Chelsea Wine Cellar

Eddy Le Garrec is the vinous hero that New York needs and deserves. To step into his store, Empire State of Wine, is to step into a different dimension; one where gouging is a forbidden practice, 90+ point wine is affordable for anyone with twelve dollars to spare, and bottles that are impossible to import are stacked for sale. Eddy himself bubbles with impatient energy. He knows that the quality and price of his product are unprecedented in Manhattan. Eddy has cracked the code of selling affordable wine in the United States, where a five-euro bottle often ends up costing twenty-five dollars. During the hour we spent in conversation, Eddy gave me a peek behind the curtain of his business. We were constantly on the move as he nudged me along with a gentle hand, gesturing to emphasize his words, but I found that in addition to his passion, there was something more inscrutable, perhaps a world-weary or melancholy note. As it turns out, Eddy Le Garrec has lived a life of emotional highs and lows. From LA to Vegas to Miami, and then New York, his is a story worth hearing. Born in France, Eddy traveled to Los Angeles at the age of twenty-five. “I had a contract with a restaurant for one week and while I was there, an incredible thing happened. I won the green card lottery. I was lucky. Stupid lucky. So I said okay, I’m staying, and I fell in love with the country. ” Eddy’s family growing up was in the restaurant business, and he found himself in the right place at the right time to thrive in the US. “It was the 1990’s and the beginning of the wine boom, where Americans were growing interested in collecting and learning about wines. ” Eddy then casually mentioned that he worked at the legendary L'Orangerie. “I waited on all of the Hollywood stars. I have a story for every single one. ”Next came a move to Las Vegas where he followed the same chef who had brought him to LA. “I stayed for two years and directed the opening of several restaurants and hotels. It wasn’t what I loved but looking back, it goes to show nothing is ever a waste of time. I also learned to play poker. But I don’t do that anymore. ” Unfortunately, Eddy also made some mistakes in his love life, bad enough to elicit a pained look on his face even today. It was time for a fresh start. After two years of Vegas, Eddy ran off to Florida. “When I moved to South Beach, there was no real wine culture in Miami. I realized I could start up my own brick and mortar, and W Wine was almost immediately a success. That was in 2006. What’s amazing is that I modeled my store, and even this store today, around this Vegas model. It is open, not intimidating or stuffy. The warehouse look is what I want. Customers come in and it makes my day when they say they’ve never seen a wine store like this before. You’ll also see I have the expensive stuff up front that people will walk past to reach the more affordable options, and when they get there they are relieved. It is like finding the slot machines. ”The slot machines, in Eddy’s case, are his “15 and Under” series, a bright display he sees as one of his biggest successes. Categorized by flavor profile (Bubbly, Fresh, Crisp, Buttery/Creamy, Light Body, Medium Body, Full Body) and with plenty of information at hand to read, anyone can come in and make an informed choice on a great wine. There might be one or two wines in each category, all handpicked by Eddy for their quality and price. “I used to get angry about people copying this idea, ” Eddy told me, “but not anymore because in the end, I know nobody can do what I do, nobody. ” Yuriel, one of Eddy’s employees nodded emphatically from behind the register. “Nobody, ” he agreed. Eddy was approached by a Canadian company that wanted to buy out his Miami store. “At first I did not want to, but I took a look at the check and was like wow. But then things did not go so well. Their plan was to merge my store with a separate online platform. I was working all the time on my computer, constantly working, and I was very unhappy. In the end, I and the other CEOs were fired because they needed more Canadians on the payroll. It was a hard time. ” At this point, Eddy ran a hand through his thick black hair. “I then went into a depression. It took me five years to wake up. ” During that period, Eddy felt it was time for another change of scene. “I moved to New York and even went back to school where I studied documentary film. One day I will use what I learned. Nothing goes to waste. ” But Eddy could not stay far from wine for too long. After a series of real estate transactions, he found himself owner of the Chelsea storefront property that would become Empire State of Wine. In a stroke of luck that echoed his green card jackpot of years ago, Eddy was granted a liquor license in what seemed like a record time of three months. “Boom, I was in business. Incredible. ” This time though, Eddy worked in reverse. He began by building his website. Even there, the aesthetics are meant to promote the sort of open and honest wine culture that Eddy is passionate about. In today’s world of online retail, he has no pretensions about the brick and mortar side of business. But it gives him an opportunity to meet people. “I love helping customers learn about the magic of wine. I also love demystifying it. In the end it is grape juice. Drink it! Enjoy it! ”

While the digital age has allowed us to streamline many services, there are some art forms that must remain analog. One trip to Best Shoe and Bag Original Repair on W21st Street in Chelsea and you’ll be convinced that the time honored art of cobbling is one that can’t be replaced. It’s an art that has been passed down to owner Marcia Sailema from her father, who ran the shop for decades until he retired in 2015. Marcia said that in addition to helping her dad run the family business, she took classes at FIT to sharpen her skills in repairing luxury shoes and bags, which are the businesses specialty. “I learned so much industry vocabulary that I never knew before – like the way that the first part of a shoe design is called the last — and ‘the last comes first! ’” she laughed. She quickly acclimated to the delicate art of making much-loved, long-worn bags and shoes look like new by making delicate leather, paint and stitching matches to designers from Dior to Chanel and in fragile vintage pieces. The intricate work — which Marcia proudly showed us can make a nearly unusable bag or shoe look fresh off the shelf – has led to a loyal customer base. For Marcia, it’s a labor of love. “I really like working on the bags, ” she said, admiring a classic Louis Vuitton monogram bag that she’d recently completed repairs on. “Look at these zippers! ” 

Merakia occupies the space that housed Kat & Theo from 2015-2017 - and while the restaurant maintains the same ownership as before, it also has a different mission. The modern Greek steakhouse prides itself on its meats and classic seafood items, while maintaining a classy, hip atmosphere in its cavernous space on 21st Street. “We built a new team… and a new vision, ” managing partner James Paloumbis shared with the Manhattan Sideways team when he spoke of the switch from Kat & Theo. He then went on to highlight Merakia’s differences from other Greek restaurants. “It’s not white and blue like every other place in New York City. Our menu is not the copy paste of any other place. ” The menu is heavy on steaks and seafood, boasting their signature lamb on the spit ("the only restaurant in the city to do so") while, surprisingly, offering some robust meat-free options as well. “Everything is farm to table, we use fresh ingredients, [and] we make everything from scratch on a daily basis. ” James told us that part of his mission is to bring back the adventure of going out to eat, a phenomenon he has noticed declining over the years. “People don’t like to go out anymore just to eat. You can eat at home, you can eat down the street, you can order your meal online. But to get an experience of nice service, some nice flavors, nice music, nice drinks - it’s worth your while to go out again. ” Husband and wife team behind Kat & Theo - Renee and Andreas Typaldos - seem to have orchestrated a smooth transition from their previous restaurant. As their past executive chef, Paras Shah, believed, "there should be a movie written about the couple's romantic backstory and that he “couldn’t have worked for better folks. ” Andy is originally from Greece, and the restaurant was named after his parents, Katerina and Theodosios. Andy came to New York on a scholarship from Columbia and met Renee, who is from the Bronx. He took her out on a first date “with holes in his shoes and with no winter jacket, ” according to Renee. She added, “The romantic, poetic way people get together. ” Today, they are paying homage to Andy's Greek heritage and according to James, “People have to trust their stomachs and their palates with a restaurant, so that’s what we’re trying to do here. Trust us - our food is fresh, our food is made with care, and we love what we do. ”

Calvary-St George’s church moved to Gramercy Park in 1832. It has a strong history of influential members and it was here that Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence was set. In addition to movie nights and summer programs for children, we witnessed a small, delightful concert performance along the sidewalk while walking one day.

Perhaps the attitude of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, ” works well at Society Billiards. They seem to know that sometimes a classic pool hall is just what people need. Extremely spacious and stocked with countless pool tables, anyone looking to get lost in the game will be sure to love this dimly lit, relaxed, yet classy spot.

As we peered behind the counter at Joe, we saw what looked like a machinist’s shop or a technological artist’s studio, and yet the rich aroma of coffee was unmistakable. Joe is a place for serious coffee, and they hope to make serious coffee-drinkers out of their customers. The front of the shop holds a regular coffee bar, with three stools, and a display with some useful coffee tools for at home brewing. The majority of the space, however, is filled by the coffee studio in back where customers can watch the machines whir and the experts work their magic. For those of us not as knowledgeable in the coffee arena, Joe offers regular classes on topics ranging from brewing technique to what they call “coffee theory. ” While they have several locations throughout Manhattan, Joe's on 21st street serves as the “pro shop” and headquarters.

As the name suggests, Burgundy Wine Company specializes in wines from this glorious region in France. Opening in 1988 in the West Village as a niche market before this concept became so trendy, their clientele has remained loyal and many over the years. Max, one of the knowledgeable staff members, explained to us that his dad got him into wine long before he was of legal age, and it has since become his passion. The shop seems like a perfect place to nurture a passion for wine - we can easily imagine ourselves curled up on their cozy couch with one of their books about wine, and a glass of red in hand.

Eddy Le Garrec is the vinous hero that New York needs and deserves. To step into his store, Empire State of Wine, is to step into a different dimension; one where gouging is a forbidden practice, 90+ point wine is affordable for anyone with twelve dollars to spare, and bottles that are impossible to import are stacked for sale. Eddy himself bubbles with impatient energy. He knows that the quality and price of his product are unprecedented in Manhattan. Eddy has cracked the code of selling affordable wine in the United States, where a five-euro bottle often ends up costing twenty-five dollars. During the hour we spent in conversation, Eddy gave me a peek behind the curtain of his business. We were constantly on the move as he nudged me along with a gentle hand, gesturing to emphasize his words, but I found that in addition to his passion, there was something more inscrutable, perhaps a world-weary or melancholy note. As it turns out, Eddy Le Garrec has lived a life of emotional highs and lows. From LA to Vegas to Miami, and then New York, his is a story worth hearing. Born in France, Eddy traveled to Los Angeles at the age of twenty-five. “I had a contract with a restaurant for one week and while I was there, an incredible thing happened. I won the green card lottery. I was lucky. Stupid lucky. So I said okay, I’m staying, and I fell in love with the country. ” Eddy’s family growing up was in the restaurant business, and he found himself in the right place at the right time to thrive in the US. “It was the 1990’s and the beginning of the wine boom, where Americans were growing interested in collecting and learning about wines. ” Eddy then casually mentioned that he worked at the legendary L'Orangerie. “I waited on all of the Hollywood stars. I have a story for every single one. ”Next came a move to Las Vegas where he followed the same chef who had brought him to LA. “I stayed for two years and directed the opening of several restaurants and hotels. It wasn’t what I loved but looking back, it goes to show nothing is ever a waste of time. I also learned to play poker. But I don’t do that anymore. ” Unfortunately, Eddy also made some mistakes in his love life, bad enough to elicit a pained look on his face even today. It was time for a fresh start. After two years of Vegas, Eddy ran off to Florida. “When I moved to South Beach, there was no real wine culture in Miami. I realized I could start up my own brick and mortar, and W Wine was almost immediately a success. That was in 2006. What’s amazing is that I modeled my store, and even this store today, around this Vegas model. It is open, not intimidating or stuffy. The warehouse look is what I want. Customers come in and it makes my day when they say they’ve never seen a wine store like this before. You’ll also see I have the expensive stuff up front that people will walk past to reach the more affordable options, and when they get there they are relieved. It is like finding the slot machines. ”The slot machines, in Eddy’s case, are his “15 and Under” series, a bright display he sees as one of his biggest successes. Categorized by flavor profile (Bubbly, Fresh, Crisp, Buttery/Creamy, Light Body, Medium Body, Full Body) and with plenty of information at hand to read, anyone can come in and make an informed choice on a great wine. There might be one or two wines in each category, all handpicked by Eddy for their quality and price. “I used to get angry about people copying this idea, ” Eddy told me, “but not anymore because in the end, I know nobody can do what I do, nobody. ” Yuriel, one of Eddy’s employees nodded emphatically from behind the register. “Nobody, ” he agreed. Eddy was approached by a Canadian company that wanted to buy out his Miami store. “At first I did not want to, but I took a look at the check and was like wow. But then things did not go so well. Their plan was to merge my store with a separate online platform. I was working all the time on my computer, constantly working, and I was very unhappy. In the end, I and the other CEOs were fired because they needed more Canadians on the payroll. It was a hard time. ” At this point, Eddy ran a hand through his thick black hair. “I then went into a depression. It took me five years to wake up. ” During that period, Eddy felt it was time for another change of scene. “I moved to New York and even went back to school where I studied documentary film. One day I will use what I learned. Nothing goes to waste. ” But Eddy could not stay far from wine for too long. After a series of real estate transactions, he found himself owner of the Chelsea storefront property that would become Empire State of Wine. In a stroke of luck that echoed his green card jackpot of years ago, Eddy was granted a liquor license in what seemed like a record time of three months. “Boom, I was in business. Incredible. ” This time though, Eddy worked in reverse. He began by building his website. Even there, the aesthetics are meant to promote the sort of open and honest wine culture that Eddy is passionate about. In today’s world of online retail, he has no pretensions about the brick and mortar side of business. But it gives him an opportunity to meet people. “I love helping customers learn about the magic of wine. I also love demystifying it. In the end it is grape juice. Drink it! Enjoy it! ”