Dead Horse Bay is about an hour and a half from lower Manhattan by public transit, but well worth the journey. There is so much glass on the beach that the waves make a soft tinkling sound as they roll in. It’s a scavenger’s dream, and glass isn’t the only thing you’ll find here. There are still plenty of horse bones to remind you where the place gets its name.

Neighborhood lunch place / Japanese supermarket. Love it for its authenticity and affordable Japanese food menu. Although its located in SOHO, it’s not hip, not fancy, not designed, not styled, not outstanding. Feels like a honest, family run business that makes the most out of this location for sure. Come here for Ramen, soba, sushi, and more. Try some fries with a choice of chili or wasabi mayonnaise. There’s something about them.

Its a great Saturday after museums visit, a Viennese Cafe, for a clear white wine and apple strudel.

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.

Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (of Central Park), Prospect Park is where I go running in better weather and find an endless supply of flotsam and jetsam for casting in projects all year round. Thickets of trees, hidden paths, and rolling hills are an endless source of inspiration.