Arts & Culture
No, not Florida. I’m talking about immersive theater. Once you have your first taste, it’s addicting. It’s a thrilling experience unlike any other. You’re not just watching a performance; you’re inside of it.
Sleep No More was the gateway drug: a thrilling, eerie, Hitchcockian take on Macbeth, where you roam masked and mute through a sprawling, dreamlike set - think haunted hotel meets noir film, complete with a sanatorium, graveyard, old-timey village, and opulent apartments. It was spooky, sexy, and unforgettable. The most unforgettable, for me, was when I received a coveted “one on one”, which is where an actor takes you from the crowd to have a private experience. Picture this: I’m in a spooky birch forest, following a creepy nurse around. She turns suddenly, reaches out her hand, and leads me into a tiny wooden hut. She closes the door, removes my mask, and quite literally starts speaking to me in riddles. Now, I’m already peaking - because, yes, I had taken edibles beforehand. And it is insanely hot. Sweat starts to drip down my face as I try to act cool, replying with “ooooh…yeah…uhhmmm…wow…” to her story, which is obviously a rehearsed script that I didn’t want to interrupt with questions. She proceeds to pour me a cup of hot tea. To spoon feed me. In silence. As she stares into my soul. I’m sitting there, blinking slowly like a Victorian ghost, just nodding and trying not to pass out. Then, after balancing the teacup on my lap, she hits me with a haunting poem about a child whose parents died, reads my palm, screams something directly into my ear (unclear what) and gently places my mask back on. Without another word, she opens the door and sends me on my way. I wandered out of that hut like I’d just emerged from another dimension. Which, honestly, I had.
This past weekend, I went to Life and Trust for the second and last time, as the show abruptly announced its closure on Sunday. Also from the Sleep No More producers, this one took place in the six cavernous floors beneath an old FiDi bank building. It was inspired by the Faust legend and drew on The Picture of Dorian Gray, so the themes were more elusive and conceptual. The space was massive (100,000 sq ft) and jaw-droppingly elaborate: a carnival, a bank vault, ornate apartments, a theater, a magical forest, and more.
While L&T didn’t grip me quite like SNM, I think due to the vague storylines, it still felt singular and spectacular - like stumbling into a secret world beneath a city. If you ever get the chance to experience something like this, do it. Wander alone. Get lost. Open every drawer. And, for the love of God, don’t you dare walk around holding somebody’s hand the entire time.
Food
Crane Club: beautiful space, great people watching. Instead of sitting in the dining room for a full meal, I’d suggest sitting in the bar, ordering a salad & the tortellini (okay, and the edible bread basket) and some cocktails.
The Golden Swan: a stylish space that seems to always have reservations available, so it’s a solid spot to add to the West Village rotation. I think they have slightly different menus in the dining room vs the bar room downstairs (The Wallace Room), but I prefer the cozy vibe of The Wallace Room. A chic little spot so share some plates (get the burger) and gossip with a couple of girlfriends. I’ve heard their brunch is great, so I’m hoping to try that very soon.
Sullaluna: I was strolling around on Sunday with a friend when we stumbled upon this charming little Italian bistro/bookstore on Carmine Street. The original location is in Venice, and I believe this location opened in the fall, so it is relatively new. The food was delicious and authentic - we ordered the Tonnarelli al Pomodoro and Orecchiette con Salsiccia e Cime di Rapa, both made with fresh pasta. Sometimes I get fatigued by the endless parade of hyped-up restaurants in NYC - there’s something magical about wandering into a spot you’ve never heard of, with zero expectations, and being reminded that not every great meal needs to be going viral on TikTok to be worth remembering.
Fashion
Currently loving any and all fun sneakers collabs. Aside from the Miu Miu x New Balance mules I got recently, these are the ones on my wishlist:
Clockwise from top left:
For more of what’s in my closet, what I’m currently obsessing over, shopping guides & more, check out my ShopMy. Looking for some personal style advice? Whether it’s for curating a flawless vacation wardrobe, hunting down the perfect shoes, or finding the best basics for your closet, I’m here to help—just reach out!
Current Obsession
I know we’re experiencing a global matcha shortage at the moment, and this is basic bitch behavior, but a friend recently turned me onto matcha lattes (iced only!) and I’ve been addicted. I lied one time about wanting to get matcha just to seem agreeable, and now I think I am enjoying drinking it more than coffee. And that, for some reason, feels like a personal sign of growth & maturity. I think a lot of places have the ratio off and serve it with too much milk, and I’m still figuring out “my spot”. Please leave your recs in the comments below. Places I’ve tried recently (with no explanation other than a number ranking):
On My Radar
Viola’s Room an “intimate sensory adventure” from Punchdrunk (the producers of the aforementioned Sleep No More) that has been described as a “spooky fairy tale” is at The Shed June 17-October 19.
Niche Niche is back with a once a week popup at Heroes every Tuesday (for how long, I’m not sure). Sounds like it’s going to be a fun communal dinner party vibe with family style food and free flowing drinks. Who wants to go with me?!
SunLife Organics, the LA-import smoothie & bowl spot, is opening in Soho on Saturday. I’ve never been to Erewhon before, but their smoothies are definitely giving that vibe.
Una Pizza Napoletana is hosting a guest chef series ‘Una Night Only’ on Thursday, May 1 with Rich Torrisi of Torrisi; ABCV on May 7; Kwame Onwuachi of Tatiana on Friday, May 16; and Victoria Blamey of Blanca on June 14. Tickets are being announced on their Instagram.
On the heels of my love letter to Dries Van Noten last week, it looks like they just opened their first NYC store this week at in Soho! Did I manifest that or what?
Until next week -
xo
Lo
There's a Sunlife in my building and it's truly resisting a siren's call daily for me.
Also can confirm I had the Golden Swan burger this week and it’s a solid bite. But I’m still all in on Red Hook Tavern and their Italian cookies!