Hell’s Kitchen Local

I enjoy visiting the Intrepid because it brings history, exploration and imagination together in one place. Seeing families discover the aircraft, submarine and space exhibits reminds me of the same curiosity I hope to encourage through Max's Adventures.

I grew up with ALDI in the Midwest, where it was a staple of everyday life. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to find myself living in New York City with an ALDI only a single block away!! How great is that!!! Love the wide aisles!!! 

Joe Allen has been my pre-theater or after-show drink go to for my whole life. It’s reliable, stress free and changes little. It celebrates flops and it just turned 60 (like me). I ate there before I saw A Chorus Line for the first (of eight) times. Original cast.

Grind is a relatively new (at least for my long HK history) addition to Hell’s Kitchen. The coffee is very good and they have a nice selection of breakfast and lunch options. If you sit in the window, it makes for excellent people watching.

If you want amazing Italian pizza, Don Antonio is the place. The pizzas are made in a beautiful wood-fired oven and you can really taste the difference. The waiters are incredibly friendly — it honestly feels like going to a friend’s house for dinner. And the dessert is a must: their fried pizza with Nutella is absolutely unforgettable.

Sullivan Street Bakery (both locations) has basically become our campaign headquarters. Jim and Maya are a big part of what makes Hell’s Kitchen so special and they’ve created a place where people gather and feel at home. Their breads and soups got me through this frigid winter and I love walking in and seeing familiar faces. Also, they might have the best playlists in the neighborhood.

As a rescue dog mom, any dog run is my happy place but I particularly like the one at DWC. I bring my dog Bailey here and in his younger years he could run for hours. Now 14, he just enjoys the canine company. It’s one of those places where you always end up chatting with neighbors and dog people are the best people. In a neighborhood like ours, I value having a space like this to just be outside and unplug.

I love taking my daughter to neighborhood playgrounds and watching her explore, develop new skills and become more confident with every new challenge. Seeing the world through her eyes reminds me why curiosity, courage and kindness became such an important part of Max's Adventures.

I love that in the middle of Manhattan you can suddenly find a place that feels peaceful and surrounded by nature. I discovered this park while walking around the neighborhood when my parents were visiting me in New York. We were all fascinated by it — how calm it felt and how it exists thanks to the community that cares about it. It’s one of those little hidden places that make the city feel special. I haven’t been there in a while and I really miss it there.

It’s the perfect place to grab a pastry and some Colombian bites while I enjoy reading my book. The ambiance is cozy, making it easy to lose track of time. Plus, I love that I can bring my dog along, and they even have treats for her! It’s a great little haven for both of us.