3 New York Neighbourhoods You Need to Know, According to Australian Creatives

There are almost as many neighbourhoods sprawled across New York’s five boroughs as there are New Yorkers – which is to say, multitudes. So when three Australian creatives packed up their lives and landed in the Big Apple, they each found a place in the city that matched their style. Chelsea’s art scene, SoHo’s old-world charm and Greenpoint’s laid-back energy have each shaped the stories of expats Selina Yang, Tanu Vasu and Elly McGaw, in the same way that the American city’s unique architecture, modernity and enduring strength are reflected in the bold design of Tiffany & Co.’s HardWear by Tiffany collection. Let these newly minted New Yorkers show you their favourite haunts for coffee, midweek dinners, culture fixes and more, as they wear their favourite HardWear by Tiffany pieces.

Chelsea: Selina Yang’s lively playground

When Sydney-born actress Selina Yang arrived in Manhattan for a summer course in 2023, she fell in love with the buzz of the city and made the move permanent. Now based in Chelsea, a neighbourhood on the west side of Manhattan, Yang finds her thrills in the area’s eclectic mix of repurposed warehouses, boundary-pushing galleries and lively bars and restaurants. Much like the HardWear by Tiffany Extra Large Link Earrings in 18k Yellow Gold she wears, it’s the contrasts and balance of elegance and edge that inspire Selina the most.

Best coffee in Chelsea

“I like Fellini Coffee on Eighth Avenue because it does incredible pistachio croissants. I always order a Dolce Vita, which is a caramel-flavoured coffee that’s basically a dessert. Over on Greenwich Avenue, restaurant Jack and Charlie’s has a fantastic prix fixe brunch menu with a cocktail but I always switch it out for a coffee because it comes with thick cream – great for dunking the cinnamon donuts in.”

Favourite neighbourhood eats

“Pastis is a cosy French bistro with inviting booths on Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District. My order is always the same: steak frites, French onion soup and an Amaretto Sour, finished with a crème brûlée. Just north of Chelsea in Midtown is my happy place, the Japanese restaurant Tonchin, which has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award six years in a row. Its tsukemen (dipping noodles) is out of this world – you dip the noodles in rich broth, squeeze lemon and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. The best bagels in Chelsea are from Brooklyn Bagel on Eighth Avenue. My boyfriend and I share one when we go because they’re huge. Our order is cream cheese, turkey, bacon bits and jalapeños.”

Secret gems

“Upstairs at Crane Club, on the corner of 10th Avenue and 16th Street, there are Art Deco-style interiors and great desserts. The chocolate lava cake blows my mind with its molten tahini centre, tahini coconut gelato and candied sesame. Made hotel’s rooftop lounge, Good Behavior, feels like a Brooklyn loft with epic city views, just four blocks south of the Empire State Building. For shopping, Fishs Eddy on Broadway sells dinnerware, art and hand-drawn postcards of neighbourhood pigeons by artist Ben Lenovitz.”

SoHo: Tanu Vasu’s creative muse

Artist and creative director Tanu Vasu first visited New York at age 10 and made a promise to one day return. In 2015, she moved from Sydney to the Big Apple and set up her business helping iconic brands like Tiffany & Co. tell stories through creative direction and hand-drawn illustrations. After gravitating towards SoHo’s cast-iron façades, historic brownstone buildings and creative energy, she has now made the Lower Manhattan neighbourhood her home and draws endless inspiration from the area’s heritage while translating it into something new through her work. It’s a feeling in keeping with the bold essence of her HardWear by Tiffany Large Link Bracelets in 18k Yellow Gold with Pavé Diamonds – timeless strength with a modern edge.

For a drink and a bite

“I have so many napkins and coasters from my visits to The Waverley Inn and Garden with little sketches and scribbles all over them. The restaurant is a 20-minute walk north of SoHo and has such an old New York vibe, with beautiful murals all over the walls, a fireplace and a courtyard. Order the comforting snacks and the gin-based champagne cocktail French 75 while you’re there.”

Special finds

“I’ve always called myself a collector of memories and I’m inspired by places where I can surround myself with beauty that has a story. John Derian, an upscale homewares store on East 2nd Street, is one of my favourites – inside it feels like you’re in another world with unique, timeless furniture. Independent bookstore McNally Jackson on Prince Street has a similarly special atmosphere as well as an enormous children’s section downstairs. You can spend hours there getting lost in illustrations.”

Looking for inspiration

“I like to go to The New York Earth Room on Wooster St, a permanent installation commissioned and maintained by the Dia Art Foundation. Basically, an artist named Walter De Maria bought this old SoHo loft in the 1970s and filled it with earth. I visit here whenever I need clarity. It’s my favourite place in the entire city – and just around the corner from Tiffany & Co.’s SoHo store on Greene Street."

Greenpoint: Elly McGaw’s Brooklyn hideaway

Designer and stylist Elly McGaw arrived in New York looking for adventure and a way to level up her career in 2017. She ended up swapping Sydney’s Northern Beaches for Greenpoint in Brooklyn, a relaxed waterfront neighbourhood where converted warehouses and lush parks stand alongside 19th-century wood-frame houses, all perched across the East River from Manhattan. For McGaw, the area’s industrial heritage and sleek modernity provide daily inspiration, with her HardWear by Tiffany Small Link Ring in 18k Yellow Gold with Pavé Diamonds embodying Greenpoint's spirit: casually sophisticated without a hint of pretension. 

To start the day

“For really special coffee (in fact, so special I no longer go on weekends because the line is too long), visit Rhythm Zero on Kent Street by the water. The coffee culture ambience is enhanced by the playful interior design, pumping music and small croissants in flavours such as pistachio and cornetto.”

My secret spots

“A little eclectic French eatery that’s under-the-radar, Chez Ma Tante on Calyer Street is a neighbourhood favourite I frequent mid-week to enjoy a glass of something French alongside a plate of pea falafels. Another amazing place to try is Ilis on Green Street, which specialises in ancient wood-fire techniques. It’s a bit of a splurge – the Market Menu is US$225 and the Field Guide Menu is US$325 per person for a degustation – but there is a workaround. If you sit at the bar, you can order off the à la carte menu.”

Make like a local

“Situated very close to my apartment, the Italian bar, restaurant and café Sereneco on Franklin Street is a great little meeting place where I often go to sip on a matcha and people-watch. Another top spot is Transmitter Park, a popular waterfront green space for locals where movies are screened on the grass in the summer. I recommend bringing a picnic blanket and grabbing a slice of pepperoni pizza drizzled with honey from Paulie Gee on Greenpoint Avenue.”