Sport dining

PAOLA SINGER, writer/editor

CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine

PAOLA SINGER • writer/editor • paolasinger.com
Neighborhood you live in: Upper West Side

It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend? 
I’m a writer and editor for a variety of publications, so I’m often juggling a few deadlines, but I generally take it easier on Fridays. Depending on the weather, I’ll go for a walk along the Hudson or take a midafternoon gym class. I love finding good happy hours in Manhattan, preferably at a restaurant or wine bar, so around 5 p.m. I’ll head somewhere like Roey’s on Greenwich Ave in the Village, a cute spot that serves a well-priced and not-bad-at-all falanghina from 4 to 6 p.m. Another place I really enjoy in the afternoons is Stafili (alas, no happy hour). They have a great selection of Greek wines, and their outdoor setting is lovely, on one of the prettiest corners of the West Village.

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
I’m a big restaurant goer, but getting a table at a desirable dining destination in New York has become a competitive sport. If I’ve remembered to plan ahead, I’ll go out to dinner, and if not, we’ll order in and watch a movie on our new Nebula projector — it’s a beautiful gadget. A good friend of mine had recommended the Thai food at Chalong several months ago, I finally placed an order, and it was truly outstanding. 

I also recently got a reservation at the much-talked-about Frog Club, inside the old Chumley’s space. I have to say my expectations were on the low end, given that some of these buzzy, cliquey places tend to disappoint flavor-wise, but I really enjoyed the food. We shared a burger and lobster pierogi, and they were super satisfying in a retro way. I keep a list (in my head) of places I want to go to — it’s a very idiosyncratic list and not necessarily about what’s new. For example, I have Keens Steakhouse in there, because somehow I have not yet been, and Freemans on the Lower East Side, because I love that space and haven’t been in a decade. 

How about a little leisure or culture?
I “discovered” pickleball last summer, and my partner and I will sometimes head to one of the city courts (there’s one on Hudson River Park near 33rd Street, for example) where you can just show up and play with other people and it’s always a lively scene. But I’m dealing with a case of tennis elbow right now, so I’ve been taking weekend yoga classes. One of my absolute favorite studios is Three Jewels in the East Village; they’re a nonprofit that’s serious about the practice, and their small space has a minimalist, comforting vibe. 

Any weekend getaways? 
I had a girls’ weekend in Hampton Bays this month, and was surprised by how much I liked it. I say I was surprised because there’s this idea that Hampton Bays is not the “real” Hamptons (i.e. East Hampton, Amagansett, Montauk), but the beaches are just as scenic, the seafood just as tasty, and the vibe is frankly much more relaxing. There‘s a chic new hotel there, Canoe Place, that has a fantastic restaurant with interiors by Workstead, who really outdid themselves (they designed the Wythe Hotel, among others). And Dockers Waterside Marina is now my favorite waterfront seafood restaurant. Also, surprise, the taco scene there is probably better than at any other beach town on the East Coast, thanks to a significant Latino population. Bait n’ Taco, just to name one spot, is pretty good.

What was your last great vacation?
Ireland. We flew into Dublin but spent most of our time in Connemara and County Clare, both on the western coast. It was really poetic, a bit otherworldly in the best way. The landscape is straight out of a storybook, and for people who love gardens and botany and history, it’s the best place to be. We hiked through the limestone hills of The Burren with a local guide, a farmer who was like a walking encyclopedia, and told us all about the glacial-era stones, the myriad wildflowers, and the ancient tradition of winterage, when cattle are sent up the hills to graze on the shrubbery that grows between the rocks, a sustainable practice that allows flowers and insects to flourish in summer. 

Because he knows me well, the next day my partner drove me to the Burren Perfumery, where I almost keeled over. This boutique and farm doles out the most delicate fragrances, lotions, and scented candles — all as natural as can be — and has a little cafe on site with teas, and baked goodies, and just too much cuteness everywhere. I can’t say the food in Ireland was something I’ll remember forever, but we did have delicious oysters and crab cakes at Linnane’s Lobster Bar right there in the Burren.