Best contemporary art museum in NY, have to take a train that goes along the Hudson river (best views during fall season!) / rent a car. This museum only uses natural light, and has pieces from Richard Serra, Judd, Sol Lewitt, Walter de Maria, Robert Smithson, Flavin, all best of the best!

A stunning place to watch the ocean.

Leaf through over 30,000 artists' sketchbooks in what may be the world's largest collection.

Only a 40-minute subway ride from my apartment and a world unto itself, Coney Island is always a new experience and like seaside weather, it’s always different. I stumbled upon this kite festival one grey fall afternoon. Other visits have yielded dance parties on the boardwalk, roller coaster rides, shandies in plastic cups on the beach, a trip to "Little Odessa", and a myriad of interesting characters and experiences.

Spoonbill and Sugartown Booksellers is in a pretty visible spot at 218 Bedford Avenue in the Williamsburg neighborhood. I still can’t help but point it out as one of my favorite places to check out books, especially arts related publications. Needless to say its an easy place to stop by with plenty of things to see in the immediate area.