The best views on Brooklyn and Manhattan. Forget the sweaty and expensive tourist buses, the ferry is just as much as a subway ride and breathtakingly beautiful. 

A modern natural history museum located in a freight elevator dedicated to its signature curatorial style of "Object Journalism" that draws parallels to the older cabinet of curiosities model.

Tucked away on the second floor, it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of Manhattan. Order the Ika geso (squid legs) and the nankotsu (chicken cartilage), my personal favorites. You might notice people waiting around a nondescript door inside the restaurant; this is actually the entrance to the speakeasy bar Angel’s Share.

Offering 20% off on current “indie bestsellers” (and 10% off picks from their well-read staff), you can still get a good deal while supporting one of the city’s last independent bookstores. They also carry an impressive selection of magazines and literary journals that you can flip through in their café. McNally’s event calendar is packed with appearances and readings by authors like Zadie Smith and Chris Kraus, but they're perhaps best known for their in-store printing press and self-publishing services.

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.