ORANGEBURG, N.Y. ā From riding a bicycle up the West Side Highway from his Tribeca apartment to taking in some live jazz at Smalls, New York City FC head coach Dome Torrent is in an empire state of mind.
āI enjoy this time in Manhattan because when you have time, in one moment you can say, āOK, I can go to the theater, live music, jazz today or maybe the good restaurants,āā Torrent told MLSsoccer.com. āEverything you need is here in Manhattan.ā
Torrent said he always enjoyed being a tourist in Manhattan when he and close friend Pep Guardiola would bring Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Manchester City to the Big Apple during preseason.
But now heās experiencing New York as a resident since being named NYCFC head coach last June.
āPep is the most famous coach in the world, but when Pep is here, he tells me all the time heās comfortable here because not many people know Pep here because the focus here is baseball, American football, basketball,ā Torrent said. āIām not Pep, Iām not [Jose] Mourinho, Iām not Jurgen Klopp. But for me it's amazing because it's very kind, for now, the people with me, with my family. I feel really good in New York.ā
While Torrent has developed a distinct style of play for NYCFC, off the field, the Spaniardās tastes are as diverse as the city he now calls home.
Dome Torrent is in his second year as New York City FC head coach | USA Today Sports
A well-known jazz enthusiast, Torrent has numerous options for some live music. But that's only part of his musical palate.
āSometimes I need rock and roll, you know? For my energy,ā Torrent said. āSometimes I need blues and soul. When I need to relax, jazz is good. I take a drink, red wine is good, and jazz. It depends in the moment.ā
On those bike rides up to the George Washington Bridge, Torrent said his iPhoneās playlist includes U2, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen. For chilling at home after a long day at the clubās training facility in Rockland County, Sade is his go-to.
Torrent said his last concert was blues legend Buddy Guy with his English teacher at Sony Hall in Times Square last month. A few blocks away at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, he went to āMoulin Rouge! The Musical.ā
Torrent said a typical day has him at the clubās training facility at 8:30 a.m. Heāll return to his apartment around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, where heāll work for another few hours hours on NYCFCās next opponent.
āWhen Iām tired and my head is full, I take the bike and spend two hours up riverside, Central Park, walking,ā Torrent said. āI love Soho, I like Chelsea, I love Tribeca. I love Manhattan in general.ā
The NYCFC coachās culinary preferences are varied as well, and he has several favorite restaurants. They include Nobu Downtown, Tao Downtown in Chelsea, ABC Kitchen in midtown, Buvette in the West Village and Scalini Fedeli in Tribeca.
A self-professed basketball junkie, Torrent split his four games last year equally between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, his decision based more about the opponent ā especially getting to see fellow countryman Marc and Pau Gasol.
Heās also been to watch the New York Rangers, but thereās still two sports left on his wish list: American football and baseball.
But not just any baseball game.
āI want to go in the playoffs, if possible, because I want to live this experience in the playoffs at Yankee Stadium,ā he said. āI need to go at least one time to the American football. Iāve never been. I love, on TV, American football. I donāt know if its the same live.ā
Torrent said one reason he feels so at home in New York City is because of the similarities to Barcelona.
āThey have good, good restaurants,ā Torrent said. āIf you like to go to spend two hours in live music, the best clubs maybe in Spain are between Barcelona and Madrid. We have a river here, Barcelona has the beach.ā
However, not everything is the same.
āManhattan is very expensive, the restaurants, the apartment,ā Torrent said. āThat is the difference between Barcelona and Manhattan."