Saturday Ride to a Style Haven in Soho

Sometimes it’s not about the ride. It’s about the destination.

For bicycle-loving friends Julianne Idlet and Jill Simon and I, who have logged weekend miles outside the city together on road bikes, the objective on Saturday was more leisurely: A first-time visit to The Apartment, the discreetly tucked-away, bricks-and-mortar manifestation of the fashion and lifestyle website The Line, and a chance to linger, and catch up, over brunch in Soho.

The Citi Bike station at Macdougal and Prince Streets (above) was a convenient place to meet. Julie, who is based in Boston, but frequently visits NYC, is founder and executive director of CYCLE Kids, a great not-for-profit organization that encourages active and healthy living by teaching grade school children to ride bicycles.

I’ve been a fan of The Line, founded by Vanessa Traina and Morgan Wendelborn, since Julie turned me on to it a few years ago. The site features a selection of beautifully designed women’s clothing, accessories, beauty products and home goods from a variety of brands and sources — not to mention an excellent style blog.

The Apartment by The Line is situated on the third floor of a nineteenth-century, cast-iron building on Greene Street, reachable by a street-level elevator.

This serene haven of style, a spacious, light-filled, floor-through loft, is arranged as a private home that reflects the aesthetic of The Line. The point is to reveal the relationship between objects in an intimate, domestic context. It’s basically like visiting the apartment of a friend with really great taste and style with the bonus that everything is shoppable.

That includes the Las Venus sofa in the living room, the hand-blown glass chandeliers by Lasvit above the dining table (laid out on Saturday with little bites and sips to fuel exploration of spring arrivals) and the silk Altuzarra dresses hanging in the dreamy walk-in closet in the bedroom. {Check the website before you go for opening hours or to make an appointment.}

Jill Simon (right) and I frequently team up for weekend road cycling. She met Julie and me for post-shopping brunch at the cozy neighborhood restaurant Navy on Sullivan Street. We caught up over healthy egg bowls with greens (below), followed by not-so-healthy, chocolate-crowned orange panna cotta (three spoons!)