Gallery 53

Early in the spring of 2015, Susan Bishopric, Throckmorton Fine Art’s PR Representative, notified me about an amazing exhibit being showcased at the gallery. On the day that I visited, the wonderful “A Respect for Light” exhibit by Cuban photographer Mario Algaze was on display. I wandered through the chic gallery pondering Algaze’s resonating black and white stills on the walls, while conversations in Spanish flitted through the space. Throckmorton Fine Arts aims to highlight the works of both modern and “vintage” photographers, namely those of Latin decent. After I finished taking in the beautiful photographs, the gallery’s president, Spencer Throckmorton III, handed me a show postcard and invitation to the gallery’s next exhibit, “Mirror Mirror… Portrait of Frida Kahlo, ” a showcase of photos with the iconic artist as their subject. Spencer noted that a new show typically goes up every six weeks, so there is plenty to see at Throckmorton Fine Arts year round.

Located in a quiet section of East 52nd Street, I found the Norwegian Seamen's Church, which was originally a meeting place for Norwegian sailors. The Church is now a community space for any Norwegian living in, or visiting, the city. On the day that I looked in, I found musicians, students, and businesspeople gathered in this quiet sanctuary to chatter with their fellow citizens and indulge in Norwegian food and entertainment. The Church also houses the Trygve Lie Gallery.

The delectable assortment of French pastries was only the beginning of the excitement for me when I first visited Eclair Bakery. Getting to observe and speak with owner Stephane Pourrez, as he was preparing pastries, macarons, croissants and, of course, a variety of eclairs made the experience very special. An alumnus of Ferrandi, the French School of Culinary Arts in Paris, Pourrez worked in New York for a year as a pastry chef before he fulfilled his "childhood dream" of opening his own bakery. No matter what time I chose to pop in, I always found others sipping on their cafe au lait, and mingling with fellow French natives.

At Coffee Project NY, coffee-themed cocktails and high-quality java brewed with a mixologist’s eye are the stars of the menu. The concept was created by co-owners and founders Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh in 2015, and has since expanded to having several other locations across the five boroughs. “We are very excited to be part of Hell’s Kitchen! ” Ngai said, adding, “In the opening of this new location we hope to create a community gathering space while sharing our passion for coffee with the neighborhood. ” “I’m a bit of a coffee snob and [Coffee Project] delivers on very good quality coffee, ” shared Paul David, a Hell’s Kitchen local. “I also really like the environment — the seating isn’t too crowded and it’s really peaceful. ”One of the shop’s innovative specialty beverages is its deconstructed late, which manager Jed Baxter said evokes a multi-sensory experience. In addition to deconstructed lates, Coffee Project offers classic lattes (complete with intricate latte art), classic pour-over brews, and teas. The cocktail menu includes drinks such as spiked Irish Coffee made with Teeling Whiskey and the brand’s own Teeling-blend beans. This story was adapted from the W42ST article, "Brew-tiful Transformation: Coffee Project Opens at Ikebana Zen with Day-to-Night Caffeinated Creations! ”