SoHo

SoHo stands for "South of Houston" and in the 1970s it was a half-abandoned warehouse district where painters moved in because they could rent 3,000 square feet of loft space for $200 a month. Those artists are mostly gone now — pushed out by the success they created — but the neighborhood is still extraordinary. It contains the largest collection of cast-iron architecture in the world: 250+ buildings from the 1860s-80s, their facades ornate with columns and cornices, now home to flagship stores of every fashion brand on earth.

**Walk:** Broadway for the retail parade (Uniqlo, Aritzia, Glossier flagship). Greene Street for the prettiest cast-iron blocks. Mercer for hidden boutiques and galleries. Prince Street for bookshops and weekend street vendors. Don't miss the Haughwout Building at Broome & Broadway — home of the first passenger elevator (1857).

**What makes it special:** The architecture is unbeatable and you don't need tickets to see it — just walk and look up. The galleries are fewer now but still worth finding (Deitch Projects on Grand, The Drawing Center on Wooster).

**Eat & drink:** Balthazar (French bistro, scene-y, excellent), Laduree (macarons), Joe's Pizza on Prince, Cafe Select for breakfast.