Lauren Carol Smith

Earlier this week, The Local took you inside Adria Petty’s East Ninth Street home, now on the market for $1.995 million. As we mentioned then, Ms. Petty – a photographer and a director of music video, commercials, and documentaries, as well as the daughter of rock star Tom – moved to the East Village around 2000, and believes it’s still a happening place – starting with her own block. As proof: some of her favorite destinations.

Best antique shops
Archangel across the street from me is run by two beautiful antique dealers. The woman on the right has her store, and the husband on the left has his store. She specializes in buttons and all this cool stuff. My favorite store in the East Village is Repeat Performance on First Avenue. It’s owned by a really lovely woman who runs an orphanage overseas. She has some of the most awesome stuff — vintage typewriters, lamps, light fixtures, paintings. She just has the best taste.

Best places to meet up with creative types
With all the speakeasies and Cabin [Down Below] and all that stuff that’s going on down on Avenue A and Seventh Street, there’s sort of a hub or a community over here that I enjoy. You could go to Black Market any night of the week and you’ll probably run into a friend or a cool musician that you know of – even if you’re not in that scene – DJing or having a quiet drink or something.

Best place for standup comedy
I’ve been going to Sidewalk Cafe every Thursday to see my friend Jack Dishel do standup. In the last month I’ve seen 20, 30 friends show up and support my friend who’s doing some really experimental personal, cool stuff and he packs the room and it’s free. You go in there, have a couple drinks and feel transported into this creative space. Those Thursdays, we all came to plan our weeks around.

Best restaurants
The chicken soup at Veselka gets me through the winter. Mogador is one of my favorite restaurants in Manhattan. It’s friendly, open all day, you can sit outside, and it feels like a family restaurant. I’ve spent hundreds of nights in 26 Seats, having the most beautiful dinner with good friends. They’re always really accommodating, the food is really lovely and French and it seems very folksy and really nice. It’s not too expensive, and it’s a great rustic upscale vibe.

Best culture fixes
St. Mark’s Bookshop and Kim’s Video are responsible for any and all good input I’ve had in my brain – even more than college. I love the second-run theater on Second Avenue, on 11th Street [Village East Cinema]. It usually shows stuff that’s been out for a week or two that has rolled over into a slower theatrical release. It’s an old Jewish theater with a big Star of David on the ceiling. It’s probably from the ’30s – it has a balcony.

Best off-beat store
Enchantments, the witch store, is really fun, with the carve-your-candle thing. You can make a wish and set your mind on something really good.