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Prospect Park
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95 Prospect Park West
Designed by Central Park creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, Prospect Park is a massive playground in the center of Brooklyn. Residents and visitors can play softball, explore the Prospect Park Zoo, go horseback riding, stroll through the breathtaking Long Meadow, treat their four-legged friends to a dip at Dog Beach and ice-skate at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. It’s also a bargain—most attractions are inexpensive or free.
2
Gibney Dance
2
Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center
Gibney Dance is NYC's premier center for contemporary performance and training, offering performances by emerging and mid-career artists, as well as open and professional-level dance and wellness classes. Their historic, architecturally stunning event space in Lower Manhattan is set in a gorgeous landmark location overlooking City Hall Park. The facility offers a total of 26,000 square feet of space in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and possibilities. The studios are pristine, architecturally memorable spaces featuring streams of natural light. A second location near Union Square offers additional space.
3
Sullivan Street Bakery
3
533 West 47th Street
Jim Lahey wrote the book on the art of bread and Roman-style pizza. His Sullivan Street Bakery started on Sullivan Street in Soho 20 years ago and the name remains the same for an all-day cafe in Hell’s Kitchen. At breakfast are soft-cooked eggs and crisp prosciutto on brioche. Pizza by the slice, sandwiches, olive oil cake and chocolate chip walnut cookies are set out at lunch. Everything is available to go or to eat at a handful of tables.
4
Aunts et Uncles
4
1407 Nostrand Ave.
Aunts et Uncles is a plant-based retail shop located in Flatbush, Brooklyn, that serves tasty vegan eats. Favorite dishes include the A.U. Burger (Beyond Meat patty, caramelized onions, spicy mayo, BBQ Sauce and arugula on a pretzel bun) and the Tivoli Taco (Beyond Ground Meat, homemade pico de gallo, arugula, cilantro and spicy mayo on an oversized flour tortilla).
5
Art Cake
5
214 40th Street
Located in an industrial 1920s-era building in Sunset Park, Art Cake is dedicated to supporting artists. The venue’s ground floor is a raw production space used for film screenings, photo shoots, performances and dinners, while the second floor consists of studios that are reserved for the organization’s resident artists, who are selected from around the world to display their work for one to two years; the public can attend exhibits and occasional open-studio events. Revenue generated from the production space helps to support artists working in NYC.
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Cadence
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122 East 7th Street
From vegan restaurant group Overthrow Hospitality, Cadence is a plant-based soul food restaurant located in the East Village. (It’s one of a number of restaurants and bars owned by Ravi DeRossi but the first professional kitchen run by vegan chef Shenarri Freeman.) Upon entering, diners are greeted by exposed brick and a marble countertop bar—signals of chic NYC dining. But don’t let the decor fool you: the menu boasts a hearty offering of Southern comfort dishes done vegan style, including fried lasagna and a buffalo oyster mushroom sandwich.
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Arts on Site
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12 Saint Marks Place
Arts on Site is a nonprofit organization created to provide support and encourage community among artists in NYC. The woman-run group operates two locations in the East Village, Studios 3F and 3R, along with an artists’ residency program in upstate New York. Studio 3R hosts musical, theater and dance performances. Artists on Site has produced hundreds of shows the past few years, including many during the pandemic, exemplifying its dedication to fostering a sense of community.
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Land to Sea NYC
8
402 Graham Avenue
Some would argue that there is no better location to build community than your local coffee shop. The people behind Land to Sea might just agree. Emily Shum and Eva Zhou created the café to pay homage to their parents’ and grandparents’ journey as business owners. The space is designed to be malleable, allowing it hold programming and events that meet the needs of the surrounding community and amplify POC-focused initiatives. With decor inspired by Hong Kong, a menu that incorporates Asian flavors and a sense of purpose weaved into every inch of the design, Land to Sea brings a refreshing take on the classic coffee house.