Postcard

My suitcase in the midst of being packed going home.

You have to book your visit well in advance, but seeing the American artist and writer Donald Judd’s space in New York on the corner of Mercer and Spring Street was an experience I will never forget. Made me consider becoming a minimalist – at least for a brief moment.

The Halloween dressed window from the shop next door to Balthazaar where you can pick up anything to do with bread and cakes.

I interviewed designer Jane Mayle for Vogue at Balthazaar more than twenty years ago when it had just opened. I still love everything about it: the food, the vibe, the waiters. I usually go for a big breakfast, but you can also simply enjoy a perfectly boiled egg.

You are not allowed to take pictures at Neue Galerie, however, I only found out after I had taken this one. It is now one of my favourite places in New York. The different exquisite exhibitions, the building itself and the café makes it truly special.

Indochine, The Odeon, Bar Pitti, Café Gitane and Il Buco are all restaurants where I have a ton of memories and highly recommend. Within recent years I have also come to like La Mercerie that has a great shop too, where I always pick up a book while I wait for my table.

Creams, soaps and lotion at Aesop, shoes at the newly opened A.P.C., tea at Sing Tehus – I buy the Sencha. For food look no further than Helges Ost where I buy lunch on a weekly basis and delicacies to bring home for an easy dinner. The gigantic mistletoe in the Studio is from Blomster Hjørnet where I buy flowers all the time. Get your port and champagne at Juul's Vin og Spiritus. It is impossible to leave Dora empty handed. I have bought vintage Christmas decorations and candles there recently. As well as beautiful tea towels for the Studio kitchen. Have breakfast at Granola, sandwiches and ris a la mande at Italo Café, wine and something hot to eat at Le Gourmand and coffee and everything else at Les Trois Cochons where the service is great, but I don’t come often as Eddie (my dog) isn’t allowed.

Le Gourmand, Værnedamsvej 3a
Sing Tehus, Værnedamsvej 4
Granola, Værnedamsvej 5
Dora, Værnedamsvej 6
Aesop, Værnedamsvej 7
A.P.C., Værnedamsvej 8
Blomster Hjørnet, Værnedamsvej 8
Helges Ost, Værnedamsvej 9
Italo Caffé, Værnedamsvej 10
Les Trois Cochons, Værnedamsvej 10
Juul’s Vin og Spiritus, Værnedamsvej 15

I have always loved the Nordic sophistication of Stockholm. Copenhagen is cute and cool, but Stockholm is grand. 

Fabrique Stenugnsbageri are all over Stockholm and their bread and cinnamon buns where so good, I had to bring some with me home.

Petit Marche, Karlavägen 30A is really a cute flower shop but the owner also sells excellent coffee. It is up the road from Cathy Nordström, so that is where we got ours.

Naturally Cathy Nordström’s charming place on Karlavägen 24 is a must. Her prints, pillows and tea cozies are wonderful.

I wish I’d seen the Carl Larsson paintings at Theilska Galleriet, but I was closed when I could go. Just another reason to come back. I did get to see the obligatory Svensk Tenn. I like many of their textiles, but I particularly appreciate the furniture Josef Frank has done for Svensk Tenn. It would fit in really nicely at my new country home.

Have Ramen at Tengu, Rådmansgatan 12 and any kind of food your heart desires at the indoor market by the hotel Villa Dagmar. It is also an excellent place to stay and enjoy your breakfast. Next time I will have to check in at Ett hem - it is nothing short of the dream!

I am tempted to say that Café Gitane on 242 Mott St. has been my favourite always. I first came more than twenty years ago and daydreamed that I was a regular, a part of the cool crowd hanging out. I would go there and write up my articles and people watch. The food is still good and it was the first place I ever tasted mint tea made on fresh mint. I couldn’t resist that it was served in tiny Japanese iron teapots. I felt ever so chic. 

Desert Vintage on 34 Orchard St. on Lower East is one of the very best vintage stores with a very sophisticated selection. I find it odd to buy Eupean brands in the States, but they really pick out nice styles. And whatever they have from American designers is excellent. The store itself is also worth a visit, the vintage furniture is to die for. Once you leave you should pop round to The Corner Bar at the hotel Nine Orchard to either celebrate your purchase or possibly your restraint from buying anything. Either way, it’s a good place for at drink. Ignacio Mattos has the place and he is New York’s hippest chef right now and also runs the Lodi in Midtown that feels like a busy café in Paris, Altro Paradiso that serves excellent easy food, and Estela that is more cosy and special. Dream place for a date.

Not far from Desert Vintage you’ll find Bode on 58 Hester Street with a cute mending store next to it. Close by on 123 Norfolk St. is Maryam Nassir Zadeh’s store. It is a bit run down, but her mix of classic as well as sporty cool stuff really is the epitomy of the well travelled, easy going New York look that will take you where ever you want to go.

In order to enter Ted Muehling`s totally wonderful store on 104 Franklin Street, you have to book a time slot in advance. But it really is worth it. His space is like nowhere else. He is a master of jewellery that is totally timeless yet seems forever relevant and his candlesticks are sublime. The smart “master of anything to do with food” Laila Cooks wears his rings on her pretty fingers.

Balthazar opened up in the Spring of 1997 but immediately looked like it had been there always. Keith McNally was the mastermind behind it and it became an instant favourite. The designer Jane Mayle introduced me to it when I interviewed her for Vogue in the late nineties. Her epic shop was just around the corner. I still love Balthazar. We have celebrate my daughter Barbara’s birthday there a number of times and you just can’t beat breakfast at Balthazar (Unless of course you have a bagel to go wrapped in tin foil from a corner joint. They are pretty good too). Prior to Balthazar Keith McNally ran the legendary place Odeon in Tribeca with his then wife Lynn Wagenknect. Go for lunch, have the omelet and thank me later. She also runs the Café Luxembourg on the Upper West. Brilliant and local atmosphere. Book a table well in advance if you want to be sure to sit inside.

Roman and Williams Guild NY on 53 Howard Street houses an amazing interior store. I particular like their small celection of books and the pancakes they serve in the restaurant.

The farmer’s marker Union Square Greenmarket is well worth a visit. It makes you dream of living in New York and going grocery shopping for the entertaining of friends in the weekend.

I know that there are many fun and interesting galleries popping up all the time. But if you don’t have a lot of time nothing beats Moma on 11 West 53 St. and I love the Guggenheim on 1071 5th Ave and the Met close by on 1000 5th Ave. Don’t even try to see the whole thing. Cellect an area such as the Eqyptians and be blown away by the splendor. 

In Spring I will be going back to the garden of Sissinghurst, one of the most famous gardens in England - and the world. I want to see Vita Sackville-West’s garden when all the bulbs are in full bloom. In the meantime I am digging small holes in my lawn laying as many bulbs as I can. When Spring comes it will hopefully look devine, and maybe just at little bit like Sissinghurst.