Strand is a castle of books. It claims 2.5 million new and used books, across 18 miles of shelves, cared for by 200 employees—so set aside a couple of hours. Plenty of art books and good prices. Get your healthy huff of that old book smell.

One of the last untapped areas of downtown Manhattan. Hand pulled noodles, cheap eats, and a concentrated area of families make this an often interesting place to explore.

Warm winter holiday vibes all year long, especially during the holidays. A hint of the old NYC where one could be a functioning alcoholic by day and artist by night. Proper characters here, the lore is deep.

Home of Casa Bosques chocolates, to purchase directly at the studio.  By appointment only. 

One of my all time favorite shops. They have amazing succulents at reasonable prices. It's always a pleasure to stop in and see what they've got that day. Ched, the owner, is not only extremely knowledgeable but totally hilarious. Every plant has been personalized and anthropomorphized.