Ex p l o r e
NOGUCHI MUSEUM Isamu Noguchi is one designer I often reference and I never tire of his paper lamps. His museum in Long Island City is a mix of raw concrete, beautiful trees and bamboo all carefully placed and considered to complement the architecture both inside and out. Wander through the converted industrial building, sculpture garden and gallery spaces that resonate with Noguchi’s influence. noguchi.org
WINDOW SHOPPING Hit the loop of Uptown shops and window dressing at its best. Start with Anthropologie at the Rockefeller Center on 50th Street, cut across to 5th Avenue and walk up to Bergdorf Goodman between 57th and 58th, then meander over to Barneys on Madison Avenue via 59th Street. anthropologie. com; barneys.com; bergdorfgoodman.com
SLEEP NO MORE Hands down, one of the most exciting theatre productions I’ve ever seen or, in this case, been part of. Book into the Mckittrick Hotel to experience a night of wild performance, interactive theatre and mindblowing sets by Punchdrunk. If you miss out on a ticket, have dinner on the rooftop in Gallow Green’s lavish garden. sleepnomore.com
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY I can spend hours here or just pop in for a boost. Every visit uncovers a new part of this Tardis of a museum. The old-fashioned dioramas are a personal favourite but, if you’re a lover of natural history, book in for an adults’ sleepover (once only offered to children) and dream under the massive blue whale skeleton in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. amnh.org
HIGH LINE One of the best possible uses of an old railway track is to turn it into an elevated garden. Not surprisingly, High Line has inspired public gardens and spaces the world over. Meander through the high-rise oasis brimming with lush shrubs and seasonal gardens, taking time to pause and look at all the great art, use one of the big wooden sunbeds, admire the Hudson River views or just people-watch. thehighline.org
MADISON SQUARE PARK (between Fifth & Madison Avenues and 23rd & 26th Streets) If you can’t make it up to Central Park but are in need of a little green grass under your feet, or a famous gourmet burger and thickshake from Shake Shack, stop at the small but lovely Madison Square Park. There’s always an outstanding art installation somewhere and it’s near the Flatiron Building. madisonsquarepark.org; shakeshack.com