As general manager of sceney restaurant Sons of Essex (133 Essex St between Rivington and Stanton Sts; 212-674-7100, sonsofessexles.com) and recently opened lounge Cocktail Bodega (205 Chrystie St at Stanton St; 212-673-2400, cocktailbodega.com), Brett David spends most nights at work, which prompted a relocation from the Upper West Side to the Lower East Side in January to cut down on the commute. “It was a total dump,” admits David when recalling his initial impression of the fifth-floor walk-up studio, which hasn’t been renovated in almost 40 years. The 33-year-old Brooklyn Heights native, who shares the 350-square-foot space with his teacup Yorkie, Napoleon, immediately began revamping, infusing the cozy apartment with his masculine touch. “If you’re creative, you don’t have to spend a lot of money,” he says of his old-school urban aesthetic.
Brett David, general manager of Sons of Essex and Cocktail Bodega, recently moved from the Upper West Side to the Lower East Side, bringing his urban aesthetic with him. By shopping at affordable home-decor stores such as Angel Street Thrift Shop and Surprise Surprise, he was able to furnish his abode on the cheap.
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