Tonight The Swedish House Mafia - Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso - is back in New York. Just simply freaky love it. And this time not in dirty Pacha but in aircon Cielo. My first impression of Cielo was soso and my second just barely fine. But tonight it is not a matter of location but a matter of vibe. Both for the club hopping dancers and the true house nerds listening for those mixes.
One odd night I met this beautiful Mikael Karlsson with blue hair and a white dress. Tomorrow he is playing his own music at The Stone in Alphabet City. The soundtrack for Bruce LaBruces latest film Otto; or, Up With Dead People - screened at MoMA October 27th. So basically for anyone in New York I strongly recommend Ave C tomorrow night 10 PM. For everyone else I recommend Mikael's MySpace.
I will leave New York for a while and I have been way too busy moving packing flying and jetlagging to update strolling. Nevertheless. As I still have loads of brilliant photos and even more recommendations I will keep posting. Sometimes friends of mine will make guest apperances as well. The updating pace will be some two times a week until I come back next spring. So stay tuned.
Even though Just Scandinavian is a design shop - filled with the most beautiful furniture and fabrics - the main reason to step through those doors is inspiration. Take a stroll in this spatious and quiet room. Feel the exclusive fabrics of Joseph Frank - the laundry in Mamma Mia the Movie - or blade through the books abt Swedish design, culture and cooking. Have a chat with the owners who are supernice of course. Best of all - it is in the rough and funky Tribeca with chic and cheap restaurants just around the corner.
Sunday I saw Mamma Mia the Movie. Basically I agree with NY Times. However Mamma Mia made it to strolling by the mere fact that the ads are all over this city. Buss stops subway cars subway stations yellow cabs poster walls. No way anyone hasn't seen the beautiful happy brunet for the musical and blonde for the movie. They are in a third of my photos. And every time I see those ads I feel so happy.
My gosh. The coolest little shop ever. Filled with wigs of all colors and all textures. Classy with 100% human hair and some really realistic hairs. And of course the sweetest staff. Well worth a visit and if you didn't intend to buy - you will nevertheless end up buying.
The New York club scene is only a vague reminicent of greater days. My first impression of Cielo was corporate clubbing. Cautious people and A/C. Yesterday I gave Cielo another chance and went to Little Louie Vega Roots Night. The place and the people were pretty much the same - but the first hour a handful people danced so creatively it was like a performance. Past midnight the crowd got dancing and the music was funky ambient roots house. At 1 am the Video Music Box founder Ralph McDaniels was playing 80ies hard mixed music. And after not too long the floor was filled with breakdancers. Amazing. Cielo Wednesdays.
Sometimes I find it frustrating - constantly so close to the water without being able to jump into it. But on my bikeride up along the west side I found the perfect spot for dipping my toes. Just a step further into the water there is sand. The Hudson is probably quite dirty - but so is the city - and for my toes I don't mind. View coming.
New York has plenty of beaches - Fire Island being one of the finest. Easily accessible through the Beach Package from Penn Station. Today I went to Sunken Forest by two trains a shuttle and a ferry - by far the cleanest ferry ever. All in all the trip is about two hours one way and 24 dollars there and back. The cutest small boats and tidy piers. Maybe a bit windy so waves are more for surfing than swimming.
In my early days of biking New York I was amazed by the security measures. Even the street biker symbol had a helmet. And now I have seen them being made. From the very bikers template. Amazed.
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Strolling Chinatown as usual when i suddenly had a glimpse of heaven. Family-owned renowned Economy Candy with everything sweet you can imagine. Including the owner. Lovely staff lots of sweets nice atmosphere very affordable. Jellybeans and M&Ms en masse. Open seven days a week. Gotta love.
Rare View is a nice cosy rooftop quite similar to 230 fifth - but with a younger crowd and less people. Great view nice staff and decent beers. Some really comfy seats if you are early and consistent. Love the lightbulbs creating a ceiling. Only down side is the early closing.
For an almost surreal experience - drop by Eleni's at Chelsea Market, opposite of the Chelsea Wine Vault. The walls are shining white. The logo is bright cerise. And the glass cubes are filled with cup cakes of all colors. It is like Alice in Wonderland or maybe a saga not yet told. There is also candy by the weight [lösgodis] - just as in Sweden..!
At first I was surprised. To me the so talked-about waterfalls of New York were supposed to be breathtaking - adding on to the beautiful scene of the bridges. So imagine my confusion when I - on my daily walk by the East River - from a distance saw water rushing down a steel piece. Oh no - not a leakage. Not until close and seeing the other ones at a far distance I realised these were the mighty falls.
Yesterday I recommended ice cream and today yoghurt. But The Yoghurt Place II is in another part of Manhattan so no competition. Greek delicious yoghurt in all shapes. Love the cup with a small portion of yoghurt and lots of fig jam. For the sceptical one - read some true praise and surrender. Besides I was very happy to take a pic. Rare moment inside a shop. And so beautiful cookies.
If you feel like having an ice cream - take a stroll over to Alphabet Scoop. Not only home made and absolutely delicious ice cream - but also an amazing project for young kids to have employment. The shop is run by the Father's Heart to reduce violence and gang involvement. And the kids are really supernice - so stay for a chat.
I love a rainy morning. Some rusty steel. A new neighborhood. This is the 125th Street subway station - above the ground. Like it a lot.
Sunday I found the bike map. The one I have only seen on the internet so far. Oh my. I was in heaven the whole evening. Still am. It is all so clear. Where to buy a bike, rent a bike, fix a bike, take a bike. How to cross the bridges. Of course I know that deep down I didn't want the map cause I wanted to figure it out all on my own. But the New York cycling map is a huge recommandation for anyone biking or wannabe biking. Can be found in any bike shop.
Today I have been looking for a sparkling Italian wine. More precisely a beautiful bottle with an artistic green label and a handtied string over the cork. Looks classy tastes great and doesn't cost a fortune. Well. I didn't find it. But I did find three supernice wineshops. At the Winfield-Flynn Ltd. in Midtown I was recommended the Chelsea Wine Vault and thereafter I went to Discovery Wines in my own Alphabet City. All staff supernice. Not afraid to recommend other shops. Clever questions on drinking purpose. Great interior - great cards.
Strolling New York is all about me being genuinely curious. Asking and documenting. As simple as that. I guess that is one of the reasons why I love our time. Everything is so accessible. Not everyone is like me tho. People I stroll by - with the most fantastic ideas and creative plans - are afraid. Of our time of people like me of Internet and most of all - of cameras. Usually I'm not allowed to take a pic inside a shop - no matter how much I show my businesscard or let them approve the photo. People are terrified. I am of course used to another and much more open society. But I do sincerely hope people will let down their guard a little bit and take the advantage of the Internet. Soon.
My favourite bike repair is in Williamsburg. No businesscard no accessories no fancy schmancy. A tad quiet to begin with - but getting more and more talkative. Always very professional and efficient. They fix the bike on the street while you are waiting. Go for a coffe or hang out with the funky crowd. There are also bikes for sale.
As everyone else I deeply love all the different cultures in this city. Most of all I love to go to Korea China and Russia - all in one day. Just a few blocks from the Brighton Beach subway there is a delicatessen with Turkish and Russian food. And candy. I was so happy when I found this Russian fudge. Absolutely delicious.
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Pianos on Ludlow is a nice and cosy bar - surprisingly enough with a concert room in the back. Only 8 dollars for all bands playing. First band out was Running still - ballads and more hardcore rock. A very good singer and an extremely entertaining drummer - Zack. Worth seeing live only because of him. A bit later The Bones of Davey Jones with bluegrass-kletzmer made us dance and clap our hands. Great crowd. Nice staff. Pianos is well worth some love for their live music.
Some days it is really hard to believe Manhattan NewYorkers are only 45 minutes away from a huge beach with bright blue sky - superfine sand - and refreshingly cold water. Best of all - it's not even crowded. And a total bonus is the kitschy fairground of Coney Island and the Russian neighborhood in Brighton Beach.
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Sweden may be known for cold weather and darkness - but that's only the winter truth. Summertime temperatures rise and days never end. The Swedish solstice - Midsummer - is celebrated since pagan days. Most people go to the countryside and eat typical Swedish food such as dark sourdough bread herring salmon meatballs - the smorgasbord - and then a juicy piece of strawberry cake with whipped cream.
Acqua Santa is a cosy Williamsburg spot. Good pizza and pasta - don't hesitate to try the beet gnocchi. Most of all I like the interior and atmosphere - very homie. Staff is nice and friendly and the owner quite something. Go see! E per favore - parli in italiano con lui. Winebar will open soon.
Some of my friends are visiting from Sweden and I am so happy they understand what New York is all about. Strolling. Today we took a stroll from Union Square via a coffee at the undercover Starbucks at Washington Square Park and down south to Prince Street. Prince to Broadway and a couple of streets down Broadway. It doesn't have to be more difficult than that. Supercute and supernice. On my way home cross China Town and up to Alphabet City I had this beautiful view at Houston and Essex. Looks lite Cuba to me. Gotta love.
IKEA will have its grand opening in Brooklyn Wednesday morning.
Slipped into Fishs Eddy porcelain shop only minutes before the thunder storm yesterday. The sticky heat outdoors was transformed into a warm and nice homie feeling indoors. Now I know where everyone buys supercute Manhattan cups. Not to mention I fell in love with the Brooklyn bowls. Super nice staff dressed in Manhattan tees. Basically the perfect place to buy classy New York stuff. And enjoy the oil canvas portraits on the walls. - fortunately not for sale.
Simply love soccer. So no choice but to see the Euro2008. The last game I tried to watch indie-style on a Chinese bar down-town. Bad idea. Reluctantly I decided to try the Tonic Bar although I saw it as a tad cheesy. But I was wrong. It is actually the perfect place for a soccer game. Decent food - efficient staff - a variety of beers - large screens - A/C - english-speaking speakers (yes in my part of the city they are spanish-speaking). Organised by the International Swede.
Another perfect spot on Ave B is Back Forty. Not only do they have delicious food and supernice staff - which is kinda mandatory to make it to strolling - they are also green. Or at least as green as one can be in the middle of New York. Most of the food is bought at the Farmer's Market on Union Square only a few blocks away. And still affordable prices. Also note that the owner owns Savoy in SoHo.
Just love those stairs. Good for escape good for anyone being locked out good for parties. And quite graphic at the Manhattan scene.
House and clubbing in New York seems like a long gone fairy tale. Last summer a friend of mine insisted I should go to Cielo as "the best commercial club for house". It took me a year but Friday I went. Well. Seamus Haji was playing and he wasn't bad. But no one was dancing. The club was rather empty and mostly men. Bathroom supernice and bouncers supersweet. But no. Don't go there a Friday unless your favourite DJ is playing. Weekdays may work tho.
Barmarché is a SoHo oasis I found last fall. Yesterday I took a friend for a salad before clubbing. Oh my gosh. The service is brilliant. Brilliant. Food is great and prices affordable. And a classy interior.
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