A herd of elephants in the Meat Packing District, a new Mexican restaurant on the LES and more NYC events

Rima Suqi
·4 min read
A bucket of ice cream next to two elephant statues
A Mexican restaurant with craft cocktails, 100 life-sized elephant statues migrate to the Meat Packing District, Adam Driver goes off-Broadway and more NYC events.

Each week, Alexa is rounding up the buzziest fashion drops, hotel openings, restaurant debuts and celeb-studded cultural happenings in NYC.

It’s our curated guide to the very best things to see, shop, taste and experience around the city.

What’s making our luxury list this week? Elephants arrive in Meat Packing, Adam Driver is back on Broadway, and vibrant new paintings from Kenny Scharf.

TRUNK SHOW: Elephants migrate to Meat Packing

We bought a zoo: Starting next week, 100 life-sized elephant sculptures will march to the Meat Packing District in an exhibition sponsored by Elephant Family USA. Courtesy of The Great Elephant Migration
We bought a zoo: Starting next week, 100 life-sized elephant sculptures will march to the Meat Packing District in an exhibition sponsored by Elephant Family USA. Courtesy of The Great Elephant Migration

100 life-sized sculptures of Indian elephants will be installed around the Meat Packing District next week, fresh off their debut in Newport, Rhode Island. These elegant pachyderms were made by the Coexistence Collective, a community of 200 indigenous artisans living within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in southern India, and the exhibition is in partnership with an NGO called Elephant Family USA. Sales of these sculptures benefit conservation NGOs from around the world supporting the coexistence of wildlife and humans; prices range from $8,000 for a baby up to $22,000 for a tusker. The elephants will remain in Meat Packing until October 20, when they will migrate to Miami, followed by Blackfeet Nation, Buffalo Pastures in Browning, Montana and Los Angeles. TheGreatElephantMigration.org

BRUSH UP: Kenny Scharf’s new paintings at Totah

Kenny Scharf’s colorful art has been delighting the public for decades — with over a dozen new pieces debuting at Totah next week. Courtesy of Totah
Kenny Scharf’s colorful art has been delighting the public for decades — with over a dozen new pieces debuting at Totah next week. Courtesy of Totah

Kenny Scharf says that “one very important and guiding principle to my work is to reach out beyond the elitist boundaries of fine art and connect to popular culture through my art.” To that end, over a dozen new works by the artist, who used to show at Mudd Club in the 1980s and is often cited alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, will debut next week at Totah. There are over a dozen, super colorful new works that will no doubt delight his existing extensive fan base and engage a lot more. September 4th through November 9 at DavidTotah.com

MUSIC MAN: Adam Driver stars in “Hold On To Me Darling“

Academy Award nominee Adam Driver takes the off-Broadway scene in “Hold On To Me Darling,” a play by Kenneth Lonergan. Courtesy of Hold On To Me Darling
Academy Award nominee Adam Driver takes the off-Broadway scene in “Hold On To Me Darling,” a play by Kenneth Lonergan. Courtesy of Hold On To Me Darling

Tickets are now on sale for the Off-Broadway production of “Hold On To Me Darling,” a play by Kenneth Lonergan, starring Adam Driver. Driver, who was last seen on stage in “Burn This” with Keri Russell, plays Strings McCrane, a country singer who moves back to his hometown in Tennessee after his mother dies. Neil Pepe, who directed the original version (which starred Timothy Olyphant), will direct again. Previews start September 24 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre; the official opening night is October 13 and it is slated as as a limited 13-week engagement. HoldOnToMeDarling.com.

SHOW AND SELL: The Collectible fair comes to New York

Stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson lends her talents to Collectible, a fair of collectible designs that began in Brussels, Belgium. Courtesy of Collectible
Stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson lends her talents to Collectible, a fair of collectible designs that began in Brussels, Belgium. Courtesy of Collectible

Collectible is a fair that debuted in Brussels, Belgium in 2018, showcasing what they describe as “contemporary collectible design” in a multitude of forms (furniture, decorative accessories) from international galleries. This marks the fair’s foray across the Atlantic to New York City, and includes an interesting twist: a fashion section curated by none other than editor and stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson. Collectible runs from September 5-8 at Water Street Projects. More info at Collectible.Design

FAST FOOD: Comida Corrida opens on the LES

After a sip at Lower East Side spot Only Love Strangers, head right upstairs to Comida Corrida for a hearty meal of Mexican dishes. Guang Xu
After a sip at Lower East Side spot Only Love Strangers, head right upstairs to Comida Corrida for a hearty meal of Mexican dishes. Guang Xu

A few months ago we alerted you to the existence of a super cool new cocktail bar called Only Love Strangers. Now we’re here to tell you that they added Mexican restaurant in the space above. It’s called Comida Corrida and led by chef chef Alberto Gomez, who hails from Acapulco de Juárez. His menu celebrates the culinary heritage and flavors of Oaxaca, and at a crazy reasonable price (starting at $24 per person). Offerings may include sopa, rice, beans, a tangy cabbage slaw, handmade tortillas and house made hot sauces, all served alongside a choice of main dishes such as Barbacoa (+$4, lamb braised in plantain leaves and dried chili), braised chicken (+$4), or the fresh Catch of the Day (+$8) served with a refreshing cucumber salad. ComidaCorrida.NYC

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