I guess I'm too late too -- but I love Union Square Park best of all
The Farmers Market is there on Saturday, and if it's nice out on Sat and Sun there are usually lots of artists there with really great stuff (I almost never leave without something from one of them)
And there's a nice Barnes and Noble right there at the park
The Strand Bookstore is just a block or so away, and the ABC Homestore
And it's super-easy to just take an NRQ train right from Times Square down to 14th, it's only like 4 stops
Plus, it's a great place to just hang out, read, or watch the dogs in the Dog Park
I spent most of the early afternoon there yesterday, before my 3pm matinee
You don't go to the dragon without a present - Mark Rylance