can't get enough: Kings County Distillery, Brooklyn NY

The most magical part of living in New York (besides the exquisite and never-ending supply of baked goods) is the ability to hop on a subway and ten minutes later emerge into a completely new world.

No better example of this is Kings County Distillery, perched on the edge of Dumbo. Housed in the old Paymaster Building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, it's now the oldest operating whiskey distillery since Prohibition… having launched in 2010.

The building itself is beautiful -- all exposed brick and arched windows -- but just as enchanting is the tiny garden around the side. On a late August evening, it was filled with giant sunflowers, hot peppers were growing in abundance, and old time country music warbling over the picnic benches.

In the midst of such loveliness, any drink would have done, but the night's moonshine specials were arguably the most pleasant we've had all summer. I started with the watermelon basil -- clean and easy and only a touch sweet -- and then swapped over to the cucumber dill, with a hint of brine. With free Zapp's chips (the classiest touch of all), I was ready to call it home. Which, luckily, was just a few minutes away.