West 46 St, Midtown

For as much as I detest midtown, I actually kind of like West 46th Street. In fact, it's the only street in midtown I'll go to before or after a show. 46th and 12th marks a landmark aircraft carrier from WWII that is now a museum. I've actually never been to the museum but it's kind of cool that there is a giant ship parked in midtown permanently. A little bit west, at 10th, there is the Landmark Tavern. It's an Irish restaurant that's about 150 years old and looks almost the same as it did when it opened. I've been there for drinks and the place is really dark and pretty cool.
There was a gang called The Vampires in the '50's that took their victims to an apartment building on the northwest corner of 46th and 10th. They became famous for kidnapping a boy from a playground and murdering him here and they inspired a musical by Paul Simon. How's that for weird?
The block between 8th and 9th is the reason I like this street. It holds restaurant row and it can be overrun with tourists, but all of midtown is, and this street has the coolest haunts. None of the restaurants are particularly good on Restaurant Row but they try. I don't know if there is necessarily a scientific explanation for what I'm about to say, but for some reason, the only Broadway shows I have ever liked, have all been on this block. I've seen a lot of shows that I could do without, but the ones that were fantastic have all been on 46th. There are two shows running right now on this block that are fantastic while most of the others have been subpar. I don't know why that is.
The main reason I endorse West 46th is a little bar on the south side of the street between 8th and 9th. Bar Centrale doesn't have a sign and it looks like you're walking into someone's townhouse when you walk up the stairs to the entrance. It's old and beautiful and has a very snooty vibe --but, I love it. It's old people in furs getting a martini before a show and I love that aesthetic and energy. It's the only bar in all of midtown that doesn't have a million tourists or college kids in it.
Once you get past 8th ave, it gets really bright, loud and crowded, but the few blocks west of that completely make up for the Time Square energy of the rest of West 46th.

If you've ever been to the chaotic, frenetic side-streets of midtown Manhattan, you've probably seen plenty of stores, mostly electronic stores, with giant "Clearance Sales: Going Out of Business" signs. No need to rush in - most of these stores have been "going out of business" for decades, and have since been making a fortune off unsuspecting tourists clamoring in to get the best deal possible. (This is also an issue with some of the "antique" stores in the area, which tend to sell glossy, made-in-China knockoffs). For prospective shoppers, therefore, West 46th Street and its environs are far from pleasant. However, West 46th Street's redeeming feature is its restaurant scene. Between 8th and 9th Avenue, in the heart of Hell's Kitchen, West 46th Street is home to "Restaurant Row" - a diverse range of restaurants from over 11 countries, including the piano bar Don't Tell Mama, Japanese Sushi of Gari, pub O'Flaherties, Italian Bistecca Fiorentina, the Firebird, and more. Reasonably priced, with some of the best taste in town, these restaurants are also within easy walking distance of New York's vibrant, energetic theatre scene, with Off-Broadway to the west and Broadway to the east.

Recently gentrified, this sometimes-scenic side street snakes its way from the Theatre District through Hell Kitchen, shifting in character from quiet blocks of brick townhouses to rowdy restaurant rows with equal measure. While twenty years ago, this stretch of Hell's Kitchen might have been considered dangerous, today the grit is good-natured, and you're unlikely to worry about any theft on top of the rising restaurant prices. Food here is still some of the city's best and cheapest, though, with a wealth of restaurants representing what seems to be each and every one of the city's ethnic groups. From the famous actors' hangouts Sardi and Joe Allen, with its steaks and informal cast parties, to old-timers burger haven Frankie and Johnnies to newer, edgier fare like Brazil Brazil and Spice Fusion, this street has it all. The grit and glamour alike of New York City's theatrical scene is alive here, from the starving artists of Hell's Kitchen to the considerably better-fed ones pictured in caricature at Sardi's. This might not be the best place to bring the family for a Sunday brunch, but for an exciting slice of New York City nightlife, or for an affordable artsy area to live that doesn't require three subway lines to get into Manhattan, this street is ideal. Plus, for tourists and military fans alike, the nearby U.S.S. Intrepid ship, located off a pier at West 47th Street, is one of the city's best museums.

Little Brazil, W 46th Street, is a collection of Brazilian restaurants and hangouts. The food is good, but nothing stands out on the street. The green and yellow flags get drowned out by the midtown office buildings that dominate. The potential of vibrancy and flavor implied by the moniker is muffled by its location and assumedly high rent.

No one in city goverment designed Little Brazil but green and yellow signs have been popping on West 46th St, between 5th Ave and Broadway. A wide variety of different resturants, stores, beauty parlors and even a hotle that caters to a Brazilian clientel. Not only is Little Brazil full of shops offering Brazilian products it is also home of New York's annual Brazil Fest. This is some party routinely drawing over 1 million party goers for this Labor Day Festival.