The Christmas light House in the Bronx is a neighborhood fixture that is hard to miss. It is decorated year round with life size statues and is painted  bright pink. Though it draws most of its audience during the holidays it is an anomaly throughout the seasons. Such a bizarre place with such exuberant colors and vibrancy attracts an artists eye and will draw you in.

Spoonbill and Sugartown Booksellers is in a pretty visible spot at 218 Bedford Avenue in the Williamsburg neighborhood. I still can’t help but point it out as one of my favorite places to check out books, especially arts related publications. Needless to say its an easy place to stop by with plenty of things to see in the immediate area.

Best pizza in NY. Be prepared to wait. Check to see if they are shut down by the health department or tax collectors before going. Get the square pie with pepperoni and hot peppers.

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.

I keep going there when I miss my friend Aggeliki. We meet on the line waiting to watch Martha Marcy May Marlene. I just arrived in NYC, I remember we both were in the same situation. We became very close since that day.