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ITALIA STAFF PICKS |
RAINY DAYS by Sarah Lagrotteria April showers are infamous, driving New Yorkers indoors just when they want nothing more than to feel the sun on their faces. But if you know the right place to linger, you might find that being relegated indoors can yield unexpected pleasures. The Babbo staff favors these Village spots during April’s wettest hours. Dean and Deluca University Place Cafe 75 University Place (11th Street) One of the smaller offshoots of the groundbreaking Soho store, this Dean and Deluca is more of a coffee bar than a gourmet market. The soups and pastries are the same delicious bites found on Spring Street, but what makes this location special is the high-ceilinged café room with its wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. On Sundays, sections of the Times pile up on the communal table for all to pick through. Cinema Village 12th Street, between Fifth and University 212-924-3363 It’s certainly smaller than the Angelika Film Center (another Babbo fave), and the food selections is nowhere near as varied, but we love this little theatre, tucked away on quiet block in the NYU neighborhood. The film selections are always choice, and include plenty of foreign and independent picks. We particularly appreciated the extended run of Germany’s Mostly Martha. 154 West 10th Street 212-741-2069 www.threelives.com This independent bookstore is a Village institution, dedicated to providing “a haven for people who read.” Those who frequent the shop know that’s characterized by its exceptionally well-read salespeople, and equally book-savvy clientele. This is the kind of bookshop you visit when you don’t know what you want, when you have the time to peruse the dark-paneled shelves, and ask the staff for suggestions. Their knowledge and opinions are what make Three Lives the one of a kind landmark that it is. Check the website for upcoming readings. 163 West 10th Street 212-982-8962 Located just across the street from Three Lives, Bonnie’s narrow strip of a shop is an easy place to lose yourself in great cookery texts of old. Once called the “tracer of lost cookbooks," Bonnie specializes in searches for out-of-print food literature. Predictably, her enormous collection holds many a gem. Spend a rainy afternoon looking through different titles and you may end up joining the city chefs, home cooks, and book lovers that form her loyal legion of fans. |
• March 02: Greenwich Village • April 02: Greenwich Village Again • May 02: Soho • June 02: Greenmarket at Union Square • July 02: Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbetto, and more... • August 02: Fromaggiorias • September 02: Brown Bagging It! • October 02: Candy Shops • November 02: HOLIDAY PIES • December 02: Esspresso Stops • January 03: Soup Stops • February 03: Weekday Breakfasts • March 03: Best Burgers • April 03: Rainy Days |
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