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.
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.
I love enjoying some Amazing Vietnamese food at this place before heading out to the different bars around Jefferson on L. The restaurant is just behind Elsewhere so you have a nice mix of things to do if you start your night here.
The Bronx Botanical Garden is a place my father and I have been going to since I was a child. Here's a photograph I took of him here. It has hundreds of species of trees and flowers. Sitting in the middle of the Bronx, it's most recognizable as a green oasis from the grays and concrete of city life.