This park holds a special place in my heart because it has been like a backyard for me over the years. It is also named after the Secretary of State who negotiated the purchase of Alaska. There is even a Togo sculpture that reminds me of home. The bench strip doubles as a downtown runway.

Warm and welcoming environment for dance.

Best pizza in NY. Be prepared to wait. Check to see if they are shut down by the health department or tax collectors before going. Get the square pie with pepperoni and hot peppers.

A still stunning space, harking back to the 1990s NYC that had fantastic, tasteful boutiques.

It’s photographer Jay Maisel’s studio building on the Bowery. The fact that he hasn’t sold out to the manic gentrification of everything in New York is even cooler. Makes me happy that the whole place is covered in piss stains and graffiti when everything around it is all polished and shiny and expensive. It’s like a giant middle finger raised to those disgusting, bloodthirsty, city-raping real-estate developers. Awesome.