LisaAnnBurke

SoHo, which stands for "South of Houston Street", is a neighborhood in downtown Manhattan roughly bordered by Houston Street on the North, Lafayette Street on the east, Canal Street n the south, and West Broadway to the west. Soho is a trendy area that was once home to many artists living in the huge lofts which abound in the area. During the 1960s and 1970s these lofts were inexpensive because they were converted warehouses.s The area was once highly industrial with crime and prostitution commonplace. Starting in the 1980s the area began to change to the upscale and expensive neighborhood that it is known to be today. Those same lofts which once housed rising artists now sell for hundreds of thousands so that these artists have been priced out by Hedge Fund Traders and a good many celebrities who call this area home.

The neighborhood is known for its narrow, quaint side streets, such as Prince, Greene, and Mercer that offering plenty of character and history, along with several art galleries European shops, and trendy cafes. The shopping tends to be expensive (think Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Tag Heuer) but there are a few stores where you may find a decent price such as H&M and Urban Outfitter both on Broadway. There is also an Apple Store on Prince Street always a fun place to test new products. Another fun place for kids (both young and adult) is KidRobot on Prince Street. KidRobot offers limited edition toys and clothing created by some of the world's most renowned artists and designers. The area is highly is hot spot of tourist activity and is packed on the weekend.

There are many fine dining establishments in the Soho neighborhood, such as Cipriani Downtown on West Broadway (expensive), Fanelli's on Prince and Broome Street Street (moderately expensive) and Pao! on Spring Street which offers Mediterranean fare. The Broome Street Bar which offers a nice community vibe is one of the few places left for the artists and writer on a limited budget.

SoHo is also home to theAngelika Film Center which is located on Houston and Mercer Streets plays a diverse mix of indie film and is the theater of choice for both filmmakers and film goers alike. Patrons may also enjoy a gourmet snack at the Angelika Cafe.

Transportation to the area is very good with the N,Q,R, W and 1 to Canal Street or 6 train to Spring Street.

Kips Bay is a nieghborhood in the midtown-east section of the city, extending from 23rd Street to 34th Street and 1st to Lexington Avenue. My association with the area, dating from my college days,are the Kips Bay apartments that house many NYU professors, with the NYU Langone Medical Center on first and 34th Street.

This is a more a residential than commercial area, somewhat removed from other parts of the city. The area offers good shopping options with a Borders Bookstore and Petco on 2nd Avenue and 33rd Street. There are several gourmet grocery stores and the area offers some nice if somewhat pricey restaurants, as well as some good diners. There is not much going on in the way of nightlife, although there is a movie theater located next to Borders.

For myself, the area lacks character and is a place I walk through on the way to someplace else. However, this very feature can make it an attractive housing option for those who seek a quiet neighborhood somewhat removed from the hustle and bustle of the midtown area, yet within walking distance to it. The many office buildings are located primarily on Park Avenue South, Madison Avenue, and Fifth Avenue.Keep in mind that housing in the neighborhood the area is expensive for both buyers and renters with apartments on the smaller side.

The area is served by the Lexington Ave subway, (4,5 and 6) as well as buses. For those with a car, it is also a quick trip outside the city via the midtown tunnel.

This is also a great neighborhood for restaurants. As one of the other reviews said, it isn't a trendy neighborhood, and the apartments tend to be small. But it's still a nice area. I'd live in Kips Bay in a heartbeat.

Inwood is about as far north you can go and still be in Manhattan. It feels as it you have left Manhattan and living in one of the boroughs. Most people who travel to Inwood to visit the Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art located in Fort Tryon Park. The Cloisters were reconstructed in the 1930s from the remnants of several European abbeys and display art and architecture form Medieval Europe. Fort Tryon Park is a nice place to take a walk duirng the day but I advise to stay away after dark.

Inwood is fast-changing from a low-income enclave to a vibrant community full of students and professionals who come for the relative quiet of the area as compared with other parts of the city. For both renters and buyers, Inwood offers great apartment deals for both apartment buyers and sellers with the spaces generally much bigger than apartments further downtown.

With the influx of young professionals drawn by the bargain rents, the neighborhood also offers relatively inexpensive restaurants and groceries. You have the choice between a $1.25 cafe con leche or a $5. vanilla latte Starbucks on the same block. There are also some great discount stores where you can purchase most household supplies. For those who want to get in some aerobic exercise, the neighborhood offers some amazing hills to get your heart going.

Columbia University Medical Center is a short distance south and covers several blocks from the Henry Hudson parkway to Audubon Avenue between 165th and 168th Streets

Though Inwood is a good distance from the center of Manhattan, subway service via the 1 or a train can get you downtown within about 30 minutes. On weekends, the A train operates on a express schedule so that you can get to midtown (42nd Street) in about 15 minutes. There are also a few bus lines serving the area although the trip to midtown will take about an hour. There is also the GWB bus station on Broadway between 178th and 179th Streets which provide local and express service to and from Nothern New Jersey and Rockland County.

Inwood is a very pretty and quiet area worth a visit, even if you don't plan to live here.

The Financial District has two distinct personalities: it is bustling during the day with the Wall Street crowd and tourists but is calm and actually quite boring at night. For this reason, it would not be such a bad place to live.

For tourists this is a very interesting neighborhood to visit. To be walking through the money capital of the world is quite exciting. There is a mix of old and new buildings with the old showcasing some beautiful architectural details. The Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum overlooks the Hudson River from Riverside Drive and is a special oasis of peace and tranquility in one of the most beautiful natural settings in all of New York City. Trinity Church is home to St. Paul's Chapel located directly across form the former World trade Center site. The church was home to an eight month volunteer effort in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The neighborhood is a great area to explore for tourists to explore with its short streets, many of which are still made of the original cobblestone. Indeed Pearl Street go its name because the street is lined with crushed pearls from the time that oyster catchers patrolled the waters of the Hudson River. The financial district is filled with such history while also boasting many modern touches such as the new residential developments that have cropped up over the past ten years.

The area offers panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline and is home to the Police Museum, the Museum of American Finance, and the home of the future World Trade Center Memorial.

Battery Park City is not to be confused with Battery Park to the south,on the southernmost tip of Manhattan. Both places offer great views of the Statue of Liberty, but more tourists flock to Battery Park since they can catch the boat to Ellis Island or ride the Staten Island ferry.

Battery park City extends up the west side of Manhattan into Tribeca (which stands for the "TRIangle BElow CAnal" since that is the shape of the area. As with the nearby Financial District, there are many working people who visit Battery Park City during the day, many stopping off to have lunch during the warmer months. Because of this many eateries in the area cater to the lunchtime crowd, closing their doors soon after the end of the workday.

The attraction of battery Park City for most tourists is the thin walkway that skirts the Hudson River. The walkway is lined with marble benches, gorgeous flowerbeds, and a sprinkling of small memorials, including one quoting the words of the famous poet, Walt Whitman. The area can be a bit gloomy at night when the office close and the tourists head to other part of the city for dinner and entertainment.

Battery Park City does have several newly built, upscale residential developments. These buildings offer an array of amenities with amazing river views. Imagine sitting by your bedroom or living room window with a morning coffee overlooking the Hudson River with its dramatic skyline view. The only possible glitch in this picture is that Battery Park City seems to lack the character and warmth that make up so many other neighborhoods of New York City. Even with the Greenway. Where Greenwich Village might be described as an Old Victoria with many nooks and crannies in which wander, Battery Park City is more like a McMansion, a box with hardly any special detail to distinguish itself.