The jetties along Rockaway Beach are one of my regular destinations when I can get out there. I grew up in a Coast Guard family and spent a fair amount of time around the ocean and surfing. I still like to get in the water and this is the first Atlantic-exposed beach on Long Island as you start to get out of the city. When it comes to the environment, constructions like these can be contentious things but they also make for a series of interesting surf spots. Its got a lot of New York metro qualities you might expect including the Subway making its stops a couple of blocks back from the water.

If you're far up in Greenpoint and need caffeine + snack, Bakeri is my spot (I say "bake-ery", others say "bach-ery"—I still vote the former). Known for their baked goods—both savory and sweet—it's the perfect spot for a coffee meeting, small breakfast, or a solo book read. There's one large communal table in the center, plus a few two-tops and decent counter space—one of the rare cafes with enough room that it's rarely packed (except saturday!). 

I have been watching this house deteriorating and transforming for years. I shot this last summer and was completely captivated with how many shades of luminous green vines had taken it over. If you want to see this house you better go quickly---it is supposed to be demolished by March 1 2012.

The operators of the Peter Pan bakery make the best donuts I've ever tasted. This place is charming to its core. Decor and presentation: circa 1971 & virtually unchanged since.

Just because everyone knows about it doesn't mean it doesn't deserve more attention. Great food, great service, great movies, great drinks.