The Lo Down: 6/28/26
Toe rings, daiquiris and the it bag of summer...
Shopping
The only bag you need this summer: a drawstring pouch. It can effortlessly take you from day to night, and most importantly, there are endless options to have fun with color and texture. My full edit here.
What else is in my shopping cart this week:
These pants and these shorts from the Reformation x Umbro collection
I am painfully obsessed with these shoes at the moment
I have a very old version of this button down from The Frankie Shop in a purple stripe that I gravitate to every summer. So naturally, I need it in another color.
I still have toe rings on my mind
Food & Drink
Two not-bar bars I went to that I forgot to take any pictures of: Bar Chimera and and Bar Kabawa.
I hold COTE & COQODAQ in high regard, so I had expectations going into Bar Chimera - and it delivered. Great vibes, really good food and drinks, soaring ceilings, a beautiful well-appointed space. High energy and busy, with a crowd that leans a little corporate (makes sense given the location), but the service more than makes up for it - when’s the last time someone brought you a purse stool in NYC? They offer an optional set-style menu similar to the format at COTE and COQODAQ, plus everything & more available a la carte, including the caviar chicken nuggets. The Spring Pea Lettuce Cups were a surprise favorite, and the steak frites were predictably solid. Will definitely return, and adding COTE 550 to my must-try list.
Bar Kabawa is an ideal spot for a cocktail & shared small plates - just don’t make the mistake I did and go for a full dinner. Tucked down an alley in Noho, it’s a lively little space with music that transports you somewhere tropical. A focused rum drink menu (daiquiris are the speciality), and Caribbean patties and snacks. I personally max out at one daiquiri and one patty, so I’d recommend it as an early cocktail-and-appetizer spot or a late-night nightcap and bite situation. The vibe, service, and food were all great - enough that I’m now curious about the prix fixe dining experience happening next door at Kabawa.
Current Obsession
Hot, sticky weather means my hair is going up as much as possible - and I’ve been keeping a tube of The Wand in my bag at all times. A mascara-wand application for flyaways and taming hair feels pretty genius, and maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but I’ve never seen this type of product before. It’s equally helpful if I’m throwing my hair up in a clip or a ponytail/bun.
On My Radar
Unnecessary, a new soft serve ice cream spot from the team behind Double Chicken Please
Claudette recently reopened and is looking refreshed
Titán, a new Mexican spot in Dumbo
Piccolo Morini has risen from the ashes of Osteria Morini in Soho
Limo Bar, a new bar in the East Village with a distinctly ‘80s vibe
Until next week -
xo
Lo