In 1963, the Italian-born sculptor Costantino Nivola filled a playground that covers an entire city block with avant-garde abstractions. In the middle of an Upper Manhattan housing project, there are cuboid cutouts sculpted in cement, a fountain made with two diamond-shaped boulders, concrete play horses, and a sand-casted relief carved high into a wall. In the northeast corner, a matriarchal figure known as “The Nanny” rises from the ground. The artist’s sculptures were built in an era when urban development incorporated art in its effort to uplift communities and express democratic ideals. “A work designed for a public space is less a work of art than a civic act,” Nivola once said. “It concerns the ways in which we live together, and in which we influence each other.”

It's Christmas year-round at Panna II, as the walls and ceilings are completely covered with festive string lights. A great restaurant for a group dinner, Panna II offers small sharable plates in a fun and lively atmosphere. It's BYOB with no corkage fee so stop by the liquor store beforehand to pick up all the wine, beer and liquor you can carry.

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.

I wish NYC produced more public projects like this. Chelsea is always worth a visit to check out the galleries. The highline is just another reason to make over to 10th ave. It is near our studio and a walk on the Highline always seems to clear any fog that might be gathering in your head. There are sections between buildings filled with trees. At night you can almost forget you are in the city. As an architect you can always find a detail or something that you would have done differently or that you think could have been better. The Highline is one of the few projects where everything just works perfectly how it is.

Their coffee—all brewed from carefully sourced Nicaraguan beans—is truly delicious.