ICONIC CITY: New York
by RENEE DEE
High Times Among the High Rises: Our Picks to Make the Most Out of 72 Hours in Manhattan.
New York is truly iconic, and my recent trip had so many iconic moments, that I'm writing this story on my return flight home so that I can share them with you.
There are so many things to see in this great American city, like the iconic Statue of Liberty or iconic Central Park, even the sea of yellow taxi cabs is iconic. However, this trip had a theme that could almost be sung out loud: "Baby I love you but give me Park Avenue."
In 72 hours, we curated a trip with the most decadent tastes, fantastic views and luxurious shopping the city has to offer, while getting in two full days of business as well. Here are some of my favorite ways to take a bite out of The Big Apple. And I must of course remind us all that 72 hours is not nearly enough time to enjoy all that I love about this city.
There are so many things to see in this great American city, like the iconic Statue of Liberty or iconic Central Park, even the sea of yellow taxi cabs is iconic.
If you want to properly welcome yourself to New York, visit The Plaza for a cocktail in The Rose Club, where business deals are going down all around you. The architecture of the 112-year-old iconic hotel is mesmerizing. From there, we had a reservation at the buzzing, always-hopping Trattoria Dell' Arte, where Italian food, fabulous service and a crush of people are part of this fabulous restaurant with an amazing antipasto bar at the entrance.
Photo by Front of House
Having only the evenings to play, the next evening brought us to David Burke Tavern, where his heated glass truck experience housed two dinner guests in robes under twinkling lights at the entrance of the popular restaurant. Every trip to New York includes a stop at a David Burke favorite, and on this night, we ran into David Burke. We so enjoyed conversation with this super creative and hard-working chef over clothesline bacon and pretzel crab cake starters as he joined us at our table to visit for a bit. I'm now an even bigger fan.
With a good meal under our belt and enough wine to dare to take a high-speed elevator ride, we walked to Rockefeller Center and bought tickets to see The Top of the Rock for, what else, iconic city views. If you haven't gone to the top of the Empire State Building, you certainly can't miss that. This more modern take on an open-air rooftop overlooking the city put us on the 70th story, staring up at television towers.
Photo by Laura Novak
Upon returning to our hotel, "the city that never sleeps" tagline inspired us to check out the rooftop at our own hotel, The Viceroy, where we capped our night on the enclosed rooftop patio that is open during warmer weather. The Viceroy Central Park New York had an urban chic vibe with a huge-for-New-York shower and a nice-sized suite with a modern design.
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The next day, we couldn't help but return to Rockefeller Center to watch the skaters, walk among the colorful flags and get an espresso at Bouchon Bakery before our first meeting. We chose Nello for a late lunch because the pricey salads and people watching are among the best in town.
A few meetings later, my tired feet deserved a visit to the 10022-Shoe, the shoe department in Saks Fifth Avenue that is so big it was granted its own zip code. I was delighted to be greeted with signage everywhere that said ICONIC handbags coming to a newly designed first floor soon. Looks like I'll need to schedule another trip! All the associates were abuzz about the Turmeric and Ginger Latte in the café, so we grabbed one to go for a shopping diversion that would exceed an hour.
After a quick post-work wardrobe change, we launched our decadent Friday evening, where we started at Baccarat Hotel for Cristal among the Crystal, of course served in Baccarat glassware. The Grand Salon, with its stunning muted color palette, chandeliers and red roses, is a favorite setting for me, and I could sit there forever. We dashed across 53rd Street for a traditionally late dinner reservation at The Modern at MOMA, where we indulged in the six-course tasting menu. Think of me when the "Eggs with Eggs" served in a white ceramic egg is put in front of you. It was a dreamy appetizer with caviar, a savory custard and a poached egg that spilled yoke into the whole creamy concoction.
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Photo by Roman and Williams
Saturday was all about walking shoes, covering a lot of territory and doing it with no real reservations. We had breakfast at the amazing La Mercerie at The Guild in SoHo where we enjoyed buckwheat crepe, perfectly flakey croissant with house-made raspberry jam and a sighting of a well-known heiress to a hotel fortune.
I wanted to see the new Restoration Hardware lifestyle gallery, the first of its kind to offer a new kind of shopping experience including a coffee and champagne bar on one floor and a rooftop restaurant designed with chandeliers over every table. Every item, of course, is available at RH. We joined the in crowd by lounging on the furniture throughout the five-story store with Bellini's and cappuccinos. We were within minutes of the much-acclaimed High Line and if the winds weren't frigid cold, we'd have indulged. You should when you go. It's a notable city walk with the locals.
We finished our day back in the neighborhood I love and went straight to Bergdorf Goodman. BG Restaurant is a fav, so we grabbed yet another espresso to fuel another shopping adventure. We stopped into NOIR, a retail collection of curated by Bergdorf Goodman Women's Fashion Director Linda Fargo, a sophisticated and smart collection of edgy items that can only be described as totally sexy.
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Across the street, the latest iteration of Louis Vuitton merchandising called us with neon colors and street style presented by the current creative director Virgil Abloh, who is both innovative and controversial. The bustling crowds in the store certainly validated the new approach.
Before the night was over, another trip to the Upper East Side Madison Avenue Shopping District was in order, where my traveling companion was fitted for an Hermes belt. We essentially designed it ourselves, using the iconic collection of belt buckles. With enough shopping bags for one day, we decided to celebrate with one of the most beautiful views of the city from The Aviary lounge at The Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle. Tall glass windows frame the city lights in a magical way. We later enjoyed a full dinner at the bar at Jean Georges—remember no reservations—and then stopped at the ivy-covered 1 Hotel Central Park just off Central Park for the last stop of the night.
From my POV it was all about the views on this trip. Whether from The Top of The Rock or The Mandarin Oriental or the hip rooftop bar at our hotel, we couldn't stop gazing up and out at the iconic views of iconic New York.
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