I have been so busy since my return from the USA that I haven’t had a second to tell you about my New York “hit” right after attending Virtuoso Week in Las Vegas. So here is a quick recap.
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After jetting to NYC on the Friday afternoon with Delta (not bad, except for an hour delay and arriving JFK at 1am!) I checked in to my fave hotel in New York, the Crosby Street Hotel, one thing I love about this hotel is that they make a point of NOT closing the curtains on the fabulous floor to ceiling windows if you arrive after dark, so you get the full view of the city lit at night when you walk in… it’s genius, and breathtaking, and you know you have arrived!
Their attention to detail is second to none. I have written about this fab downtown hotel before and I stay here often. My last stay was in April 2011 and the hotel (now three years young) looks better than ever, the Sculpture Garden has matured into a lush, chic space, perfect for entertaining friends and enjoying a quite breakfast (away from the bustling restaurant and its for the exclusive use of in-house guests only). The rooms are quintessential Firmdale luxury, deeply comfortable and in tip-top shape… the flawless service that the entire team execute, coming from the man at the top, the dashing Jakob Hanson – GM only helps seal the deal on this fabulous downtown property.
PS: Sources tell me Kit Kemp, one of the owners and interior designer for all Firmdale properties has a new book… “A Living Space” being released on the 30th October!
I did also see one new property this visit, The James on the corner of Thompson and Grand in Soho. Unique outdoor spaces throughout the hotel include an Urban Garden and rooftop pool deck and bar. A two-story glass wall in The Sky Lobby offers views of the Urban Garden along with area views of the neighboring sculpture garden… it’s really lovely. I did enjoy a drink at their roof top bar (the one with the plunge pool and killer views of downtown Manhattan!). It has a great contemporary feel, very sleek and sophisticated. Keep this one in mind.
It was a quick four-day visit, one night I met friends from London and Paris at Soho House for drinks… the NYC outpost of the private members club started in London (I dined at the West Coast, West Hollywood house the week earlier) before heading out to dinner at Morandi , the popular Italian Trattoria at Waverly Place … loved it!. Next night I had drinks at Crosby Street with a fabulous friend Vicki and we then walked across to the village to dine at Kingswood… the first restaurant from the boys who own The Eveleigh in Los Angeles. It was the perfect Sunday night restaurant!
My last night, I met with great friends Betsy and her handsome Aussie expat husband Jonathan at The Lion, the next temple of dining from John De Lucie, the founding chef and partner of the Waverly Inn… the organic chicken was divine. After dinner I headed across to The Standard Grill under The High Line (on the way I walked right past Annie Leibowitz outside Da Silvano … now that was a New York moment!) to meet my Miami buddy Greg… he and his partner Paolo own Babalu Miami the fabulous go-to gift shop in South Beach, situated in the iconic Mews Building 1111 Lincoln Road… Get the Babalu Buzz here!
It was he perfect end to a fab four days in NYC.
Thank you to Narell, Jakob, Carrie and Craig for helping make my stay at Crosby Street Hotel another memorable one, this property just gets better and better, don’t miss it!
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