Downtown Hot Spots for New York Fashion Week
By Sharon Feiereisen
During New York Fashion Week, restaurants, clubs and lounges engage in a veritable bullfight as they compete to attract designer presentations, after-parties and various other celebrity-studded promotional events. Here's a look at where the glitterati will be holding it down during the week's festivities.
Le Baron 32 Mulberry St. (at Mosco St.), clublebaron.com. It took two years and a temporary Bowery pop-up, but this Paris import is finally open (albeit unofficially). Already legendary as a fashion favorite in Paris, expect the highly anticipated nightclub to boast a super-tight door (there have been rumors of passwords) and, given that it's owned by André Saraiva, who was involved in both The Beatrice Inn and Kenmare, the glossiest of the Downtown cool set.
Boom Boom Room at The Standard Hotel 848 Washington St. (betw. Little W. 12th and 13th Sts.), standardhotels.com/new-york-city. Boom, Top of the Standard-whatever you want to call it, Andre Balazs' boite may have some newbie competition but it's undeniably still a hot spot sure to attract some of the week's most high-profile events. Also worth an honorable mention is Le Bain, the hotel's second rooftop haunt opened with help from Le Baron's Saraiva.
Catch 21 9th Ave. (betw. Little W. 12th and 13th Sts.), catchnewyorkcity.com. While Tenjune may be well past its heyday, EMM Group hasn't lost its magic. Proof positive of this is Catch, already slated to open in Miami, which not only boasts above-average eats but a consistently star-studded, glass-enclosed lounge.
W.i.P. (Work in Progress) 34 Vandam St. (at Varick St.). There are countless places in Manhattan worth busting out your iPhone camera for, but few to the extent of this basement club located below Greenhouse. With every square inch, including the concrete staircase, outfitted with an eye-catching array of rotating artwork, it's the perfect space for outside-the-box-thinking Downtown designers.
The 40/40 Club 6 W. 25th St. (at Broadway), the4040club.com. It may have been temporarily shut down by the Department of Health just a day after its flashy reopening, but the mere promise of potentially spotting Jay-Z will likely make The 40/40 Club an after-party go-to. Did we mention that the renovation set Mr. Carter back $10 million? Now there's someone who knows the meaning of "Big Pimpin'."
1OAK 453 W. 17th St. (betw. 9th and 10th Aves.), 1oaknyc.com. When it slowly morphed into the stereotypical Meatpacking meat market, the astute folks behind this five-year-old hot spot realized it was time for a change. Now, after briefly shuttering, the space has been completely renovated and re-opened to coincide with the flashy 1OAK debut at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.
Sons of Essex 133 Essex St. (betw. Rivington and Stanton Sts.), sonsofessexles.com. Courtesy of The Eldridge's Matt Levine, this recently opened restaurant is likely to edge out nearby competitors like Beauty and Essex with its swank décor, hopping bar scene and cozy leather banquettes. Plus, we all know that, when it comes down to it, no fashionista can really resist a killer grilled cheese and some mac 'n' cheese.
The Electric Room at Dream Downtown 355 W. 16th St. (betw. 8th and 9th Aves.), dreamdowntown.com. Nur Khan is back on top with his new basement hot spot, which developed an immediate reputation for its unbeatable post-1 a.m. scene. Unfortunately, mere plebeians have a near nil chance of getting in. (Insider tip: If you can't get to Khan, try your luck cozying up to his svelte producing partner, Cristina Civetta.)
Red Egg 202 Centre St. (betw. Hester and Grand Sts.), redeggnyc.com. We can thank Red Egg's Simonez Wolf, who is also behind Madame Wong's, for the city's current pop-up obsession. With a Chinese-Peruvian menu and dim sum sans carts served throughout the day, this is guaranteed to be the chicest spot for fashion folks to indulge in both chicken feet and martinis.
Physique 57 If there's one thing that's certain, it's that fashion industry folks take staying in shape seriously. Unfortunately, come Fashion Week, many aren't able to find time for their regular workouts. To that end, industry fave Physique 57 now offers two condensed workouts: Physique Express and ARMed and fAB.
The studio has also released a book, The Physique 57 Solution, and its co-author, Tanya Becker, underlined that "all the exercises in the book as well as any of our six workout DVDs can be done at home. Some of our signature exercises include The Pretzel, which targets the entire seat, abductors, hamstrings and obliques (also known as the muffintop area), and Thigh Dancing, which targets the quadriceps and core."
Staying in shape, however, is as much about exercise as it is about a healthful diet. Becker underlines that it's imperative to keep alcohol intake to a two-drink maximum and remember to hydrate with water between those drinks, adding, "Try and stick to wine instead of hard liquor (more calories) or beer (causes bloating), and remember to have some crudités or fruit before you go to an event."
"Snacking before," she said, "will fill you up so that you don't overindulge at the events. When you first get to the event, drink seltzer or water. By staying hydrated, you will be less likely to go for carbs."