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 In
a city of endless possibilities and combinations – “the concrete
jungle that dreams are made of” -
New York functions on that precarious line between genius and
lunacy. Everyday over 8 million New Yorkers within 5 distinct
boroughs brush past some of the city’s 47 million annual visitors,
most famously in the densely populated vertical masterpiece -
Manhattan. This is the island of yellow taxi cabs and smelly,
scary taxi drivers, towering skyscrapers, unsanitary food stalls,
Broadway shows and aspiring actors, world renowned restaurants,
Jewish delis, I heart NY memorabilia, flagship stores, high fashion,
the Jeffersons, the Drummonds (R.I.P Gary Coleman), the Trumps, the
Ciccones, the Giuliani’s and Blooombergs, Central Park, and the
over-hyped Times Square. It’s where every female aged 25-45 likens
herself to a Sex in the City character, and gay men party equally
hard 7 nights a week with different shoes for each occasion. In this
clamor for creativity and originality, competition among businesses
and personalities can be tough; there is no room for mediocrity in
NYC. On the cutting edge of trend, style and survival of the
fittest, the city has graciously accepted a few awesome newbies in
recent years, helping keep NYC at the top of its game.
The 18th floor at the Standard Hotel
The
penthouse space formerly known as the Boom Boom Room is the east
coast equivalent of Chateau Marmont mixed with the
revived seventies spirit of Studio 54. The celeb-studded Andre Balaz
party sanctuary - now referred to as the
18th floor at the Standard Hotel- is still the
hottest address in town, even 10 months after the opening party
(attended by none other than Madonna). Like any locale at the peak
of its popularity, the entry policy often prohibits the mere
commoner (or Snooki) from entering, but those granted access will
revel in the awesome NYC panoramas, the fabulous late 70’s gold
colors and neo-vintage style (it looks like somewhere Madonna would
have done a photo shoot for Confessions), and pretentious bonding
over $25 drinks with A-list barflies. (The
Standard Hotel)
The Andaz Wall Street
It takes big cojones to open a business & leisure combo hotel at the
southern tip of Manhattan. It’s a well-known fact that outside of
cheesy tourist traffic near Battery Park, southern Manhattan remains
quiet and desolate between Friday PM and Monday AM. However, new
locales such as the Andaz Wall Street are infusing
much-needed life into this part of the city, and offering great
rewards for those willing to leave their mid-town or upper west side
comfort zones. The competitively priced rooms at the Andaz
 are
huge for New York standards and the stimulus package that comes with
a stay may surprise you – free internet, a free mini bar (yes – you
read correctly), organic snacks and wine in the lobby, an avant
garde open floor plan with marble-clad bathrooms larger than city
studios, contemporary fierce furnishings (made of veined stone,
end-grain bamboo and cerused oak), nifty accessories like a spinning
closet/Mini Bar/Storage unit, expansive bay windows, attitude free
stellar service (unlike the too cool for school ‘tude at the
Standard), and a dynamic and gregarious lobby. In total, the Andaz
Wall Street is a breath of fresh air in this sometimes-stale sector
of Manhattan. For business, it’s a no brainer to stay here; and for
leisure travelers who are over places like Times Square and the
city’s calamity, the benefits far outweigh the extra 13 minutes on
the subway. (Andaz
Wall Street; 75 Wall Street)
Chelsea Market
At the
crossroads of NYC’s trendy Meatpacking District and the West Chelsea
gayborhood reigns a small culinary kingdom, a 26-store
postindustrial design opus known as the Chelsea Market.
Remixed and revisited, the first floor of the former National
Biscuit Company complex now houses a block-long open kitchen concept
featuring specialty food stores and restaurants along either side of
a gastronomic runway with entrances on both 9th and 10th avenues.
Oversized steel cooling fans, Japanese lanterns, and disused air
ducts line the top of the lofty ceilings complementing the exposed
brick and pipes, metallic accents, and original raw floors where the
crumbs of the first Oreos and Fig Newtons once fell. The market hall
pays homage to its bakery roots with the flagship Amy’s
Bread (former champion of NYC’s “best bread”), Fat
Witch Bakery (divine brownie intervention), Eleni’s
(creative cookie and cupcake art), and Sarabeth’s
(decadent cakes and legendary preserves) alongside NYC’s largest
purveyor of live lobster (The Lobster Place), an
Italian specialty grocer (Buono Italia), and an
arcade of exotic fruits (Manhattan Fruit Exchange).
Pawns of upstairs tenants, the Food Network, “Iron Chefs” Masaharu
Morimoto and Mario Batali have also opened their own Japanese and
Italian restaurants, Morimoto and Del Posto,
connected to this Utopian Whole Foods market. (www.chelseamarket.com;
75 9th Avenue (Between 15th and 16th Streets))
The
High Line
The recently opened New York High Line
- an abandoned, elevated railroad track cum urban garden and park -
lies adjacent to Chelsea Market’s west entrance. The High Line is an
ingenious addition to the pseudo-gritty character of the Meatpacking
district and the trendiest recycled public works project in the
city. An understated social scene has emerged within the blocks of
the expanding High Line, slowly spreading north to other remaining
train tracks. The High Line itself has become a place to see and be
seen due to its fashionable address, its design prowess, and its
proximity to gourmet spots on random side streets, and the
aforementioned Chelsea market. As an innovative alternative to
Central Park, the High Line is the ideal spot for bespoke picnic
moments and fabulous people watching.(
www.thehighline.org; Open from Gansevoort Street in the
Meatpacking District to 20th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues.)
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