New York City: Best of 2011

Food & Drink

Best food truck to stalk up and down Manhattan for lunch
 
Rickshaw Dumpling Truck
www.rickshawdumplings.com
Twitter: @RickshawTruck for daily locations
We break into a happy dance when someone spots the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck parked outside of our office. Some may simply call them dumplings; we call Rickshaw’s specialty item little pockets of heaven. The dumplings are perfectly steamed and thoughtfully created using antibiotic-free Bell and Evans chicken and organic edamame. Weighing in at less than 300 calories per six-pack, you don’t even have to do the why-did-I-indulge-treadmill-jog-of-shame afterwards.

Best restaurant that’ll remind your girlfriend why she fell for you in the first place
 
La Lanterna Caffe
129 MacDougal St.
212-529-5945
www.lalanternacaffe.com
Head over here for Italian comfort fare like Lasagna Bolognese and Pizza Ai Quattro Formaggi over candlelight. Ask to be seated in the basement, where the fireplace and low ceilings set a romantic scene.

Best Brooklyn bar to take your dog
 
Washington Commons
748 Washington Ave., Brooklyn
718-230-3666
This laid-back Prospect Heights bar has a huge outdoor area with large picnic tables that are perfect for sharing with nice neighborhood locals (some of the four-legged variety). The ever-changing beer list keeps things interesting, while the excellent happy hour keeps it affordable.

Best all-out, who-cares-if-it’s-a-million-calories food indulgence 

Banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery
Various locations
www.magnoliabakery.com
We’re sure your mom makes a mean version of this homey, cozy dessert, but Magnolia’s would likely give it a run for its money. Globs of crumbly crust mingle with whole chunks of banana in a sweet, thick goop that’ll make you rethink ever ordering a cupcake at the shop.

Best noodles outside of Chinatown 

Xi’an Famous Foods
81 St. Marks Place
212-786-2068
www.xianfoods.com
The line at this tiny Taiwanese East Village establishment is usually out the door, and for good reason: Its homemade noodles are out of this world. The spicy cumin lamb noodles, spicy tingly beef noodles and barbecue pork sliders are especially recommended.

Best Indian fusion lunchtime takeout
 
Hot Clay Oven
101 Maiden Lane
212-269-2103
www.hotclayoven.com
There are more than a few Indian fusion restaurants that are claiming to be “The Indian Chipotle,” but it’s fair to say that Hot Clay Oven is the one that really pulls it off. Choose your base of a wrap (naan or tortilla) or bowl (salad or rice) and top it off with malai or tandoori chicken, channa masala or pork vindaloo. Add veggies and cheese and pile on delicious chutneys and dressings. Everything about the food at Hot Clay Oven is irresistible.

Best yet-to-be famous but still delicious cupcake shop
 
Butter Lane
123 E. Seventh St.
212-677-2880
240 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn
718-369-0466
OK, OK — so the East Village location of Butter Lane might be considered “famous” (it is very popular) but the Park Slope location is still under the cake radar. Butter Lane is unique from other artisanal cupcake shops in that you can pick your cake (vanilla, chocolate or banana) and then choose what type of frosting (peanut butter, coconut, espresso, caramel, tiramisu, French chocolate and on and on) you want. The freedom to choose your cupcake! We can get behind that.

Best Bloody Mary that could arguably be considered a meal
 
Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St.  
212-925-3797
www.locandaverdenyc.com
With a generous chunk of ham and a delicious green olive garnish, Locanda Verde’s Bloody Mary is a special wonder at this already fabulous Tribeca brunch spot partly owned by Robert DeNiro.

Best spot to fill your growler and pick up eggs to make morning-after omelettes
 
Whole Foods Market Bowery Beer Room
95 E. Houston St.
212-420-1320
www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/bowery
There are so many places in the city willing to fill glass jugs full of beer for you these days, you’d think it was the second coming of Prohibition. Of course, it’s really just a sign of the momentum behind the craft beer movement. Our no-speakeasy-required pick for growler-filling hot spot is the Beer Room at Whole Foods Market Bowery for its Lower East Side convenience and low-key vibe — not that these beer folks are slouches. They’ll school you on the latest brews from local breweries like Kelso and Pretty Things, minus the intimidating beer snobbery. And it’s all found in the same place you’re picking up your eggs and OJ.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Best theater experience for those who don’t like “theater experiences”

Blue Man Group
434 Lafayette St.
800-BLUEMAN (258-3626)
www.blueman.com
These cerulean performers have been at the Astor Place Theater for 20 years now, but the tricks never get old. Snag a seat in the poncho section for a truly, um, interactive experience.

Best place to watch a blockbuster on opening weekend without getting your seat kicked

Regal Battery Park Stadium 11
102 North End Ave.
212-945-4370
www.regmovies.com
We’re honoring the Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 theater at our own risk — spreading the word might make it less of a cinematic safe-haven. Tucked out of the way in downtown Manhattan, this theater is a forgotten treasure that never seems to get overloaded, even on opening weekend.

Best place to..pick up a hot.. one-night stand..

The Double Windsor
210 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn   
347-725-3479
There is nothing low-rent about this Windsor Terrace bar. Its great beer selection and savory eats draw in the neighborhood’s casual yet well-to-do young professionals — exactly what a person on the prowl would be looking for on a Saturday night.

Best classy bar with turntables and amazing paninis

Lowlands
543 Third Ave., Brooklyn
347-463-9458
www.lowlandsbar.com
This Gowanus outpost is a sight for sore eyes after hopping off the R train and wandering through Park Slope’s nether regions. With a dark ambience that’s aided by the crackling turntable and retro accents, Lowlands is the best low-key spot to have a drink and enjoy delicious paninis on fresh ciabatta bread.

Best dinner-and-a-movie-in-one date spot
 
Nitehawk Cinema
136 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn
718-384-3980,
www.nitehawkcinema.com
Ever the model of efficiency, New York has finally found a way to compress the “dinner and a movie” thing down to its leanest form. At the Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, indie films are screened for diners who can imbibe wine, beer and cocktails while enjoying amazing specials like the Hawaiian pulled pork sandwich. For traditionalists, popcorn (with butter!) is also served.

Shopping

Best bookshop to buy a best-seller and plant a tree that one day you can read under
 
Strand Book Store
828 Broadway
212-473-1452
www.strandbooks.com
Peruse the Strand’s 18 miles of books for the latest smash or that rare, out-of-print book your grandmother keeps telling you about. Need some help deciding? Let your favorite authors — like Nora Ephron, Chuck Klosterman and, coming this January, Jonathan Franzen — choose for you: They’ve all curated collections of their favorite books for browsing. Oh, and the Strand has teamed up with Eco-Libris to make sure the circle of life continues: For every dollar you donate with your purchase, a tree will be planted in a developing country.

Best non-Apple-affiliated store where you can still buy music
 
Other Music
15 E. Fourth St.  
212-477-8150
http://othermusic.com
Yeah, it’s cooler-than-thou and  very aware of its underground fame (even indie “it” girl Chloe Sevigny shops there). But Other Music still brings the goods when it comes to vinyl, a great used music selection and an eclectic variety of rarities that span the most underappreciated genres out there.

Best pet shop that delivers Fido’s favorites
 
Acme Pet Food, Inc.
628 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn
718-789-8062
Everyone knows the big dogs in Brooklyn (Petsmart, Petco) deliver, but so does the almost Hanna-Barbera-named Acme Pet Food, Inc., which serves up healthy selections and friendly service. And you’ll be helping out a local business in the process. Now that is something to make you — and your pets — feel a little better.

Best new spot to get a manicure and prescription filled
 
Duane Reade at 40 Wall St.
40 Wall St.
212-742-8457
www.dr40wallstreet.com
Duane Reade has refurbished many of its locales to resemble suburban drug stores on steroids, but the new Wall St. location takes the prize for awesomeness. The vast space offers such non-drug store goodies as blowouts, sushi, manicures and a really lovely pharmacy counter with actual nice people working behind it.

Best place to pick up kitchen supplies and a sexy kimono
 
Pearl River
477 Broadway
212-431-4770
www.pearlriver.com
It’s the No. 1 spot for beautiful and affordable ceramics. More importantly, there are silk kimonos and Sriracha sauce. Pearl River packs fun luxuries and inexpensive necessities into its sprawling space.

Best shop to get fitted for athletic shoes like you’re an Olympic athlete
 
Jack Rabbit
151 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn
718-636-9000
Who really knows if it works or not (we’re no scientists!) but it is very cool that at Jack Rabbit, they make a mini-film of you walking/light jogging on a treadmill to see how your foot strikes the pavement. They then show you shoes that help with your particular foot/gait.   

Best Canadian import where $100 makes you feel like a baller
 
Joe Fresh
110 Fifth Ave.
212-366-0960
www.joefresh.com
We’re loving the recent Canadian fashion invasion. Only at Joe Fresh — an apparel chain created by Joseph Mimran, the founder of Club Monaco, that’s sold in Canadian supermarkets (yes, super­markets!) — can you score multiple high-quality stylish basics without contemplating slashing your credit cards afterwards. We scored a $60 cashmere sweater, $40 waffle weave slouchy cardi and some $4 polka dot socks. Welcome to the neighborhood, Joe.

Services

Best “no-frills” gym that still makes you feel like a million bucks
 
Planet Fitness
Various locations
www.planetfitness.com
No classes? No problem. Go at your own pace at this clean gym, which has all the basics you need — treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, weights and a 30-minute circuit zone. Whether you’re training for a triathlon or just want to shed a few pounds, the “No Judgment Zone” motto ensures that all are welcome.

Best use of taxidermy in a hair salon
 
Blackstones
19 E. Seventh St.
212-353-2680
www.blackstonesnyc.net  
The funky decor and many taxidermy animals on the wall can lend Blackstones a “hipper-than-thou” feel, but don’t be afraid, mere mortal. The stylists at Blackstones — although, yes, hip and beautiful — really listen and examine what is going on with that fro of yours. That kind of collaborative experience is great when you want a good, new style without the fear that you’ll leave with a pseudo-mohawk.

Best service that will keep it real about your hair
 
Philip Kingsley Trichological Centre
16 E. 52nd St.
212-753-9600
www.philipkingsley.com
You hair is limp, you’re worried it’s falling out too much, it never looks right after you blow dry it anymore. Take all of your bad hair day concerns to the Philip Kingsley clinic, where a specialist in trichology (the study of human hair) will assess what’s going on with your scalp and locks and create a hair care routine just for you.

Best spa to hang out in all day (that won’t kick you out, either)
 
The Peninsula Spa by ESPA
The Peninsula New York
700 Fifth Ave.
212-903-3910
www.peninsula.com
Need a vacation but can’t spring for a trip? Pamper yourself with two hours of treatment time at the Peninsula Spa ($351). Besides a much needed deep tissue massage or microderm facial, the two services get you access to the five star-rated spa’s saunas, aromatherapy steam room, ice fountain, state of the art fitness center and pool. Take in a yoga class in their sun-lit studio, enjoy a complimentary lunch of poached halibut or an Asian vegetable salad on the terrace — featuring panoramic city views — or just lounge around the glass-enclosed swimming pool all day reading trashy mags. You’ll be in paradise without leaving the island.

Best movers who are reliable and still leave enough money in the budget for a new futon
 
A Moveable Feat
800-607-0689
www.amoveablefeat.com
Packing your entire life into boxes and paying a few dudes to haul them away is a stressful experience. But moving into your new pad doesn’t have to be more anxiety-ridden than the search to find that perfect apartment was — or as expensive as the broker fee.
A Moveable Feat is a company of true professionals who transport your belongings with care and efficiency. They’re fast, friendly and incredibly well priced: the mover’s trifecta. They’ll move that heirloom bedroom set and all of your other precious/awkwardly shaped items up four narrow flights of stairs with a smile — no panic attack on your part necessary.

Neighborhoods & Getaways

Best rooftop view that’ll make you feel like a tourist in your own city
 
JIMMY at the James Hotel
15 Thompson St.
212-201-9118
www.jameshotels.com
Forgo the standard Midtown views and enjoy some new angles at the JIMMY, which offers unparalleled access to the downtown scene, from Wall Street to the Brooklyn Bridge. While you’re there, enjoy cocktails and — when it’s summer — take a dip in the rooftop pool.

Best place to people watch while hiding behind your laptop writing emails
 
Bryant Park
42nd Street and Sixth Avenue
212-768-4242
www.bryantpark.org
We’re not even going to get into the free yoga classes that are offered every summer — or the movie screenings, winter ice-skating and Fashion Weeks of yesteryear. Not only will you have no problem finding a place to sit, but with free Wi-Fi and ‘Wichcraft populating this block, you’ll also get to observe all sorts of New Yorkers enjoying their green space.

Best new development that feels like the hipster version of Melrose Place
 
The Residences at The Williamsburg
135 N. 11th St., Brooklyn
718-207-6202
www.135n11.com
If the PBR-laden streets of Williamsburg fit your hipster dreams, but you and your barista friends have been waiting for an upscale condo complex to call home, you’ve found the right place. With 57 apartments over a landscaped courtyard with a pool and private cabanas, the condo side of The Hotel Williamsburg is poised as a summertime destination for those who can’t stand to be too far from McCarren Park. And for those too busy buying vinyl albums to make their beds, hotel services such as room service and housekeeping are offered to all residents in the building.
 
Best broker to hire to find you a pet-friendly apartment, no matter what
Elaine Tross
Executive Vice President Associate Broker
Halstead Properties, LLC
917-748-4043
www.petfriendlymanhattanrealestate.com
Finding an apartment in NYC is tough enough, so the last thing you want is to find the perfect place, only to discover your pooch isn’t allowed in the building. That’s where agents like Elaine Tross come in. “Certain buildings will allow certain pets. … Some buildings you can take a dog in an elevator, and in some you’ll have to take a service entrance,” Tross explains. “I make it as easy and friendly as possible.” Think you’ve got your bases covered? Check out her website, Petfriendly
manhattanrealestate.com, where you’ll find tips on pet résumés (yes) and other pet-service picks in the city.

Best day-cation that will get you back in the city by nightfall
 
The Cloisters Museum and Gardens
99 Margaret Corbin Dr.,
Fort Tryon Park
212-923-3700
It will get you back into the city by nightfall because it’s still in the city (but pretty far removed). You can take the A train to visit this quiet, lovely spot filled with medieval art. The current exhibit, “The Game of Kings: Medieval Ivory Chessmen from the Isle of Lewis,” features 34 chessmen from the famous Lewis Chessmen, a cache of luxury goods from the 12th century found in 1831 off the west coast of Scotland.

Best kid-targeted adventure you’ll get a kick out of too
 
Sony Wonder Technology Lab
550 Madison Ave. Annex, 212-833-8100
www.sonywondertechlab.com
The four-story museum boasts a number of cool,  hands-on exhibits — and free admission! Visitors can learn the basics of TV production in the HD television studio (where they create their own news segment), animate themselves using motion capture technology, re-mix an Alicia Keys song in the music studio and perform virtual open-heart surgery. Kids will have too much fun to realize they’re learning. Bonus: The lab hosts free movie screenings for all ages in its in-house theater.