Game face
CHRISTINA PANOS, Corcoran
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
CHRISTINA PANOS • chief marketing officer • Corcoran
Neighborhood you work in: Midtown East
Neighborhood you live in: Upper East Side
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
On Fridays I typically work from home, and start the weekend early by treating myself to a few of my favorite foods. I do the school drop-off in the East 90s, and after taking a run at the Reservoir, I stop at Noglu to get a pumpkin muffin to go. I’m not gluten free, but I prefer it, and I love that their muffins aren’t so enormous.
I’m currently preparing for our annual agent conference in the spring, BeCorcoran, where Corcoran agents from all over the world convene (Corcoran now has over 30 affiliate offices across the US and overseas). After working for a few hours with my team on our presentations and event details, I’m starving. It took me a few years, but I’ve realized that Joe & the Juice has the best sandwiches, so I take a quick break to walk over to pick up a turkey sandwich on gluten free bread.
The weekend officially starts around 5p. We lived downtown for many years, and our favorite pizza place is still Tappo in Chelsea for the best thin crust pizza ever. My two kids and I each get personal pizzas because we like different toppings (caramelized onion is my favorite) but we all love splitting the rigatoni Bolognese.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
A lot of my weekend dining decisions depend on where I’ll be for my kids’ sporting events. We always take advantage of being in a new location (Coney Island, Red Hook, Flushing, etc.) and find a great place to eat before or after the game.
I’ve always been a foodie, and my prayers have been answered because now my kids love food too — and are usually the ones researching the places we need to check out next. We recently went to L&B Spumoni Gardens and had fried calamari and life-changing Sicilian slices, and finished with the classic spumoni. We also found a way to fit in an amazing lunch at Nami Nori, and while it’s hard to pick our favorite temaki, we would have to go with the Spicy Crab Dynamite.
Last weekend we tried Shanghai You Garden in Flushing and loved the Peking duck buns and scallion pancakes. Other weekend dining favorites are Miss Korea for Korean BBQ, with a stop at Bear Donut for the donut with soft serve, the Pappardelle Verde at Rosemary’s, the rugalach at Michaeli Bakery (close to Asphalt Green — very convenient for soccer moms!) and the soup dumplings at Nom Wah at Pier 57.
How about a little leisure or culture?
KNICKS. We’re big Knicks fans and go to as many games as possible. We’ve perfected the art of eating dinner before or after the game, and while the dining around MSG gets a bad rap, we think there are a lot of great options. Our top two nearby dinner recommendations are:
Blue Ribbon Sushi at Penn 1. Just steps from MSG, and extremely civilized and delicious if you have time to sit for a proper meal before the game. No one has better miso soup.
NY Pizza Suprema. Looks touristy but loved by true NY pizza aficionados. Best vegan margarita ever.
Any weekend getaways?
At the end of every August, my kids and I spend a weekend in Montauk at Marram, and we look forward to it all summer long. Marram is an idyllic spot right on the ocean with amazing food and the best vibe. The breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Mostrador, is worth the trip alone — especially the scrambled eggs and pastries, especially the Medialuna. Other than hanging out between the ocean and their very warm pool all day, we spend time planning our meals. We love Joni’s for lunch, the ribs at the Gig Shack for dinner, and the best soft serve, only at Ralph’s. We also make sure to time our trip home with a stop for lunch at Fini Pizza in Amagansett.
What was your last great vacation?
It wasn’t a “vacation,” but it might as well have been… Every year we take the top Corcoran brokerage agents on a fabulous trip to reward them for their hard work. We have gone everywhere from Montana to Ibiza, and this year we traveled to the South of France and stayed at the legendary Hotel du Cap. I wish I could give you a few recommendations for amazing food nearby, but when you’re at the Hotel du Cap, there’s really no reason to leave.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I have slowly been building a charm bracelet over the years, thanks to my friend Lisa Feldkamp’s amazing company, Charmco. She has the most incredible collection of both new and vintage charms, and for 20 years, she’s been helping me find charms to celebrate important life events and milestones.
What store or service do you always recommend?
For gifts, I’m loyal to Blue Tree on Madison Ave. which I’ve shopped at since it opened in 2005. It’s the most charming and well-curated store in the city. For eyebrow shaping, Kety Vladuca at Julien Farel is my #1.