Ci Siamo is the best place to eat in New York according to Yelp

The best place to eat in New York according to Yelp in 2026 is Ci Siamo, which is like a 5-minute walk from our block (yelp.com/article/top-100-us-restaurants-2026).

Can confirm that this place is very cool, and I offer the following testimonial. My parents visited NYC recently and wandered into Ci Siamo with no reservation on a Thursday night. The servers sat them down within 10 minutes next to the bar (I arrived a little late)—and then really killed the lamb chops and smashed potatoes. Brought us non-alcoholic cocktails and cookies after dinner for free and for no particular reason. No pretentiousness for a restaurant of this quality Highly recommend.

Tunnel to another dimension.

Reposting this from a few years ago to remind the block that there are more creative ways to get from 28th Street to 27th Street than 10th Avenue.

On the south side of 28th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues is an arched brick tunnel with lights that says “Jardim” on the top, which evidently means “garden” in Portuguese. The tunnel connects two fancy apartment buildings that were completed in 2019 called “Jardim Sul” (meaning “south,” i.e., on 27th Street) and “Jardim Norte” (meaning, you guessed it, “north” on 28th Street). The architect is a Brazilian named Isay Weinfeld, who has a modernist, minimalist, contemporary style and who has an extensive portfolio of residential and commercial buildings in his native country.

Take us to the promised land, Isay, if not 27th Street.

Update: As Guy Fieri points out in the comments below, this passageway is now “closed to thru traffic.” Further note that you obviously can leave whatever name you want in the comments..

Penny Linn, a needlepoint shop, opens on our block

“Needlepoint” is a type of embroidery in which yarn is stitched through canvas, and earlier this month a needlepoint store called Penny Linn opened right next to Hudson Market on 28th Street & 10th Avenue. You can read about its history here.

Created in 2020 (and born out of an idea in a Chelsea apartment), Penny Linn looks like it has a bit of a cult following among stitchers. It’s also community-minded—from the article above:

“The store will serve as both a retail destination and an experiential hub, offering customers the opportunity to shop thousands of canvases and accessories while also engaging with the brand through in-person classes, events, and community programming. From beginner workshops to designer meet-and-greets, the space is designed to foster connection and creativity.”

Great to have this on our block.

Buddha now greeting us on 30th & 10th

The pigeon has officially been replaced (long live the pigeon)! The pigeon was called the “The Dinosaur” by the way (https://www.thehighline.org/art/projects/ivan-argote/), which I can’t say I totally understand.

The Buddha’s official name is the The Light That Shines Through the Universe—and it is the fifth installment in that spot after the lady, the plane, the pink tree, and the pigeon (these are not the official names but they are how I remember them).

Crafted by Vietnamese artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen, the sculpture pays homage to the Bamiyan Buddhas, two 6th-century colossal statues in Afghanistan that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Reincarnation and radical acceptance might be two of the secrets to happiness, and if that is right, happy to have this installation around our neighborhood.

Wine Shop by Death Ave does tastings every Thursday

Wine Shop by Death Ave is an absolute hidden gem wine shop in the city. Managed by the disarming, approachable, and supremely knowledgeable Manny—I predict that you will walk in here, get a recommendation from Manny given that he’s tried and has opinions on literally everything in the store, and walk out with something you’ve never had before and a little story about the wine for whoever you’re drinking it with.

This place is great for a gift because the wines are quirky and unusual—and Manny will let you walk out with the tags on the wine, which gives a fun little description of what your giftee is about to drink.

Weed shop called “Poppin” opening up on 28th & 10th

Since I’ve lived in West Chelsea, the little storefront right next to Death Ave has been at least a lobster roll place (Luke’s Lobster) and a weed place (Hudson Loud)—and I think it’s been vacant for a while now. The more things change, the more things stay the same, and the storefront is going back to its roots as a cannabis dispensary called “Poppin,” a licensed dispensary.

They’re going for a guerilla marketing vibe on Instagram (though I can’t figure out how to link reels) and sell the usual cannabis products like gummies, vapes, etc. Opened about 2 months ago.

Hotel Chelsea might be the coolest

This place very well may be the coolest place on the west side and you don’t have to be staying at the hotel to appreciate that. Where the rich and famous creatives and artists (Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol Patti Smith) used to hang out, the Hotel Chelsea was “reimagined” recently to upgrade the shabby elegance or studied carelessness (the Italians might call it “sprezzatura”) which basically means it looks amazing but kind of accidentally.

A vibe if you want to do anything from sit in the lobby with your laptop (occasionally people-watching) to drinking while feeling like you’re in a movie to impressing someone sitting across from you with your impeccable taste (without trying too hard of course).

Somehow also has a spa with a Swedish sauna, aromatic steam rooms, rain showers (https://hotelchelsea.com/wellness/spa).

Meet Enzo

Speaks for himself. I also decided to make Enzo our block logo.

The Yanomami Struggle art exhibition showing at the shed through April 16.

The Yanomami Struggle is showing at The Shed through April 16. The NYT has written about it. The Yanomami People a group of approximately 35,000 indigenous people who live in villages in the Amazon rainforest, and Claudia Andujar is a renowned photographer. The exhibition shows Andujar’s photographs of the Yanomami and native Yanomami art pieces collected by Andujar over five decades.

The purpose is to show a vision of Yanomami culture, society, and visual art. It looks like tickets are $10 and include a tour.

Are we getting a boutique wine shop on 28th & 10th?

Based solely on this fancy sign posted on the Death Ave window, we may be getting a “boutique wine shop” on the corner of 28th & 10th. Let me know if anyone has information on this that we can share with the block.