Little Japantown, part 2

Ok, so this next place isn't exactly hidden. But chances are you would walk right past it without notice. I'm talking about Sunrise Mart, the Japanese specialty market located upstairs at 4 Stuyvesant St.

See all these flags hanging? Trying to direct your attention to Sunrise Mart's existence? Well, I must have walked on this street dozens of times and I never saw them until I was specifically looking for Sunrise Mart. I guess New Yorkers really don't look up.

But then ah, the entrance. This is pretty glaring, when you're looking for it. Take the elevator up and you will find a world of Japanese culinary treasures.

Like squid in a bag!

That was the one of the strangest things there, but seriously, they have everything that a normal grocery store would have, except all Japanese. The candy and beer were among the most tempting items for me. I bet some of the beauty products are pretty good too. This would be a great store for a chef who wants to take a crack at conquering authentic Japanese cuisine. Or for anyone with a curious palate!

Let's get real

Scratcher, at 209 E. 5th St (at the corner of Bowery) is a solid choice when you want a drink without the fuss.


It's an Irish pub, but without the green decorations. Unlike so many of the Irish pubs in the Murray Hill vicinity, you won't find the cheesy teeny-bopper crowd here. No top 40 hits blasting.


No fancy cocktails, no hipsters either. Just a bar with beer on tap, free wi-fi and decent prices.


Let's face it. Sometimes the EV can start to wear on you. All the trendy people. The doormen with 'tudes. You certainly couldn't find anyplace cooler. But sometimes you don't want to go someplace uber cool. Sometimes you just want a good old-fashioned relaxing place to chill. Nothing wrong with giving the fedora a night off. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

A sweet find

Anyone can buy a bottle of wine, but it takes a real class act to pick up gourmet chocolates from a specialty shop. Bond St. Chocolate at 63 E. 4th St (between Bowery and 2nd ave) is your go-to when you want to make someone feel special. Or when you realize you desperately need an intricate chocolate statue of the Buddha.




Don't bother looking for Bond St. Chocolate on Bond St. The owner used to run the business wholesale out of her apartment, hence the name. That's their pink logo there on the sign above.


The truffles here are delicious. They have a range of interesting flavors for $2 each and they do a great job in terms of presentation, which counts for a lot. Because if you're gonna pay top dollar for chocolates you want it to look like you paid top dollar too.

And in case you were wondering, giving gourmet chocolates can never be interpreted as cheesy. Just don't wait till valentine's day, OK?

Supper for brunch

Supper, located at 156 E. 2nd St (between Avenue A and B) is an EV staple for consistently delicious Italian food.

So you might not necessarily think about going there for brunch. Especially with so many other brunch options and brunch specials in the area. But the french toast at Supper is out of this world. I'm much more of a savory breakfast sort of person, but this stuff is goooood. Thick beautiful pieces of bread with fresh berries and powdered sugar. I have turned many a friend onto Supper french toast and no one has left disappointed.


Since you can't really see into the windows of Supper, it's hard to anticipate the magic that's waiting for you inside. The best way to spot Supper is probably to look for the black awnings as you are approaching from a distance. On the left is the entrance to the restaurant and on the right is the adjoining bar. Once you get up close, maybe not all of the time, but most of the time there is a sidewalk sign that says Supper.

Once you get inside, it's very inviting and cozy. Definitely one of my all-time favorites, and a bit nostalgic since it's on my old block. I don't live there anymore. Sorry stalkers. But really it's a shame for me to be so far from that french toast...

A good hair stylist is hard to find

When it comes to hair stylists in the EV - Ken is the man. That's all you need to know. Ok, you might want to know where to find him.


Ken is the owner of Pirka, a hole is the wall salon at 233 E. 4th St between A and B.


Here are some tips for finding the salon. (I've been to this place maybe 10 times and I still manage to walk past it). Look for the orange. Sometimes there is a chalkboard either on the sidewalk or a chair outside the salon with the name of the salon and the prices.

Ken is an extremely skilled and precise hair stylist from Japan. This man has literally spent 2 hours working on my hair on more than one occasion, just to make sure it's perfect.


Now when I say Pirka is a the hole in the wall, what I mean is that it is tiny. Truly tiny. There are 3 chairs in the salon, and many times you might be the only customer. What this means is you can avoid any of the attitude offered up by so many other salons and that you will always have Ken's full attention. And he's always got cool music playing, which is a bonus.

And for the million dollar question, how much is this gonna cost you? $60 for a women's haircut and $50 for men's. Not bad at all. Actually, quite good for NYC. Especially when you take into consideration that Ken gives you an insanely good back massage at the end of your haircut. And that makes for a very happy haircut.

Aphrodisiacs for everyone!

The first stop on our tour is Desnuda, a new find for me.


Desnuda lives at 122 E. 7th Street between 1st and Avenue A.


Blink and you've passed it by. But if you happen to catch a glimpse, chances are you'll be enticed to take a further peek into the window.

They call it a "Winebar & Cevicheria". And yes, they do have wine and ceviche, but I think the oysters are what make this place really cool. I didn't think I liked oysters at all, but I kept eating these!


And, they're cheap. $1 each on Sundays from 2 to close and Mondays from 6 to close. I'm not making this up. There is a legitimate sign that says so hanging outside.


There are no tables at Desnuda, just a long bar, but it's still comfy. Don't expect a full meal, everything is tapas style. But the atmosphere is spot on. Cool music, but not too loud, interesting crowd, sexy decor, attentive staff, mood lighting, fans simultaneously flapping a gentle breeze and maybe best of all...


POPCORN. Which is also an aphrodisiac, I think.