HomeLive from New York
19. May, 2009 
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I’m midway through my eight day New York trip. If you’ve been derelict in your reading, you may not know that I’m staying with Matt, a former Open House star and good friend since second grade. Matt lives in a sweet condo on the tenth floor of a condo building in Gramercy Park (near the border with Kip’s Bay). It’s a perfect city neighborhood with everything you’d want or need; within a one block radius, there’s a grocery store, a pharmacy and a mix of nicer sit-down restaurants and standard NY take-out joints. Every morning I walk to a charming little coffee house where it’s customary to order in Italian (this would never work outside NY!). I don’t think I’ll ever figure out that a Tall is really a short. Argh! Too fancy for this Chicagoan’s blood.
This part of Gramercy is ascendant, partly because it’s located in the nearly universally nice Manhattan and it’s simply this area’s time to shine . There are relatively few high rises here, so people (and increasingly developers) are attracted because many apartments have unobstructed city views and far more natural light than other city locations. The guest bedroom where I sleep has a tall window with a straight line view, so every morning I wake up bathed in light. At night, the temperature drops into the low 60′s, so I’ve been leaving the window cracked and have enjoyed waking up to the cool air and the muffled sounds of city life.
Continued . . .
Yesterday I went to two trade shows – the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and the National Stationery Show, both of which were held at the Javits Center. I’m not normally a trade show fan, but both were amazing and despite my exhaustion (I only slept four hours the night before), I wandered between the two conventions until the end-of-the-day. I’d like to say I planned to be here at such a perfect time, but it’s total coincidence, one of many actually, but I’ll tell you more about the others later. Later Matt and I took in the new Star Trek flick, which brilliantly rebooted the franchise while still maintaining the old continuity (and which I will refrain from going into as you likely don’t care).
I have to shower and dash. I’m meeting garden designer and antique dealer Ani Antreasyan for a tour of her warehouse (and which I’ll show you soon). Ani’s good friends with one of my favorite people, Chicago Interior Designer and boutique owner Michael Del Piero (whom I owe dinner for introducing us). Then I’m heading back here to move into a little B & B in Chelsea where I’ll be staying for the next few days before taking off again to meet the talented Interior Designer Jayne Michaels at her apartment (watch for her home tour as well (of course)). Jayne’s been reading Strange Closets for some time and was one of the folks encouraging me to visit NYC (thanks Jayne!).
So I’m in a pretty good mood.
Have a great time! Lucky devil!!!!
I need to plan a trip to New York now! Nice pictures
NYC my second love! I will be there June 18th to 23rd. Everytime someone tels me they did not like their trip to NYC, I almost faint. It the best city in the world! (Chicago is my home so I have to give it #1 out of loyalty and love). I don’t care if a movie sucks, I will still watch it if NYC is the location. I usually stay at the Hyatt Jersey City with has a 1 stop, 5 minute train ride to the World Trade Center across the Hudson. You should see the views of downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty from that hotel…amazing!
Well, have a great time amigo and make sure you hit some of the local bars up so you can take in some great NYC survival stories in.
Hope you checked out the “Housing Works” thrift shop on 17th St between 6th & 7th Ave I think. I love that place.
I daresay the place has changed a little since my only visit in 1982! Like most urban jungles, NYC seems to look its loveliest in the springtime. Thanks for thinking of us, we miss you, but don’t hurry back, you stay and enjoy to the max!