Marilyn Monroe's favorite was Miss Milton's Lovely Fudge Pie, and she'd eat it wearing nothing but Chanel No. 5 and a raincoat. Andy Warhol always savored the Lemon Icebox Pie, stealing bites while he watched and sketched other diners through cutout holes in a newspaper he held upside-down in front of his face. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis came for the frozen hot chocolate and brought John-John and Caroline, who now brings her own children.

Where did all these luminaries and many more devour these sinful treats? At Serendipity 3, New York's legendary dessert restaurant and boutique. The restaurant's history is as rich as its desserts, and this book, commemorating its fiftieth anniversary, lets you indulge in both.

Founded in 1953, before the concept of theme restaurants even existed, Serendipity was one of the first restaurants in the country to turn dining into a theatrical experience, to create an ambiance as fun as the food that was served. Located near Bloomingdale's in one of New York's toniest East Side neighborhoods, Serendipity fills two floors of a historic townhouse. Decked out with original Tiffany lamps, black and white floors, fabulous Victorian oversized posters, and idiosyncratic adornments such as a huge clock and metal horse, the restaurant takes you down the rabbit hole into a fairy-tale world.

The desserts, represented by seventy-five recipes in this book, make everyone feel like a kid again. Many evoke the comfort of grandmother's kitchen, but many also have a creative, irreverent kick to them. Since many are based on heirloom recipes from one of the founder's families, all the recipes are easily achieved at home and can make fun projects for the whole family.

Recipes include: Cheesecake Vesuvius; Strawberry Fields Sundae; Chocolate Chip Pizza; Chocolate Blackout Cake; Lemon Rain Drops; Frozen Tutti Frutti; and many more.