Image via Complex Original
New York City is nigh unto impossible to summarize. On the macro scale, it is big, but it is also amazingly intimate at the neighborhood level. It can be hectic, loud, and intimidating, but NYC also contains a multitude of oases where the racket just seems to fade away. New York’s complexities have always attracted similarly multi-dimensional people, and style guru Jey Perie is no exception. He is the creative director of Kinfolk, a popular cafe and shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is itself a mash-up of different products and tastes. Jey’s goal, in work and beyond, is to bring disparate elements together in a way that makes them all sing.
When we first met up with Jey, he was sporting a denim vest fashioned from an old Levi’s trucker jacket. Sleeveless and bedecked with a large king-of-spades on the back, the vest was a perfect example of Jey’s ability to seamlessly blend the classic with the edgy. Jey’s list of places to visit in NYC is equally eclectic and ranges from the historic to the brand new. Whether you’re on a date in Williamsburg and want to look like a regular, or you’re catching a live jazz set at a Japanese bar in TriBeCa, Jey’s New York picks are an insider’s take on the city with eight million identities.
Interview by Clay Bassford (@ClayBass4D)
Photography by Dorothy Hong (@dorothypunk)
Cafe Mogador
Go there for: The perfect lunch, date, or meeting in Williamsburg
“I honestly go to Mogador [in Williamsburg] like four times a week. I love the food, the light, and the staff. There’s good emotion there—a lot of people from the neighborhood having lunch. The food is great and it’s as simple as that. It’s a place where I feel comfortable and enjoy spending time. Whether breakfast or a late dinner, they’re always open and always on point.”
Kings Theatre
Go there for: A show at this newly restored legendary venue
“I’m so excited about the Kings Theatre’s history. I love the way it looks on the outside. It literally just reopened after years of being abandoned and it’s a historical Brooklyn landmark. They have a great lineup for the next few months, so it’s a great chance to experience this old venue. With the Domino Factory influencing the debate about gentrification in Brooklyn, I think they really did a great job at trying to keep it as authentic as it can be, but also bringing new energy to the neighborhood.”
Kinfolk
Go there for: Fashion, art, nightlife, coffee
“I’m a tad partial on this one, but Kinfolk has become a cultural hub for nightlife, art, and fashion, and we’re super proud of it. It’s a lifestyle experience. We have the cafe at 90 Wythe. Next door we have the retail store—a menswear shop with the best, in my opinion, of Japanese, French, English, and American menswear brands. There’s a bit for everyone. We also have a library inside the store ranging from sci-fi novels to hard-to-find artwork. The club in the back of the retail store is open every day from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. It’s a place to hang out, to get a drink, and to dance.”
The Apollo Theatre
Go there for: An insider’s look at an NYC entertainment institution
“I like to go to the emerging artist events on Wednesday nights. It’s a real New York experience, the venue is legendary, and it’s a great way to connect with what the youth are about. It’s a show on stage, but it’s also a show in the audience. Harlem is such an interesting neighborhood. For someone who’s visiting New York in the spring or summer, it’s definitely a good place to go. Follow up a trip to the Apollo with a good dinner at Chez Lucienne on Lenox Ave.”
B Flat
Go there for: Jazz, a great burger, and Tokyo vibes
“I have a studio in Chinatown where I spend some of my late nights working on designs and stuff. B Flat is a basement jazz club in TriBeCa run by some Japanese folks. It’s a high-end cocktail bar, but high-end more in the quality than the price because the price is actually quite reasonable. They have great bar food—great burgers, great fried chicken, tuna sashimi, and great music, too. It’s a place that reminds me a lot of Tokyo. It’s just a great place to go for a late-night bite and drink. And they have live jazz on Monday and Wednesday.”