March 8, 2024
On 9 September 2015, PORCELANOSA Grupo opened its New York headquarters at the confluence of Broadway and Fifth Avenue, with Madison Square Park and the emblematic Flatiron Building as its neighbour. The six-storey building, originally from 1918, was transformed by the Foster + Partner studio, and in 2020 a major extension was undertaken to reach 1,900 m2 where you can visit the exhibition of the group’s brands, the ceramics laboratory, the rooms for events and the cafeteria. 202 Fifth Avenue.
Following the example of the Miami location, this restaurant and club offers a select and sophisticated atmosphere on the Upper East Side, whether for breakfast, a tasty brunch or a cappuccino. Take refuge from the bustle of the city that never sleeps. 20 East 76th Street.
All you have to do is cross Madison Avenue to enjoy New York’s nightlife. After overcoming the pandemic, the legendary jazz club at The Carlyle hotel, indispensable since 1955, reopened its doors in 2022. Every night there is an atmosphere of beautiful people with live music and murals by Marcel Vertès. 35 East 76th Street.
The Upper East Side continues to be explored by Alsatian chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who is responsible for the Mark Hotel’s gastronomy, such as the exceptional fondue he serves in winter at The Mark Chalet: reservations must be made 60 days in advance! His personal hallmark: the care with which he treats fresh, market-fresh food, his cocktails and his wonderful décor. Madison Avenue at 77th Street.
Here the roots are Italian; more specifically from Milan, where a small pasticceria was born in 1936 next to La Scala. In 1982, the secrets of its crispy panini or its cornetto landed on Madison Avenue, where tasting them is still a pleasure. 1000 Madison Avenue.
A “little big secret”, a museum with the best of art and design from Germany and Austria between the end of the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century: Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Adolf Loos, the Bauhaus. The visit ends at Café Sabarsky, which takes us back to the glittering Vienna of the 1920s. All in a historic building, completed in 1914 and home to, among others, Cornelius Vanderbilt III.1048 Fifth Avenue.
A block away from Central Park is “the place” of the moment, a restaurant and private club in a six-storey building that blends the sumptuousness of this neighbourhood with the casual touch of the Hamptons and the Latin inspiration of its founder, Chilean Juan Santa Cruz. Surprising cuisine, an interior design with works by Fernando Botero or Keith Haring and a lot of exclusivity: the upper floors are reserved for club members. In the evenings, live performances and DJ sessions make it possible to extend the evening. Important: no sneakers, jeans, baseball caps or tank tops. And it is “recommended” not to take photos with smartphones. VIPs are very jealous of their privacy. 36 East 61st Street
Can you play tennis in the centre of Manhattan? Yes, thanks to this club which opened its doors on the fourth floor of Grand Central Terminal in 2011. You can reserve a court and then recover your strength at the station’s legendary Oyster Bar. To avoid dirtying the court, only flat-soled shoes, preferably white, are accepted. Grand Central Terminal (entrance on Vanderbilt Ave. between 42nd and 43rd Streets).
Tycoon Pierpont Morgan assembled the finest collection of manuscripts, illustrated books and incunabula outside Europe. In 1924, his son Jack decided to open his extraordinary personal library to the public, making it a must-see for scholars, schoolchildren and anyone with a cultural interest. Several renovations, the last in 2006 by Renzo Piano, have given New York beautiful spaces, such as the historic Reading Room or The Morgan Garden, which are always worth a visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street.
In such a cosmopolitan city it seems hard to find something that surprises you. That’s because you haven’t yet tried this restaurant’s Georgian cuisine. For starters, how about the traditional Adjaruli Khachapuri? That is, a bread dough stuffed with cheese and topped with an egg, which is eaten all over Georgia. 37A Bedford Street.
Whether in their physical shops (we recommend the one located in SoHo, 80 Wooster Street) or on their website, the offers on second-hand pieces from luxury brands in fashion, accessories or jewellery to which you have access is unbeatable: Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Christian Louboutin, Prada, Hermès, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton.
The flagship store of this beauty and cosmetics brand in SoHo has reopened its doors with more sophistication than ever. The space, in white and pastel tones, is divided into small capsules in which customers can experiment with the products at their fingertips. 72 Spring Street.
It’s been a year since this brand returned to New York. A year in which this shop has established itself as a must for devotees of collections that honour the legacy of the great Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaïa: bags, coats and shoes. Original and fascinating creations that continue to attract the attention of Manhattan’s jet set. 149 Mercer Street.
French fashion label Sézane stays true to its philosophy: no conventional shops. Instead, it presents familiar and cosy spaces, where you’ll find the basics that can never be missing from your wardrobe. 254 Elizabeth Street.
The French accent is increasingly heard in New York, where a real “Little Paris” has emerged (on Centre Street, between Broome and Grand St., in Nolita/SoHo) thanks to the initiative of the Coucou cultural centre, which settled in this area in 2019. Around it, there is a bakery and delicatessen (Maman), the Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels or the Clic decoration shop. And, of course, French fashion boutiques. To finish the route with a more French accent, we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge to L’Appartement 4F in Brooklyn Heights. There, the couple Gautier and Ashley Coiffard have revolutionised pastries with their “petits croissants céréales” and other suggestions, which have become popular thanks to instagrammers. Nothing better than savouring them while strolling through this neighbourhood of streets dotted with “brownstones” (typical brown sandstone buildings from the 19th century), where Truman Capote, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain took refuge. The final point is the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. The view of the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan with the Freedom Tower in the background and the Statue of Liberty reminds us that we are in the capital of the world. 115 Montague Street.
Text: Juana Libedinsky / Sandra Fernández
Photo credits: Preston Schlebusch / Getty Images / Durston Saylor / Graham Haber / Charissa Fay
Drawings: Claudia R. C.
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