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108 East 4th Street
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The story behind Wasan is very simple. The character “san” means three, and the character “wa” refers to the oldest recorded name of Japan. A literal translation of Wasan from the Japanese becomes “three guys from Japan.”



We sat down with Toshiyuki Koizumi, President of Wasan, who started the business with two experienced chefs, Kakusaburo Sakurai and Ryota Kitagawa, from Inagiku, the renowned Japanese Restaurant at the Waldorf-Astoria that closed in 2009. Toshiyuki himself had previous restaurant management experience before opening Wasan, but his personal passion is for sake. He is one of only 300 wine and sake sommeliers in the world, and his mission is to revolutionize this drink and bring it the kind of attention that it deserves. Wasan’s overall philosophy is that “ingredients are at the heart of cooking.” They honor this commitment with a menu that changes seasonally, and by preparing dishes with locally grown produce and fish from New York’s nearby coast.
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Lost Gem
Pageant Print Shop 1 Bookstores Family Owned undefined

Pageant Print Shop

Pageant Print Shop’s entirely glass storefront bordered by light blue is instantly eye-catching and proudly displays the treasure within. Inside its bright, buttercream interior, an immense assortment of old prints and maps line every wall and fill neatly-labeled display racks. This sanctuary of beautiful historical pieces was created by Sidney Solomon and Henry Chafetz in 1946. It was originally one of the many second-hand book stores on Fourth Avenue, an area that was then known as “Book Row. ” Now under the leadership of Sidney’s daughters, Shirley and Rebecca, Pageant Print Shop primarily sells old prints and is thriving at its current 4th Street location. Having worked with historic pieces her whole life, Shirley knows how to get the best prints. She has amassed her impressive collection from antique book auctions as well as other various sources that she has built up over the years. Roger, who has been working at Pageant Print Shop for over a decade, told Manhattan Sideways that “what we are looking for are old books with the bindings broken that are really not in very good shape on the outside, but still have good quality prints, maps, or illustrations on the inside. ” Although they search for old books based on the contents within, the shop also sells the old bindings for creatives looking to make decoupage and other fun art projects. Pageant Print Shop is definitely a fixture in the East Village, and in the words of Roger, is “one of those neighborhood jams. ” They enjoy “a loyal group of people that have been coming here for eons, " tourists looking for something authentically New York City, and neighborhood people walking by. He told us that newcomers are often “surprised that they are able to buy a piece of history, ” and return for more of their authentic, beautiful, and historic prints. Pageant Print Shop is unique in its extensive, high quality, and affordable selection. Roger affirmed that “It’s going to be hard for you to find someone who has this kind of a collection at these kinds of prices — it’s just true. ”