Studio city
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
HELEN LEVI • potter • Helen Levi Ceramics
Neighborhood you live in: Ridgewood, Queens
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
My Studio Shop is open every Saturday, so Fridays are for sorting through and setting up the front of my studio to be a cute little shopping area. My neighborhood in Ridgewood has seen so many new shops and cafes open since 2020, it's wild to see the foot traffic of browsers on the weekends now.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
My absolute favorite local restaurant is Plein Air; it's just one of those places with a small menu but such attention to detail. I've never had a bad bite there. I also prefer a lighter cocktail, I'm not so big on hard liquor, and their spritz (also called the Plein Air) is my go-to.
How about a little leisure or culture?
My husband grew up in a diehard Dodgers family, and now that our son is on the cusp of childhood, and the baseball season is blossoming, we're planning to take him to his first ball game. I'm not a baseball person but I do love to sit and eat snacks so I'm excited. As a lifelong New Yorker though, you'll never hear me saying another name than Shea Stadium.
Any weekend getaways?
I recently went to Philadelphia to visit a friend and really questioned why I don't go there more often. So ridiculously easy to get there on Amtrak, such good restaurants, and such sticker shock (in a good way) coming from NYC. We had a memorable meal at Royal Izakaya and stayed at the super cute and thoughtful Hotel Yowie.
What was your last great vacation?
Ever since having a kid, my idea of a “great vacation” has totally shifted. In the olden times, my last great trips were traipsing around Porto, Portugal and taking the train to Lisbon, or eating all the street food in Guadalajara. Now, I humbly admit I've become a Florida person: Someone told me once “the beach is a babysitter” and I've never looked back. In February we went with another family to West Palm Beach and rented an Airbnb, and it was just the right speed.