MC Travel Special | Quick guide to art galleries, urban parks, nightlife in Chelsea, Manhattan

The view from a room at Motto by Hilton, New York City. The design of the hotel is an ode to its 24th street address, as well as New York City’s 24x7 lifestyle. (All photographs by Rahul Jagtiani)

New York City (NYC) is always a good idea, especially in the summer. A truly world-class city – the fast-paced lifestyle and the intertwining of cultures make it a vibrant melting pot with an unparalleled buzz.

I’ve made over a dozen trips to New York over the years, and the allure of the city is strong as ever. This time, on a weekend sojourn, I chose to stay in Chelsea, one of Manhattan’s best loved neighbourhoods with an exhilarating mix of art galleries, dining, nightlife, and urban parks.

No spot remains a secret for too long in New York City, but here are a few gems that I unearthed around this trendy district:

Drink

Bathtub Gin

New Yorkers love their speakeasy bars and Bathtub Gin, with an innocuous coffee shop storefront, does not disappoint. The trendy establishment has a diverse clientele flocking to it, looking to sample their favourite tipple in a vintage 1920s Prohibition-era setting. The extensive drinks menu offers numerous variations of the classic gin & tonic, along with a variety of gins such as Edinburgh Gin, Gunpowder Irish Gin and Hendricks, and is well accompanied by a substantial bar food menu.

Eat

Shukette

Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja follows up her renowned Soho restaurant Shuka with Chelsea’s Shukette, a buzzing Middle-Eastern restaurant she refers to as ‘Shuka’s mischievous sister’ as it ventures a bit further from the familiar with its menu. Dig into the shawarma spiced fried and the salt cod dips. Sample Ayesha’s rendition of gozleme, a popular Turkish snack, and definitely try the juicy Joojeh Chicken prepared using a classic Persian recipe. Wash it down with a garden Gazoz, one of their spritzy cocktails with cucumber, lemon and sparkling water.

Do

High Line

One of New York’s most popular attractions and the city’s only elevated park, the nearly 1.5 mile (2.4 km) long High Line stretches from Hudson Yards to the northern edge of Chelsea. Once an abandoned freight rail, in 2009 it was transformed into a mixed-use public park offering sweeping views of the Hudson River and Manhattan’s cityscape. Often referred to as an urban oasis, the High Line architecture effortlessly blends walkways and benches with verdant stretches. Walking along the pathway, it’s hard to miss the original railroad tracks hidden underneath the shrubbery. Furthermore, the High Line’s public arts program showcases emerging talent from across the globe, and is curated by Friends of the High Line, the non-profit that oversees maintenance.

Little Island

Manhattan’s newest 2.4 acre ‘floating’ greenspace built atop tulip-shaped columns in the Hudson River is a charming new park offering manicured lawns with dazzling views of the river and the New York City skyline. Nestled in the park are more than 350 species of flowers along with colourful shrubs and trees, as well as an intimate open air amphitheatre. The small yet enjoyable park is largely funded by billionaire Barry Diller and his fashion designer wife, Diane von Fürstenberg, and is designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the architect behind Vessel in the Hudson Yards.

See

Artechouse NYC

An exhibit that combines art, science and technology to deliver an immersive storytelling experience, Artechouse NYC is neatly tucked away in a 100-year-old boiler room right below Chelsea Market - although its main entrance is round the corner on 15^th street through a couple of non-descript black doors. Inside, colours, shapes and sounds engulf you. Artechouse has partnered with leading contemporary artists to create award-winning works and has also fostered meaningful relationships with organizations like Society of Neuroscience, Pantone Color Institute and the United Nations Foundation.

Stay

Motto Hotel

Just a few blocks away from Madison Square Garden, the newly opened Motto by Hilton boasts a hip vibe and is designed for the new-age business traveller. The lobby area on the ground floor and the lounge above offer plenty of communal spaces to meet with friends and colleagues after a hard day’s work. The rooms are small, yet functional, with hooks on the wall in place of closets, and a vanity counter outside the bathroom to allow more space for a shower. Some of the rooms offer bunk beds, as well as beds that fold into the wall – ideal for families travelling with young kids. The design of the hotel is an ode to its 24^th street address, as well as New York City’s 24x7 lifestyle. The blue gradient headboards in the room signify 24 hours in a day, and more subtly, the artwork on display and the rugs throughout the property use a 24-bit colour depth.