OCCUPATION: Jewelry designer
MY STYLE: I live in old rock tees, leather pants, and eight-inch boots!
I LOVE NEW YORK BECAUSE: The constant movement and activity. As a family, we are able to wake up and make anything of our day. Everything is so close, and the people and food are the best! I will always be a California girl but my heart is here now.
Bar Pitti
Like Da Silvano next door, Bar Pitti is a West Village favorite for some veal meatballs or a bowl of tagliatelle. Plenty of other delectable options can be found on the chalkboard, which goes nicely with the mirrored wall and casual elegance of the place. There are also simple wooden tables, which fill and turn quickly. “The staff is great with kids, and we believe it’s the best Italian food in the city,” she says.
SoulCycle
The music blasts, the sweat flows, and the instructors dole out some inspirational musings by candlelight that regulars swear acts like therapy. It’s a spin class to be sure, but one with core-building exercises that make it a full-body workout. Sometimes the studios host special theme rides, some of the latest of which have been Glee!, Old Sckool [sic], Robyn, and Broadway Musical. Shoe rental free for first-timers!
Pier 25
Those running along the Tribeca stretch of the Hudson River Park will have an easy time convincing themselves to catch their breath on one of Pier 25’s lounge chairs overlooking the water. Or they could keep their heart rates up by shooting hoops, skating, or playing a few rounds of mini golf. The park, which opened in 2010, boasts a 13,000 square foot course, complete with streams, sand traps, and footbridges. Needless to say, kids love it! There’s also a playground, where older children tackle the climbing wall while the little ones get pushed in the modern style swings. With options like these, it may just be the best park south of 14th Street (and west of Elizabeth Street)!
Trico Field
Trico Field’s concept—to provide stylish, comfortable, and high-quality clothing that emphasizes children’s playful spirit—may be simple, but the looks inside are anything but. We love the eccentric pieces on sale this season, from a knitwear cross-body bag to an awning-striped blazer, to intentionally mismatched sneakers.
The Greenwich Hotel
New York Times food critic Frank Bruni was rather harsh on Ago, the last restaurant at Robert DeNiro’s Greenwich Hotel, but then it reopened as the much-loved and ever-busy Locanda Verde. After your lamb meatball sliders, you might want to stay the night. The hotel offers 88 exquisitely designed rooms (we’re talking Carrara marble tiles in the bathrooms), plus a courtyard, Shibui Spa, and free wi-fi. Jennifer Fisher and her husband had plans here for a New Year’s Eve staycation. When their sitter cancelled at the last minute, they decided to take the kids, and it was a great time. “They freaked over the secret downstairs pool, mini kids’-sized robes, and candy in the room,” she says. And you can even bring the dog, as pet-friendly rooms are available upon request!