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This area is renowned for Gramercy Park--a gated park that is only accessible to the lucky (and rich!) people who live around it and possess a key. However, that should not stop you from peeping through the fence to admire the mini daffodils during the spring. The neighborhood is on the quiet side so I would recommend it for families, couples and retirees. Pete's Tavern is in the neighborhood which is where O. Henry wrote some of his famous short stories. The Tavern is particularly lovely and festive around Christmas--homey and old fashioned place to sip a pint of cider. Very old NY.

So this is definitely the street to avoid if you are a claustrophobic and/or germaphobic. I won't kid you, the streets are filthy and smelly. Walking is only a little more difficult here than Time Square. However, eating here is fun if you know where to go. My recommendation is Happy Shabu where you can make your own soup. It's much more flavorful than the Japanese version of Shabu. While you are in the neighborhood, stop by one of the little bakeries for a bubble tea and cheesecake bun. This area is also great for difficult to find ingredients and spices.

So with the opening of Home Depot on the stretch of 23rd between 5th and 6th, this is where to go to start home improvement projects. There is a locksmith on the south side of the street as well. The street runs both ways so make sure you look right and left before crossing. It's close to Madison Square Park so you can picnic there on sunny days. The one restaurant that I recommend here is the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar. Avoid the watermelon lemonade though--it's sickly sweet. The duck dumplings are delicious as are the chocolate filled ones.

The strip of LaGuardia Place between Bleecker and Houston happens to contain my favorite bakery in all of NYC--Bruno's. It's like finding yourself in a lovely European cafe all of a sudden. Try the favori (chocolate hazelnut mousse with chocolate ganache on top). Sigh! It's the perfect after dinner location since it stays open pretty late for a bakery. So you can enjoy your latte while waiting for your comedy show to start. The whole area is pretty hopping so avoid living there if that isn't your scene.

So you are looking for a decent place to eat after arriving at Penn. You only have so much time before the show or game. Where do you go? K-Town. The stretch of 32nd between 5th and Broadway is filled with all sorts of delicious food. From the sweet and salty bbq to the tender mandoo (dumplings) to the spicy kimchee. I wouldn't live on this street (it's not the cleanest) but to visit frequently, it can't be beat. For those living in the area, there is an Asian grocery on the block and it is obviously much closer than Chinatown for the hard to find Asian ingredients.

So I hate this stretch of NYC. The food is overpriced and the only people here are slow walking tourists. The streets are dirty and smelly. A few saving graces--authentic Serbian food at Djerdan. Fabulous food--make sure you try the stuffed cabbage. Fabric--loads of fabric stores in this area if you are the crafty type. Cold Stone Creamery--try their cake batter flavored ice cream. Almost good enough to forget the long line.

Ironically, Union Square is one of the best places to exercise your capitalistic impulses and shop. From the farmers market to the Virgin Megastore, you won't have a lack of things to buy. The Strand Bookstore is just south of Union Square on Broadway. If you head east on 14th St, you will find a Trader Joe's if the Whole Foods in Union Square South is too pricey for your wallet. The protests in Union Square are amusing. Bring lunch (and even a dog to walk!) to watch the political street theater. Agree or disagree--it's much cheaper than the shows uptown. Spend time people watching to find your hidden cultural anthropologist emerge. I wouldn't recommend this area for the easily shocked or offended.

Constant construction in this area is rather annoying. It also isn't the cleanest. During the summer, the street smells along with the dumpsters. However, it is very close to all the amenities of Fifth Ave. and Union Square. Markt is a Belgian restaurant with the best mussels. The Burger Co. on 6th Ave. is quite the gourmet burger with all of the different sauces they provide. It is also very close to the Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park. There is a Chase bank on the corner of 5th and 21st. A new Starbucks is right on 21st as well. If you are into the club scene, Duvet is very close by.

I worked at this location for several years. The shopping on this street and surrounding areas is much preferable to the much more touristy and crowded 34th St. There is a Gap, Zara, Old Navy, H&M, TJ Maxx, Daffy's (although the 34th St. one is MUCH better), 2 Filene's basements (one is by the TJ Maxx on 6th and the other is in Union Square), Anthropologie, J. Crew, etc.et al. The food here is sublime. Check out City Bakery for the BEST hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows. If you just want a quick bite to eat for lunch, Foodworks has a great selection and is very clean. Home's Kitchen (Chinese) has great lunch specials as well and they usually deliver very quickly. The best calamari ever can be found at Punch. Great pizza--order from Brick Oven Pizza (marguerite). You won't be disappointed.

This location has pretty much everything except nightlife. It's within walking distance to pretty much everything...Grand Central, Port Authority and Penn. It's close to several great restaurants--check out the charming Barking Dog's on 34th (and ask for outdoor seating by the waterfall outside!), Lemongrass for some yummy pad thai, Hong Kong II. The souvlaki platter at the Euro Diner is delish! There is a large movie theater if you walk further east. Next door is a Borders so you have somewhere to hang out while waiting for the movie to start. On the other side of the theater is a drug store (to buy and smuggle candy into the theater!). The street itself is very clean. In the warm weather, the doormen wash the sidewalks every morning so as to avoid that stinky city smell. There are several grocery stores in the area. Just walk east and you will run into Del Monico's and Gristedes. If you are really into walking, Trader Joe's is in Union Square and will have you eating gourmet foods for practically nothing. Shopping--head onto 34th St. and go west. You will hit almost every major clothing store including Gap, Victoria Secret, Old Navy, Daffys (!), Macys, Aerosoles, Payless, and Lane Bryant.