Union Sq West, Greenwich Village

Union Sq West is kind of a nightmare. There are a lot of shops and a lot of restaurants but none of them are particularly noteworthy. It's a tourist haven but it has more than that. Union Square is one of the busiest subway stops because of all the train connections and there's a pretty big market that goes on nearly every day of the week that draws a lot of people. It's just a madhouse but a necessary evil. There aren't many days that go by where I can honestly manage to avoid Union Square West.
There's a great old building on the corner of Union Square West and 17th where, apparently, there used to be quite a famous massage parlor around the turn of the 20th century. It's an awfully big building to have been able to keep that a secret but I guess stranger things have happened in this city. Sidenote: this Starbucks is always ridiculously packed so I would avoid it at all costs. Next door to that is a place called Republic which is a weird name for a noodle place but it's actually really good and pretty cheap -- two things I can't say about most things around Union Square. Next door to that is Heartland Brewery. They do have good beer and this is definitely the best location of all the Heartlands but I don't go here much. They have a pretty big front patio so it's great to sit here and people watch in the spring but it's very touristy and the food is catered toward that kind of crowd. The old building next to that which has the Puma store (I believe (or maybe it's American Eagle)) used to be one of Andy Warhol's factories. He was shot at this location. The next building over has Blue Water Grill which is supposed to have fantastic seafood but I've never tried it because I just don't think of Union Square as the place to go for amazing food.
The next block has Coffee Shop which is a place where all of the models go and I have no idea why. I actually can't stand this place. I feel like they need to pick a theme and go with it. Is it trendy? Is it a diner? Is a brunch place? Is it a bar? I don't get this place at all. The rest of Union Square West is shopping but none of the really good stuff is on this block. I don't even know how Miss Sixty is still in business and that's the sort of stores that take up the rest of the street. It's a very touristy area and Union Sq West reflects that.

I lived on Union Square West for a year and greatly enjoyed the accessibility to public transportation, my workplace, shopping, and the variety of restaurants in the area. In Union Square, virtually every subway you could need is located and buses also run frequently through the area. Grocery shopping is extremely easy with a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Food Emporium, and several other chain stores within a few blocks. Many places around here are open 24 hours for lots of convenience and the Union Square farmer's market is frequently taking place so you can get fresh produce and other local products easily. The trade-off of all of these conveniences is the fact that this area is incredibly busy and can be very loud at times. I frequently fell asleep to the sound of drunken fights, musicians, and cars honking at all hours of the night. Union Square itself used to have a decent playground and some green area to hang out in, but due to recent construction it is not as pleasant or child-friendly as it used to be. Overall, if you don't mind the crowds, noise, and the fact that it is relatively expensive, the convenience and trendiness of Union Square is unbeatable.