Jane Mayle | designer | New York | Three Lives & Company

Sounds like Breakfast at Tiffany's. Where do you shop? I like a shop in NoLita called Mayle, which is just a small boutique shop. Usually the designer Jane Mayle is there, and she makes really beautiful clothes. Right near there is A Détacher. A designer opened the store, and it's a small shop with really beautiful and interesting clothes. I think it's hard to find Jane Mayle or A Détacher at other places. It's part of what I like about New York. You couldn't go to just any city and find that shop. You have to go to New York.

Are there any bookstores as unique as those clothing shops? I like a bookstore on Bleecker Street called the Biography Bookshop. They don't have only biographies, but I think they probably have a good selection. I read mostly fiction, so I don't even know how their biography section is. They are so helpful there. If you look on the shelf for something and you can't find it, just ask the guy behind the desk, and they will dig it up for you. I also like Three Lives & Company bookshop. Three Lives is prettier, while the other is more ramshackle, but they are both pleasant to be in.

Where do you typically spend your lunch hours? The best pizza is Joe's Pizza. It's just great pizza, with a really thin and crunchy crust. You can get either a regular slice or a slice with fresh mozzarella, and either is delicious. And also the tomato sauce is kind of light-colored and not sweet. You know how sometimes bad tomato sauce is sweet? This is not sweet. It's sort of salty, light, fresh-tasting tomato sauce with cheese on a thin crust. It's really what I think pizza is meant to be. It's not fancy at all, but it's really good. Oh, you know what's a great place, a good neighborhood place? Bonsignour Café. It's like a takeout-food neighborhood place. There are only four tables. You can't sit down and eat. It has really delicious food, really good coffee, and really great people who work there.