On Rivington Street
The first few blocks of Rivington Street on NYC's Lower East Sides feel like a small neighborhood. I visit the area almost every time I am in New York. It would make a great place to stay.
THINGS TO DO
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| Rivington Street at Rabbi Yaakov Spiegel Way in NYC's Lower East Side |
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| mural door on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
THINGS TO DO
#4 at Bowery, (212) 226-7226. Tu-F 10-6, Sat 12-7, closed Sun-M. Exuding a mysterious aura, Leekan Designs specializes in beads, wood carvings, gongs, birdcages, jewelry, and much more from Asia, Oceania, and Africa. It provides a superb browse, and I always seem to find something I must have--most recently a pair of silver cicada-charm dangle earrings.
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| Leekan Designs on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
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| bracelets at Leekan Designs on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
●Rivington Playground
#14 at Forsyth St., in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. This park is the largest open space in the neighborhood, and has a senior center and a roller skating rink as well as this lovely Rivington Playground.
#148-154
WHERE TO EAT
WHERE TO EAT
#108
●The Falafel Shop
CLOSED #127 at Essex St. There is often a line to order this spot’s delicious hummus, warm pita bread, and outstanding falafel. Sabich (pronounced "sob-beek") is a full meal consisting of fried eggplant, a hardboiled egg, tahini, fried potato, pickles, pickled turnips, and mango chutney. Tasty curry lentil soup makes a good side, and the ginger-mint lemonade is a don’t-miss. Unfortunately, this place is very small, with only a few seats.
●Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten
#7 at Bowery, (212) 253-7077. Though the patio in back at Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten is cement and wall to wall with picnic tables, allowing for very little green, it is outdoors and sheltered and makes quite a nice spot to be with a 0.5 of draft--I vote for the house specialty Gaffel Kolsch, a light top-fermented ale from Cologne--and a delicious bratwurst sandwich with fries.
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| exterior of Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
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| biergarten at Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
●Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream
#2 at Bowery, (212) 209-7684. The unusual flavors at Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream include burnt honey vanilla, Vietnamese coffee, black coconut ash, banana durian, and raw milk. Cones include cake, sugar, and monster-sized. Unfortunately, the line is often extremely long--I’ve heard of a wait time sometimes approaching two hours!
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| Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
WHERE TO SLEEP
#107 at Ludlow St. Unimpressive from the outside, this stylish contemporary hotel has a small lobby on the second floor. Beds have a termpur-pedic mattress, and they still provide a goody here at turndown. Upper-floor rooms have some great views, even from the bathroom, and some rooms are Japanese-style with a steam shower and large slate soaking tub; others have big tubs with a city view. A continental breakfast is served on the 20th floor.
●Off Soho Suites Hotel New York
11 at Chrystie St., 800-OFF SOHO, (212) 353-0860. This lodging provides an alternative to overpriced, undersized hotel rooms. Each unit is equipped with a full kitchen, and the property has a laundry room. The lobby doubles as the Eleven Rivington art gallery.
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| Off Soho Suites Hotel New York on Rivington Street in NYC's Lower East Side |
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