Demisch Danant

There is a short distance of 10th Street that has a plethora of antique shops. I was delighted to be able to meet Gerard, himself, on one visit, as he is known as an icon in this business. Maison Gerard has been around since 1974 and can lay claim to being called New York’s first art deco retail shop.

After visiting so many antique shops filled to the brim with a variety of furniture, it was refreshing to walk into an unencumbered gallery setting. Inspired primarily by the French, Mr. Magen has been exhibiting and selling limited editions of significant works since 1997. He has a substantial collection of high-end, post-war French furniture dating primarily from the 1940's through the '70's. Most of this is not on view, as they store it in warehouses both in New York and France. Their website, however, gives a much better sense of the works they represent. On a recent visit, I enjoyed perusing a La Borne show comprised of ceramics. I learned about a group of artists from different parts of Europe who came together in a small village in France, where the raw materials for making clay was plentiful and they could work day in and day out on their craft. The results were intriguing.

Cultural exchange has been at the heart and soul at this non-profit institute since its opening in 1991, and its move to 13th street in 2000. Tenri Cultural Institute provides Japanese language classes, countless evenings of chamber music, and cultural and community-minded art shows in their gallery space. Not only do they spotlight Japanese exhibitions, there is a constant focus on a myriad of cultures. The ambience of the large gallery is always changing, project manager, Yuji Okui, told me. New York is the center of everything global, artistic, and social, Yuji explained, "that is why we chose to open this center here. It is prime territory to reach out to an international community and open the lines of cultural communication. "

From Toulouse-Lautrec to Milton Glaser, and from political propaganda to PBS advertisements, Rennert’s Gallery has more vintage and contemporary posters than I ever thought possible. The small auction house is also home to a vast reference library of photo archives and poster-related books, which is free and open to the public. When I stopped by the gallery on a warm summer day, Terry Shargel, who has been with Rennert’s for thirty years, offered to take me on a tour. I could not take my eyes off the Lautrec posters, many of which sell for more than $50, 000. “MoMA put on a Lautrec exhibit a few years ago, ” Terry told me, “and even they admitted that our selection was better. ” As we walked around, Terry gave me a helpful history lesson, pointing out vintage pieces by Cheret, Cappiello, and Mucha, a few of the pioneers of poster art. Works by these designers often cost thousands of dollars, whereas the contemporary pieces, including work by Milton Glaser, usually only sell for a couple hundred. Nina, a Manhattan Sideways writer who was with me, was especially excited to see a poster that had appeared in Roger Sterling’s office in Mad Men, as well as one that was featured in Orange is the New Black. According to Terry, the gallery never sells reproductions: all of their posters are original, from the first printing. Most of them, she added, were never even hung up; many were sold from a printer’s overstock once people started collecting. Rennert’s mainly sells works from the 19th and 20th centuries, Terry told me, and though they have posters from all over Europe and the Americas, the majority of their items are French. In fact, she informed me the president and founder of the gallery, Jack Rennert, travels to Paris nine times in a year. When I asked Terry what has changed in the poster market since Rennert’s opened thirty-five years ago, she sighed. “Our audience is getting old, ” she told me. “Young people seem to prefer photos, even though posters are a great and inexpensive way of decorating. ” But in spite of its aging customer base, the gallery is still going strong. Rennert’s holds three or four auctions each year, and for a full two weeks before each auction, customers can stop by to see all 500 posters for sale. After the tour, I spent another half hour wandering the gallery, admiring posters for some of my favorite bands from the sixties alongside Art Nouveau masterpieces. I could not wait to come back to Rennert’s with my husband, to page through design books written by Jack Rennert himself and browse through the gallery’s unrivaled collection of posters from around the world.

The only genre of music missing in Academy Records is classical.... but not to worry, that is completely covered in their shop on 18th. Otherwise, this shop, here on 12th Street, has an impressive selection of rock, jazz, soul, funk, country, and folk. In chatting with one of the owners, he told us that they are always actively looking for "new" records and are constantly receiving inventory. In addition, they host DJ events.

I guess it would be quite obvious to those who have been reading my site since the beginning, that my particular passion, besides Manhattan itself, is books. I have been a frequent customer of the Strand since I was a little girl and my mom made this a destination on a New York City outing. Their stock has certainly increased from the few book shelves that they began with in 1927 on Fourth Avenue - to the 4, 000 square feet that they moved to here on 12th Street, in 1956 - to today's space of 55, 000 square feet. The "18 miles of books" consisting of old, new and rare books covers several floors. For years I just treated this shop like it a was museum, especially the Rare Book Room upstairs. I would step in and browse for hours, wanting everything, but not being able to justify purchasing it all. Then I opened my own book shop, inspired by the Strand. Despite their avenue address, the Strand has carts of books lining 12th Street rain or shine and a side street entrance. They also boast a Central Park kiosk open when weather permits and a pop-up location in the Club Monaco on 5th Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets.

Considering the multitude of rave reviews that Hearth has received since it opened in 2003, we were pleasantly surprised at the unpretentious and warm greeting we received. Although reservations for the dining room are recommended, especially during peak times, some of the best seats in the house are first come, first served. Pull up a stool at the bar and sample one of the artisanal cocktails made with New York produced spirits, or walk straight through the softly lit, exposed brick and red-walled dining room to the open kitchen and grab one of the four chairs right at the counter where the food is being cooked. During our visit, one of the sous chefs was cutting apart ribs right in front of us. When we visited, we learned that the menu changes slightly each day, always highlighting the freshest ingredients and trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible. However, a few favorites have remained on the menu since they opened over nine years ago, including the Grilled Quail and the Beef and Ricotta Meatballs. Many of the dishes are meant for sharing, like the Whole Roasted Fish of the Day. In 2016, chef Marco Canora upgraded the menu to focus on fewer processed flours, sugars, and oils. There are also many more dishes featuring offal, such as heart and liver. The purpose of the shift is to highlight food that is high in nutrients and does not contain growth hormones. If the resulting cuisine is anything like what we tasted when we visited, diners are in for a treat. Hearth’s extensive and well thought out beverage program is also intriguing, with a wine list focusing on certain grape regions, plus off the beaten path beers. With such an inviting and comfortable dining room, an exciting and ever-changing menu, and an impressively curated beverage list, Hearth presents the total package for a perfect night of dining.

Coppy Holzman moved to New York in 1976, and in the years since has undertaken multiple entrepreneurial projects. Most recently, alongside his daughter-slash-business-partner Logan Mikhly (who used to manage an animal rescue in New Orleans), Coppy opened Boris and Horton, a dog friendly café off of 12th street in the East Village. During our conversation, Coppy said, “I’ve moved away from New York here and there, but New York’s the best city on the planet, so why live any place else? ” (Relatable! ) But he and Logan had one issue: while walking around the city together, they found that there was nowhere they could stop in to eat or even grab a coffee with their dogs, Boris and Horton. They decided to solve this problem, and Boris and Horton opened its doors in February of 2018, offering great food and coffee, wine and beer in the evenings, and, of course, the opportunity for customers to spend quality time with their dogs, others’ dogs, and fellow dog-lovers. The vegetarian café sources its products from more than 20 local suppliers, including products from NYC staples such as pastries by Balthazar, cheese from Murray’s, Tea Pigs teas, and homemade syrups. The menu boasts both comfort foods and lighter options, and the wine and beer list rotates monthly - so there is always something new to try. But it’s not just humans who can get treats at Boris and Horton. For the pups, there are pupcakes, doggie doughnuts, french fries, beefcheek and other delicious delicacies made fresh by Maison de Paul. And when your furry friend is tired out from all the socializing and snacking, there are Casper dog beds available to fulfill all his napping-dreams. Logan and Coppy realized very quickly that Boris and Horton had become a community space. While half of their visitors are tourists, many of whom learn of Boris and Horton through social media or other news coverage, half of the customers at the café are neighbors of the business who have made Boris and Horton a “stop on their daily routine. ” In response to the café’s important role in locals’ daily lives, the father-daughter duo decided to expand their space, doubling it in size. In October of 2018 they opened the renovated extension, which includes an expanded seating area in the front, a colorful bespoke mural on the wall, and, notably, a party room in the back which is perfect for corporate events, human-birthday parties, dog-birthday parties, or any other kind of event you can imagine. Though the small fraction of the café’s space that includes the kitchen and main serving counter is not open to dogs due to health code requirements, the other 75% of Boris and Horton, including the entirety of the new extension, is completely dog friendly. Coppy assured me that New York is “a wonderful place for a dog, ” though before Boris and Horton New Yorkers might have struggled to find somewhere they could take their dogs along for Friday-night drinks. In fact, if you’re considering bringing a dog into your own routine, you can attend a weekend rescue event at Boris and Horton, where — just maybe — you’ll meet your new best friend. In collaboration with Muddy Paws Rescue, Boris and Horton has helped to find forever homes for up to twenty dogs in a weekend: pretty doggone amazing. If it’s human relationships that you seek, Boris and Horton may still be the place to go. With weekly events like trivia and bingo, Coppy and Logan are helping to “build up the community DNA. ” As Coppy told me, “Dogs are a great way to engage. . . it’s a catalyst for easy conversation. ” If customers meet at Boris and Hortonand end up dating, “then that’s even better! ” Coppy said. He even admitted that sometimes he’ll do a little matchmaking in the shop. And yes, there have been success stories. Then, of course, any weddings following such successes can be booked for the event space, and can even be ordained by Coppy himself, who is not only a matchmaker but also a minister. “I think people are wonderful, and they’re even better when they have a dog by their side, ” Coppy said, smiling. At Boris and Horton you’ll find the best of the best, from comfort food to good company — human or otherwise. On this little corner of 12th street, at least, Manhattan Sideways is happy to report that New York has officially gone to the dogs