Ready to wake up once more in the city that never nods off, not even when nights are at their nippiest? Start packing your warmies. Any traveler with a taste for romance will tell you that the winter season is prime time for scratching a Gotham itch in a few nonstop, razzle-dazzle days – preferably with Gershwin purring in the background.
BY VIVIAN HOLLEY
From Lady Liberty to Times Square, the celebrated icons of the coolest city beckon visitors with the promise of a packed entertainment calendar. New York’s well-known venues are wide awake, throbbing with energy and rocking with art, music, dance, and drama – not to mention food and fashion to die for. No matter your cup of cultural tea, the options are as enticing as ever.
Set sights on the Upper East Side, home to superstar museums and out-of-sight real estate, to saunter the “Museum Mile.” Along this lovely stretch of Fifth Avenue, you can feast on the treasures of the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan (check out the new American Wing galleries), and other stellar arts institutions. Don’t bypass the temptations of Barneys New York – and, when feet fail, the chance to kick back with a jazz trio at the Carlyle’s Bemelmans Bar.
More music? Make it the Lower East side and the small but eclectic stage of Arlene’s Grocery, or the bigger Bowery Ballroom. Or the East Village and its lively Webster Hall.
If you haven’t hit town in a time, you might like to update the easy way via a double-decker bus with a Hop-On-Hop-Off tour that will transport you from Lincoln Center to Battery Park with as many stops as you care to make. You might also wish to sign up for an insider shopping tour that scours the Garment District, complete with discounts.
Quite possibly the hottest place to pillow your head is Midtown’s Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC, a block east of the charms of Fifth Avenue – opened in early 2011 and living up to its billing of urban luxury resort. Not often in Manhattan can you score such a spacious room (they average 475 square feet with lofty ceilings), plus a full menu of spa services (try sampling them in the privacy of your room), plus a 20-stories-up heated indoor-outdoor pool alongside a smoking rooftop nightlife scene with a showstopper view of the Empire State Building.
Perfect for a romantic getaway, guest rooms are the picture of minimalist sophistication. Think noticeably sensual artwork against a neutral palette shot with magenta and electric blue. Then there’s the knockout three-story lobby, which lifts contemporary spin to a fresh level with herringbone-patterned floors and matching high-backed chairs. The vibe: both comfy with a fireplace and high-flying with its fanciful aubergine chandeliers.
Steps away is Asellina, a bustling Italian trattoria where the house-made pasta is heavenly and you could die happy with the antipasto platter. Just as handy to the lobby is a Lacoste boutique. Kate Spade, Juicy Couture, Intermix, and Diesel are a stroll away.
A pet you can’t bear to part with? Bring Fifi or Fido along. They’ll be handsomely welcomed with their own bed, bowl and tasty snacks.
Equally hip is the company’s flagship hotel in the city – Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC – with similar services as well as a busy bar called Carte Blanche, and a Japanese menu at its delightful Tanuki Tavern. De rigueur: a rooftop cocktail here as the sun sets over the Hudson.
Set out on the centuries-old cobblestone streets of the thriving Meatpacking District and you’ll discover the lures of Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Diane von Furstenberg, Christian Louboutin, and Tory Burch. In the midst of the fashion-centric neighborhood, be sure to treat yourself to the French bistro fare at Pastis.
Remember to rent skates for a seasonal sail across the legendary ice of the Rockefeller Center rink, watched over by the gilded image of mighty Prometheus. A quintessential Big Apple experience for generations, it’s one of the many magical adventures that make winter a fine time for a New York fix.
Information: www.gansevoortpark.com. www.nycgo.com.
PHOTOS COURTESY (from top): © NYC & Company | Julienne Schaer 2008. © NYC & Company | Julienne Schaer 2009. © NYC & Company | Jen Davis. © NYC & Company | Daniel Krieger. © NYC & Company | Will Steacy. Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC.
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