I took this image looking straight up at the barrel-vaulted ceiling which is decorated with constellations. The more prominent stars are lit up by LEDs. This space is one of the most magical in the city. According to legend, the sky was intentionally inverted to show how it would appear from God’s point of view from beyond the celestial sphere.

I read that the design of Central Park's curving spaces was a Romantic counter to the geometry of Enlightenment-era gardens. I heard this design was influenced by landscape painting, where its foreground, middleground, and background constantly shift as you walk the paths. I find new pockets and features every time I'm there. One of my favorite spots is with the Central Park Dance Skaters, a group that roller skates in circles all day to vintage electro funk. These characters generously lend you the feeling of being in your own 1980's New York film.

I have old friends in San Francisco who grudgingly tell me that the High Line is everything that's wrong with New York. Well, too bad. To me, it embodies a culture that's constantly reinventing itself: a defunct elevated railway that was becoming a burden to the city ("we used to climb up there to throw garbage bags full of rotting Korean food at the Hasids!", noted a successful photographer's assistant) becoming a startling example of urban greening for the public good. The expert landscaping makes it feel like walking on a Montauk beach - but a stone's throw from some of New York's most progressive galleries and hotels.

A stunning place to watch the ocean.

Going here feels like traveling. I usually go for lunch or brunch and never leave hungry. Finish with a Cuban Cortadito.