Meatpacking District

Once the pre-dawn domain of dead meat and deadbeats, now a flash-trash playdom with superb shopping. Many stores close Sundays, so best stay in bed and rest that head. Begin at 75 9th Ave. (btw 15th and 16th Sts.) at Chelsea Market, with its frenzy of all things foodie fabulous and cookware chic, before continuing down 9th Ave., and whirling right at 14th St. to duck into Ten Thousand Things at #423 / 212 352 1333 / tenthousandthingsnyc.com / with fab stone + pearl jewellery, Joie at #429 / 212 897 1787 / joie.com / for floaty femme basics, and Alice + Olivia at #431 / 646 747 1232 / aliceandolivia.com / for party frocks. Label junkies will love Jeffrey at #449 / 212 206 1272 / jeffreynewyork.com / for runway-ready m/w wear, but the store’s real draw is its shoes. Exit left, then cross right onto Washington St. for the Diane von Furstenberg flagship at #874 / 646 486 4880 / dvf.com / opposite a block of Scoop stores with fashion essentials for the entire family, as well as the colourful shopfront of New York City-centric perfumers Bond No. 9 at #863 / 212 206 9907 / bondno9.com. Now for a mid-retail pickme-up, make a left into 13th St. for hair haven Bumble & bumble at #415 (see Spa), or pass B&b and turn left to 29 9th Ave. for London import Soho House with its Cowshed Spa. Exit right, continue on 9th then go right on Gansevoort for Trina Turk at #67 / 212 206 7383 / with Palm Springs resort wear, then head right at Washington for hipster eyewear purveyors Warby Parker at #819 / 646 517 5227 / warby parker.com, making specs-shopping a rather lively event complete with retro photobooth. Exit left and continue for boutique belle Owen at #809 / 212 524 9770 / owennyc.com / and ladies’ heel haven Nicholas Kirkwood at #807 / 646 559 5239 / nicholaskirkwood.com, then opp. is sophisty scent heaven By Kilian at #804 / 212 600 1298 / bykilian.com, Christian Louboutin’s mens’ shoe salon at #808 / 212 255 2056 / christian louboutin.com, and figure-hugging frocks next door at #810 Jay Godfrey / 212 706 8342 / jaygodfrey.com. For a quick java gargle, Kava Café is at #803 / 212 255 7495 / kavanyc.com, or for something heartier take a left on Horatio and left again on Hudson where a Malaysian flavourfest awaits at #643 Fatty Crab / 212 352 3592 / fattycrab.com. Exit left and return to the cnr of Hudson and Gansevoort, then cross diagonally opposite for Calypso / 646 638 3000 / a St. Barth’s transplant filled with beach-chic dresses, and carry on for yet more feminine finds at Catherine Malandrino #652 / 212 929 8710 / packed with va-va-vamp outfits. The big metallic building you see across from you is the Gansevoort Hotel, home to rooftop liquor-slicker Plunge / 212 206 6700 / good for a Hudson sunset sipper. End here or retrace along Gansevoort back to Washington and relax on the High Line (see Activities), former elevated train tracks turned New York’s coolest green space. The concrete edifice you spy straddling the High Line is The Standard (see Accom.) with happening Standard Grill / 212 645 4100 / thestandardgrill.com, night club hotspots Boom Boom Room and Le Bain (see Bars), and outdoor covered Biergarten for sausages, beer, pretzels, ping pong and plenty of traditional German boomsadaisy! Bottoms up! Prost!