“What do I love about New York? What’s not to love?” Alaa Balkhy exclaims.

The Saudi content creator grew up in Jeddah before touching down in the city over a decade ago, and it immediately got under her skin. “It’s everything you see in the movies,” she says. “It’s a place of self-expression. I love the subway. I love that it’s so diverse.”

These days, Alaa splits her time between Jeddah and New York, and when she’s in Manhattan she immerses herself in the edgy, quirky, and exceedingly hip Lower East Side neighbourhood, where she lives.

“My apartment makes it feel like home. My family, my husband, my daughter make it feel like home. The fact that I fit in makes it feel like home,” she says.

Here, the content creator takes us on a walking tour of her favourite spots, from where she heads to when she’s in search of just the right hostess gift, to her vote for the best pizza in New York.

Fashion Finds

“Sandy Liang is a New York-based designer. Her items are very feminine, romantic, flowy, with a lot of ruffles and bows,” Alaa says.

Another top pick? Bode, a luxury brand by Emily Adams Bode Aujla, who has won global accolades including CFDA awards and a Woolmark Prize. “Her clothes are so beautiful, she works with vintage textiles to create these one-of-a-kind pieces,” she says. “It’s such a nice vibe – it feels like Wes Anderson camping.”

@sandyliang

Dining Delights

The Lower East Side is a trendy dining destination, with no shortage of hip eateries to choose from. Two of Alaa’s go-tos happen to serve Spanish fare.

“Cervo’s is a Spanish restaurant with small plates, and it’s always fully packed. Ernesto’s is Basque food. The vibe is really nice, and they have an ice-cream pop-up with Morgenstern’s, with flavours like flan, and a lot of Spanish desserts, but in ice cream form,” Alaa explains.

And when she’s craving something healthy, she makes a beeline for Hawa Smoothies. “It’s a very low-key juice bar, and it’s so good. It’s one of these ‘if you know, you know’ spots.”

@cervosnyc @ernestosnyc @hawasmoothies_upperwest

The Perfect Gift

When Alaa wants to pick up cute mementoes for friends and family, she has a few options nearby to choose from. “Coming Soon has home decor, tableware, and serveware from local brands. It’s the best place to get gifts from,” she says.

Another area favourite is the eclectic Top Hat on Broome Street, with a charming curation of accessories, stationery, and more: “It’s cute, they have a lot of Japanese products.”

@tophatnyc @comingsoonny

Taste of Home

Where does Alaa head when she’s craving familiar Middle Eastern flavours? “Manousheh is our local place. It’s by this guy called Ziad, he’s Lebanese and grew up in Kuwait. They have the best manaeesh in the city – it’s really, really good, it reminds me of home.”

@manoushehnyc

Suite Spot

A new addition to the area is the 113-room Nine Orchard Hotel, which opened in a century-old landmark building last year. “It used to be a bank, and they kept a lot of the original interiors, so the hotel is beautiful,” Alaa says. “The Corner Bar restaurant is amazing.”

Market Values

“Dimes Market is the best small market in the area,” says the cultural consultant, who often pops in for pantry staples. “It has everything from local brands, whether it’s beans, olive paste, labneh, harissa, matcha.”

Self-Cafe Saviours

Alaa never has to venture far when she’s looking for some pampering. “AKIKO Nails is a Japanese spot with the best nail design and nail art – that’s where I go for my nails,” she says. “And Christine Chin does the best facials in the Lower East Side, she’s amazing. They call her ‘mean Christine.’”

@akikonails_nyc @christinechinspa

Can't Miss Slice

If you want to see a New Yorker’s face light up, just ask them what their favourite pizza is. While opinions may vary dramatically, few topics get residents as universally excited. For Alaa, the choice is clear – Scarr’s Pizza.

“The guy makes the dough, the sauce, everything is made in this little space on Orchard Street,” she says. “Their pepperoni is beef, which is amazing, and they have a vegan caesar salad that is so good. It’s so cosy, and they always have hip-hop music. It’s the best.”

@scarrspizza

alaa-balkhy