New York

One of the best art experiences you can have in this city isn't in a gallery or a museum. It's not even in Manhattan. Socrates Sculpture Park in Astoria will force you to shed your reservations about long N-train rides, art, and the cultural validity of Queens. Beyond being an anomaly in the neighborhood, SSP stands out because of the art itself. The curators seem to understand the perverse humor of putting a sculpture park on the edge of the East River overlooking Roosevelt Island and the temporary installations at SSP have the same aura of playful unexpectedness: a stack of plaster birthday cakes, a fake subway entrance, a beheaded and cross-sectioned vinyl whale. Their new exhibit opens September 13th, and though their summer film series is over there will be more events before Arctic winds blow in from the Bronx. So stop being an art-snob and go to Queens to learn that good art knows how to enjoy itself.

Photo:  Molly Riordan