NYC pt 1, LES and East Village

Just after my birthday I spent 10 days in New York City with Andrea, it was half Christmas half birthday present for both.

This is going to be the first post about my vacation, I'd give you a few tips in order of the experience we lived.
Please consider I won't give you all the info you can find on every LonelyPlanet and in the same time there are a million things we haven't seen for several reasons...
This is just a little point of view.
NY here we are! #newyork #winstanandcokiLES #newyorkBreakfast time: blueberry scones and brown americano #newyork #winstanandcoki
So...let's start the 10 days in NYC from the district where we were "living".
We booked and apartment via Airbnb (I suggest the guest and the apartment), a very small but also comfortable two room apartment, recommended for maximum two people.
The apa is in the Lower East Side and faces on Orchard Street where there are a lot of bars and restaurants and art galleries.
I must say that since you really walk a lot in NY, at night we were so tired that we had our dinner always in the LES and twice we had dinner directly at home.

Bar/restaurants

Orchard 88: Super nice for breakfast, it looks like the classical bricks wall bar. Bartenders are just indie and nice. I recommend it!

Barrio chino: A small and super packed bar/restaurant, they serve tapas, corona and it was recently voted The Best Margarita in New York by Village Voice.

Dudleys: we went there only the last day before taking the taxi to Penn Station, it is in front of Orchard 88. It is a cool vintage look like bar, where you can have a nice brunch. This place is always packed.

Lost Weekend NYC: is a coffee shop/gallery/lifestyle store, it is a quite hipster and relaxed place. I think that what strikes more is the furniture and the shop side.

Sticky Rice: super super nice! I really recommend it because the food is perfect, people are nice and it is so comfortable. Sticky Rice serves authentic Thai food.

Shops

Top Hat: I love it! It is a collection of whimsical trinkets by Nina Allen. Wooden tables of stylish Moleskin notebook-alternatives and shelves of small handmade devices for making uncannily accurate bird calls stand next to large French pillows, realistic porcelain fruit, and German pens.

Gargyle: it is a lifestyle boutique and brand founded by husband and wife team, Don Vu and Nhung Nguyen. I was particularly attracted by F-Troupe shoes.
Gnam
I know that guy and his fav sport #diggingrecords #winstanandcoki #newyork #eastvillage
Sticking around #newyork #a1-records
Now let's talk about the East Village. More shopping, more eating, more green and really close to the LES - oh I forgot to tell you that we used the Metro as transportation method it is cheap and it goes everywhere (my tip if you have an iPhone is to download Embark NYC, it works even without internet connection).
My only complain about the East Village is that CBGB doesn't exist anymore! Everything else is cool and hipster and there are a lot of second hand/vintage shops.

Bar/restaurants


Crif Dogs: the best hot dog in the city (also in a vegetarian version). It is a small place looking like a basement.

Tinys Giant Sandwich Shop: in the middle between Lower east Side and East Village. Amazing panini and drinks, we loved it a lot! Fresh ingredients and nice bar tenders...

Shops

A1-Records: here you are short documentary-style piece about the shop. Andrea loved it and I guess he'd like to spend there hours and hours...

Academy records: another place to dye for if you are passionate about LPs

Pinkolive: One of my fav shops ever. I bought two numbers of  Uppercase magazine and Andrea bought for me an alphabet & numbers stamp set.

Still House: minimal and small as every shop and home in NYC.

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