This quaint shop boasts an artfully arranged and tastefully curated selection of jewelry, pottery, books and art. I have to keep myself from going there too often, because I have trouble leaving without making a purchase.

Fried chicken. Biscuits. Sausage gravy. Artisanal root beer. House-made pickles.

Leaf through over 30,000 artists' sketchbooks in what may be the world's largest collection.

Strand is a castle of books. It claims 2.5 million new and used books, across 18 miles of shelves, cared for by 200 employees—so set aside a couple of hours. Plenty of art books and good prices. Get your healthy huff of that old book smell.

Karasu is our neighborhood go to for a chill date. It's a cozy, well-lit space with excellent cocktails and a small Japanese menu. The tonkatsu is amazing, and perfect for sharing because nothing says romance like a fried pork cutlet.