Super nice mens- & womens-wear. Kind German girl behind the counter most days. Good boots & great windows.

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.

You've heard about the reading room at the New York Public Library, haven't you? Then I need not go on. Just look at it. And you're allowed to hang around in there!

Grand Central is big and beautiful and it also periodically hosts free cultural events - poets at typewriters custom-composing poems on demand - or Alvin Ailey dancers performing in Artist, Nick Cave's horse suits!

Unlike a lot of neighborhoods the sidewalks in this area are often still paved in the original slate slabs. You can see “extra” pieces sometimes chained up outside like this…. Why pour concrete?