Oh, how I love being a tourist
Is there any place better to be a tourist than the Greatest City in the World?!
Floor Time
/flôr tīm/
noun
the 15-60 minute time period spent laying on the floor in the middle of the work day, typically as a relief from the soul-sucking reality of corporate America.
One last call to fill out the Floor Time survey! This will help shape what this newsletter becomes over the next year, and will help me better understand what you as the reader like/don’t like. Excited to hear from you, and thank you again for sparing five minutes to share your thoughts.
This week was a whirlwind, ya’ll. It’s been a minute since I hosted a friend in NYC, and my best friend Hannah, who hasn’t been here since high school, came for a few days to see my New York life and frolic around the city with me. I planned (in my opinion), the ultimate few days of fun—an immaculate balance between tourist attractions and local watering holes. So now, I give you my version of New York Times’ 36 hours in _____ series, except make it 72.
SUNDAY
Grab a New York-style bagel at your neighborhood spot, Gertie. The owners, Nate and Rachel, are the quintessential Brooklyn couple. The restaurant is named after Nate’s grandmother, Gertrude, and serves delicious Jewish cuisine and one of my favorite bagels in the city. Try their bialy (looks like a flat bagel), it’ll change your life.
If you’re feeling cheeky, grab a glass of wine at The Four Horsemen, a one-star Michelin spot started by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. It’s also recognizable as the recurring first-date spot of Aziz Ansari’s character, Dev, in Master of None.
Walk over the Williamsburg Bridge to the Lower East Side. From there, explore the cute coffee shops, boutiques, galleries, and bookstores (namely, Sweet Pickle Books, a tiny spot packed to the brim with used books and jars of pickles they cure themselves—note: if you bring in old books to drop off, they give you a jar of pickles in exchange).
Mosey over to the West Village in the late afternoon and visit Dante (the MacDougal street location), one of the World’s Best Bars. From 3-5PM, they have a $10 special where you can pick from over ten different kinds of Negronis. I also recommend trying their teeny Martini, a Dante recipe that is incredible and the perfect amount of Martini if you’re wanting to stay there long enough to try other drinks as well.
Say hi to Washington Square Park!
Dine at Llama San, a Japanese-Peruvian spot with an extensive drink menu and a robust menu of share plates organized by crudo, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. I’m almost certain that the scallop crudo served in a leche de tigre cured my depression.
MONDAY
It’s Brooklyn Day! Head to Bagel Pub in Park Slope for the lox bagel to end all lox bagels. This is all I ever order here, but they also have a selection of cream cheeses so extensive that it looks like a Cold Stone.
Spend the afternoon further west at L Train Vintage and surrounding thrift spots in Cobble Hill (my favorite being Unearth Vintage, which I really should stop frequenting because I always. find. something.)
With your shopping bags in hand, take a breather and grab a flight at Talea Beer Co.’s new Cobble Hill taproom. Their space is deceivingly big (TARDIS energy).
Journey back to Williamsburg for a pre-dinner wine at Sauced. There’s no menu here, you just tell the sommeliers your wine desires and a bottle will magically appear. If it’s nice out, pop a squat in their backyard. Enjoy your wine on the deck under a beautiful tree decorated in fairy lights.
Grab a pie at Fini, a newer pizza spot opened by a co-owner of impossible-to-get-a-reservation-restaurant, Lilia. I’m convinced they cook their sauce with the nectar of the gods and their Italian Ice is incredible. You can either enjoy your ‘za in their small dining space, or bring your foods next door to Lucky Dog, a dog-friendly dive bar with a great beer selection and backyard.
(If you’re trying to have a NIGHT) Stop for a late-night eclair at Martha’s Country Bakery, the only bakery I’ve ever seen with a live DJ on some nights (don’t ask me to explain it, I simply can’t).
End the night at Midnights, a neighborhood favorite. Drinks are great, staff is nice, and they have an awesome backyard and basement-level dance floor.
TUESDAY
It’s shopping day! Start with a visit to Librae Bakery aka my favorite bakery in New York. I’m not saying I would give up a vital organ for the za’atar labneh morning bun, but I’m also not not saying that.
Walk further down into Soho, where you’ll find the new Glossier store—a place where no one has ever heard the term “excuse me,” the MoMA design store, Saturdays NYC, and all your usual shopping haunts.
Once you’ve shopped till you dropped, get a midday snack at Dudley’s, a no-frills Aussie cafe with great drinks.
Later in the evening, head uptown to Urban Hawker, a Singaporean food hall born out of Anthony Bourdain’s vision.
From dinner, you’ll just be a 10-minute walk from Times Square, where you’ll catch the latest Broadway hit (& Juliet, Six, Hadestown, etc). For more Broadway recommendations, check out C Sees It on Medium or Instagram.
Need a night cap? Head downtown to Double Chicken Please (also on the World’s Best Bars list), an Asian-owned bar/restaurant with incredible tap cocktails and a killer fried chicken sandwich.
WEDNESDAY
Final day! Start with a cheeky little coffee at Sey before hitting up some final thrift spots in Williamsburg (Awoke Vintage is the fave). Take a peek at my favorite mural outside Shop Brooklyn, an Aussie coffee spot with bitchin’ breakfast—just thinking of their grilled halloumi makes my mouth water.
Take the subway uptown to Pastrami Queen, home of the best flat meat I ever tasted. Yes, their world-famous sandwich will run you back $25, but they STACK the meat in there. It’s worth every penny.
Grab some culture at your favorite museum. Note that The Met is closed on Wednesdays, but the MoMA and Whitney are both available options.
Head back down to Attaboy, my favorite New York speakeasy with no menu (similar to Sauced, you just tell the bartender what kind of flavors you like), and also on the World’s Best Bars list. There will be a queue no matter what, so I recommend getting there 15-20 minutes early—I promise it’s worth the wait.
Grab my favorite slice in New York at Scarr’s Pizza. I also cannot recommend this enough: order their caesar salad. Trust me. I don’t know how they make it but it’s magic.
Wrap up the night in the West Village at the famous Comedy Cellar. Definitely make a reservation beforehand so you don’t have to queue for long.
Something Pretty
Mural spotted out in Bushwick.
Something To Laugh About
Them: “How many times have you watched the Ariana Debose BAFTA rap video?” Me: “Yes.” And this.
This. It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.
This is just pure wholesome content.
Phew, that was a LOT of recs. I hope this Floor Time gives you some ideas for your next trip to the Greatest City in the World. And if you’re a local, I hope it pushes you to explore a new spot you’ve never been to.
Last call! Drop your Floor Time feelings in the annual survey. Thank you!!
Til’ next time, fellow explorers. Your friend,
Clarice
By the way…I’m reading this.
Because I hosted a friend this week, I actually did not read a book. Sad! However. I did read this article that gave me much food for thought.