New York, New York...

Last month I got to hang out in New York for the weekend, as I attended the opening week of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week helping out our sister agency who works with MB on all their event programs. I'll split these into two posts - one on NYC and one on FW. Here's to NYC....

Stayed Chez Patrick Jnr on his groovy couch in his Lower East Side apartment. Tres cool neighborhood and he's got the place sorted...

His "loud" (!) apartment building stands out amidst the relatively low-rise Lower East Side neighborhood.

Let me start with the absolute highlight of the weekend - doughnuts at Doughnut Plant - one block from his front door (in fact that's his cool, architecturally shaped apartment under the street lights from inside doughnut heaven).

Doughnut Plant is a tiny shop selling the most exquisite glazed and cake doughnuts - EVER! I happened upon it after reading about the place in Hip New York, via Paddy's coffee table. My early Saturday morning visit elicited a lovely conversation on the joys of food with the delightful guy behind the counter. They're passionate about the quality of their ingredients, their organic, unbleached flour, and natural products - meyer lemons, Valhrona chocolate, and Tahitian vanilla bean flavorings.

They make everything from scratch - including their jelly fillings and the divine urn of Valhrona hot chocolate that simmered on the counter and warmed my insides. What started out as a small family venture is now a thriving wholesale business and shopfront, beloved by such foodies including Martha and Emeril, and now Maria!
The Liquor Bar is at the other end of Paddy's street - his local bistro - with a great wine list..and ambiance...a former pharmacy turned bistro - with the glazed white tiles still intact on the walls.
Across the street, and the venue for an evening nightcap one night - was the Back Room where cocktails are served in a tea cup. You won't find it unless you look for a sign that reads The Lower East Side Toy Company. Pass through the gate, walk down an alleyway and up a set of stairs to find a dimly lit den fitted with a gleaming bar. Apparently a trick bookcase leads to the real “back room,” a VIP-only lounge.

Rockafeller Plaza

St Patricks Cathedral on Madison Ave

The giant 16,000 square foot subterranean Buddakan restaurant that Paddy took me to in the meat-packing district

My favorite building - the Chrysler - amidst the grey winterly light of New York

A little ambush marketing, outside the Bryant Park venue for Fashion Week

The New York Yacht Club - tried to get in, but they weren't having it!...(apparently it didn't mean much to the receptionist that I'd given up the better part of the 7 years of my career to the America's Cup - and it was a Saturday...!)

I didn't have enough time between shows to visit Moma - other than the bookstore and the very cool foyer
The new LV store on 5th
...and the cool glass atrium entrance to the underground Apple store opposite Central Park
The coolest window styling is at Barneys
My favorite paper...
My late night solo dinner (after a late night at the shows) at Katz...home of the famous scene from When Harry Met Sally...
Matzo ball soup and a brisket sandwich - tres NYC!


Not sure if these two photos will appear side by side in everyone's viewer, but here's the Twin Towers site - the enormity of the hole is emphasized by one of the remaining towers on the site on the left of the photo.
The site was incredibly hard to photograph as it was surrounded by high walls and I got there too early in the morning, before the visitor center was open. These few shots were taken through a hole in the chain link fence....


A bronze mural on the wall of a firehouse right across the street.
By strange and moving coincidence this small, antique church and graveyard is right across the street from the World Trade Center site. St Paul's is one of the oldest churches in NYC and was left unscathed. It became the center of some of the main ministries that were put in place after the tragedy. It's a haunting oasis...

More tomorrow!