Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE LOWER EAST SIDE
The bargains aren't what they used to be in the
Historic Orchard
Street Shopping District
—which runs from Houston to Canal
along Allen, Orchard, and Ludlow streets, spreading outward along
both sides of Delancey Street—but prices on leather bags, luggage,
linens, and fabrics on the bolt are still good. Be aware, though, that
the hard sell on Orchard Street can be hard to take. Still, the district
is a nice place to discover a part of New York that's disappearing.
Come during the week; many stores are Jewish-owned and close Fri-
day afternoon and all day Saturday. Sunday tends to be a madhouse.
The artists and other trendsetters who have been turning this
neighborhood into a bastion of hip have also added a cutting edge.
You'll find a growing—and increasingly upscale—crop of alterna-
shops south of Houston and north of Grand Street, between Allen
and Clinton streets to the east and west, specializing in up-to-the-
minute fashions and club clothes for 20-somethings, plus funky
retro furnishings, Japanese toys, and other offbeat items. Stop in at
the
Lower East Side Visitor Center,
261 Broome St., between
Orchard and Allen streets (
&
866/224-0206
or 212/226-9010;
Subway: F to Delancey St.), for a shopping guide that includes ven-
dors both old-world and new. Or visit
www.lowereastsideny.com
.
SOHO
People love to complain about super-fashionable SoHo—it's become
too trendy, too tony, too Mall of America. True,
J. Crew
is only one
of the big names that have supplanted the artists' lofts that used to
inhabit its historic buildings. But SoHo is still one of the best shop-
ping 'hoods in the city—and few are more fun to browse. The cast-
iron architecture, the cobblestone streets, and the rich-artist vibe:
SoHo has a look and feel unlike any other Manhattan neighborhood.
SoHo's shopping grid runs from Broadway west to Sixth Avenue,
and Houston Street south to Canal Street.
Broadway
is the most
commercial strip, with such recognizable names as
Pottery Barn,
Banana Republic, Sephora,
and
A/X Armani Exchange. H&M,
the popular Swedish department store with cutting-edge fashions
sold at unbelievably low prices, has two stores that face one another
on Broadway.
Bloomingdale's
has opened up a downtown branch in
the old Canal Jean space.
Prada
's flagship store, also on Broadway, is
worth visiting for its spacious, almost soothing design alone (by
Dutch architect Rem Koolhaus). A definite highlight is the two-
story
Pearl River
Chinese emporium, which offers everything from
