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NEW YORK


William Norwich, former New York Times Magazine style and entertaining editor, former Vogue editor and author of My Mrs. Brown, walks us up Madison Avenue


Why New York?


When I was young a friend said to me, ‘when you go to Paris, whether it’s your first trip or your tenth, spend at least one night in the Ritz so you know what it’s about and the culture of Paris that it represents. Always make that part of your experience.’ With that thought in mind I recommend people who’ve been to New York a number of times to head north up Madison Avenue parallel to Park Avenue and Fifth Avenue. Start at the corner of 70th Street and Madison Avenue.


Lazy breakfast


On Madison Avenue you’ll find the 3 Guys Restaurant opposite what used to be the Whitney Museum and is now the Met Breuer. This place is old New York - they don’t serve fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, they serve real, old-style New York grilled cheese sandwiches. Try the pancake breakfast. There are booths to eat in, places where you can bring your children. I would really recommend trying this real New York cuisine. Keep going up Madison Avenue and you’ll come to a gourmet grocery store and restaurant called E.A.T.. It has great American-Jewish food that Eli Zabar has evolved to a gourmet level. Eat in the restaurant or buy a takeaway for a picnic in Central Park two blocks west.


My New York I think when people visit New York


13 COMPANION Madison Avenue: Watch life unfold


they experience the energy but if you live here that energy can at times be overwhelming. So sometimes we New Yorkers look for places that are antidotes to this. Bookstores make very soothing places. Crawford Doyle Booksellers is one of my favourites. It sells both out of print and current books. Stick around and you’ll soon see a local come in and ask somebody what they should read. The person replying will likely know their tastes exactly. It’s the same at the Corner Bookstore higher up at 1313 Madison Avenue where you’ll find the best selection of children’s books in New York. Both are great places to have a break and watch New York life unfold.


The secular and the sacred


Between 71st and 72nd Street on Madison Avenue three extraordinary buildings, two secular and one sacred, suddenly confront you.The first is the St James’ Episcopal Church, which is often home to some exquisite music.


When the Dutch settled on Manhattan, starting at its southern tip, it was mostly forest. They built a wall to stop the wild animals from entering, hence the name Wall Street. In 1810, St. James’ Church was founded as a place for people heading north to the countryside to stop and worship on their way. Next to the church is the Rhinelander Mansion - an exquisite piece of landmark preservation – which was the home of one of the founding families of Manhattan and is now the Ralph Lauren men’s store. Directly across the street is Ralph Lauren’s women’s shop, housed in a beautiful Beaux Arts building that Ralph Lauren built from scratch a few years ago to compliment the Rhinelander Mansion and keep the architectural integrity of the neighbourhood.


St James’ Episcopal Church: Exquisite SPRING 2017


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