Alas, it’s the end of another year, and the perfect time to look back and reflect on the people, places, and things that most captured our fancy.
I’m so honored that Photoshelter named me one of their staff’s favorite photographers for 2011 and plan to include me in their line-up of featured photographers for January 2012. In keeping with that same spirit, I thought I’d compile a list of some of my 2011 favorites to share with you. While a few of these events have come and gone, a majority of these recommendations are still going strong, and can be enjoyed well into 2012. Lucky you, it’s shaping up to be an awesome new year already!
Favorite musical find: The Hot Sardines, Yuna, Jaymay
Favorite go-to album: Adele 21; Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
Favorite concerts: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros @ Escape to NY; Ray La Montagne at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park
Favorite movie: The Artist; Bill Cunningham New York
Favorite gallery show: Aaron Johnson @ Stux; Stephanie Gutheil @ Mike Weiss
Favorite museum exhibit: Alexander McQueen at The Met; Maurizio Cattelan at The Guggenheim
Favorite architectural event: Open House NY; GVSHP Spring House Tour; MAS NYC Programs
Favorite art festival: Festival of New Ideas; Bring to Light; HOWL Festival; Figment on Governor’s Island
Favorite food festival: Smorgasburg; Union Square Greenmarket; Madison Square Eats
Favorite food event: Edible Manhattan’s Good Spirits at Le Poisson Rouge
Favorite food truck: Sweetery NYC; Korilla BBQ; Wafels & Dinges
Favorite brunch: Northern Spy Food Co., Westville; Tartine; Back Forty
Favorite dinners: David Burke Kitchen; Goat Town; Takahachi; Cask
Favorite coffee: La Colombe; Blue Bottle; Hampton Chutney‘s cardamom coffee
Favorite bakery: Jane’s Sweet Buns; Zucker Bakers; Veniero’s Pasticceria; Ceci-Cela Patisserie
Favorite cupcake: Chickalicious; Butter Lane
Favorite mid-afternoon snack: Dumpling Man; People’s Pops; Pomme Frites
Favorite cheap eat: South Brooklyn Pizza; Tacombi; AsiaDog
Favorite sandwich: Num Pang; Barnyard; Mamoun’s
Favorite burger: Whitman’s; Royale; Korzo Haus
Favorite ice cream: Big Gay Ice Cream; Cool Haus
Favorite cocktail spot: Masak; The Beagle; Summit Bar
Favorite wine bar: Terroir; Grape & Grain; The Immigrant; Aria
Favorite cheese shop: Saxelby Cheesemongers @ Essex Market; Bedford Cheese Shop
Favorite gift boutique: Still House; Exit 9; Alphabets; Mxyplyzyk Inc.
Favorite accessories boutique: Barbara Feinman Millinery; Shape of Lies
Favorite clothing boutique: pinkyotto; Cloak & Dagger; Honey in the Rough; Pas de Deux
Favorite home decor: Jonathan Adler; Kabinet & Kammer; Lancelotti Housewares; White Trash
Favorite kitchenware depot: Broadway Panhandler; The Meat Hook
Favorite bookstore: St. Mark’s Bookshop; Three Lives & Co.; Strand; LES Tenement Museum
Favorite stroll: Section 2 of The Highline; East River esplanades; The Ramble
Favorite yoga studio: Integral Yoga Institute; Laughing Lotus Center
Favorite day spa: Russian Turkish Baths; Mama Spa
Favorite new tech gadget: Roku 2; iPad 2
Favorite thing about NYC: EVERYTHING!
For more information about my very favorite places throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, be sure to check out my handy-dandy Eye For Style maps.
Need a recommendation for that perfect gift or restaurant for that special occasion? Check out my Eye For Style Services page.
In the meantime, wishing you a Happy 2012 full of urban adventures, art explorations, good eats, shopping scores, ample playtime, and so much more!
