7 months before moving to New York I visited for the first time. I was immediately enraptured and felt a deep connection to the city that I had never experi- enced. It was in this massive hall at The Met that I decided I would be leaving Los Angeles and coming to NYC as soon as I possibly could.

Giant dinosaurs. And the rest of the museum is great if you also like giant whales and outer space and especially the life size dioramas of animals and cave people, which might be the very best Art in all of the city. Sigh.

Lovely Italian restaurant with a beautiful backyard. I usually have the Orecchiette Salsiccia Broccoli or the spaghetti Vongole.

Great spot in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Modern, low-key spot for coffee, updated comfort food, draft beer, cocktails & an artsy patio.

Just because everyone knows about it doesn't mean it doesn't deserve more attention. Great food, great service, great movies, great drinks.