Agyness Deyn and Fiona Byrne’s New York tips
Model Agyness Deyn and journalist Fiona Byrne have just launched naag.com – an online magazine about the things they like – with Fiona as Editor in Chief and Agyness as Creative Director – from their office on New York’s Rivington Street. We couldn’t resist getting their inside information from the Big Apple…
Which city or destination do you know best?
Agyness: I know New York the best. I feel like it’s a city that you can explore on every level: alone, with friends, day life, nightlife. There’s so much to gorge on all the time that you can be busy or discover a chilled laidback adventure.
Fiona: I know New York the best too – below 14th Street. Our lives basically exist downtown and in Williamsburg. It’s not uncommon to run into friends on the street downtown but if we went uptown I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t meet a soul we knew. We could start a whole new life uptown with a new identity!
…gosh, I want to go there right now…
What’s the first piece of advice you’d give to anyone visiting New York?
A: Walk and discover. Sit on a bench, chat to new people. Be open!
F: Don’t be scared! People think New York is a dangerous place but it is the safest city I have ever experienced. Everyone is so nice here, and people look out for each other. It’s not at all what you might think.
If you only had one day in the city, where would you recommend visitors eat, and why?
A: For breakfast I would go to Bakeri on Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg (150 Wythe Ave Brooklyn, NY 11211). I love that place: they bake all the pastries on site and they are to die for. Such a cute little gem.
For lunch I would go to Bar Pitti on Sixth Avenue (268 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10014) where the food is beyond words. Sit outside with glass of prosecco and chat to the best Italian waiters in town.
For dinner I would go to Freemans restaurant in the city (191 Chrystie Street, New York, NY 10002). I love to set up camp in a booth with a group of friends, laugh a lot, drink delicious wine and have the artichoke dip followed by a steak! Heaven!
F: For breakfast I would definitely go to Clinton Street Baking Company (4 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002). Their pancakes are consistently voted the best in New York, and they are truly out of this world. They come with maple butter… gosh I want to go there right now. Their pancakes are served all day actually. And their homemade biscuits are insane.
For lunch I like La Esquina (106 Kenmare Street, New York NY 10012) for their De La Casa salad which comes with either fish or chicken (the fish is generally mahi mahi, which I love). I like to sit outside and people watch. If it’s late enough in the day I’ll have a Corona.
I don’t know anywhere else in New York that you can do that
As for dinner – right now I am really feeling The Meatball Shop (84 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002) and not just because it’s one block from my apartment (although that helps). It recently opened and is one of those places that just took off. Its success is not just in its chic but homey decor, but definitely has a lot to do with the affordability of the food. You can get an order of meatballs for seven dollars and a beer for three dollars. I don’t know anywhere else in New York that you can do that, apart from fast food-ish places. I love their ordering system, which involves taking a Sharpie to a laminate menu and customizing your dish. There’s plenty for veggies too – and the ice-cream cookie sandwiches are out of this world.
Of the famous tourist sites in New York, which would you avoid, and which would you try not to miss?
A: I don’t think you should avoid any. It’s just about going at the right time as to avoid waiting for hours. I love the Empire State Building… dreaming of a Sleepless in Seattle moment.
F: As a resident I am not a fan of Times Square. I love the lights and the look of it but there are far too many people and it still has that emptiness about it, despite being completely cleaned up since its strip club days. It stresses me out just thinking about it! I would say don’t miss the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s beautiful to walk across.
What’s your best New York insider tip?
A: Galleries are free on some days so find out when and save a little money to spend on pizza. And NY pizza is so delicious!
F: I say rent a bike and ride around. New York has added so many new bike paths recently that it is a bikers dream. You could even ride from the East Side near the Manhattan Bridge all the way around the island to the West Side Bike path. Just wear a helmet and pay attention!
Finally, if you only had one night to stay in any hotel in the world, which would it be?
A: I would stay in the Ritz because I’ve never stayed there, and as a kid I always thought that was so posh and fancy. Like as if only princess stayed there. I’d like to be a princess for one night.
F: Definitely one of those over-water thatched bungalows in the Maldives or Bora Bora.
(entrevista copiada da revista Condé Nast)
Viajando com a Dica 