The best place to see a dramatic sunset is right by Valentino Pier in my neighborhood of Red Hook, Brooklyn. This was right after a storm. It's wild and brilliant and peaceful all at once.

I had been living in Brooklyn Heights for some time and Long Island Restaurant has been closed for as long as I could remember. Then one day, the sign was lit up and not long after the new owners had resurrected the spot with the promise to the previous owners the name and sign never changes. Order "A Martini" from the menu. It's divine. As are the french fries. They're double fried.

This is a great park, from free concerts to summer to the Brooklyn flea markets over the weekend or take the ferry across the river. Rain or shine I never get sick of that view.

Founded and designed by Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum preserves the working atmosphere of the artist's former studio in New York.

Manhattan's Chinatown is my second favorite neighborhood next to Fort Greene. It's full of people, odors, bars, clubs, cafes, and restaurants. There's always something going on here.