Globo Drew's Guide to NYC's Manhattan
GLOBO DREW’S GUIDE TO
ALLURING, CAPTIVATING, ENGAGING + SEDUCTIVE NYC’S MANHATTAN
A popular Rap tune stated, New York, New York Big of Dreams, could not have been truer in that regard. In New York City dreams do come true. New York is an amazing destination to most, due to its sometimes-overwhelming number of options of all things anyone could want from a modern urban environment. All of that is intensified by a High Powered Human Generated Energy and Sense of Excitement.
Some might be interested in knowing, the rich and famous roam freely, among the masses to some extent, in NYC’s Manhattan the neighborhood enclaves like Chelsea, Gramercy, Tribeca, Upper East and West sides, where they live, work and play,
Regardless of NYC’s historical tendency to harbor ethnic bastions of racism, as was depicted in Westside Story, there is, most likely, a lot more race mixing and generation mixing, in NYC than any other municipality in the USA. This is, probably, so because so many residents are still 1st or second-generation immigrants who have not yet been completely assimilated and indoctrinated into certain aspects of the USA culture and because NYC especially in Manhattan is all about Mixing It Up!
This is especially true among African, Caribbean and Hispanic Islander immigrants. NYC Hispanics are mostly Caribbean islanders and South American. Mexicans are slowly coming on to the NYC scene. Every nation of Africa is well represented in NYC. Additionally, New York City is truly a Global Metropolis, with almost every ethnicity and nationality on the planet represented in significant numbers.
Walking the streets of Manhattan and a lot of the western half of Brooklyn; as well as a few neighborhoods in Queens and the Bronx is like no other place on the face of the earth. I will cover the other boroughs in a subsequent article. This one is a focus on the Star of the NYC Show, Manhattan.
The neighborhoods are divided not so much by racial ethnicity as in Chicago - as it is by cultural heritage. The difference is that neighborhoods are awash with the visual evidence of those ethnic cultures.
MANHATTAN:
Manhattan is somewhat of a tale of two very appealing, compelling and vibrant cities, which will be the focus of most of this exploration.
MANHATTAN NORTH:
North of 91st Street, from the Hudson to the East Rivers, you can sample a variety of highly culturalized ethnic enclaves. Every street from north to south is filled with very appealing and compelling ethnic and eclectic storefront bodegas, restaurants, bars, cafes, visual and performing arts centers, as well as cultural oriented personal care salons, professional services and institutions.
HARLEM:
The Culture is breathtaking, with the Jazz of Coltrane or Latin Rock of Santana blaring from high rise buildings on major thoroughfares. There are key places where street performers are always entertaining, especially in the Plaza of the State Building on 125th St + Malcolm X Boulevard. A must do across from the State Building is the Studio Museum of Harlem.
Further north of Malcolm X Blvd is the Schomburg Center of Black Culture is a repository of Africana Culture + History in the USA. Along the way are a number of store front performance arts theaters and music venues, as well as a few very cool bars and nightclubs.
The New Harlem, Renaissance Culture is alive and well, despite the breakneck gentrification. Fredrick Douglas Blvd, from 110th St to 125th St has been transformed from a city of drug zombie’s urban destitution to an ultra-chic modern restaurant and food choice mecca. The modern to antique well-appointed vibes of the cuisines and spirit varieties are wonderful; including an upscale Senegalese ran French bakery to Brewpubs one with a big outdoor beer garden. Yes, there most certainly are Modern Soul, Americana, Nuovo and Senegalese Cuisine choices.
On Frederick Douglass Blvd north of 125th St there are traditional favorites like:
Londel’s Restaurant + Show Lounge
The Cecil Steakhouse + Minton’s Playhouse, Sister Fine Dining Restaurants + Live Music Venues, at 118th St between St Nicholas Ave + Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
Then there is Lenox Ave north from 125th St with the likes of the internationally infused Soul Food of Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster to the Traditional Soul Food of Silvia’s. Up and down 125th St are a plethora of Caribbean, Vegan and local fast food restaurants; including Tina’s Dominican Diner near Frederick Douglass Blvd; a couple of blocks past the great Showman’s Jazz Club. Did I mention the world-famous Apollo theater on 125th St, where stars are born, and legends perform.
Cultural Centers + Museums. Highly recommended:
LITTLE DOMINICAN:
The Culture and Vibe of the Dominican Republic are Strong in Little Dominican, rich in ethnic dining, drinking, cultural and shopping is on the Westside of Harlem, the main street being Amsterdam Blvd. from 125th St to about 163rd St. Little Dominican is not to be confused with Spanish Harlem, which is a Puerto Rican dominated Eastside neighborhood, oddly without much culturally specific retail.
Cultural Centers + Museums. Highly recommended:
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS:
163rd is the beginning of the New York Presbyterian Medical Center complex centered in the Washington Heights neighborhood. The bakeries and delis Washington Heights are worth the trip.
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS (formally considered as part of Harlem):
The northernmost end of the upper west side, Morningside Heights, is the home of Columbia University and Barnard College. Of course, it has a lot of because of that, this neighborhood has a lot going on, mostly up and down Broadway. Did I mention the high to ultra-high rent homes and apartments.
There are cool dive bars, ethnic restaurants, diners, unique shops, NYC’s own type of Euro-Grocers and of course bodegas. The shopping does start to transition to national and international name and designer brands; as well as movie multiplexes, larger scaled performance venues flourishing alongside new and upscale joints.
UPPER + MIDTOWN WESTSIDE:
This is an extended hot bed of performing arts, dining + spirits culture on the westside from Columbia’s Morningside Heights to the Theater District which includes the world-famous Times Square, with an abundance of On + Off Broadway Theaters, global restaurant cuisine, dive to chic bars to show clubs, shopping, infamous street performers, the Big Bright Lights Show, and of course the thousands of tourists from the world over, from morning to night.
In the theater district, uptown, downtown, everywhere, because in NYC there is an appreciation for eclectic and eccentric ambiance and atmospheres; unlike Chicago, where almost all the old great spots have been replaced by FooFoo wine and or LaLa martini bars; many of which fail within 2 years.
Cultural Centers + Museums. Highly recommended:
Shops at Columbus Circle, w the Lincoln Center Jazz Theater + a Whole Foods
CENTRAL PARK:
Central Park is bordered by Morningside Heights and the Upper Westside, along Central Park West Ave on the West, Harlem’s 110th St on the north, Midtown’s 59th St aka Billionaire's Row on the South and the Upper Eastside’s Fifth Ave is like no other. In Central Park, some parts feel like being in a real wilderness, with remote grottos and high climbing hills; there is a mini castle overlooking the open-air Shakespeare Theater. In Central Park you or you and your loved one(s) or current object of affection can:
Climb the giant mound boulders + the Great Hill, at 110th St.,
Explore semi-subterranean caverns. Look around you will find them, hopefully before dark.
Open air performing arts stages,
Walk or jog the mile plus perimeter of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir,
Partake in water activities in the two lakes, two ponds and the Harlem Meer,
Enjoy several park districts programmed and street entertainment options,
Sunbathe, Book Read, Picnic, Play with your children, meditate and more in the 3 huge Sheeps Meadows,
Immerse in the Conservatory Garden,
Enjoy the Holiday Season Vendor Marketplace
Sporting option choices include:
Tennis courts,
Baseball diamonds,
Cold Weather Ice Skating
Year around Bicycling, Roller Blading, Jogging through auto-less streets
And of course, Walking the length from 110 St in South Harlem at the north end to the ultra-exclusive 59th St to the South or Vice Versa.
Did I mention the late-night Roller skating, hula hooping, get together parties in Central Park, which goes totally undisturbed, by cops or robbers on a nightly basis?
UPPER EAST SIDE:
The Upper East Side From approximately 92nd Street on the north to 59th St on the South is a neighborhood of Mansions, designer shopping strips, art galleries and the highbrow culture of world class Museums. Did I mention there is a Bowling Alley venue?
Cultural Centers + Museums. Highly recommended:
OTHER MUST VISIT NEIGHBORHOODS IN MANHATTAN
The Cuisine, Entertainment, Spirits, Shopping and Performing Arts Culture; as well as the ubiquitous Street Merchant and Performer Culture is next to none; all over Manhattan. The following are also must do neighborhoods.
Midtown East
The Star here is most certainly The Main Branch of the New York Public Library, more so because of its backyard Bryant Park, with a bistro, outdoors seating for the Lunch crowd, and vendor marketplace, with a larger holiday market
Midtown West
Has much to offer. A couple of my favorites include:
9th Street Bar, Restaurant, Pub Row between 42nd St + 57th St.; a Gen X + Millennials Paradise
In the Theater District:
Jimmy’s Corner, not on a corner, on 44th St west of 7th Ave. is one of the world’s great dive bars, is a tight little place filled with boxing memorabilia. Started by Jimmy Glenn, recently lost to that damned COVID 19, who was a former top Boxing Trainer, active in the careers of both Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Jimmy’s is a place with cash only Cheap drinks, Great random conversation and nasty washrooms.
Garment District
Where all of the clothing racks pushed through the streets action, in movies and TV, Shows, happens. The wholesalers will sell to anybody through the doors.
FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology), the launching place for many a stellar career.
Flatiron District
Union Park where there are always performances and other things of interest going on, at 23rd St + Broadway
Chelsea
The birthplace of the art gallery in warehouse buildings.
Home to a lot of underground dance clubs.
The talented Wayans Brothers + Family grew up in the public housing projects in this hood.
Gramercy
Housing much of the Campus of NYU, this is also where you can sit out and watch all the activity in Washington Square where if you sit long enough you are bound to end up in somebody’s movie.
Greenwich + East Village
If you do not just love the village, you have a hole in your ❤️…!!!
The corner of 8th Ave + 3rd Ave is the epicenter of the Rebirth of Slick. This is not just because about 100 feet past the much filmed Basketball court on the NW corner, in the world renowned Blue Note Jazz Show Club is where Acid Hip Hop legends Digable Planets recorded their Rebirth of Slick.
But also because of all the music 🎶 at:
Negril’s Village Restaurant Upper Level + Late Night Dance Hall Lower Level
Village Vanguard Super Famous Jazz Performance Venue from the 60s, still blowing
Soho (South of Houston = House Ton)
In a Word, SOB (Sounds of Brazil)
Little Italy
Little Italy has Authentic Italian Restaurants and a couple of bakeries. What else?
TriBeCa
TriBeCa is Robert de Niro’s stomping grounds, though I’ve been told he no longer stomps people.
Tribeca Film Festival DeNiro’s own
China Town
NYC’s China Town is totally authentic Chinese culture, restaurants and shops. Be Transported!!!
Financial District
Brooklyn Bridge:
I would be remiss if I did not suggest walking or bicycling across the Brooklyn Bridge, where another world awaits; that of course, what Godzilla did not destroy. You’re Gonna Luv It!!!
Getting Around Manhattan
Walk, because Manhattan is so walkable. I got used to walking from Washington Heights to the Theater District, a couple of times walked to the Village.
MTA Subway is much better, faster and cheaper than stuck in Manhattan’s daytime traffic, especially, as opposed to an Expensive Taxi.
MTA Buses are especially good for getting Up and Downtown, most any time of the day, except after midnight when most of the westside routes do not run.
The Go to All Neighborhoods Guide for New York City is:
Globo Drew is a contributor to The Travellin’ Times, while also being Managing & Lifestyle Editor and a Contributing Writer for a Lifestyle Media startup. Globo Life Media is the publisher of soon to be relaunched RomanceTravelMagazine.com and the soon to be launched GloboLife.Net a Lifestyle and Business of Lifestyle publication. Globo Life Media also offers Custom Content Development and Aggregation, as well as Custom Digital and Print Development, Editorial and Publishing.
Globo Drew’s coverage and connectivity include nations in The BRICS, MENA, MINT, EU, EEU (European Economic Union), Sub Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, The Pacific/Oceania, The Americas: South, Central, Caribbean, North.
Harlem World Magazine
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg
Apollo Theater