Somewhat off the beaten Williamsburg-track, Brooklyn Art Library is nestled on a mostly residential street. It’s home to tens of thousands of artist sketchbooks known as “The Sketchbook Project”. Over 100 countries are represented and their “collection houses books from small communities in Mongolia next to professional illustrators from New York.” You can donate one of your very own! All the sketchbooks have been cataloged for easy searching of their vast shelves, by artist and subject, and visitors are invited to browse what feels much like a hands-on museum. The Art Library also remains one of the few places to find art supplies (while limited) in the neighborhood, and if you’re in the market for a special gift (including books, totes and the cutest retro pennants) for your favorite art-lovin’ bibliophile, you might just get lucky here.

For a lovely Weekend to Connecticut - Grace Farms is a non-profit center in New Canaan, Connecticut that is dedicated to advancing faith, nature, arts, community and justice initiatives.

Daytime café, nighttime bar. Nothing stronger than 30-proof. Delicious beer and really good wine. Kind people run & staff the place. The garden in the Summer is perfect. I make near-daily visits.

If only places can speak...yet they have their own language with their texture, smell, vibe, mood...new york is waking up 

One of the only things I enjoy about taking the subway these days is seeing the defaced ads on the L train. Whether it's random chance, high schoolers or street artists the result is always good.