Williamsburg has it all. The ?hipster haven? is home to the most sought-after, most underground, most diverse or just all-around best music, art, indie fashion, vintage shopping, food, microbrews ? and now wine. Brian Leventhal, however, saw that Williamsburg does have the potential to be an oenophiliac borough --wine just needed to be reinvented. And so, Brooklyn Winery was born.
Brooklyn Winery isn?t your typical wine bar. Keeping with Williamsburg?s artistic, hands-on legacy, the 8,000 square-foot space offers the opportunity to make your own wine ? something Leventhal and his partner, John Stires, wanted people to be able to do right here in the city. Master winemaker, Conor McCormack, is on hand to guide beginners to experts through the entire process; from crushing the grapes to bottling their creations. Brooklyn Winery also features a spacious wine bar and event space, creating a real headquarters for wine in Williamsburg. Wine enthusiasts and future wine enthusiasts can learn a whole new skill in winemaking, they can gather and sample local and house-made wines and they can form a new community ? which is just what Leventhal and Stires were hoping for.
In addition to wines you?ve never had before, Brooklyn Winery also boats a small plates menu supplied by nearby Radish ? things like lamb meatballs and gourmet popcorn. With locally sourced food and wine, it seems that Brooklyn Winery has successfully brought wine to Williamsburg in true Brooklyn fashion.
Brooklyn Winery is located at 213 North 8th Street between Driggs and Roebling Streets.
Are there certain places in the world that inspire you? What cities do you feel have a true style identity?
I?m inspired by anywhere I have traveled or lived. I?m grateful for having had the opportunity to see many places to draw inspiration from. I think every city has its own style identity. LA, NY, Paris, London?they all have a different aesthetic.
What are your travel essentials?
Books, bikinis, sweats and my two English bulldogs.
The FIT Museum is currently housing the Japan Fashion Now exhibit. Curated by fashion academic-doyenne, Valerie Steele, it is the first of its kind to feature contemporary Japanese fashion in a complete journey from the 1980s to today. Starting with the key designers of the ?80s fashion revolution -- Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Rei Kawabuko of Comme des Garcons, the exhibit moves on to new brands such as Undercover, Sacai, and Matohu. Naturally, the showcase also pays tribute to the important street trends and subcultures that Japan is so well known for; Classic Lolita, Prince Decoration, and Cosplay (Costume Play), which stand side by side in peculiar harmony.
Fashion Institute of Technology
Seventh Avenue at 27th Street
New York, New York
Hours
Tuesday to Friday, noon-8pm
Saturday, 10am-5pm
Closed Sunday, Monday, and legal holidays
Admission is free
They don?t call it the City That Never Sleeps for nothing. New York City excels in after-hours offerings. To get the full experience, the Big Apple must be savored by day and night ? and those bewitching hours in between. Pound a quad-espresso and get ready to see the sun come up.
The Spotted Pig
A down to earth gastropub located in the West Village, this is a great place to meet friends for a drink and some hearty fare. Don?t miss the amazing blue cheese burger with rosemary shoestring fries, which is even more delicious after some bubbly or brews at 2 a.m.
314 West 11th St. (between Hudson St. & Greenwich St.)
(212) 620-0393
The Standard Grill
Located inside The Standard hotel and under the High Line, the latest landmarks in the cooler/richer-than-thou Meatpacking District. The kitchen is open until 4 a.m., which is perfect for the hungry souls that let out of nearby clubs like Tenjune ? or the penthouse party at the Boom Boom Room, right upstairs, where the crowd and views are beautiful and the door policy is unmercifully enforced.
The Standard Grill
848 Washington St. (at 13th St.)
(212) 645-4100
Hair Party 24 Hours
You?re busy ? but your looks don?t have to suffer. Tend to all your beauty needs here: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Service between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. is by appointment only, however, so plan your late-night coloring and mani-pedis accordingly.
76 Madison Avenue (between 27th St. & 28th St.)
(212) 213-0056
L?Express
Serving up yummy French bistro fare along with an extensive beer and wine list. There is no reason not to dine well in the wee hours.
249 Park Avenue (between 19th St. & 20th St.)
(212) 254-5858
Coffee Shop
The Brazilian-cuisine-inspired menu is extensive. And the wait staff: mostly models. Get the cheese bread and see for yourself.
29 Union Square West
(212) 243-7969
New York Sports Club
Many New York Sports Club gym branches are open 24 hours. Inquire about their special ?Night Owl Membership,? which offers use of their 24-hour locations between the hours of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. at a special rate.
Duane Reade
This New York-based drugstore chain seems to be on every street corner. And you never know when you?ll need one. Forgot to pack travel essentials like toothpaste, soap ? or mascara? No problem. Also useful for buying late-night snacks and six packs. Many locations are 24 hours.
Kun Jip
A great Korean eatery in Midtown?s Koreatown. Rowdy late at night as many continue their post-club drinking here. The kimchi chigae and bulgogi are as authentic as they come. Expect a line, but service is always prompt and the wait is usually no more than 20 minutes.
9 W. 32nd St. (between Fifth Avenue & Broadway)
St. Mark?s Market
An unassuming but wonderful little deli and grocery store. Carries breads from Balthazar and Tom Cat, famous bakeries in New York. East Village locals and nearby NYU students love their fresh, delicious sandwiches.
21 Saint Mark?s Place
(212) 253-7777
Sarge?s New York Delicatessen
An authentic New York deli where the meat to bread ratio is clearly skewed toward the meat. The extensive menu includes staples like matzo ball soup, pastrami sandwiches and huge slices of cheesecake. Bonus: They deliver anywhere ? yes, anywhere ? in Manhattan, 24/7.
548 Third Ave (between 36th St. & 37th St.)
(212) 679-0442
Sunac Fancy Foods
Often heralded as a cheaper alternative to Whole Foods, locals love their great selection of health foods and deli sandwiches. No need to derail your diet at 4 a.m.
765 6th Avenue (between 25th St. and 26th St.)
(212) 229-0301
Sunny and Annie?s
A typical New York Korean grocery store with delectable deli offerings. The Pho Real sandwich is not to be missed ? and made even better with avocados. Wash it down with some consistently good coffee, too. Great value but cash only.
94 Avenue B (between 6th St. and 7th St.)
(212) 677-3131
Beauty and brains ? could Elettra Wiedemann be any more fascinating? The model and Lanc?me poster girl has Hollywood running through her veins ? her mom is Italian actress Isabella Rossellini, her grandmother is Ingrid Bergman (yes, of Casablanca fame) ? and a Master?s degree in biomedicine from the London School of Economics. Beauty and brains ? could Elettra Wiedemann be any more fascinating? The model and Lanc?me poster girl...
Read MoreFall in New York is the perfect time to flea. Local artisans, DIY craftspeople, independent designers and vintage collectors bring you some of the most unique shopping you?ll ever experience. Keep your eyes open, bring plenty of cash, and practice hailing a cab with your arms full.
Brooklyn Flea
Hands down the best flea market in New York and a wonderful way to spend a few hours/dollars on the weekend. Indie designers, vintage dealers and eccentric collectors provide the cool finds, including everything from NASA jumpsuits to ?70s sundresses. Saturday is outdoors, and the Sunday session is indoors at the former Williamsburg Savings Bank, which is a beautiful space complete with vault and mezzanine levels. Refuel with amazing food, from rustic Italian roast pork sandwiches to fresh-from-Maine lobster rolls. If you?ve only got time for one market in New York, make this the one.
Saturdays: Fort Green, 176 Lafayette Ave (between Clermont + Vanderbilt Ave.)
Outdoors, 10 a.m. ? 5 p.m. (Moves indoors after November 21 to Skylight One Hanson)
Sundays: Skylight One Hanson, 1 Hanson Pl. (at Flatbush Ave.)
Indoors, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Hell's Kitchen Flea Market
This flea is not for the faint of heart ? and is also NYC fashion icon Lynn Yaeger's favorite. Antiques dealers haul in the weird, sometimes awesome, but always interesting. Expect a lot of vintage jewelry, fur and a random mishmash of items, from home goods to vinyl records and handmade African chairs.
West 39th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue
Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. ? 6 p.m.
Hester Street Fair
Nestled in a less trafficked area of the Lower East Side, this small market is worth the trip. Beyond the printed totes, vintage items and ethnic-inspired goodies, you?ll also find some very on-trend items at reasonable prices. Arguably the best market for food, it also features yummy, hard-to-find snacks such as Japanese fish-shaped waffles and artisan ice cream.
Intersection of Hester Street and Essex Streets
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. ? 6 p.m., April through December.
http://www.hesterstreetfair.com/
The Market NYC / Young Designers Market
Many young local designers from Parsons and FIT present their wares at this indoor market. Expect lots of handmade jewelry and T-shirts with interesting graphic prints. A pretty affordable selection, and a great place to pick up a gift or two.
268 Mulberry St., near Houston St.
New York style fixture Lynn Yaeger is one of the fashion world?s most recognizable personalities. A prominent fashion writer, she spent decades at the Village Voice and regularly contributes to Vogue, T The New York Times Magazine, and Travel + Leisure. She talks with L-atitude about what makes her tick: style, travel and her favorite city. New York style fixture Lynn Yaeger is one of the fashion world?s most recognizable...
Read MoreImmigrant enclave turned rock and roll art hub, the Lower East Side, sandwiched between Chinatown and the East Village in lower Manhattan, was recently named New York magazine?s #2 Best Neighborhood to live in. It?s come a long way from its seedy roots, but a unique edginess still prevails. Old tenement buildings house some of the city?s coolest boutiques, bars and eateries. Come watch the cool kids, pick up a few things you won?t find anywhere else, and fall in love.
These days in New York, if there?s a bearded gent on staff ? you know you?ve come to the right place. If he?s wearing a chambray shirt and there are a few Jim Jarmusch-look-alikes in the crowd ? you better make a reservation. Which is the case at Macao Trading Co., located on the cusp of Chinatown and Tribeca on Church near Canal Street, a relatively desolate intersection after dusk, spotted by only a few of the ?Rolex-Rolex-Louis-Vuitton? vendors trying to make that last black-market buck. Thanks to a cancellation, one of my best girlfriends and I were able to get a table for two during prime Friday-night dining time.
Bar photo credit : Hannah Whitaker