Dead Horse Bay is about an hour and a half from lower Manhattan by public transit, but well worth the journey. There is so much glass on the beach that the waves make a soft tinkling sound as they roll in. It’s a scavenger’s dream, and glass isn’t the only thing you’ll find here. There are still plenty of horse bones to remind you where the place gets its name.

While the current trend in noodles may well be ramen, this bafflingly-named Japanese restaurant just ten minutes from my apartment specialises in udon. Unless you are my friend Diego Zambrano it will probably take you several visits to get through all the things you need to try on the menu - the gyoza are otherworldly, the sushi 'tacos' clever enough without being silly. New York has thousands of awful Japanese places; this is not one of them. It's super nice to come in on a Sunday night and eat at the bar next to curmudgeonly old guys barking at each other in Japanese.

Going to Staten Island for free with the Ferry and enjoying the view of the Manhattan Skyline and getting that Snap of the Statue of Liberty! Top!

This park sits halfway between my apartment and my studio. I spend a a lot of time hear sketching and making phone calls. The trees are beautiful during spring and fall.

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.