New York City
Eat, Stay, Play
by Jen Pinkston
The appeal of New York is undeniable… which is why we knew we wanted to dive deeper into the icons and places that make it feel like home to more than 8 million people when we created our New York City toile. My favorite thing about the city that never sleeps? No matter how often I visit, I always discover some new gem tucked into the fabric of this magnificent city.
EAT
First opened in 1997, Balthazar is my very favorite spot for a classic French fare. The sister restaurant to Missy Robbins’ Lilia, Misi offers the same sought-after Italian dishes with a focus on pasta and veggies. Once a mainstay of New York restaurant life, Pastis closed its doors in 2014 after the landlord tripled their rent. Lucky for us, the ‘impossible to get into’ all-day café is back. Whether it’s breakfast or dinner, coffee, or cocktails you’re looking for, Win Son Bakery is a Taiwanese-American spot that you don’t want to skip. Elevate breakfast with their bacon-egg-cheese scallion pancake sandwich and a cold brew. From the duo that brought us Via Carota came Bar Pisellino, which is the most nostalgically Italian spot outside of actually being in Italy. Order the sgroppino–lemon sorbet, whisked together with prosecco and vodka in large copper bowls, and then poured into small goblets.
STAY
I tend to stay at different places each visit, depending on the itinerary of the trip. I love the Essex House on Central Park South when we are traveling with kids for its sprawling family suite with Central Park views. No New York hotel has more of a storied history than the recently renovated Chelsea Hotel, counting Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, Jackson Pollock, and Patti Smith as some of its former residents. If I had to choose a favorite home-away-from-home in New York, though, it would be The Bowery Hotel for its very cool, very Old New York vibe.
PLAY
To me, a day in New York is knowing you’ll start in one place, but not really knowing where it will lead you or how it will end. Elizabeth Street Garden and the stores and coffee shops that surround it are a great way to pass a couple of hours. I love shopping the Union Square Farmers Market and then meandering through ABC Home, mentally redesigning my home the whole way through. Whether you find yourself near the Guggenheim, the MET, MoMA, or the Cloisters, the amount of incredible art spanning the ages in New York is enough to boggle the mind.
