10. MAGNOLIA BAKERY. (401 Bleecker Street). Kitty mentions this Greenwich Village bakery par excellence to Bear at one point in MISS MATCH. In the novel, Kitty and Bear don't live too far from here, but the high-rise in which I've domiciled them is a fictional location. I suggest to anyone visiting New York who places as high a priority on desserts as I do, that they run-don't-walk to the Magnolia Bakery. People flood this little shop and scarf up the cupcakes so fast, the staff can hardly seem to keep up with the demand. I'm a frosting freak, and Magnolia's buttercream is to die for. Life is short, so eat dessert first. Besides, you may want to walk off all those cupcakes (though you can also fill a box and take them with you to munch on your merry way), as you tour the West Village. The Magnolia Bakery is practically at the northwest end of Bleecker street, so after you stop at the bakery, continue to walk along Bleecker Street as it wends its way southeast through the heart of the Village. The brownstones and townhouses on some of the side streets are gorgeous. Once you're on a quiet side street like Bedford Street for example, you will feel as though you have stepped back in time, although you are only steps from the hustle and bustle of one of Manhattan's oldest and most famous neighborhoods. Enjoy the fabulous shopping, great restaurants, visit a jazz club, and soak up the Greenwich Village experience.

There's always something to fall in love with about New York City, and such a broad range of experiences to sample and savor. Any and every kind of culture, commerce, and creativity is here for residents and visitors alike to enjoy. You'll encounter people from every corner of the world who have come to stop or to stay. You can hear nearly any type of music, from the South American musicians who play in the subway stations to chamber music at Carnegie Hall. You can eat your way up, down, or across town at myriad restaurants featuring every conceivable kind of ethnic fare from An American Place to Zen Palate. You can break the bank at Jean Georges or gorge yourself for under a dollar a half mile north at the famed Papaya King. You can find just about anything in my New York…perhaps here you'll even find true love.