Great Hidden Gems in Greater New York

Title: Great Hidden Gems in Greater New York

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. we're going to end with a little more silliness, and in fact, a little more New York seriousness, to close out the show. We're going to open up the phones for your favorite kind of strange hidden gems anywhere in New York or New Jersey. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Do you have a cool spot that you frequent? It doesn't have to be weird, but maybe one that you don't really tell people about so you can be yourself in the know or so it doesn't get overcrowded. Your hidden gems in New York or New Jersey, whether it be a fun little storefront, going to give you an example or two of those, or an off-the-beaten-path park.

What's your hidden gem in our area for the last 10 minutes or so? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Here's what sparked this. Gothamist's Rose Marina Boubion recently wrote an article about an ice cream shop in the East Village that doesn't let you choose what to order. You pay $10, as I understand it, for two scoops. $10 for two. $10 for two scoops. That's expensive, right? They give you whatever flavor they feel like. What? It comes out of a hole in the wall, and you get your mystery ice cream without ever seeing an employee. For those curious, the spot is a little storefront called Surprise Scoop on First Avenue between Ninth and St. Mark's.

That's one example of a hidden gem from our team, and we want to hear yours. If any of you out there have a hidden gem that you feel like sharing with our audience, even if it's a little bit weird or maybe especially if it's a little bit weird, like you go to an ice cream store where you never see an employee, and they give you two scoops of ice cream that you don't get to choose. I wonder how they handle nut allergies and things like that, but 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. How about this one? Frequented by a member of our team, The New York Earth Room, run by the same people who run the Dia up in Beacon, Dia Art Center. This little apartment, anyone? That's one.

There's this little apartment that they have there. This is what The New York Earth Room is. It's entirely filled with dirt. Entirely filled with dirt. Has anyone heard of that or visited it, or something else that's a little offbeat like that, that's one of your hidden gems? Maybe you've heard of 787 Coffee. This local chain might seem like your average artsy coffee shop at first. That is, until you get your order served to you in a clear plastic bag. Has anyone seen those distinctive coffee pouches around town? Here's one from Edgewater. You could visit The Caves, but don't expect to do any diving in that part of Jersey.

Of course, you could do it in the sinkholes, but that's another show. The Caves is an immersive restaurant designed to mimic a cave on the inside and out. Has anyone been? What was the food like? Or does anyone have anything like this? You hear the vibe we're going for. Your offbeat, maybe people will think your weird even hidden Gems in New York and New Jersey. 212-433-WNYC, 433-9692. We'll take them right after this.

[MUSIC - Marden Hill: Hijack]

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. All right. We've got a good few minutes to tick through your hidden gems here. We'll start with one online in a text. Rolf's Bar at 22nd and 3rd Avenue. Christmas kitsch all year round. Rick in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Hi, Rick. What you got?

Rick: Hi, I just have a jewelry store that's in the West Village. It's called Gray & Davis. It's just they focus on antique, and it's always fun to pop in and take a look around.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. Madeline in Manhattan. Hi, Madeline. You're on WNYC. What's your hidden gem?

Madeline: Hi, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, by the way, and before you go, our very smart and quicker than me producer Lisa, after hearing about that jewelry store, said it's a literal hidden gem. All right, Madeline, your turn.

Madeline: Yes, and I will second Gray & Davis is a wonderful place, but I'm calling about The Renee & Chaim Gross Foundation at 526 LaGuardia Place. It's the preserved home and studio of the sculptor Chaim Gross, and it is fabulous. It's a time capsule of the days when New York City was the art capital of the world. Chaim Gross, in addition to his own work, there is a huge collection of wonderful paintings by the likes of Stuart Davis, Picasso, de Kooning, all his friends. It's a beautiful place. Truth in advertising. I'm a volunteer educator there. They have tours three days, four days a week.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, you're not getting paid, so that's okay.

Madeline: Go online and reserve your spot now.

Brian Lehrer: Madeline, thank you very much, Michelle in Scotch Plains, you're on WNYC. Hi, Michelle, what's your hidden gem?

Michelle: Hi, Brian. My hidden gem is the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey. It is one of the most amazing places where they bring artwork, Vincent van Gogh, Monet, all different artists. They make them into these sculptures, and they're more than life-size. You walk through these amazing grounds, and you could spend the entire day there. There's a restaurant, and outside the restaurant, they have Monet's Water Lilies, and you can walk across the bridge. It's just amazing. It's Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. Now, we had a caller who we had on first, I think, in this segment from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, shouting out a hidden gem in the city. Here's Joanne in Randolph, New Jersey, who's got a hidden gem in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Right, Joanne?

Joanne: That's right. Hi, Brian. Ringing Rocks is a Bucks County park, and it's on formerly Lenape land. It's boulders. When you hit them with a hammer, they ring. They make these beautiful ringing sounds, and it's just a fabulous little day out.

Brian Lehrer: How close to Jersey is that? Is it near Lambertville or anything?

Joanne: It's near Frenchtown, I would say, Upper Black Eddy. It's right over the Delaware.

Brian Lehrer: Same area. Yes. Thank you very much. John in Manhattan, you're on WNYC. Hi, John.

John: Hi. My hidden gem is Fort Tryon Park, the Linden Terrace, overlooking the Hudson River at sunset. You have this magnificent view of the Palisades. The sun goes down, the river lights up. One of the beautiful things about Fort Tryon Park, which was donated by the Rockefellers, their vision was that they wanted a protected view of the Palisades forever, so they bought all the land on the other side and made it into a park.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, and there was a big dust up about 10 years ago when the electronics firm LG wanted to build above the sight line there and ruin what the Rockefellers had promised to preserve because then buildings would start popping up on that view. I know that spot. That's a great spot, Linden Terrace. People get married there. The sunset, you're right, is gorgeous. The fabulous Heather Garden is right by there. Thanks for that one. Klaus in Norwalk, you're on WNYC. Hello, Klaus.

Klaus: Hi, how are you?

Brian Lehrer: Good. What's your hidden gem?

Klaus: As I mentioned, I've been an architect in Manhattan for a long time, although I'm basically retired now, and I restored old buildings mostly. There's a building on Fifth Avenue around 16th Street in that area of old office buildings are all 10 or 12 stories. If you look, say, at six stories up, there is a row of what are called carotids, which are basically statues holding up the next floor. They're actually quite beautiful. They're maidens that are basically naked from the waist up. If you don't look up, you never see this stuff. There's a lot of places in Manhattan, older buildings that several stories up, there's some magnificent stuff.

Brian Lehrer: Yes. You don't have to be a tourist in order to look up in Manhattan for a good reason. Let's see. I'll finish with a few coming in in texts. Cheryl's Restaurant on Underhill Road, a block from Eastern Parkway. The main library's children's wing with a free-form wood slatted ceiling. Another one, the turret in the Museum of Natural History, Hall of Mammals and Their Existing Extinct Relatives, faces east, looking over Central Park at 77th Street. Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens, on the East River. That's the last one we have time for. Listeners, thanks for your hidden gems. That was fun. Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Stay tuned for Alison.

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