Alex’s design eye is always on the lookout for the unexpected, which explains why these truly unique spots in the city are where he spends his time. This hidden-door tour of the city featuring underground parties and Tarantino-style cinemas will have you eager to uncover more.
New York with Alex Trochut
Graphic Designer
Culture Nitehawk Cinema
‘I really like going to a cinema in Williamsburg called Nitehawk. When I first arrived here, I was so enlightened by it. I always imagined that if Quentin Tarantino had a cinema, it would be like Nitehawk.’
136 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, 11249
Food & Drink Mezcaleria La Milagrosa
‘I love this place called La Milagrosa in Brooklyn. It’s a small bar, a mezcaleria, with a DJ booth. You enter through the fridge of a fruit shop and it’s very tiny, all wood. The sound system is fantastic.’
149 Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn, 11211
Food & Drink Kings Co Imperial
‘I enjoy Kings Co Imperial for Chinese food, it’s a great Chinese restaurant. The dim sum is amazing. They also have this Hong Kong chicken noodle dish that is really good.’
20 Skillman Avenue, Brooklyn, 11211
Culture The Shed
‘I was at The Shed last weekend and they have this amazing installation by DRIFT Studio. The Shed was very spectacular and I think the whole gallery is great. One of the coolest things to do in New York.’
545 West 30th Street, New York, 10001
Culture Pete’s Candy Store
‘I love Pete’s Candy Store. It’s the tiniest little venue with maybe seats for 10 people. It looks like a train wagon — you have two rows of seats, and then at the end of that is a very little stage where you’ll find very intimate, lovely concerts.’
709 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, 11211
“I always imagined that if Quentin Tarantino had a cinema, it would be like Nitehawk. They set the stage for cinema lovers. It’s a very fun place.”
On New York in one word
Alive.
You need to be ‘on’ in New York. If you’re asleep, the city will expel you very quickly. If you snooze you lose, everyday is a test. You gotta set your ass on fire here, it really demands it. But it’s a fun environment.
On showing a friend around New York for a day
We’ll definitely go to the Comedy Cellar and see some comedy. There’s a bunch of little music venues that you could go to. I love Pete’s Candy Store. It’s the tiniest little venue with seats for maybe 10 people. It looks like a train wagon — you have two rows of seats, and then at the end of that is a very little stage where you’ll find very intimate, lovely concerts. Brooklyn Steel is a bigger venue, but is very well designed for big concerts. Everybody gets to see the stage very well.
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On where to eat in Brooklyn
I enjoy Kings Co Imperial for Chinese food, it’s a great Chinese restaurant. The dim sum is amazing. They also have this Hong Kong chicken noodle dish that is really good.
On where to get a drink in Brooklyn
I love this place called La Milagrosa in Brooklyn. It’s a small bar, a mezcaleria, with a DJ booth. You enter through the fridge of a fruit shop and it’s very tiny, all wood. The sound system is fantastic. Then there’s also the Four Horsemen which is James Murphy’s [of LCD Soundsystem] restaurant, and his bar, which is called Nightmoves. It’s a special little dance floor behind the restaurant. I do like to dance every now and then, but I need to choose my battles. These days I can’t go more than maybe once every two months because I really pay the price with my hangovers.
On where to see a movie in Brooklyn
I really like going to a cinema in Williamsburg called Nitehawk. When I first arrived here, I was so enlightened by it. You can eat and drink and have the experience of ordering a cocktail, and the cocktail is always related to the movie. If you’re going to see a vampire movie, the cocktail is going to be some sort of bloody drink. I always imagined that if Quentin Tarantino had a cinema, it would be like Nitehawk. They set the stage for cinema lovers. It’s a very fun place.
On getting a culture fix in the city
I was at The Shed last weekend and they have this amazing installation by DRIFT. It was very spectacular and I think the whole gallery is great. There’s a lot if you want to dive into that New York. Especially now, after the pandemic, there’s probably going to be more new blood in many different places, so that’s exciting.
On underground parties
There are a lot of events and parties that happen all the time in different locations, which always makes life in the city fun. It’s nice when you don’t know where you’re going to end up. There are different collectives, like ReSolute, MATTE Projects, Golden Record and Blk|Market, and they all do different parties every weekend, but in a way, the underground is completely lost because everything is on Resident Advisor.
There’s this other place called Nowadays, which is a huge open space. They do parties for 24 hours, which is unheard of in New York. When you get there, they inform you of the rules at the beginning, like ‘please don’t touch anybody that doesn’t want to be touched, don’t harass anybody.’ There’s a bouncer who’s dancing on the dance floor and enjoying himself so much, yet at the same time, he’s taking care of everybody. Even when someone is doing something wrong, he approaches them very gently. Back in the day when you were doing something you weren’t supposed to, you could get kicked out very aggressively. But at Nowadays, they’re super nice and lovely people. It’s one of the best things to do in New York.
“One of the most overlooked places in New York is… New Jersey. Take the PATH train or the NY waterway ferry and hit up Hoboken for good food and great shopping, slide by Liberty State Park for a chance to look upon the great dame herself, the Statue of Liberty, and when night falls, go to Exchange Place Boardwalk for, hands down, the best views of the Manhattan skyline.” — Kieran Finn, Skyscanner Software Engineer
On moving to New York
The first time I was in New York was 2003 or 2004, and I loved it. I really enjoy the energy here — it’s one of those cities that has a very intoxicating energy. I ended up moving here in 2013. The city that you arrive in disappears after 10 years. It’s another place. I don’t have nostalgic flashbacks like ‘Oh, I wish things would stay that way.’ I’m enjoying what it is today. The city demands a lot from you. A lot of it comes with a price, but at the same time I think I’m cashing out in other aspects too. I could live with less and maybe be equally satisfied somewhere else, but here there’s a magic exchange. It’s the people that really give you the urge to stay on.
On New York’s visual identity
New York has a beautiful backdrop of Art Deco architecture, it’s secure, dark, sober and solid. There are also these beautifully trashy neon signs that are very American. Then you have hand-painted signage in shop windows. It’s a legacy of lettering that is applied to buildings and shops, and it’s everywhere across the city. The visual language of New York has American culture within it. I love it so much because America has a lot of craft in the way they approach design, and a lot of exuberance. My favourite sign is a neon ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign in Brooklyn. It’s huge.
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On design being in your blood
My grandfather, Joan Trochut, was born in the 1940s and was the son of a painter. At that time, printers and designers were the same thing. If you wanted to print something, it had to be designed by the printer, and that was what my grandfather used to love. He was always thinking about ways to work with the letterpress and create designs. My grandfather was an amazing professional, but due to changes in technology, he was bankrupt in the end. My dad really tried to encourage me not to pursue design because he was scared. But I convinced him it’s really what I want to do.
On something you’re working on
Right now I’m really into the idea of sculptural work that represents concepts that are a paradox. I’m working with the idea of seeing a whole sculpture as truth, with different words presenting from different perspectives. I did this sculpture that says ‘love’, but on the other side it says ‘pain’. Depending on your perspective, you can see one thing or the other. I’m also working with one of my most inspiring typography professors to design an alphabet for the sculptures. I’m excited to release this as digital art first, then hopefully build it in real life.
On the creative benefits of travel
There’s something very beautiful about traveling. I love my routine when I’m in New York, but once I’m able to relax and break that, certain things just flow in a very positive way — you almost don’t allow yourself to be stressed. When you’re away, if you have certain needs covered, like good internet and a powerful computer, then you find yourself in a beautiful space. You become an efficient worker, so as not to spend an extra minute in front of the screen. Instead, you’re filling yourself with what the country has to offer. I think that transfers a lot towards your resolve, because you’re excited to work.
“New York has been a great school of life for me. It has taught me to be more free. That’s something you get in the city a lot — everybody cares very little about what other people think and they’re just themselves.”
next stop: NYC
Creators
Michael Yamashita
Photographer
Traversing the world with Nat Geo for three decades searching for the perfect shot, Mike has sampled almost every cuisine imaginable. Which is why his drool-worthy foodie guide to NYC, bursting with hot spots only locals know about, is worthy of our attention.
Mara Lecocq
Creative Director & Entrepreneur
Our creative-director-meets-diversity-champion has called NYC home for the last five years. Her insider guide spotlights the truly unique experiences in the city that you won’t find in any guidebook – off-menu cocktail bars, interactive film noir plays and hipster Japanese food.
For more exceptional creators, visit www.exceptionalalien.com
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