City Island is a seaside town in the Bronx. Known for its fishing, seafood, and main street it is a self-contained working-class haven. The buildings range from late 1800's houses to 1960's storefronts, and you can smell the ocean everywhere on the island. Restaurants and local pubs dot City Island Ave, and even the few empty storefronts stay vibrant. 

One of the best curated visual art books in New York and the World, with a bent towards a crossover of music/art/psychedelics. A place to feed the art habit, remembering that the greatest images are still locked in books and not online.

Cute and eclectic, The HiHi Room serves a variety of comfort foods with vegetarian options in a chill atmosphere on a bustling street in Brooklyn. 

Originally named the New York State Theater and designed by Phillip Johnson in the 60’s, this building has been home to both the New York City Ballet and New York City Opera since its opening. This is a view of the promenade at intermission, during a ballet performance celebrating the birthday of George Balanchine.

This is another neighborhood favorite, especially for Sunday brunch which is consistently great.