The Flatiron district is one of my favorite areas in NYC. It is the first area I think about when I need to kill some time. You got great architecture, artsy park, some of the best dining in NYC like Maialino and ABC Kitchen, and a stone throw away from Union Square and the village, Curry Hill, Koreatown and other great hoods. If all that is not enough here are 5 reasons to head to Flatiron today
1. New art at Madison Square Park. Orly Genger’s Red, Yellow, and Blue. 3 structures of layers of hand painted ropes in 3 areas of the park. I’ve seen a lot of art over the years at the park and this is one of the most stunning
http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/art
2. Madison Square Eats. They are back. New York’s finest in the food business dishing out some super tasty snacks. We are talking about Roberta’s Pizza (try the Bee Sting pizza), momofuku milk bar, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Arancini Bros., Bar Suzette, Hong Kong Street Cart and much much more (note that was 2 muches).
Avoid midweek during lunch however unless you don’t mind painful lines. More painful than standing in a full bus on a Friday night for 90 minutes as I did the other day. It was getting somewhat frustrating at some point but then luckily we all got that loud announcement again. “City bus operators are protected by state law. assaulting a bus operator is a felony!” Well thank goodness. And what perfect timing as I was just getting riled up. I mean is it really necessary to wake an entire bus of tired New Yorkers after work with this announcement. I can just imagine the meetings they had about what announcements they should do with their brand spanking new buses with fancy announcement systems. ” Hey lets remind them that assaulting a driver is a felony in case, you know, they are plotting something”, “Oh and lets also remind them what the fare is in case they forgot” We just paid it!!
3. Eataly. Still there and not going anywhere by the look of the crowds. I’ve been there 3 more times in the last 4 weeks alone and had more delicious Italian goodness like this Asparagus and egg dish in Le Verdure.
4. ABC Cocina. Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Dan Kluger’s much hyped Spanish tapa extension to the ultra popular farm to table ABC Kitchen.
5. Do you really need a 5th reason? Seriously why are you still reading? I gave you 4 perfectly fine reasons above including great food, flowers and painted ropes next to flowers. What else do you want? You know what, I had a great 5th reason but I’m choosing not to share it at this time. Instead I leave you with more pictures of painted rope with flowers, food, and for my Australian readers a squirrel…
Eating With Ziggy 