No matter how many times I visit New York City, I am always overwhelmed by its riches. Not the cosmic bonuses that hedge fund managers earn, or the amount of money Russian oligarchs pay for fashionable apartments overlooking Central Park. Rather the museums, art galleries, theatres, architecture, colleges and parks that brand it as one of the great cities of the world.Its art galleries are loaded with works that most recognise but have only seen in books, its theatres feature world-famous actors, dancers and musicians and its imaginative buildings were crafted by architectural giants.What distinguishes New York from other prominent cities is that a large part of its fame is a consequence of the benevolence and generosity of a number of homegrown business magnates.Unlike Rome, Athens and London, whose importance is largely linked to their historic past, New York's allure is a tribute to an influx of immigrants who fled famine, poverty, revolution and extermination and rebuilt their lives in a country free of prejudice and persecution. Most immigrants arrived with little money and were given no handouts, but they soon recognised America was a meritocracy, a nation that rewarded its people for skill, ability and hard work.New York was an important trading port as far back as the early 1700s, but its transformation into a commercial metropolis was launched with the mass migrations that began in the 1860s. After emerging unscathed after World War 2, New York displaced major European cities - weakened by the conflict - as a leading financial and cultural centre.Thanks to the graciousness and philanthropy of many prominent New Yorkers, who continue to honour a city and system that allowed their talents to flourish, residents and visitors can walk through the Vanderbilt Gate into the manicured lawns in Central Park's Conservatory Garden. A few blocks further south, along 5th Avenue, is the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The museum is renowned for its collection of Impressionist, modern and contemporary art, originating from the personal collection of its benefactor, Solomon R Guggenheim. A short taxi ride away is the concert venue Carnegie Hall, built in 1891 by Scottish-born industrialist Andrew Carnegie.Over the years, other well-off luminaries have contributed to the city's cultural wealth, bequeathing art collections, funding hospitals, schools, theatres and terraces or creating a family legacy like Walter P Chrysler, who, in 1931, built and paid for the iconic Chrysler Building as headquarters for his eponymous motor company.Living in New York comes with a price, though. Its work ethic continues at a pace few outsiders can put up with. Observing my son-in-law, Brett, an investment banker, answering messages late one evening, I commented on how hard he worked. "We don't work hard," he answered unassumingly. "Our clients do." But New York works smartly, adapting to the strict regimen of its customers. Department stores, laundries, hairdressers and nail spas stay open until at least 9pm, supermarkets never close, restaurants welcome late diners and the trains never stop running.It's a city that doesn't allow you to rest. Once a brand that forced its stylish consumers to queue outside its flagship store on 5th Avenue, Abercrombie and Fitch's fashions no longer appeal. Instead, crowds are congesting at Japanese retailer Uni Qlo's stores in SoHo and 5th Avenue. Uni Qlo is taking the city by storm, confirming New York is still open to innovation and fresh ideas, irrespective of the source...