My $10 Tour of the East Village

Friday night, I decided I would spend my sweltering, 97-degree Saturday wandering the East Village. Who needs AC, right?

I began my morning reading The New York Times, which for the umpteenth time proves it shares a pulse with me, because the “Weekend in New York” column spotlights an East Village juice bar, Liquiteria (“Pour Me a Melon: Masters of the Blenders’ Art”). I clip the article and make a mental note to stop by for an immunity-boosting drink.

When I get to Liquiteria, I study the overhead menu and debate my choices…do I dare try the Brain Teaser, like the NY Times reporter did (it’s made of carrot, kale, apple, red cabbage, parsley and ginger) or should I go safely with Peaches-N-Dream? Just then, one of the juicers calls out to me and offers me a mango smoothie sample. I try it, like it, and then tell him I’m a newbie here, I just happened to see Liquiteria in the NY Times this morning. ”Oh really?, that was my picture!,” he says, referring to the NYT’s shot of him pouring a juice. “No way!,” I say. “You’re Cesar?” and I pull the clipping out of my bag to verify. “It is you!” I felt like I’d just met a New York celebrity. He hands me a menu and I ask him what his favorite drink is. He says it’s the Grasshopper, a concoction of apple, pear, pineapple, wheatgrass and mint ($5). The master Cesar makes my so-called “miracle juice” himself and I sip it in all its green glory, pleased. I leave Cesar with my newspaper clipping and then mosey my way over to Union Square park, silently mocking those who carry humdrum Starbucks Frappuccinos. 

170 Second Ave.

Before Liquiteria, I popped into Bamn!, the automat I’ve been wanting to visit since I first read about it in 2006. I had read that automats were how fast food worked before McDonalds (Horn & Hardart was the famous automat chain in NYC) and wanted to blast myself to the past. You put coins into a vending machine and then you pull open a window to remove your hot meal. At Bamn!, for a mere $3, I got a tasty grilled veggie burger and a free sample of green tea/vanilla swirl yogurt from the automat operator. He told me that his boss opened this automat because he was inspired by how big they were in Amsterdam. I’m all for reviving the trend – bring it to the UWS next, please!

I spent the remaining $2 on two pairs of earrings from a vintage fashion shop, Amarcord, on 7th St. between 1st and 2nd. If you go, also stop by AuH20 next door and chat with the proud owner, Kate Goldwater. (Her store’s name is her surname spelled out in the chemical symbols for gold + water.) She had plenty of affordable, trendy pieces of jewelry and invited me to her upcoming fashion show.  

Do you have any recommendations for my next East Village stroll?

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Tags: east village, food, New York Times, vintage