discover 5 unique places in New York

Travel is life. The freedom, the adventure, meeting inspiring people and discovering unique spots. We will help you with the latter in Manners City Guide. In each edition we ask a local to share five favorite and unique places. Places you would normally never visit. The kick-off is for Jan Habraken in New York.

Jan ended up in New York ten years ago to follow his great love. Once there, he decided to start his own design agency and with success: he now has four staff behind the drawing tables.

“The city has changed a lot in those ten years. The rise of the hip coffee shops, the birth of the hipster and the enormous culinary growth have contributed to this. This is the only city in the world where all the nationalities of the world are represented and that is reflected in the food and drink. As foodies, we are always looking for tasty and fun new places.”

Since 1850, American Express has been making special experiences possible for people who want to get more out of life; from unique privileges at hotels to presales and exclusively reserved tickets for concerts. In addition, you can always count on excellent service wherever you are in the world, so that you can travel carefree. This gives you access to a richer life, in which the most beautiful possessions are special experiences.

Transmitter Park

“When I arrived in New York ten years ago, Greenpoint was still a simple working-class neighborhood with mainly Polish and South American emigrants. Now it’s one of New York’s hippest neighborhoods, mainly because of the crowds of tourists and rich kids in Williamsburg equivalent. Greenpoint is located in the northernmost tip of Brooklyn.”

“Given the increasing popularity, construction is taking place at breakneck speed. One of the quiet spots in all the madness is Transmitter Park, named after New York’s first radio station to be located here. The building is still there and will undoubtedly quickly turn into a hip café.”

“This small park has now become an outlet for locals. Enjoy the best views of Manhattan and the Williams Bridge while getting a breath of fresh air on the pier. Or enjoy the films projected on one of the warehouses in the summer. An additional advantage: with a water taxi you can easily visit other places in Brooklyn and Manhattan.”

Sunshine Laundromat & Pinball Bar

“After my arrival, I was immediately confronted with the American way of life. Particularly striking was and is the fact that no one does the laundry at home. The Sunshine Laundromat was therefore a weekly concept for me. Do laundry, dry, fold and in the meantime play with the extra quarters for the washing machine on the pinball machines.”

“The laundromat is still there, as are the pinball machines. The owners’ son has bought more pinball machines and built a secret bar in the back. Through a “washing machine door” you enter a mecca of even more pinball machines, beer and music.”

Greenpoint Fish and Lobster Co.

“This meticulous fish shop and restaurant has been located in Greenpoint for about five years now. Now you can eat great oysters, lobster or other seafood in the United States and New York, but Greenpoint Fish and Lobster Co. is the absolute frontrunner. We regularly call the store and ask if they have scallops or other delicacies, only to be told every now and then that they are not available due to bad weather conditions. It doesn’t get fresher than this.”

Achilles Heel

“The Achilles Heel, another word for a crucial connection, is the perfect place to meet up with friends. The cafe is located in an old corner building in the industrial part of Greenpoint. Upon entering, you immediately disappear into the 18th century, where dock workers came in to warm themselves at the wood-burning stoves.”

“What they didn’t have at the time is the small kitchen in which the chef cooks with world class. The dishes change almost every day and are never boring. Extremely innovative cooking is done on the wood stove or in the garden over a wood fire, whereby nouveau americain dishes are prepared. Many dishes come with “drippings”, i.e. leaked fat with a great taste (that immediately kills any diet, but that is exactly the purpose of this place). Before the neighborhood turns into the next hip spot, I enjoy the crazy but great records, the wood fire and the cocktails here.”

Takumen

“I like staying in this area, but on my way to Manhattan I love stopping at Takumen near the ‘7 train’ between Queens and Manhattan. It is not surprising that this Japanese Izakaya (gastropub) place has settled here, knowing that huge numbers of Asian workers commute every day between the various Asian neighborhoods in Queens and Grand Central (which also has a lot of Japanese tents).”

“Takumen, on the other hand, is different from others. At the front you will find a fresh yet authentic coffee shop, while delicious bowls are prepared for lunch and dinner at the rear. Thanks to the amount of Japanese I hear while slurping my noodles, I imagine myself in Japan for a whole hour.”

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