It's sugar-coated shabbyness. I have been there in wintertime, all the rides and attractions were closed, but it´s still nice to have a walk on the beach or spot some funny looking storefronts and vintage-looking rollercosters. A perfect backdrop for photoshootings, a gem for friends of vintage typography. On 4th of july hot dog eating contests are held here (they actually do that!).
One of the best curated visual art books in New York and the World, with a bent towards a crossover of music/art/psychedelics. A place to feed the art habit, remembering that the greatest images are still locked in books and not online.
For brunch, the classic dish to get is the Feijoada, but the benny is also solid (and i don't recommend a benny lightly)—you can also ask for ham and spinach together (my favorite). For dinner you can also get the same thing, or the Moqueca (shrimp stew) is incredible. Pro-tip: if you're there for breakfast on a weekday, ask for a egg and cheese (add bacon or ham or avocado) on a croissant. Not on the menu—sounds basic, tastes amazing.
I wish NYC produced more public projects like this. Chelsea is always worth a visit to check out the galleries. The highline is just another reason to make over to 10th ave. It is near our studio and a walk on the Highline always seems to clear any fog that might be gathering in your head. There are sections between buildings filled with trees. At night you can almost forget you are in the city. As an architect you can always find a detail or something that you would have done differently or that you think could have been better. The Highline is one of the few projects where everything just works perfectly how it is.