The Jetsetting Fashionista’s Ultimate Vienna Itinerary
by Emily Martin

Day I
Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral)
Tea and light bite at Haas & Haas
Walking tour of Vienna
Coffee at Café Pruckel
Lunch at Café Central
Afternoon snack at Kurt Frozen Yogurt

Day II
Lunch at Orlando di Castello
Café culture at Beaulieu (across from Xocolat in Perstel Passage)
Hofburg Museum
Melange at Café Demel
Sacher torte at Café Sacher
Skopik & Lohn

Day III
Café Drechsler
Café Sperl
Eissalon Tuchlauben

Day IV
Café Museum
Explore the Naschmarkt (outdoor market)
Stroll through Stadtpark
Steirereck & Meierei in Stadtpark
Albertina Museum
Wiener Staatsoper
Meinl’s Wine Bar
Dinner at Zum Schwarzen Kameel
Cocktails at Loos American Bar

For more travel tales and tips, check out the Jetsetting Fashionista

Neve Tzedek Hotel

Spending a late September weekend in Tel Aviv can extend the summer that extra week needed to hold on to lingering outdoor meals and long walks on the beach. Picture Los Angeles in the Middle East where sun, beach, fresh food and juices, and a thriving nightlife all manifest in the spirit of the city. Tel Aviv is a large diverse city so we clung to one of the up-and-coming neighborhoods, Neve Tzedek on a recent visit. Neve Tzedek is best known for its artisan shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. It also has a distinct bohemian feel that only a neighborhood bordering the beach can muster. Within a 5-mile radius there are also a few food gems and fun spots on the beach and in Jaffa, an ancient fort city.

We shacked up in one of the boutique Hotel Neve Tzedek’s bohemian and cozy rooms which gives the feeling you are staying in a friend’s apartment just a few blocks from the beach. The hotel included breakfast at the Nana Bar café nearby which is also one of Tel Aviv’s most popular nightspots. In the name of breakfast research we sampled the ubiquitous but worth-it Israeli egg and pepper breakfast dish at the infamous Dr. Shakshuka in Jaffa.

Our explorations and musings took place mostly on foot. Walking along Shabazi Street, looking into shops (our favorite of which was Art Maroc, featuring an extensive selection of Moroccan furniture, design items, etc.), stopping for coffee in Lulu Kitchen and Bar and making our way down to the beach to watch the sunset before dinner at Dallal, one of Tel Aviv’s tastiest restaurants serving black lentils and tahini, fish tartar and pasta dishes.

Another formidable itinerary was a promenade down the beach to Jaffa to sample the best hummus in the world at Abu Hassan. A 15-minute wait later raw onions, hummus and pita are pretty much all that are on offer at this joint but the experience of being among locals and eating hummus without fussy crudités was extremely satisfying. There is very little English spoken among the staff at Abu Hassan and only cash is accepted but it was easy to persevere with one common word: hummus. We advise that you tread lightly through your bowl of hummus as a hummus hangover is not pretty. In Jaffa, we also checked out the Mediterranean design at Extra Vergine a shop with gifts for the home.

On the way back, we stopped at Manta Ray on the promenade for a glass of rose with our toes in the sand. One can also enjoy a glamour packed Friday afternoon lunch at Manta Ray which can easily extend into the afternoon.

In a symbolic effort to experience more of the city, we did make a stop outside the Neve Tzedek area for dinner at Orna & Ella, which serves fresh and inventive fare including sweet potato pancakes and goose breast hamburger. On the way back to the hotel we hit Iceberg on Rothschild Boulevard for a chocolate ice cream cone and a browse through the many different varieties of old fashioned ice cream they serve.

While visiting just for a weekend, Tel Aviv as a whole merits many more visits- this time was so good, we simply cannot wait for what comes next.

(Photos: Neve Tzedek Hotel, courtesy of Neve Tzedek Hotel)

Jostling for a photo-worthy view of the new Hello Kitty balloon on Fifth Avenue might be New York’s traditional way to celebrate Thanksgiving, but it’s hardly the place to give thanks for having the best chefs in the world. For that, attend one of the many quiver-inducing Thanksgiving dinners served by master chefs across New York City. This holiday, come break a bottle over Plymouth Rock with Galavante at these favorites.

Sons of Essex

If there’s anything this restaurant is thankful for, it’s the Lower East Side itself. Passionately devoted to the area’s heritage, this “deli, restaurant, town hall” has walls festooned with reclaimed memorabilia from Boardwalk Empire days, including gilded frames, sepia photographs, antique books, and curved leather booths. To celebrate the day, Matt Levine’s menu lays out four courses of gourmet bistro cuisine, includes a kale Caesar salad with roasted butternut squash, buttermilk-fried Cornish hen, and pumpkin bisque served in a roasted mini pumpkin.

133 Essex St., 212-674-7100, sonsofessexles.com

The Harrison

Hailed by the New York Times for its blend of mood, style, and cuisine, the Harrison is a highly polished, old-school metropolitan bistro, with a 20-foot black-walnut bar and detailing in cold-rolled steel. The Thanksgiving menu, on the other hand, displays a strong New England vibe, led by Rhode Island-raised owner and chef Jimmy Bradley. The highlights include the roasted free-range turkey with root-vegetable stuffing, pan-roasted cod, and pumpkin cheesecake. Add in a 300-label wine list, and there will be toasts all around.

355 Greenwich St., 212-274-9310, theharrison.com

The Lion

The roar that usually escapes the Lion is just the excited clamor of a full dining room at maximum pleasure. Ever since Chef John DeLucie brought his unique take on American-Italian classics to the West Village, he’s been in demand both in the kitchen and on television. On Thanksgiving, the Tolkien-style dining room will feature a three-course feast that includes black truffle gnocchi, Scottish salmon with white chanterelle mushrooms, and dry-aged Delmonico steak. Who needs turkey?

62 West 9th St., 212-353-8400, thelionnyc.com

Daniel

If you’ve never had Thanksgiving at Daniel, you’ve never truly feasted. Always kept under wraps (or a silver lid) until the holiday itself, Daniel Boulud’s multi-course menu will continue the tradition of how-did-he-think-of-that? dishes. Expect the contemporary French flavor of the regular menu to play Lafayette for a revolutionary meal. The décor will help get you in the mood, with its cloister-like pillars, oxblood leather chairs, and paintings by Manolo Valdés. But it’s the food that makes the night. Bon appétit.

60 East 65th St., 212-288-0033, danielnyc.com

I’ve always loved Le Bristol Paris, and now even more so. The stylish hotel recently opened an incredibly chic and happening bar. When traveling, it’s part of the vacation experience to have a drink at the hotel bar. And Le Bristol, whose quest for greatness never stops and always succeeds, is especially worth a visit the next time you’re in Paris.

Le Bar du Bristol achieves the ultimate buzz with a magnetic ambience, mouthwatering cocktails, and an A-list clientele dressed to the nines.

When I first entered Le Bar I could feel the energy of the room. The DJ was playing, setting the stage for a different hotel bar experience. We snagged the last two seats with a prime people-watching view. Not only are the clientele and staff attractive – I felt like I was at a casting call for a trendy fashion show – but the bar offers the ideal backdrop. When you enter, you realize right away that this is no ordinary hotel bar. The last rays of sun are streaming through the glass roof as you walk by a lush garden fresco by French artist Thierry Bruet. You’re surrounded by exceptional wood paneling that’s over 100 years old, and walking on a floor made of Versailles oak. There’s a fireplace and it’s a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. You think to yourself: This just may be the perfect bar.

I perused the cocktail list and ordered the Heartbreaker, for its name as much as for its ingredients. While waiting, we were served an amuse-bouche, a small shot-size Mai Tai. My Heartbreaker was a mix of subtle but amazing flavors – lemon, rosemary, and apple. These were ingredients I would never have imagined together in a drink but now can’t imagine one without. My husband went for the signature Bristol Old Fashioned, a tasty twist on tradition.

The mix-master behind the bar is Maxime Hoerth, named Best Barman and Craftsman at France’s prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2011. He is as handsome and charming as his cocktail menu would suggest and it’s clear Le Bar du Bristol is where he belongs – as do I.

Le Bar du Bristol (open daily 5pm–2am), Le Bristol Paris, 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, lebristolparis.com

Some of Le Bar du Bristol’s delights to make at home:

Bristol Old Fashioned

10 ml maple syrup

A few drops of Fee Brothers whiskey barrel-aged bitters

50 ml bourbon infused with coffee beans

In an Old Fashioned glass pour the maple syrup and add the whiskey barrel-aged bitters. Fill half of the glass with ice cubes and add half of the bourbon. Stir gently and then add a few more ice cubes and the rest of the bourbon. Stir again. Garnish with a few coffee beans and a twist of orange peel.

Note: To prepare the bourbon infusion, you’ll need to add around 20 coffee beans to a bottle of nice bourbon. Let it rest for a day and then filter it. The infusion is then ready.

B-Mule

Served in a silver julep cup

6 fresh mint leaves

10 ml freshly squeezed lime juice

30 ml St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

40 ml vodka

Ginger beer

Start by slightly muddling the fresh mint leaves. Then pour the other ingredients into the julep cup except for the ginger beer. Add some ice cubes and stir gently. Top with ginger beer and stir again. Do not hesitate to add a bit more ice if needed. Garnish with fresh mint and a lime wedge. 

Heartbreaker

Served in a tumbler full of ice

10 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

20 ml of rosemary liqueur

20 ml vodka

40 ml Dolin Blanc vermouth

60 ml apple juice

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker half-filled with ice. Shake for about 20 seconds and then strain it and pour it in a tumbler full of ice. Garnish with apple slice, a twist of lemon, and a preserved cherry. Et voilà!

(Photos: courtesy of Le Bar du Bristol)

The place: Pok Pok NY

The space: They must put something in the mangos in Thailand. Few visitors return home without bringing a gush of goodwill for the experience – the smiles of the people, the lushness of landscape, the warmth of the Buddhist spirit, and the food, oh God, the food. And it’s the food, from smoky eggplant to succulent caramelized pork, that sends a line out the door of chef Andy Ricker’s Northern Thai restaurant in Red Hook. Don’t concern yourself with the limited space up front; there’s plenty of room in the heated back tent. Free of the usual Asian restaurant décor, Pok Pok asserts its authenticity in feel, layout, and food, oh God, the food.

The ingredient: Drawing from the heavily herbed cuisine of Northern Thailand, the restaurant takes pride in its white turmeric, which, unlike its more famous yellow cousin, is usually eaten raw.

The special: Enjoy the white turmeric, in shredded form, along with lemongrass, fried cashews, dried shrimp, and Thai chilies in the appetizer yam samun phrai. Don’t forget to share; that’s true Thai style.

127 Columbia St., Brooklyn, 718-923-9322, pokpokny.com

Jane’s Carousel

Brooklyn is more Manhattan than Manhattan. At least that’s how the old-timers think, when staring across the water at the stacks of skyscrapers crowding the south end of the island. Somewhere in there, a few surviving brownstones stew in envy for the polish and pride of its cousins in Brooklyn, where the old rows still breathe free. Add in Brooklyn’s distinctive style, a new NBA team, and hopping urban soundtrack, and there’s more than enough reason to fire up the Jay-Z and join Galavante for a bounce in the borough.

Ferry to Brooklyn

One of the best places to clear Manhattan from your nose is at Pier 11, at the end of Wall Street. Hop on the East River Ferry and set sail (well, propeller) for Brooklyn. Disembark at Brooklyn Bridge Park and discover why it might be the borough’s favorite, whether for the restored 1922 carousel, picnic-friendly lawns, impressive bridge views, or gaggles of models and photographers clicking down adjacent cobbled streets.   

Jacques Torres Chocolate

If the gusty winds of Dumbo begin to stiffen the joints, warm up over chocolate at Jacques Torres. Park yourself at one of the marble-topped tables and scope the autumn-colored stock of confectionaries. The fresh-from-the-oven cookies taste great with Illy espresso, but it’s the hot chocolate, made from pure powder (not cacao), that’ll make you melt.

66 Water St., Brooklyn, 718-875-1269, mrchocolate.com

Prime Meats

If you’ve got the moxie (and an extra hour), the walk to Carroll Gardens from Dumbo offers lots of old Brooklyn to see, plus a calorie-hungry stomach by the time you reach Prime Meats. The reclaimed leather banquettes and wood-heavy interior suit the classic brunch menu well, especially the signature steak and eggs and Farmer’s Breakfast of two poached eggs, Faicco’s thick-cut bacon, and potato rösti.

465 Court St., Brooklyn, 718-254-0327, frankspm.com

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Just because the leaves have fallen doesn’t mean the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is out of business. On the contrary, the Light in Winter program celebrates “beauty in darkness” with weekly activities of music, cooking, seminars, and nature walks. Or simply stroll the 52 acres solo, making sure to linger at the Japanese Hill and Pond garden, tropical pavilion, and Steinhardt Conservatory Gallery.

1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, 718-623-7200, bbg.org

(Photo: courtesy of Jane’s Carousel)

The place: Brooklyn Museum of Art

The space: For a building of 560,000 square feet and an exceedingly handsome Beaux-Arts design, Brooklyn’s largest arts museum gets little press compared to its more famous cousins along Fifth Avenue and Central Park. Perhaps it’s just old rivalries that inspire it to flash its Brooklyn colors, this time in the second season of Raw/Cooked, an exhibition series of four up-and-coming local artists. The show takes place in the spacious fifth-floor lobby, outside the Luce Center for American Art. Just walk through the new café and take either one of the elevators at the end of the hall.

The show: Raw/Cooked opens with Duron Jackson’s Rumination, a series of nine blackboard paintings in graphite and blackboard paint, depicting geometric abstractions based on actual prison layouts. All of them surround a white throne in the lobby’s center, tiled in white dominoes.

The artist: Born in Harlem, Duron Jackson is a cross-disciplinary artist who grew up in the thick of New York City’s infamous ‘70s squalor, bearing witness to the ravages of drug addiction, violence, and AIDS. Earning admission to an arts program at SUNY Empire State College, Jackson went on to receive an MFA in sculpture at Bard College and a Fulbright Research Fellowship. This is his fourth solo show.

200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, 718-638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org

(Photo: courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum, photo by Justin Van Soes)

The place: Brooklyn Denim Company

The space: Perhaps the truest test of your personal Fonzie factor is slipping on a pair of jeans. The cut and jib can say a lot (and scream too), so it’s well worth consulting New York’s denim guru, Frank Pizzurro. His 1,600-square-foot shop, housed in the former Hinds & Ketcham lithography building, retains a workman’s flavor in its worn wood floors, whitewashed walls, plate-glass windows, and industrial pillars. Color comes in many shades of blue, folded on floor-to-ceiling shelves along the walls and hanging from racks in the center.

The product: Ever since GQ called Frank Pizzurro’s first edition jeans “A born classic,” denimites have been amending their wardrobes with both his own label and his stock of smaller, artisanal brands such as Raleigh Denim, Baldwin, and Stronghold.

The special: The staff is particularly excited about the new, soon-to-arrive jean jacket designed by the shop’s own label.

85 North 3rd St., 718-782-2600, brooklyndenimco.com

Want more Brooklyn Denim Co? Check out our exclusive interview with Frank Pizzurro.

(Photos: courtesy of Sam Yocum)

The place: Cafe Pedlar

The space: After the morning stroller rush comes and goes, this sunny, airy coffee shop in Cobble Hill relaxes to a chill ambience, helped by its large, plate-glass windows, slate floors, white wainscoting, and round marble tables. The tiny tabletops may not be ideal for laying out contracts and spreadsheets, but are plenty big enough for some off-the-record chat with colleagues.

The beans: Beans are roasted by Pedlar’s famous Red Hook neighbors, Stumptown Coffee Roasters. For a lightning jolt, order a double espresso shot of the Hair Bender blend, brewed in a La Marzocco machine. Smooth the rough edges with fresh, organic milk from Finger Lakes Farms in Ithaca, NY.

The complement: Nearby Frankies supplies Café Pedlar daily with fresh buttermilk biscuits, olive-oil cake, and almond croissants.

210 Court St., 718-855-7129, cafepedlar.com

(Photos: Courtesy of Cafe Pedlar)

Pale Yellow Cadillac, 2010
Cig Harvey
c-print

The place: Robin Rice Gallery

The space: Utilitarian yet elegant – with a light bohemian touch – the Robin Rice Gallery looks like the old West Village, when artists could actually afford the rent in this neighborhood. Pane-glass windows give way to a simple, hardwood-floor space hung with contemporary photography. Also reminiscent of the old West Village: Gallerist Robin Rice champions emerging artists over established ones, often featuring photographers that nobody’s heard of. Yet.

The artist: “Contrary to popular web belief, Cig Harvey is a girl, not a boy.” The first line of Cig Harvey’s bio is much like her photography: The themes are serious, but the execution is playful. The UK-born Harvey, who now lives in Maine, is a successful commercial photographer, with clients including Kate Spade and Ralph Lauren. Harvey brings this glossy, modern aesthetic to spare, melancholic settings – an empty beach, an abandoned, weed-filled basketball court – to create ethereal but honest images that linger in the mind long after you’ve looked away.

The show: If unrequited love were a color, Cig Harvey has discovered it. Slashes of blood-reds and wasabi-greens define the photographs from Harvey’s new book, You Look at Me Like an Emergency, which is headlining the gallery starting on November 14. Love, heartache, and hope emerge in images like White Witch Moth. A young girl gazes steadily at the camera, holding the delicately patterned wings of a moth over her mouth. But most powerful are the photos where the story is left unsaid: A piece of paper unfurls out of an old-fashioned typewriter, in front of a white curtain. The title: Unsent Letter.

325 West 11th St., 212-366-6660, robinricegallery.com

(Photos: Courtesy of Robin Rice Gallery, by Cig Harvey)