article by Forbes.
A creative with versatile skills, Prince is also the published author of “The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince,” a children’s series focused on teaching future generations inspiring messages loosely based on his youth in New York City. Before his career in hospitality, Prince was a professional ballet dancer with Albano Ballet and Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. From 2017 to 2019, he served as Chair of the American Ballet Theater’s Young Patron’s Council.
About Adam Mamawala
Adam Mamawala is a stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster based out of New York City. He has appeared on Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and SiriusXM, and his debut album, One of the Good Ones, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts. Adam has been a freelance contributor to Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update and Someecards and currently co-hosts podcasts Away Games and HORSE, as recently featured in the New York Times!
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