When I moved to NYC in the summer of 2009, my wife Hannah and I went straight to Central Park and the Belvedere Castle. It was the first time I fully grasped that I lived in New York and it felt euphoric standing on that hill. For me this place is still a romantic symbol and reminder of the spirit and essence of the city and the reasons I live here.

Petra “Petee” Paradez’s pies don’t just taste amazing—they’re made with amazing ingredients, like seasonal local produce, organic flour, grass-fed butter, and natural fair-trade sweeteners.

Moma is worth a visit, but for a more lively Art experience ánd for free, one should visit Chelsea. A colony of 400 Art Galleries, showing the best in contemporary art. Running straight through is the high line, a 1 mile long linear park, build on a former railroad-spur, worth the walk.

The operators of the Peter Pan bakery make the best donuts I've ever tasted. This place is charming to its core. Decor and presentation: circa 1971 & virtually unchanged since.

It was a warm evening in the city and not yet dark. We arrived, giddy and happy, and he ordered two glasses of prosecco. The waiter managed to fit onto our tiny wood table two plates of tartines, a legumes dish, and a tray of fromage. And then we shared dessert. I can’t remember exactly but it must have been chocolate.