Anyone who lives and reads in New York City knows that we are lucky enough to be surrounded by an abundance of independent bookstores—despite the fact that some of our favorites continue to fold. In celebration of the indie gems that remain, we've homed in on some of our favorites. The following shops score high in categories such as best prices, ambiance, cute employees, and the all-important Cat Factor.
Ten Best Independent Bookstores of NYC
List Alert: NY Mag, Crain's and the Daily News
Everybody loves lists, right? In that spirit, here's your list alert: New York has its annual "Best of NY" issue out this week, and you can see it all online, and check in on their picks for things such as best tasting menus, best sober activities, and best repair specialists. They give props to our new neighborhood candy store! You can also check out some new lists from Crain's on the 50 most powerful women in NYC and the 40 best places to work in NYC. Finally, the News has a list of the best iphone applications for NYers, including SitOrSquat, which'll get you to the closest cleanest public bathroom.
Best Way To Read A Best Of NYC List
The Village Voice released its yearly Best of NYC 2009 list, just in time for all of you looking for ridiculously specific things like the best tattoo parlor straight out of "Cry Baby," the best mini-golf in Bushwick, or the best erotic bloodletting. Here are a couple of notables:

