When I first moved to New York, enamoured by its parks and museums and design firms and restaurants and bars, I never imagined that there could be much more to its geography than that. How wrong I was. My first drive across the George Washington Bridge was jaw-dropping - the cliffs of New Jersey are astonishingly tall, covered in a dense thicket of trees. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Drive up 87 to the Catskills or the Adirondacks and you'll witness the Hudson River winding its way through spectacular scenery and unforgiving seasons. Now I can't get enough; just two hours up the road, it's like the city never existed. Perfect recuperation after a long week.

Books are Magic is a great local spot for bookworms. The staff is warm and friendly with regular events happening monthly. 

By chef Ignacio Mattos, it’s just great,.

Get a piece of the south back with a chicken biscuit from Pies & Thighs.

This simple Manhattan salt house is shaped like a monumental grain of salt. The Shed is an effort by the city to make even their most utilitarian architecture into unique pieces of art.