Filter by our Side PicksWalking the thirty blocks that make up 4th Street (starting at Avenue D and curving up to end at 13th Street — see our Side note below for an explanation of this anomaly) was like getting a lesson in Manhattan’s not-so-distant bohemian past. Since the 1950s, 4th Street has been known as an enclave … read more
East 4th Street has two of Manhattan’s most talented leather craftswomen working here. Jutta Neumann has been designing and producing leather goods that are so soft and buttery since the 1980’s when she traveled here from Europe. Before opening her own shop, she spent several years working with Barbara Shaum … read more
Winner of the “Dress up your Neighborhood Award” in 2002, Orchard Alley Garden certainly holds its own in a neighborhood known for its community gardens. From the well-tended paths lined with lively flowers and foliage to a small playground dome, Orchard Alley is everything a community garden is … read more
As the building plaque reveals, this church was built in 1892.
In 1887, there was a synagogue in this space, but today there is a gorgeous well-cared for community garden with tree lined stone walkways and many benches for relaxing.
How nice to see birch trees, weeping willows and turtles sunning themselves in the pond in this garden of paradise. In El Jardin del Paraiso, a great big willow tree shades this space. While this tree is magnificent on its own, it is highlighted by an octagonal tree house that encircles its trunk. The … read more
We refrained from stepping inside, although we were invited, on a lovely Friday afternoon when we walked by. This barber shop was the happening place. Men were inside having their hair cut, sipping on beers, while others were just standing around chatting both indoors and out.
As its name suggests, it is easy to miss the Secret Garden as a 4th Street pedestrian. Jeanette, a sturdy woman with an aura of business and efficiency, can usually be found bustling crisply throughout the shaded, pastoral area, hurrying between plots of corn, grape vines, peach trees, cilantro, and … read more
