(photo, Noah Sheldon via NYMag)My friends and I have been doing Saturday night dinners at Alta for years - it’s a must when I’m in town! The menu is centered around tapas, so there’s no having to choose between your top omigod-I-can’t-live-without-this choices - order ‘em all! By now we have ordering down to a science: We get Mediterranean staples like calamari, marinated olives, fried goat cheese and mussels, plus a couple wild-card items and a bottle (or two) of red wine. Just as delicious as the food is Alta’s warmly sensual ambiance, a cross between a Spanish courtyard and medieval, Princess Bride-like decor. Balconies on the second floor frame an iron chandelier that lies at the heart of the eatery, overlooking a beautifully tiled main dining room with a roaring fire. Most of my best nights in NYC have started with dinner at Alta, but beware - you’ll never want to leave! Maybe just one more glass of wine...
DRINKABC Beer Co.96 Avenue C, New York, NYph: 646.422.7103.
Come for the twelve taps and countless bottles of hard-to-find craft beers and stick around because you met some awesome people at the communal table. The compact menu of hearty, non-fussy haute bar snacks makes a pretty compelling case for itself, too. Cheese, meat, and pickle plates and sandwiches (hello, PB&Jalapenos!) are the perfect accompaniments to malty, hoppy libations from breweries like Ommegang, Great Divide, and others you won’t be able to pronounce, but will enjoy just the same.
SHOP:Devorado vintage436 E 9th St, New York, NY 10009917.280.0649
Good luck making a trip here just a quick visit. You’ll love spending time perusing the jewelry - a mix of new, vintage, costume, and handmade treasures like matchstick bangles from Monserat de Lucca and Lotta Djossou’s bird and snake bracelets. Then, there’s the clothes. Vintage pieces from the likes of YSL, Chanel, Bill Blass, and Versace mingle on racks with new pieces like lingerie from Suki Cohen. Prepare to bump elbows with stylists, PYTs, and serious collectors.
See more in NYC must-stops in the BooHoo City Guide.(Special thanks to Lexi and Susie, two of my BFF's who always take me to the most divine places in their neighborhoods.)Cheers,Renata
