Peter Hannert is a photographer who turned to retouching, and whose company, Stella Digital, is based on W. Broadway. Take a look at the portfolio on Stella’s site, and you’ll see that Hannert has had a hand in many well-known fashion and advertising images. (Also: The reader who suggested I contact him sent over this interesting interview.) The portrait is by Adam Sternin—and Hannert swears he didn’t do any work on it.

The rules: Participants can choose which of 40-odd questions they’d like to answer, but they have to answer numbers one through four (and at least 12 total).

1. How long have you lived in the area? Where did you move from? Where are you originally from? Originally from Michigan. Moved to New York 24 Years ago. Stella Digital’s office has been in Tribeca for the last 9 years. I moved down to Tribeca from NoHo two years ago so I could walk to work.

2. Married? Partnered? If so, what’s his/her name and occupation? Not married.

3. Kids? Pets? Two girls, 8 and 4 years old.

4. Where do you live? BPC—great for kids!

5. The best deal around: Not really Tribeca but close—Staten Island ferry! Great to get out on the water—get someone you like to be with, good sushi and some beer and take a sunset cruise past the the Statue of Liberty, etc. then come back to NYC. Nice ride and it’s free. (I haven’t done this since college but I remember it being fun.)

6. My most-frequented restaurants: Nobody takes better care of me than the Odeon. I also like Marc Forgione, Greenwich Grill, Blaue Gans, the Harrison….

7. For special occasions, I go to: Marc Forgione is good—but then so is that Palm at Walker’s [see #10]….

8. Best sandwich: Columbine [now Café Clementine], Grandaisy Bakery, and Mangez Avec Moi all make good sandwiches—but one of the best sandwiches on the earth is the BLT at the Odeon.

10. Most delicious cocktail: The Russian Caravan at Brandy Library is really good but that place is a bit stuffy—there are also good cocktails at Smith & Mills. The best might be a cold Palm beer poured by my friend John at Walker’s.

16. How I stay fit: I used to go to Peter Anthony. It’s really a great place to get in shape! I just got too busy to make it there. If I find some more time I’ll definitely go back.

17. Where I get beautiful: Well, I do own a retouching company….

18. What’s the area’s best-kept secret? Wouldn’t be a secret if we told….

20. A worthy splurge: Wine! Chambers Street Wines and Tribeca Wine Merchants [left] are great.

21. A recent case of sticker shock: [Please avoid real estate.] The frickin’ parking garage. It’s a little annoying to pay a small rent to park one’s car.

23. Rainy-day activity: Swimming with the kids at the Downtown Community Center!

25. Kids’ classes you’d recommend: Downtown Dance Factory is great!

33. If money were no object, I’d…. I have a friend (and Tribecan) involved with an amazing charity called Edible School Yard. I would like to see all the schools here put gardens in like they’ve done at P.S. 216. If money were no object, I’d make it happen.

39. If I could change one thing about the neighborhood: Tribeca could really use a great Mexican place. I won’t name the one or two we have but let’s just say, they’re not up to par.”

45. If I couldn’t live here, I’d live in…. Argentina.

If you’d like to do the TCQ&A—or you want to recommend someone—email tribecacitizen@gmail.com.

Recent TCQ&As:
• Dan Kohn