I have old friends in San Francisco who grudgingly tell me that the High Line is everything that's wrong with New York. Well, too bad. To me, it embodies a culture that's constantly reinventing itself: a defunct elevated railway that was becoming a burden to the city ("we used to climb up there to throw garbage bags full of rotting Korean food at the Hasids!", noted a successful photographer's assistant) becoming a startling example of urban greening for the public good. The expert landscaping makes it feel like walking on a Montauk beach - but a stone's throw from some of New York's most progressive galleries and hotels.

Housing European Romanesque and Gothic collections, the building itself sits high on a hill offering far reaching views over the Hudson River and Upper Manhattan. A place to bookmark for after the Spring equinox when you can ramble amongst the fragrant herb gardens of Fort Tryon Park and drink in the air of the season.

The print graphic designer´s heaven. All sorts, sizes and weights of paper, shaped in forms i have not seen before (jup you don´t get that in Austria). Packaging material, adhesive letters and everything else you just want to have. Find all sorts of pens and versions of Moleskines. If you like childrens books and/or illustration, also check out the great store on the other side of the street (Cupcake Café).

Moss is a store that always inspires me, mixing conceptual art and design. I could spend ages in there looking at the ideas or how designers’ executed these products. Almost everything in the store is one of a kind.

One of the last untapped areas of downtown Manhattan. Hand pulled noodles, cheap eats, and a concentrated area of families make this an often interesting place to explore.