June 4th, 2009
Made in Manhattan
Forget springtime abroad, Manhattan is where it’s at for warm weekend adventures.
sleep
The sleek and chic Thompson Lower East Side is the place to retreat after pounding the NYC pavement. We love the Lee Friedlander light boxes over the bed, the C.O. Bigelow toiletries and the Fellini movies on re-run in the elevators. Be sure to ask for a room with balcony and Empire State Building view (from $259). Thompson LES, 190 Allen, New York, 877-460-8888, www.thompsonles.com
eat
Pay some Canadian respect at Shang, Susur Lee’s new Asian-fusion eatery at the Thompson. Order up his infamous Singapore Slaw ($18), followed by Mongolian Lamb Chops served with glazed bananas and cardamom chutney ($25). Wash it all down with a couple of glasses of sparkly Syrah and bask in your own patriotic glow. Shang, 187 Orchard, New York, 212-260-7900, www.shangrestaurant.com
drink
After dinner, trot yourself over to The Back Room. Formerly an illegal speakeasy frequented by 1920s gangsters, this on-the-down-low bar isn’t easy to get into (no sign, huge bouncer). Get inside and you’ll enjoy beer served in paper bags and Proletariat cocktails (Absinthe, Cointreau and lime juice) ($14) poured into tea cups. The Back Room, 102 Norfolk, New York, 212-228-5098.
shop
Our favorite mecca of throw-away fashion has finally crossed The Pond. Topshop’s stateside branch is filled to the brim with edgy goodies like gold leather brogues ($125), copper studded trenches ($460) and a stunning beaded Kate Moss flapper dress ($260) that would make Meyer Lansky cry. Topshop, 478 Broadway, New York, www.topshop.com
do
The New Museum carries works by edgy young artists that will leave you stimulated, and sometimes scratching your head. Our fave? Chu Yun’s live installation of a sleeping-pill induced woman lying in a giant white bed. The New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York, 212-219-1222, www.newmuseum.org
For more tales from our Manhattan trip, check out today's Editors' Diary.
