1st Ave, East Harlem

First Avenue is entirely too large to write about in one review. And, it changes so much, that it would be like writing about several different Avenues. Seeing as I have always lived downtown, I'll focus on that part of 1st Ave . . . with a quick stop off at the Queensboro Bridge. It is a really beautiful bridge and has been mentioned in many works including the Great Gatsby (one of my favorites). It's definitely worth a look for tourists and locals alike. I took a boat down the East River and going under that bridge was pretty spectacular.
Ok, moving onto downtown. It starts off with a real bang bringing us Bellevue Hospital. It was developed as a place to treat people with Yellow Fever but has since been synonymous for the Psych Ward. I didn't even know it was an actual hospital when I first moved here. I thought it was strictly a mental institution. Between that and the incredibly ugly and desolate looking area that surrounds Stuy Town, it must be really interesting to live around here. Note to people looking to move around here: the Stuy Town apartments are massive. But, they are also incredibly noisy and have a lot of naysayers because they are displacing Vets.
The neighboring development to Stuy Town is an even more luxury building called Peter Cooper Village. It begins at 21st and it replaced the Gashouse District which was an incredibly poor part of town due to chemical fumes in the area. I'm not sure where they went but Peter Cooper Village apartments are a pretty penny.
There's a designer discount store called Gabay's at 13th street that is really shoddy looking but has incredible deals on high end shoes. I found a fantastic pair of Chloe heels here. It's one of NY's best kept secrets and you can't talk about 1st Ave without mentioning it.
Once you get below 12th Street, 1st Ave is really great. There are a ton of phenomenal restaurants such as the famous Momofuko (at 12th), Polonia and Simone. There are tons of little bars and coffeeshops especially around St. Marks. It's quite lively and it's one of my favorite avenues.

While much of the attention lavished on the Upper East Side's housing goes to Park, Madison, and Fifth Avenue - the white-gloved doormen, pre-war moldings, and general atmosphere of luxury - all too often overlooked is the phenomenal set of housing options closer to the East River. Often relatively unappealing from the outside, these modern rental developments tend to offer gorgeous views of the East River, floor-to-ceiling windows, architectural innovation, and plenty of space - all for significantly lower prices than are available elsewhere in Manhattan. That said, the neighborhood hasn't quite caught up yet; the closest you'll come to a thriving cocktail or nightlife scene here is the area around Beekman Place or the U.N., where a diplomatic enclave of sorts has sprung up. The East Village also transforms this avenue somewhat, turning it into a sea of ethnic restaurants and quirky boutiques. But further uptown this street is best considered an up-and-coming residential area, one popular with doctors due to "Bedpan Alley" - the large number of hospitals located in the area.

I love Thai food so when I found that First Avenue had three highly recommended Thai restaurants, there was no hesitation that this street was going to be the dining choice on a couple of occasions. It may seem hard to choose which one to go to first but the Bangkok Express serves up great food at a really reasonable price and is ideal for a vacation snack or dinner. With so many landmarks close at hand, it is easily going to be part of your tourist experience so it is really worthwhile popping in to grab a quick bite.

1st avenue is a nice mix of everything. Between 7th and 12th streets is a nice mix of small shops and restaurants. Several Pizzerias and Diners along the avenue offer quick, cheap and delicious food. There are also a number of convenient amenities around. Nothing to write home about, per say, and nothing a tourist would head to the area to visit, but it's a convenient place to live, especially for someone who is looking for a convenient area to travel from.

Some friends of mine live on 11th and 1st Avenue. It's a great spot right in the middle of the East Village. It's packed full of restaurants and bars. Basically anything you need you'll find. There's a basketball court just down the road which is handy for a Sat morning wake-up and the metro is only a couple of avenues across. I live in the West Village now which is a bit more upmarket and has that cleaner feel, but if you're looking for activity every night of the week, this area beats the West Village hands down... I'd say this is quintessential Manhattan. Definitely a cool spot for singles or couples alike...