Weekends in Chelsea
From Yayoi Kusama at David Zwirner to a bookstore specializing in out-of-print art and photography tomes, explore the neighborhood with this curated guide.
MoMA and the Whitney have nothing on Chelsea’s David Zwirner Gallery this spring. One of the West Chelsea gallery district’s standouts—and there are hundreds tucked away here, all free—it’s home to Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s brand new I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers exhibition: one of her largest gallery shows to date, it includes giant Little Shop of Horrors-esque flower sculptures, paintings, a warped pumpkin maze, and sizeable infinity room through July 21st.
Once a residential LGBTQ neighborhood and warehouse wasteland, Chelsea currently entails a vibrant arts, shopping, eating, and drinking destination for tourists and locals alike thanks in part to the architecturally stunning, photo-op-filled Highline Park, those galleries galore, and iconic Chelsea Market (plus designer architect residences along the Highline, like Zaha Hadid’s 520 W. 28th and Heatherwick Studio’s Lantern House at 515 18th St., which are prime for peeping!).
For a jam-packed day (or heck, weekend!) in Chelsea, here’s a curated Grandlife itinerary.
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Intelligentsia Coffee
Get things started with a caffeine fix at the NYC flagship of Chicago’s beloved craft coffee chain in this brick-walled, rustic-chic lodge-inspired cafe. Besides hot and cold beverages, and Intelligentsia beans for takeaway, enjoy a Balthazar pastry either indoors on a couch or outside on their patio, while laptop users will appreciate the free speedy wi-fi. Alas, the latter won’t be found at the nearby, Philly-born La Colombe Coffee on 27th and 11th Ave, although its frothy, on tap oat or milk lattes are smoother than silk perfection.
180 10th Avenue.
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Gagosian
Boasting galleries in Hong Kong, London, Athens, Rome, Los Angeles, and other global cities, Gagosian represents major art names like Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Nan Goldin, and Picasso. There are a handful of Gagosian spaces and their respective exhibitions around Chelsea as well. Current highlights include a Richard Avedon retrospective, Avedon 100, through June 24th at the W. 21st. Street gallery, while the uptown inclined may want to check out Gagosian’s Madison Avenue and 76th address for its shows and superb store.
555 West 24th St.
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Printed Matter
From eclectic self-published and international art zines, books, and items to an impressive selection of hard to find photography, art, and literature tomes, the nonprofit two-floor Printed Matter can easily take up hours of prime browsing time. Founded in 1976, Printed Matter also presents Fall’s annual NY Art Book Fair at MoMA PS 1, and hosts a robust series of exhibitions, signings/presentations, and events.
231 11th Avenue
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Harpers Books
Located just a few blocks from Printed Matter, this bookstore—whose sister galleries are found along 22nd street, in East Hampton and Los Angeles—specializes in out-of-print, signed and limited edition art and photography tomes, literature, and art zines by both well-known establishment and subversive names including Warhol, Boris Mihailov, Kaws, and Gillian Wearing, while the walls bear exhibitions of posters and prints. An absorbing browse and potential credit card tap!
504 W. 22nd St. Tel: (917) 388-3300
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Academy Records & CDs
Physical media is an endangered animal, but this 45+ year old storefront, founded in 1977 as Academy Book Store, is a heavenly holdout for second hand CDs, DVDs/Blu-rays, and vinyl. A wide range of genres and prices await, from super bargains to collectors items (to get a sense in advance, check its online ebay and Amazon stores via the website). Long live physical media!
12 W. 18th St. Tel: (212) 242-3000
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Furnish Green
If vintage furniture and home decor are your jam, this NYC showroom is a must, with a rotating stock on display that includes 15-35 new items daily (with plenty more viewable on its website and Instagram account, @furnishgreen). From Mid Century lounge chairs and entire sets to framed posters, signage, periodicals, records, and endless tchotchkes, it’s a delightful dive into retro.
132 1/2 W. 24th St. Tel: (917) 583-9051
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Olly Olly Urban Market
Chelsea Market lit the fuse for an urban market boom that continues to proliferate across all boroughs today, and this 2022 opening garnered plenty of buzz from the get-go thanks to tenant Forsyth Fire Escape’s signature scallion pancake burrito, a toothsome fusion delight containing slow roasted peril (pork), fried queso blanco, guac, and lemongrass chili crisp oil (it was actually first sold from a fire escape via a lowered bucket during the COVID pandemic). But don’t ignore Olly Olly’s other vendors, many from prestigious chefs and restaurants, including Blue Boy Coffee & Goods from chef Michael Davis (formerly of Tribeca’s Bouley), nouveau Korean DDOBAR by the Michelin-starred Joomak Banjum, Noah Sandoval’s sicilian style Pizza Friendly Pizza, and two distinct cocktail bar concepts, Bar Avant and Apres Bar, from James Beard Winner Julia Momose.
601 W. 26th St.
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Westville Chelsea
Wildly successful with seven locations spread around Manhattan and Brooklyn, this born-in-the-West-Village chain serves up healthy yet ridiculously tasty sandwiches, salads, soups, burgers and entrees, including vegetarian options and even some decadent American diner delights – truffle parmesan fries or smoked gouda, cheddar and bacon mac and cheese anyone? – plus legit pies, cakes, and fresh baked cookies.
88 7th Avenue
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Jack’s Wife Freda
Billing itself as an “all day cafe” specializing in American-Mediterranean cuisine inspired by its Israel-meets-South-Africa immigrant founders’ childhood favorites, the menu of this born-in-Soho gem is unpretentious, comforting, and inventive. To wit, a rosewater waffle topped with lebanese yogurt and berries, peri peri marinated chicken kebab, matzo ball soup, grilled halloumi cheese, and an original riff on the Croque Madame, the Madame Freda, with duck prosciutto, gruyere, cheddar bechamel, and a runny sunny side up egg.
116 8th Avenue
WORDS Lawrence Ferber
IMAGERY Yayoi Kusama, 2020 Photo: Yusuke Miyazaki © YAYOI KUSAMA. Courtesy the artist, David Zwirner, Ota Fine Arts, and Victoria Miro
