Lucky Cat

I always enjoy browsing the shelves in Japanese markets. When I first entered this one, I assumed that it was similar to the others that I had visited on the side streets. I soon learned from the people behind the counter, however, that this was a business unlike any other in Manhattan. They explained to me that a family had opened Katagiri in 1907, and they have been on 59th Street ever since.

The delectable assortment of French pastries was only the beginning of the excitement for me when I first visited Eclair Bakery. Getting to observe and speak with owner Stephane Pourrez, as he was preparing pastries, macarons, croissants and, of course, a variety of eclairs made the experience very special. An alumnus of Ferrandi, the French School of Culinary Arts in Paris, Pourrez worked in New York for a year as a pastry chef before he fulfilled his "childhood dream" of opening his own bakery. No matter what time I chose to pop in, I always found others sipping on their cafe au lait, and mingling with fellow French natives.

Lyn Trotman describes Quest as “a peaceful sanctuary in the heart of midtown. ” President of the New York Theosophical Society, which studies the wisdom behind various world religions, Lyn also operates the Society’s book shop, Quest. The store is a pleasantly-scented oasis, with a section devoted to incense, candles, and gemstones. People interested in esoteric studies and rituals can browse through books on every conceivable spiritual tradition, from Kabbalah, to Sufism, to Buddhism, and all things in between. “A lot of other metaphysical bookstores are gone. We are the oldest one left. ”