One day in New York City

New York: Gotham city. The big apple. The concrete jungle. The city that never sleeps. The capital of... well you get my point. Whether you're an NYC virgin or a seasoned New York regular, the city can be an immensely daunting place with its never ending array of skyscrapers, shops, and restaurants. To further compound this confusion, the hundreds of different travel guides available online either compile lists with very touristy attractions, provide unrealistically packed itineraries, or are simply outdated. With all this, one can easily find himself/herself overwhelmed in the chaos, not knowing where to concentrate their energy, what to see, and where to eat, especially if their time in this city of 8 million people is only limited to a day. Thankfully, we, at Dapper New York, are here to help (our name maybe a hint, but we're based in New York City).

If you only have 1 day in New York, don't spend it wasting your limited time waiting in line for tourist attractions or museums, because that alone can easily eat up a few hours. I would recommend leaving those items for a longer trip, where you can compress them into a couple of days and be done with them (really, how many times do you actually need to take a selfie with someone dressed as the Statue of Liberty). Instead, opt for eating and exploring like the locals do, veering away from the tourist traps and more to the cool 'in the know' scenes. We, at DNY, have compiled a list that will help you make the most of your 1 day in New York, making sure you're having good food and coffee along the way.

Breakfast

Shake off that morning grogginess (and possible jet lag) by waking up early and embracing the abundant New York sun, and head to Cafe Clover in the West Village. Opened in early 2015 by partners and an executive chef with exquisite pedigree, Cafe Clover instantly makes you feel at home with it's chic, summery vibe, even when it's blizzard weather outside. But hopefully, if you time your visit for the Fall, considered by many to be the best season for New York, you'll be able to snag a seat outside and enjoy the delicious healthy American menu while basking in the perfect sun and warm breeze. Their brunch menu might be filled with classics, but they are certainly far from ordinary. You certainly won't go wrong with any of their selections.

Post-Breakfast Stroll

After your splendid healthy breakfast, why not stick around the area, and explore the beautiful tree-lined streets of the West Village. Walk up Bedford street, one of the most beautiful streets in New York, until you get to Hudson street, then cross over and make your way down W 4th street. Be sure to check out some of the small quiet shops there, including Burberry, the Monocle shop, GANT Rugger, and Brunello Cucinelli (a DNY favorite). Once you're done there, head down to SoHo, one of the most lively areas of New York, where you'll find an array of big brand names, small boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes. Word of warning, try to stay away from the main street, Broadway, where you will find yourself suffocated by all the tourists and street vendors. Instead, explore the side streets which are much less packed, and boast many DNY-approved shops including Barbour, Cutler and Gross, Drake's, Suit Supply, and Slowear (an Italian company that has been making beautiful clothes the old slow way).

Lunch and Refueling stop

By now, you should start feeling the effects of your walk, and will be welcoming the idea of a small break and some nourishment to fuel your next adventure. Thankfully, being in New York, especially SoHo, means that you're never too far away from a cozy lunch spot to relax and recover. So head over to Two Hands cafe in the adjacent Little Italy, grab yourself a juice and an Avocado Smash, and plop down on one of their many cushioned chairs. One of the many Australian imports that have hit NYC in the past few years, Two Hands is easily one of the best, delivering a relaxed ambiance, friendly service, and delicious food.

Coffee

You would be forgiven if your next thoughts were of you on your hotel bed enjoying a much deserved power nap. However, if you do choose to rally instead, you will most certainly need the aid of a good cup of Joe, and lucky for you, the best coffee joint in town is not too far away. Walk up Lafayette until you hit E 4th street where you'll find La Colombe Torrefaction, home of the best coffee, most beautiful cups and excellent sitting space (don't be confused by the other La Colombe on Lafayette & Prince street, the coffee is just as good, but the space is much smaller). If the weather has been particularly warm and you fancy an iced beverage for yourself, then pick either a Black & Tan or Draft Latte, two of La Colombe's creations that are, simply put, divine. Otherwise, their hot espresso drinks are delicious and quite possibly the best in the city.

Post-Coffee/Caffeine-Energy Walk 

Once the caffeine has started to run through your veins, you should put your renewed energy into more walking. Wander around Union Square and Chelsea before making your way down to Washington Square Park to spend some time laying on the grass, watching people frolic around, and admiring the marble arch that forms the base of 5th avenue. The 77 foot arch was built in 1892 to commemorate the centennial of George Washington's inauguration as the first president of the United States, and stands majestically overlooking the great fountain in the middle of the park. New renovations have made the area more sitting friendly (think: no more wet mud stains on the seat of your pants), so take a seat and soak in the smell of trees, flowers and birds. Let's face it, between Washington Square Park and Central Park, these are as close to the outdoors as New Yorkers get to.

Pre-Dinner Aperitif

Once you're done being in touch with your outdoors self, well your park self at least, head over to Dante NYC for the best negroni in the city. We at DNY strongly consider the negroni to be an extension of ourselves in drink form, and there's no better place to grab one in New York than at Dante in Greenwich Village. If possible, snag a table outside so you can sip your negroni while watching the beautiful people of the Village come and go on this tree-lined, colorful house-filled street. With their selection of 6 different negronis, your choice is only limited by how adventurous your heart is. It also doesn't hurt that negronis are known to increase your appetite for food, which segues perfectly into our next tip.

Dinner

It might be tempting to spend all night at Cafe Dante, and while their dinner and ambiance is very good, head up to the meatpacking district for a truly fantastic dinner in one of the hottest spots in town. Santina, opened in January 2015 by Chef Mario Carbone, quickly had celebrities and A-listers waiting anxiously to get a table as the reservation wait period stretched a few months. Luckily, the hype has died down a bit (thankfully nothing else there has), and you should be able to reserve a table there with only a couple of week's notice. 

Once you're in, though, expect a very Mediterranean feel to the restaurant with its bold color palette, wood furnishings, and exotic flowers. Santina, named after Carbone's Sicilian grandmother, features a southern/coastal Italian cuisine heavily focused on seafood, vegetables and equally exotic but delicious drinks. Whatever you decide to pick from their salivating menu, make sure you get the squash carpaccio and the Cecina, which is a chickpea-flour pancake concoction served in a cast iron skillet along with some sauces and fillings. Trust me, you will not regret it.

Nightcap

If, after your food coma-inducing dinner, you're still alive enough to go out, make your way uptown

to the Flatiron Lounge in Flatiron for some delicious drinks and music. With it's 25 page menu (front and back!), Flatiron Lounge is sure to have any drink your boozy heart desires, and if it's not listed, then their talented mixologists will certainly be able to make it for you. However, what really brings people here is their extensive whiskey list, which makes up 20 pages out of the 25, organized by country, region and manufacturer. Why get a dram when you can get the entire bottle, and have the Flatiron Lounge staff store it for you in one of their liquor cabinets so that you can enjoy it time and time again whenever you come back, until it's empty of course, which just means you deserve another one. Whether you opt for one of their delicious cocktails, a dram of Scotch, a flight of whiskey, or simply an entire bottle, sit back in your chair with your drink of choice, admire the 1920s themed decor and enjoy the excellent jazz band playing live in front of you. 

The Art of Japanese Mixology

Never have I, in my nearly 3 decades of international traveling, come across a more dedicated and obsessive people than the Japanese. They are known to devote their full efforts and attention to any task no matter how menial or mundane, no matter how cheap or expensive. You could stumble into a Matsuya in Tokyo (a Japanese fast food franchise) and order a $3 Gyudon (beef bowl over rice) from the vending machine, and expect that the chefs will devote as much dedication and care into your bowl as if they were making it for their own family.

Nowhere is that more prevalent than in the field of mixology. When you order a Japanese cocktail from any of their world renowned bars, know that the cocktail was made with the utmost care and precision, made as a special experience just for you. The Way of the Cocktail is a great mini-documentary that interviews some of the best bartenders in the worlds and describes the truly intricate ways of a Japanese master mixologist.

Style Icons: Cary Grant

Not many people have had as big of an impact on the fashion trends, let alone the film industry, as this gentleman has. A true actor of his era and a style icon of his time and ours, Cary Grant epitomized the cool debonair demeanor while always dressed to the t without a hair out of place. In the movie North by Northwest, Mr Grant propelled the grey suit to stardom, wearing the same grey 3-button no-vent suit throughout almost the entirety of the movie. This suit has been unofficially cited as the 'the best and most influential suit in film history'. Not a bad thing to be known for.

Smile, It's the Weekend

Look Outside the Window once in a While

Reach for the Skies

Money Finances Spontaneity

Whoever said money can't buy happiness, obviously didn't know how to spend it well. While it might be true that happiness cannot be quantified by the amount of money in your bank account, studies published by the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School have indicated that how people spend their money is more important than how much they earn. The mind experiences happiness through the acquisition and retention of new memories obtained from hobbies, travels, friends and spontaneity. The study affirms that spending money on material things won't grant you the same happiness as when the money is spent on experiences with people you love. So what better way to fuel and finance these experiences than with a big fat paycheck that you can use for a Safari in Central Africa or a Sail boat in the Mediterranean with your close group of friends. According to those studies, spending money on activities with friends and family is a more effective route to happiness than spending the money on personal things alone.

If you are like me, single, outgoing, excitement-seeker and earn an income significant enough to place you in the top 5% in the US, you will find that you will be struggling to keep your life entertaining, even in the most alive cities in the world. If you are like me, you watch an episode of Top Gear (the British version of course) where the three presenters get ridiculously fast and adrenaline-pumping cars while they zip across the most windy, narrow and scenic roads the world has to offer. You think to yourself, 'I can do this' as you open up the internet to book a flight and sports car to one of these exotic locations, only to stop yourself at the last moment. Parents, rightfully so, have drilled it into our heads that we need to save as much as we can, so that we can buy a nice house, and start a beautiful family. You might find yourself thinking that the good portion of your paycheck which you save up is going in for a noble cause, earning somewhere between 0.1% and 0.3% return on interest sitting in your lonely savings account or 401(k), not to be used until 40 years from now. While being financially secure is the smart and necessary thing to do, I am of the impression that you can and should sacrifice some extra perks of your 80s and 90s for a little more fun and excitement in your 20s and 30s.

One important thing to note, is that you should stay away from buying luxury for luxury's sake. If you must purchase luxury items, try linking them to an experience or memory. You could for example go fishing across the Mediterranean with her highness the Princess of Monaco, then courageously save her life when she falls overboard. As an act of gratitude, she bestows upon you an 80 year old Patek Philippe watch that has been in her family for generations. This could be a realistic example of how you could link luxury items to experiences.

There are many ways you spend that money, some on material things, others on experiences, some on charity, which will help give you that sense of excitement, satisfaction, and happiness.

Buy/Rent a Summer House:
City and work life can become cumbersome, hectic, and sometimes unbearable, which is why you need an escape every few weeks so that you can come back to work refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to take on the next few challenges. Depending on how much capital you are willing to spend, you can buy/rent a vacation home by yourself or with some equally-minded and equally-financially-secure friends, that you can jetset to every weekend if that is what you need. I would steer clear of the traditional Hamptons, New Jersey, Cancun getaways because you don't want to be around obnoxious spring breakers on their binge-drinking trips. If you wish to spend your jet setting getaways relaxing on the beach, I would recommend Croatia or the Italian Amalfi Coast. If you are not inclined to travel that far, then Cuba and St Barthelemy are two relatively untouched Caribbean hotspots. If you are the more outdoorsy type, then consider a cottage in Chamonix, France or Salzburg, Austria for a ski-filled vacation on the Alps; or Montana for a peaceful retreat on the Rockies.



Buy a Toy Vehicle:
Just to be clear, by Toy Vehicle I mean a weekend vacation vehicle that you can take for joyrides rather than a daily commute to work. This can take the form of an exotic or vintage car, motorcycle, or even a sailboat. The important thing to remember is that you are not buying these items just to buy them; but rather you are buying them to enjoy the experiences and memories they will offer you and your close ones. So make sure that you have friends, family members, or acquaintances that are willing to partake in these joyrides with you. I opted for buying a motorcycle (see Passion Over Logic article) that I can use for weekend and weekday getaways in New York. If you prefer to go with the sailboat option, I would suggest parking it somewhere exotic so you would have a bigger excuse to travel to those locations. Again, I would suggest St Barths or British Virgin Islands for sailboat parking options.


Join an Exclusive Social Club:

The nice thing about this earth being populated by 7 billion other human beings, is that you won't be too hard pressed to find a few other fellas who share the same interests and hobbies as you. Although some exclusive social clubs might come off as snobbish, up-tight, and out of touch, finding the right one that fits your personality is key. The Soho House and Norwood are the front-runners of clubs for the young and creative type. The application process might seem daunting, but getting in should be easy as long as you're interesting, artistic and know at least two people on the inside. If your interests lie somewhere else, say renting classic/super cars for a weekend, then look no further than the Manhattan Classic Car Club, where, for a small fee of $8,000-$13,000 a year, you can take out some of the nicest and rarest cars around for a day or two or more.

Plan a Quarterly Trip with Friends:
Consider gathering your close group of jetsetter friends and committing to doing at least 4 adventurous trips together a year. If you are like me, you are probably not the type to give up your life and work to go on a backpacking tour of Europe, only to run out of money halfway through Slovenia (a place you don't want to run out of money in). You probably want to travel in comfort and style, willing to spend the extra money to experience some of the finer things in life. This could be sailing across the Dalmatian coast, going on a Safari in Botswana and Namibia, hiking Mt Everest, or just swimming in an infinity pool on the top of Singapore (See Pictures here).

Take Up an Illegal-ish Hobby:
We've all seen and admired Steve McQueen in the Thomas Crown Affair, and applauded Pierce Brosnan for his above-par remake of the movie (all remakes should be this good!). Running an international conglomerate and outwitting your opponents at every turn, all the while bedding some of the most attractive and alluring women in the city, can be quite a dull and mundane profession. You can take over companies at massive profits to yourself only so many times before it becomes just another boring routine to toss on the auto-pilot
work practice. This lead Thomas Crown, the protagonist of the story, to develop a somewhat unorthodox hobby, elaborately stealing rare pieces of art, not for money's sake. Thomas Crown was stealing works of art to prove to himself that he can, to fill a void of excitement and adventure not offered by his lucrative job. If this is something that interests you, you can also be an international art or jewelry thief. All it takes is some affluent knowledge of the specific industry, a little common sense, a lot of street smarts, and a couple of big brass balls... of courage. There are introductory classes you can take which will teach you the basics of pick-pocketing and lock-picking, two essential skills you will need as an international thief. Sure it might not be the most legal of hobbies, but it sure will bring a level of avant-garde to your life your job won't be able to fulfill. (Dapper New York does not condone nor encourage illegal activities... much).

Give Back:
This might not give you the fast-acting reward as the other items on the list might, but the benefits are unique to it. You won't necessarily get the excitement as you would from jetsetting across to a different city every week. You won't get the same thrill as you would from driving a 1965 Jaguar E-Type on the windy streets of St Tropez. And you certainly won't get any material value for what you gave back, minus maybe your tax deduction. That being said, the personal sense of satisfaction and accomplishment you get from giving back, is something you won't get from any other experience, and the benefits are humbling to say the least. There's nothing like giving back to your family, community, or loved one, without asking for anything in return.

Ode to the Well-Dressed Gangster

Love is in the Air

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!