A Day of Manhattan: Soho, Nolita and Lower East side
Filed Under For the Weekend, Shops, Street | 1 Comment
It has been a while for us to walk around the Manhattan like we did today. I work way too much during the week, so I don’t mind just ” being” at cozy home with Emi and Gael on the weekends.
But the weather was pretty nice today( 48 F) and we have a long weekend a head of us, so we wanted to give a shot at Manhattan to run a couple of errand and also just enjoy the city. Wow, Soho over the weekend is way too crowded now. I don’t see any more beautiful people and feel that special energy I used to see and feel. It’s all shops and more shops and way too many people.
Nolita is maybe bit better. Still there are many small boutiques believe in doing what they are doing carrying on making dress shirts, selling vintages, one of kind bridal gowns or selling crapes. From Nolita we had walked to lower east side. Katz was still standing ( I thought they were closing?) and Las Venus was still there ( this used to be our weekly stop in back in the days) and what else, oh the Sombrero Mexican place where you can get frozen margarita to go in a paper cup so no one knows what you are sipping on the street is still there too.
Starting with stopping by at Grand Daisy Bakery , 73 Sullivan Street , Soho ( for some reason, I thought all these years this bakery was called Sullivan street bakery, but it’s not!)
Yum yum yum, love how everything is handled here in this shop. Famous for their bread and Pizza. The thoughtful thin and crispy crust, bold and simple flavor of core ingredient and even the paper they serve the pizza in. Just divine and just perfect! This is zucchini pizza.
Potato and rosemary= The perfection!
The one and only Hardware store in the heart of Soho. Spring Street. I’m always amazed by this store for the fabulous look but also the stubborn spirit of keep it going. I’m always surprised this has not taken by Disney store or something yet.
Some shopping at “Inven.Tory” , 237 Lafayette street, Nolita. Good menswear. They had good sale going on.
A charming dress shirt maker on Elizabeth street, Nolita. Elizabeth street is one of my favorite in Nolita. Famous high end vintage shop Resurrection is on this and also other many small businesses that make this street more special! I realized the shop ” Zero” was closed down on Elizabeth street.
Always great double RL window. Mr. Lauren, thank you for not making every store of yours so big and enornous. This one in Nolita is just perfect!
Emiliano’s favorite shop in Nolita. “In God we trust”, 265 Lafayette street; a great all American/speak easy/army navy vintage store. They have great selection of vintage boots and jackets. Very authentic and Menswear focused. Emi got a nice pair of old motorcycle boots. Very sexy!
The friendly shop helper offered Gael to try this vintage ski helmet. haha, Gael thought he looked like a mushroom. I love the double layered strap details. It does look bit too tall on him. Baby bello?
Going back tomorrow to see “Urs Fischer” exhibition. Can’t wait!
New Favorite store found in Lower east side. ” Assembly NY”, 174 Ludlow street. //assemblynewyork.com/ What a great store! Mix of re-worked vintage such as over dyed with added or reworked detail. Vintage uniform inspired great pants and more pants. Some imported designer’s. All mixed and work great together. Love it!
To end a long fun city day? Good coktails ( all cocktails are done with Korean Soju and they are delicious) and good Korean food at Bonjoo, 107 1st Avenue, East Vilage.
The Leading Pack on Atlantic Avenue: DARR
Filed Under Brooklyn, Design, Shops | Leave a Comment
DARR is two hands down the best shop on Atlantic Avenue , Brooklyn.
I have a vintage business and I love it but it’s true that I’m bit bored with too much of mid-century stuff. I prefer different things from the different era and different things from the different culture. I like the flair and taste of mix. I dig sense of ”Traveling” in this shop. It’s cool.
It’s a part Speak-easy, a part Serengeti and a part Now, this moment.
Signature items in the shop, beautiful taxidermies. Mountain goats with beard.
The shop owner, Brian Cousins.
I like lofty and airy feel of the shop. Right amount of items with hunky pieces that grounds the entire space but also you will see many small items that are affordable and interests you. Glasses, spoons, pillow cases, post cards, books, amazing posters, always intriguing laboratory tools… They may come from Italy, Vermont, Africa, Portland, India… I only guess. The shop makes you think and imagine the places and smells of where they all may come from. I always imagine this man traveling in a pair of linen pants and well worn out good leather bag, beautifully cut soft blazer and wispy hair and bit of beard… The shop feels masculine in a very nice way with bohemian flair lying underneath, which feels somewhat sexy.
Lastly , the store front. Brian’s business partner, a tall and witty man, Hicham spends more time in the newly opened Men’s wear shop across the street.( I do not believe it has particular name? at least outside of the shop…) The shop carries all the right classic items for the men like Woolrich sweaters, this great looking tooth paste and bottled perfum from Italy, all the right accessories like key chains and bags and more. The clothing shop definitely carries same vibe but in more intimate setting with darker and musk like feel. I wanted to take a few pics of the clothing shop but they were way too busy for that moment so I didn’t want to bother them too much. Please check them out.
Darr
369 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
(718)797-9733
Strolling Brooklyn: One fine Weekend
Filed Under Brooklyn, Design, Fashion, For the Weekend, Shops, Street | Leave a Comment
3 weekends of non stop work and quick trip to Paris and upstate NY and late work days everyday have been quite exhausting. But this weekend was one fine weekend with Emi and Gael. Finally I was able to sleep in, despite having so many thoughts in my head, and lots of good food and wine at home with friends and laid back afternoon strolling in my favorite area, my home Brooklyn.
The first 2 fine dudes on Fulton street near the Havana Outpost. It’s just fun, isn’t it? Love to see people dress up.
Our Fort Greene Flea has been a smashing hit. Well, it started just kind of OK at the beginning despite how popular the opening day was considering the quality of the vendors. But now it has gotten quite hip with many good looking vintage clothing vendors, soulful groovy house DJ and the famous and delicious taco ladies from Red hook. It has been a great attraction to NYC fellows and so many Williamsburg hipsters. ( you know what I mean).
Now I feel like entire Fort Greene is turning into one big Flea. Now there are 2 more open lots tucked in between the buildings on Fulton street had turned into small markets. Still they have more of hand crafty new stuffs rather than true vintage items, but I like to give a few months or another summer for them to grow into real ones. Here’s the one of the best booth by Benjamin Pasteur.
Then we moved down toward the Atlantic avenue where there are ton of Antiques and Mid-century furniture shops and many little small boutiques who carries one of kind small designer’s items to high-end clothing shop such as ‘Butter”.
Always love this flower shop, Dig on Atlantic Avenue.
A humble and beautiful Antique shop, Assaf Antiques.
Great window of Butter. Though I think they just changed the shop name to owner’s name instead. Butter usually carries very well edited high end classic items like Rick Owens, Dries, Marni, Paul Smith and more. Always have great atmosphere and newly added farmer’s table for beautiful candles.
Below is her another business, a consignment shop, a few doors down on Atlantic.
Atlantic Avenue still goes through the turmoil of small business closing down not surviving our tough economy. But this one fine outstanding Mid-century shop, C.f has been always there for so so many years and I absolutely love this shop. It’s well organized madness of most beautiful items. He got everything tightly packed in the shop.
The institution of Atlantic Avenue, Horseman Antique. He got 5 massive floors full of Mid century to farmer’s, a few exotic Asian, traditional antiques and more. Price ranges from low to high and you can always find something here.
And yes we have Steven Alan in Brooklyn, and it’s perfectly neighbor hood friendly sized and it’s adorable.
We have so many other great things make Brooklyn so special like laid back people and green and lush trees, beautiful parks and farmer’s markets and amazing architects that goes back when the NY state was born. So come out and check out all the good areas like Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Atlantic Avenue, Cobble Hill and Red Hook.
It was such a beautiful day to walk in hands in hands with my boys and inhale crisp autumn air and beautiful sun light.
I finally feel getting re-charged.