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Five Great New York Neighborhoods
You've probably heard of midtown, the West Village, SoHo, Broadway, and other prominent sites on New York City's tourist trail – and with good reason! These destinations are well worth seeing, and represent much of the heart of New York's historic and cultural treasures. But for an alternative look through New York's many enclaves, here are five Manhattan neighborhoods worth spending a morning or afternoon wandering about.
1) Morningside Heights
While the Union Square area is far more well-known as a student hangout, located as it is near the New York University campus, but this subtler district around Columbia has a far less commercialized charm. A bit out of the way, to be sure, the West 100s around Broadway nevertheless are filled with beautiful architecture, funky bookstores, and legendary cafes. Visit the Gothic St. John the Divine cathedral, the writers'-haven cafe The Hungarian Pastry Shop, and famous Columbia haunt The Labyrinth, one of New York's best used bookstores.
2) Carnegie Hill
This upscale residential area on the west end of the Upper East Side between 86th and 96th has a slightly different feel to the rest of the UES. With pre-war buildings, picturesque shopfronts, restaurants with outdoor seating, and even a playground, this area is ideal for families with children to visit. Restaurants like Island, Bistro de Nord, and Vico's, all in the East 90's on Madison, are some of the most atmospheric and have some of the best food in the city.
3) Riverside Drive Park
Not quite a neighborhood, but a wide-ranging structure nonetheless, the park along Riverside Drive shows New York architectural innovation at its best. Obscured from the highway proper by a series of trees, this park features a bike path and river-walk heading all the way down to Battery Park. Also available are various piers on which to sit (some with free wifi), riverside cafes, basketball courts, and more.
4) East Village
Funkier and far less gentrified than its western neighbor, the East Village is still vibrant, grungy, and admittedly somewhat seedy. While the famous eastern drag of “St. Mark's Place” is a scene-ster tourist trap, further east you can find a still-thriving Ukranian community (Veselka, at 144 2nd Avenue, is a great Ukranian restaurant), a variety of fun eateries (Chez Jules and Cafe Mogador are excellent examples of French and Moroccan cuisine, respectively, both on St. Mark's Place west of 3rd avenue), and enough thrift, vintage, and record stores to keep the grungiest hipster happy.
5) Yorkville
This quiet residential area stands in stark contrast to what is normally thought of as the “Upper East Side.” Primarily middle-class, with a historically German background, Yorkville is now a glance at what “normal” New Yorkers live like. The area around Lexington and 86th Street is the nexus of an inexpensive shopping district, with tons of cinemas, chain stores, and Starbucks all easily accessible. (Try a Tasti-D-Lite on 86th St. between 1st and 2nd Ave – these faux-ice-creams are a New York legend) But head further east towards the beautiful Carl Schurtz Park off East End Avenue and you'll find a tranquil residential district. Try The Ethiopian Restaurant on York Avenue in the East 80's for an off-the-beaten-track restaurant.
By Tara Isabella Burton
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