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Opening Hours
Today: 9am–7pm
Fri:
9am–7pm
Sat:
9am–6:30pm
Sun:
9am–5:30pm
Mon:
9am–7pm
Tues:
9am–7pm
Wed:
9am–7pm
Location
36 West 31st Street
Location
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More Perfume and Fragrances nearby

Lost Gem
Le Labo 1 Perfume and Fragrances undefined

Le Labo

Walking into Le Labo, I was hit with a beguiling bouquet of scents. As someone who has never been fond of overly floral, fruity perfumes, I fell in love with the woodsy, sometimes spicy smells wafting around the simply set up store that seemed straight out of a Wes Anderson film. Cali, the salesperson who greeted me, explained that all the scents are unisex and vegan, made with no sulphates. She also explained that everything is made in the store in small batches so that the aging process starts upon purchase rather than on the shelf. Listening to her proudly tell me about their high standards of quality control and emphasis on craftsmanship, I became even more impressed with the small, rustic shop. As she showed me the newly-launched roll-on perfumes based in safflower oil (rather than alcohol), Cali told me more about the brand. Le Labo’s founders, Fabrice Penot and Eddie Roschi, created the company in Grasse, a town on the French Riviera, but “raised the brand in New York. ” They wanted to "start a revolution, " choosing not to advertise or keep any of their stock on the shelf, preferring the laboratory approach of bottling each scent personally for every shopper in the workshop at the back of their boutiques. I saw the beautiful individualized labels, each with a space to mark the day the perfume was bought. Cali also showed me the beautiful old machine that is used to engrave metal packaging. “These are all tools, not machines, ” Cali pointed out. “It is all about craftsmanship. ”She finished her tour of the wares, including candles, jars full of classic perfume ingredients, solid perfumes based in coconut oil and beeswax, and a collection of her favorite scents (since she discovered that we were both “woodsy gals”). Each scent is marked with its base ingredient, and I learned that the number one seller is Santal 33 (made with Sandalwood). Cali was kind enough to make me a little sachet of samples to try. With such a personal touch given to each little bottle, it is hard for me to decide which scent I like best.

More places on 31st Street

Lost Gem
Hyatt Herald Square 1 Hotels undefined

Hyatt Herald Square

All my assumptions about the Hyatt Herald Square were dashed upon entering the lobby. I assumed that the Hyatt Herald Square, as part of such a well-known, far reaching hotel brand, would be a reasonably generic, glamorous hotel like one would find in any other major city. I could not have been more wrong. As soon as I stepped inside and saw the fascinating art pieces, chic espresso bar, and unique layout, I realized that this was something special. The concierge is hidden at the back of the lobby, rather than the front, which invited me to explore the lobby’s many treasures before speaking to the staff. A series of clocks on the wall, inspired by Salvador Dali and echoing the shape and color of gourds, displayed the time zones of all the major fashion capitals. Plug ports were located by every seat so that guests could easily rejuice phones or work on laptops. Winding my way to the back, I met Nina Jones, the director of sales and marketing. She explained that all the main Hyatt hotels try to draw inspiration in their décor from the surrounding area’s history and culture. For the Hyatt Herald Square, that means drawing on the publishing and fashion worlds. Nina pointed out that the front desk was made from layers of old newspaper, and the brightly colored books creating a rainbow on the back wall were influenced by media and fashion. Nina went on to say that “Herald Heart, ” the spiraling mobile at the entrance, is made up of 151 sentences, carved from wood, representing the past and present of Herald Square. Having spoken with executive chef Gunnar Steden at Up on 20, I knew that the cuisine at the Hyatt uses local ingredients as much as possible and that even the snack counter around the corner stocks mostly treats from the Tri-State area. As I sipped on a Double Standard Sour in a classy pink hue at the lobby bar, Nina wowed me with the fact that most of the surfaces in the lobby are made from repurposed water tower wood. I left the Hyatt that day feeling like I had received a lesson in the history and culture of New York, as well as having been given a dose of highly-honed hospitality.

Lost Gem
Osamil 1 Korean undefined

Osamil

It appears that only a few short weeks after opening Osamil in the early fall of 2016, the three partners of Nomad Izakaya have another hit on their hands. At 5: 00pm when Tom, the photographer for Manhattan Sideways, and I walked in, there were a few people milling about at the impressive white marble bar. By the time we left, about an hour and a half later, there was not a seat to be had upfront, and the tables for dinner were rapidly being filled. Both Nathan, the manager, and Moku, one of the owners, greeted us with big smiles, enthusiastically showing off the beautiful decor. Staring at the front mural - with 5th Avenue and 31st Street signs painted on it - Nathan enlightened us that O-sam-il means 5, 3, 1 in Korean. From their doorway, one can see the real signs outside. The numbers have added significance, because in addition to being on 5th and 31st, the restaurant's address is 5 West 31st. When the team first found this space, they had to strip everything down. When they came upon the brick wall on one side, they decided to sand it and leave it exposed. The end result is a checker board design that is strikingly different than other spaces I have seen. A Korean friend of Moku's did the mural on the rest of the wall. "We told him to do whatever he wanted - to use his imagination. " Moonsub Shin did just that, creating a soft gray design that is soothing and beautiful. The wood tables and short stools are spread down the middle of the restaurant with a few booths along the edges. Liquor lockers span the entire opposite wall, filled with customer's personal alcohol. Be it a fine bottle of Scotch or a vintage wine or bourbon, customers are welcome to store whatever they would like in their secured cubby - for a small corkage fee. Straight in the back lies the open kitchen where Chef David Lee performs his magic. Osamil is different from more traditional Korean eateries found just a few blocks away. Here they are striving to be more "modern and upscale" while still being reminiscent of a typical Korean barbecue restaurant. After showing us around and chatting about Osamil, Nathan and Moku invited Tom and I to take a seat at the bar to await some dishes that we could photograph. Little did we realize that the presentation of these dishes would last for a delightful forty-five minutes. The first to arrive was a sizzling plate of cured shrimp, sauteed shishito peppers with broccoli rabe, and beef tartar. Each dish was presented on a unique plate as a culinary work of art. It was not long before a medley of grilled mushrooms and a large marinated lamb chop covered in a mix of herb and pine nuts were placed in front of us. While we watched Gelo, the bartender, whip up several intriguing cocktails, a 100-year-old oak board was put before us with a very large, crispy port shank. A knife and fork stuck out from the top and the shank was surrounded by a shaved apple salad, lettuce leaves, and three small bowls with an array of pickled relishes. Once Tom had finished taking photos of this impressive meal for two, he was instructed to grab a lettuce leaf and fill it with meat, salad, and a relish of his choice. It was great fun and, he assured me, very tasty. There is no doubt that Osamil is off to a fine beginning.