Artechouse
It’s time again for a New York City splurge, and we start our day at Artechouse on West 15th, an immersive art exhibition space that features digital artworks, essentially color-in-motion plus sound displayed on walls, ceilings, and floors. Note to psychedelics users: there’s no need for medicinal help at Artechouse. The shows do the trick.
Mast Books
Then it’s across town to Mast Books, which specializes in photography but also has a wall of older used books, many of them first editions. We try to support local bookstores wherever we go, and Mast Books, though small, is fun to browse.
Apotheke Nomad
The original Apotheke on Doyers Street in Chinatown doesn’t open until 6:00pm, too late for our schedule, and so we visit instead at Apotheke Nomad on West 26th, their expansive bar with a beautifully lit downstairs space and an airier bar upstairs with outdoor seating. You know this place is cool because there isn’t any sign at the entrance. The drinks are complex, matched only by the surroundings, and we vow to visit the Doyers Street location soon.
Libertine
Then on to dinner at this West Village restaurant that opened this spring to great fanfare as an authentic neighborhood French bistro. Libertine restricts its menu to a small number of French classics, all made to perfection. The oeufs mayo is highly recommended by food blogs, but we choose instead saucisse purée (fantastic) and monkfish (also very good). We’re fans of neighborhood restaurants with limited menus, and Libertine checks all the boxes
