Soho
Soho is home to fashionable; upscale wine bars, art galleries and boutiques
Once home to factories and warehouses, Soho is the chic downtown neighbourhood South of Houston Street and north of Canal Street between Lafayette Street and Nolita. In the 1960s, artists flocked to rundown warehouse district lofts after being driven out of other parts of the city by high rents, quickly turning Soho into the new "it" area for art galleries. Only a decade later, gentrification caused rents to skyrocket forcing artist out of the area they had pioneered.
Today, Soho is still the embodiment of fashionable; upscale wine bars, art galleries and boutiques abound. There are plenty award-winning restaurants like Balthazar, Savoy and Torrisi, which are well worth the wait for a table. Soho shopping is the epitome of trendy with the narrow cobblestone streets attracting a crowd with its designer boutiques, vintage and consignment shops and sidewalk vendors. So much so, that the narrow streets are best avoided on holidays and weekends, but the early bird doesn't get the worm; a throwback to its bohemian roots, most Soho establishments don't open till 11:00am.
Soho has an eclectic variety of cultural institutions ranging from the New York City Fire Museum to the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. Architecture enthusiasts will not want to miss Soho's decorative facades and ornate ironwork, oversized windows and Corinthian columns which characterise the beauty of this neighbourhood. Walking tours are available with knowledgeable guides (NYC Walks).
Cost: Free, Fees may apply for activities. Please see websites for details.
Hours: 24 hours
Website: Soho
Address: Canal Street to Houston Street from the Hudson River to Lafayette Street
Sunday Afternoon Shoppers in Soho cc licensed flickr photo shared by scalleja
Cast Iron Front Building typical of many in Soho cc licensed flickr photo shared by epicharmus>
Looking down on West Broadway and Grand in Soho cc licensed flickr photo shared by peterlfrench
