My first job in the city. The family and friends and raised New York Megan. Also very good coffee. And lovely neighbors.

Handmade pasta in a former garage.

This is another neighborhood favorite, especially for Sunday brunch which is consistently great.

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.

A place for when you only have a day and your soul needs the smell of an ocean breeze and to feel sand between your toes. You can watch all the craziness of Coney Island from across the water.