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.

As the oldest gay bar in HK and my love of queer history, 9th Ave Saloon is a must! Plus it’s less than a block away! During happy hour and weekend days, I can even sneak my pug Gumbo in. I love the Tom of Finland wallpaper, the hole in the wall vibes and the local community feel.

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.

For over 100 years the women in my family came together to make a recipe which required suet (yes — raw beef fat). As the years passed, Esposito became one of the only places in the city to get it. Thankfully, we have moved on to the vegetarian version of the same dish!

The neighborhood go-to for freshly made sushi, well-composed salads, guacamole, and just about anything else you might need in a pinch. The vegan EatPastry Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has become a personal indulgence.

The city is so dense it’s easy to forget we’re on an island. A walk to the Intrepid Museum and along the water is well worth it. And while in the area, it's good to visit the Landmark Tavern to connect back to the days of longshoremen and their delicious shepherd’s pie.

My go-to neighborhood pizza spot and, in my opinion, one of the best slices around.

Hells Kitchen Pilates makes me happy because it’s more than just a place to train — it’s where I’m building a new pilates community. I’m meeting friends who are also my neighbors, and I’ve found the perfect space to focus on my body and practice what I love. I actually discovered it by chance one day while walking through the neighborhood. I decided to take a different street than usual and saw Nadya, one of the owners, with her beautiful dog Lucky, cleaning a new space that said “Pilates.” I asked her about it and told her I would love to work there — and now I get to be part of this amazing community every day.

Taking the kids to their baseball or flag football games, have a catch, play basketball, pickle ball, tennis…

This is a truly unique arts space created by ChaShaMa and its founder, Anita Durst. They provide artists with opportunities throughout the city by partnering with property owners who have vacant storefronts and unused spaces. Instead of letting those spaces sit empty, they give them new life by offering artists and small businesses a chance to transform them into galleries, studios, and creative spaces of their own. It’s a brilliant idea that supports both artists and neighborhoods.