This isn’t another love letter to NYC.

But it’s a tribute to my backyard. 

Where I’ve birthed children and new businesses. And where I weather the storm.

The best part about New York? Even though I live here, I’ll always be a tourist. The classics will never get old and there’s always something new to discover as the city’s facades ebb and flow as much as the changing tide –and so much of this happens below Canal Street.

When I want to truly escape, I like to find places reminiscent of times gone by. The Beekman Hotel, built in 1881 and restored to perfection, is ideal for this as I sit down for afternoon tea inside The Bar Room at Tom Colicchio’s Temple Court, which is set in the stunning nine-story Victorian-era Atrium featuring unsurpassed architecture and art.

Inside The Bar Room at Tom Colicchio’s Temple Court at the Beekman Hotel

Another way to escape is feeling like I’m in a different world – such as eating a fine meal in a Yurt (!) steps away from the stock exchange at the restaurant Crown Shy.

Dinner in a Yurt at Crown Shy Restaurant

Of course, I also love to feel like I’m on top of the world – and I can at One World Trade Observatory, on top of the Freedom Tower, rising 102 stories in a mere 47 seconds to soak in breathtaking views farther than can possibly be described here. Talk about an amazing photo-op for the grid!

One World Observatory, 117 West Street, The Freedom Tower

Perhaps one of the best parts about downtown is being so close to parks bordering both rivers. On the East Side is the South Street Seaport, which is home of Jean Georges’ The Fulton, offering the best seafood along with views of the Brooklyn, Manhattan and 59th Street Bridge.

Dining at The Fulton Restaurant, by Jean-Georges with views of the
Brooklyn, Manhattan and 59th Street Bridges

On the West Side is Battery Park, where I never tire of looking at the Statue of Liberty and Clinton Castle, honoring all who came to this city before me. And in between is The Charging Bull and the Oculus (the Oculus connects Westfield World Trade Center and Brookfield Place, which both have incredible shopping). 

Clinton Castle at Bowling Green

And no visit downtown would be complete without remembering our heroes – at the 9/11 Memorial and at the Vietnam Memorial. 

The Vietnam Memorial, The Downtown Alliance

Whether with my husband, friends, or kids – downtown is always my first destination for museums, art, architecture, dining and shopping.