Picture perfect
NA KIM • The Paris Review and Farrar, Straus and Giroux
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
NA KIM • artist and creative director • The Paris Review and Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Neighborhood you work: Clinton Hill
Neighborhood you live in: Fort Greene
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
Friday afternoons are dedicated to my painting practice. Usually around 6p I’ll wrap up at the studio, walk my dog, and head home to sort myself out. I’m a bit shy, so it’s unlikely that you’ll find me at a big party. Instead, I’ll usually choose a place to have dinner with a close friend or two. This Friday, I was craving Korean, so my friend Matt and I went to Insa in Gowanus and shared Korean BBQ, fried chicken wings, and non-alcoholic beers.
Any restaurant plans?
I don’t frequent bars, but I’m a big advocate of sitting at the bar of a restaurant. At least once a week (sometimes twice!), I dine alone at my favorite neighborhood restaurant, Roman’s. Most often, I go on Sunday evenings and order one gin/vodka martini with a twist, a glass of white wine, a half portion of their “lettuces,” a single arancini, and a half order of pasta (or the bavette if I’m feeling gluttonous). If a friend joins, we’ll also get the chocolate sorbetto.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I have a pretty hectic weekday work schedule between the Paris Review and FSG, so Saturdays are the days I reserve to catch up on all the shows around town. Otherwise, it’s a dedicated studio day. Most recently, I spent my Sunday visiting The Met to see the Caspar David Friedrich exhibit.
Any weekend getaways?
A couple of friends and I just spent three nights at Rockhouse in Jamaica. The hotel is sequestered away on the cliffs of Negril, and located close to their sister hotel The Skylark, which you stop by if you prefer a sandy beach. If you have time, and you’re a morning person, I highly recommend popping by Barney’s Botanical Garden (around 10 minutes from the hotel), where you can feed hummingbirds by hand. Pretty magical.
What was your last great vacation?
Last fall, for my birthday, I took myself to Paris and had the time of my life. It's the perfect city to visit alone. I had nothing scheduled aside from a couple of sessions at my favorite spa, Maison Suisen, and for the rest of the time just walked around, saw art, and did whatever I wanted. For one week, I stayed at an apartment tucked away behind (the gallery) Perrotin. The 3rd arrondissement might feel a bit touristy, but I like its proximity to the Seine and the easy access to the galleries of Paris.
My Paris shopping favorites:
Charvin Arts has a great selection of paint — I usually buy a dozen tubes to bring back home.
I love stopping by Charvet to pick up a shirt (this time I got two shirts and a silk scarf). If you can, schedule a visit ahead of time to get a shirt custom tailored.
Officine Universelle Buly is a good shop to pick up small gifts. They have great soaps and fragrances, but I personally love their toothbrushes and combs, which you can also get monogrammed.
On Saturdays, I like to visit the Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen. I try to arrive early, and generally spend two hours there. It’s a great place to source vintage linens, French workwear, silverware, you name it.