Where to stay in Brooklyn

Brooklyn is a must visit on any trip to New York City, even for first time visitors. And, in the past few years, Brooklyn’s hotel scene has really stepped it up to accommodate those interested to make Brooklyn home base during their trip. All of the hotels we recommend are an easy 5-10 minute subway ride to Manhattan!

WILLIAMSBURG

The William Vale is a beautiful, 183-room playground. Excellent design, a focus on service and all the amenities you could ever want. Plus, it’s truly a locals hangout AND they frequently have room deals.

http://www.thewilliamvale.com

The 70-room Wythe Hotel is inside a former factory built in 1901. Very chic and well designed. Several rooms and lofts have floor-to-ceiling windows with outstanding views of the Manhattan skyline. The on-site restaurant is fantastic and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, and the cinema frequently hosts a selection of unique films. The rooftop bar on the 6th floor is a popular place to sip a specialty cocktail and take in the city views.

http://www.wythehotel.com 

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN

1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge defines its style as eco-luxe. With low impact construction, it fits right into the post-industrial waterfront surroundings. Materials include reclaimed wood from the Coney Island boardwalk and Williamsburg’s old Domino Sugar Factory. The location and style can’t be beat. It’s a new hotel so we can’t comment on service.

Two other options include the Marriott Brooklyn Bridge, which was completely redesigned in 2016. Reimagined guest rooms and suites are larger than the area’s typical accommodations and there’s a 75-foot long indoor pool and state-of-the-art fitness center. There is also the NU Hotel in Downtown Brooklyn.

Where to stay in NYC

With over 50 neighborhoods in Manhattan, how does one decide where to stay?! Many visitors to New York City choose Times Square, with an abundance of large, reasonably priced hotels. But after being asked by several first time visitors where we would stay, we put together our top ten hotels based on neighborhood, budget, amenities, service and style. Our recommendations involve boutique hotels or small hotel companies and we chose neighborhoods favorited by locals.

STAY TUNED — NEXT WEEK WE COVER BROOKLYN.

FLATIRON:

The NoMad (which stands for North of Madison Square Park) is a Parisian-inspired luxury hotel housed in a beautiful converted Beaux-art style building. It’s modern meets historical chic. The lobby bar is arguably serving up the best craft cocktails in all of NYC. And, their highly acclaimed restaurant is a must — it’s a very special (and expensive) meal. So are the cocktails, but it’s worth the price of admission to check out and enjoy the space.

The Ace Hotel in New York is just like the other hotels, dare we say it, hipster. But that’s precisely what we like about them. During the day, the lobby is a major hangout amongst the freelancing creative set and at night, the room becomes a hot bar scene with DJ and dancing. Attached is famed restaurant The Breslin and awesome relative newcomer The John Dory (seafood). There is also an Opening Ceremony boutique attached. Dark and moody but at the same time, a lively, very New York scene.

CHELSEA:

Across from The High Line, this chic 60-room hotel is in a section of a still-working theological seminary dating back to the 1800s. Unique furnishings and a great staff with an awesome coffee bar and beautiful outside seating in warmer months (a rare NYC find).

Technically in the Meatpacking District, this hotel is an architectural marvel and a huge local hangout. The High Line cuts right through it. This hotel is very lively with super-modern rooms featuring voyeuristic floor-to-ceiling windows. Stunning light and views of the city or the Hudson River depending on where your room faces. “The high-design Standard is one of the trendiest NYC hotels, with plenty of nightlife both nearby and inside—dine at the hotel’s Standard Grill and imbibe at the outdoor Biergarten. Play naughty at the clubby rooftop Le Bain, or drink in the exclusive views at Top of the Standard.”

PRO TIP: download their app for deep discounts on last minute rooms at all their locations (we’re talking 24 hours in advance).

Or, splurge for the Soho House Chelsea. You’ll have access to the restaurant and rooftop pool … major celebrity hangout but you’ll definitely pay for the access.

SOHO:

The Crosby — this one is all about design, design, design, and location, location, location! The rooms are unbelievably chic, the service impeccable, great lobby bar, outdoor area, etc. If you can afford it, consider it!

The trendy Arlo is a micro-hotel located between TriBeCa and SoHo. Despite the 325 rooms, its bars, lounges, and work spaces are quite enjoyable. There is a focus on all things local, which we love. The rooms are definitely tiny, even by NYC standards, but they are bright, and feature free Wi-Fi and high end bath products.

EAST VILLAGE:

The Standard East Village is a well done hot spot just like all the Standard Hotels! The East Village has long been a great neighborhood for restaurants, bars, music and getting just about anywhere in NYC (and Williamsburg) but now there’s a great place to stay as well!

PRO TIP: download their app for deep discounts on last minute rooms at all their locations (we’re talking 24 hours in advance).

The Bowery is super hot and this hotel is no exception. A favorite of celebrities and fashionistas. It’s dark and moody but the rooms are bright because of the factory-style windows and loft-like rooms.

LOWER EAST SIDE:

Public — we love this place! We will let them speak for themselves:

“LUXURY FOR ALL. IAN SCHRAGER’S LATEST. GREAT SERVICE. GREAT STYLE. GREAT FUN. GREAT PRICE.”

200 5th Avenue’s Former Life

200 Fifth Avenue was formerly known as The Toy Building and is currently home to Eataly as well as the corporate offices of Tiffany & Co among others. But, before The Toy Building was built in 1909, the site had several former (and wildly different) lives.

The Fifth Avenue Hotel was a luxury hotel located at 200 Fifth Avenue in New York City from 1859 to 1908.

The site that would become the Fifth Avenue Hotel was once the location of “Madison Cottage” which served as a stagecoach stop for passengers headed north from the city.

From 1853 to 1856 it was replaced by Franconi’s Hippodrome, a multi-tent structure of canvas and wood that could accommodate up to 10,000 spectators. They watched “amusements of the ancient Greeks and Romans.”

Madison Cottage or Corporal Thompson's Roadhouse / 1852 — Madison Cottage or Corporal Thompson’s Roadhouse / 1852

Franconi’s Hippodrome / 1853

The Fifth Avenue Hotel was built in 1856–59 by Amos Richards Eno. It cost $2 million, and, at the time, was so far uptown that it was dubbed “Eno’s Folly”.

The elegant hotel became a popular hangout for New York City’s social and cultural elite. It was highly profitable and spurred development in the area (including the infamous Flatiron Building).

The hotel had many unique offerings for the time, including private bathrooms and the second successful passenger elevator ever developed!

U.S. Presidents who stayed or lived at the hotel include Grant, Garfield, Hayes and Arthur.

Eventually the center of Manhattan had moved north of Madison Square Park and the hotel’s owners (the Eno family) decided it would be more valuable if the property was developed as a skyscraper. In 1907, they announced they would build a $10 million, 24 story office building on the site as soon as the lease to the hotel expired the following year. The hotel closed at midnight on April 4, 1908.

THE END. Pretty neat huh!?

Learn more on our Flatiron Food, History & Architecture Tour that takes place Thursday and Saturday at 10:30am.

Our Highlights from Brooklyn Eats 2017

There are many great food and beverage companies being formed in Brooklyn! This year, we were lucky to be invited to check out Brooklyn Eats, Brooklyn’s first food & beverage trade show, supporting our manufacturing businesses and creating a borough- wide community of food producers.

The event took place at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott Hotel and featured over 100 exhibitors. All vendors were Brooklyn-based food manufacturers and businesses that are involved in packaging and distributing at least one made-in-Brooklyn product.

Here are our favorites:

New Indoor Brooklyn Food Market!

For anyone who wanted to try Katz’s Deli food and potentially skip the nonstop insanity that is their Houston Street location, we’ve got your answer! DeKalb Market Hall!

Dekalb Market Hall showcases 40 vendors, that, according to their website, “reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the borough.” They also reflect the latest in food trends as represented by vendors that also participate at Smorgasburg, Bergen, Le District and other great food markets that can be found in NYC and Brooklyn. The venue is wheelchair accessible.

Katz’s Deli was founded in 1888 and has been on every tourist’s must do list for 50+ years. According to the website, “129 years later, Katz’s is excited to join the DeKalb Market in opening their first-ever outpost, A Taste of Katz’s. The brand new location features their legendary deli classics, still sliced by hand to your specifications. And served with a side of authentic New York attitude.”

Other vendors we are super excited about include (pictured below): Paella Shack, The Arepa Lady, DeKalb Tacos and Forcella. See the whole list of vendors on the website and stop by ASAP!

www.dekalbmarkethall.com

Interview with a Local: Meghan Love of Mable’s Smokehouse

Mable’s Smokehouse has been a neighborhood gem in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, since it opened in 2012. A BBQ joint is a bit unorthodox for the neighborhood and perhaps that is precisely why it’s so beloved – plus the food is incredible. Praised by the New York Times, Food & Wine Magazine, Eater, Travel Channel, New York Magazine, The Village Voice and many many more. We were fortunate to chat with Meghan Love, of the husband (Jeff Lutonsky) and wife team behind it all.

How did you come to open Mable’s Smokehouse?

Jeff and I met in NYC – we were both working in the arts. I as an actress and he as a visual artist and gallerist/art dealer. When the recession in 2009 happened, people weren’t really buying art and we were both itching for a change. Around that time Jeff’s mother died and left him a small inheritance- we wanted to find a way to honor her and his late grandmother, Mable. They were the people that taught him to cook and passed down family food traditions, so we thought what better way to use that money than to open a restaurant using those recipes- and the rest is history!

Can you tell us a little bit more about your background?

I grew up in Louisville Kentucky in a family of entrepreneurs. My grandfather started what became a chain of furniture stores and my mother took over that family business. I have worked since I could walk practically, for my mom, for other people- whoever would hire me! I think Jeff and I both have extremely strong work ethics- he grew up either working in his mother’s restaurants or his father’s cattle ranch in Oklahoma. We both ultimately went into the arts but yearned to create something of our own. We often say that Mable’s is the longest running art piece we have ever created. I think in inception you have to treat it like an art installation and operating it is like a long running piece of theater. I was an actress in NY for many years so I also worked as a bartender and a waiter at some of NY’s top restaurants.

What do you love about owning Mable’s?

I have always been sort of addicted to the restaurant business – I have worked in the industry in some capacity for over 20 years. I just find it to be so much fun! There is something so special about true hospitality- I still get chills when I have one of those magical interactions with a guest. When they are loving the food and the service and I am 100% there for them- it truly is a great joy of my life. Plus, I think the fact that we went out on a limb in NY and opened something that was not the norm was a risk- we said we are just going to be totally and completely ourselves and see if people like it. And they did. That feels really good.

Mable’s is a true neighborhood gem. What’s on tap as far as special events or new menu items?

Well, we had our first annual Dolly Parton Look Alike Contest this year-it was bananas. It was a great success- wacky, weird, messy and beautiful! We definitely will make that an annual event! Our KY Derby Party is like a holiday for us- we humbly think we throw the best one around. We’ve got some fun tricks up our sleeves, so stay tuned.

The food is fantastic! Have you catered events or weddings?

We do a ton of catering and weddings are our thing! We have ten on the books for this year. We just find that our food translates really well in an off-site environment and every wedding that we do the guests say: I have never had seconds of WEDDING FOOD. They sometimes lick the plate. That’s a pretty good indication that we are doing it right.

I’m vegetarian and am obsessed with the veggie BBQ — it’s so good! What’s the secret?

It’s all about the sauce. It’s good on everything- meat, veggies, fish, eggs, and even veggie meat! It is a recipe that Jeff’s grandmother, Mable learned as a girl working in a roadside diner in Oklahoma and we really haven’t changed it. That’s why it’s called “Liquid Country Gold”.

As you know, we are all about local … can you share a few of your favorites places in the neighborhood or NYC?

Gosh, there are so many, Jeff and I love to eat out! We love the local Polish Food in Greenpoint- especially Karczma. Some of our other favorite local restaurants are Kings County Imperial, Cafe Mogodor and Sweetwater. I think my favorite place in NYC is the Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel. It’s old school and elegant and quintessentially NY- and the bartenders are the best in the business.

Can you share a favorite NYC moment?

I used to wait tables at Pastis in the Meatpacking District. One day I was walking into work and listening to the Velvet Underground on my headphones. Lou Reed was coming out as I was going in. That was pretty cool. Wow, that is truly a great NYC moment!

Thanks so much for talking with us! We will see you soon on the next Williamsburg Bites Brooklyn Food Tour and Sunday Funday Brooklyn Tasting Tour!

Interview with a Local: Mohan Kumar of OddFellows Ice Cream

OddFellows Ice Cream Co. is a Brooklyn-based, family-owned and operated small business founded by husband-and-wife team Mohan and Holiday Kumar and Chef Sam Mason. They opened their flagship location in June 2013 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And it’s often the favorite stop for attendees on our Williamsburg Bites Brooklyn Food Tour and Sunday Funday Williamsburg Tour, so we wanted to dig deeper to share their story.

Every scoop of their ice cream is made from scratch in the Williamsburg kitchen. According to the website, “We strive to create the highest quality and freshest ice cream available, pasteurizing our ice cream base in-house to concoct the most distinctive and scrumptious flavors ranging from inventive renditions of the classics to the delectably unconventional. Our milk, eggs, and cream are sourced from local farms and, whenever possible, we use all-natural ingredients.”

In Brooklyn, they offer 14 different flavors, and because they produce their super-premium ice cream in small batches, the flavors rotate regularly and often times throughout the day!

We spoke with one of the founders (and friend of Like A Local) Mohan Kumar. We even got the scoop (get it?!) on a secret popup opening later this month!

How did you come to open OddFellows?

I had known Sam {Chef, Sam Mason} since living on Clinton Street in the Lower East Side back in 2003/2004, when Sam was a pastry chef at WD-50. So, when we started talking about this idea, we had known each other for about 8 years. The idea really started when Holiday (Mohan’s wife) was pregnant, and Sam brought over pretzel ice cream for her. She loved it and know I was trying to start a business, so she suggested talking to Sam about ice cream. So I sat down with Sam at Lady Jay’s one night and he was all in.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your background?

I was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. I went to school at the University of Michican. I moved to New York City after graduating in 2002 and I’ve been here ever since. I worked in real estate finance for 10 years leading up to opening OddFellows.

What do you love about owning OddFellows?

It’s creative and it’s a happy thing. People always come in with a smile and they’re always in a good mood. That’s a great business to be in.

I know you now have a second location in the East Village, and you did some popups in Australia and elsewhere last summer. What’s on tap for this summer?

We’ve got a really cool popup coming to Soho. It’s a secret now, but should open by June 21.

Chef makes some pretty incredible flavors. What has been your favorite?

My all time favorite is hard to choose. I pick a different flavor every week in all honesty. But a few that stick out: prosciutto melon, saffron passionfruit, miso peanut butter and vanilla bean.

Can you tell us about any new flavors he’s currently working on or new menu items

We are going big on soft serve. It’s part of the popup in Soho!

As you know, we are all about local … can you share a few of your favorites places in NYC (or Brooklyn, Queens, etc)?

Wave Hill (public gardens in Riverdale, Bronx), Pickle Guys on the Lower East Side, Samurai Mama (Williamsburg), Cafe Dante (West Village), Brooklyn Bowl, Montana’s Trail House (Bushwick), Mister Dips (Williamsburg) and Three Diamond Door (Bushwick)

Wow, that’s a great list! Last question. Can you share a favorite NYC moment?

I’d say going to Coney Island and watching Daft Punk at the baseball stadium. It’s where I first saw Holiday (my wife) – I didn’t talk speak with her there it only saw her and knew I wanted to meet her. And it was one of the best concerts of my life.

Eisenberg’s Famous Sandwich Shop now on our Flatiron Food Tour!

We are so pleased to have this tiny but historic (and famous!), classic New York luncheonette on our Flatiron food adventure. We truly do bring you the best of New York City … especially on a fork!

From a bygone era on Ladies’ Mile, Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop is an institution. Located on Fifth Avenue just below 23rd Street and established in 1929, generations of family and friends have dined here.

Their slogan? “Raising New York’s cholesterol since 1929.”

The Flatiron District is now one of the most popular neighborhoods in New York City, filled with high end shopping, chic restaurants, beautiful parks and incredible architecture — old and new. The area was previously known as Ladies’ Mile because most of the city’s shopping and department stores were here. After the stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent depression, the area was primarily industrial and most businesses were closed by 5pm.

Recommended by New York Magazine, Anthony Bourdain, The Village Voice, The Daily Meal, Serious Eats and more! The Village Voice writes, “Why Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop Is a Pillar of the NYC Diner Scene: Hit Eisenberg’s Sandwhich Shop at the end of the lunch rush, and it will still be busy, full of a unique mix of construction workers, businessmen, locals, and a few tourists, who share the 25-seat long counter. You’ll see suited types with gold pinkie rings enjoying pastrami on a sub roll, and you’ll hear German tourists discussing just exactly what a tuna melt is. With its melting pot of cultures and dependable food, Eisenberg’s exemplifies the essence of a true New York diner. Read the rest of the article, which discusses the current owner and the restaurant’s importance to the locals who eat there.

Now that you know the history, isn’t it incredible that Eisenberg’s still exists? And basically in its original form!

Join us on our Flatiron Food, History & Architecture Tour to learn more and enjoy a VIP experience at this famous eatery.

Check out some of the celebrities that have eaten here!

Experience Brooklyn Like A Local

Last month we partnered with Localgrapher and shared our insight on how to “Experience Brooklyn Like A Local”. Here are the highlights:

Did you know that Brooklyn is the 4th largest city in the US (if you separate it from New York City)? The borough has experienced an explosion of popularity in the last 10 years and is now on most tourists’ must do list when they come to New York City. The experts at Like A Local Tours have narrowed it down to the top five things to do in Brooklyn.

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge then explore DUMBO
Have a beer (or two) at Brooklyn Brewery
Park Slope Brownstones & Brooklyn Botanic Garden / Prospect Park
Explore Coney Island
Visit a World Famous Outdoor Brooklyn Street Art Gallery

Click here for the full article.

Why we are still obsessed with the High Line

Photo: Thehighline.org

THE ART! Always a rotating selection of works and commission pieces. Our faves currently on view:

Darren Bader
chess: relatives

May 6, 2017 – April 2018 // On the High Line under The Standard, High Line. Gather 32 friends to pose as human chess pieces with 2 additional players.

Henry Taylor
the floaters

March 17, 2017 – March 2018 // Adjacent to the High Line at West 22nd Street. Henry Taylor is a painter known for his intimate depictions of people, capturing a wide range of subjects that span from his close friends and family, to strangers whose appearances strike him, to celebrities within the African American community. His color-blocked compositions evoke compassion and a sense of shared space, setting the viewer in close conversation with those pictured.

For the High Line, Taylor presents a new version of a self-portrait adapted specifically for its setting on the side of a building at West 22nd Street. The work depicts the artist and a friend “blissed out,” relaxing in a swimming pool at a friend’s house in Palm Springs. Reminiscent of David Hockney’s paintings of Los Angeles swimming pools from the 1960s, the floaters, a title which references the eponymous Detroit R&B group, portrays the artist in a moment of pure, leisurely happiness.

Photo: art.thehighline.org // Henry Taylor the floaters

Read more about art at The Highline.

UPCOMING EVENTS

New York City’s High Line has an incredible lineup of fantastic events — here are a few of our top picks:

ART TOUR: MUTATIONS

DATE & TIME: Second Mondays, May – September, 6 – 7:15 PM

LOCATION: Tour location provided via email following RSVP

From sculptures and murals to performances and videos, the High Line is filled with public art. Join High Line Art Assistant Curator, Melanie Kress for an insider’s view on High Line Art’s current Mutations exhibition.

STARGAZING

DATE & TIME: Every Tuesday, April through October, dusk to 30 minutes before park closes

LOCATION: The Diller-von Furstenberg Sundeck, on the High Line at 14th St.

Head to the High Line each Tuesday night for a romantic walk along the park and a chance to take a closer look at the stars. Peer through high-powered telescopes provided by the knowledgeable members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York to see rare celestial sights.

Photo: @highlinenyc

They also have yoga, live music and events for kids. See the entire schedule here.

NEW YORK CITY HISTORY: THE HIGH LINE

The High Line is truly a revitalized piece of New York City’s past. The High Line opened in 1934 as a mode of transporting goods via train from 34th street to a former terminal at Spring Street. Because of growth in the trucking industry, the last train runs on the High Line in 1980. A group of property owners lobbies for demolition while Peter Obletz, a Chelsea resident, activist, and railroad enthusiast, challenges demolition efforts in court. Not until 1999, Friends of the High Line was formed by two residents of the High Line neighborhood, to advocate for the High Line’s preservation and reuse as public open space. Groundbreaking is celebrated in April 2006.

TAKE OUR HIGH LINE TOUR TO EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF!

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