Industrial designer Karim Rashid was born in Cairo, grew up in Toronto, completed his postsecondary school education in Ottawa and, since 1993, has lived in New York. Here he creates award-winning designs for many international brands, from the French champagne label Veuve Clicquot to the Italian lighting manufacturer Artemide.
He's just released a career retrospective, Karim Rashid: From the Beginning, and the book launch took place in Manhattan. Rashid, 53, wouldn't have had it any other way.
"New York has grown to be the utopian, global village," he says. "This big virtual apple creates a cosmic sense of well being where technology humanizes, energies, inspires, relaxes, and connects New York to the world."
Here, Rashid shares his favourite Big Apple haunts.
Wallflower
“A cool, small hole-in-the wall in the village, near Greenwich Avenue. My favourite cocktail here is carbonated organic gin-and-ginger called Tête de Mule. It’s Herit’s (the owner’s) take on a Moscow Mule. I also love the food – organic roasted pork belly with figs, and sea scallops with cabbage and smoked caviar.” 235 W. 12th St., wallflowernyc.com
Hotel Americano
“This has an extremely cool setting, right in the middle of the Chelsea art galleries and close to the Highline. I’ve been friends with Carlos, the owner, for some time now. He is Mexican and brings a certain highly passionate spirit to the enterprise. His place is minimal, designed by Enrique Norten. The bar on the roof is beautiful in the summer although the pool fits just one person.” 518 W 27th St.; hotel-americano.com
Reed Space
“I love shopping in New York, if just as an excuse to walk the city and embrace the energy. New York has probably anything and everything you could dream of, but I recommend shopping at the Reed Space. As a retail environment it is truly a global melting pot, its diversities, its complexities, its globalism and pluralism are really inspiring. It’s truly the first lifestyle boutique.” 151 Orchard St.; thereedspace.com
ABC Kitchen
“ABC Kitchen by Jean-Georges is where my wife and I spend all our special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries and so on. Their menu is free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, antibiotics, hormones. The food is GMO-free, and is naturally and humanely sourced from regional farmers and fair trade co-operatives. I believe that restaurants should be eventful and inspiring, with a sense of new visions of space. But also a restaurant must function seamlessly, from the traffic of the wait staff, to the comfort of the furniture, to the lighting, acoustics, and just a complete positive human experience. ABC delivers all of that. I only wish it was more contemporary in design.” 35 East 18th St., abckitchennyc.com
Chelsea
“Chelsea boasts over 500 galleries with such gems as Sonnabend, Gagosian, Robert Miller, Matthew Marks and countless others. If you go to Chelsea on a Thursday or Saturday when all the art openings are happening, it is an amazing scene for art. This city, despite the fact that it has gone through great change and has become a party central for the middle and upper classes, still retains a magical and spiritual element in its arts scene, which is overwhelmingly rich with an unprecedented creative spirit.” chelseagallerymap.com