When I moved to NYC in the summer of 2009, my wife Hannah and I went straight to Central Park and the Belvedere Castle. It was the first time I fully grasped that I lived in New York and it felt euphoric standing on that hill. For me this place is still a romantic symbol and reminder of the spirit and essence of the city and the reasons I live here.

This is my favorite bar in the city: original cocktails, an unpretentious crowd and live jazz.

Bluestockings Cooperative is a community-supported bookstore and activist space.

The crown jewel of the Queens Museum is a nearly 10,000-square-foot architectural model of the city originally built for the 1964 World's Fair.

Brooklyn's only black-owned Jazz Club and musician-run nonprofit supporting the arts and community since 1981.