Since September this year, the very best place to hear an authentic voice, keeping Wall Street sharp.

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

Bowling, beer, and pool - what more could a girl ask for? I'd like to start a bowling league here in the fall. Some possible league names include The Crystal Bowls, Disembowled, and Ebowlo Virus. I'm open to suggestions.

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.

Dead Horse Bay is about an hour and a half from lower Manhattan by public transit, but well worth the journey. There is so much glass on the beach that the waves make a soft tinkling sound as they roll in. It’s a scavenger’s dream, and glass isn’t the only thing you’ll find here. There are still plenty of horse bones to remind you where the place gets its name.