Donna Dailey - 2009-12-14

Bounded by 14th Street on the north and Houston Street on the south, this area runs from Broadway west to the Hudson River. To New Yorkers, it's simply known as 'The Village'. They may also refer to it as the 'West Village', which is technically the area west of 6th Avenue. The East Village, which lies east of 4th Avenue or the Bowery, is a separate area altogether, in atmosphere as well as geography.

 

The Village has always been one of New York's most desirable places to live. It's hard now to imagine its pastoral origins in the early 19th century, when the well-to-do residents of Lower Manhattan came here for fresh air or to escape epidemics in the crowded city. Those early days are visible in the narrow, angular streets which follow old country lanes and cow paths, flouting Manhattan's orderly grid pattern.

 

The residential streets of the Village are tree-lined and often cobbled, with oases of green in the little parks and squares, and courtyards tucked away amidst the buildings. Here you'll find generations of New York architecture that have largely disappeared from most other parts of the city: Federal-style homes, blocks of Greek Revival townhouses, and the handsome brownstones that are the quintessential image of old New York.

 

Since the mid-19th century they have been home to a long roll-call of prominent writers and artists, including Washington Irving, Mark Twain, Henry James, Edgar Allan Poe and Edward Hopper; the playwright Eugene O'Neill and poets Walt Whitman, e. e. cummings and Dylan Thomas.

 

From the early 1900s, the Village attracted radicals and intellectuals such as the Communist journalist John Reed and his wife, the feminist writer Louise Bryant. Political movements, experimental theatre and all things avant-garde thrived.

 

By mid-century it was truly New York's bohemian quarter. Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and other abstract expressionist painters hung out here, and its smoky jazz clubs and cafes became the stomping ground of Beat Generation writers Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs. As a nucleus of 1960s counterculture, it nurtured musicians such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, and alternative publications like the Village Voice newspaper, co-founded by author Norman Mailer.

 

In recent times, soaring rents have squeezed out the struggling artists and true bohemians. The Village is less edgy and more trendy these days, its brownstones and low-rise apartment blocks occupied by celebrities and affluent professionals. But its offbeat atmosphere, eclectic shops and vibrant bars and restaurants are an eternal magnet for visitors and locals alike.

 

Washington Square Park is the major landmark in the Village. Formerly a pauper's graveyard, duelling ground and execution site (the ancient tree in the northwest corner is known as the Hanging Elm), the square is a prime spot for people-watching. Cyclists and skate boarders whiz past tables of chess players and students lounging on park benches. Street performers juggle, sing, mime and dance around the central fountain. Villagers exercise their pets, whether it's a beagle or a 6-foot boa constrictor.

 

At the north end, the park's grand marble arch, designed by Stanford White in 1895, marks the start of 5th Avenue, New York's famous thoroughfare. It replaced an earlier wooden structure which commemorated the 1889 centennial of George Washington's inauguration as the nation's first president. In 1916, artists John Sloan and Marcel Duchamp climbed to the top to declare the Village an independent republic.

 

The surrounding streets are largely occupied by New York University buildings. Founded in 1831, it is the largest private university in the country. The Grey Art Gallery, in the main building of the campus at 100 Washington Square East, has temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Along Washington Square North, The Row (nos.1-11) is the city's finest block of early 19th-century town houses in the Greek Revival style. Writer John Dos Passos and artist Edward Hopper were former residents.

 

In the Forbes Magazine Building at 62 5th Avenue, the Forbes Galleries display objects from the personal collection of the late publishing tycoon Malcolm Forbes. Fabergé eggs, toy soldiers, model boats, early Monopoly games, paintings and autographs make up the diverse exhibits.

 

The four-faced clock tower of Jefferson Market Library looms over 6th Avenue at West 10th Street. It was built as a courthouse in 1877, on the site of a produce market. Its Victorian Gothic facade is adorned with banded red-brick and stone work, turrets, sculpted gables and stained glass. But this Village landmark nearly didn't survive. Local campaigners saved it from demolition at the final hour in 1967 and turned it into a public library. There is a community garden behind the building.

 

On the north side, off West 10th Street, is the little street called Patchin Place. Writers such as Theodore Dreiser, Djuna Barnes and e.e. cummings once lived in these secluded houses.

 

Christopher Street is a highlight of the Village's alternative culture. A police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar at no. 53, in 1969 sparked three days of rioting that gave birth to the gay rights movement. The Village is still a hub of gay and lesbian culture. Every June is Gay Pride month here, culminating in a huge parade of drag queens, dancers, and leather-clad revellers down 5th Avenue.

 

Notice the lifesize sculptures of gay and lesbian couples by George Segal in Christopher Park (by Sheridan Square). Christopher Street runs all the way to the Hudson River, where the recently renovated Christopher Street Pier, a notable gay hang-out, attracts downtowners of all persuasions for its breezy views of the river.

 

From Sheridan Square, wander into the winding streets of the West Village to see some of its architectural and historic highlights. Several painters, poets and novelists lived and worked in picturesque St Luke's Place, which is often used as a film location. It is lined with 15 classic Italianate brownstone town houses, with tall stoops (steps) and basement entrances beneath. The lampposts outside No. 6 are 'mayor's lamps', denoting the former home of the colourful politician Jimmy Walker, who was first elected mayor of New York in 1926.

 

Until the end of the 19th century, there was a graveyard on the south side of the street where a playground now stands. According to legend the French dauphin, lost son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, was buried there.

 

The pretty clapboard house at 17 Grove Street, built in 1822, is the largest wood-frame building still standing in the Village. It housed a brothel during the Civil War.

 

The late Federal-style houses (built 1825-34) at nos. 4-10 along this street are among the most authentic examples in the entire country. Notice the Flemish bond brickwork of alternating long and short bricks, and other features adapted by American carpenters from English plans.

 

More Federal-style houses stand along Bedford Street between Christopher and Morton streets. But the most famous building is no. 75 1/2. Built in 1873, this is the narrowest house in New York, only 9 1/2 feet wide. It was once home to the actor John Barrymore and the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. She wrote Ballad of the Harp-Weaver, which won a Pulitzer prize, while living here in 1923-24.

 

Next door at no. 77, the Isaacs-Hendricks House is the oldest in the Village. It was built as a free-standing, Federal-style wood frame house in 1799. The brick front and third storey are later additions.

 

Of all the Village drinking dens frequented by writers and artists, the most famous is the White Horse Tavern, which dates from 1880. It was the favourite watering hole of the poet Dylan Thomas, who had his last drink here before dying of alcoholism at age 39.

 

The northwest corner of the Village has become the hottest nightspot in New York. The few blocks north of Gansevoort Street and west of 9th Avenue to the river are known as the Meatpacking District. In the 1990s, it was still a seedy area of slaughterhouses until trendy nightclubs began setting up in abandoned industrial spaces. The early morning meat market is still here, but today these cobbled streets are teeming with hot restaurants, high-fashion boutiques, art galleries and hip hotels and bars.

 

Villagers enjoy the buzz and take the changes in their stride. It's just one more chapter in the evolution of New York's most colourful quarter.

 

 

New York is a city of neighbourhoods, and New Yorkers are always inventing new ones as areas become gentrified and demand a new identity. Two of the latest are near Greenwich Village. Both reflect downtown Manhattan's penchant for acronyms.

 

Some of the city's trendiest shopping these days is in Nolita, which stands for 'North of Little Italy'. Several upmarket antiques and home decorating stores have spilled over from adjacent SoHo (South of Houston), but the hottest finds are in the boutiques selling fashions and accessories created by up-and-coming designers. Browse along Mulberry, Mott and especially Elizabeth streets. You'll also find art galleries, cafes and nightclubs.

 

Squeezed between the East and West Village is the triangular patch called NoHo, running 'North of Houston' to Astor Place. Artists live and work in the 19th-century loft buildings of this historic district, reminiscent of the old SoHo before it went upmarket. The Astor Place Theater and the Joseph Papp Public Theater where Hair debuted in the 1960s are set in grand old mansions, and there are plenty of trendy bars and restaurants.

 

This is the hippest place to stay in the Village. The 14-storey silver facade of Hotel Gansevoort rises in all its modernity above the cobbled streets and gentrified brick warehouses of the red-hot Meatpacking District. Beyond the chic lobby, the 187 rooms have a minimalist decor - dark wood, white marble, and opaque glass doors on the slate and marble bathrooms. There is sensual luxury in the feather beds and Egyptian cotton linens, and 21st-century amenities such as high-speed Internet access, surround-sound stereo, and DVD players. Rooms and hallways have original artwork. Some rooms have small balconies and views over the Hudson River. The Gansevoort finest feature is its heated rooftop pool - a rare thing in New York - complete with underwater music and edged with retractable glass walls. The chic poolside bar, aptly named Plunge, has fabulous views over the city and the river. And if that weren't indulgence enough, the hotel also has a spa and a trendy Japanese restaurant and bar, Ono. Rooms from $375

 

 

If you're seeking the old bohemian hangouts in the Village, look no further. This Italian coffeehouse - the oldest in the neighbourhood - is the real thing. Its founder, Domenico Parisi, is credited with serving the first cappuccino in America here from an original expresso machine built in 1902. It still has pride of place, gleaming in all its retro chrome and bronze glory. Over your coffee and an Italian pastry, reflect on the number of novels that have been plotted, articles written, political issues debated and artworks inspired at these wrought-iron chairs and wooden tables. The classical paintings on the walls add to the old-world ambience. There's a 16th-century painting from school of Caravaggio and a bench with a Medici crest. Simple sandwiches, omelettes, pastas, soups and salads are on the menu.

 

The Gotham made a big splash when it opened more than 20 years ago, and this Village favourite is still lauded by the critics. And no wonder. Chef Alfred Portale continues to turn out inspired cuisine that manages to be both classic and contemporary. Everything from the signature seafood salad to succulent rack of lamb or duck breast are impressively presented. The enormous wine cellar houses thousands of bottles and ensures the perfect complement to your meal. Service is superb and attentive, yet the atmosphere in the airy dining room is relaxed, with a lively bar alongside. The three-course, prix fixe lunch, which is served on weekdays from noon to 2.30pm, is good value at $25. Entrees $28-$35.

 

With this latest venture, restaurateur Keith McNally, creator of the popular Balthazar in SoHo, has transplanted a traditional French bistro to the heart of the Meatpacking District. The food is inspired by Provencal cuisine with a few British favourites thrown in. Dishes include such bistro classics as onion soup gratineé, croque-monsieur, steak frites with béarnaise and moules frites au Pernod. Late night supper is served from midnight, and there's also a weekend brunch menu. French wines and champagnes are served by the glass, bottle or carafe. The bar attracts a young, cosmopolitan crowd. There's a communal table for large parties, and an outdoor cafe in summer. Entrees $15-$28

 

In the busy heart of the Village off Bleecker Street, this small seafood restaurant which is modeled after a New England clam shack has become a neighbourhood fixture in less than a decade. Chef Rebecca Charles's menu is inspired by the traditional seafood she remembers from her childhood summers spent on the Maine coast. Charles took beach food seriously, and elevated it to more elegant dishes such as oyster pan roast and seared scallops with sautéed Brussels sprouts, smoked bacon and parsnips. Thanks to her, lobster rolls became so popular that they're now an item on menus across Manhattan. And of course there are fried and chilled oysters, oyster rolls, Little Neck clams, chowder, salt-crusted shrimp, bouillabaisse and other seafood delights in season. The restaurant is simply decorated in the pale blue and grey tones of the beach. There's only 50 seats at the counter and a few small tables, but seafood this fresh and perfectly prepared is worth the wait. Entrees $18-$30.

 

Chef Jean-George Vongerichten's take on southeast Asian street food has made Spice Market one of the biggest stars of the Meatpacking District. Set in a former warehouse, the space is simply enormous, with thick wooden beams, decorative arches, carved screens and pagodas. The decor is reminiscent of a temple, with artefacts from Burma, Malaysia and India, embroidered curtains and custom furniture by Jacques Garcia, who designed Paris's Hotel Costes. The idea here is to sample of range of flavours and textures, many with curious ingredients and surprising combinations. The chicken samosas get rave recommendations, as do the Vietnamese spring rolls, butter garlic lobster and Thai chicken wings, The atmosphere is loud, vibrant and packed with celebrities and trendy types out on the town. Entres $15 - $29

 

 

It's the quintessential 'shop around the corner'. According to the Greenwich Village Historical Society, it's a 'pocket of civility.' It is, quite simply, one of the best independent bookshops in New York. The well-read staff will help you with hard-to-find titles and recommend the best in literary fiction, nonfiction and memoirs. The shops is a community meeting place for discussions, cultural events and author readings.

 

It's only fitting that Christopher Street in the Village should be home to the world's oldest gay and lesbian bookstore. It opened in 1967 and celebrates its 40th birthday this year. Titles range from fiction to biographies to cultural works, and first editions by prominent writers.

 

High fashion meets one-stop shopping at this style Mecca in the Meatpacking District. The owner, Jeffrey Kalinsky, selects the most exciting pieces of the season, and while the designer names are top notch, the friendly staff makes fashion fun, rather than intimidating. There are men's and women's clothing, shoes, accessories, hats, handbags, jewellery, fragrances, eyewear and beauty products. Much hipper than a department store, the spacious store layout and resident DJ invite low-key browsing.

 

When you enter this Village shop, with it's black-and-white tiled floors and vintage furniture, it's like stepping back into the shops of old Havana or Buenos Aires a century ago,. Olatz Schnabel, the wife of artist Julian Schnabel, has created beautiful bed, bath and table linens, cotton and silk pajamas and robes for men and women, crib sets and other comforts, in bold Mediterranean patterns and colours or classic appliquéd styles.

 

Designer Jane Mayle's small boutique in Nolita is effortlessly cool. Her clothes have a vintage look - tweed skirts, retro dresses, classic coats with fur detailing - but are all new and paired with edgier pieces for an understated fresh style.

 

The selection of gorgeous, sexy shoes at this Nolita shop is pricy but worth it for the style and quality. And you can find some real bargains during the summer and winter sales (August and January). They also make beautifully soft handbags in a variety of leathers and suede.

 

 

18 Ninth Avenue

Tel: 212 206 6700

 

119 MacDougal Street between W. 3rd and Bleecker streets

Tel: 212 475 9557

 

12 E. 12th Street

Tel: 212 620 4020

 

9 9th Avenue

Tel: 212 929 4844

 

18 Cornelia Street

Tel: 212 691 8211

 

403 W. 13th Street

Tel: 212 675 2322

 

154 W. 10th Street

Tel: 212 741 2069

 

15 Christopher Street

Tel: 212 255 8097

www.oscarwildebooks.com 

 

449 W. 14th Street

Tel: 212 206 1272

 

43 Clarkson Street

Tel: 212 255 8627

 

242 Elizabeth Street

Tel: 212 625 0406

 

28 Prince Street

Tel: 212 219 3893