How long have you lived in Tribeca?
I’ve lived in Tribeca since 2004 and worked here (at Kula Yoga Project) since 2002.

Which restaurant do you frequent most often?
Hmm. We always end up at Bubby’s with the kids for burgers. Chef Ron focuses on local ingredients and locally raised meat that we can feel good about feeding to our family.

Which restaurant do you tend to go to for special occasions?
Well, my husband and I had our wedding luncheon at Bouley and seem to return there when we want to celebrate something special.

Where you order in (or get take-out) from? Are there dishes you always order?
Oh, Takahachi for sure. We love the Buddha rolls, the Apollo 13 rolls, and the soba salad. The white miso is our Tribeca penicillin. We’ve ordered it to nurse us through colds and stomach funks.

Which shop do you find it hard to resist popping into when you pass by?
Capucine. Sigh. Seriously, the whole place is delicious. From the lovely children’s furniture downstairs to the fancy frocks upstairs, it’s the place where I could easily spend my rent. For furniture and beautiful objects, I go to Jonathan Burden (formerly Burden and Izzet). The huge chandeliers, the surprisingly mod mixed with those rich antiques? Yes, please. And, for snacking, who can resist the chocolate tortes and the little pizzas at the Grandaisy Bakery?  Even when we’re in a hurry, I find myself hauling the double stroller up those steps.

What was the last non-essential item you bought in Tribeca?
An eggplant-colored-rainbow-flowered headband for my daughter at Shoofly—although, she would most likely consider it absolutely an essential.

Where do you always take out-of-towners?
Teardrop Park to slide down the big slide and Blaue Gans for brunch. The apple pancakes are swoon-worthy. They also do a mean schnitzel.

Which neighborhood building do you wish you lived in and/or owned?
All of the buildings around Duane Park are absolutely gorgeous, especially if you had a view overlooking the park itself. The brick building at the northeast corner of Hudson and Duane (where Bouley is now) is a dream from the outside. Right now, we live in a converted cheese factory. The history and the feeling of old Tribeca permeates the place.

What’s your favorite part of Tribeca (street, park, whatever)?
This is a hard one, but I’d have to say the little alley streets—Staple [right], Hubert, etc.—that seem like secret urban passageways. Plus, I heart graffiti.

Your most memorable Tribeca celebrity sighting?
Liev Schrieber. My son is also named Liev, so we did a grand introduction. “Liev, Liev. Liev, Liev.” I got to grill him about how to get people to say their name right and complain that people so seldom do. He told us that Leo Tolstoy’s name was really Liev, too. Not too shabby.

If you could change one thing about the neighborhood, what would it be?
The public schools are awesome but getting super crowded. So many parents are working as activists on this front, and I would love to be in on that process of change.

Why Tribeca?
My husband and I met and fell in love in Tribeca. I had a homebirth with our second child, so he was born right here in the neighborhood. Our kids’ preschool teacher, Judy Stevens is an artist who has taught out of her loft for the past 30 years. We said that, even if we had to move, we would still commute back here just for her.

Any questions you wish we’d asked?
What’s the best place to buy children’s birthday presents? My friend Shimon, who owns 28 Warren St. also runs the craziest shop downstairs. It’s wall to wall with suitcases, belts, and tchotchkes, but there are some seriously good deals on things that you would pay a lot more for in a fancy store. Melissa and Doug toys and little Spider Man or Dora backpacks, for instance. Also: What’s the best resource for spices? If not for Bell Bates, I would have to leave the neighborhood to buy dried herbs and spices. It’s by far their forte, and the prices are more than reasonable.

You can find Cate’s blog at tribecayummymummy-cate.blogspot.com. Interested in participating in the TCQ&A? Email us at editor@tribecacitizen.com.