Greenwich Village, New York City

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The area around Greenwich Village is far from what most tourists picture when they envision NYC. Particluarly on the Western edge, there are tree-lined narrow streets, small houses, some built in the early 1800's, pretty parks, etc.
One interesting spot to visit is Grove Court, off of Grove St., just South of Bedford St. This little enclave of houses was built in the 1850's and is fenced off from the street, making it look like small village of federal-style houses. It's a different kind of experience than Times Square, etc!

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Formerly known as the Bowery, East Village lies east of Greenwich Village and NoHo, north of the Lower East side, south of Stuyvesant Town. Its includes the area known as Alphabet City (Avenues A, B, C, D).

In the late of 19th Century and early of 20th Century, immigrants from German, Ukraine, Poland and Ireland have made the East Village their new home. Since then the area has been home to the Beat generation of the 50s, hippies in the 60s and punks in the late 70s and 80s. Today it’s still a young person’s neighborhood with New York University in the area. The East Village has been considered one of the strongest contributors to American arts and culture.

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Greenwich Village also known as the West Village or the Village. The neighborhoods surrounding the Greenwich Village are the East Vilalge to the east, Chelsea to the north, SoHo to the south.

Greenwich Village has been a hotbed for art, literature and music for most of the 20th Century. It has transformed to a bohemian enclave of struggling writers and artists. Many American artists have made their homes in the Village. It remained a mecca for creative people. New York’s gay community can be found in Christopher Street in the West Village.

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At the beginning of Fifth Avenue, a white marble Memorial Arch replaced a wooden arch which was fired by a group of Liberal Club pranksters in 1917. The original wooden arch designed by Stanford White was erected in 1889 to mark the centennial of President Washington’s inauguration.

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The center of Greenwich Village is known as The Village and Washington Square Park is the hub of the Village. The park was dedicated in 1826, surrounded by rows of elegant townhouses with charming alleys.

Magnolia Bakery makes the world's best cupcakes. It's a small, but famous dive frequented by locals. The limit is such each person is only allowed to buy a dozen at a time. The cupcakes come in chocolate and vanilla. You must also try the "banana pudding" which sell out pretty quickly during the day.
Cupcakes and banana pudding are pretty cheap. Less than $5 for both.

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Greenwich Village is a great place for idle wandering and people-watching from sidewalk cafés. New Yorkers call it simply "the Village" since the area began as a country village - in most of the western part, narrow brownstone-lined streets reflect early farm boundaries and meander haphazardly through the village without regard to grids.
The Village first became fashionable in the 1830s, when elegant townhouses were built around Washington Square. It has remained a bohemian haven that has been home to many artists and writers, and today many of the city's media power elite live here -- they fill the bistros and bars that line Bleecker and Hudson Streets, the area's main thoroughfares.

The area of Washington Square Park is home to the New York University - the park hums with musicians and street artists. Eight Street is a long procession of punky boutiques, shoe shops and piercing-parlors - however, most non-conformists tend to live in the East Village, as Greenwich Village - including West Village (west of 6th Avenue) which is a popular gay district - has become more mainstream and very high priced during recent years.

Not too far from where we stayed and went twice to eat and shop. Nice little bars and shops. Some are aimed at tourists but you can find plenty of bargains if 5th Ave is not youyr style. I got a gorgeous silver deco style ring for $25 and was a bit worried it might turn my finger green...hasn't though. Still wearing it and everyone notices it. I also bought a wicked dress for $35 dollars that I have since customised futher. No fear of anyone else wearing it on the same occasion. Cheap and quirky stores thats ell everything.