The 60by80 gay guide to an extended weekend in New York City with Club, Queen and King-sized recommendations on what to see and do, and where to eat, shop and go out.
Friday afternoon.
CLUB-SIZED
Start your weekend by stretching your limbs as well as your mind at a Hot Nude Yoga session. Renourish at Danny Meyer's Shake Shack in nearby Madison Square Park or at the Farmer's Market at Union Square. Oh yes, you've arrived.
QUEEN-SIZED
Find one of NYC's best-kept secrets, Burger Joint, hidden behind a velvet curtain for a bite. Plenty of reasons to pay a visit the Museum of Arts & Design afterwards, not least the Central Park views and the building's architecture.
KING-SIZED
Award-winning cuisine before seeking out Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans. Get a headstart on your sightseeing while lunching at The Modern where Gabriel Kreuther's dining room overlooks the MoMA's Sculpture Garden.
Friday evening.
CLUB-SIZED
Go for Mexican at Chelsea classic Rocking Horse Café, and if you fall off the barstool because of the gigantic frozen margaritas or the endless Eighth Avenue parade of chicos muy guapos – consider it a good night so far.
QUEEN-SIZED
Set up by the owner of West Village cocktail haven Employees Only and with its super late opening hours and a hearty Italian menu, the East Side Social Club has become the Midtown destination of choice for hungry scenesters.
KING-SIZED
The retro menu stuff includes oysters but who's concentrating on their plates when there's star-spotting to be done? The seating chart at Monkey Bar is overseen by Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter himself, and it shows.
MORE RESTAURANT REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR NYC RESTAURANT GUIDE
Friday night.
CLUB-SIZED
With rents increasing in Chelsea, the boys have moved further uptown, too. Go bar hopping at Hell's Kitchen faves like Ritz Bar & Lounge, Therapy and Barrage, followed by Boxers HK, Hardware and Industry. Then end up at Atlas Social Club or dancing at The Zoo.
QUEEN-SIZED
Explore Billyburg and its gipsters. The big Friday night draw is local hotspot Lovegun. Warm up at longtime Williamsburg fave Metropolitan. In Manhattan, head downtown to Ladyfag's ElevenEleven.
KING-SIZED
The Gramercy Park Hotel's haute bohemian heritage was been honored and renewed by Ian Schrager's $210-million renovation. Gorgeous people galore in the Rose and Jade bars and rooftop terrace.
MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR GOING OUT IN OUR NYC GAY NIGHTLIFE SECTION
Saturday morning.
CLUB-SIZED
Everything's bigger in America, and Chelsea Piers is no exception; this facility is huge. Swim, golf, climb or simply buff up, then refuel at the nearby Hotel Jane outpost of NoLita's legendary Café Gitane.
QUEEN-SIZED
Work up an appetite on the railroad track that is The High Line, the city's newest and coolest park, before hitting NYC classic Pastis for brunch and the hot designer shops of the Meatpacking District.
KING-SIZED
Luxury shopping comes no better than Upper Madison Avenue, en route to the Guggenheim Museum - conveniently housing The Wright, the town's newest and best-looking lunch restaurant.
Saturday afternoon.
CLUB-SIZED
The art is world class, but on weekends go both to see and be seen at the Chelsea galleries like Daniel Reich or Barbara Gladstone. If it gets too stuffy, pop out and hit tea dance The Teabag at Eagle NYC.
QUEEN-SIZED
More has been written about the exterior of the New Museum than anything you might find inside, but stop by before exploring Orchard Street's hip galleries and the rest of the LES.
KING-SIZED
Make time for a matinee performance at America's premier performing arts venue, the Lincoln Center, before working your way down Fifth Avenue, from Barneys, Bergdorf's, Prada and Fendi, down to Saks.
Saturday evening.
CLUB-SIZED
The atmosphere is crisp and clean (men included) at 44 & X, the west side eatery serving American classics to local Hell's Kitchen boys and theatre queens.
QUEEN-SIZED
Transformed from neighbourhood rock’n’roll bar to purveyor of Nordic minimalism, sate your hunger with new Nordic cuisine by Noma co-founder Mads Refslund at Acme before slipping down to the subterranean lounge for drinks.
KING-SIZED
Exceptional views of Central Park and a constantly changing menu of food as art. From the food to the service to the ambience, Thomas Keller's Per Se is considered by many to be the best restaurant in the city.
MORE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EATING OUT IN OUR NEW YORK RESTAURANT SECTION
Saturday night.
CLUB-SIZED
Go-go boys with barely-there outfits, and pecs strutting everywhere you look: At John Blair's Viva at Stage 48 it’s like Chelsea of the 90s, and just as busy. Alternatively hit BPM.
QUEEN-SIZED
Less abs and eyebrow waxing, more scruff and tattoos, explore the East Village. Start at dives like Eastern Bloc, then progress to The Cock, The Urge or the Boiler Room. For dancing, head straight to Pretty Ugly in Hell's Kitchen.
KING-SIZED
The French in crowd have gone trans-Atlantic and can be found at Le Baron Chinatown. Make advance arrangements to avoid disappointment.
Sunday day.
CLUB-SIZED
Brunch at Delicatessen may be more may be more about the scene of models and modelizers than the food. Flush the scene with some fresh air in Central Park - just don't get too fresh at The Ramble.
QUEEN-SIZED
Summer season means rooftop parties galore. Choose between Summer Camp, FLY Sundays and the liquid brunch proposition Soaked Sundays.
KING-SIZED
Don't deny yourself a luxe brunch experience at the Mandarin's 35th floor Asiate restaurant even if the room rates are too steep. Then go salsa at a matinee show of 2008 Best Musical Tony Award winner In The Heights.
Sunday evening.
CLUB-SIZED
Hit the gym and strut those pecs for some old school NYC clubbing at weekend-closer Klüb Sundays.
QUEEN-SIZED
Given how tiny it is, it's impressive just how many they manage to pack into Eastern Bloc on Sundays. Take a deep breath, then step in and join the fun.
KING-SIZED
Top Standard: The latest addition to The Standard hotel is the 18th floor Le Bain rooftop lounge. The party is on Sunday nights. But make door arrangements or you could stay firmly at the bottom.
FIND RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK IN OUR HOTELS SECTION
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