NYC 8/2-8

The Sketchbook Project lives within the Brooklyn Art Library, filling their entire left wall from floor to ceiling. Yes, leave it to a place as cool as Brooklyn to have an art library. Anyway, my friend and I stumbled onto this fascinating place...

Gooey, crispy, cheesy, buttery: The list of adjectives goes on for this Lower East Side grilled cheese purveyor. Don't expect the sammies Mom made for your after-school snack; no Wonderbread or Kraft singles here. Billed as "Super Fancy Grilled...

The High Line, a public park built on an elevated train track in NYC, should be on the top of any visitor's list. It is an outstanding example of a visionary, innovative urban park that has saved an important piece of NYC's history. Built in the...

For panoramic views of the entire city—for the price of a subway ride—take the Roosevelt Island Tram. As the suspended car runs parallel to the bridge, spanning the gap between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island, you'll have unparalleled vistas of the...

'They' say Rome has the best gelato in Italy. Since I haven't been to every town in Italy, I can't confirm that. Neither, though, can I deny it because when I tasted the gelato at Gelateria del Teatro while in Roma I definitely experienced...

Even in as city known as the concrete jungle, Manhattan offers a surprising number of opportunities to find a little peace and quiet and New Yorkers are masters at creating their own oases. Position yourself correctly, pop in your headphones and...

Momofuku Milk Bar is one of those places in NYC that's always being raved about. Its desserts are incredible, it's worth the wait in line, best place to get your sugar fix...... It's all true! Ok, maybe not the 'best' part because I still haven't...

Whoever invented the living history museum deserves, well, a place in a living history museum. Instead of reading dry text, visitors get to meet an early 20th-century immigrant, hang out in her shoebox apartment, and join a family at its Sabbath...

Don't let the neighborhood, exterior (or even the interior) of this Hell's Kitchen bar scare you away. Rudy's on 9th is the best kind of NYC dive bar. It's also one of the best places to fill your tummy on the cheap. Get yourself a pitcher of...

The Meatpacking District is a mecca of design-forward restaurants, bars, clothing boutiques, galleries, and artists' residences in a neighborhood formerly known for its meat warehouses. Today glitter and guts live side by side on the West Side of...

Think you are overwhelmed by the beautiful churches in Europe? Check out the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City. In fact, by area this is the 4th largest church in the world! Not only the building itself is stunning, make...

Stepping into the enormous main concourse of this landmarked architectural jewel—with its sweeping granite staircases, hulking columns and 38-meter (125-foot) ceilings painted with night-sky constellations—can be a jaw-dropping experience. What’s...

The baby of food brainchild Danny Meyer, Shake Shack has become a staple for New Yorkers and tourists alike. What makes it so special? The food is scrumptious, the shakes are heavenly, and the location is perfect. Shake Shack sits smack in the...

You'll always find a cast of colorful characters on the inside of New York City subway cars, but for a glimpse of some with their colors on the outside, head to the Shuttle between Grand Central Station and Times Square. The subway cars on this...

My favorite island in the whole world.

Held yearly in the month of September, the San Gennaro Festival is New York City's oldest religious street festival. Little Italy was the first location in America for several hundred thousand Italian immigrants who came to the U.S. in the early...

I think people go to Coney Island as much for the delicious carnival food as for the rides and games. Everywhere you look there are vendors selling hot dogs, french fries, ice cream, cotton candy, and caramel apples. It's too hard to choose only...

The main branch of the New York Public Library is one of the country’s grandest Beaux Arts buildings, a temple to learning on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets. At the end of the 19th century, John Bigelow, who oversaw the Tilden...

If you couldn’t quite make it to Rome this year, this all-things-Italian food market (created by famed restaurateurs Mario Batali and Paul Bastianich) is the next best thing. There are six restaurants and a rooftop beer garden if you want to stop...

“18 Miles of Books” is the slogan at this nearly century-old Union Square bookshop—and it’s not hyperbole. The Strand’s warren of high-ceilinged rooms contains more than 2.5 million new and used titles, and browsing...

When I think about Chinatown, I think about the noodle cart on Grand Street. I swear to God! Every time I hit up that cart I become the happiest person. This small order of noodles with peanut and soy sauce cost me an insignificant $1.50. Noodle...

Despite multiple trips over countless years going to New York City, it wasn't until a year ago today that I encountered this sandwich — the one that left me drooling until I could enjoy it again. Katz's quickly went from a one-stop place for...

Summed up by the phrase, 'the city that never sleeps,' New York is electric no matter the time of day. There is always a constant buzz in the background, kind of like the hiss you once heard between songs on your favorite cassette tapes. At any...

I think I spent most of my time in 'The Village' taking photos of this stuff than doing anything else. There was an amazing kebab shop around the corner from the IFC theater, though. That I do remember.

"I like to boogie while I work! Can you boogie with me?" This is how Classie Parker begins her joyful canning classes in the lush community garden she helped create in Harlem, New York. She's a master gardner and enthusiastic teacher who shares...

This picture was taken outside the Studio Museum in Harlem. Harlem was my favorite part of NYC. While alot of people might feel more attracted to the sleek and stylish architecture, I really like the old school feel of Harlem. The brownstones and...

This spiraling white concrete structure, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is one of the most iconic buildings in NYC, if not in all of the USA. This is one museum where the building itself is as interesting as the exhibition inside. First check out...

Just a block and a half from Loews Regency sits New York's landscaped wonder and one of the greatest urban parks in the world, Central Park. Stretching between 59th and 110th Streets and Fifth and Eighth Avenues, the park covers a total of 843...

If you can only visit one museum in New York, this should be it; the Met’s hallowed halls contain one of the most dazzling and comprehensive classical art collections in the world. More than two million works are on display here, spanning more...

My friend Carmen showed me her 'secret garden.' Buds just starting. Gorgeous day. Delightful spot for respite and welcoming the season.

Simply walking into Global Table is a happy experience - you are greeted by a overflowing array of table top and home accessories in vivid colors, graphic patterns and clean, modern shapes. If you are having a bad day, this store is a wonderful...

Across from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is a peaceful little garden with sculptures with wildly varying characteristics. The largest sculpture combines iconography of all types, including st. Michael the archangel, the sun and moon, and...

My son Julian laughing over the Imagine mosaic. Over one my generation icons... Strawberry Fields, Central Park, New York City.