Taylor Swift Used to Live on One of the Coolest Streets in NYC
23 Cornelia Street, nestled in the heart of New York’s West Village, just hit the market for a cool $25 million. This pricey Manhattan property is of particular interest because it happens to be where superstar Taylor Swift moved in last June, when she began renovations on her Tribeca penthouse. Funnily enough, I rented a place right across the street in 2004. It was a tiny fifth-floor walkup with a bathroom conveniently located right off of the kitchen. (Full disclosure: There was a small hole in the ceiling of said bathroom, which meant that you could be sitting on the toilet and occasionally have snowflakes or raindrops falling on your head.) Like I imagine a lot of New Yorkers do, I often stared across the street at the real-life real estate porn right outside my window, wondering who lived there and what the interior looked like and wishing one day I might have something similar.
Who knew Taylor Swift would ultimately make that townhouse her home? We’ve already toured her Beverly Hills home extensively via her 73 Questions for Vogue, where the decor was a mash-up of vintage country evocative of Nashville with fun accents like bold patterned wallpaper, antique chandeliers and mirrors, and Grammys galore. While that pad was perfectly appointed, I can say with authority that during her brief stint on Cornelia Street, Taylor Swift lived in one of the coolest places in NYC. The tiny block was laid out in 1794 on farmland owned by Robert Herring, who named it after his granddaughter Cornelia. (I thought the street was so singular I once vowed to name any future daughter I had Cornelia—my husband wasn’t game.) With its cute cafés and quaint neighborhood vibe, it feels like it’s straight out of a Dickens village. During Prohibition, it actually sheltered one of New York’s most famous speakeasies, which really upped its cool quotient. Today, it’s where some of the longest-running top-notch restaurants in town are located. Here’s a closer look:
The Cornelia Street Café: Opened in 1977, The Cornelia Street Café has a musical history that runs deep. Early on, waitress Carolyne Mas started a Monday night songwriter’s workshop that ultimately became known as The Songwriter’s Exchange. The café became a venue where songwriters went to perfect their craft. Decades later, Lady Gaga did a stint as a server after dropping out of Tisch and telling her parents she didn’t need their money anymore. This tradition of fostering creativity continues to this day with a downstairs nightclub that showcases musicians, poets, writers, and artists. Go there during the day for the Franco-American style brunch menu and be sure to order the “special”—it’s the best deal in NYC . . . ask for the chocolate bread—or swing by at night to check out the spoken word.
Le Gigot: This tiny gem of a restaurant somehow remains relatively under the radar, but the food is fantastic and the prices are on point. Push back the heavy velvet at the entrance, and you’ll find a bar and about 8 tables in total. The perfect setting for savoring everything from the freshly squeezed orange juice and crab cakes at brunch with friends to the leg of lamb with flageolets on a date night.
Pó: Only a few doors down from Swift’s former place, this trattoria has been open since forever, but still packs the house night after night. The small restaurant is refreshingly unpretentious and serves up generous, satisfying pastas to locals and tourists alike. Look for a spot by the window
Pearl Oyster Bar: When Tony Soprano woke up from his coma in season six of the HBO series, the first thing he wanted to eat was a lobster roll from Pearl Oyster Bar. It’s that good. There’s a lot of bad blood and choosing sides when it comes to lobster roll preferences in NYC, but we have to agree with Tony: Pearl serves up the best in town. After you’ve paid market price for your main course, be sure to order the ʙuттerscotch praline parfait for dessert.
Tacombi: This Mexican chain restaurant took over after Sushi Mambo closed—which funnily was the setting for a pivotal date scene in that Uma Thurman, Bryan Greenberg classic Prime. (There’s a little Cornelia Street history for you!) Obviously, Tacombi isn’t going to be a gastronomic “experience,” but who doesn’t love having a place where you can get tacos and margaritas right on the corner?
