From Tulum with Love

Located at 76 Varick Street in Soho, GITANO Garden of Love is like a little piece of Tulum, right here in NYC, making it the perfect hangout for hip New Yorkers who prefer to spend their weekends in the city. The Daily Summer caught up with owner James Gardner to find out what makes this little slice of paradise so special.

QL Gitano is blowing up! What’s your secret?

A: We are grateful that people like our concept in Tulum and now here in NYC—mezcal cocktails, a modern approach to Mexican cooking on an open fire that is pared back and elevated, mixed with a tropical, minimal, and comfortable design, and an overall fun and sexy vibe. We have somehow appealed to the fashion and creative community, the Instagram influencers, and the LGBT+ community, then everyone else seems to follow. We give a taste of being in the Yucatán jungle, a hidden oasis inside the busiest intersection of Soho, Tribeca, and Hudson Square.

Q: What can you tell us about the Garden of Love?

A: Our mission is to share love and happiness through the experiences we present. We feel the world needs more love, especially right now, and have branded the GITANO Garden Of Love with “Love” as a core guiding principle. This is a big year, celebrating 50 years since the Stonewall riots and 50 years since Woodstock, both of which had dramatic impact on our culture and society today. We have designed GITANO T-shirts for our team that carry bold statements like “Love Not Hate,” “Love Wins,” and the peace sign. In the southern part of the garden, we have developed an urban farm of 20 raised beds and 50-plus crops of herbs, vegetables, fruit, and edible flowers, and we teach local public school students farming and nutrition; this is an initiative to give back to our community. We also program daily guided meditations for the community and have installed a smart solar flower representing part of our focus on the environment and sustainability.

PARADISE FOUND | GITANO Garden of Love is the perfect summer escape.

Q: What is the dress code at the GITANO Garden of Love?

A: Fluid, bohemian, casual, elegant—the wardrobe of a world traveler. We don’t care about specific brands and labels, but we love a good look! And, of course, we have our own brand and store, CALÓ, that sells sustainable, gender-neutral kaftans, kimonos, and jewels designed in Mexico and handmade in Mexico and India.

Q: Do you have any special events planned for the summer?

A: We like to think of every day as a special event. We are celebrating our one-year anniversary in NYC this summer, and you can also expect some fun collaborations during NYFW.

GITANO's Watermelon Salad

• 1 cup watermelon pieces

• 4 ripe heirloom tomatoes

• Umeboshi vinaigrette*

• Lime pepitas**

• Fresh red basil leaves

Split small watermelon in half and scoop out inside. Save halved, hollowed-out rinds for serving. Peel and cut tomatoes. Combine watermelon and tomatoes, and dress with vinaigrette. Allow salad to sit for up to 15 minutes to absorb vinaigrette. Scoop into watermelon halves and garnish with pepitas, basil, and a little chili powder (optional). Serve on ice.

UMEBOSHI VINAIGRETTE*

• 3 cups fresh watermelon pieces

• 1 cup ripe plum tomatoes

• 2 Tbsp tomato vinegar (or light vinegar)

• Zest from 1 lemon Juice from 1 lemon

• Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in pitcher of blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste.

LIME PEPITAS**

• 1 cup green hulled pumpkin seeds

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 2 Tbsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients in skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring until all juice has evaporated (about four minutes). Serve at room temperature.