Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3
Old John Street United Methodist Church
Head 1 block south and make a left onto John Street. Just past Nassau Street you'll reach a quiet little plot that's
been dedicated to Methodism since 1768, when the first American congregation began meeting in a humble
chapel here. In the tiny, free museum (
212/269-0014;
www.johnstreetchurch.org
)
you'll find a wooden pulpit
and altar from the original building, along with a still-working clock given by John Wesley himself. The paintings
and memorabilia are on the musty side, but it's an interesting history—Harlem's Mother A.M.E. Zion Church
had its origins among freed slaves here. The current church dates to 1841, as reflected in the understated Itali-
anate sanctuary upstairs.
4
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
One block south on Nassau Street, between Maiden Lane and Liberty Street, you'll reach the Florentine Renais-
sance hulk of the Federal Reserve Bank (see p. 91 for a full review). The
American Numismatic Society
(
212/
571-4470,
ext. 112;
www.numismatics.org
) keeps a gallery here. Among the cowrie shells and currency you'll find
a 1933 Double Eagle, a gold coin purchased for 400,000 times the value printed on its face. Due to increased se-
curity, you'll need to make an appointment to visit.
5
Meal Break
Right around the corner at 53 Nassau St. is a small shop with fresh, delicious Indian food.
Diwan-E-Khaas
(
212/571-7676
) serves rich
palakpaneer
for $6.50 and chicken
tikkamasala
for $7.50. Entrees include a choice of rice
or naan. A second location is at 26 Cedar St. (
212/480-0697
).
Also nearby is downtown legend
Sam's Falafel,
run from a cart on the northeast corner of Cedar Street and
Broadway. The long line will tip you of to the quality of the food here. Portions are huge and prices are tiny ($4
for a sandwich, $6 for a platter).
Take a Free Ride
The Alliance for Downtown New York's Downtown Connection offers a free bus service that provides easy access to down-
town destinations, including Battery Park City, the World Financial Center, and South Street Seaport. The buses, which run
daily, every 10 minutes or so, from 10am to 7:30pm, make dozens of stops along a 5-mile route from Chambers Street on
the west side to Beekman Street on the east side. For schedules and more information, call the
Downtown Connection
at
212/566-6700,
or visit
www.downtownny.com
.
