There's a restaurant in the Lower East Side of Manhattan that's tucked away in an alley. It's no secret where Freemans is now that New York Magazine and every other publication has sung its praises. And yes, you often see some celebrity enjoying dinner at Freemans, where taxidermy is the main decorating motif. But every time I go, I get a little lost about which street Freeman alley connects to and wind up doing a loop searching for it. That's part of the fun. Another thing that's really fun is going right when it opens — since every other time of day the place is packed, and all you can do is camp out with a glass of Gruner Veltliner in hopes of having your name called. My friend and I were one of the first people at Freemans yesterday. Arrival time: 5:30. We enjoyed delicious grilled cheese toasts + artichoke dip (yes, we're healthy) when the kitchen opened at 6. That place is dangerously charming, and it's the perfect spot to swap all your latest raves + rants with a good friend.
I've been charmed by Freemans' outdoor cafe lights since my first fateful journey there. Walking down Freeman alley with those globe string lights arching overhead, I felt instantly transported to some little European side street, likely in Paris. These lights were my inspiration for our wedding lighting — and my (amazing) brother Steve spent a day stringing lines and lines of cafe style string lights in the barn where our reception was held. The result was magical. Right now, my globe lights are sitting packed in boxes, but I want to break them out when we're in our new apartment. I'm thinking of bringing a little of the outdoors in and hanging a few strings of globe lights in our combined living + kitchen space. Since the loft has 16 foot ceilings, I think it could work. What do you think? I'll keep you posted how my lighting idea turns out.
p.s. Our little celebrity spotting yesterday was this pro athlete.
