Our luck, Colleen’s and mine, is pretty great. One example: We moved into the neighborhood a few years ago and wanted to find a great local bar. We also saw a cool old bar/diner a block away, all shuttered and dusty, with the greatest (but defunct) neon sign known to man, and we wished it were open. A few years later both our desires came true, wrapped in one: the Long Island Bar reopened late last year, buffed & polished, a gorgeous time capsule of a joint with courteous, professional service to boot. And some damn fine cocktails.

Emma Montero Sullivan ran the Long Island with her husband Buddy before shutting down in 2007. As the dust piled up, Toby Cecchini and Joel Tompkins started sliding notes under the door, asking about a lease, promising not to tamper with the vintage 1950 perfection of the decor. Eventually, they met a family member of the owners, got a meeting, then a lease, and cleaned the place up. Made it shine, too. Left Buddy’s cigarette burns on the bar, varnished them to a luminous sheen, fixed the booths’ upholstery, and opened the doors. And there was much rejoicing.

When I expanded the Great Good Places series the Long Island was first on the list, and when I was ready to show ’em, this is where we hung ’em. They’re up till May 26. Catch ’em if you can.