Andrew Tarlow's Diner is a neighborhood institution and pioneer of gratuity-free establishments in Brooklyn. This place serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner in an old converted dining car under the Williamsburg bridge. A seasonal menu of fresh, New American style food that changes daily.

A very interesting selection of books.

This is my favorite bar in the city: original cocktails, an unpretentious crowd and live jazz.

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.

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.