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.

This place is very good. Korean inspired diner food. Get the Breakfast Burrito with Sausage, Honey Butter Pancakes, Chicken Katsu. The mushroom burger is very good too.

This bright and upbeat matcha spot in NoLIta, with its millennial pink and green color scheme, are what Instagram dreams are made of. In addition to your standard hot or iced matcha lattes, Cha Cha Matcha’s menu also offers trendy and healthful twists, like the addition of ginger and turmeric, or their rainbow “Divine Drink.” Oh, and did we mention you can order matcha soft-serve (which you can combine with flavors like acai, tangerine, or lavender) year-round?

I have been watching this house deteriorating and transforming for years. I shot this last summer and was completely captivated with how many shades of luminous green vines had taken it over. If you want to see this house you better go quickly---it is supposed to be demolished by March 1 2012.

Geek out over the massive menu of Belgian beer at Spuyten Duyvil. Relax in the backyard seating and say, "Ooh, I gotta remember this brew," without realizing you probably won't see it again elsewhere. Then cross the street to Fette Sau, a BBQ experience equally well designed because it's owned by the same couple, the Carrolls. Order from their wide selection of meat cuts, served by the pound on butcher paper. The sides shine too, with the best potato salad and best BBQ beans I've ever had.