Manhattan’s Chinatown is my second favorite neighborhood next to Fort Greene. It’s full of people, odors, bars, clubs, cafes, and restaurants. There’s always something going on here.
I am a 23 year old camera-operator and story-teller, originally from Minnesota, but I now live and create in New York City. My stee-lo is to record the world around me - mainly the interesting people and places that I encounter.
Part of the Marlow restaurant group, Diner is one of the more casual / rustic options. The menu changes daily and is written out (most likely upside down by the wait staff) on your table or the back of a receipt. The only constant item is the burger, which to be honest, is one of the best in the neighborhood. If they have a breakfast sandwich for brunch, get that. The fried chicken sandwich (with dark meat) is also a favorite. They make scrambled egg dishes better than most. Dinner is solid all around (they crush a steak for two). Homemade ketchup and dijon mustard are on every table, so regardless of what you get, these two condiments are worth the visit.
Yossi Milo is, in my opinion, the most dynamic and eclectic of the photography galleries in NYC. From portaiture to architecture to experimental digital sculptural giant animals to street photography, they show an endlessly exciting range of work. Some of my favorite recent shows include Simen Johan's mythical beasts, Ezra Stoller's architectural photographs of the TWA terminal, and Sze Tsung Leong's huge cityscapes.
This place is amazing. It's a short walk from our apartment and has an amazing happy hour including cheap guacamole and $4 margaritas. We can spend an hour or five hours here at a time because the environment is so casual, welcoming, and the food is just damn good. Get the lengua or the camaron al mojo de ajo tacos or hongos and rajas con papas if you are vegan.