What's new in New York City this summer
New York City always lives up to its name. It's constantly evolving with new attractions, hotels, restaurants and bars hitting the scene. Our New York-based correspondents Ashley Day and Nancy Trejos fill you in on all the new places to check out this summer.
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Fourteen years after the 9/11 tragedy, visitors will once again be able to gaze upon the New York City skyline from the World Trade Center.
The observatory on floors 100 to 102 at One World Trade Center will open to the public on May 29.
Visitors will be able to see all of New York from 1,250 feet above. The observatory will also feature three dining options and interactive exhibits. Even the elevator walls will tell a story with high-definition monitors showing a time lapse of 500 years' worth of lower Manhattan's history.
"You get 500 years of history in 47 seconds," says David Checketts, chairman and CEO of Legends Hospitality.
To delve even more into New York's history, visitors can hop on a ferry to Ellis Island.
Between 1892 and 1954, about 12 million immigrants arrived and were processed at the Great Hall at Ellis Island. The Ellis Island Museum has chronicled immigration between those years, but the story didn't end there. With the completion of the Peopling of America Center on May 20, the museum has been renamed the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
"Seven years ago, we decided we needed to tell the whole story," of immigration, Stephen Briganti, president and CEO of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, says.
The $20 million center breaks the story down into four parts: the journey to America, struggle and survival after arrival, efforts to build communities, and becoming citizens. The displays include photos and videos of immigrants — famous and not-so-famous — telling their own stories.
For those who want to learn more about the United States through its art, the Whitney Museum of American Art has opened its new long-awaited location in the Meatpacking District.
The nine-floor, 220,000-square-foot building designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop alongside Cooper Robertson expands the exposure of the Whitney's collection, approximately doubling its exhibition space.
The new location boasts the Whitney's first theater, education center and outdoor galleries with stellar views of the New York skyline and nearby High Line.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has leased the Whitney's former space on 75th Street and Madison Avenue for use through 2023.
Where to sleep
Two pioneering hoteliers — Barry Sternlicht and Ian Schrager -- have introduced properties that have quickly become destinations.
Sternlicht, founder of the hip W Hotel brand, has developed what could be Manhattan's most opulent hotel. The 114-room Baccarat Hotel in midtown Manhattan features 17 crystal chandeliers and 15,000 pieces of crystal stemware, with a presidential suite costing up to $18,000 a night. Even the minibars have Baccarat crystal in them.
If a room at the Baccarat is way over your budget, you can stop by the Grand Salon for a drink instead. With 22-foot-high ceilings, a 64-arm Baccarat chandelier and plush upholstered chairs, you'll feel like you're at Versailles.
Later this summer, Sternlicht will introduce his new 1 Hotel brand, an environmentally-friendly lifestyle hotel. The first 1 Hotel opened in Miami earlier this year.
No paper or plastic will be found in guest rooms. Nature will double as art. The lobby will have a farmstand.
"Our message is you can live a sustainable life, a luxurious life, without sacrificing much and maybe even doing it better," Sternlicht says.
Schrager, meanwhile, has opened his first hotel in New York City in about five years. The Edition debuted in the historic Metropolitan Life tower in Madison Square Park in March, with 273 elegant-yet-simple rooms.
"It's very hard to do something simple," says Schrager, who has partnered with Marriott International on the Edition brand. 'What we're trying to do is edit it, pare it down, make it feel warm, make it feel comfortable but have a sense of whimsy."
A second-floor restaurant by London chef Jason Atherton has three dining rooms, a library and a room with a pool table.
Another historic New York building has been converted into a new hotel.
Built in 1906 by John Jacob Astor IV, who died on the Titanic, the Knickerbocker hotel, or the "Knick," once attracted glitterati and dignitaries. The hotel, which re-opened in February after a $240 million re-development, is looking to lure the same clientele with three eating and drinking establishments by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer.
St. Cloud, a 7,500 square-foot rooftop bar and terrace, will open soon with fantastic views of Times Square.
Where to eat and drink now
New York City continues to chase LA's taco fame with more Mexican restaurant openings than ever. Swanky Cosme opened in Flatiron in November touting famous Mexico City chef Enrique Olvera's inventive small plates. While the duck carnitas ($59 to share) are perfectly prepared, we recommend skipping the steep prices and coveted reservations.
Opt for Rosie's in the East Village where Marc Meyer (of local favorites Hundred Acres and Cookshop) revealed a light, open-air space the first week of May. Guests dine beneath strung lights and around a comal where tortillas and corn "antojitos" (little cravings) are handmade. These small plates will run you $4 to $12 each for an affordable, filling and completely unique meal.
For a late-night fiesta, seek out Anejo Tribeca's new speakeasy-style cantina, Abajo, below the restaurant or Cantina Rooftop above the Hudson River in Hell's Kitchen (with a retractable roof, optional glass doors and A/C). Both debuted the week of Cinco de Mayo and offer craft cocktails paired with bar bites. Don't miss the fried guacamole or Family Meal at Abajo or tasting trios at Cantina Rooftop (guacamole, tacos, tostadas and even sauce of varying spice levels).
In the Meatpacking district, don't miss Major Food Group's new hot spot Santina just outside the Whitney (and designed by the same architect). The bright and festive eatery -- you can't miss the blue and orange umbrellas and neon sign -- showcases Italian seafood with airy patio seating below the High Line. Reservations are tricky, so we recommend going for a weekday lunch, but bring a group. While the fare is light, it's best enjoyed sharing three or four courses.
Food halls flood the city
For a larger group or varied fare, walk another block west to the new Gansevoort Market. Still fresh from its October 2014 debut, the warehouse space of local artisans and vendors is less crowded than nearby Chelsea Market and offers just about everything, including Tacombi tacos served out of a VW bus, American-themed macarons from Dana's Bakery, healthy juice from Feel Food NY, a sushi bar, barbecue, handmade crepes, yogurt, pastries and pizza, plus Italian, Mediterranean and Spanish spots.
Midtown's mini-version of a food hall sits just off Times Square in Row NYC. Opened in March, City Kitchen brings trademark tastes like Luke's Lobster, Dough, and Sigmund's Pretzels to one central location. Grab a taco from Gabriela's, Brussels sprouts from ilili Box or a custom shaved snow from Wooly's.
After Queens was named the country's top destination for 2015 by Lonely Planet for its cultural appeal and international cuisine, the borough debuted Queens International Night Market in April. Venture out to the New York Hall of Science on Saturdays for the festivities, featuring more than 100 food vendors, from 6 p.m. to midnight.
In Jersey City, local legend Dale Talde collaborates with David Massoni and John Bush at Carrino Provisions, a new take on the Italian marketplace.
Chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain has plans to open his own food hall by the end of the year. The highly-anticipated Bourdain Market will combine Singapore-style food stalls, a farmers market, an oyster bar, a beer garden and far more food in a Tokyo-inspired space not yet revealed.
B is for bars
Once off-limits Alphabet City is in the midst of a renaissance, and the last few months have brought back-to-back bar openings. In spring 2014, bibi wine bar brought competition to 4th Street (doors down from pricey In Vino) with daily tasting flights of three red, white or rose pours in a simple, rustic spot. Find a light menu, great cheese plate and friendly staff.
This March, Lois began pouring wines exclusively on tap -- paired with simple, seasonal small plates – on Avenue C (aka Loisaida Avenue) right next to ABC Beer Co., the neighborhood's best craft beer destination.
Pardon My French also opened in March on Avenue B with a sidebar serving house-infused liquors until 2 a.m., 4 a.m. on weekends, and a cozy patio outback. Locals love the bottomless brunch on weekends and everyone loves the space's renovation.
And don't miss Greg Boehm's latest watering hole, Mace Cocktail Bar, off Avenue C on 9th Street. What started as a holiday pop-up (Miracle on 9th Street) with a never-ending line was transformed into a travel-inspired destination incorporating spices from around the world (like mace, the namesake). The collaboration with Nico de Soto and Zach Sharaga entails a menu of cocktails each driven by a prominent spice, from cumin to cardamom. Leaf through the spice photos, origins and tasting notes to choose a unique nightcap against a spice jar-lined backdrop.
"We've been using the term the 'New New York' because it really feels that way," says Fred Dixon, CEO of NYC & Company, the official tourism board for the city. "It really is just an incredibly dynamic time for us."