I buy gigantic dry-aged steaks and 1.5-inch pork chops here. The staff is really friendly and helpful.

What can I say, I love donuts and these are my favorite in New York.

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.

Get a piece of the south back with a chicken biscuit from Pies & Thighs.

Books are Magic is a great local spot for bookworms. The staff is warm and friendly with regular events happening monthly.