A legendary basketball court in the West Village that is a popular destination for basketball aficionados, deflated hoop-dreamers, and gawking tourists.

Always in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, is the most direct route for a bike ride into the city from my place. This is a kind of alcove and lookout point that also reminds me I’m about to reach the top of the climb. I guess I kind of like the series of light bulbs and ornate rivets and metal work, the kinds things you really don’t see from a distance.

This quaint shop boasts an artfully arranged and tastefully curated selection of jewelry, pottery, books and art. I have to keep myself from going there too often, because I have trouble leaving without making a purchase.

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.

Going to Staten Island for free with the Ferry and enjoying the view of the Manhattan Skyline and getting that Snap of the Statue of Liberty! Top!