Empty, but not abandoned, this cavernous Brooklyn loading dock was once considered the largest individual building in the world.

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.

"Mills" is my local bar, I live in that block, it's an old horse stable (for two horses) it's tiny, cozy, great drinks, food is great too - in the summer you can sit outside

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.

Fav art bookstore in the city (and the world?). Great place for inspiration and reference art, both new and vintage finds. Not very cheap but mostly quite worth it.