Fittingly, iconic designer Tommy Hilfiger lives in a New York icon — The Plaza, where he says the best kept secret is the Food Hall by Todd English. “You can get sushi, burgers, lime kebab, cold seafood — the Parmesan French fries are amazing.” Hilfiger lives there with his wife, Dee, and Sebastian, youngest of his five children. Forty years after opening his first boutique, People’s Place in his native Elmira, NY, Hilfiger this week unveils his Prep World Pop-Up House at Gansevoort Plaza for four days starting Thursday. This is his New York. By SHEILA McCLEAR
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Pan Aqua Diving, 460 W. 43rd St., at 10th Avenue
“I’ve been diving for over 20 years. I got certified in Mustique, and that’s where I do most of my diving. I love being in the reefs, and seeing incredibly beautiful tropical fish. This is the perfect place to purchase all of my scuba diving gear in the city. It’s especially great if I don’t have the time to travel to a beach, considering that I can get in a little diving practice right at the store itself.”
Astrid Stawiarz
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David Duncan Antiques, 247 E. 60th St., between Second and Third avenues
“My wife and I like going here because he always has some hidden treasures — unique items that you can’t find anywhere else. We’ve found a vintage, 18th-century French mirror, and lots of odds and ends, like lamps and tables.”
Astrid Stawiarz
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Harry Cipriani Restaurant, 781 Fifth Ave., at 59th Street
“I have business lunches and evening dinners there. Sergio, the maitre d’, takes very good care of me. I like the branzino, it’s my favorite. Also, the meringue cake (inset) is amazing. Sometimes I get takeout. I like to eat outdoors at their downtown location when the weather is nice.”
Astrid Stawiarz for The New Yor
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Anthony Leonard Salon, 532 Madison Ave., at 54th Street
“Anthony and Leonard have created a warm, pleasant atmosphere you rarely see on Madison Avenue. It’s the best cut in town. They do my wife’s hair — Leonard comes to our house. She’s been seeing them for about five years.”
Astrid Stawiarz
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Trash and Vaudeville, 4 St. Marks Place, between Second and Third avenues
“This store has been in the East Village as long as I can remember and has outfitted some of rock ’n’ roll’s greats. You will certainly find some novelty items perfect for your next concert or band practice. It used to be called Limbo Clothing, in the late ’60s and early ’70s. Back in 1969, my friend Larry and I bought jeans off the streets or in little boutiques like Limbo and resold them in our jean shop, People’s Place. When it changed to Trash and Vaudeville, we bought a lot of punk-rock clothing to resell.”
Liz Sullivan
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Viand Coffee Shop, 673 Madison Ave., between 61st and 62nd streets
“I mostly have been going there with my wife, Dee (below), for the last five or six years. I get their omelettes, the BLTs, and I love the baklava for dessert. It’s a very cool place.”
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What Goes Around Comes Around, 351 West Broadway, between Broome and Grand streets
“The collection and variety of items is unlike any other vintage store in New York. I come here on occasion for ideas and inspiration for my collections. I bought my most comfortable vintage T-shirt here. It was a David Bowie shirt from one of his tours in the ’70s. Seth, one of the co-owners, has also helped me find inspirational garments over the years. He’ll take me into his warehouse, and we’ll comb through a lot of his vintage samples, from old motorcycle jackets to vintage military to Western wear — the real deal.”
