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Exploring Some neighborhoods worth checking out... Greenwich Village Stretching from 14th Street to Houston Street, and from 6th to 11th Avenue, is a favorite neighborhood to stroll in - leafy streets, Federal-style town houses, cozy restaurants and bars-have witnessed and inspired bohemian lifestyles for almost a century. Funky craft stores, artsy boutiques and sidewalk cafes refuse to give way to Pottery Barns and Starbucks. It's a neighborhood on a very human scale, with small delights around every corner. If you are in the mood for sweets, stop by the Magnolia Bakery, and choose one of their famed cupcakes and coffee - sit on the bench outside, watch the locals converse and take in a late afternoon. If a pint of beer is more your style, head to 86 Bedford St. (near Grove St.) to Chumley's (purposefully made unobtrusive to throw off the cops back in Prohibition days). This is one of New York's classic bars (take the steps right into the seemingly private courtyard, and don't be shy about asking for the bar's location if you can't find it). Chumley's has been a writer's hangout for decades, attracting patrons like Calvin Trillin, John Steinbeck, John Dos Passos, and Allen Ginsberg. Or for a late afternoon burger, you can find the best in the city at Corner Bistro, 331 West 4th St at Jane St. Please don't be put off by the barfly décor or paper plates - these are great burgers! On your way back to your hotel, walk through Washington Square park and check out the comedians and buskers that surround the often empty center fountain, right in front of the mini-Arc de Triomphe. Soho Soho stands for 'SOuth of HOuston' and falls, south of Houston, north of Grand St, from 6th Avenue to Broadway. This area is chock-o-block with well-known designer shops and beautiful people. Stroll through the blocks, check out where the rich hipsters of New York live and spend money. There are great deals on the sidewalk, with creative vendors selling jewelry, art, textiles, and other crafts. Stop in at SOHO Nail, West Broadway between Prince and Houston, to get the cheapest and best manicure/pedicure ($20 for both!). Check out the new PRADA store on the corner of Spring and Broadway - for the latest in top fashion chic and interior design! Across Broadway, on Spring St, you will pass Balthazaar - step into their take away door, and enjoy a break with café au lait; sit on the benches outside, mingling with New York families, their dogs, and often, a famous actor or musician. Afterwards, go across the street to the MoMA store - the fabulous shop for the Museum of Modern Art; affordable and very modern, this is the place to pick up gifts! Chinatown Manhattan's Chinatown is impressive, with the main artery of Canal Street from Broadway to West Broadway being the true bargain hunters paradise. And on the bordering tiny streets, there are countless restaurants; Mott Street-from Worth to Kenmare Street-is lined with Cantonese and Szechuan places, as is East Broadway. Try some of the wonderful snacks, such as bags of little, sweet egg pancakes. Worth a visit, too, is the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (65 Bayard St between Mott and Elizabeth Sts, 212-608-4170), whose flavor options run from fresh lychee sorbet to green-tea ice cream. Canal Street is also (in)famous as a source of blank cassette tapes and counterfeit designer items; vendors hawk everything from fake Louis Vuitton bags to the cheapest "brand name" running shoes. Push past the doors of any of the area's gift shops, and you'll be rewarded with all manner of inexpensive, one-of-a-kind Chinese imported goods, from teacups and good-luck charms to kitschy pop-culture paraphernalia. One of the best shops is the bi-level Pearl River Mart, at the corner of Canal Street and Broadway, which is brimming with imported food, dresses, traditional musical instruments and videos. By Boat If you'd like to gain perspective on this towering island of concrete, opt for a trip on the water that surrounds it. The Circle Line's, 42nd St at Twelfth Ave, Pier 83 (212-563-3200) three-hour circumnavigation of Manhattan is one of the best and cheapest ways to take in the city's sights. Watch midtown's urban jungle eventually give way to the forest at the northern tip of the island, and keep an eye out for Columbia University's rowing teams practicing in their sculls. A two-hour cruise sticks to mid- and lower Manhattan. If speed is your style, try out a ride on the Chelsea Screamer, Chelsea Piers, 23rd St at West Side Hwy, Pier 62 (212-924-6262). This narrated speedboat cruise takes you past the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Intrepid, the Brooklyn Bridge. Not for the mild-mannered-these powerboats really do scream along the river. Another option, is the Staten Island Ferry. Described by Bob Dylan, "If you ain't got a dime, don't you worry, you can always hop on the Staten Island Ferry." Yep, this trip is completely FREE. South St at Whitehall St (718-727-2508). Take a picnic, the one you love, and enjoy panoramas of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty-it's a great trip, especially at sunset. Boats depart South Ferry at Battery Park continuously throughout the day. |
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