brwnsugar

Sorry is this was posted already. I'm 29m and going to be in New York May 15-18th. I'm into funky: clothes, home decor, and nicknacks (flea markets, stores, etc.). Also, music like house, techno, and hip hop as far as nightlife goes. I like funky laid back neighborhoods that are somewhat casual and would like to stay away from any that are too posh. So does anyone have any recommendations on where to hang and to book a hotel?? I appreciate any help. Would it be so called chinatown, the village, tribeca (sp?) ???

bugswife1

can't help with the hotels, but you do want to be downtown. The place for you to shop and hang out would be St. Mark's Place and the East Village (lower eastside). CBGB is a great club in that area. They probably have a website. Also Webster Hall for dancing. Soho will be fun shopping too, but MUCH pricier than the lower east side. Tons of thrift shops and consignment stores.

brwnsugar

thanks bugs! I appreciate the help. Can any one else add some info as well?

Veronica

I just stayed at the Larchmont in the Village and think you'll like that. I loved it ... plus it's inexpensive. There is a section on this board where people have posted comments on all the hotels - check what's said about the Larchmont.
Veronica

brwnsugar

thank you as well Veronica, I can use all the help I can get. keep the comments comin! In return, i'll send some good Kharma your way

mpmgm

What about the Chelsea area? Maybe someone else can tell you specific hotels and clubs....I usually stay in Midtown and I doubt you'd like that at all! Chelsea's got a pretty funky laid-back feel - not so commercial like some parts of Lower Manhattan.

Owen_ONeill

The West Village area (Bleecker and 7th Ave South/8th Ave area is a good central point to venture out from. The immediate area on Bleecker and West 4th has plenty of commercial claptrap but there's enough cool old NY type stuff like Murray's Cheese Shop, Caffe Reggio, Porto Rico Imports for coffee.... worth a walk through. Get on the side streets in the neighborhoods there and you'll find plenty of interest.

Chinatown is a definite must, St. Mark's Place area near NYU is a good stoppoing point and then there's the Lower East Side. You could probabaly spend the whole three days there and not run out of things to do and see and buy (or contemplate buying) - both night and day.

There's a good flea market in Chelsea on Sundays somewhere near 6th Ave and 17th if I recall correctly. Chelsea seems just a trifle touristy to me but it is a residential neighborhood so there's a good mix.

Lower Broadway (south of 14th Street) has some good vintage clothign stores, a really cool lighting

Owen_ONeill

Part II (posted before I was ready - oops!). Really funky cool and cheap lighting stuff at (I think) Broadway Lighting. Nice walk right down to Canal which leaves you to explore the junk, grot and wild stuff for sale in Chinatwon and from the Canal Street sidewalk vendors.

From what I hear (haven't been there but friends who lived or hung there have told me), there's lots going on in Brooklyn. Fort Greene and Williamsburg (especially Williamsburg) have a thriving young arts scene and W'burg in particular has some good new music lubs drawing great live bands.

You might want to try a local bulletin board like the NYC Forums section of Craig's List at

http://forums.newyork.craigslist.org/

Lots of folks active on that board in your peer group who live, work and play in NYC and will have very specific suggestions and experience to share.
Have fun and see if you can't stretch the visit out to a few more days - you'll need it!

mclaurie

Check out the Chelsea Hotel.

brwnsugar

Thank you so much everyone for the responses, it's helped so much so far. Also, thank you Owen for all the in depth info, you all are saints! Any more tidbits of info would be cool too. I will be sure to reports back in and let everyone know how great NY is.

Leona

You'd probably love the W Union Square, down around 14th St. You'll be near the Village, Soho, Chelsea, etc. The area around it has some shops you would like too.

JungleCat

Save yourself and do not go to Webster Hall. It's a frat-boy meat market and they allow the under-21 crowd in. Also, while I think CBGB's is great, your music tastes don't sound like a good fit there.

XVI, otherwise known as Bar 16, plays a pretty good mix but it's slanted towards house and hip hop. This is a good place to start and get your buzz on, alcohol, music or otherwise.

Not too far away is a non-descript club that to me, is the gem on New York nightlife. Sapphire Lounge. GREAT DJ's and they're one of the few clubs that are open past NYC's 4AM closing times. I recommend going past about 1 or 2 AM because it does tend to get a little crowded.

XVI
16 1st Ave (E. Houston crossing)

http://newyork.citysearch.com/review...ndalone_review

Sapphire Lounge
249 Eldridge (E. Houston crossing)(It's a little difficult to find since there's no sign saying "Sapphire" but it's right on the corner and you'll see a bouncer outside)

http://newyork.citysearch.com/review...ndalone_review

Covers at most of the smaller clubs in NY are usually $5 and to be on the safe side, no jeans or sneakers.

mclaurie

Just came across a website velvetlist.com for clubs. You might want to have a look.

methinks

Chelsea is actually the neighborhood that will most fit your bill. I live in the area and find it less touristy than most of the village, but there is one area on 6th avenue around 16-23rd street that has all the stores one would expect to find in a shopping mall in the 'burbs (Old Navy, T.J Max, etc.) The Chelsea Hotel is a great choice for a funky "slice of history" hotel. This is the hotel where Sid Vicious killed Nancy Spungen. It is synonymous with the excesses of the sixties and seventies (anyone remember Lance Loud? Andy Warhol was also a lover of the Chelsea).
There are lots of clubs in the area of 15th to 22nd street between 5th and 6th avenues, many of these cater to the house and hip hop crowd. Also, clubs in the West 20's and 30's further west have the same type of music.
The West 20's between Park ave to just west of 6th avenue have lots of architectural antique and home furnishings stores - the granddaddy of them all is ABC Carpet and Home on Broadway at 19th street. We like Olde Good Things on 24th just off 6th. The antique flea markets I think Owen is talking about are on 6th avenue starting at 24th street and going up. I would suggest starting in the morning Sat or Sunday at 6th avenue and 26th street and start heading down 6th avenue hitting all the antique/ architectural shops in that area. At 23rd make a left and head East to 5th/Broadway (the Flatiron building separates these two great avenues). If you want to check out clothes, head down fifth; if you want to continue with the home decor stuff, then head down Broadway (don't forget to stop in Fishes Eddy and look at all the dishes). Then just follow Broadway into Greenwich village.

The East Village is also a good choice for "funky" nightlife and shops. It is a somewhat cheaper area than Chelsea.