Brighton Beach: The Boardwalk, the bathouses and the grub

New York City winters are long, and while they're never too cold for too long, the drab colors and the shortened days can often get you down.

This may run counter to traditional thinking, but winter is actually a great time to take a trip to one of the city's beaches. You can take in the natural surroundings in a way you can't when you and hundreds of others are vying for the same sandy spot.

The place to start is Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, which was spared much of the damage Superstorm Sandy wrought on the nearby Rockaways and Coney Island. There's the beach, but there's also the neighborhood, which is as rich as the borscht you should definitely try on your visit.

The neighborhood has long been a Russian enclave, and the area has the stores and restaurants to prove it. Like most of the neighborhoods in New York City, the strong identity of Brighton Beach is a point of pride for its residents.

The boardwalk also offers prime Atlantic Ocean viewing. Looking out at the water, the city can feel very far away, indeed ... until birds swoop down and eat trash off the sand instead of fish out of the ocean.

And if you're really looking for a raucous time, fueled by Russian vodka, head to Tatiana Restaurant, (3152 Brighton 6th St., 718-891-5151, tatianarestaurant.com). Known for live cabaret shows, vodka that runs freely like water, dancing and of course, large Russian dinners, Tatiana is a mainstay of Brighton Beach and is considered by some to be a truly New York (by way of Russia) experience.