I love sneaking over here in the middle of the day to see a movie - they always have the best selection of films. I recently saw Pina in 3D and The Kid with a Bike here, and another time I saw Bela Fleck play the banjo after a screening of Throw Down Your Heart.

Amazingly warm balearic vibes on the main floor with a classic, dark and minimal NYC club in the basement, Balearica is run by a team of music obsessed Irish friends who bring nothing but love to North Williamsburg. The music is always on point and the energy is inclusive and uplifting.

One of my lunch favorites - start with the crab toast lemon aioli, then roast carrot avocado salad, Kasha and Bowtie pasta with Meatballs - and their homemade sodas and green juice are awesome! 

This is one of my favorite bars in Manhattan. It has a courtyard in the middle and they only serve a large selection of Belgian beer. It's always dark with red lights so it's like a giant darkroom with everyone developing hangovers instead of film. The courtyard creates a front bar that is open on the weekends, so if you get cornered talking about architecture you can escape over to the front bar and watch people walk down 4th street.

It’s easy to get lost in the density and chaos of New York but there are opportunities to step outside of it for a macro view. Chartering a sailboat on the Hudson is a great way to escape and see the city in a different light, especially at night.