Marion Bernstein

Greek eatery Avra Madison teamed up with celebrity chef and best-selling cookbook author Argiro Barbarigou to create a lighter alternative to the traditional Easter lamb fricassée. Subbing Alaskan halibut for lamb, and a seafood-vegetable broth for the traditional Avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce, Barbarigou creates a dish with such springtime flare, the Greek gods insist on pairing it with a complimentary glass of Assyrtiko, the bright and citrusy white Greek wine from Santorini. The dish and wine pairing is $50 per person.

Mathieu Palombino’s international pizza joint is but one of many that extol the virtues of the Neapolitan pie, but its stellar lunch prix fixe distinguishes it from the pizza-slinging masses. The set menu includes a mixed green salad and choice of any menu pizza (margherita, Brussels sprout, soppressata, marinara) during weekdays from 11am-4pm. Non-pizza crowd pleasers include roasted peppers and belly-warming meatballs topped with pecorino and fresh basil.

This Vietnamese darling injects some much-needed variety into the typical eggs-and-Bloodys brunch game. The pastured chicken congee is an elevated savory brunch bowl featuring a rice porridge base and a flurry of fresh leeks, shiitakes and goji berries, with a Heritage pork and sweet radish omelette to top. Ordering for the table? The bún thang and oxtail-potato hash are not to be missed.

This Astoria taqueria offers traditional Mexican eats with an artisanal flare. Slow cooked pork, citrus pickled onions and fresh cilantro are transported by local, fresh corn tortillas courtesy of Queens-based Tortilleria Nixtamal. And don’t dare forget the salsas—a housemade trio of habanero pepita, salsa verde and bourbon salsa borracha add a colorful kick to Pachanga’s tacos, tlayudas and sopes.

Stay in the original building that once housed LIFE magazine and you’ll walk the same hallways as famed writers and artists such as Norman Rockwell, Charles Gibson and John Ames Mitchell. The hotel’s 98 guest rooms and suites pay homage to the building’s 1894 heritage with turn of the century-inspired pieces, providing a delightful contrast to the user-friendly technology and refreshing natural bath amenities throughout each room.

Formerly the New Mills Hotel, the newly opened Moxy Times Square proves you can have it all—affordability, comfort and style. Relax in a Yabu Pushelberg-designed room thoughtfully outfitted with 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens and an oversize walk-in rain shower. Once recharged, head on over to one of five in-house dining spaces—we recommend a sunset cocktail at Magic Hour, New York’s largest all-season indoor-outdoor hotel rooftop bar and lounge featuring a rotating carousel, putt-putt golf course, topiary garden and stunning views of the Empire State Building.

Instead of waiting months for a chance at Saturday Night Live tickets, submit your online request to these equally entertaining TV show tapings in NYC. Surprise your favorite comedy club enthusiast with two free tickets to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Looking to complement your recent couples cooking class with some tips from a celebrity chef? Bring your bae to a free taping of the Rachael Ray Show. And for anyone taking acting classes, attending a taping of Inside the Actors Studio should definitely be on your NYC bucket list.

Small but mighty, this independent shop has been serving Pratt scholars since 2001. Sam Lee is at the helm, eager to help his customers find the right sketchpad, chipboard or foamcore. Rumor has it he’s been known to make special deliveries and even keep the shop open after hours for students with last-minute art supply needs.

If you’re looking to get as close to nature as possible while basking in the glory of indoor plumbing, then this high-end glass cabin is for you. Nestled on a private six-acre lot blanketed by a lush fern forest, architect Adam Rolston’s modern-rustic design touts floor-to-ceiling windows along the entire length of the cabin. Guests can enjoy morning coffee on the private deck or evening cocoa in front of the Danish wood-burning stove.

With so many independent bookstores located across the five boroughs, finding the best gifts for book lovers this holiday season will be a cinch. Pop into the Strand Book Store for quirky, book-centric tchotchkes, nab the latest literary tech gifts or help your favorite bookworm create her ideal reading ambiance with incense or a book lamp. All gifts are available online, so if you don’t have time to hit the streets of NYC to shop for gifts for friends, go ahead and checkout from the comfort of your own reading nook.

When shopping for the best Christmas gifts for couples, it’s good to get creative—a fairly easy feat considering the plethora of expensive or cheap Christmas gift ideas. For the active couple, book salsa dancing classes. Need a go-to gift for your two favorite gourmands? Snag them a gift card for cooking classes, where they can share cocktails and conversation while learning the foundations of the low and slow beef braising technique.

NYC is a great place to shop for holiday tech gifts and gadgets. Browse drones and cameras at the best electronic stores, pick up pair of wireless headphones at one of the best music stores or stock up on cooking gadgets from New York’s world-class kitchen stores. But if you don’t have the time to shop in-person this holiday season, you’re in luck, because these tech gifts and gadgets are all available online as well.

The annual Ciacco Gala is all fun and games until the legendary two-pound truffle goes missing and someone winds up dead. Enjoy a three-course meal and sing along as you collect clues to uncover the murderous thief during this immersive murder mystery musical comedy.

You’d never guess that New York’s seemingly idyllic residential community was once crawling with convicts and lunatics banished to the island’s neo-Gothic asylums and penitentiaries until death did them part. Not only will this two-hour walking tour question your belief in the undead, it’ll stir up anxieties about how we deal with society’s poor and sick, challenging your own discomfort with the unconscious human desire to keep all things “unpleasant” hidden from view.

Nestled under the Brooklyn Bridge, this 10-story eco-luxury hotel offers retreat-worthy rooms outfitted with native greenery, reclaimed materials and sweeping waterfront views. Be sure to step out for a sunset beverage or two—the hotel’s 4,000-square-foot rooftop boasts killer cocktails and panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.