The Newcomer: Rightor Doyle
Age: 26
Profession: Actor making his Broadway debut in an unannounced show this spring.
Resides: A loftlike co-op on 42nd Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues.
In the Neighborhood: 4 months
“I’m über-new. Before moving here, I was living in a 200-square-foot apartment in the West Village. It was basically a bed and a bathroom. My apartment now is like a giant loft, like something in Soho—1,000 square feet. The scale is huge! I thought it would take me five years to adjust to the neighborhood, but I love it already.”
1. Xie Xie
645A Ninth Ave., nr. 45th St. 212-265-2975
“I like any place with Sriracha sauce on the table. It’s the sort of Chinese you eat all the time, but dressed up, a little fancier.”
2. Delphinium Home
653 Ninth Ave., nr. 46th St. 212-333-3213
“They sell home goods, kitschy salt and pepper shakers, fun shower curtains. It’s the best home store in the neighborhood.”
3. 44 1/2
626 Tenth Ave., nr. 44th St. 212-399-4450
“It’s the kind of restaurant you go to with your parents for brunch. Great food and a seasonal bamboo garden.”
4. The West Bank Café
407 W. 42nd St., at Ninth Ave.; 212-695-6909
“The spot where all the actors go after their shows. A few weeks ago, I sat next to Joan Rivers.”
5. The Ritz
369 W. 46th St., nr. Ninth Ave. 212-333-4177
“One of my favorite downtown performers, Bridget Everett, performs here on Sundays. She sings songs like Miley Cyrus’s ‘The Climb’ while taking all her clothes off. And it’s free.”
6. Playwrights Horizons
416 W. 42nd St., nr. Ninth Ave. 212-564-1235
“A lot of my friends are in shows here. I recently saw Circle Mirror Transformation there. The last ten minutes will put your jaw on the floor.”
7. Rudy’s Bar & Grill
627 Ninth Ave., nr. 44th St. 212-974-9169
“The most lovable dump in the entire world. The banquettes are all taped together.”
8. Three Aces
666 Ninth Ave., nr. 46th St. 212-664-9807
“It’s my new favorite discovery—you get a shave and a trim for $26. The only décor in the place is a TV playing One Life to Live.”
9. Gourmet Unlimited
593 Tenth Ave., at 43rd St. 212-244-0451
“Their awning says “Open 25 Hours”—maybe it’s stupidity, maybe it’s a ploy. A normal deli, though a bit cleaner than most.”
10. Food Emporium
452 W. 43rd St., nr. Tenth Ave. 212-714-1414
“One of my best friends had to take me here and show me what to buy. She said I shopped like I was going to a restaurant.”
11. Manhattan Plaza Health Club
482 W. 43rd St., at Tenth Ave. 212-563-7001
“There’s a huge pool, and they give discounts to members of actors unions.”
12. The Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market
W. 39th St. at Ninth Ave. 212-243-5343
“I’m a huge antiquing freak. They have really great cabinets and tables.”
13. Outcasts Resurrectible Goods
660 Tenth Ave., nr. 46th St. 212-974-0121
“It’s a well-curated and not smelly thrift shop. I’m on a budget until my show starts—I literally put my credit cards in the freezer.”
The Old-Timer: John Goldman
Age: 69
Profession: Head of investment sales at Halstead Property.
Resides: A three-story, 200-year-old carriage house on 46th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues with wife, Joan, and two sons.
In the Neighborhood: 25 years
“I bought the front building and this building in 1981 as an investment and sold the front building—sixteen apartments—for about five times what I paid. We’ve always loved it here—I didn’t move to New York to live in a vertical suburb. We love the street life, the variety. It’s like the Village was 40 years ago—full of young, artistic people.”
1. Hess Gas Station
502 W. 45th St., at Tenth Ave. 212-333-5853
“I fill up here before going to our country house. You can get a taxi in less than thirty seconds because they all fuel up here.”
2. Esco Drug Company
687 Ninth Ave., nr. 47th St. 212-246-8169
“They own the building, which is great because they won’t be driven out. Once when my son was sick, they dropped off some ice cream for him.”
3. Breeze
661 Ninth Ave., at 46th St. 212-262-7777
“Within one block, there’s all these Thai restaurants! Breeze is very high-quality—I guess you could call it gourmet.”
4. 43rd Street Kids Preschool
484 W. 43rd St., at Tenth Ave.; 212-564-7496;
Manhattan Plaza Health Club
482 W. 43rd St., at Tenth Ave.; 212-563-7001
“The Manhattan Plaza building has a very good preschool, where we sent our sons. It’s reasonable and easy to get into, which can be a big problem nowadays.”
5. Fresh Cut Flowers
444 W. 43rd St., nr. Tenth Ave. 646-473-0274
“Robert, my florist, is in the Manhattan Plaza building, too. I don’t go there. I just call him and say, ‘Robert, I need a plant! A gift! Orchids!’ ”
6. Galaxy Diner
665 Ninth Ave., at 46th St. 212-586-4885
“I go here for lunch sometimes and run into my neighbors. Lately, I’ve seen a lot of tourists, especially on Sunday. I think the hotels are sending them here.”
7. Orso
322 W. 46th St., nr. Eighth Ave. 212-489-7212
“The owner’s daughter was once a tenant of mine. I can call them up at 8 p.m. and they’ll take care of us. We just have to be out by 10:15 for the post-theater crowd.”
8. H&H Bagels
639 W. 46th St., at Twelfth Ave. 212-765-7200
“My wife will pick up bagels early on a Sunday morning, and people will still be coming out of the nightclub across the street.”
9. Little Pie Company
424 W. 43rd St., nr. Ninth Ave.; 212-736-4780
“For holidays, there’s a line around the block for pumpkin pie.”
10. Amy’s Bread
672 Ninth Ave., nr. 47th St. 212-977-2670
“I’m trying to control my weight and stick to whole grains. But their biscuits, Parmesan twists, blondies … outrageous!”
11. 414 Hotel
414 W. 46th St., nr. Ninth Ave. 212-399-0006
“When we moved here, it was a crack house with prostitutes. Now it’s a pretty boutique hotel.”
12. Delphinium Home
653 Ninth Ave., nr. 46th St. 212-333-3213
“They have very nice shower curtains and drinking glasses.”
13. The Film Center Building
630 Ninth Ave., nr. 45th St.
“It’s just an office building now, but the Art Deco lobby! It’s a must-see.”