7 months before moving to New York I visited for the first time. I was immediately enraptured and felt a deep connection to the city that I had never experi- enced. It was in this massive hall at The Met that I decided I would be leaving Los Angeles and coming to NYC as soon as I possibly could.

Always in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, is the most direct route for a bike ride into the city from my place. This is a kind of alcove and lookout point that also reminds me I’m about to reach the top of the climb. I guess I kind of like the series of light bulbs and ornate rivets and metal work, the kinds things you really don’t see from a distance.

I love sneaking over here in the middle of the day to see a movie - they always have the best selection of films. I recently saw Pina in 3D and The Kid with a Bike here, and another time I saw Bela Fleck play the banjo after a screening of Throw Down Your Heart.

This is my local spot and one of my bad habits. The bartenders make sure I don't do anything to embarrassing and its full of regulars. Has dangerously replaced my living room. It's one of the only real dive bars on Smith street. Layers of funkiness help keep away the frat boys and bachelorette parties. Never closes before 4am so all the other neighborhood bartenders, cooks, and waiters stop by after work. Needless to say that only the best business decisions get made here!

My favorite place on Bedford Avenue, this bookstore has both new and used titles. If you're patient and look close enough, you can usually find a book that's worth more than they're asking. Not to mention their stellar selection of magazine titles. Good for design, art, photography, sociology, fiction, and everything in between.