My friends are the first to admit that it takes a lot for me to venture to Midtown. Mostly, it's because I'm never home -- when I am, I like the comfort and familiarity of the Lower East Side. So it was a special occasion when I found myself headed north to visit my out-of-state friend, who was staying at the Andaz Fifth Avenue. The hotel never lost its buzz since it opened last July, and after the trek to the hotel—across from the New York Public Library—I found out why.

● Pies-n-Thighs (Williamsburg) - Long-awaited return of comfort food legend. ● Andaz Wall Street (Lower Manhattan) - Hyatt gets haute on the Financial District. ● Andaz Fifth Avenue (Midtown East) - New-school Hyatt brings both style and substance to the heart of midtown.