A Flâneur Guide
A FlâneurGuide
EXPLORINGNEWYORKCITY
WINTER 2025
WHAT IS A FLÂNEUR?
Theflâneur,afigureimmortalizedbyFrenchpoet CharlesBaudelaire,emergedin19th-centuryParisas theultimateurbanwanderer,anobserverofmodern lifewhoiseversoattunedtothepoetryofthestreets. Whiletheconceptwasbornalongthegrand boulevardsofParis,nowheredoesitfeelmoreathome todaythanNewYork,acitythatrewardsthecurious.
Letthisguideserveasaseasonalcompaniontoyour journeythroughthegreatestcity,selectingthefinest exhibitions,openings,andexperiencesthat,inour humbleopinion,requiremorethanapassingglance.
TABLE TALK
1. Le Basque
15 Union Square West
LocatedintheheartofUnionSquare,thisupscaleveganrestaurantmasterfully blendstherichculinarytraditionsofFranceandSpainintoaone-of-a-kind,plantbaseddiningexperience.Witharefinedambiance,thevibeismodern,dark,and swanky.Theupstairsfeatureswarmnaturallightfromtheskylight,alongwith viewsofUnionSquareParkandtheFlatirondistrict.
2. The Eighty Six
86 Bedford Street
Thisintimate35-seatsteakhouseintheWestVillageoffersa"seeandbeseen" atmosphere,servingapproachableyetindulgentfood–fromitsdry-agedsteaksto caviar-toppeddishesandhouse-madefries.DinerscanexpectanArtDecoinspireddesignandclassicsteakhousefarewithatwistfromHeadChefSimon Levy,offeringuptownelegancewithdowntownswagger.
3. Limusina
441 9th Avenue
Thisthree-level,5,000-square-footMexicanhotspotatHudsonYardsseatsover 200guests.AmongthestandoutcocktailsistheFlaca,ablood-orangemargarita withahintofserranospice.Thepan-regionalmenufeaturesrawbarselections, whippedqueso,inventivenachos,andlargerplateslikeYucatánredsnapperand tendershortribquesabirria.
4. Le Bernardin
155 West 51st Street
Forovertwodecades,ChefEricRiperthasraisedthebarforseafoodathisthreeMichelin-starMidtowntreasure.Hiselegantmenu,whichflowsfrom“Almost Raw”to“LightlyCooked”blendsFrenchtechniqueandglobalinspirationsintoa diningexperiencethatremainsoneofNewYork’smostacclaimed.
TABLE TALK
5. La Tête d’Or
318 Park Avenue South
StepsfromMadisonSquarePark,acclaimedcelebritychefDanielBouludbringsa touchofFrenchflairtotheclassicsteakhouse.Imaginativecocktailsbegininthe bar,featuringleather-paneledwalls,andleadtothemaindiningareawithsoaring ceilingsandwalnutwoodfloors.Theconsideredmenucoversallbaseswithdry-
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77 West Houston Street
ThisauthenticMoroccanrestaurantinSoHofeaturesarchways,carvedwood tables,andthreediningroomsadornedwithhand-paintedwallsandimported decorativeelements.GuestscanenjoyMoroccanstaplesliketagineandcouscous, accompaniedbytheatricaltablesideservicefeaturingwholefishandracksoflamb. Amust-tryisthebar’ssignaturecocktail,theClimbingGoat,whichblendshousemadepistachioliquorwithgoatcheese,honey,androse.
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Alexandra Miranda, Orange Garden, The Collection of The Fifth Avenue Hotel
NATURECALLS
1.MadisonSquarePark
Awinterwalkundertwinklingli nlystepsfromTheFifth.Inearly December,MadisonSquareParkhostsitsannualTreeLightingCeremony, includingfreeseasonalmusicandcommunityfestivities.Holidaygoerscan exploreImprovisationsinthePark,acommissionedinstallationbyLarryBell, whoseminimaliststructuressubtlyshiftinresponsetochangingnatural conditions.
2.BryantParkWinterVillage
NeartheheartofMidtownManhattanl lovedoasisofBryantPark, where,startinginlateOctober,thelawntransformsintoitsfamous17,000 squarefootskatingrink idealforqualitytimewithfriendsandfamily. SurroundingtheskatingpavilionistheWinterVillage,completewithalighted treeandaEuropean-styleopen-airbazaar.Festivefoodanddrinksareservedin cozyigloos,justastone’sthrowfromtheicerink.
Madision Square Park Tree Lighting, 1912
CENTERSTAGE
1.TwoStrangers
LongacreTheater
ThisirresistibleromanticcomedybringsSamTutty(Dougal),anupbeatBrit, intotheorbitofChristianiPitts(Robin),ano-nonsenseNewYorker,together athisfather’sandhersister’sweddinginManhattan.ThisBritishmusicalbyJim BarneandKitBuchanbringsacross-the-pondhumorasthiscast-of-two embarksonaserendipitousjourneythroughNewYorkCity.
2.WaitingforGodot
HudsonTheater
KeanuReeves(Estragon)andAlexWinter(Vladimir)starasfriendsinSamuel Beckett'sself-proclaimed“tragicomedy.”DirectedbyvisionaryJamieLloyd,this hilariousproductionexploresalloflife’sbigquestions,withoutanyanswers.The conversationbetweenthefriendsveersbetweenabsurdityandcomedy, highlightingtheimportanceofgenuineconnectionandsharedhope.
3.Oedipus
Studio54
Thisintense,moderntwistontheclassicOedipusstorystarsMarkStrong (Oedipus)andLesleyManville(Jocasta)inRobertIcke’stakeontheGreek tragedy.Thiscontemporaryversionbeginswithelectionnight,thepolls predictingalandslide.Everythingisabouttochangeasthemesoffate, leadership,andsecretsareexplored.
4.JustinTime
SquareTheater
Thisnewtoe-tappingmusical,directedbyTonyAwardwinnerAlexTimbers, tellsthestoryofthelifeandcareerofteenidolandglobalsensation,Bobby Darin.JonathanGroffstarsasDarin,whoseliveperformancetransports audiencestoanintimate,swingingnightclubsetting,featuringiconichits fromthe'50sand'60s.
Quintessential New York
Cultural Highlights This Winter
1. The Met’s Rockefeller Wing
1000 5th Avenue
Afteradecade-longrenovation,theMet’sreimaginedMichaelC.Rockefeller wingreopenedinMay2025.Thislong-awaitedexhibitionbringsancient treasuresintoamoderncontext,withover1,800worksofartfromAfrica,the ancientAmericas,andOceania.Over40,000squarefeetofgalleriescreateroom forwandering,noticing,anddiscoveringtherichculturesandhistoriesofthese regions,muchlikeamodern-dayflâneur.
2. The Met Cloisters
99 Margaret Corbin Drive
ThisseasonTheMetCloisterscelebratestheMiddleAgeswithdecorationsof h s E
The Unicorn is Found, 1495–1505, The Met Cloisters, New York City
3. The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center
David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza
FromtheNewYorkCityBallet,GeorgeBalanchine’sTheNutcrackercontinues thetraditionwithenchantingperformancesthatofferamagicalescapeintoa worldoffantasyandbeauty.SinceitsAmericandebutinthe1950s,ithasbecome anessentialpartofNewYorkCity’sholidayseason.Showswillrunfromlate NovemberthroughearlyJanuary.
Flâneur Note: Our Concierge team would be delighted to arrange tickets and curate additional experiences to complement your evening at the ballet.
4. Christmas Tree Experience at Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Formorethaneightdecades,theRockefellerCenterChristmasTreehasbeena holidaybeaconforNewYorkersandvisitorsalike.Thoughthelights, decorations,andstarshavechanged,thetraditionendures.Beneaththetowering branches,skatersglideacrosstherink,completingthequintessentialNewYork experience.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
WINTER WONDERS IN NEW YORK
1. Printemps
AtPrintempsNew arisianelegancemeetsManhattanenergy.The Apothecaryoffersascentatelierblendingold-worldcraftsmanshipwithmodern expression.Shopperscanexplorethestore’sartfulofferings,spanningfashion, beauty,anddesign,whilealsofindingelevatedgiftsthatbringjoytocelebrations withlovedones.
2. Polonsky Exhibition of NYPL Treasures
ThePolonskyExhibitionofTheNewYorkPublicLibrary’sTreasurespresents raremanuscripts,letters,art,andrecordingsspanning4,000yearsofhistory. FeaturinghighlightsfromtheLibrary’s56millionitems suchasJefferson’s DeclarationofIndependence,Dickens’sdesk,andtheoriginalWinnie-the-Pooh toys theexhibitioncelebratesalegacyofdiscoveryandinvitesvisitorstoexplore andcelebratethepursuitofknowledgeandcreativity.
3. John Derian Company
Inspiredby19th-centuryimagery, JohnDerianisrenownedforhis handcrafteddecoupageobjects. AlongEastSecondStreet,threeshops sitinarow,withthemiddleone transformedintoaChristmas wonderland.Fromtinyornamentsto over-the-toptreetoppers,plates,and platters,hiswhimsicaldesigns capturetheessenceofthejoyous winterspirit.
The Wandering Eye Art Galleries & Museums
1. A Christmas Carol Original Manuscript
Morgan Library November 2025 through early January 2026
Justaten-minutewalkfromTheFifth,theMorganLibrary—atrueNewYork culturallandmark markstheseasonwithitscherishedannualdisplayofthe originalmanuscriptofCharlesDickens’ A Christmas Carol.Thisyear,visitorscan alsoexplore“SingaNewSong:ThePsalmsinMedievalArtandLife,”which examineshowPsalmsinfluencedthefaithandcreativityofmedievalEurope.
2. Sixties Surreal
The Whitney Museum of American Art — Now through January 19, 2026
TheWhitney’sSixtiesSurrealreimaginesAmericanartfrom1958to1972, shiftingfocusfromPopandMinimalismtothedecade’sdreamier,more emotionalside.Featuringover100artists,fromDianeArbustoYayoiKusama, theshowcapturesatimewhenrealityitselffeltuncertain,charged,andbrilliantly surreal.
3. Flora Yukhnovich’s Four Seasons
The Frick Collection Now through March 9, 2026
FloraYukhnovich’snewinstallationrespondstoFrançoisBoucher’sTheFour Seasons,transformingTheFrick’sCabinetGallerywithswirlingcolorsand movement.DrawingfromFrenchRococo,ItalianBaroque,andAbstract Expressionism,sheturnshistoricaleleganceandtechniqueintosomethingalive andmodern—aplayful,imaginativerethinkingofWesternpaintingtraditions.
FESTIVE AT THE FIFTH
1. Café Carmellini
Newlyranked#39onNorthAmerica’s50BestRestaurantslist,CaféCarmellini celebratestheseasonwithextravagantlyfestiveofferings holidaypastries,spiced drinks,andcelebratorymenusdesignedforwarmthandjoy,allwrappedin GildedAgeglamour.Gatheringwithfriendsandfamilyinourexclusiveprivate diningspace,TheVault,isagiftthatalwaysdelights.
2. The Portrait Bar
YuletidecharmwelcomesguestsatThePortraitBarthismerryseason.When blusteryoutside,ourcozyatmosphereinvitesjollygatherings,festivecocktails, andwinter-inspiredcreationsfromtheteam.Ornatedecorationsalongsidethe cracklingstone-carvedfireplacemakethistheperfectplaceonachillyevening.
Seasonal Offer — A Festive Escape
There’snoplacelikeNewYorkfortheholidayseason,wherethecitysparkles withfestivecheerandTheFifthoffersastorybooksettingfornewtraditions.
Reservetwonightsandathirdwillbegiftedformoretimetosettleintothe season.Foraddedfestivity,thestayincludesabottleofchampagnetoyourroom orsuite,complementedbyround-tripairporttransportationforeffortlessarrival anddeparture.
AFTER HOURS
1. Bar Kabawa
12 Extra Place
CelebratingtheflavorsoftheCaribbean,thiseclecticwineanddaiquiribarfrom ChefPaulCarmichaelandMomofukufeaturestropicalthemesthatbringisland livingtotheEastVillage.Neonpalmsglowwhilethevibeshowcases metropolitanpolishwithatouchofcarefreeescapism.
2. Martiny’s
121 East 17 Street th
Situatedinan1800'scarriagehouseinGramercy,thisthree-levelJapanese-style spotranks#15onNorthAmerica’s50BestBars2025.TakumaWatanabeleads aprogramofrarespiritsandinventivecocktailsthatpaytributetoTokyo’s classicGinzabars,complementedbybold,umami-richbites.
3. Red Room Bar
Printemps, 1 Wall Street
AtthenewlyopenedPrintemps,thisintimate25-seatloungefeaturesartfully craftedcocktailsandHaitian-inspiredsmallplatescreatedbyChefGregory Gourdet.NamedinhomagetothenearbyhistoricRedRoom,withitssoaring ceilingandred-ombreandgoldmosaicwallsbymuralistHildrethMeière,the spacemarriesArtDecograndeurwithrelaxedhospitality.
4. La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels
249 Centre Street
AttheintersectionofNolita,SoHo,andLittleItalysitstheoriginalNewYork outpostofthisiconicParisianwinebar,knownforitscozynooksandrenowned sommeliers.A60+pagelistshowcasesover450selectionsfromaroundthe world,pairedwithFrenchMediterraneansmallplatesdesignedforsharing.
Followtheguide,thenfollowyourinstincts. find wonder wherever you wander
