Growing up in a small town surrounded by nature, life in the city becomes difficult sometimes. Prospect park is a great place to take a deep breath and refresh. Seeing the horizon there eases my mind.

At independent record label RVNG’s Commend Records you can shop for vinyl from artists like….along with an eclectic mix of clothing, ceramics, and more.

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 bright and upbeat matcha spot in NoLIta, with its millennial pink and green color scheme, are what Instagram dreams are made of. In addition to your standard hot or iced matcha lattes, Cha Cha Matcha’s menu also offers trendy and healthful twists, like the addition of ginger and turmeric, or their rainbow “Divine Drink.” Oh, and did we mention you can order matcha soft-serve (which you can combine with flavors like acai, tangerine, or lavender) year-round?

The oldest, best, and probably dirtiest underground train system in the world. 24 hour service that links me to anywhere I want to go in the city.