Things to do near the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

While the Guggenheim’s collection of modern art works is certainly impressive, it is impossible to separate the museum’s contents from its form with architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s brilliant and controversial design. Opened in 1959 on Fifth Ave across from Central Park, just months after Wright’s death, the concrete inverted ziggernaut (a Babylonian step pyramid), stomped on the expectations and tradition of clean square galleries exemplified and cherished by the neighboring Upper East Side museums, like the nearby Metropolitan Museum. Instead Wright combined his use of geometric shapes and nature, to create a gallery space that presented art along a flowing, winding spiral, much like a nautilus shell, with little in the way of walls to separate artists, ideas or time periods. Best experienced as Wright intended by taking the elevator to the top of the museum and following the gentle slope down, the art is revealed at different angles along the descent and across the open circular rotunda in a way that even the most well known Monet landscape might seem like a revelation. Make sure to take a break from the captivating main exhibit of the season and visit the small rooms off the rotunda to see the permanent collection, which includes works by Picasso, Cezanne, Manet and the largest selection of Kandinsky paintings to be permanently shown in America.

With the reopening of the Frick Collection comes its first-ever restaurant, the Westmoreland. Named for museum founder Henry Clay Frick’s private railway car, the cafe is as luxurious and opulent as the gilded mansion that houses it. With just 50 seats and a menu featuring well-worn museum cafe hits like a tuna nicoise salad with potatoes and haricots verts, poached trout and a crustless club sandwich, this is precisely the elevated, straightforward spot you need to rest after a day spent among the art.  Sip a cocktail inspired by Frick’s Cocktails with a Curator series, a pandemic-era hit where pieces from the closed museum were paired with a drink by the museum’s curator. You’ll find classics on the bar menu, too, like a bubbly French 75 and a no-frills daiquiri.  In a neighborhood where new influencer faves join old-school classics like Bemelmans and J.G. Melon, Westmoreland fuses the two elegantly, with avocado toast with pistachio butter happily joining chicken milanese on the menu—what more would you expect from the new home of some of the city’s most spectacular Old Master paintings and Renaissance sculptures?    The vibe: Old (like, Renaissance old) money meets new school vibes with custom murals and viral cocktails.  The food: Straightforward classics for the ladies, gentlemen and everyone else who lunch: club sandwiches, Caesar salad and chocolate mousse.  The drink: Familiar cocktails (made YouTube famous) done right.  Time Out tip: A museum admission to the...

Get a taste of the Hamptons (without the ticks and all that traffic) at the Mark’s pop-up clam shack, which feels surprisingly transportive despite its location right on the bustling corner of Madison and East 77th. It has a fine dining pedigree—the spot’s a collab from Jean-Georges and Caviar Kaspa—but the Clam Bar keeps it a little more casual.  If it seems like the red-and-white checkered accessories and breezy, homemade-looking shack were made to be posted, well…they probably were. It will look good on your feed, but the food is satisfying on its own—this not-so-humble shack is serving up fresh lobster rolls with cherry tomatoes and kicky sriracha mayo and baked littleneck clams with garlic butter and BBQ sauce, along with roadside sides like corn with lime and crispy hand-cut fries.  We love it for a long, late summer lunch, when you can sip a Bloody Mary, which is served here either with or without an oyster and caviar, or an Aperol spritz. And for dessert, a simple farmstand “bowl of strawberries” is reimagined with berry sorbet, honey brioche and a lime meringue. That’ll cost $21—this is almost the Hamptons, after all. The vibe: A low-key clam shack with a high-key fine dining pedigree—dress to impress, despite the casual atmosphere.  The food: Roadside seafood stand fare is elevated with sriracha, truffles and caviar.  The drinks: Kick back with a Montauk Summer Ale or treat yourself to an outrageously extravagant $45 Bloody Mary.  Time Out tip: Thanks to Caviar...

An impossible-to-get table on the Upper East Side? Stranger things have happened. Chez Fifi, from the folks behind neighborhood spot Sushi Noz, is the rare uptown restaurant popular with the downtown set. A roast chicken (with its much-chattered-about price of $78), filet mignon with fries and a rotating omelette give the spot its bistro bona fides. Still, for our money, your money is better spent on the assorted charcuterie, which includes salmon rillettes with cucumber, foie gras and jamón iberico with Marcona almonds. (Bonus: Shockingly, the bread and butter are free.)  Don’t skip dessert: here, the French classics are done right, with a gorgeous, crackling crème brulee and dark chocolate mousse served with chantilly cream. It’s all very romantic—and why wouldn’t it be, in the intimate room of just 12 tables? Chez Fifi is named for Firouzeh Foulquier, the mother of the brothers who run the place, and while it doesn’t feel like home, necessarily, it’s a lovely little place to stay awhile. After all, you scored the reservation—and it’ll take a while to get another—so you’ll want to make it last.  The vibe: Folks who can afford a $78 roast chicken or have an assistant who can nab a table, plus foodies who simply must try the hottest table.  The food: Elegant charcuterie, bistro classics like steak frites and an omelette and French desserts that are worth the wait.   The drink: Espresso martinis served with ladyfingers, rhubarb sours and other elevated twists on classic...

Founded in 1897 by the Hewitt sisters, granddaughters of industrialist Peter Cooper, the only museum in the U.S. solely dedicated to design (both historic and modern) has been part of the Smithsonian since the 1960s. The museum hosts periodic interactive family programs that allow children to experiment with design.

The Pierre, a Taj Hotel, is everything you want in a classic New York City stay, from sweeping views of Central Park to top-notch service that makes you feel special. This classic, five-star hotel sits right on the southeastern edge of Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 61st Street and is by far the best hotel stay I’ve had in the city. Its understated elegance is felt as soon as you walk into the lobby, which plays host to myriad lavish events throughout the year. Opened in 1930, the 41-story hotel with 189 small dog-friendly rooms and 76 apartments was modeled after Versailles by famed architects Schultze and Weaver (who also designed the Waldorf-Astoria) and boasts neo-Georgian accents, checkered marble floors, incredible ballroom spaces with grand staircases and a rotunda with murals hand-painted by American artist Edward Melcarth in 1976—one of the most romantic rooms I’ve seen in NYC. After my stay here, I can see why it’s been featured in films like First Wives Club, Meet Joe Black and Oceans 8. It’s also hosted luminaries like Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Andy Warhol, Hubert de Givenchy, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Yves Saint Laurent, Barbra Streisand, Joan Collins (and many UN delegations) over the many decades and you can see them represented in the hotel’s incredible candid photos by Ron Galella that line its main hallway. But where The Pierre really shines is in the details, which make it feel like home. Check-in was a breeze with staff who welcomed me...

This elegant addition to the city’s museum scene is devoted entirely to late-19th- and early-20th-century German and Austrian fine and decorative arts. Located in a renovated brick-and-limestone mansion that was built by the architects of the New York Public Library, this brainchild of the late art dealer Serge Sabarsky and cosmetics mogul Ronald S. Lauder has the largest concentration of works by Gustav Klimt (including his iconic Adele Bloch-Bauer I) and Egon Schiele outside Vienna. You’ll also find a bookstore, a chic (and expensive) design shop and the Old World–inspired Café Sabarsky, serving updated Austrian cuisine and ravishing Viennese pastries.

Even in the worst of times, a world-class city needs restaurants offering the escape of over-the-top coddling and luxurious food, with a star chef who's not just on the awning but in the kitchen and dining room, too-—in short, a place like Daniel. The most classically opulent of the city's rarefied restaurants, Daniel Boulud's 15-year-old flagship emerged from a face-lift last fall, looking about as youthful as a restaurant in a landmark Park Avenue building realistically can. The sprawling dining room no longer resembles the doge's palace in Venice. Instead it's been brought into the 21st century with white walls, contemporary wrought iron sconces and a centerpiece bookshelf lined with vibrant crystal vases among other curios. The redesign, by longtime Boulud collaborator Adam Tihany, couldn't have come at a better time. With even neighborhood regulars keeping an eye on their budgets, now more than ever the place needs to cultivate a new clientele. Despite Boulud's ever-expanding reach—he'll soon launch his tenth restaurant, on the Bowery—the chef still prowls the dining room here most nights, charming fans and sending extras to his special guests. While the setting has been revamped, the food—overseen since 2004 by executive chef Jean Franois Bruel—hasn't taken a radical turn. Still, presentations overall seemed much more up-to-date. The tiered silver tower cradling an overkill of miniature bites that used to kick off a meal has given way to a less-is-more amuse-bouche...

The 92nd Street Y is proud to offer an incredible range of programs and services to New Yorkers of all ages. They offer early childhood support, parenting classes, summer camps, and after-school activities. There are also multiple classes available for older adults, including exercise classes, sign language classes, and writing workshops. Additionally, 92NY provides a robust variety of continuing education programs on topics ranging from world politics to how to publish your own memoir. Many of their courses are geared toward beginner students, like the Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners and the Drawing for Beginners workshops. Both of these courses last only a few hours but provide a robust introduction to these creative skills. Expert teachers will share their tips and tricks to achieve high-quality results. Supplies are not included, but a list of required materials will be sent to students prior to the start of class.  92NY is one of New York City’s premiere nonprofit agencies and cultural centers. Originally founded to serve the Jewish community, it has since expanded its programming to provide quality services to people of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. In nearly 150 years, 92NY has never wavered from its primary mission of improving the physical and mental health of the individuals they serve. 92NY is a registered four-star charity through Charity Navigator. They provide arts education for students K-12, including dance, music, and writing programs. The...

Dangling chandeliers, pressed-tin ceilings and a fireplace decorate this Victorian-inspired spot. On weekends, a 25-and-up policy keeps out the young'uns; cozy up with a date on the red velvet couches or chat with pals over rounds of draft beers (Harpoon IPA, Coney Island Lager) and mixed drinks. The vibe: This is the kind of place that feels frozen in time in the best way; red velvet queen anne chairs, fine art hung salon-style, gilded mirrors–it’s like drinking in one of The Met’s period rooms.  The food: House made comfort food; pescatarian and vegetarian friendly.  The drink: There’s beer and wine, but cocktails are the main attraction. Feel fancy and match the decor with a Ruby Slipper: grapefruit vodka, St. Germain, and Prosecco. Time Out tip: There’s no storefront, so it may take you a minute to locate the entrance but trust us: it’s there. There’s no dress code, but keep it classy. Cash only.