If you find yourself at any happenin' NYC party, chances are that that dreamy-looking chick nestled in the DJ booth is downtown phenom Harley Viera-Newton. The recent NYU grad has been working the turntables for a while now, whether it's at her weekly rager at Lit, or something a little more high-brow—think the Whitney Biennial or Richard Chai's Barneys bash. In between getting people up off their seat, she's found time to model for everyone from DKNY to Cole Haan, play the bass in band Lissy Trullie, and serve as a beauty ambassador for Dior. Since she may very well be the coolest girl in town, it's no shocker that we turned to Newton to give us the skinny on local spots that'll have you spinnin' around. From some uptown culture to downtown sushi, Harley's got an itinerary that's best enjoyed while listening to music (natch). Lucky for you, she's created a Refinery29 summer playlist that's perfect for your awesome adventure. Just click here for the dope beats—they're free!
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Here's Harley's hit-list for six NYC spots to create your own city soundtrack:
1. American Museum of Natural History: "There's nothing better than a day at the Natural History Museum. I actually DJed an event there a few weeks ago, and the booth was nestled in between the mammals dioramas. It was too good to be true."
Central Park West (at 79th Street); 212-769-5100
Central Park West (at 79th Street); 212-769-5100
2. The Garage at Hell's Kitchen Flea Market: "I really love antiquing and I have a display in my apartment of all the curiosities I have collected over the years. This flea market always yields incredible finds--On my last visit I found a pair of black stone book-ends in the shape of Ancient Egyptian scribes. They weigh a ton and even have hieroglyphics carved into the sides."
112 West 25th Street (between 6th and 7th avenues); Saturdays and Sundays, from 9a.m.-5 p.m.
112 West 25th Street (between 6th and 7th avenues); Saturdays and Sundays, from 9a.m.-5 p.m.
3. Mermaid Oyster Bar: "$1 oysters during happy hour and a full bar...what more could you ask for?"
79 MacDougal Street (between West Houston and Bleecker streets); 212-260-0100
79 MacDougal Street (between West Houston and Bleecker streets); 212-260-0100
4. Tom Binns: "The shop is tiny so the stock is always changing, which is dangerous because it means you find something new that you love every time."
41 Perry Street (near West 4th Street); 212-475-1412
41 Perry Street (near West 4th Street); 212-475-1412
5. Tomoe: "I'm lucky enough to live next door to this sushi restaurant and it means I get a good spot in the giant line that always forms outside the door. The menu is simple and everything is delicious. I frequent it so much that my friends have actually started to call me Tomoe."
172 Thompson Street (between Bleecker and West Houston streets); 212-777-9346
172 Thompson Street (between Bleecker and West Houston streets); 212-777-9346
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6. Whitmans: "This brand-new restaurant in the East Village has the best burgers in NYC!"
406 East 9th Street (between Avenue A and 1st Avenue); 212-228-8011
Your summer music just got waaay better! Download Harley's summer playlist, created exclusively for Refinery29 and Zune, absolutely FREE here (you must be a PC user)* and any of the songs on the Zune Marketplace with your complimentary 14-day Zune Pass*. One reader will win a Zune HD, Microsoft's sleek portable media player (with a radio receiver, HD video, wi-fi, and an internet browser) fully loaded with every song from Harley's playlist. To win, just comment on this story and tell us which of the tunes is your fave! We'll select the winner at random. So whether you're in the mood for Neil Diamond or Hot Chip, you'll be jammin' to these tunes well into fall.
*To access Harley's playlist, PC users can click here to download the free Zune software. Then head to the music section of the Zune Marketplace and click playlists to see Celebrity Mixes. Once set up, you can also check out the free 14-day Zune Pass trial to download all of Harley's favorite songs for free. Mac users can go to Zune.net to stream songs individually with the free 14-day trial.
406 East 9th Street (between Avenue A and 1st Avenue); 212-228-8011
Your summer music just got waaay better! Download Harley's summer playlist, created exclusively for Refinery29 and Zune, absolutely FREE here (you must be a PC user)* and any of the songs on the Zune Marketplace with your complimentary 14-day Zune Pass*. One reader will win a Zune HD, Microsoft's sleek portable media player (with a radio receiver, HD video, wi-fi, and an internet browser) fully loaded with every song from Harley's playlist. To win, just comment on this story and tell us which of the tunes is your fave! We'll select the winner at random. So whether you're in the mood for Neil Diamond or Hot Chip, you'll be jammin' to these tunes well into fall. *To access Harley's playlist, PC users can click here to download the free Zune software. Then head to the music section of the Zune Marketplace and click playlists to see Celebrity Mixes. Once set up, you can also check out the free 14-day Zune Pass trial to download all of Harley's favorite songs for free. Mac users can go to Zune.net to stream songs individually with the free 14-day trial.
LISTEN UP:
Check back to see if you scored the free Zune HD, loaded with Harley's favorite tunes. We'll be posting the winner on Tuesday, June 22, at noon, on our Facebook page and via Twitter.