Cocktails at Bergdorf’s, a Chelsea art show to beat the heat, more NYC events

Each week, Alexa is rounding up the buzziest fashion awards, hotel openings, restaurant debuts and popular cultural events in NYC. It’s our curated guide to the best things to see, buy, taste and experience around town.

What’s making our luxury list this week? A new restaurant at Bergdorf Goodman, a West Village store all about local goods, and a beloved Kiwi brand debut on the Flatiron.

Bergdorf’s former lower-level cafe has been transformed into a multi-layered homage to Ginori 1735, albeit one that also serves food. Everything from the wallpaper, fabrics to decorative cushions, furniture and tables are sourced from the old Italian heritage brand, which also has a dedicated store on the 7th floor. The cafe is open for lunch and apertivo, with a menu that naturally leans towards Italian, whether it’s the expected (focaccia, carpaccio, pasta) or not (an “Italian-style taco”) and an abundance of refreshing cocktails to go with it. all. above. Italian-o-philes please note: unlike in Italy, apertivo snacks here have a price tag attached.

BergdorfGoodman.com

Vija Celmins, Jack Pierson, Cindy Sherman, Ed Ruscha and Elmgreen & Dragset are just a few of the artists with works exhibited at swimmer, an exhibition that opened earlier this month at the FLAG Art Foundation in Chelsea. At a casual glance, it looks like an interesting and fun set for a summer themed exhibit. But the story behind it is, of course, much more nuanced. A very simplified version: the exhibition was inspired by a 1964 short story by John Cheever (of the same name, published in the New Yorker) featuring a protagonist who decides to change his usual journey and swim home through his neighbors’ backyard swimming pools. In addition to the aforementioned artists, the exhibition includes eleven new paintings by Katherine Bradford, created especially for this show.

Through August 9, FLAGartFoundation.org

There’s a lot of talk about shopping local, but Locavore Variety Store, a new store on 6th Avenue in the West Village, takes it to the next level. The 600 square foot showcase is filled with over 700 products made by 130 companies all located within 100 miles of New York City. It’s the brainchild of Caroline Weaver, who some may remember as the founder of the late great CW Pencil Enterprise (RIP, 2021). In the years since, she founded the Locavore Guide, a “yellow page for independent retail,” which she compiled by literally walking the city—over 30,000 blocks in the five boroughs—to create a catalog detailed list of such sellers, which is now available for all online. Deals are her store – health/beauty, gardening, travel, home goods and pantry items galore – are not. A visit is required. After all, buying local takes effort.

434 Sixth Avenue, TheLocavore.com

Maribel Lieberman founded MarieBelle Chocolates in 2000 and opened its SoHo flagship the following year; today it has four store locations including the latest, at The Pierre Hotel. Although on the small side it is packed with all things – from truffles to ganache to bars and a few wedding themed options, all packaged in her signature boxes in a very optimistic shade of bright blue. Best yet: it’s all handmade by “passionate chocolate artisans” in Brooklyn.

MarieBelle.com

Given the name, one would expect Rodd & Gunn to stock all things hunting and fishing (they do refer to their stores as “lodges” after all). That said, the stores look nothing like any lodges we’ve ever seen, and the contents inside don’t include sporting goods or equipment. But the veteran New Zealand menswear brand’s second store in New York City (the first is in Dumbo) includes a variety of pure linen shirts “woven in Italy” and cotton-linen-blend jackets, pure Australian cotton polos, leather accessories and shoes. . They describe the mix as “evergreen” pieces designed for “the guy who has a relaxed confidence.”

Rodd&Gunn.com