Handmade pasta in a former garage.

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.

For a lovely Weekend to Connecticut - Grace Farms is a non-profit center in New Canaan, Connecticut that is dedicated to advancing faith, nature, arts, community and justice initiatives.

This botanical garden is massive. If you like to be surrounded by foliage, bring a picnic on a nice day.

There’s always something interesting on at The Met, and whether you’ve lived in New York all your life or are visiting for the very first time, you’re guaranteed to see something you haven’t before.