Sí a To-Do List No.07
Small escapes in a big city: front-row live music at a Brooklyn beer garden, large-scale contemporary art a train ride away in Beacon, and dinner at a legendary downtown French bistro.
Happy June. Breaking news: you’re less likely you’ll open your laptop when it’s not necessary.
As you read this, I’m getting ready to leave the city for the summer tonight — something I haven’t done since I moved here in 2021. Grad school is out until September, which means lots of good times and thoughts are coming your way. Rather than making up an excuse for being MIA over the last 7 weeks, I’ll leave it at the fact that it took me that long to finish List No.07. I just seem to be in constanty with my lucky number.
Anyhow, I’m excited to take you through some spring-in-the-city memories for a second before we head straight into heated fun. Reviews for the best things write themselves, and this edition is packed with 7 good ones. Even though the weather continued to fluctuate in the city in April (when I started writing this), it was sunny enough to spend time outside. If you’re looking for transitional summer activities that feel larger-than-life yet allow you to enjoy intimate moments, I’ve got you covered: food, business, arts, music, nature, & maybe a drink here and there. Find out for yourself below.
No.01 - Raoul’s: A Downtown Staple
Food & Drink
Dating back to the 1970s, Raoul’s is one of the busiest and buzziest downtown restaurants I’ve ever been to. The iconic bistro with a “serious French menu” was the perfect spot for our 9th anniversary dinner. The room manages to feel Parisian without losing the unrushed SoHo edge scene. Warning: it is tight, loud, and dark in here, but the standout Steak Prime Naturel au Poivre and Hand Cut Pommes Frites are all you need to order (besides a glass of wine and profiteroles) to have an unforgettable dining experience, worth every bit of the controlled chaos. Read about some characters that have frequented the restaurant here; Jennifer Lawrence, Chloë Sevigny, and New York’s Cool Crowd Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Raoul’s.
Safe to say, I’ll be back specifically, for the Burger Au Poivre, only available at the bar on a first come, first served basis. Only 12 are served at every service, which tells you everything.
Location: 180 Prince St, New York - Raoul’s (2026)
No.02 - Día @ Dia, Beacon
Art & Design · Life & Travel
On my second visit to Beacon, the popular Hudson Valley destination outside New York City, the sense of calm I’d discovered a few fall seasons ago was still there. My college best friends and I waited a long time to spend the perfect Saturday here (only a couple hours’ train ride away) and we had such a great time I recently returned with a new guest. The greatness of this town is made possible by a blend of their contemporary art scene, walkable Main Street, and scenic outdoor activities. There’s plenty of spots you should stop by — these are my favorites: Little King, Wonderbar, Flora Good Times.
Dia Beacon is one of 12 museums from the Dia Art Foundation’s collection. Fun fact: it occupies a former Nabisco box-printing factory on the riverbank. Besides its industrial architecture and seasonal exhibitions, remarkable modern pieces by 90s American artists like Warhol and Serra are on view year-round, pulling in crowds from beyond the city to this unique site for reflection — or maybe for just enjoying peace away from the chaos. Enjoy a few photos from both of our day trips, adequate from fall to spring.
I promise to tell you about my other amazing getaway rec (Grace Farms in New Canaan) another time. Next on my hit list: Catskills, Blooming Hill Farm, The Maker, Storm King Art Center, Cold Spring, and Stissing House.
Where to go next?
Location: 3 Beekman St, Beacon, New York - Dia Beacon (2026)
No.03 - Partnered with Havas at Partner Day 2026!
Marketing & Business
More people should be talking about Havas Media Network. Following a class visit from their CEO, Greg James, I had the chance to volunteer at their 2026 Partner Day — an annual innovation-focused evening hosted by the group, designed to strengthen relationships with their media, technology, and advertising partners. A few of my classmates were selected to support the marketing team handle logistics in preparation and during the event.
More on my gratitude for this experience on my Linkedin (where the condensed stuff lives), but I wanted to highlight the impressive agency-side work showcased in the keynote presentations that blew my mind as an Integrated Marketing student. Watching the department heads demonstrate their Converged.AI proprietary tool was a masterclass in campaign strategy, planning, and buying — made possible with an incredible integrated platform. It’s exactly the kind of work we study at NYU: consumer-first thinking paired with a smart blend of human creativity and machine intelligence to build campaigns that mean something to people. Notes from the day below:
Partnership wins driving differentiated growth.
Build to move at the speed of growth.
Connect the right partners, platforms, and solutions, optimizing for client outcomes, not your own margins.
Reimagine performance through the eyes of customers: culture to commerce, omni-channel retail, e-commerce strategy, future-proofing.
Help brands play with culture.
As a plus, I got to see Louis Vuitton’s humongous Tribeca billboard (one I produced with my former team every season), grabbed a great matcha at Meadow Lane (my favorite gourmet grocer in the area), and had celebratory aperol spritzes with the team to close out this amazing opportunity.
Location: 200 Hudson St, New York - Havas New York (2026)
No.04 - Standing on Tables at Radegast
Food & Drink · Entertainment & Media
Live music five days a week, German beer pitchers, & authentic hot dogs — what’s not to love at Radegast Hall & Biergarten on the weekends? If you have a chance to spend an early Saturday at this beer garden in Williamsburg, expect lots of people singing and dancing along to nostalgic tunes played by consistently good bands. The floor tends to fill up quickly, resulting in playful fights for a spot on the wooden benches and tables that fill the sunlit room.
I last visited with a group of friends in April, but this has become a must every year as the city gets warmer. If you need any more convincing, here’s proof of a few of the fun times (and bites) we’ve had.
Location: 113 North 3rd St, Brooklyn, New York - Radegast Hall & Biergarten (2026)
No.05 - The Cultural Impact of Culture Espresso
Food & Drink
My introduction to Culture Espresso happened by random chance 4 years ago when my old roommates and I were hunting for our first New York City apartment. The 3 of us innocently stumbled into the tiny blue-floral-wallpapered coffee shop in the heart of the Garment District, not knowing it would become such a special place for us, for years to come.
Getting right into the ooey gooey stuff: this chocolate chip cookie is like no other. As gorgeously reviewed by The Infatuation’s, their signature, award-winning cookie is best enjoyed warm — but even hours into its lifespan, still delicious, even if it has lost the sublime fresh-out-of-the-oven-magic: “buttery, with generous melty milk chocolate and a sugary crust.” It’s the perfect mix: crispy on the edges and melting inside.
And don’t sleep on the drinks — their coffee is genuinely good, whether hot or iced, making for an exceptional latte. I must mention other standouts from their cookie selection: the “black and white” and “korn” cookies, both rich in flavor and executed to perfection. The staff is really nice. Whether you get to know them as a regular or not, they’ll always greet you with a smile. Adding to the tiny store experience with unique character, you’ll see an array of quirky merchandise you might end up taking home with you.
By the way, we ended up getting that apartment and had the pleasure of being Culture’s neighbors for exactly 3 years. The fact that I’m now frequently in the area again for school is the perfect excuse to stop by for a cookie and a latte every once in a while. On the corner at 38th Street and 6th Avenue, the delectable smell will draw you right in (and you’ll likely want to stick around).
Trust me on this one. This is the cookie all my friends get for me on my birthday, the one I travel with to bring to people who have moved away, the one we reminisce over good times with. And to think they started in 2009 and remain outstanding in terms of hospitality and taste? I’ll stop rambling and invite you to tell me your thoughts below, because if you know, you know.
Location: 72 W 38th St, New York - Culture Espresso (2026)
No.06 - Central Park Cherry Blossoms
Life & Travel
It’s a bit silly to tell you about Central Park‘s emblematic cherry blossoms when they’re already gone for the year. I’m hoping for the chance to see them in bloom in D.C. or Japan sometime, but until then, New York City is the next best thing. If you happen to be planning a trip here next year, make sure to check the park’s map: Cherry Blossom Trees where real-time updates track hundreds of trees, staggered from March to early May in white and pale pink.
Peak time for the best pictures and long strolls is usually mid to late April. For picnics and bike rides, visit during the summer time for an ideal park experience. There’s just something about Central Park that gets you in any season, whether you’re visiting for the first time, or the hundredth.
Location: 5th Avenue and East 72nd St Entrance, New York - Central Park (2026)
No.07 - Los Mejores Tacos @ Taqueria Ramírez
Food & Drink
Greenpoint’s finest: Taqueria Ramírez le ofrece a used, in my humble opinion, the best tacos in the city. There’s a reason why there’s a line constant line wrapping around the block on Oak St.
I dug into what this 2021-founded dine-in spot is about because everything about them hooked me: from their striking brand identity to their curated selection of street-style tacos. It turns out that every detail of the wildly popular restaurant was intentional: a counter that wrapped around the kitchen, red hand-painted menus, colorful plastic plates, and ceramic bowls used to hold condiments like cilantro, onion, and lime. The extensive origin story — born during the pandemic out of a lifelong passion for making tacos and missing Mexico City — is told best in Brooklyn Food Lady’s Substack story.
From our barstools, we watched the friendly crew build each taco in an impressive flow state, all in their tiny square of a kitchen. The Pastor (marinated and roasted pork with pineapple) was not only our group’s favorite, but also the house best-seller.
Location: 94 Franklin St, Brooklyn, New York - Taqueria Ramírez (2026)
It’s interesting to write in retrospect. It makes you really consider what you’re putting out there. Transparently, this blog was born as an assignment for my Digital Marketing class this spring, but I hope you enjoy future iterations as I explore what it becomes with a voluntary life of its own. If you’re doubting whether to share your work —for the love of the craft, or for reasons bigger than you know right now, this is your sign to just do it. But remember to edit first (you’ll thank yourself later). Until next time!