Tribeca house hunting, Upstate dining, Grand Central bars, more

An approach to summer living in the city

Jun 16, 2023

∙ Paid

REAL ESTATE • On the Market

TriBeCa TownHouSes

They were, the NYT reported with uncharacteristic imprecision, “perhaps the first new single-family dwellings built in TriBeCa in more than a century.” The three townhouses — at 148, 150, and 152 Reade St., mid-block between Greenwich and Hudson — were the work of John Petarca, a noted Tribeca architect whose gift was to bring elements of old building design to new construction. As it happens, two of the three are currently for sale.

On the market since last July, 150 Reade is listed by Corcoran at $14.995 million. Next door, 152 Reade recently re-listed with Serhant after a long go of it with another broker. Asking price: $17.5 million. Both are massive, 25-foot-wide spaces. The disparity in listing price may stem from 152’s (very Tribeca) gut-renovation of a four-year-old building in 2005, which included the installation of a wine cellar in the basement (on a block famous for its catacombs), and a requisite hot tub on the roof. Or maybe it’s just Serhant going for it.

When properties sit on the market, the most common explanation is that they’re priced too high. But sister property 148 Reade last traded in this range — for $15.9 million in 2015. And, as the adage goes, you only need one buyer to make a deal. Game on.

→ 152 Reade St. (Tribeca) 5BR/5+BA townhouse, 8040 SF. Asking price: $17.5M. Monthly taxes: $8334. Days on market: 7 (after previous stints). Listing broker: SERHANT.

→ 150 Reade St. (Tribeca) 6BR/6.5BA townhouse, 7500 SF. Asking price: $14.995M. Monthly taxes: $8555. Days on market: 347. Listing broker: Corcoran.

NYC REAL ESTATE LINKS: Why the Gucci penthouse has been on the market for eight years (spoiler: price) • New interior renderings revealed of The Keller at 150 Barrow St. in West Village • Cladding reaches Monogram New York’s crown in Midtown East • Brooklyn Tower’s dark, foreboding exterior nears completion in downtown Brooklyn.

GETAWAYS • The Nines

Restaurants, Upstate

Brushland Eating House (Bovina), James Beard nom'd farm-to-table destination dining — peak Catskills
The Arnold House (Livingston Manor), Midwest tavern vibes, if you wish
Good Night (Woodstock), Sharp Southeast Asian in big, design-centric space
Chleo (Kingston), Natural wine bar and bites via Stone Barns alums
The Aviary (Kinderhook), Ruth Reichl instafavorite
Feast & Floret (Hudson), Italian-inspired from Fish & Game team
Kitty's (Hudson), Beloved all-day cafe, adjoining market, and wine shop
Gaskins (Germantown), Bustling oasis of a bar, grown-up dining room
Stissing House (Pine Plains, above), 241-year-old space revamped and run by King chef Clare de Boer

See also Nines: Summer weekend, North. Additions or subtractions? Reply to this email or to found@foundny.com.

GETAWAYS • Friday Routine

Portuguese beach vibes in the Hudson Valley

ANN MARIE GARDNER, Founder, Habitable
Neighborhood you live in: Germantown, NY (Hudson Valley)

It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
After hitting send on Habitable’s newsletter, I’m out the door for a drink at Tivoli General. By day it’s a (perfectly curated) general store/coffee and sandwich shop run by new owners, Andrea Shilling and Cam Price. On Friday and Saturday night, the shop turns into a party — locals gather at 5 for oysters and sparkling wine and by 6 it’s standing room only.

Behind the tiny counter, chef Ryan Voell turns out the craziest, most delicious small plates. The vibe feels more beachside cafe in Portugal than upstate; there’s so much magic in the extraordinary food and atmosphere. I’m already regretting writing about it.

Any restaurant plans?
We’re lucky to have so much good, locally sourced food up here. When I’m not at Tivoli General, you can find me at Casa Susanna for a margarita and the mackerel with caramelized fennel. On Mondays, I ride my bike to my local, Gaskins, which put Germantown on the map.

How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ve spent the last three Sunday afternoons watching outdoor ballet at Kaatsbaan, an international dance center in a 153-acre park in Tivoli. Next Sunday, there will be a full day of performances to celebrate Mikhail Baryshnikov's 75th birthday.

What was your last great vacation?
A road trip from Zurich to the Dolomites and back via St. Moritz. It was full of staggering scenery, epic mountain hikes, and delicious Alto Adige wines. I loved Schloss Rundegg in Merano, Hotel Briol in Barbiano, and Kronenhalle Bar in Zurich.

GETAWAYS LINKS: NYC is getting a Nobu Hotel • Soho House is coming to Charleston • There’s a new maitre’d at Tower Bar in LA • Two years in, JetBlue Mint showing serious wear and tear • What Ian Schrager is planning next: Public Hotel expansion in LA, Bklyn, Catskills • An epic meal at Table in Paris.

RESTAURANTS & BARS • Commuter Cocktails

Toward a more civilized Grand Central bar scene

For years, the best place to get a pre-commute drink around Grand Central terminal was Campbell’s Apartment, now just The Campbell, the robber baron's office-turned-speakeasy (turned-Gerber Group bar). It’s still a beautiful venue if you can push your way through the after-work melee. Outside, the Campbell Palm Court satellite bar is more forgiving, but there are less crowded options nearby:

→ Bergamo’s, 26 Vanderbilt Ave. (above): One hour wait for a table at The Campbell? Lead your co-worker crew across the street and up the stairs to this smartly appointed bar for a top-shelf Manhattan and cacio e pepe dip with Sardinian bread.

The Ticket: The bar is bros pitching bros, but the back booths and two-tops lining darkened corridors provide space for a more intimate tête-à-tête.

→ Cornelius, Grand Central Terminal Vanderbilt Hall: The restaurant, part of City Winery’s Grand Central invasion, may still be trying to find its legs, but the earnest bar staff will welcome you for civilized nightcaps and oysters Vanderbilt. (N.B. cooked bivalves only, Grand Central Oyster Bar has an exclusive on raw oysters in the terminal building.)

The Ticket: The wine list is 100% City Winery house wines. Francophiles can opt for well-executed classic cocktails.

→ Le Pavillon, One Vanderbilt Ave.: Craving bar snacks by Daniel Boulud, but don’t have a Black Amex in your wallet to gain access to Centurion New York? The 2nd floor bar at Pavillon is no reservations, first-come-first-served, with a Chrysler Building view to boot.

The Ticket: Be discreet and keep cool. This may be 2023’s best quiet drink spot in Midtown.

→ Beer Table, Grand Central Terminal Graybar Passage: This to-go window has an excellent selection of rotating craft brews and a knowledgable staff. Perhaps something from Maine’s Oxbow Brewing and a bag of Zapp’s for your ride to Larchmont?

The Ticket: Unless you have a bottle opener in your EDC, have the cashier pop the top on glass bottles before boarding. (As on the streets of Berlin, it’s legal to open carry alcohol on Metro North and LIRR platforms and train cars.) –William Tigertt

CULTURE & LEISURE • One More Song

Farewell tours

Buddy Guy's Damn Right Farewell Tour, SummerStage (Central Park), Sun @ 6p, Bleachers, $175 per
Dead & Company – The Final Tour, Citi Field (Queens), Wed @ 730p, Floor, $242 per
B52s, Stony Pony Summer Stage (Asbury Park), Sat @ 6p, GA, $86 per

LINING UP: NYC’s professional line sitters recently had a moment in the sun, but can be booked for all line standing needs like sample sales or dinner at Via Carota. FOUND’s top two options:

Oldschool: Same Ole Line Dudes, $50 minimum for two hours of waiting (Shakespeare In The Park deal, $125 for two tickets). Call or text 347-744-WAIT to book.
Newschool: SaF app for iOS and Android, $20 minimum for 30 minutes of waiting, search for venues and book on app. (N.B. two SaF apps in the app stores, avoid “For Concierges” unless you desire to get paid for line sitting.)

CULTURE LINKS: American Ballet Theater chief resigns week before summer season • Union Square movie theater gets new lease on life • Massive new Louis Armstrong Center opening in July • Six art-filled ways to celebrate Juneteenth in New York City • Louis Vuitton selling iconic trunk as $39k NFT.

LOST & FOUND • Behind the Paywall

Dispatches from the frontline, from FOUND subscribers for FOUND subscribers:

“Would add to the Brooklyn Wines Stores Nines:

Natural Wine Co. (Williamsburg), global/encyclopedic natural wine destination
Leon & Son (Clinton Hill), friendly Clinton Hill shop well-balanced between everyday and highly allocated offerings

“And to the Manhattan Nines:

Verve (Tribeca), master-somm-curated
Despaña Vinos y Mas (Soho), deep Spanish focus”

A handful of favorite restaurants from this week’s new subscribers: Noda (Flatiron) • Lodi (Rockefeller Center) • Lore (South Slope) • Freemans (Lower East Side) • Jongro (Koreatown, “‘Your favorite restaurant right now’ feels like a trick question, but you know what, it is NOT trendy, there's no hot photogenic tattooed chef, but JONGRO never lets me down ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .” Ed note: Not a trick question.).

BONUS: Time for a refresh at Marea (Midtown West). Sunday’s dinner service will be the last until September.