Sure, Manhattan is HOT in the summer but if you’re a true NYC lover, any season is a good season to spend a few days in the city. Check out NYC’s rooftop cinema club (http://rooftopcinemaclub.com/los-angeles/), hit Coney Island or simply spend a few hours off the beaten track and try of one these five, fun-filled ideas. Happy Summer!

Happy Summer!

1. Canal Street

Taking a subway ride over to Canal, cruising Chinatown and Little Italy, haggling with every fish monger, Chinese kitsch shop and Italian bakery known to man is a unique, inexpressible joy. Whether you’re looking to pick up boho/chic denim (oh, how I miss you, Canal Jeans Company) or score some knockoff Prada from a street vendor hawking his wares, there’s no place else like Canal for quirky bargains. An urban festival.

2. Ess-a- Bagels

Forget breakfast at Tiffany’s. In New York., the first meal of the day is all about the bagels, right? Well, my favorite shop is Ess-a-Bagels on Third Street in Midtown. Dense, chewy, amazing bagels with a wide array of cream cheese and sandwiches options, this place rocks. If you’ve heard that the guys behind the counter go all Soup Nazi on you if you’re not quick with your order…fuhgettaboutit. Just give them a big out-of-town smile. They’re teddy bears.

3. Central Park

An 843-acre wonder in the middle of Manhattan. To me, there’s nothing like simply walking the park. Sure, you can grab a pedi-cab, go romantic with a horse-drawn carriage or canoe at the Boathouse but I love walking through the park taking in the sights and sounds and people of the city.  Stop by Strawberry Fields. Check out the statues throughout the park (Alice in Wonderland is my fav). Enjoy a lobster roll at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s roof garden cafe or go star-gazing at night at the Hayden Planetarium after some evening jazz. This is New York. Options are endless.

4. The New York Public Library/Bryant Park

The lions are iconic, the architecture is amazing and the location near Bryant Park is perfection. Grab lunch at Untamed Sandwiches or a chocolate babke and coffee at Breads Bakery and find a bench in the park to relax. When you’re finished, walk over to the library. Quiet and clean, it’s one of the best freebies in town. Peek at a Gutenberg Bible, check out the map room and the art collections, or find a spot to read and enjoy this Beaux Arts masterpiece, a National Historic Landmark containing more than six million books. Stop by the gift shop to buy a copy of Library Lions, a perfect souvenir for kids.

5. TKTS Booth

Broadway, baby. Or off-Broadway. If you want to see a show while you’re in the city, stop by the TKTS booth in Times Square, a great way to experience the arts in New York City at affordable prices. I snagged tickets to see Bill Macy in David Mamet’s, Oleanna. Third row, great seats, amazing night. If you love theatre, download the app, it’s a can’t-miss.