Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
restaurants and boutiques. On weekends the cobbled streets and
narrow sidewalks are packed with shoppers, with the prime action
between Broadway and Sullivan Street north of Grand Street.
In recent years SoHo has been crawling its way east, taking over
Mott and Mulberry streets—and Elizabeth Street in particular—
north of Kenmare Street, an area now known as
Nolita
for its
No
rth of
Li
ttle I
ta
ly location. Nolita is becoming increasingly well
known for its hot shopping prospects, which include a number of
pricey antiques and home-design stores. Taking the no. 6 train to
Spring Street will get you closest by subway, but it's just a short
walk east from SoHo proper.
The East Village & NoHo
The
East Village,
which extends
between 14th Street and Houston Street, from Broadway east to
First Avenue and beyond to Alphabet City—Avenues A, B, C, and
D—is where what's left of Manhattan's bohemia is. The East Vil-
lage is a fascinating mix of affordable ethnic and trendy restau-
rants, upstart clothing designers and kitschy boutiques, punk-rock
clubs and cafes. Several Off- and Off-Off-Broadway theaters also
call this place home.
The East Village isn't very accessible by subway; unless you're
traveling along 14th Street (the L line will drop you off at Third
or First aves.), your best bet is to take the 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, or W
to 14th Street/Union Square; the N or R to 8th Street; or the 6 to
Astor Place and walk east.
The area around Broadway and Lafayette between Bleecker and
4th streets is called
NoHo
(for
No
rth of
Ho
uston), and has a com-
pletely different character. As you might have guessed, this area
has developed much more like its neighbor to the south, SoHo.
Here you'll find a crop of trendy lounges, stylish restaurants, cut-
ting-edge designers, and upscale antiques shops. NoHo is fun to
browse; the Bleecker Street stop on the no. 6 line will land you in
the heart of it, and the Broadway-Lafayette stop on the B, D, F, or
V lines will drop you at its southern edge.
Greenwich Village
Tree-lined streets crisscross and wind, fol-
lowing ancient streams and cow paths. Each block reveals yet
another row of Greek Revival town houses, a well-preserved Fed-
eral-style house, or a peaceful courtyard or square. This is “the Vil-
lage,” from Broadway west to the Hudson River, bordered by
Houston Street to the south and 14th Street to the north. It defies
Manhattan's orderly grid system with streets that predate it, virtu-
ally every one chockablock with activity, and unless you live here,
it may be impossible to master the lay of the land—so be sure to
take a map along as you explore.
