Capuccino Thoughts 67: On the East Village [Neighborhood Guide]
+ Reading Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld and what to wear to the opera
This week I’m sharing a guide to the East Village! You can find previous guides for the Upper East Side here and for Gramercy Park here.
With more than 700 businesses, the East Village might take the cake for packing the most stuff to do into the fewest blocks in Manhattan. You can have many kinds of days here— vintage shopping, bar hopping, sauna-ing—or do all three. If I had a spare 12 hours and several hundred extra dollars, here’s what I would do:
Start your day very early at Librae. It opens at 8am and, if you go any later than that, you will stand in a massive line. It’s annoying that the TikTokers have found this bakery, but honestly it is so good. They put a Middle Eastern spin on French pastries—think rose pistachio croissants and za’atar labneh morning buns.
Next, head over to Alabaster Bookshop. This is the last of the 4th Ave. booksellers (the Strand also claims this title, but it’s on Broadway!) and it’s a cute store with a good second-hand collection.
Then make your way to Grace Church and appreciate the amazing James Renwick architecture. You can also look at the memorial to Edith Corse Evans, who perished on the Titanic after giving her ticket on an earlier ship to her friend so her friend could return to her children. A tragic yet beautiful story. You can also ponder Isabella Stewart Gardner’s wedding at the Church, as well as the wedding in Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.
At this point, I imagine you need more caffeine and sugar, so it would behoove you to make your way to La Cabra. It’s a Danish coffee shop with a few locations around the city. The coffee is great and the cardamom bun is a must. Again, go at an off-peak time to avoid the crowds.
Although technically out of the bounds of the East Village, I prescribe a constitutional walk through Stuytown. It has a very long, interesting history I encourage you to look up (it involves Robert Moses, mentioned previously in this newsletter because I believe every New York man is perennially one-third through his biography). In the summer especially, it’s beautiful to walk around the lawn, and stop at the farmer’s market. Extra points if you get a Stuytown resident to invite you for a game of pickleball on their gorgeous courts
Once it’s time for lunch, there are many great options depending where in the world your tastebuds want to take you. I am extremely partial to Soothr and bring all visiting guests there. It’s a delicious, family-run Thai restaurant with a seasonal menu. The duck rolls are not to be missed. But definitely make a reservation far in advance. If you’re feeling the call of Eastern Europe, I love Veselka and I do believe its borscht has medicinal properties. (I always get a massive container to go when I’m sick, and it saw me through a nasty bout of Covid and a more recent wisdom tooth surgery.) If Lebanese is more your thing, Au Za’atar is delicious too.
From there, it’s probably time for some shopping. There are a ton of vintage stores, especially around St. Mark’s Place. I like Cobblestones, where you have to dig, but the owner is really nice and has a great eye. I love Niconeco Zakkaya for little Japanese gifts. If you want to blow your budget (I don’t, but I love to look!), John Derian has wild home goods that make a statement. For the knitters among us, Downtown Yarns is eclectic. Finally, I like Casey Rubber Stamps. It’s one of those old New York institutions where you can’t quite believe that they are still in business. I got a stamp made for my bag project (order a bag and you’ll see what the stamp says!) and they also have all sorts of crazy designs if you want to up your letter writing game. And finally, leave time to peruse the books at Book Club. They have a unique selection of new books and they also run really great author events and book clubs (obviously).
At this point, you deserve a sweet treat. Head over to Red Gate Bakery for inventive Asian-influenced cookies and other delights. Or to By Lucie for beautiful floral cakes. Maybe Le Fournil is more your speed if you want a pastry that almost makes you believe you’re in Paris. There’s also Veniero’s, a classic Italian spot with amazing cakes. Or perhaps Lady Wong Pastry & Cakes, which has desserts from around Southeast Asia.
Obviously, it’s time for more caffeine. Stop at Ninth Street Espresso, which has good coffee and is also very vibey (everyone there looks like they’re a creative director by day / DJ by night). I also absolutely love Lê Phin, a Vietnamese cafe—get the pandan latte or matcha—but, be warned, it’s very small and always full. You could also go to Abraço, but note that they do not serve oat milk or have wifi (some people consider this a plus). Or try Kolkata Chai if coffee’s not your thing.
Whatever drink you have in hand, take it to East River Park, a newly finished park overlooking the East River. Or bring it to the secret tree house at 6BC Botanical Garden. Stuyvesant Park is also a good park that everyone seems to forget about. I drop all my non-library finished books at the little free library there.
Sweat out all the sugar and caffeine at the Russian & Turkish Baths. Choose carefully for a Boris or a David week—the business was run by these partners until their completely different business philosophies made them break up. Instead of closing, they just alternate weeks of who’s in charge. Ridiculous? Yes? Hilarious? Also yes. Only in New York!
You could also catch a workout at St. Mark’s Yoga. I like this place, which offers one of the cheapest workout classes in the city. The downside is it can be super crowded. But the teachers are always very nice and the rooms are beautiful, filled with plants and candles. You can more often find me making a fool of myself in a tutu at ballet at NYTB.
Dinner can also take you in a range of directions depending on your budget and preferred cuisine. There’s Westville East (this name makes me laugh), which is a small chain of healthy protein/vegetable options. Unfortunately, the TikTokers found Lil’ Frankie’s, but I still like it for home-cooked Italian. Be advised: it is cash only!! Ariari is a great Busan, Korean restaurant. Best in a small group so you can try most of the menu. Lucien is fab for an intimate dinner—the tables are so crammed together you basically eat on your neighbor’s lap. It is extremely overpriced IMO, but the steak frites and gin martini, extra olives, make a perfect meal and the setting is very old New York.
For drinks, I like The Standard, a small hotel chain. And Sake Bar Decibel, which feels like an izakaya straight out of Tokyo. Actually, the food and drinks there are not great, but the underground setting makes up for it.
For a cultural moment, the Swiss Institute sometimes has good art openings. I love the Angelika for movies old and new. Or catch a show at the Orpheum Theater.
Et voilà! You will leave this day having accrued many steps and lost several hundred dollars, but you’ll feel like you’ve been around the whole world in 130 blocks.
Updates on the bag project
The latest bag up on the website is this chestnut brown beauty. It’s lined with a green silk scarf for a pop of color. It also comes with a long detachable strap. $375, you can purchase online or by emailing me.
More bag photos coming soon (once I get some help to do product photography because I’ve learned it’s a two-person job and these photos out the window of my apartment are not cutting it!).
Look of the week
Spotted on the UWS—we were both headed to the opera. I’ve been really loving seeing people in my generation headed to events like the ballet and opera. People seem to enjoy the excuse to get dressed up, but they have their own spin on it. This gal looked great in classic New York head-to-toe black, with a good mix of textures from the leather jacket to the Issey Miyake pleated pants. Plus, the bleached / turquoise hair and chartreuse bag add a good pop of color. Hope she enjoyed the show!
What’s on the bedside table
I am really enjoying this book about a young girl’s four years at a fictional New England boarding school. It’s a classic fish-out-of-water story as the Midwestern Lee navigates the social mores of the East Coast educational scene. The men in my family all went to boarding school (I opted not to move to the woods of New Hampshire, a decision I stand by) and I grew up hearing stories of their time there. I enjoy Curtis Sittenfeld’s writing style (I’ve also read her Pride & Prejudice adaptation Eligible) and her books are lighthearted but smart, a hard combo to find. I’m especially impressed by her observations of the subtle unwritten rules that govern institutions like this. I would recommend as a start to your summer reading.
Thanks for reading Cappuccino Thoughts. If you want more where this came from, subscribe here.
If you liked this issue, hit that like button or leave me a comment! It’s really helpful for me to understand what you all want more or less of.
This week I am….going to Bibliotheque, Manhattan’s newest bookstore, and continuing to go to my beginner’s ballet class, where I am consistently reminded that embarrassment is a choice and I choose not to be embarrassed by my ballet skills or lack thereof!
Catch up on recent issues:
FYI - the Robert Moses thing extends to LA. Recently went on a date with a man who was obsessed with that biography
“because I believe every New York man is perennially one-third through his biography” haha so true!!!