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.

The design and photography floor at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Union Square.

Christina Tosi's magical bakery of deliciousness.

A landmarked modernist interior designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson. The former Four Seasons restaurant has been reopened as The Grill. Make your way to The Bar situated at the top of the famous staircase, beneath Richard Lippold’s iconic ceiling sculpture. It is a destination in New York City's architecture and cocktail culture.

I love that there's a museum dedicated to American art, founded at a time when American artists were underappreciated. The exhibitions are curated with a broad but discerning eye, and the architecture is spectacular. In my experience it's typically much quieter than the obvious choices like the Met and the MoMA - although both are remarkable, there's something I love about the scale and style of the Whitney.