There's an electricity to the city in the fall, the pace picks up, the energy shifts, and it feels like New York is waking back up after summer. I absolutely love this time of year. A more comprehensive Fall guide is coming soon, but for now, here's a preview of what's catching my eye for the next few weeks and what I can't wait for this season.
One of my favorite things to do in the city every fall is walk through the Kips Bay Decorator Show House. This beloved design tradition transforms a Manhattan residence into a showcase of rooms by some of the industry's top designers. This year, it's a stunning Greenwich Village townhouse at 80 Washington Place, running September 16 through October 13. I always come away with a dozen new ideas for our own home!
The US Open is running later than usual this year, with the Women’s Final on Saturday, September 12, and the Men’s Final on Sunday, September 13. If you can’t catch it live, Fasano Bar will be hosting daily watch parties throughout the tournament.
New openings I'm excited about:
El Califa de León: Mexico's Michelin-starred taco stand opens September 8 on 23rd Street. It looks delicious.
Neko Health has landed in SoHo with its high-tech, radiation-free body scan.
London's beloved Bread Ahead just opened its very first U.S. bakery on Second Avenue and 82nd, full of sourdough loaves, indulgent doughnuts, and baking classes.
Mimi's frozen yogurt makes its uptown debut at Lexington and 72nd on September 10.
goop kitchen now has a proper walk-in storefront on East 92nd.
I loved this New York Times roundup of where to eat in NYC right now, and it's already shaping my list for the fall. My top picks: Lungi on the UES, Phê on the LES, and The Eighty Six, which I still haven't managed to get to yet. And here’s another great list from goop, that solidifies some top spots.
I know, I know, it feels crazy to be thinking about the holidays before Labor Day, but tickets for the big shows are already on sale, and the good seats go fast. The Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular returns to Radio City, and it’s always a must for us. NYCB’s George Balanchine’s Nutcracker opens at the David H. Koch Theater November 27. And for something a little different, the NY Phil is screening Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with the score performed live, December 17–20. All three are worth grabbing early if you want your pick of dates and seats.
For this week and LDW, don’t forget about the Met Summer HD Festival (starting tomorrow!). It’s the Met’s annual outdoor opera festival, six nights of free screenings projected onto a huge screen outside the opera house. And the West Side County Fair returns to Riverside Park, which looks like a classic end-of-summer fair with live music, carnival games, sideshow performers, and food vendors.
A couple of shows worth catching before summer wraps up: at Dia Bridgehampton, Alan Ruiz: De sol a sol is a quietly striking meditation on light and labor, worth twenty quiet minutes. And out in Montauk, The Ranch's "LA Monumental" brings three massive outdoor sculptures, including a striking piece made from twelve decommissioned shipping containers, sprawled across the private horse farm's grounds, on view through November 15.
Last summer we took a family day trip to Greenport and had an absolute blast that I’m hoping to recreate again this year before summer ends. We rode the ferry through Shelter Island to the North Fork (a highlight for the kids) then visited the Greenport Express Miniature Railroad, the carousel, and topped it off with an ice cream. My highlight: shopping at Beall & Bell, one of my favorite antique stores. For lunch this time, we’ll try Anker or Eddie’s at Silver Sands.
80th Annual Shinnecock Powwow: Drum and dance contests, native arts and crafts, and food from vendors across Indian Country, plus a sunset fire lighting each evening. A beautiful way to spend part of the weekend.
Reflecting on the summer, here are the things that were our greatest hits:
Pick Up Sticks: A big throwback! I picked these up on a whim at a toy store, and they’ve somehow become our favorite game of the summer. What started as something for the kids quickly turned into a family game, and has gotten surprisingly competitive (and very funny).
Dory Fantasmagory: A new bedtime favorite. I’ve been reading the series to my kids, and we’re all loving it! The stories are hilarious, silly and clever, and my kids have declared them their favorite books.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: I’ve torn through this series this summer, and listening to it on audio has been such a delight. It’s lighthearted, charming, and full of the kind of wit and romance that makes it a must for any Jane Austen fan.
This corn pasta is a summer stand-out for dinnertime (a great one for dinner parties), along with this delightful summer pasta from Meredith Hayden, which is a new favorite in our house this year.
Speaking of tomatoes, I have been so into making pan con tomate, which is about as simple as cooking gets and incredible with a baguette from Armin & Judy, one of my favorite bakeries.
East End Explorer Camp: My kids did a week of this camp this summer and are already asking to sign up again next year. It’s a week of kayaking, boating, fishing, crabbing, clamming and exploring the local waterways, with kids learning about the marine life and habitats native to Long Island. Such a fun one and be sure to bookmark it for next summer.
And looking ahead into Fall, some purchases…
My favorite articles of clothing that transition perfectly into the fall: the best white t-shirt, with these incredible pants (love them in pistachio) or these in excellent colors.
New season, continuing good habits. Here is what I’m trying to incorporate daily: flossing, vitamins (I love this easy pack that has everything you need), a daily probiotic, keeping up with sunscreen, and this hair treatment, which promises to reduce hair aging, which I’m intrigued by.
Thank you to everyone for sharing my back-to-school newsletter from a few weeks back, it's clearly still hitting home for those gearing up for the new school year!