I can’t get enough of the dioramas, but my favorite parts of the AMNH are the Halls of Meteorites and Minerals. There are some beautiful specimens here, and best of all you can actually lay your hands on the 4.5-billion-year-old Cape York Meteorite.

While the current trend in noodles may well be ramen, this bafflingly-named Japanese restaurant just ten minutes from my apartment specialises in udon. Unless you are my friend Diego Zambrano it will probably take you several visits to get through all the things you need to try on the menu - the gyoza are otherworldly, the sushi 'tacos' clever enough without being silly. New York has thousands of awful Japanese places; this is not one of them. It's super nice to come in on a Sunday night and eat at the bar next to curmudgeonly old guys barking at each other in Japanese.

My favorite Chinese food spot. The best Peking duck! Ignore the C health code rating in the window, they must have made a mistake ;) Also, It's BYOB with no uncorking fee, go crazy.

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.

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