Juliette Campbell Of Shanghai Mermaid Isn’t Just Hosting Parties. She’s Curating New York at Its Best

Spring in New York has us itching for a night out, and no one delivers one quite like Shanghai Mermaid. While we wait for the next invite, here’s a look back at the last night she gave us.

Oh, how I love a theme. I love doing a little homework, building the outfit, and escaping into a new persona.

Unfortunately, that pleasure is usually followed by disappointment when the “theme” turns out to be more of a social media ad with a dress code than an actual invitation to step into another world. Even worse, when the theme is tied to a cultural event, the night is often not centered on the traditions, histories, and communities that made it worth celebrating in the first place.

This was my first Shanghai Mermaid (Juliette Campbell) event, so I walked into the 2026 Dragon Ball hopeful, but cautious. However, they blew every expectation I had out of the water. Thank God, it was fantastic.

The Estonian House was the perfect setting for the night. Sweeping staircases, carved wood and stone, and a Beaux-Arts grandeur with mysterious dark corners you could slip into. In my case, to catch my breath. In other cases, for a quick tête-à-tête. The space was filled with hot jazz from the Samoa Wilson Quartet.

Following the smell of cooking to the bar, I found exactly what I hoped for: veggie noodles from Wo Hop. Old-school Chinatown comfort food, served in a to-go box with chopsticks and a lineup of sauces. Absolute perfection.

Floating through it all was a delightfully eccentric set by Antique Phonograph DJ MAC. Watching him wind up gramophones and swap records from a towering stack felt exactly right for the night. Jazz Age. Luxurious. Chinatown eats. So far, so good.

Then came Julie Huang, and that is when I realized Juliette was not just throwing a beautiful Lunar New Year party. She was honoring the holiday.

Ling Tang dancinby Jane Kratochvil

Julie is a Chinese American BaZi reader, but not the kind handing out vague fortunes in a corner. She calls herself a “calendar artisan,” which I love. She spoke about Chinese metaphysics not as something mystical and distant, but as something practical. Something you can actually use to move through the year with intention.

Not just, “Oh cute, I’m a snake, let me go get a temporary tattoo.” Though, to be clear, I do love snakes.

She walked me through it. Which days are most magnetic, which are supportive, when to launch something, when to clear something out, when to make a move. She pulled up my chart and helped me map out dates that would work in my favor, just as emperors once did for major decisions like marriages, wars, and celebrations. It was a beautiful way to begin the Lunar New Year.

We loooooooooove a wild night out.

Even better, I learned that Juliette usually includes tarot readers at her events, but for Dragon Ball she intentionally chose something rooted in Chinese tradition. She could have gone generic and no one would have questioned it. Instead, she made space for a practice that felt both ancient and relevant. At that point, my expectations were completely shattered, and I had not even reached the ballroom yet.

Then came the costumes, and they were incredible. I am not just talking about the stunning Art Deco look worn by @vintage.lady.sarah, though she was fabulous. There were towering feathered crowns, jeweled headpieces, zodiac-inspired looks with dragon heads and rabbit masks, and cultural dress from members of the local Asian community. I even wore my Áo Dài from a previous Lunar New Year celebration in Vietnam.

Cocktail in hand, I headed upstairs to the ballroom, where Cristina Kaminis and her jazz band, Carte Blanche, absolutely took my breath away. I cried twice during her performance. She typically performs in New Orleans, but if you ever get the chance to see her live, go. It is a truly magical jazz experience.

Then came Zhou Yi on the pipa, a stunning pear-shaped string instrument that sent chills through the room, joined by Miao Yimin on Chinese flute and frame drum. Both performers are part of the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society and represented it beautifully. Midway through their set, Ling Tang joined them for a classical Chinese dance that was both graceful and playfully expressive.

For those looking for something a bit more daring, the night also featured a captivating burlesque performance by Calamity Chang. The band returned, the dance floor filled, and the energy carried through every room.

Calamity Chang by Jane Kratochvil

What stood out most was the decor. Instead of the usual cliché red lanterns and paper dragons, the space featured real Chinese artistry. Large vases, intricate tapestries, modern Shanghai signage, and a full-sized dragon moving above the crowd, surrounded by detailed lanterns that felt intentional and immersive.

By the end of the night, what stayed with me most was Juliette herself and the way she built this experience. She has a rare presence. She does not demand attention, but she shapes the room entirely. What she created was not a party that used Chinese American culture as a backdrop, but one that genuinely celebrated it.

She said it best when she spoke about how divided and difficult the world feels right now, and how celebration can be a form of resistance. That is exactly what Dragon Ball became. Not escapism. Not denial. A deliberate and beautiful insistence on joy, culture, and community at a time when many people feel exhausted.

In Juliette’s hands, joy was not a distraction from the world. It was a quiet act of revolt.

With luck, love, and a little revolt,
Alina Gatrell