At the end of last week I had a layover in New York while on my way home to Los Angeles from a week in Europe (more on that soon). Since I’d been missing the city, since the weather was great, and since I can’t sit still, I decided to head into Manhattan to explore.

I met up with my friend, model and photographer Lily Cummings, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. After a walk though the museum and Central Park, we headed south on foot in search of somewhere to eat and drink outside.

The Place

Since it was way too nice to take the subway, we walked 35 blocks until we reached The Smith, a relaxed American Brasserie style restaurant. This place is a favorite for many New Yorkers and became a favorite of mine once I saw that the street-facing walls completely folded away to create a cool indoor/outdoor vibe.

We quickly claimed a table near the bar and tackled our first order of business — ordering a drink.

The Smith has 3 locations in Manhattan, one in the East Village, one at Lincoln Center, and another in Midtown (where I visited).

The Drink

I ordered a Moscow Mule, a simple and refreshing drink made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime. I’m usually not a vodka drinker, but I am a ginger beer fanatic (seriously, just put me on a secluded beach with a boat load of Dark n’ Stormys and I’ll come back in a few years looking something like Tom Hanks from Castaway).

There’s just one thing that would have made this Moscow Mule better — if it was served in a Moscow Mule mug.

The Food

The Smith has an admirable selection of sharable items. Choosing a few wasn’t easy, but we eventually agreed upon the beer battered green beans served with a gravy boat full of ranch, the crispy fried calamari served Brooklyn style with a generous topping of marinara sauce, and the burrata served with presto, fried red peppers, tomato jam, and ciabatta.

Just thinking about the beer battered green beans is reason enough to make me get on a plane and fly back to New York.

The Style

I like to keep things simple. So for this Spring day in Manhattan spent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, walking through the city, and eating at The Smith, I wore these 3 things:

Shirt: J.Crew Slim Vintage Oxford Shirt - white - $69.50

Jeans: Levi’s 510 Skinny Fit Jeans - $68.50

Shoes: Clark’s Desert Boot - Beeswax Leather - $119.99

-

Photos by Lily Cummings

-

View The Smith (Midtown) in a larger map

The Smith (Midtown) is located at 956 2nd Ave (at 51st St.) - 212-644-2700