DINNER
"I love Indian
food. Tabla is great, sort of Indian fusion. It's a
Danny Meyer restaurant. I love all of his restaurants, because the
food is so outstanding. Then there's Craft, a wonderful place
downtown. It's not ethnic, but you design your own meals and the
food is spectacular. 66 just opened in Tribeca and is owned by chef
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has a big empire. That's a four-star
French chef doing Chinese food, lighter and a little more refined.
On the west side, Ouest has great American food. A nice room, very
dramatic and cozy at the same time, with center banquettes and
balconies."
SATURDAY
BREAKFAST
"If you stayed at 60 Thompson, you could have brunch at Balthazar.
It's modeled after the classic French bistros. There's a bakery
next door where they make incredible bread and pastries. And it's
right in the middle of SoHo, so there's all kinds of shopping
nearby."
SHOPPING
"The
Prada store in SoHo was designed by architect Rem Koolhaas. I
don't know if anybody buys anything, but it's great looking. In the
Meatpacking District, there's Jeffrey. It's clothes and shoes, and
it's like a micro-department store of the hippest of the hip.
Stella McCartney has opened a store at 14th Street, where a lot of
designers have opened stores. Also downtown there's a flea market
at 26th Street just off Sixth. It's on the weekends. You have to
get there early."
LUNCH
"I would go to Pastis for a late lunch. It's owned by the same
people who own Balthazar, but it's a slightly lower-end version.
Again, a great looking room and outside sidewalk tables. You'll see
almost anybody at Pastis, from all of the artists who live downtown
to
Richard Gere, who was having lunch last time I was there. Great
pommes frites.
Midtown, there's Fred's, which is upstairs in the
Barney's department store. It's a big room on the ninth floor and
has a wonderful kind of healthy, fresh menu. Sensational salads,
pastas, and pizzas. It's really sort of the place in Midtown to
have lunch. Go early or late, because it's always packed."