CAROLINE MCKAY • founder • Caro
Neighborhood you live & work in: Soho

It’s Friday. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Friday afternoons are my favorite; things finally start to breathe a little. I have my own PR studio, Caro, and we work with brands across hospitality and design (and some other categories!) — we get genuinely excited by cool founders and their stories. The weeks can get pretty hectic, which I love, but by Friday afternoon, I’m ready to shift gears. I go to my co-working space, The Malin in Soho, and I’ll tie up any loose ends or grab a coffee (or tea) with a client, editor, or colleague, which is my favorite way to end the week.

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
You caught me on a good one! Okay, so I know I’m late to the game, but Bartolo was one of my favorite meals of 2025, and I finally have another reservation there Friday night; very excited. Before that, though (and I debated sharing this because it feels like a bit of a best-kept secret), Moonflower on West 11th has the most incredible happy hour Monday through Friday, 4-6p, 50% off all bottles of wine. You walk out with a $30 bill, and it’s become my favorite way to kick off a weekend with friends.

Saturday, I have a reservation at Dean’s (intel), which recently opened right near me, and if the weather holds up, I might get there early just to stand outside for a drink first (channeling spring in London). Later that night, I’m hoping to pop into Stars (intel) before a party in the East Village; it’s only 12 seats, though, so that might be wishful thinking on my part.

As much as I love chasing new spots, my Sundays are when I like the classics. Lately, I am on a breakfast rotation between The Waverly Inn (my dream if it’s even a little rainy, is there anywhere cozier?), Commerce Inn (newer but it feels like a classic, and the club sandwich!!), or Balthazar if I wake up in a particularly social mood.

I’ve been itching for a proper afternoon in Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill with my friend/colleague McCall, who lives over there. Don’t Call Me Shirley and Golden Ratio are both on the list.

How about a little leisure or culture?
I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon in May. I ran the New York City Marathon two years ago, and that was my first bigger race since. It was so fun to end at Coney Island. And then there’s the well-known walk, which I think now most people have probably done, but I’ve been dying to get to: 16 miles from the top of Manhattan down to the bottom. Start at the Cloisters, end at The Dead Rabbit, with a bunch of good stops in between.

I also have a membership at Lore Bathing Club, and it’s the perfect addition to my wellness routine. It’s simply a beautiful sauna and cold plunge, but I’ve run into so many people I’ve known from over the years in New York. Plus, it’s such a nice alternative to bring a friend to rather than drinks or dinner.

Any weekend getaways?
Livingston Manor in the Catskills. Shameless plug, but I bought an adorable A-frame cabin up there in 2022, and it’s become one of my favorite corners of the world. And a great weekend reset from the city.

Recs there: The Kaatskeller for pizza, Upward Brewing Co. for beers, The DeBruce when you want a fancier, special dinner, Main Street Farm for stocking the fridge with local goods, Sunshine Colony for natural wine, and Somewhere in Time Farm for Saturday morning farm boxes and yoga.

What was your last great vacation?
Egypt, two years ago, for my cousin’s wedding. I learned about ancient Egypt in school, but nothing prepared me for actually standing in front of the pyramids, walking through the temples and tombs, and seeing how extraordinary that civilization was (and the level of preservation + detail!).

The highlight was a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings in Luxor at sunrise. And if you ever go, stay at Al Moudira Hotel. Every room is completely unique; the whole place feels like a dream. It’s genuinely one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at. If I go back, I have the Nour El Nil Nile River Cruise as number one on my list, and also hope to make it to Siwa Oasis.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
The Demi from Terra Kaffe: a bean-to-cup super-automatic machine, design-forward, makes your apartment smell great, and saves you so much on going out for coffee. And for the ladies, the La Ligne Colby Pants in satin: best clothing purchase I’ve made all year.

What store or service do you always recommend?
Buccal facial massage from the Spa Thermae at Sui Yoga in Soho. A hack if you get TMJ. And also their regular deep tissue massages with Leonore; she’s incredible! Also, my friend and acupuncturist Thalia, who owns The Muse in Flatiron, just opened the space this year. She also offers amazing facial acupuncture (a rare find), cupping, etc. I leave feeling never better!

Where are you donating your time or money?
I’m a big dog and animal person and found out that Best Friends Animal Society in Soho, has an Adventure Buddy program, which I had just started to do. Basically, you can volunteer by taking dogs in the shelter out on walks. Unfortunately, the space is currently under construction, but it’ll be back soon; it’s such a good chance for the pups to decompress and get noticed by potential adopters!

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REAL ESTATE • First Mover

Three for-sale properties that came to market in Ditmas Park & Midwood in the last 60 days.

→ 652 Marlborough Ct (Ditmas Park) • 4BR/3.1BA, 3025 SF house • Ask: $2.175M • Victorian-era on a cul-de-sac • Monthly taxes: $1005 • Days on market: 15 • Agent: Karen Wolfe, Brown Harris.

→ 783 Rugby Rd (West Midwood, above) • 5BR/2.1BA, 2910 SF house • Ask: $2.5M • Queen Anne-style w/ wraparound porch and original detailing • Monthly taxes: $935 • Days on market: 52 • Agent: Alexander de Bordes, Compass. Open house Sun 12-130p by appt only.

→ 534 E 24th St (South Midwood) • 6BR/4.1BA, 5049 SF house • Ask: $3.125M • rebuilt turn-of-the-century Victorian w/ 30’ x 35’ backyard • Monthly taxes: $701 • Days on market: 17 • Agents: Tay Kim & Esteban Gomez, Compass. Open house Sun 1230-2p by appt only.

REAL ESTATE LINKS: City facing lawsuit over rollout of pied-à-terre tax • Mamdani abandoning plan to turn Nolita’s Elizabeth St. Garden into housing • East Village’s Wisteria House sells for $3.65M • 81-story new development Casoni nears completion in Garment District • In Boerum Hill, developers buy church at 360 Schermerhorn St., will demolish for new development • Brooklyn Heights ponders if it’s ready for new 51-story neighbor.

WORK • Friday Routine

Repping hard

CAROLINE MCKAY • founder • Caro
Neighborhood you live & work in: Soho

It’s Friday. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Friday afternoons are my favorite; things finally start to breathe a little. I have my own PR studio, Caro, and we work with brands across hospitality and design (and some other categories!) — we get genuinely excited by cool founders and their stories. The weeks can get pretty hectic, which I love, but by Friday afternoon, I’m ready to shift gears. I go to my co-working space, The Malin in Soho, and I’ll tie up any loose ends or grab a coffee (or tea) with a client, editor, or colleague, which is my favorite way to end the week.

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
You caught me on a good one! Okay, so I know I’m late to the game, but Bartolo was one of my favorite meals of 2025, and I finally have another reservation there Friday night; very excited. Before that, though (and I debated sharing this because it feels like a bit of a best-kept secret), Moonflower on West 11th has the most incredible happy hour Monday through Friday, 4-6p, 50% off all bottles of wine. You walk out with a $30 bill, and it’s become my favorite way to kick off a weekend with friends.

Saturday, I have a reservation at Dean’s (intel), which recently opened right near me, and if the weather holds up, I might get there early just to stand outside for a drink first (channeling spring in London). Later that night, I’m hoping to pop into Stars (intel) before a party in the East Village; it’s only 12 seats, though, so that might be wishful thinking on my part.

As much as I love chasing new spots, my Sundays are when I like the classics. Lately, I am on a breakfast rotation between The Waverly Inn (my dream if it’s even a little rainy, is there anywhere cozier?), Commerce Inn (newer but it feels like a classic, and the club sandwich!!), or Balthazar if I wake up in a particularly social mood.

I’ve been itching for a proper afternoon in Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill with my friend/colleague McCall, who lives over there. Don’t Call Me Shirley and Golden Ratio are both on the list.

How about a little leisure or culture?
I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon in May. I ran the New York City Marathon two years ago, and that was my first bigger race since. It was so fun to end at Coney Island. And then there’s the well-known walk, which I think now most people have probably done, but I’ve been dying to get to: 16 miles from the top of Manhattan down to the bottom. Start at the Cloisters, end at The Dead Rabbit, with a bunch of good stops in between.

I also have a membership at Lore Bathing Club, and it’s the perfect addition to my wellness routine. It’s simply a beautiful sauna and cold plunge, but I’ve run into so many people I’ve known from over the years in New York. Plus, it’s such a nice alternative to bring a friend to rather than drinks or dinner.

Any weekend getaways?
Livingston Manor in the Catskills. Shameless plug, but I bought an adorable A-frame cabin up there in 2022, and it’s become one of my favorite corners of the world. And a great weekend reset from the city.

Recs there: The Kaatskeller for pizza, Upward Brewing Co. for beers, The DeBruce when you want a fancier, special dinner, Main Street Farm for stocking the fridge with local goods, Sunshine Colony for natural wine, and Somewhere in Time Farm for Saturday morning farm boxes and yoga.

What was your last great vacation?
Egypt, two years ago, for my cousin’s wedding. I learned about ancient Egypt in school, but nothing prepared me for actually standing in front of the pyramids, walking through the temples and tombs, and seeing how extraordinary that civilization was (and the level of preservation + detail!).

The highlight was a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings in Luxor at sunrise. And if you ever go, stay at Al Moudira Hotel. Every room is completely unique; the whole place feels like a dream. It’s genuinely one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at. If I go back, I have the Nour El Nil Nile River Cruise as number one on my list, and also hope to make it to Siwa Oasis.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
The Demi from Terra Kaffe: a bean-to-cup super-automatic machine, design-forward, makes your apartment smell great, and saves you so much on going out for coffee. And for the ladies, the La Ligne Colby Pants in satin: best clothing purchase I’ve made all year.

What store or service do you always recommend?
Buccal facial massage from the Spa Thermae at Sui Yoga in Soho. A hack if you get TMJ. And also their regular deep tissue massages with Leonore; she’s incredible! Also, my friend and acupuncturist Thalia, who owns The Muse in Flatiron, just opened the space this year. She also offers amazing facial acupuncture (a rare find), cupping, etc. I leave feeling never better!

Where are you donating your time or money?
I’m a big dog and animal person and found out that Best Friends Animal Society in Soho, has an Adventure Buddy program, which I had just started to do. Basically, you can volunteer by taking dogs in the shelter out on walks. Unfortunately, the space is currently under construction, but it’ll be back soon; it’s such a good chance for the pups to decompress and get noticed by potential adopters!

CULTURE & LEISURE • Dog Days

• Joe Hisaishi • Radio City (Midtown West) • Sat @ 8p • orch 3, $247 per

• Olivia Dean • MSG (Midtown South) • Sat @ 8p • sec 106, $850 per

• Dogstar • Webster Hall (East Village) • Wed @ 8p • GA, $73

CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Bowery-themed exhibition, ‘Devil’s Mile’, coming this fall to New Museum • New East Village pizza shop, Ecce, features owner’s wall-art tribute to Melville • Is ‘42Below’ the new dating hotspot? • Monoculture is back.

GETAWAYS • Tannersville

Oh, Deer

Before you even check into your room at the Deer Mountain Inn, the cookies win you over. They’re underneath a glass cloche at the desk, and smell cartoonishly appealing. Years after my first visit, I still think about the first bite of the cookie I ate on the idyllic walk from the main building to my artist’s cabin in the woods.

In fact, it’s just the beginning of the culinary delights at Deer Mountain, which to my mind is the best place to eat in the Catskills (in addition to a great place to stay).

Like many Catskills restaurants, the menu changes constantly to reflect local, seasonal ingredient availability. What sets the kitchen at the Deer Mountain Inn apart is its commitment to foraging, fermenting, and curing whatever they can in-house. On various visits, I’ve had things like hand-cut potato chips dusted with a ranch-like seasoning made from foraged ramps (the perfect vessel for scooping up creme fraiche and caviar), sausage made from goats raised a few mountains over, and cured steelhead trout.

The culinary team at the Deer Mountain Inn also elegantly riffs on the classics. I go here for cheeseburgers dressed up with bordelaise and vibrant Harvest Moon cheese with a side of chili and sumac-dusted fries, or the platonic ideal of a roast chicken. They hit a mark many kitchens aim for, but often miss: consistently perfect comfort food with fun little twists. Add that to the fact that the dining room feels like it belongs on the set of a rom-com, and it’s hard to make an argument to stay anywhere else.

You can just pop in and eat at the restaurant here. I often do. But there are some aspects of dining at the Deer Mountain Inn that you simply have to stay there to experience. The lavish ritual of moving from your dinner table to an overstuffed leather couch by the fireplace for a spread of desserts, paired with the sommelier’s favorite amari is reason alone to stay the night. –Carina Finn

→ Deer Mountain Inn (Tannersville, NY) • 790 Co Rd 25 • Rates from $415/night • Reserve dinner.

GETAWAYS LINKS: Is Sag Harbor the new Montauk? • On Shelter Island, appreciating new Korean restaurant Blue Han… and a not-so-Vogue 36 hours on Shelter • A North Fork guide to plentiful produce.

BARS AND RESTAURANTS• The Nines

Drinks, frozen

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best. Paid subscribers access the complete Nines archive, including our favorite restaurants by neighborhood.

• Bar Snack (East Village), Electric Mayhem (mango, Vita Coco, Chamoy, Squash amaro, Absolut Tabasco), sweet, spicy, and a little chaotic, tropical slush balances juicy mango w/ tangy chamoy and kick of Tabasco

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First, regarding a reader’s call for caterers for a casual summer party in Manhattan:

• The Raging Skillet. One of the best in the city. Fun, creative, excellent food. Rossi, the owner, is a NY personality. They’ve won awards, but still, great prices.

• I just went to a luncheon and had the best food — simple, healthy, delish. It was from Quality Greens Kitchen. Can’t recommend them highly enough.

• Our spot Cleo would be perfect to cater a summer party. We do offsites all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. –Halley Chambers

• Long-time subscriber here. I look after Chef Daniel Boulud’s catering business, Cuisine Boulud, and would be glad to connect with your reader seeking a local catering partner. I’m glad to be a resource for anyone in the FOUND community in need of catering or event production support. –Will Joseph

• Hey there! Long-time listener, first-time caller. An absolutely fantastic caterer for a summer party would be chef Audrey Falk. We went through a couple of iterations of the proposal for an engagement party, and landed on a yummy table of hors d’oeuvres with savory passed bites and a cocktail station. (Good taste runs in the family — her twin sister Leah Shamiri is the proprietor of Park Slope’s most chic boutique, Shahmiri.)

Two more PROMPTS, for which we seek your intelligence:

• I need a new band for a relatively high-end watch. What’s the best in-person option in the city?

• I’m thinking of getting back into squash this fall. What are my best NYC options for court time and/or lessons?

Hit reply or email found@foundny.com with your genius (and your questions). If we publish your Ask FOUND response, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription.

WORK • Tuesday Routine

Springs eternal

ALEX ROSSI • CEO • Parioli Hospitality Group
Neighborhood you work in: East Hampton
Neighborhood you live in: Springs

It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
As the owner and operator of two restaurants in the Hamptons, Lion’s Nook and Springs Tavern & Grill, my days are quite jam-packed, and that’s before heading to evening service by 5 or 6p. I usually start with a workout at my local gym, Truth Training, or a game of pick-up soccer, depending on the day of the week. After that, it’s regular check-ins separately with my GM, executive chef, and CFO to see what new issues need to be dealt with for the day. It’s amazing how many fires need to be put out daily!

As it’s Tuesday, it is also a busy day for my “day job” as Partner at LIV Capital, a Mexico-based private equity firm I co-founded 25 years ago. I have a weekly two-hour Zoom board call for one of our portfolio companies on Tuesdays. After that, it’s emails, paperwork (the business side of restaurants is never-ending), more phone calls and (if I’m lucky) a beach walk with my wife Cyn, and the three dogs: Coco, Lola and Olivia. Then I usually take a quick dip in the pool and off to evening service.

What’s on the agenda for today?
We’re in the process of opening a café next door to Lion’s Nook, so today, I have an afternoon meeting with the contractor working on the job to see the latest build-out updates and decide on equipment placement. We spent about two months building out Lion’s Nook, doing a full renovation. Now I’m trying to get Lion’s Café open in the next couple of weeks so we can catch the tail end of the season. As both our restaurants (and the café) are open year-round, we don’t just take a seasonal approach to our business strategy. I’m thinking ahead to what guests will want from us in the shoulder and winter seasons (frankly, the best time out here!).

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
On nights when I don’t go to either of our restaurants, I have to admit: I’ve become too lazy to cook. So usually, my wife and I will try to hit one of our local spots for a date-night dinner. We love the high-tops at Nick & Toni’s, the bar at East Hampton Grill, a table in the back at Il Buco al Mare, or, if we’re ready to venture a bit farther, happy hour at Lule Kitchen & Bar in Sag Harbor.

How about a little leisure or culture this week?
The World Cup wasn’t only thrilling to watch, but also a big boon for business. Springs Tavern was packed for every match. With a 21-year-old son who’s a professional soccer player and a 23-year-old daughter in sports broadcasting, this summer has been nirvana for our family! Now that we’ve hit a lull in the sports world for a bit, my wife and I are hoping to take advantage of the great summer programming at Guild Hall.

What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
As we spend most of our time out east now, when we go back to New York City, it’s a good time to hit some of the stores we miss the most. I have to say that Bloomingdale’s continues to be a stalwart for finding almost anything you need that you don’t order online. I usually pop into Butterfield Market for one of their tasty sandwiches. A slice at Joe’s of course. And if it’s Sunday evening, and the gang is all together, family dinner at Mr. Chow is a must.

Where are you donating your time or money?
Last year, we hosted the annual Chowder Chowdown at Springs Tavern and helped raise a lot of money that goes straight to Springs Food Pantry to help feed local residents who can’t afford to provide enough food for their families. A few weeks ago at Lion’s Nook, during our first week of opening, we hosted a Bobbi Brown-sponsored fundraiser for Hamptons Community Outreach, a local organization whose mission is to lift people out of poverty, by meeting their most basic and critical needs.

WORK LINKS: Biglaw comp update: The wait for Cravath continues • Snapchat takes 199K SF at Penn 2 • Why CEOs are taking a hike • Trending: Private equity arm candy and Palantir merch.

YOUR BRAND HERE: 93% of FOUND subscribers recommend products, services, and/or experiences to friends and family. Hit reply or email sales@itsfound.com, and we’ll get to work on your next great sponsorship campaign.

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Object

Sharp touch

I live in an apartment with a very well-stocked kitchen: Mauviel copper pots, multiple clay Japanese rice cookers, and even a carbonation rig tucked into the corner of my bedroom alongside two liquid nitrogen tanks. As for knives? We have just about everything: rare, hand-forged daggers, mostly from Japan, in every shape, size, and steel imaginable. (My husband is a chef.) So we certainly don’t need another knife. And yet, the new Large Chopper ($304 per) from Barcelona-based Florentine Kitchen Knives, with its chic ivory-and-black striped handle, has quickly become one of my favorites.

Florentine’s take on a Japanese nakiri vegetable knife looks like a baby cleaver, and it’s great for chopping. But I’ve also used it for finer tasks, like separating mango flesh from its peel. In addition to being beautiful, it just feels good in your hand. It’s heavy (but not too heavy), and the handle — made from a fabric and resin composite called Micarta — has a soft, smooth feel. The blade: hand-ground and stone-sharpened.

Founded by industrial designer Tomer Botner, the Barcelona workshop handcrafts all of its knives. And the brand is especially known for steak knives –– you may have seen them at restaurants like Cote in New York and Lazy Bear in San Francisco. In a home where new kitchen gear arrives on the regular, this Large Chopper has earned a permanent spot in our knife rotation. –Kat Odell

→ Shop: Large Chopper (Florentine Kitchen Knives) • $304.

GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: One of NYC’s best bottle shops, Penn Cellars, is hiding in Penn Station • Asian-inspired ice cream shop Lucky Creamery opens in Greenpoint • On 5th Ave, luxury brands are making statements with scaffolding • Hold on to summer for as long as you can • The rise of air-conditioned clothing • Do Italians do beauty better?

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Larder

Flat out delicious

Crisp, caramelly, blanketed in dark chocolate: Naomi’s Magic Matzah is the Hamptons’ most addictive new dessert. Founded by makeup artist Noelle DiTroia, the riff on the classic Passover matzah bark begins with an organic whole spelt base that she layers with a coconut sugar toffee, 65% dark chocolate sweetened with dates, and a sprinkle of crunchy Maldon sea salt.

DiTroia first developed the recipe for a family Passover seder, where it quickly became the dessert friends and relatives requested every year. As of this month, Naomi’s is available with free local delivery throughout the Hamptons, plus plans to expand across Long Island, New York City, and Westchester by the High Holidays. The lineup includes bark topped simply with flaky salt, a mix of toasted pecans (my personal favorite), and shredded coconut with chewy dried cranberries. –Kat Odell

→ Shop: Naomi’s Magic Matzah • $20-$25 per 5.2 oz. bag.

NYC RESTAURANT LINKS: Beloved Thai spot Ugly Baby’s new Williamsburg home sets 08/27 comeback date • Forthcoming Crane Club-adjacent Bar CC lures Overstory’s Harrison Ginsberg • In Tribeca, longtime chef Ronny Emborg departing Atera • NYC Cambodian pioneer Bayon shutters • How an obscure gin from Menorca became an NYC cocktail go-to • Things that bother me about today’s restaurants • How to win in NYC’s cutthroat reservation economy.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

West Village freshness

The Skinny: Former Per Se and Olmsted chef Sherry Cardoso has struck out on her own with Cynthia, a sleek 28-seat tasting-menu spot in the West Village.

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Three for-sale properties that came to market in New Hope, PA, in the last 30 days.

→ 2033 Aquetong Rd (New Hope) • 2BR/2.1BA, 3378 SF house • Ask: $2.75M • ‘A long, winding driveway carries you through lush forest, the woods closing in tighter the further you go. Then you cross a quaint stone bridge over Dark Hollow Run, the trees fall away, and the landscape opens onto a secluded midcentury-modern retreat.’ • Annual taxes: $13,497 • Days on market: 14 • Agents: Farzad Nejad & Rose Presnell, Compass.

→ 6214 Saw Mill Rd (New Hope, above) • 5BR/5.1BA, 6037 SF house • Ask: $3.775M • on two parcels totaling 10.6 acres backing up onto protected conservation land • Annual taxes: $24,674 • Days on market: 17 • Agent: Lavinia Smerconish, Compass.

→ 6020 Atkinson Rd (New Hope) • 5BR/7.2BA, 9871 SF estate • Ask: $4.995M • gathering area with stone fireplace, wine cellar, theater room, billiards room, wet bar & full bath • Annual taxes: $33,074 • Days on market: 18 • Agents: Jay & Julianne Spaziano, Jay Spaziano Real Estate.

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REAL ESTATE LINKS: Manhattan and Brooklyn sales listings trend in opposite directions • Amid confusion, NYC extends pied-à-terre tax exemption deadline by 4 weeks • The cloudy water torture at 220 Central Park South • Supertall 520 Fifth Ave wraps construction in Midtown • On Lower East Side, former Essex St. Market building to become 99 rental units • Plans revealed for lot where East Village church burned down in 2020.

CULTURE & LEISURE • Paradise City

• My Chemical Romance • Citi Field (Flushing) • Sun @ 6p • sec 110, $194 per

• Mumford & Sons • MSG (Midtown South) • Tue @ 730p • sec 107, $342 per

• Guns N’ Roses • MetLife (East Rutherford) • Wed @ 625p • sec 113, $226

CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Arrival of Bat Lord marks new era at the Cloisters • Inside Joe Jonas’s art-filled, for-sale apartment • 15 outdoor art shows to see this summer in NYC • The great estate rush reshaping the art market.

WORK • Friday Routine

Island life

VALERIE MNUCHIN • owner • Léon 1909
Neighborhood you work in: Shelter Island Heights
Neighborhood you live in: Wainscott

It’s Friday afternoon. How are you rolling into the weekend?
I wake up and start my day with my favorite iced latte at Sagaponack General Store, then I head to New York Pilates in East Hampton. After that, it’s straight to Shelter Island and Léon 1909 for a day of meetings, tasting new dishes, and labor schedules. I’m fortunate to have such a talented and experienced team, including chef Armond Joseph and Chris Clark, our GM, who keep everything running smoothly. By Friday evening, I’m back at Léon for service and dinner with friends (with a lot of driving in between). This is a busy time of year on the East End, but there’s a great energy to it that I really love.

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
Léon, Léon, Léon. Not only am I working, but it’s actually my favorite place to be. For brunch, you can find me at Carissa’s or at Sagtown for a smoothie. Sunday nights, my husband cooks — we love to stay home and decompress after busy weekends. Sometimes we sneak off to Monte’s in Montauk and John’s for ice cream after dinner.

How about a little leisure or culture?
My daughter does ballet, so we’re always chasing her classes or shows at Guild Hall. I love seeing her perform, and it’s become such a big part of our weekends. We also walk the beach every day with the dogs, usually Townline or Beach Lane. Padel and hiking are definitely part of the weekend too. Anything outdoors and active makes me happy.

What was your last great vacation?
We went to Pine Cay in Turks and Caicos in February, and I’m obsessed. It’s dead quiet, with the most beautiful beach and water for miles. There’s something so special about a place that feels completely untouched and peaceful. We spent our days swimming, reading, and completely unplugging, which is very rare for me.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I recently bought a vintage rose-cut flower pendant on a leather choker cord. It’s from my closest friend and favorite jewelry go-to, @elishtolizzie.

What store or service do you always recommend?
My Beachy Side for all summer fashion — I always find something effortless and fun there. And I love Golden Pear Café in East Hampton.

Where are you donating your time or money?
ARF, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons. Animals have always been close to my heart, and I really admire the work they do for rescue and adoption.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

Aegean spirit

The Skinny: Coastal Greek restaurant Selene opened this spring in Soho, with fresh seafood, multiple mezze, Mediterranean wines, and a lot of spirit.

The Vibe: Walk in, and the room splits in two: a darker, moodier bar area up front, beyond which is an airy, light-filled dining room. The decor is neutral stone, light wood, and whitewashed walls, and the noise level lands somewhere between lively and loud.

The Food: Start with the hummus and pita, then order as much fish as the table can handle. A tuna crudo dotted with tobiko and fennel pollen, then drizzled with lemon and olive oil is wonderfully delicate. Selene chips — paper-thin fried zucchini and eggplant slices — are perfectly crispy and oily, and the standout main of tsipoura fish is flaky, and juicy. Nothing you wouldn’t see on your average Greek taverna menu, all done well.

The Drink: A fairly well-distributed wine list — covering North America and western Europe, in addition to a few Greek wines — is succinct and well-rounded. Cocktails are also worth a look. The Salt Air (tequila, fermented cucumber and dill, and Aegean tonic) is refreshing, as is a more laid-back Coastal Spritz of Montenegro amaro, Vidiano wine, and fig.

The Verdict: Between the fresh fish, the whitewashed room, and that cocktail list, Selene is a new bright slice of the Aegean on a Soho corner. –Lauren Harano

→ Selene (Soho) • 23 Grand St • Mon-Wed 5-10p, Thu-Sat 5-1030p • Reserve.

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GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Object

Over easy

The tool my husband and I use most during summer in the Hamptons is our forest-green Big Green Egg. The iconic ceramic grill and cooker turns out absurdly juicy meat from live-fire cooking (we often use locally foraged wood as fuel). Over the years, we’ve used it to make everything from Peking duck and baby back ribs to thin-crust pizza and pillowy pita.

We love ours so much that we recently added a MiniMax Big Green Egg to the patio of our Brooklyn apartment. Designed to be portable and compact enough to sit on a tabletop or ledge, the MiniMax still packs plenty of cooking real estate. Its 13-inch stainless steel grid has enough room for two generous ribeyes or a steak alongside a pile of vegetables. Like its larger counterparts, it’s user-friendly, holds temperature exceptionally well, can reach up to 750°F, and delivers perfectly grilled and smoked proteins and vegetables just like the rest of the Big Green family. –Kat Odell

→ Shop: MiniMax Big Green Egg, $850.

GETAWAYS • Rhode Island

Sharing in the groove

As far as Rhode Island locales go, you could do far, far worse than a couple of serene days at the Weekapaug Inn, with its timeless red cedar shingles and red shutters on the shores of the saltwater Quonochontaug Pond.

Three Fenway Suites overlook the pool from large furnished decks with outdoor soaking tubs. Last time I visited Rhode Island, I stayed at Weekapaug’s sister resort Ocean House, 15 minutes away in Watch Hill. Weekapaug Inn is smaller and quieter. A complimentary house car shuttles guests between the two resorts, so you can still get out to the ocean and dip your toes in the Atlantic waters, no matter which property you opt for.

Inn guests can zip around the pond with complimentary paddleboards and electric boat tours, spotting ospreys, piping plovers, herons, and terns. The original inn, built in the 1890s, was destroyed in a 1938 hurricane, but the water was perfectly calm during my stay. I enjoyed a salt marsh walk with the resort’s resident naturalist, but honestly wished I could have joined the driftwood art class for children.

At dinner, meaty king trumpet mushrooms were neatly scored and caramelized, while kombu-cured whole black sea bass was served butterflied and head-on. Chef de cuisine Cameron Gray is a native Rhode Islander, who will proudly show guests the garden he’s planted with tomatoes, peppers, and herbs just beside their room. Complimentary warm sourdough and rye breads comes from local bakery Nana’s Westerly, and were so good that I stopped by the following morning to pick up a loaf to take home.

After dinner and a brief soak in my tub, I drifted off to a vinyl record soundtrack of poems, music, and field recordings from The Birdsong Project, an unusual but effective meditation.

Why It’s FOUND: Peaceful pond life at its best, with remarkably great food and quintessential New England charm. –Amber Gibson

→ Weekapaug Inn (Westerly, RI) • 25 Spray Rock Rd • Rates from $1500/night.

GETAWAYS LINKS: In Sag Harbor, Corner Bar successor The Corner opens tonight, lunch coming next week • Compass invades Shelter Island • At the Airports: Delta cutting JFK routes to IAH, MEM, STL… JetBlue names forthcoming first class service BlueFirst… wins auction to bring flights back to LGA’s Marine Air Terminal… and why JetBlue wants out of LGA’s gleaming Terminal B.

LOST & FOUND • Behind the Paywall

Dispatches by FOUND subscribers, for FOUND subscribers.

→ A handful of favorite NYC restaurants from new subscribers: 4 Charles Prime Rib (Greenwich Village) • Anton’s (West Village) • Avra Madison (Upper East Side) • Agnanti Meze (Astoria).

• New York City

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ASK FOUND

First, regarding a reader’s call for a children’s bookstore in the city to rival The Bear and the Books in Hopewell, NJ:

• Books of Wonder on W 17th St. is fantastic. Highly recommend. It may give Hopewell, NJ, a run for its money.

Two more PROMPTS, for which we seek your intelligence:

• I need a caterer for a casual summer party in Manhattan. Who you got?

• I’m thinking of getting back into squash this winter. What are my best NYC options?

If we publish your Ask FOUND response, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription. Hit reply or email found@foundny.com with your genius (and your questions).

RESTAURANTS • First Person

Good bones

After an appropriate period of mourning, the first thing anyone wonders when a beloved New York restaurant closes is, of course, what horrors might next befoul its august address. A bank, a vape place, a Blank Street? Rare is the blessed occasion when a terrific new operation repopulates the bones of an old one.

NYC RESTAURANT LINKS: A month after opening, chef Julia Sherman exiting Oberon at New Museum • Doubles bringing its Hamptons Caribbean vibe to Brooklyn Heights • On Avenue B, Salumeria Rosi eyes Labor Day reopening following temporary closure • Greenpoint’s Transmitter Park to get new restaurant and marina.

WORK • Tuesday Routine

Tuesday 4p energy

RICHARD MUMBY • CEO • Wip
Neighborhood you work in: Tribeca
Neighborhood you live in: Chelsea

It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Tuesday mornings at Wip’s Tribeca office have a nice rhythm to them. People start rolling in by 9a, and by mid-morning the place is buzzing: lots of action to keep momentum going since launching just over a year ago and continuing to plan for some really exciting work next year. My job as CEO is to lead our team to create an entirely new category around the clean caffeine pouch, which is what Wip essentially is: a caffeine pouch. Same form factor as Zyn, but no nicotine. It’s a no-drink, fast way to get high-strength, on-demand energy.

The 2p slump can hit anyone. In our office, we just fight it differently. Someone inevitably surfaces a new flavor we’ve been developing, passes it around, and suddenly, there’s a product review happening in the middle of the floor. Then around 4p, someone grabs the AUX cord and DJs us through the rest of the day. It’s become a bit of a ritual. Fridays we’re all remote, so Tuesday honestly has some of the best energy of the week.

What’s on the agenda for today?
Today’s is a mix of near-term sales growth and longer-horizon brand building. On the sales side, we’ve got a lot of momentum to work with — Wip has already moved 2 million cans, and we’re selling online and nationally across more than 8,000 convenience stores. Next up is prepping for NACS in October, the National Association of Convenience Stores convention, one of the biggest stages in convenience retail. We’re bringing the energy to the expo, so if you’re headed there, find us.

Today we’re also thinking through how to grow our community around the brand. We just brought Ovo Roxx, longtime trainer to Drake, onto the team. His audience lives at the intersection of fitness, culture, and nightlife, which maps perfectly to who we’re building for: people who use caffeine to fuel their workday, their workout, and their night out.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Oberon, the new restaurant inside the New Museum on the Bowery. I’m on the museum’s board, so I’ve been lucky to see a lot of the work that went into this next chapter. The building recently reopened after a major expansion by OMA (the firm’s first cultural institution in New York), which more than doubled the museum’s exhibition space. OMA also designed Oberon, which I believe is the first restaurant they’ve done, and the space looks incredible.

How about a little leisure or culture this week?
I’ve been serious about weight training for about eight years and usually work out at CompleteBody, which I love. But in the summer, I try to get outside as much as possible, and lately I’ve been spending more time working on my tennis game.

What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
Smile House in Tribeca. Yes, I’m one of those people who actually loves going to the dentist. Dr. Jonathan Levine runs the place, and he’s been doing incredible work for 35 years. I leave every appointment feeling like I learned something new. Highly recommend to anyone in the neighborhood.

Where are you donating your time or money?
I’m fortunate to support causes that align with both my professional interests and personal passions. A significant focus is the arts and culture. Through Eastern Standard Time Capital Partners, I invest in and produce Broadway productions, because I believe great storytelling has the power to inspire, challenge perspectives, and bring people together.

I’m also proud to serve on the Board of Trustees of the New Museum and chair NY Forever, a nonprofit dedicated to building a stronger, more equitable New York. Both organizations are creating meaningful opportunities for artists and communities alike.

WORK LINKS: Law firm Milbank continues to push associate pay with special bonuses • Inside the $4K midlife retreat for burned-out execs • A man in shorts does not run a meeting • Helicopter parents are invading the workplace.

YOUR BRAND HERE: 93% of FOUND subscribers recommend products, services, and/or experiences to friends and family. Hit reply or email sales@itsfound.com, and we’ll get to work on your next great sponsorship campaign.

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Service

Blown away

Is a $300 blowout really worth it? It is at David Mallett.

I walked into the loungey space in the WSA tower rain-soaked, looking the opposite of event-ready. I needed a quick transformation, which is exactly what I got. The cult-favorite Parisian stylist caters to cool-girl clients like Charlotte Gainsbourg, which is probably why his name is synonymous with French girl chic hair. Getting a blowout from Mallett’s team is a master class in achieving effortless glam.

The salon looks straight out of a ’90s design magazine, with green marble floors and lots of chrome and black leather. I took in the dramatic view of the downtown skyline from the floor-to-ceiling windows as I settled into a boxy black armchair for my shampoo. I have thick, wavy hair that can be tricky to style, so I’m usually nervous in a new salon, but I felt instantly at ease.

My stylist came over for a chat, and we decided on a ’90s bombshell blowout. “I love doing these,” he said as he started in on a rough blow-dry. “They’re so fun and easy.”

I’ve never considered a big, bouncy blowout to be easy, but by the time I walked out of the salon, I’d been converted. I learned that taking my hair to 90% dry during the rough stage, with lots of flipping and shaking to create volume at the roots, was key to getting a style that would stay all day. And although I always say that my hair doesn’t hold a curl without tons of product, my stylist used nothing but David Mallett’s leave-in conditioning mist and a small round brush to create a Claudia Schiffer-inspired style.

I left not only with the hairstyle of my dreams, but with the know-how to re-create it at home — worth it. –Carina Finn

→ David Mallett at WSA (Wall Street) • 161 Water St • Tue-Sat 10a-7p.

GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: First signage is up at Ave A Barnes & Noble • SF-based startup, Corgi, bringing its insurance cafes to NYC • Muji opening second Brooklyn store on Flatbush • The ‘Mah Jong’ sofa has officially entered pop culture • What does ‘semiformal’ mean today?

BARS • The Nines

Spritzes

The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in NYC and surrounds. Paid subscribers access the complete Nines archive.

• Bar Pisellino (West Village), aperitivo institution by and around the corner from Via Carota, sprawling sidewalk terrace, phenomenal people watching

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favourites

Favourite new restaurants we’ve visited recently.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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Paid subscribers, keep your eyes open for links to Summer Reports from our other cities later this week.

RESTAURANTS • FOUND Favorites

Favorite new restaurants that we’ve recently visited.

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ALEXANDRA ZATARAIN • co-founder & VP of Brand and Marketing • Eight Sleep
Neighborhood you work in: Flatiron

It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I’m at Eight Sleep’s New York office, usually by 9a. The brand, growth, and digital product teams are primarily based here, while much of our hardware and engineering work happens in San Francisco, so my mornings tend to begin with the East Coast team before turning into a long sequence of calls west.

The office never looks particularly pristine, which I like. There are Pods being tested, pieces of packaging, fabric samples, prototypes that are not supposed to be photographed, and marked-up creative work everywhere. Someone is inevitably lying on a bed for a perfectly legitimate business reason. I normally start with a coffee from Eataly (RIP Ralph’s Coffee Flatiron location!), look at how the business performed overnight, and then walk around chatting with the team rather than immediately disappearing into a conference room. You learn much more from 10 minutes of unplanned conversation than from another scheduled status meeting.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
A recent discovery I’m very excited about is Son del North. They make Tijuana-style burritos, which immediately felt personal to me because Tijuana is where I grew up in Mexico. These aren’t the oversized, overloaded burritos most people associate with Mexican food in the US. They’re simpler, more precise, and completely dependent on the quality of the tortilla, meat, and a few very good ingredients. Son del North gets that exactly right.

I also love Semma. The food is exceptional, but what I appreciate most is how specific and confident it is. It doesn’t dilute the flavors or try to make the experience overly accessible.

How about a little leisure or culture this week?
I travel so much that, when I’m in New York, my idea of leisure is often simply experiencing the city without an agenda. I love walking the West Side Highway early in the morning, particularly before the city becomes loud. I don’t listen to a podcast or try to make the walk productive. That is the point.

I had really wanted to see ABT’s performance of Don Quixote at the Met in early July, but I couldn’t be in New York on the dates it was running. It’s a ballet that’s so joyful and so technically demanding at the same time. The music is vivid, the staging is full of color and movement, and the choreography has a kind of confidence and theatricality that makes it immediately engaging, even if you do not regularly go to the ballet.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A Pilates reformer for my home. I travel more than 200 days in some years, and I finally realized that making exercise dependent on a class schedule was an unnecessary source of friction. Pilates is one of the few things I have done consistently for years, so having a reformer at home means I can fit in 30 or 40 minutes even on a day full of calls. It was expensive and takes up an absurd amount of space, but I use it constantly.

What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
Facials at Aida Bicaj in Tribeca. I’ve tried treatments in many places around the world, but this is the only place I trust for deeper, more intensive facials. They’re extremely knowledgeable, never overly aggressive, and tailor every treatment to what my skin actually needs rather than following a standard routine. I also buy essentially all of my skincare from them.

In a getaway town like Windham, NY, it’s rare to find a place where locals and weekenders alike want to hang out, but Dandies threads the needle. On a recent weekend stay at Eastwind, the Catskills retreat where Dandies recently opened, I found that I didn’t want to go exploring for food because Dandies was right there… and so good.

Read more

For those in the city during the dog days of summer, perhaps a visit to a new tiki bar is in order.

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• New York

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REAL ESTATE • First Mover

Three for-sale properties that came to market in the East Village in the last 30 days.

→ 111 4th Ave #2FG (East Village) • 2BR/2BA, NA SF co-op • Ask: $2.799M • loft w/ 10-ft-tall west-facing factory windows • Monthly maint/tax: $3240 • Days on market: 22 • Agents: Debbie Zolan & Patrick Burns, Compass.

→ 32 E 1st St #5A (East Village) • 2BR/2BA, 1238 SF condo • Ask: $3.295M • oversized German-engineered Schüco tilt-and-turn windows • Monthly cc: $2647 • Monthly tax: $2467 • Days on market: 24 • Agents: Ryan Stenta & Alessandro Prospato, Elliman.

→ 52 E 4th St (East Village, above) • 2BR/2BA, 1317 SF condo • Ask: $5.595M • full-floor penthouse w/ 1500-SF private rooftop • Monthly cc: $4231 • Monthly tax: $2924 • Days on market: 18 • Agents: Jared Schwadron & Corey Mermelstein, Compass.

REAL ESTATE LINKS: Confusion reigns over eligibility for Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax • Plans for new 21-story Soho tower slated for Canal St. under review • 12-story new development 35 West 14th St. tops out • If Chris Pine can’t get his security deposit back, is there any hope for the rest of us?

WORK • Friday Routine

High marks

MICHAEL HURSA • executive chef • The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges
Neighborhood you live & work in: Upper East Side

It’s Friday afternoon. How are you rolling into the weekend?
Friday afternoon means a hectic, high-intensity lunch service at The Mark Restaurant, followed by a late dinner rush and a packed bar. We serve the highest number of covers in the neighborhood, and Fridays keep us busy.

In the summertime, Friday also means the kitchen is servicing one of our signature Mark Sails. The Mark Sailboat offers guests a two-hour sail through New York Harbor, supplemented by a luxurious Jean-Georges culinary experience prepared by The Mark Restaurant. We start to check our lists, make our counts, organize our allergen plan, and most importantly, ready all the equipment to cook out of the galley.

When I get off work, if it’s before midnight and I am not exhausted, my wife Sydney (a pastry chef) and I are off to Mezzaluna for a cozy date night.

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
Sydney and I always try to check out industry friends’ spots or new restaurants. For example, we just had an amazing meal at Oiji Mi. Most of the time, we like to keep our fingers on the pulse. I think Essential by Christophe is one of the best restaurants in the city. We just went to Gabriel Kreuther, which never disappoints. I have to pick her birthday restaurant soon, maybe César! If it’s less of an occasion, we like to keep it local and close to the apartment on days off, visiting Cafe Alsace after taking a stroll in the park.

Any weekend getaways?
We’re both from the Outer Banks and still have family there, but time moves very quickly in the city and it’s important to rest. I usually have a four- to five-hour flight rule for most vacations, so that we don’t lose a full day in transit. We just got back from Antigua, which was phenomenal. That being said, though, I like to stay in the Upper East Side and in the city.

What was your last great vacation?
My wife and I have fun anywhere we go together. We had an amazing time in Nosara, Costa Rica. It was such an unforgettably peaceful and spiritual place. I wouldn’t recommend that any tourists go there! I also highly recommend Banff in Canada.

CULTURE & LEISURE • Summer Rush

• Les Misérables: The Arena Concert Spectacular • Radio City (Midtown West) • Sat @ 2p • orch 4, $194 per

• Rush • MSG (Midtown South) • Sat @ 730p • sec 107, $587 per

• Marlins v Mets • Citi Field (Flushing) • Sun @ 140p • sec 110 row A, $133

CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Private club Gowanus Golf Club secures Dumbo space • David Zwirner closes Upper East Side outpost • Courtyard at PS1 gets a tranquil garden • 8 NYC artists to watch in 2026 • The 30 best art museums in the US.

GETAWAYS • The Catskills

Fine and dandy

In a getaway town like Windham, NY, it’s rare to find a place where locals and weekenders alike want to hang out, but Dandies threads the needle. On a recent weekend stay at Eastwind, the Catskills retreat where Dandies recently opened, I found that I didn’t want to go exploring for food because Dandies was right there… and so good.

It’s an unconventional setup. The dining room looks like a mid-century greenhouse, and the kitchen is in a converted Airstream trailer parked just outside. Unreasonably good food pulls it all together, with cheffed-up barbecue, like pulled pork sandwiches and meat-and-sides platters. After a three-hour drive up from the city, tucking into half a smoked chicken, perfectly creamy baked macaroni and cheese, and a crisp pilsner felt sublime. The fact that my hotel room was a three-minute walk away made it all the better.

The menu works hard all day. In the morning, I camped out with my notebook to write while I grazed on brisket hash and sweet Norwegian pancakes. And when I wanted something lighter after a long hike, an all-sides meal of things like grilled broccolini and hand-cut fries was just the thing. There’s even a gelato and sorbet bar so you can get dessert without leaving the property.

The combination of consistently excellent food available all day long coupled with extremely comfortable beds and picture-window views of the woods meant that I actually relaxed during my Eastwind weekend. As the kind of person who travels rather than vacations, that was a major win. And since I drive through the Catskills often, it’s nice to know I can always pop into Dandies to have barbecue and chill. –Carina Finn

→ Dandies (Windham, NY) • 5088 Route 23 • Thu-Fri 3-9p, Sat-Sun 8a-9p.
→ Eastwind Windham (Windham, NY) • Windham, NY • Rooms from $299/night.

GETAWAYS LINKS: Mike in Amagansett was more than a fishmonger • On Shelter Island, Marie Eiffel Market Cafe debuts Chez Marie outdoor dinner situation • Montauk General Store puts down permanent roots on Montauk Hwy. • Downtown Greenwich getting first new luxury development in years • Café Boulud opens residency at Washington, CT’s Mayflower Inn.

BARS • First Round

Rum palace

For those in the city during the dog days of summer, perhaps a visit to a new tiki bar is in order.

Read more

• New York

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ASK FOUND

First, a couple of subscriber recs to our call for building management companies:

• ERPM is an excellent property management company. And I have experience with quite a few.

• Long-time listener, first-time responder. If you need a boutique management company, Matthew Maggipinto at Empire State is great.

Two more PROMPTS, for which we seek your intelligence:

• I need a caterer for a casual summer party in Manhattan. Who you got?

• I was surprised to see no children’s bookstores on your list of specialty bookstores. Having recently found a wonderful children’s bookstore in Hopewell, NJ (The Bear and the Books), I can’t imagine there isn’t a better one in all of NYC. Can FOUND subscribers enlighten us parents and grandparents trying to sift through the dreck of children’s books today, with a high-quality, well-curated children’s bookstore?

If we publish your Ask FOUND response, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription. Hit reply or email found@foundny.com with your genius (and your questions).

THE NINES • FOUND Sponsor

Zest, hidden gems

Our partners at Zest, a new app that lets you see where your friends actually eat, share their favorite hidden gems across NYC. Because Zest is built on real dining history instead of reviews, these are the under-the-radar spots people keep coming back to, not the names with the biggest buzz. Check out the best dishes, get insider tips, and save your favorites in Zest.

• Miss Ada (Fort Greene, above), chef Tomer Blechman’s modern Israeli cooking, from lamb-shawarma hummus to house-made pita, in a Fort Greene townhouse with a backyard garden. Reservations go fast, so aim for the bar

• Woorijip (Koreatown), grab-and-go Korean the way K-town regulars do it: shelves of homestyle dishes packed fresh daily, kimbap and japchae to bulgogi and fried chicken. Most under $10, open late

• Little Alley (Murray Hill), Shanghainese cooking in a nostalgic longtang setting. The crab-and-pork soup dumplings are the draw (mind the hot broth), backed by a Michelin Bib Gourmand seven years running. Reserve ahead

• Leo’s Bagels (Financial District), the sleeper move for a properly gooey, chewy bagel downtown, where the FiDi crowd lines up. Get the egg-and-cheese, or the Hanover Hangover with its sun-dried-tomato-and-roasted-garlic spread

• Hibino (Long Island City), Kyoto-style obanzai (small plates that rotate daily on the chalkboard), fresh house-made tofu, and pressed hako sushi, all at prices that feel like a mistake. Come hungry

• Downtown Burritos (East Village), a tiny cash-only counter, family-run on 1st Ave since 1990, and an Infatuation best-burritos pick. Get the chorizo-and-potato breakfast burrito or the chicken mole, best eaten in Tompkins Square

• The Clonard (Williamsburg), a proper Irish pub named for the owner’s Belfast roots, known for its Guinness. Come for curry chips and the Clonard Burger, stay for trivia and matches on the TVs

• Solid State Coffee (Upper West Side), a small-batch roaster that quietly outclasses its block, a UWS neighborhood favorite since 2020. Come for one of the city’s better flat whites, stay for a plate of syrniki

• Kam Hing (Chinatown), a cash-only Chinatown institution since 1984, tucked into an office lobby off Baxter. The draw: $1 sponge cakes, light as clouds, in 30-odd flavors from ube to durian

YOUR BRAND HERE: 93% of FOUND subscribers recommend products, services, and/or experiences to friends and family. Hit reply or email sales@itsfound.com, and we’ll get to work on your next great sponsorship campaign.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

A cut above

The Skinny: Japanese export Yakiniku Great made its US debut in Union Square last month, bringing an omakase-style take on Japanese barbecue. Inside a sleek dining room, six- and eight-course tasting menus ($130 and $175 per) feature rare cuts of Japanese A5 wagyu, with each portion grilled tableside.

The Vibe: Serene and unadorned. The restaurant is defined by clean lines and a monochromatic palette of black and gray. Four generously-sized booths anchor the front of the dining room, while an illuminated, 14-seat, L-shaped counter occupies the rear. Every table and each pair of counter seats is outfitted with a built-in gas grill, where staff cook cuts tableside.

The Food: Yakiniku Great’s menu is devoted almost entirely to beef. The restaurant’s signature chateaubriand, served over rice and topped with chilled Hokkaido uni, is available as a worthwhile $70 supplement to the tasting menus (arrive early: only 10 portions are served each day). Even as someone who typically finds wagyu too rich to eat in large quantities, I had no trouble finishing the seven-course menu. That’s because most of the beef is sliced paper-thin, grilled for just a few seconds per side, and paired with bright, acidic marinades and accompaniments that temper its richness. One early course pairs a finely chopped wagyu tartare rice ball with a few drops of house-made soy sauce, served alongside coarsely grated daikon dosed with soy and sake. In another course, an unmarinated togarashi (shoulder) cut is delicately folded over a ponzu-like sauce.

All of the beef is Japanese A5 wagyu (the highest grade), with a beef marbling score (BMS) of 10 to 12, though most fall between 10 and 11, since a perfect 12 can be excessively fatty, according to the restaurant. A few non-beef bites, like a butter-topped candy-sweet sweet potato, come as accompaniments. To break up the beef, I’d also suggest add-ons like shiitake mushrooms and a green lettuce-cucumber salad studded with bits of toasted walnuts. The mini bowl of diced avocado with shio kombu is delicious, too.

As opposed to the intensely marbled steaks most diners associate with wagyu, Yakiniku Great apart emphasizes rare, leaner cuts, such as uwamisuji, an exceptionally tender area from the upper shoulder, just above the top blade, and shakushi, a cut near the shoulder blade. Founder Shoji Tsugawa flies the restaurant’s beef in from various prefectures — chilled, never frozen.

The meal winds down with a bowl of somen noodles in a silky, umami-rich kombu broth, and a mini creme caramel-like steamed pudding crowned with whipped cream.

The Drinks: The beverage selection highlights Japan, with sake (sparkling, cloudy, and still), shochu, umeshu, beer, whisky, and tea. A sake pairing is available in three ($48) or five ($80) pours.

The Verdict: While the menu is built around one of the world’s most coveted ingredients, one regularly seen in fine dining environs, Yakiniku Great’s tableside grilling and relaxed vibe make the experience feel very approachable. –Kat Odell

→ Yakiniku Great (Union Square) • 12 W. 17th St • Tue-Sat 6-11p, Sun 6-830p • Reserve.

NYC RESTAURANT LINKS: Tartine legend Chad Robertson readying his first NY bakery, Altbau, to open in Williamsburg • Lured by free rent, Polo Bar plans to relocate to office tower 625 Madison Ave. circa 2029 • Longtime West 44th St. spot The Lambs Club shuttered over the weekend • Renderings revealed for Market Food Hall in Hudson Yards • Where have all the buybacks gone?

WORK • Tuesday Routine

Well-rested

ALEXANDRA ZATARAIN • co-founder & VP of Brand and Marketing • Eight Sleep
Neighborhood you work in: Flatiron

It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I’m at Eight Sleep’s New York office, usually by 9a. The brand, growth, and digital product teams are primarily based here, while much of our hardware and engineering work happens in San Francisco, so my mornings tend to begin with the East Coast team before turning into a long sequence of calls west.

The office never looks particularly pristine, which I like. There are Pods being tested, pieces of packaging, fabric samples, prototypes that are not supposed to be photographed, and marked-up creative work everywhere. Someone is inevitably lying on a bed for a perfectly legitimate business reason. I normally start with a coffee from Eataly (RIP Ralph’s Coffee Flatiron location!), look at how the business performed overnight, and then walk around chatting with the team rather than immediately disappearing into a conference room. You learn much more from 10 minutes of unplanned conversation than from another scheduled status meeting.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
A recent discovery I’m very excited about is Son del North. They make Tijuana-style burritos, which immediately felt personal to me because Tijuana is where I grew up in Mexico. These aren’t the oversized, overloaded burritos most people associate with Mexican food in the US. They’re simpler, more precise, and completely dependent on the quality of the tortilla, meat, and a few very good ingredients. Son del North gets that exactly right.

I also love Semma. The food is exceptional, but what I appreciate most is how specific and confident it is. It doesn’t dilute the flavors or try to make the experience overly accessible.

How about a little leisure or culture this week?
I travel so much that, when I’m in New York, my idea of leisure is often simply experiencing the city without an agenda. I love walking the West Side Highway early in the morning, particularly before the city becomes loud. I don’t listen to a podcast or try to make the walk productive. That is the point.

I had really wanted to see ABT’s performance of Don Quixote at the Met in early July, but I couldn’t be in New York on the dates it was running. It’s a ballet that’s so joyful and so technically demanding at the same time. The music is vivid, the staging is full of color and movement, and the choreography has a kind of confidence and theatricality that makes it immediately engaging, even if you do not regularly go to the ballet.

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A Pilates reformer for my home. I travel more than 200 days in some years, and I finally realized that making exercise dependent on a class schedule was an unnecessary source of friction. Pilates is one of the few things I have done consistently for years, so having a reformer at home means I can fit in 30 or 40 minutes even on a day full of calls. It was expensive and takes up an absurd amount of space, but I use it constantly.

What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
Facials at Aida Bicaj in Tribeca. I’ve tried treatments in many places around the world, but this is the only place I trust for deeper, more intensive facials. They’re extremely knowledgeable, never overly aggressive, and tailor every treatment to what my skin actually needs rather than following a standard routine. I also buy essentially all of my skincare from them.

WORK LINKS: 460 Park Ave. getting Skidmore, Owings & Merrill glow up • The cracks in the office-conversion boom • Don’t fix the BQE, remove it.

RESTAURANTS & BARS • The Nines

Margaritas, Manhattan

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• El Mitote (Upper West Side), neighborhood institution serving Guadalajara-style tacos and refreshing margaritas w/ expansive sidewalk seating, walk-ins only

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Essentials

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Essentials

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Essentials

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Essentials

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