If you see Ariel Porath out celebrating tonight, here’s why: His former company, Metaweb, was purchased by Google today. Ariel headed strategy and business development for Metaweb when the company came together. Several years ago he moved here from San Francisco to begin working on Local Labs, a platform for locally focused services, which is in development. Before becoming an entrepreneur, he worked at BV Capital/Bertelsmann Ventures, investing in early-stage Internet media companies.

How long have you lived in the area?
I moved to Tribeca a little over four years ago from San Francisco.

Estancia 460

Which restaurants do you frequent most often?
Lots of great restaurants to choose from. I go to Estancia 460 quite a bit, because the food is delicious and Stacey Sosa, the owner, has created a very welcoming atmosphere for locals. I also like Zutto, Max, Zucker’s, Ear Inn, and recently TriBeCafe, which has a really nice atmosphere and drink menu.

Which restaurants do you tend to go to for special occasions?
I like Sushi Azabu at Greenwich Grill because the food tastes very fresh and the people that work there are nice and helpful. Informally, the desserts (especially the cupcakes) at Bubby’s are really good—as are the desserts at Tribeca Treats.

Where do you order in (or get take-out) from? Are there dishes you always order?
I probably order from Viet Café and Max the most. I’ve been vegetarian for a very long time, so my dishes are probably not as creative as they could be. At Viet Café, the vegetarian summer rolls and the vegetable stew are both great—at Max, the rigatoni alla Siciliana is tasty and filling.

Which shops do you find it hard to resist popping into when you pass by?
Hmm… Probably Barnes & Noble. I have a huge stack of books that I keep adding to and not reading. Maybe it’s time to stop shopping there so often and get through the ones I already have.

Diddy at 92YTribeca

What was the last non-essential item you bought in Tribeca?
Tickets to see Diddy speak at 92YTribeca. I don’t really listen to hip-hop music, but he has accomplished so much within that industry that I just wanted to hear his story. I ran into a friend from elementary school there—it’s a pretty small world.

Are there any services (salon, fitness, etc.) that you’re particularly glad are in the neighborhood?
The service isn’t great, but the Kinko’s (uh… FedEx Office) on Duane has saved me on so many different occasions that I’m happy they’re nearby.

What’s Tribeca’s best-kept secret?
Who the graffiti artist who tagged “Rod Stuart Loves the Hamptons” all around Tribeca is…. That’s a pretty creative tag and I’m pretty sure there is a good story behind it.

Where do you always take out-of-towners?
For a walk along the water if the weather is nice. For breakfast, getting a bagel at Zucker’s makes everyone happy.

Which neighborhood building do you wish you lived in and/or owned?
Can’t really beat my living situation, but if I had to pick another spot…. Maybe River Lofts or the new building going up at 33 Vestry.

What’s your favorite part of the area (street, park, whatever)?
I like how empty the streets can still feel at night in Tribeca—especially on Greenwich near Watts, Desbrosses, and Vestry. Doesn’t really feel like such a huge city walking near there.

Your most memorable celebrity sighting?
I remember seeing Jay-Z and Adam Yauch, from the Beastie Boys, on the day after I moved here. They were both true to form: Jay-Z was stepping out of a Maybach limo in front of his place and Yauch was picking up a coffee and skateboarding away.

If you could change one thing about the neighborhood, what would it be?
Stop the constant digging on Greenwich. When is that ever going to end? There is way too much jackhammering in the morning.

What’s changed around here that you like? That you don’t?
Too many shops have gone under over the past few years. It’s a real loss to a neighborhood when the smaller businesses either can’t afford to continue operating with such high leases or just aren’t able to generate enough foot traffic to make ends meet.

Why Tribeca?
It’s convenient, it’s quiet, it’s scenic, and the people in the community are all very nice. Each is reason enough to consider a neighborhood. That they are all in one place—I feel very fortunate to live here.

Any questions you wish you’d been asked?
Nope, all good.

Recent TCQ&As:
• Matt Lundquist: “I Love How Empty the Streets Are”
• Meredith Gonzalez: “We Had Our First Date at Mr. Chow”
• Wickham Boyle: “We Used to Close the Streets for Cookouts”
• Matt Schneider: “Life Just Keeps Getting Better and Better”
• Judy Dunne: “Last Halloween, a Client Dressed Her Son as a Lobster in a Pot”