Patisserie Tomoko is a French/Japanese bakery tucked away at the base of a condo building on Union Avenue. Patrons are seated at a U-shaped bar that overlooks their busy open kitchen, allowing you to feast on their sweet delights, while you sneak peeks at how pastry Chef Tomoko and her talented staff create. Known for their Prix Fixe menu that pairs wines, teas, or coffee with three courses of sweets as divinely delicious as they are beautiful, Tomoko also offers à la carte desserts like my favorite year-round pumpkin pie (unlike any you’ve tried before), or you might choose layered yuzu or green tea cakes, divine cream puffs, and a variety homemade ice creams and sorbets. Freshly baked yuzu doughnuts appear on the weekends. And no matter when you visit, Billie Holiday will likely be singing soulfully to you as you sup.

As Jim Jarmusch put it in the documentary Blank City, the address is roughly between Bowery, Avenue B, 14th Street and Houston. This area of the city is steeped in art, film, and music history; so many hugely influential artists, film makers, and musicians still live and work here. For such a small area, I think it's had more concentrated influence on contemporary art and culture than anywhere else.

The Christmas light House in the Bronx is a neighborhood fixture that is hard to miss. It is decorated year round with life size statues and is painted  bright pink. Though it draws most of its audience during the holidays it is an anomaly throughout the seasons. Such a bizarre place with such exuberant colors and vibrancy attracts an artists eye and will draw you in.

This is very small and not much but if you're a fan it's nice to stop by and cherish this legend.

Paris in Brooklyn, etc. I have to try hard not to say 'Garçon.' But either way, 'monsieur' would be more appropriate; proper French waitstaff, proper French food.