I just spent my first Christmas in New York, and I can safely say I will now count it among my favorite Christmases ever.

Besides getting to meet my edibly adorable little niece and hang out with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, sister and her boyfriend, and a host of other family and friends, I got to be totally immersed in one of the most enchanting of all cities for a week, experiencing new sights, sounds, and tastes every day, meeting new friends, and freezing my butt off. And then there are the never-stopping subways, (mostly) abundant taxis, and this feeling that you can go anywhere, anytime. New York, in my mind, is a little bit of heaven.

Here are some of the places we went that I encourage you, dear reader, to check out next time you are in NYC:

Good Eats
Grimaldi's: A New York institution, recommended to us on three separate occasions by three separate sets of New Yorkers as the finest pizza in all the land. Tucked under the Brooklyn Bridge, in the neighborhhod they call DUMBO. You may have to wait outside in the snow, treading dangerously close to the prospect of amputated toes, but once there is room for you to squeeze inside and smell the brick oven, I promise you, it's all worth it. (Who really needs their pinky toes, anyway?) I recommend any pizza with fresh basil and olives (these are full-force oil-cured gems, not rubbery sliced olives, y'all--molto bene!) Wash it all down with a bottle of locally brewed Williamsburg Root Beer.

Teany: Perhaps *the* perfect place on the planet for my sister and I to lunch, as it combines a treasure trove of vegan goodies (for her) with a ten-page tea menu (for me). We had the Tea for Two, with its selection of dainty veggie tea sammiches, scones, and these unbelievably rich vegan petit-fours that had me exclaiming, "I can't believe it's not butter!" This matchbox-sized cafe lives up to its name, so be prepared to wait for a table or shimmy sideways into one when it becomes avaialable. The Lower East Side locale and the fact that Moby is the co-owner give the joint hipster cred. If you are so inclined, order a pot of the Earl Grey Creme: a cornflower-and-vanilla-infused Earl Grey. You will not be disappointed.

Devi: My sister-in-law and brother-in-law gave us a gift certificate here for Christmas, and we felt all cutting edge to see that printed in the corner of the card was its designation as only the third gift certificate issued by the place. The New York Times had good things to say about this romatic Indian restaurant, and we were not disappointed. We ordered the vegetarian tasting menu and the regular tasting menu with one minor tweak to make it veg-aquarian friendly, and shared each course for a total of 14 distinct tastes. It was a tour de force for the palate, to be sure, and by the second to last plate we were beginning to lose steam. But, folks, if you know us, you know we don't do anything half-assed. We follow through. The house cocktails are innovative and complimentary to the food; the service is warm, if a bit too chatty; the room is beautifully designed and decorated; and the wine list is good.

Mercadito: A newish Mexicanish place near where we were staying in NY, it was soothing to the soul on our first night in the city despite our grungy-feeling, airplane-rumpled clothes and lost baggage. Perhaps the margaritas helped--infused with different chiles and fruits, they're perfect with samplers of equally creative guacamoles and ceviches. Another teeny-tiny NY restaurant, but don't be averse to taking your dinner at the bar if no tables are available: We did, and enjoyed the personalized service and recommendations from the beautiful and in-the-know bartender.

Candle 79: Another gift-certificate-funded meal, at Candle Cafe's new venture, and another vegan meal, since the gift certificate was for my sister and me and our mates, from my parents. Despite my ten-years-plus of enjoying meatless food, I've never been a big fan of seitan, tempeh, and the like. But I took a leap and ordered the seitan piccata, mostly thanks to the enticing side sishes it came with, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The appetizers and desserts were tasty as well. In fact, all four of us were a little more than happily stuffed as we rolled ourselves onto the subway after dinner. Give this place a shot if you're uptown, even if you're not vegan.

2nd Avenue Deli: Bring your appetite. This is the Jewish Mother of restaurants, meaning they bring you scrummy food, and lots of it. Blintzes the size of San Francisco burritos. Delightful Challah French Toast. We were there for breakfast, if you haven't already guessed, and choosing from a somewhat limited range of choices for vegetarians. But I have it on good authority that the colossal pastrami sandwich is what you order here if you are a meat-loving kind of person.

Good Go-To's
MOMA: You've gotta see the new digs, of course. The building is gorgeous; I like how the architect, Yoshio Tamaguchi, used windows to display the exterior views of the city as works of art in themselves. A new industrial-design exhibit is interesting, if a bit liberally curated (we all know Apple makes sleek gadgets, but this installation bordered on a shrine to Saint Steve Jobs). All of MOMA's greatest hits are there, too, of course, but some are now cleverly displayed along open stairways and through peeks in the building's many interior viewpoints. Prepare to wait in line, to get in, to check your coat, to use the loo, and to see the most popular pieces.

Museum of Arts and Design: Across the Street from MOMA, this little museum is featuring a mouthwatering show of vintage Seaman Schepps jewelry and a very interesting textiles exhibit: FiberArts 2004. It's not exactly fiber, but the mosaic portrait of Britney Spears constructed of handpainted fake fingernails is not to be missed.

NY Transit Museum: You should take the A train to Brooklyn to visit this cool interactive museum. Permanent installations chronicle the building of the subway, and the subway station-like basement houses dozens of historic cars, dating back to the early 20th century, complete with of-the-time ads above the windows. Great for kids, or kids at heart.

The Nutcracker: A Christmas classic, especially when perfromed by the New York Ballet at Lincoln Center. This production is especially enchanting, as it still features children dancing some roles.

Good Goods
As you can see, I spent most of my time in New York eating. But I did squeeze in a teeny bit of shopping one day with my sis. Check it out:

Knit New York: An independently owned little cafe/yarn shop in the East Village. Coffee, croissants, and cashmere--Hello, people, I ask you: does it get any better? Yes, it does: this place is full of friendly and helpful salesfolk who actually knit, they have a weekly "boy's night" for XY-endowed knitters, and there's plenty of seating at which you can park yourself for a snack and a swatching session with that yarn you just bought. Fine selection, good price range, great sale bin. I got a frequent buyer punch card even though I don't exactly live in the neighborhood. What can I say? It was love.

H&M: A standby for anyone who loves them a good bargain on hip, trendy, in-season duds. I always find at least one item that I love here, especially in the accessories (my best buy this go round: an olive-green tote emblazoned with cowboys on bucking broncos that I've been, uh, toting ever since). I heard a rumor recently that San Francisco will soon have its own H&M. God give me strength.