Café, Cookies and Ice Cream

New York’s 71 Irving Place Cafe

71 is the kind of place which is small enough to miss, but once you see it, you realize everyone somehow knows about it. It’s set three steps down from the sidewalk level, and it’s always packed, except for week late nights and mid-mornings. Even though their service is not the friendliest — like any other spot in New York that’s too cool for school — 71 has a noticeably loyal clientele. Lots of writers hang out with their computers, while photographers check out the scene, and artists meet up with their reps. Besides hot and cold drinks, including their own coffee, they also offer a great selection of pastries, sandwiches and my friend Nicolas’ favorite chicken soup ever.

Grom: real Italian gelato in New York

Passionate about gelato? The second best to going to Italy is going to Grom. More than $4 for a small cup? A long line? It’s so worth it, trust me. They opened a store in ice cream battleground, the West Village, but my choice is the more quiet and chilled Upper West Side store. A secret tip to a short wait is to never go there after dinner. Early in the day is the short cut to a cup of Extra Noir chocolate. Or any other taste of your choice.

Done with New York

I’m going to catch a lot of flack for this, but I’ve got to say that I’m pretty fed up with New York City. Space and time constraints, prohibitively high rents, and the sheer density of the city crush the creative and generative spirit of even some of the most imaginative people I know, turning even idealistic artists into cut-throat opportunists and cynical sociopaths. Read more

Corkboard: Remember What You Want

Corkboard makes my life easier, and if you’re a detail-oriented, hyper-productive, compulsive networker, perfectionist workaholic, it’s very likely it will help you too. Though it also helps avid readers, foodies, travelers, shopaholics, and just about anyone really. Why? Because it’s the first time I can combine hundreds of typed lists, tons of little notes, bookmarks, restaurants and books I see on the go, and just my own thoughts in one single place. Read more

Village Pillows by Rachael Cole

These Village Pillows by Brooklyn artist Rachael Cole are a set of cushions that work like a puzzle where you build your own country town, including houses, trees, a car, a horse, a dog and a duck. They paint a beautiful picture as a group, and work just as nicely as individual pieces. What I like about the Village Pillows is that they’re playful yet mature, youthful yet elegant, well designed yet simple. It just makes you want to play with them like a kid! They’re hand-screen printed in limited edition batches, wrapped in cotton duck cloth, and available as a full set of nine pillows or individually.

New York’s 71 Irving Place Cafe

71 is the kind of place which is small enough to miss, but once you see it, you realize everyone somehow knows about it. It’s set three steps down from the sidewalk level, and it’s always packed, except for week late nights and mid-mornings. Even though their service is not the friendliest — like any other spot in New York that’s too cool for school — 71 has a noticeably loyal clientele. Lots of writers hang out with their computers, while photographers check out the scene, and artists meet up with their reps. Besides hot and cold drinks, including their own coffee, they also offer a great selection of pastries, sandwiches and my friend Nicolas’ favorite chicken soup ever.