Lydia Hearst: Intern at Large

View Gallery Yesterday, supermodel/heiress Lydia Hearst served as BlackBook intern, laboring on a variety of in-office and extramural activities. We had her review restaurants, shops, and bars for the BlackBook guides, but that was just the beginning. Lydia stuffed holiday gift boxes with guidebooks, then delivered them to friends and colleagues around the city via taxi and subway. We had to remind her to return the loaner Metrocard, as oddly enough, she didn’t have her own! Lydia even delivered a very important envelope to our beloved nightlife columnist Steve Lewis at Webster Hall, where he was recovering following an arduous redesign of the historic club. The envelope was actually empty, but we figured we’d reward Uncle Steve with some supermodel eye-candy after all the hard work he’s done for us this year (apparently he has a thing for youthful model types).

Though Lydia turned in a solid day of unpaid interning, she declined to come back today—something about a trip to Paris and “not being in town for the next few weeks.” Apparently, supermodels make great interns in the short term only. Even though she forgot extra Splendas for the coffees—fucking amateur!—we’re glad she graced us with her presence for the day. See the accompanying gallery of her internly adventures. And since no one escapes BlackBook’s clutches without adding to our collected wisdom, check out Lydia’s recommendations for having a good time worldwide.

New York
● Pop Burger - “Impeccably trendy burger café with dark, retro vibe, private rooms for events, and to-die-for food. Sit with friends, have a bite and dance among the celeb set or get a burger and fries to go any time of day.”
● Patsy’s - “Celeb fave also a hit with discriminating food enthusiasts, been around since 1944.”
● Patricia Field - “Incredible, hip, chic shop packed with a mix of models, celebs and hipsters. A cult and edgy downtown landmark, filled with fresh fashion trends (thus inspiring Sex and the City) plus a salon below. A must-stop shop!”
● F.A.O. Schwartz - “Must see New York City. Famous place has hardly changed since its film debut in Tom Hanks’ classic kid flick Big. Much more than a store; it’s a bona fide attraction stuffed with every toy imaginable in larger than life sizes (or even pocket size). Check out the candy bar on the second floor, or pull up a stool at the milkshake café below with the entire fam.”
● Lil’ Frankies - “Simply irresistible Italian filled with locals, artist and bold names. Every dish from their custom-built brick oven is delectable, creative and reasonably priced. Start with Focaccino: pizza dough sliced in half, filled with creamy cheese and prosciutto, then baked with truffle oil drizzled on top. Trust me! Next, ordering your main course. Perfect place to bring a date or chill with friends without the hassle of reservations. Delivery and take-out if you feel like staying in.”
● Taschen - “One-of-a-kind art, fashion and design books. Famous for having published one of the biggest and most expensive books ever printed (GOAT - A Tribute to Muhammad Ali). Comfy reading chairs in the elegant, sleek Soho store are ideal for perusing a hard-to-find title. What’s on display is not necessarily all they have – ask their knowledgeable, friendly staff to check out more obscure tomes and rare prints.”
● Fisch for the Hip - “Stealth consignment shop that’s a well-kept secret among models, socialites and celebs. I won’t dare reveal their names (since many request special delivery and shopping hours) but this is one of the hottest shops in Manhattan. High quality, vintage, rare and seasonal treasures make it hard to believe the affordable prices. Loaded with upscale designer merchandise like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Chanel, Nina Ricci and many more. Fret not: their staff is fully versed on the history of every individual piece and whether or not its been previously worn on or off the red-carpet.”

London
● The Loft - “Incredibly unique shop in London’s Covent Garden. Famous among jet-setting, trendsetting crowd for buying and selling designer clothes and accessories for both men and women. Many of the pieces in the shop are one-of-a-kind and straight from the catwalks.”
● Westbourne House - “One of London’s trendiest places, seems inspired by a Manhattan loft—making New Yorkers feel right at home. Extremely elegant with contemporary, sophisticated vibe. Perfect for kicking-back and lounging with friends over spot-on signature cocktails.”
● The Champagne Bar at St. Pancras - “Must-stop London landmark, also the largest European champagne bar. Spot upper class society hobnobbing with a dram. Great people watching over the finest Champagnes and custom Champagne cocktails.”
● Harrods - “Harrods is enchanting. Whether working with personal shoppers or walking through the many corridors anything and everything can be found to satisfy even the most fickle of shoppers. And, the Egyptian escalator is NOT to be missed.”
● Rococo Chocolates - “Who can resist chocolate? These folks show their appreciation for the Aztec bean with decadent and savory treats like must-try chocolate ravioli.”

Paris
● Kong - “Trendy, cutting edge Philippe Starck-designed stunner with a fabulous view overlooking the river Seine. Sex and the City fanatics will recognize it from the series finale.”
● Barrio Latino - “Four-story bar-resto famous pulsating Latin music. Classically decorated and fun for everyone.”
● Bar du Plaza - “One of the flashiest bars in Paris. Two seductive lounge areas filled with hotel guests, locals and celebs. Fabulous date place but also a choice friend hang out. Don’t miss custom cocktails and American-style jello shots ... you’ll be back!”