2013-06-26


Immaculate Infatuation bloggers Chris Stang and Andrew Steinthal

Music execs by day, food bloggers by night, Chris Stang and Andrew Steinthal, the two charming guys behind Immaculate Infatuation, have been dolling out bar and restaurant advice for some four and a half years now. Most recently, the duo launched their annual guide to summer eating and drinking, The Second Immaculate Infatuation Guide to Killing It This Summer, New York City 2013. With 78 pages, 175 high-resolution photos, interactive maps, beer and wine suggestions, and more, there's an iPad version, as well as a free abridged PDF. We spoke with the two for some tips on where to hang out this summer, and this upcoming Fourth of July weekend. 

Tell us about your guide to summer e-book and how it came about?

CHRIS STANG: It's about how to make the best of the three months of nice weather we get here. We wanted to do some sort of summer guide that had the best outdoor eating and drinking around the city, and as we started thinking about putting it together, Apple had just released its author platform, which kind of just makes it easy to make an e-book. 

ANDREW STEINTHAL: We're overall very excited about the mobile space, and what we can do with it. We have an iPhone app and we've done two of these iBooks. We're very much focused on that side of it, and trying to give users different experiences that can be both fun and useful.

Speaking of fun, how would you say summer and winter eating are different?

AS: You get to be outside! And that's not such an easy task in New York. Obviously we live in this crazy cement jungle, so when you find a place with bit of patio space it feels like a massive oasis. A lot of [those places], these days, are in Brooklyn. 

What are some of your favorite outdoor spaces in Brooklyn?

CS: Vinegar Hill House is an all-time favorite in DUMBO. They have an amazing back garden.

AS: Maison Premiere in Williamsburg not only has the best oyster selection in NYC, but for Brooklyn, a really lush garden . . . and they have a bar in the back, which is cool.

CS: There's a new spot called Lavender Lake; it's just a cool hang, we like that place a lot.

AS: Also, The Pines in Gowanus has an awesome backyard.

Since July Fourth is coming up, any tips on a cool place to celebrate?

AS: Juliette's a cool spot for that.

CS: Yeah, Juliette's a cool place in Williamsburg, it's a rooftop French restaurant. I think anywhere in Brooklyn is [cool], just because you're not going to be caught in all the tourist traps. There's a little spot called Brucie on Court Street that's really good, in Cobble Hill. Another good option is Terroir at the Porch, which is the wine bar on The High Line.

BY SIMONA RABINOVITCH 

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