Though May 14 to 20 are the “official” days of the citywide NYCxDESIGN festival, nearly all of May is a sprawl of exhibitions, fairs, pop-ups, and parties sure to please anyone who knows their Cesca from their Chesterfield.
But even the most seasoned design buff needs help separating the wheat from the chaff—which is why, for the first time, AN Interior is bringing you our edit of the best showrooms, installations, restaurants, and landmarks across the city’s designated design districts in our insider guide, Deep Cuts.
And because there’s nothing like a local to really tell you what’s what, we turned to a few familiar faces for their tried-and-true picks across each neighborhood. See their responses below. Time to hit the streets!
Tribeca
Soho
Flatiron
Nomad
Dumbo
& Beyond
Alexandra Hodkowski and Alvaro Alcoce
Founders
Head Hi
Clinton Hill & Brooklyn Navy Yard
The canary yellow Steele House, built in 1845, is the largest remaining example of a wooden suburban mansion in the transitional Greek Revival/Italianate style in any of the city’s five boroughs. It retains all of its original architectural features—in exceptionally fine condition, which attests to the care it’s received over the years. At the Naval Cemetery Landscape, you’ll find a small native-plant meadow designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz that doubles as a human retreat and pollinator habitat. And stop by Steiner Studios at the intersection of Flushing and Washington, which is from the 1940s and features double Eiffel-esque radio towers, once used by the Navy but now a milestone between Brooklyn neighborhoods. All of these are a short distance from Head Hi.
Natalie Shook
Founder
Piscina
Red Hook
A mid-May visit to Red Hook should start at the corner of Van Brunt and Dikeman. Grab a coffee at Jamieri, the Georgian design–focused showroom, then stop next door at my gallery, Piscina. Turn the corner to San Tokki’s Cactus Club, tucked into a garden at 125 Dikeman, and pass Piscina’s cooperative studio along the way, where you’ll see designers at work. For another coffee, Abbotsford Road offers unmatched harbor views. Pizza at Hoek by Valentino Pier is a neighborhood favorite, followed by a drink at the most quintessential Red Hook bar, Sunny’s. For a truly beautiful meal, head to Cafe Kestrel, and for something truly unique: Pearl Street Caviar.
Laura Young
Managing Director
The Future Perfect
West Village
First things first: Before you start your day, make a stop at Arcane Estate Coffee on Cornelia Street. It’s the best coffee—I’ve actually heard it’s the best coffee in the world—and is so chic. I always like to catch a session at Village Gyrotonic. It’s changed my life, and I always feel taller when I leave. For lunch, Julius’ is a West Village staple that slaps and has definitely earned its place in the West Village canon. If you have a furry friend, stop in and grab them a little gift from Zoomies on Hudson Street—my dog Rigatoni loves to pick out his own toys there, and I love to indulge him.
