Elisabeth Moss, who plays Peggy Olson on “Mad Men,” lived in the East Village for eight years before shifting to the Upper West Side a year ago to move in with her then-boyfriend (and now husband), Fred Armisen of “Saturday Night Live.” For Moss, the difference was far more subdued than one might expect. “The East Village is not the downtown of yesterday,” she says. “It’s become very gentrified.” The third season of “Mad Men” arrived on DVD last week, and next month Moss heads back to her hometown, LA, to shoot Season 4. This is her New York.
1. Stonekelly, 736 11th Ave., at 52nd Street (by appointment only)
“The best florist in New York for anything — events, flowers for a friend, whatever. It’s run by a woman named Jen Stone, and she’s just wonderful. She has a very conceptual idea of flowers. It’s not so much about how much something costs, or ‘It has to be roses,’ whatever it is. It’s more about the whole idea of the flowers and what they’re projecting. You get the sense that she loves what she does. That makes her kind of great.”
2. Atlantic Theater Company, 336 W. 20th St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues
“That’s where I did my first play, ‘Franny’s Way.’ I moved here to do [it] when I was 19. It’s a beautiful little theater in an old church, and they do really top-notch productions with top-notch casts. If you wanna see a beautiful theater and a good play, you go there.”
3. Knitty City, 208 W. 79th St., btw. Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue
“I just started knitting recently, and this knitting store is fantastic. They’re so helpful. I’m a beginning knitter and I’m awful, and you can just walk in with your mangled scarf and they’ll help you and teach you how to do things. They’ll sit you down and just help you, for free.”
4. Cafe Fiorello, 1900 Broadway, between 63rd and 64th streets
“I’ve been going there since I was 11, and they have this antipasto bar that’s just incredible.”
5. A Tempo, 290 Columbus Ave., at 74th Street
“They have party dresses and great clothes for going out, but what I love about them is they have an amazing jewelry collection by one-of-a-kind designers. I have so many pieces from them, and they’re not expensive. I went there for Christmas and bought everyone’s presents at this one store. My favorite thing from there is something my husband got me, which is a monogrammed initial necklace by Ginette NY.”
6. Ladybird Bakery, 1112 Eighth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn
“They did our wedding cake. If you go, you have to get something called the Brooklyn Blackout Cake. It’s the most chocolatey experience you’ll ever have. It’s so good. They do a small version, too.”
7. Scaredy Kat, 229 Fifth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn
“It’s the most amazing card shop. I wish I lived closer to it, because I’d be there every day. You think, ‘card shop, that can’t be that big of a deal.’ But when you go there, you get it. It has the most amazing cards ever. They have these cards that no one will have ever seen before. They’re very individual, and not only do they look really cool, but they have great quotes. You can go there and find the exact perfect card for the person you want.”
8. P.J. Clarke’s, 915 Third Avenue, at 55th Street; and 44 W. 63rd St., at Broadway
“When we finished the pilot of ‘Mad Men,’ we all went there. So I love the East Side one because it holds a sentimental attachment, but they opened a new one on the West Side across from Lincoln Center, which is closer [to me]. I go there all the time. I love it. If you go there, ask for Bonnie. She’s the best waitress there.”
9. Oyster Bar & Restaurant, Grand Central Terminal
“You don’t get much more old New York than the Oyster Bar in Grand Central. It’s underground and it’s not the easiest place to find, but it’s massive. It has the best oysters in the city, and it’s very authentic. Not necessarily glamorous, but very authentic and very good.”
10. New York City Ballet, at Lincoln Center
“Recently I was at the ballet ‘Jewels,’ which I adore. To me, it’s a very special experience, because I studied at SAB (School of American Ballet, in Lincoln Center). I think seeing that company is one of the most special experiences you can have in New York.”