The Analogue Guide: 5 Spots in NYC

If you live in or are planning a trip to the greatest city on earth, you should run your fingers over to amazon.com right quick and get yourself a copy of The Analogue Guide to New York. My very talented friend Alana Stone is the co-writer and co-editor of the ingenious Analogue Guide book series along with her her husband Stefan Horn. They live a wanderlusty life currently residing in Barcelona with their next stop perhaps LA or Vancouver- whichever best floats their boat. They go where their dreams and inspirations take them and recently welcomed their baby girl while effortlessly hopping from NYC to Madrid during pregnancy. Landing in Barcelona with their young lass, with a few stops in Italy and England in between, these guys get around. They’re the perfect people to write your dream guide book as they travel like locals hitting up neighborhood hot spots and haunts in a concerted effort to garner an authentic travel experience.

In her words, “Analogue Guides is a series of compact, independently curated city guide books featuring high quality, unique, low key venues- distilled through the lens of the neighborhood.” The genius of the guides is the way they are organized- by neighborhood. The layout gives you permission to travel more specifically focusing your day on a few spots in a decided part of town, as opposed to subjecting yourself to the torture of running yourself uptown, downtown and sideways-town in order to hit the “must-see spots” that most guide books would have you believe is the only way see the city. Whew- I’m exhausted just typing that.

The Analogue Guides are your ticket to traveling like the cool kids. And by that I don’t mean 19-year-old hipsters, I mean people that know the inside dealio and how to spend a proper day kicking back and exploring like a local. Take in the other side as you relax on the back patio of a killer surf shop in the impossibly darling West Village while sipping the best coffee around or stand in line for hours on end waiting for the elevator at Rock Center. It’s a different way of seeing the city. Seriously, enough said.

Ok, just a few more things- I love how Alana and Stefan are championing the printed page. Yay- long live paper and the printed word. Let’s be honest, some things are just more fun when they’re tangible. They’ve layered their guides with smart photography and well-appointed and easy to navigate maps. Their book is the kind of thing you want in your hand when walking the mean streets- so much cooler than a smart phone. And, ok one more thing, no trees were harmed in the printing of these books. All are 100% recycled. Now a bit about Alana:

Alana and I met in the wine world. Just as she was finishing up a stint in the cellar at Balthazar, I was beginning mine. We later met working for a small French importer of lip-smacking wines led by a curious and entertaining Frenchman. We had a ball together. She speaks 5 languages fluently and was always running off to attend some Catalan film festival while simultaneously working on her PhD in Japanese Comparative Literature at Columbia. I was impressed. We’ve stayed chums as I continue to live vicariously through her globetrotting. I heartily recommend her guide books to any and everyone planning a trip to the locales they cover. With London and NY published, more cities are in the works.

She has been gracious to share 5 of her favorite finds from The Analogue Guide: New York. Drumroll please…

2. Philadelphia Coffee Import
La Colombe
Philadelphia based roaster La Colombe serves some of the finest beans in NYC at its aesthetically pleasing trio of Manhattan locations. The cafés boast a cosmopolitan atmosphere forged by a strong local following and international mélange of creative types. Drop by the sun drenched Nolita location for a rich and creamy cappuccino seemingly melting into its Italian Majolica cup, and a sumptuous slice of olive oil loaf. Then borrow a section of the NY Times and relax on the solid wooden banquette.

5. Sushi par Excellence
Sushi Yasuda
Arguably the best purveyor of sushi in New York City, Yasuda settles for nothing short of excellence. From the imposing wooden sushi counter, where you can order an omakase nonstop succession of delights, to the resolutely minimalist yet warm interior, every detail is meticulously executed. The lunch and dinner sushi sets are particularly enjoyable, as the chef will point out the day’s freshest ingredients for you to select from. Wherever possible, fish is locally sourced. A top-notch comprehensive sake list complements the menu.

Merci Beaucoup, Alana!

{Images: Analogue Guide Books, text map of Manhattan: Ork Posters}