Chillhouse is awesome. It's a great place to chill out while waiting to meet a friend, read a book, or get your nails done. This all-in-one cafe has made it easy for the girl on the girl that needs some self-care time.
Apart from Dia Beacon, in Beacon (upstate New York about an hour away from Grand Central Station) and also the Judd Foundation in Soho, this institution is absolutely one of my favourite places to visit and it is located in Long Island City, Queens. It showcases sculpture in the broadest sense and has an incredible building that used to be a workshop that refurbished and fixed subway cars. It has been running since 1928 and when you visit you will definitely see why that is.
This is a pro tip, but also a summer tip, take the ferry from Lower Manhattan to Rockaway and spent the day. The beach is great and the area is impossible to gasp that it's 30 min from Manhattan (without traffic) - Eat as many tacos you can, cause it's the best in the state of New York!
My friends, Dee & Ricky, recently opened up their own restaurant at the ripe age of 24 in the Clinton Hill neighborhood. I stop in here every now and then for the roti. Also, there's a really cool (Nigeria-owned) sandwich & smoothie spot next door that is not pictured.