Showpiece living
Upper East Side townhouses, Belden House and Mews, Thai Baan at Tenmile Distillery, best North Fork & Shelter Island hotels, Pascual D.C., Motel Morris, Sushi Kaito
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale townhouses in Lenox Hill that came to market in the last 10 days.
→ 243 E 61st St (Lenox Hill) • 6BR/4.2BA, 5000 SF townhouse • Ask: $6.999M • includes ‘NYC’s 10th residential elevator’ • Days on market: 10 • Monthly tax: $6543 • Agent: Adam Schneider, Corcoran.
→ 132 E 62nd St (Lenox Hill) • 5BR/6.1BA, 5129 SF townhouse • Ask: $13.5M • 6 woodburning fireplaces and illustrious history • Days on market: 2 • Monthly tax: $8214 • Agents: James Weiss & Andrew Schwartz, Corcoran.
→ 123 E 73rd St (Lenox Hill, above) • 7BR/8.3BA, 11,100 SF townhouse • Ask: $28.5M • 25’ x 102’ and fully loaded • Days on market: 4 • Monthly tax: $15,113 • Agents: Epo I Manning & Florence Danforth-Meyer, Sotheby’s.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: NYC real estate market impervious to tariffs thus far • Another reprieve for Nolita’s Elizabeth Street Garden? • RAMSA’s 36-story 255 East 77th tops out on Upper East Side • The puzzle-piece new development on the Greenpoint waterfront driving some tenants batty.
GETAWAYS • Upstate Intel
WHAT’S OLD IS NEW: Reporting in from an early preview of Belden House and Mews, a new hotel in the center of Litchfield, CT, from design-savvy folks behind Troutbeck across the border. A meticulously restored 1888 mansion makes up the front half of the property (10 guest rooms, restaurant, bar, library) while “The Mews,” a mid-century modern structure from 1959, includes 21 more guest rooms, several with private patios, as well as a bathhouse featuring a 225-gallon Japanese, ofuro-style tub. Decor is sourced from local artisans and purveyors like Dumais Made and White Flower Farm, and the rooms are all unique (consider the three-bedroom penthouse, where room service arrives from the kitchen via dumbwaiter).
Expect an elevated, locavore dining program from Tyler Heckman (Hotel Chelsea, El Quijote) and, just in time for summer, a pool and lawn club. Later this year, Belden will introduce a private members’ program (like Troutbeck’s) along with a third structure, The Firehouse, with more social and event space and additional F&B. Until then, the only way to guarantee a poolside lounger or seat at the jewel-box bar is by staying in-house. And since there’s nothing else like Belden in the area, expect weekend rooms to go fast. –Jason Klein
→ Belden House and Mews (Litchfield, CT) • 31 North St • from $575/wknd night • Book (N.B. no children under 12).
THAI FOR MILES: The latest restaurant in residence at Upstate’s Tenmile Distillery, Thai Baan, is filling a massive culinary gap (and the shoes of beloved Westerly Canteen), slinging spot-on renditions of pad krapow moo, green curry, and, if you’re lucky, a special of pineapple fried rice served right out of a pineapple. Even crowd-pleasers like spring rolls and chicken lettuce wraps stand out. Midweek, it’s still a locals’ secret, though high season on the patio will arrive in short order. Catch sunset in the orchard and pair your Thai feast with a cold local Mill House brew or a cocktail shaken with Tenmile’s homegrown spirits. –Jason Klein
→ Thai Baan at Tenmile Distillery (Wassiac, NY) • 78 Sinpatch Rd • Thu-Sun 5p-930p • Reserve.
GETAWAYS LINKS: In Hudson Valley, One&Only plans ultraluxe resort for 2028 debut • At JFK, Hawaiian Airlines moves from T4 to T8, joining Alaska Airlines • Why water is the hottest amenity at luxe hotels • Inside the country’s saddest airport lounge.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
Across the pond
IAN COOGAN • culinary director • Motel Morris
Neighborhood you work in: Chelsea
Neighborhood you live in: Upper West Side
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
As we roll into a busy dinner service, my focus is on ensuring the kitchen is ready and everything is organized for weekend brunch. In addition to placing orders, I check in with my teams and their prep lists to avoid any surprises. Aside from that, I look at the weather for the coming days to start outlining my own weekend plans!
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
There’s a decent chance I’ll start my day eating dim sum — Tim Ho Wan and Dim Sum GoGo are my go-tos. I enjoy walking around the city on my days off, and at some point, I’ll need a little snack to keep me going. I’m a big fan of the steak tartare at Dickson’s Farmstand in Chelsea Market. At $10, it’s one of the most undervalued bites in the city, especially considering the quality of the butcher that produces it. Another favorite of mine is La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. They offer delicious food and a massive wine list, with great options ranging from $50 per bottle to the thousands. If I’m staying in my neighborhood, there’s a solid chance I’ll have sushi for dinner, and the omakase at Sushi Kaito on 72nd Street is delicious and very reasonably priced.
Any weekend getaways?
I have friends with a house in Quogue I occasionally visit. The town has a great family-owned butcher and fantastic fresh Long Island seafood for purchase. Even if it’s too cold to swim, I’ll take a beautiful walk along the water.
What was your last great vacation?
I went to London several months ago for a friend’s wedding. I lived there for a few years, so it’s always nice to return and visit some of my regular haunts, as well as see what’s new. Sabor on Regent Street is one of my favorites, so I always try to make a visit. I also managed to leave the city and spend some time down in Cornwall, which is a beautiful retreat and home to some amazing restaurants and seafood.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
Most of my recent big-ticket purchases have been artwork, two of which were from artists I encountered at street fairs (Art by Haise & Gonzalo Pita). I’m now assessing where in my home they should be displayed.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I’m a huge believer in the benefits of a good massage. In a pinch, I’ll go to Shun Fa on W. 8th Street or Renew Day Spa down on Bowery. However, I recently tried Nicolette Emerson on W 28th for the first time, and she was fantastic. Definitely not for a first-timer, as she really gets into the knots, but she’s extremely talented.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Hotels, North Fork & Shelter Island
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of NYC’s best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundny.com.
The Chequit (Shelter Island, above), remodeled old-school boutique w/ in-house tavern, walkable from North Ferry, from $489
The Pridwin Hotel (Shelter Island, above), revamped classic w/ family-friendly cottages, tennis & pickle courts, pool, weekly BBQs, from $1045
Hotel Moraine (Greenport), recently refreshed, overlooking the Sound, private beach set-up, from $850
Silver Sands Motel (Greenport), updated rooms and bungalows, retro vibe, oysters by the sea, from $489
The Harbor Front Inn (Greenport), updated in-town option from folks behind Sound View (see below), featuring pool and pet-friendly rooms, from $639
Sound View (Greenport), seaside minimalism w/ private beach, seaside dining, $719
North Fork Table & Inn (Southold), 4 boutique rooms above restaurant by chef John Fraser, inquire for pricing & availability
The Shoals (Southold), 20 suites w/ kitchenettes + 20 boat slips, from $695
Vine + Sand (Southold), 4-room farmhouse B&B amongst wineries w/ pool and bikes, across from Sparkling Pointe, from $558
Prices per night for king bed, summer weekend.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Bad Boys
Hurricanes v Devils • Prudential Center (Newark) • Fri @ 8p • section 8, $307 per
Pistons v Knicks • Madison Square Garden (Midtown South) • Tues @ 730p • section 107, $860 per
John Oliver & Seth Meyers • Beacon Theatre (New York) • Sat @ 730p • orchestra 2, $182 per
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: ‘Spectacular’ $160M Davis Center opens tomorrow at the top of Central Park • After 40 years in Tribeca, Soho Photo Gallery moves to Chelsea • Ai Weiwei installation coming to Roosevelt Island in Sept • Low-stress guide to NYC’s spring art fairs.
GETAWAYS • Washington, DC
Taco district
On a low-key corner of a charming historic neighborhood in D.C.’s Capitol Hill, Pascual makes an understated first impression. The year-old Mexican restaurant is from owners with backgrounds at Oxomoco in Brooklyn and training from Enrique Olvera in Mexico City and New York.
The inviting, white-washed space balances sleekness mixed with traditional Oaxacan touches. Rows of beautifully designed, carefully selected mezcal bottles line the wall behind the bar. The Al Pastor Margarita with espadin mezcal, lime, piña, morita, and chipotle chile was the perfect amount of spice without too much sweetness.
The ever-changing menu is of considerable size, offering plenty of ways for chefs to experiment with in-season ingredients in imaginative, offbeat dishes. Pascual takes the staple guacamole starter and turns it into a dish of salsa macha, verde, and habanero, surrounded by smoked papaya, shishito escabeche, pickled radish, and candied piña. Pair that with a taco al pastor or the thick, sashimi-style steelhead trout dressed in brown butter and dotted with aioli, sliced radish, and trout roe to start, and end with the grilled dorado atop a pile of warm tortillas.
When weather allows, the simple, sophisticated front patio feels like a true extension of the interior. I’m looking forward to enjoying a margarita under its string lights this spring. –Kate Riesenberg
→ Pascual (Washington, DC) • 732 Maryland Ave • Mon, Thu & Sun 5-9p, Fri-Sat 5-930p.
LOST & FOUND • Behind the Paywall
→ A handful of favorite NYC restaurants from new subscribers: Via Carota (West Village) • Il Cantinori (Greenwich Village) • Potluck Club (Lower East Side) • Up Thai (Upper West Side) • No. 7 (Prospect Heights).