It's Christmas year-round at Panna II, as the walls and ceilings are completely covered with festive string lights. A great restaurant for a group dinner, Panna II offers small sharable plates in a fun and lively atmosphere. It's BYOB with no corkage fee so stop by the liquor store beforehand to pick up all the wine, beer and liquor you can carry.

This burlesque club contains a stripper pole, but is hardly worth it unless you know someone who will hook up drinks.

I’m crazy for pork buns and ramen. The wait is always long at Ippudo but I never regret it.

AIR at Summit One is a multi-story, completely immersive environment 91 floors above the street in midtown Manhattan. A stunning, transportive world created by digital and installation artist Kenzo, it is designed to transport you to another world away from the street culture of NYC and into an alternate state of consciousness. Peak time to go is sunset, when the mirrored environment transitions from magic daylight vistas to an internal LED system that removes all sense of time and space.

Coney Island is the best for everything - the beach, the rides, the beer - but mostly for the Skee Ball. It's incredibly addicting, affordable and satisfying (depending on your aim).