Young men's fancies are turning to thoughts of love, daffodils and cherry blossoms are blooming, and pea shoots are available at Union Square Greenmarket. It's really springtime, everyone! So celebrate the season before it turns to a swelter with this easy recipe courtesy of Lee Gross, executive chef of veggie-heavy Broadway East.

Spring Pea Shoots with Shiitakes

2 handfuls fresh, crisp pea shoots (not tendrils)

1 small handful (about 5) very fresh shiitake mushrooms

juice of half a lemon

1-2 tsp excellent quality olive oil (fruity or grassy)

good quality sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

hard grating cheese

--Remove stems from shiitakes. Slice caps as thin as possible. (A Japanese vegetable knife or mandoline will work best).

--Combine pea shoots and sliced mushrooms in wide, shallow serving bowl.

--Sprinkle with sea salt and toss gently. Let sit one minute.

--Drizzle vegetables with lemon juice and olive oil. Grind in some pepper and toss lightly again.

--Shave very thin slices of cheese over vegetables and serve immediately.

After a mad binge on a chocolate Easter bunny recently, I was reluctant when a friend wanted to stop at Economy Candy. But the detour was soon made worthwhile when I spied not only a selection of Giant Pez, but Robot from "Lost in Space." I had to have it. It's over a foot tall, holds up to twelve packs of candy and dispenses an entire roll at a time. But the best part--when you pull back its head, it talks! Robot utters about half-a-dozen phrases from "My sensors indicate a Pez collector approaching," to "Danger, danger Will Robinson!" of course. Best $18 I ever spent.

You know those off-the-radar places that are so good that you don't want to share the news? Well, it's my job, so my loss is your gain. I'd read about Sake Bar Hagi, and had always meant to go, but it was after I saw it on Anthony Bourdain's show that I decided to actually get off my butt and go.

My timing couldn't have been worse: The holiday-shopping-tourist hordes in Times Square are one of the few things that actually turn me into a Travis Bickle-style New Yorker. So it was quite a relief to duck out of the madness, through a simple marked door and down a flight of stairs. The basement space is windowless and undecorated, save for a few bamboo trellises and TV screens. And yet the place is packed by 6:30pm on a Friday, and after munching on izakaya fare like yakitori made with duck, bacon wrapped asparagus and salted eel, you'll understand why. Pitchers of Kirin run $10--you may have trouble getting back out to wrap up your purchases.

My mom insisted that I not buy her a Christmas present this year, so while it's unlikely I'll be shopping on the Upper East Side, I'm sure plenty of people will be. And with temperatures this December feeling pretty darn wintery, they're gonna need a shopping break that's both a power-up and a warm-up. Arguably the hottest food trend of the year, ramen is also one of the best ways to heat up a chilly body quickly. The bowl served at newcomer Naruto Ramen was, frankly, tastier than the one at the year's most ballyhooed noodle spot, Ramen Setagaya. While the broth is not as subtle as Setgaya's, I don't really care so much about subtlety when I'm craving noodle soup. Plus, the pork is juicier, and the addition of narutomaki (the pink and white swirled fishcake) makes for a festive eyeful. For more Asian soup fixes, check our list of 5 must-try noodle houses.

I recently moved into a new place, so I've been spending a lot of time scouring Chelsea thrift shops. The other day I walked by this sweet little Argentinian cafe and decided to stop for quick bite. It's called Prudence Cafe and is somehow affiliated with the florist, Prudence Designs, across the street. The homemade empanadas (available in beef, tuna and spinach) are well worth the trip. With an almost croissant-like crust, these buggers are addictive, especially the spinach one, which has a hearty nutmeg flavor. At $2.50 a pop, they're not the cheapest in the world, but a lunch special pairing two of them with a salad for $7.95 seems like a fair enough deal for the neighborhood. Also on the menu are crepes, but those will have to wait until my next shopping expedition.

Korean food hasn't fully infiltrated New York the way its Asian-fare peers have. Of course, there are many great spots in Koreatown and in the outer boroughs, but outside of that, most options are the more expensive spots like Dok Suni in the East Village. So I was definitely excited to try the tiny takeout joint, Express Manna Kitchen, near Union Square. After browsing furniture at ABC that I can't afford, it's a nice spot for a quick lunch. And though I can't say the bulgogi was the best I've ever had, it definitely scratched an itch--at $8.50 with salad, noodles and kimchee, that's about all I needed it to do. Extra credit for offering wait-free outdoor dining in the neighborhood for under $10.

Brooklyn's yearly party on Atlantic Avenue is always a cut above the usual street fair--more than just tube socks!--and this year was no exception. In fact, the eatin' was so good, I was stuffed by the time I finally found the booth previewing the organic ice cream of Blue Marble (which opens this Saturday). My first priority was to head to  Stir It Up for some red-hot chicken wings, one of my favorite dishes in the borough, and they didn't disappoint. Other faves included the potent sangria at Jolie and Nicky's always delicious bahn mi. The award for worst dish goes to the multiple Latin Corner booths, whose $4 arepa is fast on its way to replacing the sausage and pepper sandwich as biggest street fair cliche.

When Kebab Garden first opened in the East Village, I was a bit daunted by its fake fire lanterns and ceramic squash-lined ceiling. But, recently, I got turned on to Turkish spot's hot buffet table, which, as you can see from the photo, is about a mile long. It's the perfect place for a quick, cheap lunch-break if you're doing some shopping in the East Village. Load up on hummus, babaganoush, lamb betyi kabab (similar to meat loaf) and even fresh fish of the day--all for $5.99 a pound, which will leave you with some extra bucks for those vintage frames from Fabulous Fanny's. Plus, the gourd ceiling doesn't seem as weird, now that it's almost autumn.

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