Neighborhoods

One of the best parts of New York City is the plethora of family-run or similar delis, restaurants, and boutiques. Each neighborhood is defined by its own set of ventures—and pretty much all of them have their benefits (except for maybe Times Square area. No mom and pop shops there.)

In my own neighborhood of the Upper West Side, one of my favorite spots is Celeste, where the constantly evolving cheese plate is to-die-for. The charismatic Roman owner explains his own fresh Italian dairy at the speed of lightning in his thick accent—on average I catch about an 1/8th of what he says and probably 1/10th of his jokes. But it doesn’t matter while I’m tasting anything that delicious.

Land, my favorite Thai place in the UWS, is trendy but welcoming. It’s a tiny spot that feels bigger once you’ve slid into your table because of all the mirrors and lighting. Wok basil with beef and their chicken curry puff appetizer are constant staples—but I’ve never had anything bad from here. Be careful – 3 Stars means you’re going to be crying from the spice!

This all comes to the forefront because of a recent visit to Cookeville, TN – land of commercial outposts and chain restaurants. My time in Tennessee was a fun Southern escape, but sometimes that’s just what you need to see how much you have right at your doorstep.