Floating Stairs

If you have fear of height like I do, this will not be a comfortable climb down the stairs for you. The stairwell constructed with glass (or plastic) gives the feeling that one is floating on air. This staircase was installed just inside the entrance to the Apple Store on 14th Street and 9th Avenue (otherwise known as the Meatpacking District).

Walking up the stairs was surprising not as terrifying as walking down. And ladies who wear mini skirts might want to take the elevator around the corner from the stairs.

So are you an Apple or an IBM person?

The Art of Elysium Benefit

A friend of mine invited me to a party to benefit The Art of Elysium, a non-profit organization that provides workshops in arts, music and design for children who are battling serious illnesses. The party, hosted at Milk Studio in the Meatpacking District, a trendy neighborhood north of Greenwich Village, was fun and exciting. I saw some beautiful art, like the silk screen of David Bowie in the photo above, ate some good food and met some new friends.

So when was the last time you went to a nice party?

5 Ninth Restaurant

I was on my way to meet a friend for brunch at the Meatpacking District (ie. Ninth Avenue below 14th Street) in Lower Manhattan on Monday afternoon when I walked passed this beautiful looking restaurant called, 5 Ninth. We didn't eat here because we were meeting up at a restaurant a block away. But you can check out the menu by clicking on the link above.

So what is the name of your favorite restaurant?

New Apple Store in Chelsea

This photo was taken at the new and third Apple Store in New York City. Located in Chelsea, on 14th Street and 10th Avenue just north of the Meatpacking District, the store is one of the many new arrivals in this recently gentrified neighborhood. The staircase structure is made of plexiglass (I think) giving it that floating imagary as shoppers navigate from the one floor to another.

So what are you doing this weekend?

Brass Monkey

The Brass Monkey is an Irish bar in the Meat Packing District located on the lower west side of Manhattan. As the name suggests, this used to be a blue collar neighborhood where freshly slaughtered meats were processed in warehouses and delivered to supermarkets across the city during the day. At night, transvestite prostitues took over the area to ply their trade in dark alleys and seedy motels.

Gentrification took over about five years ago and turned this neighborhood into a hot spot for hipsters, yuppies and tourists alike. Today it is packed with restaurants, designer fashion outlets and night clubs. There is even a boutique hotel called, Hotel Gansevoort and a private club (like a country club but in the city) called, Soho House.