As a native New Yorker, there are so many places that are special to me in Manhattan. I feel like they’re a part of my DNA.

The East Village reminds me of high school and getting into shenanigans with my friends.

Times Square reminds me of hours and hours spent going to movies, loitering in stores, and enjoying the occasional Broadway play.

Washington Square Park reminds me of summer days eating pizza with my boyfriend and of summer nights drinking with my co-workers.

Central Park holds memories of endless days with friends and family spent climbing rocks, playing in the playgrounds, bathing in the sun, and riding the carousel.

Finding little shops in the West Village as well as eating lunch and watching movies during summer nights in Bryant Park also make those places special to me.

I can recall with great fondness the time I saw a couple get engaged at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the time that my best friend and I decided to take a girls’ day at the Museum of Natural History, and the time that I ran through the fountains at Lincoln Center.

I have spent countless hours roaming these busy streets and dodging cabs, buses, and the occasional horse-drawn carriage– something the new mayor is trying to outlaw, by the way. The more I think about it, sitting down to pick one place just doesn’t seem feasible. I’ve recently had a baby, and while he’s a native Californian, born and bred in the heart of Hollywood, I can’t wait for him to be big enough to enjoy all of the places that I enjoyed growing up.

I guess I’ll say this: If you want to find a place to wander in New York City, then get an all-day Metrocard and start at the bottom and work your way to the top; or you can start at the top and work your way to the bottom– that’s your choice. Just don’t forget to take a ferry ride and say “what’s up” to my hometown of Staten Island. See it all, as much as you can. You won’t forget or regret a minute of it.