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C.O.
Bigelow Chemists (414 Sixth Avenue, between West Eighth and West
Ninth Streets): Being a country boy at heart, I fell in love with Bigelow's
at first sight when I first moved to New York, and I've been going there
ever since, not only for my prescriptions and aspirin, but for their incredibly
diverse lines of high end toiletries and cosmetics. Although the soda fountain
that was once there closed in the late 1980's, it still reminds me of the
drug store in which I used to buy my parents' Christmas presents when I was
a kid.
Santa Maria Novella (285 Lafayette Street between Houston and Spring Streets): This is the rarified, recently-opened outpost of the legendary Florentine farmacia founded by Monks in 1612. This stuff is expensive, but the soaps and scented candles are great.
Tosler Davis Salon (89 Fifth Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets, Tenth Floor): Started five years ago by Sean Davis (color) and Alan Tosler (cut), this ultra hip, full service salon makes me feel better even before I've put on the (flattering, believe it or not) smock and they've brought me my beverage of choice. Their staff is disarmingly friendly and they know their stuff, which is the reason that many celebrities and models go there as well as regular folk like me.
Dashing
Divas Nails (41 East Eighth Street between University Place and
Greene Street): Sure, there are salons all around the city that offer
all the standard services like manis and pedis, waxing and such. But how
many of them are painted, tiled, and upholstered in virtually every shade
of the color pink, from pale to Pepto-Bismol. I mean, if Barbie had a salon,
this is what it would look like. And, it should be noted that each Thursday
and Friday evening, the pink quotient goes even higher with "Girls Nights
Out" where everyone gets free Cosmopolitans with a manicure or pedicure.
I have it on good authority that guys can come on these nights as well,
but I think you boys have to be awfully confident in your masculinity.
Salon G (229 Sullivan Street, between West Third and Bleecker Streets) G.A. Iannacello learned his craft in Italy and brought his talent to New York City, where he has worked in fashionable shops all over the Village. Last year, he purchased Salon G from a former employer and now gives the best reasonably priced haircut in Manhattan. Mild mannered and unassuming in his personality, you shouldn't expect a lot of hubbub and hoopla from G.A. All you'll get is a damn fine haircut from a damn fine guy.
Hands down, it's Bagel Bob's on University Place between East Ninth and Tenth Streets. I used to sing the praises of Essa Bagels on the East Side at 21st Street, but when Bob opened up nearly ten years ago, I became an instant convert. The combination of quality, price, and location just can't be beat, and for that reason there is always a line on Sunday mornings. Check to see if they're running their lox and bagel special--it's a real deal.
Jeffrey Indyke's salon on Tenth Street just east of Fifth Avenue.
The lox at Bob's is fine for a nosh, but if you want absolutely the best smoked salmon, herring, sable, sturgeon, and all things smoked, get thee to Russ and Daughters (179 East Houston between Allen and Orchard Streets). The staff is knowledgeable, the place is clean, the menu is really appetizing. What more do you need?
Not that I have anything against Banana, particularly their sale items, but there's just no reason to dress yourself exactly like someone who just came from a mall in Cleveland. Not when there are great stores like Sean (132 Thompson Street, between Houston and Prince Streets). Sean looks hip and the clerks are extremely friendly. Their well-tailored clothing, all European and most of it French, manages to be stylish without being trendy, at prices competitive to those of the Banana.
Astor Haircuts on Astor Place is quick, serviceable, and cheap ($13). I like the fact that you don't need to make appointments and you seldom have to wait.
Let's face it, New York is grand but it's really expensive. That's why, although I dearly love shopping at Bergdorf's and those trendy boutiques in Soho, I am not ashamed of looking for less pricey alternatives. And they can definitely be had in Manhattan, believe it or not. The only trouble with the discount stores listed here is that finding what you're looking for is hit or miss. You'll either strike it rich or come out empty handed, depending on the booty they have in stock. But in my opinion these are always better than standing in line for Barney's warehouse sale twice a year:
Loehmann's (Seventh Avenue South between West 16th and West 17th Streets): I love the irony that Loehmann's is housed in what was once the altar of the 1980's greed is good fashion, Barney's, before bankruptcy forced them to close this location. Gone is the wool carpeting and walnut paneling and instead is a harshly lit mecca for off-priced fashion for men and women and a limited selection of household items and luggage. I have found a lot of good stuff here, and they even have a point system like the large department stores where, the more you spend, the more points you collect toward even greater discounts.
Century 21 (22 Cortlandt Street, between Broadway and Church Street, or 472 86th Street): If nothing else, go to Century 21 and you will never pay full price for underwear again. The crowds can be maddening, the women's dressing room is apparently communal, and there is no such thing as a men's dressing room. Having said that, I have purchased off-priced Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, and Hugo Boss here. Last time I was there, Carson Kressley of T.V.'s "Queer Eye" was running around with an armload of couture and a dazed yet triumphant look in his eye. One way to beat the crowds and get a somewhat better selection is to travel to Brooklyn for the off-the-beaten path location.
There are always bargains to be had at TJ Maxx and Filene's Basement on Sixth Avenue and 18th Street. Yes, this is more Chelsea than Village, but it's close enough!
Whether you're furnishing your apartment or looking for a gift, you don't automatically have to go to Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel, although both are perfectly respectable and have great sales, as does Pottery Barn's hipper sister, West Elm (as mentioned, in DUMBO but also on West 17th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues). For something a little different, try:
Mxyplyzyk (125 Greenwich Avenue, between Horatio and West 13th Streets) is a small store with a lot of great items and, unfortunately, a staff with a bit of an attitude. You can find quirky gifts starting at under ten dollars, a table lamp for $375, and a great selection of everything from soaps to samovars in between.
MoMA Shop (81 Spring Street at Crosby Street) is a little like visiting the Museum of Modern Art itself, since on display are authorized Eames and Corbusier reproductions available for sale, as well as gorgeous jewelry, books, clocks paper goods and other decoration. Like Mxyplyzyk, some of the items are pricey, but interesting finds are plentiful.
Broadway Panhandler (65 East 8th Street between Broadway and University Place) is a one stop kitchen and table top shop that features the most trusted lines of appliances, gorgeous crockery and pots and pans, beautiful table linens and utensils, as well as tools for most any kitchen project.
Sometimes you just have to indulge yourself, and there's no better way to do it than with chocolate. New York features an abundance of confectionary palaces but to my mind, none do it better than these:
Chocolate Bar (48 Eighth Avenue between Horatio and Jane Streets) is situated just on the edge of the uber trendy Meat Packing District, and it's variation on a chocolate theme reflects that trendiness. Hip in decor, their range includes not only gorgeous chocolates of every description and design, but chocolate baked goods and hot chocolate that defies the ordinary. Chocolate Chai Tea, anyone?
Li-Lac Chocolates (40 Eighth Avenue at Jane Street) is a specialty chocolate maker that is more old school but definitely not boring and definitely delicious. They offer delectable traditional fare like truffles and French Mints, but also have a more quirky side with their novelty items like chocolate roses, cars, baseballs and such. When we had the groundbreaking for Furman Hall, I presented Justice O'Connor with a box of chocolate carpenter tools, which she loved. Be warned, though: don't even think about going there anywhere near Valentine's Day or Christmas.
As for bookstores, the Strand Bookstore on Broadway is one of the last old-fashioned holdouts in NY.
I frequent Barnes & Noble on Sixth Avenue and West Eighth Street because they order what you want fast, they have good discounts and they are very close. There are of course other stores less convenient that have atmosphere and history.
I like the Barnes & Noble on Sixth Avenue and 22nd Street.
The Strand is simply an amazing place--be prepared to lose yourself for hours as there are so many books to discover.
The front facade of The General Theological Seminary, located on Ninth Avenue between West 20th and West 21st Streets, looks a lot like my elementary school and seldom gets a second look. Step inside the equally institutional lobby, with its somewhat stale book store and take a look at the back of the building. Glass walls and doors reveal a campus of exquisite beauty that transports one to possibly a different time and definitely to seemingly ancient chapels and school buildings. It is open limited hours each week for quiet reflection or reading (call for availability). When you telephone, you might inquire as to when the organ rehearsal will be for the Sunday service, as the music, combined with the views of nature, stained glass, and the brownstones that line the surrounding streets of Chelsea provide a welcome relief from the stresses of law school.
I can't imagine wanting to get away from the Village: as Dr. Johnson said, when one is tired of Greenwich Village one is tired of life.
The most beautiful corner of the Village is Fifth Avenue and the north side of Washington Square Park, looking up at the arch.
I actually love the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Washington Square North. The view uptown and the view through the Arch into the park is awesome--and it is the heart of the Village.
Jones Beach is wonderful on hot days. In the fall, head up the Hudson River and enjoy the turning leaves.
Yankees Stadium! I'm a big Yankees fan, so going to the stadium is always a treat...even better when they win! Also, I usually head off to a spot somewhere in New England for some hiking and long walks in the woods with my dogs.
Because
I came from a small town and knew early on that I wanted to live here. I
feel particularly grateful to have had the opportunity to live and work
in Greenwich Village virtually the entire time that I've been here. When
times were tough or I was having a bad day, I used to have a ritual when
crossing through Washington Square or across Sixth Avenue: first I would
look downtown and then uptown at the Empire State
Building, and I would feel immediately better since I knew that my goal
of living and working here had been obtained, and that no one could take
that away from me. I guess the moral of this story is to take nothing for
granted and really seek out the architectural wonders of Manhattan, whether
they be the obvious choices like the Chrysler, Empire State, and Flatiron
Buildings, or the less likely details like the rooftops of West Eighth Street
between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. NYU boasts a number of architectural hits
(and misses, frankly) like the Morrocan themed detailing on the exteriors
of Greene Street between West Fourth and Washington Place. But I would have
to say that my favorite spot in the Village is Washington Mews, a one block
cobblestone stretch between University Place and Fifth Avenue, just north
of Washington Square.
For beauty of an architectural kind, I like West Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Since I am a sucker for water views, I like the piers if they count as the Village. To get away from it all, I either walk on lower Fifth Avenue or sit in Washington Square, where, perhaps paradoxically, all the action provides a cocoon-like environment.
Frank's Barber Shop (Thompson Street just south of West Third Street) is Professor Norman Dorsen's pick. He says it is not fancy by any means but is a down-to-earth old-time place that is all you need.