NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 15: Savannah Guthrie attends the “Scandalous” Broadway Opening Night at Neil Simon Theatre on November 15, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Hider/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Savannah Guthrie (© Byron Purvis/AdMedia/Corbis)
Savannah Guthrie may be the high-profile co-host of NBC’s New York institution the “Today” show, but she still doesn’t consider herself a real New Yorker. “I have a best friend who grew up here, and she has an encyclopedic knowledge of the city, block by block. If you can do that, then you’ve earned the title of true New Yorker,” says the 40-year-old, who grew up in Tucson, Ariz., and moved into a two-bedroom apartment in SoHo 18 months ago after a decade in Washington, DC. Since taking over her show’s co-hosting spot from Ann Curry in July, Guthrie has grown increasingly enamored of her ’hood, mostly because after the hustle and bustle of Rockefeller Center, it’s a relief to return to a homier nabe. This is her downtown.
1. Think Pink, 455 West Broadway, between Prince and Houston streets
“That’s a neighborhood nail salon. It’s not a super-fancy or chichi place, but the ladies are really nice. I should get a manicure more often. If you watch the show, you know I don’t really do that. I get pedicures there. They’re very nice to my toes, which, if I’m running a lot, are not that attractive. They have their work cut out for them.”
2. Macbar, 54 Prince St., between Lafayette and Mulberry streets
“Another indulgence — it’s not for when you’re on a diet. One of the things I love about New York is that it’s one of the only places where you could have an entire restaurant dedicated to macaroni and cheese. I’m partial to the cheeseburger mac.”
3. Piperlime, 121 Wooster St., at Prince Street
“I believe it started on the Web, accessories and different kind of fashions, and now they have a storefront. It’s trendy. It’s a fun place to shop. I bought two Rachel Zoe blouses there. I always buy things for work. I never have any clothes to go out in, because I always just buy for work. I don’t know why. Habit.”
4. Lure Fishbar, 142 Mercer St., at Prince Street
“The décor is as though you’re inside a boat. It’s downstairs, and the windows are high enough where you see people walking by on the street. They have a really great salad with cucumber. I also get a little tuna tartar dish they have. The other thing I’ve noticed is that they seem to constantly have an ’80s soundtrack playing. It makes me laugh. You’re sitting there with a glass of wine, eating your light supper, and listening to the Thompson Twins or Culture Club. How long has it been since most of us heard ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?’ ”
5. Locanda Verde, 377 Greenwich St., at North Moore Street
“It’s Italian, and there’s a courtyard garden area where it’s really fun to sit outside with dinner or drinks. The courtyard is big — it seats, like, 60 people. But there are nice little corners where you can tuck yourself away. It feels cozy, kind of rustic. I’ve been drinking a lot of white wine there. If there’s a Sancerre on the menu, I’ll order it every time.”
6. Hudson River Park
“If you’re gonna eat all that ice cream, you better get some exercise. I try to run a few times a week, and I love the West Side Highway. In the summer, when it’s hot, you get that breeze off the water, and if you take the route south toward Battery City, you see the Statue of Liberty. I have been known to put the ‘Working Girl’ song in my headset for motivation — that Carly Simon song, ‘Let the River Run.’ ”
7. Emack & Bolio’s Ice Cream, 73 W. Houston St., between West Broadway and Wooster Street
“They have flavors that are totally unique. They have a flavor called chocolate addiction — it’s like chocolate and chocolate, plus chocolate. And there’s a yogurt I get a lot: two scoops of grasshopper pie and Oreo chocolate chip. It’s green and minty. I might go there two or three times a week — that’s not good.”