When I lived in Manhattan, Joe the Art of Coffee was my coffee shop of choice. And then I moved to Brooklyn and spent many months trying to find an equivalent in my new neighborhood; every place I visited was good, but not perfect – either too crowded, too loud, too quiet, or too distractingly decorated to provide the optimal environment for writing.

It was with great joy that my husband and I stumbled on Red Horse Cafe. The decorations are chill and modern without being chilly or unwelcoming; seating options include armchairs, couches, window-mounted bars with stools, and traditional cafe tables. The baristas play music at just the right volume that is cool without being obnoxious. There’s free wireless, and you can sit there for hours without anyone bothering you or without feeling like you’re hogging the space.

The coffee, of course, is superb, with every traditional espresso option as well as a myriad of teas, juices, and even wine and beer. There’s also an assortment of tasty pastries and other edibles. Budget conscious? On weekend nights from 7-10pm, selected beers and wines are two-for-one. And their hours are extensive enough to satisfy anyone’s coffee consumption schedule. It’s the kind of neighborhood cafe you’ve only dreamed about – until now.

Red Horse Cafe
497 6th Ave, Brooklyn (at 12th Street)
F/R/M to 9th Street/4th Ave
718.499.4973

Monday – Thursday: 7:00am – 10:00pm
Friday: 7:00am – midnight
Saturday: 8:00am – midnight
Sunday: 8:00am-10:00pm

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In Brooklyn, a borough filled with “chill” bars, it can be surprisingly difficult to find one that strikes the right balance between good food and drink, a friendly-yet-safe environment, and plenty of good art and music available to tickle the creative nerve.

Stain is the place you’ve been looking for. It’s conveniently situated in Williamsburg, but just enough off the beaten path to have avoided the Williamsburg cliches. The owner, Krista, painstakingly renovated the space to be eclectic and homey without being fussy or awkward. There’s free wireless internet, a back garden, and goodies like really great pretzels and mulled wine.

And Stain is devoted to all things local; their drink list only contains beers and wines from New York State, and their performers and artists are all local and unsigned. They host craft nights, open mic nights, art openings, costume theme parties, and too many other cool events to name. There’s a giant nickel made of car parts on the wall. And did I mention the mulled wine? It’s really good.

Stain Bar
766 Grand Street in Williamsburg
L to Grand Street
Opens daily at 5pm
718.387.7840

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If you’re looking for a cozy cafe with great food and a homey vibe, look no further than Grey Dog Cafe. It’s a little bit of rural Americana nestled into the West Village.

Grey Dog’s sandwiches are legendary, and rightly so, with dozens of mouthwatering options for everyone, no matter your diet restrictions. They’ve brought in all the best ingredients and put them together in yummy, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that ways; one of my favorites is the apple bacon pressed sandwich with smoked cheese.

The coffee is strong and plentiful, the kind that really fuels a much-needed break with a friend or inspires for the next chapter in your novel. Or, on a cold winter’s afternoon, try out some of their spicy mulled wine. Smoothies, tea, and beer round out the drink selection.

There’s a lot of tables at Grey Dog, but if you stop by at a busy time you may have to wait around. Once you’re there, you can stay for hours. And they’re open late. Grey Dog delivers, as well, for when you need a taste of home, at home.

Update: In July 2007, Grey Dog opened a new location in the East Village! Check it out on University Place at 12th Street.

Grey Dog Cafe
33 Carmine Street (between Bleecker and Bedford Streets)
B/D/F/V or A/C/E to West 4th Street, 1 to Houston Street

90 University Place (at 12th Street)
N/R/Q/W to Union Square/14th Street

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Admit it, girl – sometimes, you get a teensy bit tired of the ubiquitous “mixed greens” for lunch. Don’t you secretly just crave . . . a burger?

Well, when you’re ready to admit it, head down to Paul’s in the East Village for a no-frills, affordable burger with all the traditional trimmings. Paul’s is the kind of place you remember from back home – a bit like a roadside diner, filled with Americana, and serving up burgers, cheesesteak, fries, beer, and milkshakes for a great price (the burgers start at $4.20). Feeling guilty about your diet? You can order a small burger. Out with your guy? There’s a deluxe for him.

And while you’re there, enjoy it. There will always be more salads.

Paul’s
131 2nd Ave between 7th Ave and St. Mark’s
R to 8th Street, 6 to Astor Place
Cash only

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I had a hard time locating a good haircut I could afford when I moved to New York; everyone was either off-the-charts expensive, or wouldn’t let me choose exactly what haircut I wanted, or just plain scared me. Like you, I’m pretty picky about who cuts my hair and how they cut it. I want it done right. And I don’t want to have to forfeit two weeks’ worth of groceries for it.

Enter the Aveda Institute. The Institute trains hairdresser, colorists, and aestheticians, and to help them learn, they provide low-cost haircuts, facials, and other spa treatments to clients under the watchful eye of an instructor. Unlike some training programs for hairdressers, Aveda allow clients to choose exactly what haircut they’d like. I brought pictures and was thoroughly pleased with the results.

And best of all, treatments use Aveda products, which are manufactured using natural ingredients from sustainable and organic sources and “green” power (100% wind power). So you can look pretty and feel good about what you’re contributing to society and the environment.

Expect the haircuts and treatments to take longer than most – one to two hours for a haircut – and book the appointment weeks in advance.

Aveda Institute New York
233 Spring Street at Sixth Avenue
A/C/E to Spring Street
212.807.1492
Call for appointment

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There’s many tiny cafes and brunch spots in the West Village, and on a lazy Sunday morning, it’s hard to pick which one has all the necessaries: a chill-yet-cosmopolitan attitude, great food, great variety, easy on the wallet, and with that certain je ne sais quois of the West Village. A block away from the famous Magnolia Bakery, Marc Jacobs, and my favorite bookshop, Philip Marie is just the place.

With inside and outside seating, including a huge window nook, Philip Marie provides a view of Hudson Street and some excellent cuisine in the “innovative American” genre, guaranteeing both your vegetarian best friend and your meat-and-potatoes brother can happily sup together. They even serve gluten-free options for celiacs. Their brunch (accompanied by live jazz music) focuses equally on breakfast and lunch – so if you got up early and your girlfriend slept in, you can both be happy. The variety spans from salads and omelets to chicken and lobster ravioli to my favorite, a white chocolate French toast.

Philip Marie has two private rooms downstairs for more specialized events. The first is the Tasting Room, an 18th-century farmhouse kitchen that was built over and then unexpectedly unearthed a hundred years later. Up to 20 people can eat in the Tasting Room. And next door is the Wine Room, a two-person private dining room and wine cellar that started life as a door to the tunnels that led to a Speak-easy during the U.S. Prohibition in the 1920s. Be sure to ask your waiter for the full history of both rooms.

Philip Marie accepts all major credit cards. Reservations are accepted, but with a small enough crowd you can usually be seated quickly without one.

Philip Marie
569 Hudson Street at West 11th Street
A/C/E/L/1/2/3 to 14th Street
212-242-6200
Open Tuesday – Sunday
Lunch: 12pm – 4pm
Saturday & Sunday Brunch: 10am – 4pm
Dinner: 4pm – 11:30pm, till 1am Friday and Saturday

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Aroma is a branch of the popular Israeli coffee shop, filling the scarcity of good inexpensive places to grab a sandwich or cappuccino in upper Soho. It’s just a short walk from the Angelika, making it a great place to meet with friends before your art-house fix.

Aroma has some of the best espresso in town, as well as standard coffee and espresso drinks that look lovely and taste even better. And what girl wouldn’t love a place that includes a piece of chocolate with every coffee drink? Also on the menu are sandwiches, in half- and full-size, with choices for everyone (vegan? celiac? love meat? they’ve got you covered) and reasonable prices.

Aroma looks a lot like it’s was outfitted by IKEA – sleek and sparse decorations keep the environment fuss-free. And free wi-fi, plenty of electric outlets, lots of seats, and 24-7 service round out the mix for an altogether satisfactory hangout.

Aroma Espresso Bar
160 Wooster Street at Houston Street
B/D/F/V to Broadway/Lafayette
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week

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Eschewing the indistinguishable mordern aesthetics of a drugstore – including the word “drugstore” – Bigelow Chemists makes shopping for toothpaste or a hairbrush a complete joy, especially for the modern girl. It’s a real live old-timey apothecary, carrying modern products in a vintage space. You’ll feel you’ve stepped into a black-and-white 40′s movie as the elegant woman with tortoiseshell hair combs. Indeed, Bigelow Chemists is the oldest drugstore in the United States, harkening all the way back to 1838.

Bigelow carries their own brand of beauty items, including the ever-popular lip glosses, facial creams, masks, hair products, and hand and foot care. They peddle a host of other lovely toiletry lines, including Bumble & Bumble, Bliss, Frederic Fekkai, and many others. Try some new brand-name makeup at the stands around the counter.

And they do sell those tortoiseshell hair combs, along with barrettes and other hair accessories, Mason Pearson hairbrushes, cosmetic boxes, toothbrushes, and umbrellas. You can find Diptyque candles, homeopathic remedies, and novelty scarves. And if it’s something simple you’re after, there are rows ands shelves of modern drugstore brands and over-the-counter medications. Bigelow also has a full-service pharmacy in the back.

So go ahead. Pamper yourself a little. And enjoy the old-time New York feel.

C.O. Bigelow Chemists
414 Sixth Avenue, at West 9th Street
A/B/C/D/E/F/V to West 4th Street
Monday-Friday 7:30am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
212-473-7324

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La Bonne Soupe is a midtown eatery that’s high on quality and low on attitude – refreshing from the neighboring Michael’s, where it’s all about table location, location, location. For nearly three decades, La Bonne Soupe has been serving up French bistro fare that’s wallet-friendly and convenient for the theater-going crowd. And for this New Yorker who gets vertigo when traveling above 14th Street, the restaurant is an institution – perfect for first dates, negotiating deals, and catching up with old friends – worthy of the subway ride and the crowded Fifth Avenue thoroughfare.

The vibrant main dining room is cozy and warm with its red-checkered tablecloths, framed vintage French cinema posters, neighborly banquettes, charming French waitresses – and their signature onion soup, well, I’ve been to Paris and La Bonne Soupe does compare. For $15.95, dine all the pre-fix, which includes their dinner soup selection, a glass of house wine, a fresh baguette, salad (with a dressing you will want to rob right off the table) and ribbon-whipped chocolate mousse. From the Croque Monsieur with its rich béchamel, to the buttery Filet Au Poivre simmering in a fragrant cognac sauce to the Fondue au Fromage which might very well inspire ecstasy cries, or pleas for seconds – you simply won’t be disappointed.

With prompt, friendly service, downtown prices in a theater location and tender chicken sautéed in a light white wine and butter sauce (did I mention the mousse?), La Bonne Soupe offers a little bit of Paris in the heart of New York City.

La Bonne Soupe
48 West 55th Street
between 5th and 6th avenues
New York, NY 10019
212.586.7650

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Not quite ready for the trendy Chelsea nightclubs, plush velvet ropes and snarly bouncers on Ninth Avenue or you’re tired from hauling Loehman’s and Williams & Sonoma bags down Seventh? Relief is here in the form of tasty three-finger sandwiches, a resident sommelier, and a vast collection of award-winning and downright delicious wines.

From the owners: “Bar Veloce opened its doors in March, 2000 in Manhattan’s East Village. Fusing an Italian-style paninoteca (panini bar) with a modern wine bar, its goal was to deliver exciting, reasonably priced Italian wine and food to discerning New Yorkers.” Since the March opening, the owners have branched out to key downtown neighborhoods. Combining a sleek modern interiors (Dutch chairs) and soft track lighting with smooth sounds and the buzz of the after-work crowd, this Chelsea gem is not only stylish, but affordable.

The wine list is selected with great care (I found the rich, cherry & bark Nebbiolo superior) and the bartender is an expert at fine pairings. Flavorful bruscetta (the olive tapenade and parmesan cheese topped with a slice of red vine tomato is divine!), light, savory panini and a selection of rich desserts (the nutella panini will make you howl with pleasure) make Bar Veloce a haven for sampling great fare, sipping wine and enjoying conversation with your best friend or after-work mates.

Bar Veloce
176 7th Avenue
between 20th and 21st Sts. (Chelsea)
Subway: 1 to 18th Street

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