NYC: The Rainbow Tour Part II

Fifty Shades of Grey might be the talk of the town, but most of my favourite New York shops seemed to be filled with fifty shades of every colour apart from grey. I love bright colours, so I was very happy. I didn't find much in my usual favourite store, J. Crew, although I picked up a pair of blue shorts (pictured below), which I wanted to buy in fuchsia but they were sold out in my size. I also picked up a leather belt with a pop of hot neon pink from Madewell (pictured below). 

A couple of green-hued tops from Loft (one pictured below), a purple dress from Bloomingdales (pictured below) and some cropped running leggings from Lululemon were about the only other clothing purchases I made on the trip, although I did get the seahorse necklace in the photo below free courtesy of Brooklyn Charm's promotion on Bedford Avenue last weekend.

I discovered a few new shops while I was in the city, one of my favourites being C. Wonder, which is on Spring Street in SoHo (they are opening another store soon in the Columbus Circle shopping centre). It's a little bit like a poor—or at least, slightly less rich—man's Kate Spade, mixed with a dash of Ralph Lauren or, perhaps, LL Bean prep. 

They sell a range of clothing, accessories and homewares, which come in many bright colours and most of which can be monogrammed. I really liked the initial bangles, but they didn't have a B in a colour I liked. The prices are pretty reasonable too, for the quality—more like J. Crew than Kate Spade. 

At the lower end of the price range is Joe Fresh, which seems to be a hybrid of Uniqlo and Cos. Like Uniqlo, they sell a basic clothing items in many different colours, but they borrow a touch of minimalist chic from Cos. I didn't buy anything on this trip but I'll be stopping by again on future visits.

Top: J. Crew on Fifth Ave. Bottom: C. Wonder and Joe Fresh

Another favourite new discovery was Henri Bendel. I don't know why it took me so long to venture inside this Fifth Avenue department store, but I'm glad I did. It's probably most similar to Liberty in London, especially because of the ground floor, which is devoted to frivolous girly things, such as make-up, handbags and jewellery. They also sell a beautiful range of own-branded bags and accessories, many of which are really stylish and would make lovely gifts.

I've left my favourite purchase until last and I'm still very excited by it. Regular readers will not be surprised to learn that it is a handbag, although it wasn't an impulse buy; I have been lusting after this bag for a few months and even considered ordering it online from the US. I saved about £60 by buying it in New York though. 

And it is Rebecca Minkoff's Mini MAC in black with gold hardware. I have rediscovered black lately and I wanted a smart black clutch bag for the evening. I love the classic design, but the added edginess of the studs and the animal print lining (slightly annoyingly the lining was supposed to be blue with black spots, like the dustbag, but in his efforts to get me the bag with the nicest leather, the Saks sales assistant managed to give me one with leopard lining instead).

Mini MAC

Better still, you can wear the chain strap full length for cross-body looks, you can double it up to wear it as a shoulder bag (pictured) or you can remove the chain altogether and wear it as a clutch. Very versatile, then, and, after a few years of a Mulberry obsession, relatively reasonably priced, for a designer leather handbag.

NYC: Manhattan Bar Hoppin'

I drank quite a few cocktails last week but because I'm a lightweight and because I had a drink with dinner most nights, I only sampled the delights of three new Manhattan bars.

First, there was Mother's Ruin, a lovely, low-key bar on Spring Street. At seven o'clock on a Tuesday evening, it was bustling enough to be interesting, without being so crowded that it was unpleasant. We pulled up a stool opposite the bar and selected from the three cocktails du jour. I had the Sí Punch, which involved rum, lime, pineapple, almond and grenadine and which hit all my buttons. Plus I got a piece of pineapple, a maraschino cherry and a cocktail umbrella. What more could a girl want? 

They also have a slushy machine, so some of the cocktails are a bit like boozy Slush Puppies. By the time we left, it was a little busier but the candle-lit setting lends Mother's Ruin an intimacy many cooler places lack. 18 Spring Street nr Elizabeth. Facebook.

Mother's Ruin: Some'r Shorts and Sí Punch

Next came Anotheroom in TriBeCa, which is part of a small family of bars with 'room' in their name. We ducked in for a drink on Wednesday night, which was one of the hottest days of the year, and bathed in the air conditioning. The barman assured us that it was normally rammed after work on a week night, but I guess everyone was sitting in a walk-in freezer and/or diving into the Hudson to cool off. 

I couldn't face a real drink so I just ordered a lemonade, but they have a pretty interesting beer and wine menu, if you're that way inclined. The bar itself is sleek and minimalist, all brushed steel and low lighting; they also showcase a range of artwork, although when we were there, they appeared to be in transition as some of the works were leaning against the bar. 249 West Broadway nr Walker..

Anotheroom

Finally, we went to Elsa, a cocktail bar in the East Village. We had (again) hoped to go to PDT but had (again) failed to book, but Elsa seemed like an interesting place to try. Also, it was quite close to the hotel and as it was raining on Friday night, we didn't want to roam too far. Inside, Elsa is very light and airy, with its white walls and Edison light bulbs. Much as I enjoy some of the more secret speakeasies, Elsa makes a refreshing change. 

It's the cocktail list that is most impressive, however, with most of the drinks' names taking literary or film inspiration. I ordered the Plan to Get Even ("hi, I'd like a Plan to Get Even, please"), which involved black cardamom silver rum, pineapple, honey, lemon and a sugar- and smoked-salt-dipped rim. I'm not much of a connoisseuse but I really could taste all the subtle flavours of the drink and I wasn't disappointed. 

I also tried a sip of a Broken Mirror (Absinthe, Green Chartreuse, mint, lime and dandelion-burdock bitters), which wasn't quite sweet enough for my taste, but I could tell that it was well mixed. The Death of a Ladies' Man would probably slip down very nicely. 217 East 3rd Street @ Avenue B. Website..

Elsa: Broken Mirror and A Plan to Get Even

Most of the cocktails I drank with meals were good too, including the Pimm's Cups at Smith & Mills and Walter Foods — uncreative of me, I know, but four years at Cambridge means I can't not drink Pimm's in May Week (i.e. mid-June).

NYC: New New York Nibbles

As with my favourite New York coffee bars, it's often difficult to resist revisiting places like Corner Bistro, Fanelli's and PJ Clarke's, but I did quite well at trying new restaurants on my most recent visit to New York. So much so, in fact, that I don't have room to write about them all here. Instead, I picked my top three places for lunch or brunch and my top five for dinner, all of which happen to be lower than 12th Street or in Brooklyn. All of the brunch spots happen to be in NoLIta because that's where our hotel was.

Brunch and lunch
Ruby's (NoLIta). In the heart of NoLIta, Ruby's is a tiny but friendly Aussie cafe, which does great sandwiches, salads and burgers. I tried the Bondi Burger--grilled chicken in ciabatta with chilli mayo and salad--and it managed to be just filling enough for lunch on a sweltering day. The coffee in Ruby's is also supposed to be good, although I haven't tested it out yet. 219b Mullbery Street nr Spring.

Public (NoLIta). We thought about going to Public for dinner one night but after looking at the menu, we decided that brunch would be more fun. Luckily, perhaps, we showed up at 2.30 on Saturday — late in the brunch shift — which meant we got a sunny table on the balcony-like section of the restaurant's Elizabeth Street front. 

I opted for a posh fry-up, involving scrambled eggs, bacon and tomatoes on sourdough, but most of the other dishes were more creative (black pudding waffles with red wine poached pears and whipped foie gras butter, for example). A lovely place to linger on a sunny Saturday. 210 Elizabeth Street bet. Prince & Spring.

Brunch at Bread

Bread (NoLIta). Decorated in white, grey and silver, Bread, on Spring Street, serves a range of salads and Italian sandwiches. We went for brunch and Belgian waffles with maple syrup, fresh berries and cream was clearly the way to go. Not to mention a tall glass of strawberry lemonade. The omelettes sounded good too but I was in the mood for something unhealthy (again). 20 Spring Street nr Mott.

Dinner
Saxon & Parole (NoHo). This restaurant, which offers "grilled meats and aquatic delights" pretty close to our hotel and we walked past it many times before finally deciding to go there for our last supper. Inside, Saxon & Parole is light and airy — there are more casual booths near the bar and more formal, white-clothed tables out back — but we sat on the pavement terrace to watch NoHo go by. 

The cocktail menu is more vegetable- than fruit-based but there were lots of tempting choices and the bar itself looked very impressive. I had to have a burger and it was a great one, perfectly medium rare and with tasty cheese, maple bacon and shoestring fries (I opted for my fried egg on the side). 

The puddings were pretty interesting too: we shared a sort of caramel popcorn trifle dish, which was really tasty. A woman at the next-door table said that the bathrooms were, like, the most romantic ever. I wouldn't go that far but they were pretty nice, even if I did almost fall down the stairs because the lighting was so low. The restaurant is named after two racehorses, in case you were wondering... 316 Bowery at Bleecker.

Popcorn pudding, the bar and the burger at Saxon & Parole

Smith & Mills (TriBeCa). Smith & Mills was recommended indirectly by a friend of a friend and I'm glad I knew what to look for because I probably would have walked right past its unassuming frontage. Inside, though, is a lovely, intimate neighbourhood restaurant with a handful of tables and a cool bar. We were lucky to score a table on a scorching Wednesday night, and were very happy to cool off with a refreshing cocktail (I had a rather patriotic Pimm's Cup). 

A lot of the menu sounded great but I couldn't resist the sound of a burger with white cheddar and home-made chips (i.e. crisps) and it didn't disappoint. Nor did the lemon cheesecake we shared for pudding, which contained a number of different fruity condiments. 71 North Moore Street nr Greenwich.

Cheesecake and the bar at Smith & Mills

Five Points (NoHo). "Every neighborhood needs a place with a good bar, a serious kitchen, and zero pretensions," the Five Points website declares, and maybe it does fit the bill for NoHo. The restaurant has a slightly southern feel and I ordered the Amish chicken, which was juicy and delicious. We also shared some pork scratchings, which were not what I was expecting (i.e. this). The cocktails were good too, although I should have probably stepped out of my comfort zone and tried one of the more interesting gin-based drinks rather than the less adventurous raspberry-vodka-etc. 31 Great Jones Street nr Lafayette.

Cocktails and pork scratchings at Five Points

Walter Foods (Williamsburg). I have been meaning to visit the Brooklyn outpost of Balthazar for quite some time now — not helped by the fact that I had the address of the place completely wrong. I'm glad we made it, though, because the southern-influenced food was really good. 

I had a pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and coleslaw; the pork was particularly excellent, as was the friend chicken I managed to sample. I was far too full for pudding but the special of the day happened to be a chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake, so how could I say no? We sat in the lovely, quiet courtyard out the back, but on a less clement evening, the restaurant itself would be a fine place to dine. 253 Grand Street at Roebling.

The Spotted Pig (West Village). A self-styled West Village gastropub, with more than a hint of English influence (faggots and PG Tips on the menu), The Spotted Pig isn't great for vegetarians but offers a range of meaty dishes for the carnivores among us. Surprise, surprise, I had a burger (minus the roquefort; they don't do cheddar), which was probably the best of the holiday, perfectly juicy and medium rare. The fries were a little salty, but very moreish and nothing that a good cocktail (Sorrel Punch with gin, in my case) couldn't wash down. 314 West 11th Street @ Greenwich.

Cocktails and the burger at the Spotted Pig

The NYC Caffeine Chronicles

Each time I visit New York, I try to go to at least two or three new espresso bars. This is sometimes hard when there are a few places that I really love and want to keep going back to, but usually means I discover a few great new places to caffeinate. I may do a map of some of my favourite independent espresso bars in the city in the near future, but in the meantime, here are a few of the places I discovered last week.

1. Bowery Coffee (NoLIta). I was happy to find that this cool coffee house, in a 100-year-old building endowed with Lower East Side history, was only a couple of blocks away from my hotel. The inside is kitted out in industrial chic. My macchiato was very good (they use Counter Culture coffee), and a whole ranged of caffeinated beverages, iced and un-, are available. Basically, it's a really nice place to hang out and warm up / cool down (delete according to the season) with a decent brew. 89 East Houston Street nr Bowery. Website.

Macchiato at Bowery Coffee

2. Saturdays Surf (SoHo). I had actually intended to check out another espresso bar, a few blocks away, but it wasn't what I was expecting, so instead, I decided to try out Saturdays Surf, which has been on my to-caffeinate list for a while. Saturdays Surf is a surf shop with an espresso bar — or perhaps vice-versa — situated on one of the quieter blocks of Crosby Street. 

The barista apologised for the lack of latte art on my macchiato, but it still tasted good. The laid-back attitude and the small courtyard garden out back are definitely this place's best features, however. A great spot to chill when SoHo gets a little too intense. 31 Crosby Street bet. Broome and Grand. Website.

Mackers and macchiatos at Saturdays Surf

3. Gasoline Alley Coffee (NoHo). I dived into here desperate for air con on the sweltering morning that was last Thursday. Sadly, they didn't have any (or, at least, it wasn't turned on), and it may have been just has hot inside as on the benches in the sun outside. Maybe this is why it felt like my macchiato was served slightly too hot. Don't get me wrong — it was still good and Gasoline Alley is a cool hang-out — but New York sets very high standards for coffee. 331 Lafayette Street bet. Houston and Bleecker. Website.

Gasoline Alley Coffee. Truck costs extra.

4. Blue Bottle (Chelsea). Originally from the Bay Area, Blue Bottle now has a small series of espresso bars in New York too. "We roast coffee on vintage gear, put it in compostable bags, and still get it to our customers within 48 hours," they say. Pretty impressive stuff and my macchiato, supped at the the Chelsea branch (West 15th Street), was really good. 

I also tried an iced New Orleans coffee, purchased from the pop-up branch on the High Line (in the Chelsea Market Passage, near 16th Street), which was refreshing and tasted great. They also have a branch at the Rockefeller Center, which is useful given how hard it can be sometimes to find decent coffee in Midtown. 450 West 15th Street nr 10th Avenue. Website.

L: Blue Bottle's High Line pop-up. R: Sampling the macchiato in Chelsea. 

NYC: The Rainbow Tour

The weather was near-perfect in New York over the weekend — it rained on Friday night and so Saturday and Sunday were hot and sunny, but slightly less oppressive than earlier in the week. It was just about cool enough, then, for a morning run in Central Park on Saturday. We were still pretty warm by the end, of course, but I didn't feel like I was going to pass out, like on Wednesday.

Sunny Saturdays call for two things: brunch and Brooklyn, so after scoring a window seat on the balcony at Public for the former, we walked over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn, more specifically to Smorgasburg, where the hipsters were out in full force. We grabbed some lemonade and had a wander through the adjacent craft market, which had lots of cool jewellery, art, accessories and homewares, not nothing that tempted me enough to purchase.

Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg's main drag, was car free on Saturday, as part of Williamsburg Walks, so we grabbed a free spot of (imported) turf, sipped on a free coconut water and waited in line to pick out a free necklace from Brooklyn Charm (I chose a little brass seahorse on a gold-coloured chain).

Dinner was in the courtyard garden at Walter Foods, Balthazar's Brooklyn outpost, which I've been meaning to try for a while now. My pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and homemade coleslaw was delicious. So much so that I swore I was too full for pudding, unless it contained chocolate and peanut butter; cue the Reese's-inspired pie I subsequently ate.

As we wanted to check out this new multicoloured water tower art installation in DUMBO, we caught the East River Ferry from Williamsburg, after watching the sun sink down over the Manhattan skyline.

The driver was obviously keen to get home because the boat (which was the last one) left 15 minutes early and then crashed into the DUMBO dock. I don't think anyone was hurt but it took them a few minutes to get the boat sorted out. The views of the water tower weren't quite as impressive as I was expecting but the views of the city and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges by night were pretty stunning. 

We walked back to the hotel over Brooklyn Bridge before heading up to the rooftop terrace to take a closer glimpse at the NYC Pride-themed lighting of the Empire State Building.

Sunday called for more brunch, this time at the low-key and cool Bread on Spring Street; waffles with fruit, maple syrup and cream really hit the spot. The aforementioned NYC Pride and its huge parade on Sunday meant that our plans to meander around the Village and the West Village were curtailed somewhat. In fact, we had to take the L train to get from the Meatpacking District back onto the right side of Fifth Avenue.

But we managed to entertain ourselves with a little more High Line, a little more shopping and dinner at Saxon + Parole. The cocktails at the latter sounded great but, in pre-flight mode, I decided to remain teetotal and opted for a non-alcoholic version involving raspberry vinegar. 

The burger was great — possibly the best of the trip — and the pudding, involving popcorn and a sort of caramel-filled non-fruity trifle, was also delicious. In other words, it was a great last supper, even if no burger is good enough to help me get over the sorrow of leaving New York again...

NYC: High and Mighty

As expected, the heat continued yesterday. Again, I tried to take it easy, ambling slowly up Broadway to Central Park where I ate a salad and basked in the sun. After a bit of shopping and a manicure, I caught the subway back downtown and read on the hotel's rooftop for a while until it was time for dinner.

We ate at The Spotted Pig in the West Village, an English-influenced gastropub I've been meaning to try for a while. I should have resisted the burger option but it sounded too good, although I had to order it without roquefort. And it was worth it; possibly the best burger of the trip so far, very juicy and tender. The shoestring fries it came with were very salty but tasty and more-ish. 

We started with a few oysters, which, along with a fruity cocktail (Pimm's-based in my case, naturally) made a refreshing start to the meal. It was also quite amusing watching the American waiter explaining the menu (specifically, faggots) to two Brits. I declined the offer of a PG Tips.

We decided to take advantage of the second longest day of the year—and the sunshine—by going to the High Line for sunset. It was still very hot and humid, but we did our best to chill out. There were roaming musicians to keep us entertained, but one of my favourite things to do on the High Line is people watching, so we did plenty of that too.

Despite being full, I managed to find room for a peanut butter gelato. Tough job, but someone's got to do it...

NYC: If You Can't Stand the Heat...

...seek solace in the air con. That was my plan yesterday, and by 10.45, I was already storming through Duane Reade in search of the coconut water that is being advertised all over town. The last time I was in New York when it was this hot was 1995 and only for a couple of days en route to more rural locations.

I tried to ensure that I was never too far from a shop or espresso bar (not difficult in this city), but somehow ended up very hot and fuzzy by the afternoon and was sorely tempted to join the people bathing in the fountain in Washington Square Park. Still, I enjoyed my macchiato in the lovely courtyard garden out the back of Saturdays Surf on Crosby Street, and although lunch at tiny, Aussie caff Ruby's, on Mulberry, wasn't air conditioned, it was breezy and cool inside and my Bondi burger (chicken, salad and sweet chilli mayo on ciabatta) was delicious.

There was no sign of any cool-off after office hours, and we sheltered for a drink in Anotheroom in TriBeca. The barman assured us it was usually packed, but I guess everyone was in a fountain somewhere.

Dinner at Smith and Mills, on North Moore Street, didn't disappoint either. It's a lovely, tiny neighbourhood restaurant with a handful of tables and a very cool bar. We lingered over our refreshing cocktails (mine involved Pimm's), before I devoured a burger (with white cheddar, caramelised onions and homemade crisps). The menu was creative and fun—the lemon cheesecake we shared for pudding seemed to contain about 15 different fruity ingredients beyond the lemon—and it's a nice place to hang out, intimate and low key.

 Sadly, it was still scorchio when we walked home at 10.30 and today is supposed to be even hotter—record-breaking, even. Eek. This is probably the one time I'm craving a swimming pool in New York!