The rules: Answer as many of the 48 questions as you like (but a minimum of 15, and you must answer #1–4). Please limit most answers to the general geographic area. P.S. Photograph by Claudine Williams.

1. How long have you lived in the area? Where did you move from? Where are you originally from?
We decided to make the move downtown in 2004 from the Upper East Side. We moved into our apartment at the end of 2005, when our son was 9 months old. I grew up in Long Island and went to college in Philadelphia.

2. Married? Partnered? If so, what’s his/her name and occupation?
I have been married for sixteen years to my amazing partner, Lou Cortes. He is in the paperboard packaging business.

3. Kids? Pets?
Yes to kids, no to pets. We have two children: our son, Maverick, is 11 and our daughter, Memphis, is 7.

4. Where do you live?
Northern Tribeca.

5. What do you do for a living?
I am a sexologist and sexuality educator. I design and implement the sex ed programs in many Manhattan schools and conduct seminars on talking to your children about sex/uality and relationships in general.* I have written two parenting books, Got Teens? The Doctor Moms’ Guide to Sexuality, Social Media, and Other Adolescent Realities and Third Base Ain’t What it Used to Be, and I’m a professor at the University of Michigan in the School of Social Work’s sexuality education program. I also did a three season stint on the televised social experiment, Married at First Sight. (*On September 29 at 6:30 p.m., I’ll be speaking at Dr. Tiffany Otto Knipe’s Washington Market Pediatrics’ fall kick-off event. Feel free to come out if you are interested in “The Sex Talk: Talking to Your Kids About Sex in the 21st Century.”)

7. Most-frequented restaurants:
Square Diner, Terroir, and Terra. One evening at Terroir, Paul Grieco wanted to test out some new grape juices (seriously, no alcohol) and introduced my daughter to the history and geography of Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir grapes. Every time we see him, Memphis knows just what to ask for and her pronunciation is outstanding! He remembers her every time, even during the wonderful chaos of Taste of Tribeca.

8. For special occasions, I go to:
When I was twenty-three (which seems like a lifetime ago), Lou and I got engaged at Nobu. I am sad to see it move further south to the Financial District. It represents such a wonderful moment in my life and now that I’ve been there so many times, I have mastered the art of ordering a satisfying dinner without breaking the bank!

9. Best sandwich:
There are two sandwiches that I love and at the moment, I can’t choose which is “the best” because they are so very different: I love a well-done grilled cheese with bacon (and fries) at Square Diner and the eggplant sandwich at Locanda Verde is also delicious.

10. Sweet-tooth satisfaction:
I have a serious sweet tooth. Recently, we stumbled into Eggloo on Mulberry for the most delicious Hong Kong waffle ice cream concoctions. And I love the dark chocolate bark from Tribeca Treats. (Sometimes, Rachel Thebault will make dark chocolate graham crackers—they are a major family fave.)

11. Most delicious cocktail:
I am not a big pressed juice drinker, but I will splurge on WellWell (it’s at Whole Foods). It has watermelon juice, tart cherry, lemon, and it is amazing with Tito’s vodka.

16. I’m so glad Il Mattone is [back] in the neighborhood, because without it… I’d be desperately missing that rigatoni bolognese—which I was craving for the last few years.

17. How I stay fit:
I do two things (one more gracefully than the other). I walk and I spin. I am definitely part of the SoulCycle frenzy. I can’t help myself. I hate to exercise and it is the one place where I can zone out, sing out loud, sweat, and be done. But there is nothing better than walking all over Manhattan. I’ve walked to 92nd and Broadway from Tribeca on a gorgeous day. Have earbuds, will travel.

19. What’s the area’s best-kept secret?
Though this isn’t a secret to those of us who live here, there is nothing better than Halloween in this neighborhood. We are a family who dresses up (usually with a theme). To see people of all ages dressed up, opening up their businesses, serving wine with candy, and running into all of your friends from preschool on, is extraordinary. After Sandy, I had to trick or treat with my children on the Upper East Side (where we were temporarily housed), needless to say, it was not the same.

21. A worthy splurge:
Sushi of Gari. We loved it when we used to live uptown and were excited to see that Gari was opening in Tribeca. That being said, it’s delicious, but can become expensive.

23. When my kids are older, they’ll always remember….
Years ago, when my oldest was two years old, he was at a playdate/lunch with another family. They were waiting on a long line outside of Bubby’s. The manager at the time recognized my son (we used to go there quite a bit when we first moved downtown) and said, “Maverick, is that you?” The gentleman brought them right into the restaurant to sit down. Whatever you might say about this neighborhood as it evolves, it will always be the place where people do know your name and care that you are around. It’s why I can’t live anywhere else.

30. I tend to take out-of-towners to:
Pier 26, Battery Park City, and El Vez for margaritas. When you don’t live in New York City (let alone downtown), you assume that we never see greenery and that our families are deprived of nature and outdoor space. Well, Hudson River Park is incredible. My kids love the mini golf and ball fields and we have created some of our favorite family memories having picnics on the lawn along the water.

33. Pet peeve:
When our children were young, I loved that the parenting vibe down here was cool and calm when it came to, well, everything. It seems that now there is a lot more anxious parenting; I wish it could go back to the way it was.

38. The most romantic spot around:
I’m not sure I would call it “romantic,” but the sexiest looking bar in Tribeca is definitely at Tamarind. [Pictured at top.]

39. Tribeca could use more cheese/specialty meat shops and less/fewer Starbucks. Though I must admit, I love Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Broadway.

40. If I could change one thing about the neighborhood:
While there are definitely changes that I love, I could do without all of the enormous buildings being developed in the neighborhood. I feel like I’m being smothered. I miss the the “small-town” charm of the Tribeca of years ago. Also, the beautiful cobblestone streets are atrocious now. I inadvertently drove into a crater so big that I popped my tire; my kids have named the spot: The Pothole of Death. Oh, and I really would love to see the paparazzi outside of the Greenwich Hotel go away. It’s so invasive; if I wanted to see that going on, I would live in L.A.

41. A business I’d like to have here:
I would love to have an ice cream joint in the neighborhood. A place with great gifts and candy and tables so that after dinner or a date you could go in and have something sweet. I would open it myself, but I would probably eat my profits.

42. A business I miss:
My family misses the bar at Dylan Prime. We would go with a group of friends and their children, eat burgers, and watch the Rangers (hopefully) win.

43. My best Tribeca story:
Living in Tribeca has been the most amazing experience for my family. When the kids were younger (and sometimes still to this day) those of us who shared a hallway used to keep our doors open and everyone (adults and kids alike) would wander in and out to play, hang out, have a glass of wine, or eat a meal. It was as close as any of us were willing to get to communal living, and it was incredible.

Recent TCQ&As:
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