An Afternoon on The Upper East Side

Tuesday last week I spent the afternoon strolling around the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Mister Sive was still in Montclair with family, and I had a bit of work to do in the city. I had Bailey with me, as pooches are plentiful on the UES, so she fit right in. The flowers spilling out from all the corner markets just putting me in a happy mood. After a meeting at Dempsey & Carroll looking over the proofs for my collection (which I can’t wait for you all to see) I spent the afternoon walking around on a gloriously sunny Spring day in an area that is also pretty gloriously sunny. That is what I love most about New York City. The neighborhoods vary greatly, so when you break it down to a particular area, it does not feel so big. The Upper East Side has a very gentile feel to it, and when you walk the side streets you feel transported a bit to another time. That is my advice when you visit. Walk the side streets. You will be blown away by the beauty. The trees, the buildings, the homes.

It was also a time for me to visit a few of my favorite shops. Treillage is a shop owned by design icons Bunny Williams and her husband John Rosselli. It is filled with new and antique furnishings with a garden flair, although many things are suited for interiors. Artwork, tabletop, lamps, along with all the furniture are all mixed together for one serious visual feast.

Next up was a visit to the world of Eli Zabar. We have been a fan of Eli’s breads for ages, so it is always fun to pop in when I am in the hood and get a complete sensory culinary overload. Go hungry. A perfect spot to get things to take-away and have a little picnic on a bench. My carry-on bag was stuffed with crackers and such from this visit. They also ship their breads, which make great gifts.

Next up was a trip to a transcending shop, de Vera. This is owned by Federico de Vera who I wrote about a few weeks ago when I wrote about his home in the Hudson Valley that was being featured in Elle Decor. I have been going to Federico’s shops for close to 20 years since he first began in Hayes Valley in San Francisco. He has a much larger shop at 1 Crosby Street in the city, but this one is a little jewel box and is just stupendous. I will let the images give you an idea of the beauty and his mastery.

Being in creative spaces like all the above feeds my soul. I think when we are surrounded by beauty it makes us want to create more beauty. That is how I always feel after being immersed into such lovely detail. It makes me think. It nourishes me.

Put a walk around the Upper East Side on your list next time you visit New York City. A perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon. Then we were off and up in the clouds back to Seattle.