Living in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City - whats it like?

Soho is always jam packed. It's a big shopping and tourist destination and I know a lot of people like it, but I'm not a fan. There's a lot to do in the realm of things to buy, people watching and little restaurants. But, I don't really like any of the restaurants and I think it's way too crowded. It's loud and noisy and dirty all the time. And, I don't think the exorbitant rents are remotely worth the location. That's just one man's opinion but I try to avoid Soho whenever I can.