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Clockwise from Top.
Tompkins Square Park Walkabout
On Friday, with a few hours to kill in lower Manhattan, I decided I needed to walk about the East Village to try some of the new, or at least new to me, spots.
First up: C&B, a very small, very unassuming sandwich and pastry shop on the park that punches above its weight, with a very friendly front of house. I can’t find much background on them, but the chef seems to have spent time at Daniel. No regrets ordering the Grilled Cheese and Butternut Squash Soup:
Next: Raquel’s find La Cabra, a coffee house/pastry shop with locations in Denmark, Bangkok and 2nd Avenue. Quite the reach! This place was incredibly packed, but their cardamom buns were amazing. I skipped the enormous coffee line, and went to Abraco1 for their frappe, which may be one of the best coffee drinks in NYC. Espresso + sugar blended, with whipped cream on top. Just like what they serve at Sant Eustachio next to the Pantheon.
Last, some shopping. Finally made it in to check out Colbo, new(ish) to the Lower East Side, which had great pants as well as Camiel Fortgens.
Edition 20
Our favorite in-the-know Parisian shop just dropped their latest collection.
Cristaseya was founded by designer Cristina Casini in 2013. The brand focuses on creating elegant and understated pieces that are meant to be timeless and versatile. We first wrote about the brand here, which is known for her attention to detail and commitment to using high-quality materials in her designs. The pieces are typically characterized by their clean lines, minimal embellishments, and neutral color palette.
Cristaseya has gained a reputation for being a "slow fashion" brand, meaning that it prioritizes sustainable and ethical practices over mass production and fast turnover. The brand's pieces are often produced in small quantities and sold in select boutiques around the world.
FW23 Women’s
The shows started up again last week, this time for the Fall Women’s collections, with Gucci and Burberry the most talked about.
Gucci, which saw its long-time creative lead Alessandro Michele abruptly leave a few months ago, offered up this in-between season before new Creative Director Sabato di Sarno truly takes over this Fall:
Gucci’s new creative director is Sabato De Sarno. When his appointment was announced last month, the brand said his first collection would be spring 2024. That gave the Gucci studio the job of designing this in-between season, sandwiched in the middle of Alessandro Michele’s Twinsburg sign-off and De Sarno’s opening salvo.
While there is the personnel aspect here, the chartreuse carpet was much remarked upon. We love a bold set! The collection itself was very much a Tom Ford-era Gucci sexy-chic throwback, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the brand continues to evolve under De Sarno.
With Daniel Lee, the visionary that started the Bottega Veneta revival a few years ago, now helming Burberry, we weren’t really sure what to expect. He is British, so it is a homecoming for him in a way, and he was successful in translating and modernizing the house’s heritage intrecciato for a new audience.
But the new collection just seemed quite off? That color blue, the graphics, something was not sitting right. We did like the cheeky duck print he included - fun!
New Merch Drop
It may be almost March, but I’m finally getting around to starting my 2023 workout routine. Most people start in January, but parents start in the Spring (or never).
Wouldn’t it be convenient if we still had gym class to go to like when we were in middle school? This is what was going through our heads when we created the embroidered graphic on these two windbreakers - here and here. Think, the Presidential Fitness Test and this patch and pull-ups and climbing up a giant rope hung from the rafters.
Check out the collection here!
Links.
Glossier is officially at Sephora.
YouTube Made Emma Chamberlain a Star. Now She’s Leaving it Behind.
The profit machines that are Airline loyalty programs.
The US-China spy balloon game.
Four foot alligator found in Prospect Park Lake.
<3
Chris & Raquel
PS: No podcast this week as I unfortunately gave my cold to Raquel, and she has no voice, and let’s face it she is the reason to tune in. Hopefully back next week!
Abraco aggressively refuses to serve non-dairy options, so Lactaid’s all around.