A great way to escape the city...Especially amazing in Spring when the cherry blossoms are out. I love the Japanese pond, the famous NYers walk with plates for Arthur Miller or Lee Krasner and of course the green house.

The oldest still-operating restaurant in New York City, still in the family of the original founders. At Christmastime, it's decorated to the nines. Go with a big group: portions are large and the wine flows liberally. Look for the little buttons on the walls: in the old days, the mafia would hang out in the back room, and if diners saw the cops come in, they'd press the buttons so the mafia guys could run out the back.

Rising up 130 feet above sea level, this new park occupies some of the highest ground in New York City and offers spectacular panoramic views of the Empire State Building to the northwest, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and New York Harbor to the west, and Jamaica Bay to the south.

One of my all time favorite shops. They have amazing succulents at reasonable prices. It's always a pleasure to stop in and see what they've got that day. Ched, the owner, is not only extremely knowledgeable but totally hilarious. Every plant has been personalized and anthropomorphized.

If you are in need of a moment of solitude, this is the place. On my first visit I was in awe of how time seemed to stand still inside. It has now become a sanctuary from the city when I need the pace of life to slow down.