Going green
Pining to get away from it all, but with no time for a vacation? You can always escape to the Hudson River Greenway. At 11 miles—and running close to the no-fee rentals at 555TEN—this is the longest greenway in all Manhattan. No wonder, then, that New Yorkers love to explore it, picking out the myriad gems lining the West Side from Battery Park up to Dyckman Street. Before you start plotting your route, though, you need to choose your ride. Allow us to give you a helping hand.

Wheely great choices
Most people who use the Hudson River Greenway choose to do so by bike. But don’t panic if you don’t have a set of wheels—there are plenty of places along the route to grab a rental. Head to a nearby Citi Bike station: assuming you’re setting out from your luxury 555TEN apartment, you’ll easily find one at 11th Avenue & West 41st Street or 9th Avenue & West 39th Street, among other spots. This cheap and easy way of acquiring a cycle means you can be in the saddle just moments after leaving home (and abandon your bike as soon as you feel the urge to get that first beer). Annual memberships and day passes are available, though if you’re toying with the former, it’s worth calling in at Enoch’s Bike Shop on 10th Avenue, Midtown West. Since 1983, these guys have been kitting out New Yorkers with the best Masis, Haros, and KHSs. Trust us, your wheels are in good hands.

Of course, there are other ways to travel along the Greenway. If you’re planning to skate or blade, take a trip south to Uncle Funkys Boards and score yourself a Loaded Fattail or Arbor Rally. Newbie? No matter: they do lessons, too. Or, if you prefer to keep it simple, get yourself a pair of sneakers and take a walk.

Greenway gems
Wheeling along the Hudson River Greenway, you get a fresh perspective on NYC—and you’re guaranteed to see things you’ve never noticed before, no matter how long you’ve lived in Manhattan.

The “Greenway” isn’t called that for nothing. Running through no fewer than five parks (Battery Park, Hudson River Park, Riverside Park South, Riverside Park, and Fort Washington Park), there’s verdant scenery everywhere. Either feast your eyes as you whiz past or make a couple of scenic stop-offs en route to your final destination.

Parks aside, every itinerary is different. Perhaps you’ll call in at one of the concerts they have at West Harlem Piers. Or admire the boats at Seventy-Ninth Street Boat Basin. Or even learn something new at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Then you can reward yourself at Tribeca Grill, while plotting out the stops for your next Greenway jaunt.

Landscape architect Steven Tupu, a principal with Terrain NYC, is responsible for 555TEN’s green spaces, from its playful rooftop garden and dog run to the subtle Japanese maple trees that welcome residents and visitors at the building’s entrance. Tupu was inspired by what he characterizes as 555TEN’s “infrastructural landscape,” its proximity to the Hudson River, and its tall perch in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Considering 555TEN’s context in every direction and during every season of the year, he arranged birch trees to bring shade and texture to the rooftop garden and selected a variety of grasses to give the landscaped roof distinctive areas while providing the lush and colorful texture that he grew to love in his native New Zealand.

What is it about 555TEN’s location that makes it such a compelling site for landscaping?

Looking south and west, there’s the end of the High Line and the view across the Hudson River to New Jersey. 555TEN is located at the edge of an “infrastructural landscape,” and this location provides a unique view of the urban skyline and the expanse of the Hudson River.

What might residents find surprising about 555TEN’s location?

555TEN is so ideally located for city-dwellers—right in the heart of the Theater District and close to the transportation hub of Times Square—that it’s easy to forget that it sits right next to the scenic Hudson River. The landscapes include lush terraces that add native plant habitats for local and migratory birds and pollinators. New York is part of the natural world, even if it doesn’t always seem that way.

How did you develop your special expertise in urban landscaping?

I’m a native of Wellington, New Zealand, a famously verdant country. We are also a nation of gardeners, and we are used to making the most of small spaces. These early experiences and that natural backdrop inspire my vision for the urban landscapes I design for Terrain NYC.

What features of 555TEN were most inspirational for Terrain NYC’s landscaping process?

At 555TEN, the deep setback terrace on the ninth floor and the wraparound terraces provided a unique challenge to develop a design language that could connect these spaces and different amenities with the flexibility to form smaller more intimate spaces.

Plantings of grasses and perennials are grouped in large masses and flow around the exterior columns and glass curtain wall. The colors and textures of the plantings enhance the building’s facade, starting with the Japanese maple that greets visitors at the front entrance. Having been involved early in the design process, my team and I were able to take full advantage of the tall building’s structured setbacks. That’s where the amenities suite opens onto the spectacular south-facing terrace and dog run and the more intimate yoga terrace along the northern edge.

Does the landscaping shape the experience of 555TEN for pets, too?

Yes! At the southwest edge of the amenity terrace is a dog run and viewing area that includes built-in timber bleacher seating for owners to socialize on and playful timber topographic mounds that define running circuits for the dogs to explore.

Is color and shape part of the landscape design process for 555TEN as well?

Very much so. For New York City’s multiseason climate, we selected four-season birch trees that are green in the spring, white and serene in fall and winter, and able to provide light shade from the sun in the summer. With 555TEN’s architectural palette including matte bronze and stainless steel, the green variety of Japanese maple was also a natural fit. We also chose tall native grasses for the terrace landscaping. They are dynamic in the breeze and provide a soft edge, helping to define the various spaces.

How does 555TEN become part of the natural world, thanks to Terrain NYC’s landscaping?

Native shrubs, grasses, and perennials serve another function in providing much-needed habitats for birds and pollinators. As with the High Line, 555TEN’s terraces are green oases for people, pets, and even wildlife, and we designed them as integrated pockets of nature and social spaces at the bustling crossroads of Midtown Manhattan.

Though Midtown West is renowned for its Michelin-starred restaurants and cocktail bars, sometimes all you want is a simple (or at least artisanal or wood-fired) pizza. Fortunately, the 555TEN luxury rentals are just a short walk from three of the best pie shops in NYC. Here’s where to grab a slice of the action.

La Vela Dining & Bar |558 11th Avenue
Owner Antonio Mauro, a native of Naples, and his chef serve up all the classics with an authentic Southern Italian pedigree—from lasagna with lashings of bechamel sauce to profiteroles stuffed with fresh cream and glossed with molten chocolate. You can also whet your appetite with the likes of baked clams in Italian breadcrumbs. But their most popular dish, naturally, is their brick-oven pizza. Keep it simple with a Margherita or indulge with the Carretiera topped with sausage and broccoli rabe.

Capizzi |547 9th Avenue
If the wood-fired ovens, homey atmosphere, and tables laden with antipasti don’t tell you you’re in Italian heaven, surely the rich aroma of Capizzi’s pizzas will. Taking a leaf out of his “Nonna’s” (cook)book, Joseph Calcagno has created one of the finest family-owned Italian restaurants in Manhattan, just down the road from the 555TEN rentals. Napolitano pizzas are loaded with combos like hot Italian sausage and fennel, or asparagus, truffle oil, and roasted pine nuts. And the wood used to lend that oaky, hickory-smoked taste to the pizzas? That’s imported from Italy every week. You should try to save room for tiramisu, but we won’t blame you if you can’t.

Kiabacca Bar |639 10th Avenue
Turns out “kiabacca” has quite a few meanings, but the one we’re running with is “a positive feeling that someone or something gives you.” The Kiabacca Red Sangria or Spicy Manhattan will get you off to a good start before the specialty pizzas come into play. The house-made crushed tomato sauce gives these pies their trademark juiciness—we’d suggest a Return of the Big Mike with soppressata, cherry peppers, and roasted garlic & caramelized onion jam. Or go topical and tuck into a Hamilton pie—the shrimp and andouille sausage are enough to make anyone burst into song.

Image courtesy of ©iStock.com/tumbuschphoto

There’s always something new to experience around the 555TEN luxury rentals. Midtown West is home to some of New York City’s most vaunted restaurants like Esca and VYNL, the buzz of Broadway’s epic theater, and the ultimate urban oasis of the Hudson River Park. And, of course, there’s Hell’s Kitchen’s thriving live-music scene, which will really make your ears perk up. From dancing to bossa nova beats, to catching up with your favorite band or singing a ballad or two yourself, there’s something for every music lover in the neighborhood.

Don’t Tell Mama | 343 West 46th Street

The name “Don’t Tell Mama” comes from the title of a song from the Broadway classic Cabaret, which is appropriate, as it’s one of the city’s most popular spots to catch a cabaret performance. Since 1982, theater lovers have flocked to this charming “multiplex” after their Broadway shows let out. Equal parts sophisticated and camp, with a restaurant, piano bar, and two cabaret spaces, it’s a hub of hums and high notes as sung by Broadway stars and yet-to-be-discovered unknowns. Sing along to “Send in the Clowns” as you dine on their prix-fixe menu or channel your inner Ethel Merman and give your favorite show tune a whirl at the piano bar. It will be a night you’ll want to tell everyone, including “mama,” about.

Terminal 5 | 610 West 56th Street

Back in the heyday of the late-90s/early-aughts club scene, the 40,000-square-foot Terminal 5 was one of the two biggest nightclubs in New York City. Now it’s home to a music venue that’s beloved by artists and their fans. Terminal 5 schedules an eclectic roster of artists like the rock legend Chrissie Hynde-fronted Pretenders, rap superstar Gucci Mane, and alt-darling Bonobo. With a 3,000-person capacity, it’s one of the largest music spaces in Hell’s Kitchen. And if you want to escape the crowd pre- or post-show, you can have a drink on their roof deck.

Swing 46 | 349 West 46th Street

Hear live music every night of the week while you dine on a juicy filet mignon, snack on their garlicky PEI mussels, or sip a smoky chardonnay at the bar at this joint on red-hot Restaurant Row. Professionals and amateurs alike burn off those extra calories on the dance floor where no one is judging your skills. But if you do need to get into the “swing” of things, this establishment offers a half-hour dance lesson nightly at 9 pm. Whether you want to get up and dance or just snap your fingers to the sounds of the George Gee Orchestra, David Berger & the Sultans of Swing, or Swingadelic, this supper club is for swing kids of all ages.

Image courtesy of ©iStock.com/ipopba