Brett Robinson

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I, unfortunately, haven’t grown up yet.

WHAT WOULD THE TITLE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY BE?
Name Drops Keep Falling on my Head.

WHAT CAN’T YOU TRAVEL WITHOUT AND WHY?
A suit. It’s social camouflage.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION AND WHY?
Kobe, Japan. It’s a completely different planet with the best food and the warmest people. If I knew I had a mulligan in life, I’d spend it exploring Japan.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN NYC?
It used to be crushing margaritas at El Portal with the team—RIP. Now I’ll try to hang with my business partner Flynn McGarry and spitball insane business plans.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ONE PERSON TO SHOW YOU “THEIR NEW YORK CITY,” WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Alec Baldwin. We’re one degree separated but he won’t take the jump and meet up for a drink.

WHO OR WHAT HAS INSPIRED YOU RECENTLY AND WHY?
I work with movies playing in the background. There’s a shit ’80s movie, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension—it’s like Kurosawa meets John Carpenter. It’s a monument in filmmaking.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE NYC RESTAURANTS. WHAT DO YOU ORDER THERE?
Gem to celebrate. It’s a tasting menu so there’s no thought involved. I Sodi—lasagna and a Negroni.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO SPOT IN NYC FOR DRINKS?
Lucien.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BRUNCH SPOTS?
Lovely Day—cheap and no crowd.

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR ART FIX IN NYC? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ARTIST?
We have the best museums in the world. Unfortunately for good art to exist, 90 percent of it has to be trash. If I could steal one painting, it would be an Ad Reinhardt or a huge Ruscha. I’d place it next to some tiny 16th-century floral painting.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LATE-NIGHT HANGOUTS IN NYC AND WHY?
This is a long survey.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR UNDER-THE-RADAR MUST-DO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NYC VISITORS?
Di Paulo’s, Di Paulo’s, Di Paulo’s. You don’t know shit if you don’t know Di Paulo’s.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE NYC STORES AND WHY?
Totokaelo has the best selection. Ninety percent is whacky but 10 percent is fire. Front General Store in Dumbo has the best vintage, but beware, people snag stuff right after you try it on.

WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO THESE DAYS? WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIANS?
Seu Jorge and Wagner.

WHAT ALBUM OR SONG WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK TO NYC?
Lou Reed. Lou Reed is New York.

WHEN YOU THINK OF NYC, ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR EMOTIONS OR MEMORIES THAT IMMEDIATELY COME TO MIND?
It’s a city without limits. There’s literally a ‘get out of jail free’ card. It’s called a PBA—google it. It’s like someone that was surviving on Red Bull got handed an island and went hog wild. Gotta love it!