As a global brand, we certainly appreciate the appeal of the getaway—but, for New Yorkers, there are also a million reasons to spend summer days in the city. We tapped The Agency New York’s local experts for an inside take on must-see happenings and hotspots.
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STAY IN STYLE.
Hotel recs from The Agency’s Elina & Sean Brewer.
This hotel mixes old-fashioned luxury with a modern flair. It also has an amazing restaurant, Café Carmellini, courtesy of Andrew Carmellini, the chef behind Downtown favorites like Locanda Verde, Lafayette, and the Dutch.
We love the Chelsea Hotel for its rich history as a hub of creativity and counterculture, where the spirit of legendary artists like Andy Warhol and Patti Smith still lingers in its vibrant atmosphere and eclectic décor.
SO MUCH TO DO. SO MUCH TO SEE.
Elena Smirnova has the best fitness spot on lock.
It’s a very fun, high-intensity BootCamp-type program designed to push your limits and transform not just your body but your mind. They also have an in-house nutritionist who designs a diet to fit each person’s individual needs and two recovery rooms featuring a massage chair and compression boots. Several celebrities, including A-Rod, have been known to swear by it.
If photography is your passion, then Fotografiska is always a good idea. Located at 281 Park Ave South, Fotografiska has a series of ongoing events and exhibits to delight the culturally curious who seek art, discourse, and time spent with kindred spirits. Guided tours are available, and their three dining spots, including the Chapel Bar, are not to be missed.
As a real estate professional, I particularly enjoy visiting R & Company, which features furniture, lighting and often architecture alongside what we traditionally think of as art. Now through August 9th they have a show called Four Rooms, focused on doors and the art of doors. I can’t wait to go see this one!
Francesca Mollett at Grimm Gallery
If abstract is your thing, the London-based artist Francesca Mollett has a show coming to the NYC location of Grimm Gallery from May 10th through June 22nd. She does beautiful work marrying architecture and nature. The pieces are fluid and seem to be in motion. Find it at 54 White Street in TriBeCa. make it a day and visit both these White Street galleries this Spring and then walk over to the Odeon for lunch or dinner.
Chelsea Picken has the scoop on theatrical and cultural experiences in the city.
Escapism
After several extensions at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in the West Village, Cole Escola’s hilarious play is making its Broadway transfer in June. It tells the story of Mary Todd Lincoln (played by Escola) leading up to the assassination of her husband- whose name is “Mary’s Husband” in the play. It’s Grade-A stupidity, but also completely nails it with contemporary humor, physical comedy and absurdity. And we love a one-act play. Everyone who has seen this loves it and accepts it for exactly what it is- a dumb play. You will laugh for 80 minutes straight.
New York Botanical Garden: Wonderland: Curious Nature
Up in the Bronx, 250 acres of beauty are being transformed into Alice’s Wonderland. Gorgeous in its own right, this park’s trippy makeover is a great way to spend a summer afternoon, and there are special events centered around Alice’s adventures. Adults only, boozy evenings, too.
Feeling Your Feels
A play with music, this Broadway Critics Pick has had its praises sung by everyone who loves good theater. The story is original, about a band recording their music that will launch their careers into stardom. Of course, this comes at a cost, and the relationships start to shape how they’ll be from this day on. It’s groovy, set in the 1970s and an original piece worth buying tickets for in advance.
Nothing will get you choked up quite like seeing Manhattan at night, from a boat, in the summer. It’s a guided tour, but it gives you a moment to tune out, gawk at the beauty of our city and exhale from the hustle on land. I highly recommend upgrading to the VIP tickets.
High Art
The Costume Institute’s Spring 2024 Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The first Monday in May is always a spring highlight because of the world-famous Met Gala. This year, the theme is Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, which I believe is to be interpreted as nature-inspired but part of the fun is to see how the world’s best designers dress the celebrity elite. Will there be a dress made of branches? I hope so. Will someone literally cosplay on Disney’s Aurora? 100%. The exhibit itself is talent at its peak, creative genius and art in my favorite form: clothes.
Sondheim’s finest flop has found its footing uptown on Broadway with the cast of our dreams. Merrily We Roll Along is about three pals from college and how their lives evolved in the world of theater-making, songwriting, and self-deprecation. And it’s told backwards. It sounds like it’s made just for theatre majors, but the storytelling is unmatched, and Jonathan Groff is worth the expensive ticket prices. I recommend it to everyone I meet.
Bonus Finds
Will Coco Gauff win back-to-back? Here’s hoping—she’s thrilling! Will we see athletes in their absolute prime, hitting a ball over 125 mph? Yes. I love these two weekends that stretch summer a little more and allow us to wear cable knit over our shoulders unironically. Those pink Grey Goose cocktails aren’t winning a Spirited Award, but there is something so festive about sipping on a few in a relatively quiet arena. I go every year, and it’s my favorite. Plus, it’s great for people-watching.
Namaste with thousands of New Yorkers in the center of the universe: Times Square. On the morning of the Summer Solstice (June 20th) feel the energy of your neighbors as we welcome a new season—downward dog or otherwise. You’re literally practicing yoga on matching mats in Times Square. It’s really cool.
ISN’T NEW YORK DELICIOUS?
Lesley Stern, The Agency’s Director of Agent Marketing, shares her fresh new recs.
Sister restaurant to one of my favorite restaurants, Claud, and located right upstairs, Penny is the place to go for an exquisite raw bar and seafood counter.
San Sabino in the West Village
Created by the same team as Don Angie (which is incredible)—wife & husband team Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli—San Sabino serves Italian-American seafood, handmade pasta, and raw dishes. Plus, picture-perfect and utterly delicious cocktails.
John Antretter has a great bar spot for you.
The atmosphere is incredible, it is old school. The bartenders wear white jackets. They offer an incredible array of cocktails and snacks. It brings an uptown upscale vibe to downtown, a good cross between the Polo Bar and Bemelmans. You can’t go wrong with their “St. James” cocktail or a classic martini.
