Both your suggested plans are fine. what are your particular interests?

Turn on satellite view in Googlemaps and take a look at the neighborhood surrounding the High Line—lots of restaurants, shops, and galleries as it passes through the Mearpacking district and Chelsea.

my interest are art, interesting shops, but mostly getting the flavor of a neighbourhood.

What day of the week will this be? That might make a difference in terms of art galleries open etc. The Highline is not very long and runs from 20th st. down to Gansevoort in the meatpacking district which is on the edge of Chelsea and Greenwich Village. http://www.thehighline.org/about/maps It would be easy to walk the highline and explore a bit of all 3 areas. On a weekend, I think I might prefer Brooklyn. During the week, Manhattan.

PS, saying you're on 58th st. is not really explaining where you're staying. You always need to give at least 2 streets (ie 58th st. & 7th ave.) to explain a location.

If you're going to be on your own and are intimidated, you could always do a walking tour.

Highline Park runs from Gansevoort St to 20th Street,near 10th Avenue. The Chelsea Gallery District is heavily concentrated between 10th and 11th avenues, 20th to 24th Streets.

Highline is HIGHLY over-rated, in my opinion as a proud New Yorker.

If you're interested in contemporary art, take a quick stroll on the elevated walkway (the "park") and then visit some galleries just north in Chelsea.

I suggest you pick up an Art Forum for guidance.

Enjoy!

Yes, just to be clear, the Highline is fascinating but it's a PARK and it's far above street level, so you'll find absolutely nothing up there. You have to go down to the street to explore galleries, but for my time, they just aren't worth the trouble. I'd go to Brooklyn, explore the Promenade and Brooklyn Heights (perhaps the Transit Museum) or go to Queens and see the Museum of the Moving Image or the sculpture garden (they aren't in the same place, so you do have to choose).

We went to Brooklyn - at Grand Army Plaza and Prospekt Park, walked there (it is a very nice area and , a beautiful triumph arch). Then went to Columbus Plaza in Brooklyn and from there we walk to Manhattan across the Brooklyn bridge. We loved this half day trip!

I am staying at the Salisbury, but want to explore a different area. Good suggestion, as it is a Monday. I know that most public museums (not MOMA) are closed, but do Monday closures apply to private galleries also?

NYC galleries are usually open M-Sa 10-6.

Better known galleries include Gagosian, Pace Wildenstein, Matthew Marks, Cheim & Read, Yvon Lambert, Paula Cooper, Mary Boone, Luhring Augustine, etc. All the blue-chip galleries have multiple spaces in Chelsea.

Chelsea is really dominated by art galleries, but 192 Books on 10th Avenue is nice, and I go to Printed Matter (across the street) once every few months to look at their art paraphernalia.

There's a Comme des Garcons in Chelsea.

When you are on the High Line, you get a rather fascinating view of the latest Manhattan additions, such as the Standard Hotel and Frank Gehry's IAC building:

http://www.iacbuilding.com/interactive/content.html

A few blocks south of Chelsea, you get the Meatpacking District. Chelsea Market has some interesting shops (there's a Nicole Farhi). If you're looking to buy clothes, there's a Jeffrey on 14th, not to mention other high-end designers nearby. Theory is in the neighborhood as well. And you can look at furniture at Vitra.

During October, you may be able to catch an interesting auction preview from Phillips de Pury. The space offers some very nice views as well.

Of course venture further south and you hit the Village.

If you are crossing the bridge to Brooklyn Heights, be sure to visit the Brooklyn Promenade, which gives you a classic million-dollar view of the Manhattan skyline.

We spent an enjoyable day in Brooklyn by going to the www.brooklynmuseum.org . They have a varied collection of modern art, huge collection of Egyptian. Not quite the wow factor of the MOMA but veryy enjoyable. We also went to the botanical gardens, it was a little slower paced.

Oh, I forget to mention that the temple of cool, the Apple store, is in the Meatpacking District....

I truly enjoy the high Line. You get a very differest perspective in terms of textures, angles, colors, and design from that height.

There are number of galleries in the buildings near the High Line where you start at the top floors and work your way down.

Will post some addresses tomorrow.