citylikeyou — The Empire State Building Observation Deck

New York / Place

Occasionally I’ll look at the Manhattan skyline and wonder what it was like in 1931 when people around the world were saying, “Holy shit, did you hear what they just built in New York?” Just get up there and trip out about humanity. And be sure to keep an eye out for the unmarked locked door guarding a set of stairs leading to a hidden terrace that was originally designed as a fucking docking station for zeppelins.

Address
The Empire State Building Observation Deck, 350 5th Avenue #300, New York, United States

Designer

Current city: New York

mikemake.com

Michael was born and raised in Seattle, and has lived in New York since 2009. He’s done graphic and interaction design for Pentagram and Local Projects, and is currently a designer at the Google Creative Lab.

More Places in New York 452

New York / Gallery

Yossi Milo is, in my opinion, the most dynamic and eclectic of the photography galleries in NYC. From portaiture to architecture to experimental digital sculptural giant animals to street photography, they show an endlessly exciting range of work. Some of my favorite recent shows include Simen Johan's mythical beasts, Ezra Stoller's architectural photographs of the TWA terminal, and Sze Tsung Leong's huge cityscapes.

New York / Attraction

The Christmas light House in the Bronx is a neighborhood fixture that is hard to miss. It is decorated year round with life size statues and is painted bright pink. Though it draws most of its audience during the holidays it is an anomaly throughout the seasons. Such a bizarre place with such exuberant colors and vibrancy attracts an artists eye and will draw you in.

New York / Restaurant

My boyfriend and I have come to ATOBOY over 30 times since its opening last year, and it is our second home. The menu is incredible and ever-evolving; they also received 2 stars in the New York Times this summer!

New York / Cafe

This outpost of Seattle coffee is an excellent place to get your morning cappuccino, afternoon macchiato, or just some beans to take home. I lived in Seattle for 6 years before moving to New York and at first I was afraid the coffee here wouldn’t measure up, but lucky for me there are plenty of great places. Picking a favorite wasn’t easy!

New York / Cafe

This is another neighborhood favorite, especially for Sunday brunch which is consistently great.