The East Village
Have a few hours? Feel like hanging out in a fun district in the city? Check out this article for pointers and hot spots in the East Village.
GETTING THERE On the subway: Get off at Astor Place from the 1 line. In a cab/car/walking: Go to any of the addresses of the interesting locations below or go to 2nd Ave. and 11th St. (There are many great stores on this whole street).
EATING Snack: Pommes Frites: #1 on map. 123 2nd Ave. between 7th street and St. Marks Pl. 212674-1234. www.pommesfrites.ws. After lots of shops and walking around, you’re tired! Pick up a snack of “Authentic Belgian fries made from freshly cut potatoes, twice-fried to golden perfection, and topped with your favorite sauce.” Fries range from a regular ($4.50) to a double size ($7.75), with free sauces and an additional menu of 25 $1 each sauces to add to your fried concoction. Saying that D and I just visited Belgium the first week of spring break (and did our fair share of fry-taste-testing), I can rightfully say that these fries are a five-star deal! http://pommesfrites.ws/
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The East Village. Snack or Meal: Max Brenner – Chocolate by the Bald Man: #2 on map. 141 2nd Ave. at 9th street. 212-388-0030. www.maxbrenner.com. Stop by for a dessert, snack or for a real meal! Max Brenner sells anything from salads (around $13), burgers (around $11) and pastas (around $13) to breakfast foods ($4-$14) to hot chocolates (around $5 with additional flavors $1 each) to chocolate pizza. Note— try the hug mugs (hands fit perfectly around this cup like arms around your body in a hug) or Alice cups!
www.maxbrenner.com
http://caseyrubberstamps.com/
Meal: Kaleidoscope: #3 on map. 212 East 10th street between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-420-8822. www.kaleidoscope212.com. Check out Kaleidoscope for dinner or lunch. This narrow, well-decorated restaurant is hip and full of good food. Try appetizers and spring rolls ($5-9), salads and entrées ($8-19), sides ($2-4) or desserts ($5-9). A great place to reenergize and nourish.
http://kaleidoscope212.com/index.html
SHOPPING Stamps: Casey Rubber Stamps: #4 on map. 322 East 11th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 917-669-4151. www.caseyrubberstamps.com. Stop by this fun store to pick up a stamp or two! Stamps are inexpensive ($2.50-9) and are available in hundreds of patterns and images (some shown below). Note—custom stamps available. Beware—cash only!
Vintage: O Mistress Mine: #5 on map. 320 East 11th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212598-4327. www.omistressmine.com. Enter this hard-core vintage store (which smells like an old closet) and sift through racks of clothes and piles of jewelry to come across great vintage finds! The store has hats, jewelry, clothes, shoes and more. Be sure to check the extra fun hats wall (($45-200).
http://omistressmine.com/19001.html
New (Men’s + Women’s): Den New York: #6 on map. 330 E 11th St. between 1st and 3
2nd Aves. 212-475-0079. www.dennewyork.com. Visit the trendy, compact Den store (extension of Odin store next door). With old movies projected crookedly on the back wall, a monkey covered chandeleir and a black and white checked floor this place is a must-go. Find thick men’s sweaters, skinny jeans and Bermuda shorts. Women’s clothes are also available. During a clearance sale expect $10 Cheap Mondays and $29 Rag and Bone and Trovata. Otherwise expect high prices ($100 and way up). Vintage: Angela’s Vintage Boutique: #6 on map. 330 E 11th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-475-1571. Check here for serious vintage. Enter the all-white interior and look forward to sifting. You’ll find pricier items ($200 and up vintage tops and suits) and costume jewelry, as well as shoes (which can be around $30). Note—be sweet and you may bargain with her. New: Urban Outfitters: #14 on map. 162 2nd Ave at 10th St. 212-375-1277. www.urbanoutfitters.com. Many already know and love Urban Outfitters (aka “Urban”), but in case you don’t here’s the low-down: Most items in this interesting, edgier chain store are under or around $100 and almost everything is on the extensive website (which also has free, downloadable play lists and a blog!). Great finds include graphic tee shirts, fun shoes and lots of accessories. If you have time definitely stop in!
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Resale and Vintage/Gallery: Cadillac’s Castle: #7 on map. 333 E 9th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-475-0406. Check here for fabulous secondhand and vintage finds. Find lower than half price Marc Jacobs and Marni shoes, vintage Oscar de la Renta and quarter price trendy sweaters. Look through two scarf buckets for fun silky prints. One wall is the gallery with paintings and photographs. Note—look for Cadillac, the big black dog hiding under the store’s front desk. New: Min.K: #8 on map. 334 E 11th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-253-8337. www.minknyc.blogspot.com. Walk into this long and narrow store to find the racks lining the sides filled with cute skirts (around $100), shoes (around $150 or more), tops, updated oxfords and sweaters. Find a wall of terrific pendant necklaces (under $70) (seen below). During a clearance expect adorable bow-tied clutches to be dropped from $100 to $35.
www.localclothing.com (website currently under construction). Stop in this small vintage store to find beat-up, tassled field booties (around $175) and thick sweaters (around $80). Also find hard core vintage flowy skirts (around $15). Beware—shoes tend to be in the size 9 and down range. New: PinkyOtto: #11 on map. 307 E 9th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-533-4028. www.pinkyotto.com. This cramped but cheery all-white store has adorable tulip skirts (around $90), tweed and lace dresses (around $150) and pea coats (around $280) lining the walls. Find thick scarves, hair clips, wrap belts and fun accessories towards the back. A must-go.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mlEtSrD0Owk/SRUmF9flUfI/AAAAAAAAAzc/j MuD2vxgUkA/s1600-h/jewlery.jpg
“Antique & Vintage Eyewear & Clothing, Optical Oddities”: Fabulous Fanny’s: #9 on map. 335 E 9th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-533-0637. www.fabulousfannys.com. Not just because I have oldschool glasses, but you really need to check out this store! (Also check the extensively catalogued website.) Besides a side store of fun vintage hats and belts, find vintage, foldable and new, vintage-inspired glasses (around $160). What would you expect from a place whose logo is: “If you have to wear them, make it fun…”?
www.pinkyotto.com
New and Vintage: Circa Now: #12 on map. 238 E 6th St. between 2nd and 3rd Aves. 212254-2555. www.circanownyc.com. The clothes in this terrific store, while both vintage and new, all look brand new. The white floor and red, old ceiling greatly frame the central sofa and back wall (which has mini sliding glass doors revealing vintage shoes, accessories and Minnetonka moc booties). Find Blank jeans, vintage prom dresses (á la Betty Suarez) and sweaters, Sophomore clothing and old jean jackets.
http://store.fabulousfannys.com/node/11
Vintage: Local Clothing: #10 on map. 328 E 9th St. between 1st and 2nd Aves. 212-777-3850. 5
CULTURE Wandering around the streets is always fun! If you’re with friends and have at least a small idea of what you’re doing, just going around and exploring is awesome. Check out galleries where obscure artists will display their works. Just walk right in and enjoy!
http://circanownyc.com/
MOVIES City Cinemas Village East: #13 on map. 181-189 2nd Ave. 212- 529-6798.
2nd Avenue and 6th Street
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