What is on these two streets. How do you get there from Midtown? thanks jj

thelbert, you may get better responses if you post with NYC in your title.

I am going out on a limb here and guessing NYC.

The last time I was on Orchard, I was doing some serious power shoe shopping.

You'll find knock-off everything. There are great fabric stores. Tons of Asian markets. It's very crowed on the weekend. As a New Yorker, this not my favorite spot in the city. It is close to Little Italy, though.

You can take the 6 train down to Canal Street or cab it.

Many stores on the Lower East Side are closed on Saturdays.

Sunday morning on Orchard Street is fun for a good huge breakfast/brunch at one of the Delis and shopping.
We always took a cab.

That would be Ratners Deli on the corner of Delancy

Oh man, thank you abram. I should have realized that alot of the stores on lower east side are closed on Sat., but I didn't. I had planned a full day on lower east side w/my daughter over Memorial day weekend, starting at the Tenement Museum and then on to the shopping around there. I will now rearrange accordingly. MANY THANKS.

Scarlett: So in your experience, most of the shops are open on Sunday in the lower east side area? If so, we will follow your advice and switch our Sat. and Sun. itinerary, and have breakfast and shopping there on Sunday instead.
Many thanks in advance for your repsonse.

I must confess that we used to go down the the Lower East Side for brunch with friends after particularly late nights and some of the group even had hangovers! Something about all that nova and latkes made us all feel human again ~
Sundays are good and then you can find your way over to Soho/Broadway and shop shop shop.

I think I read recently that Ratners, which I loved as a kid, has closed.

Noooooo!
Is it because we moved out of New York ???

Sorry, Scarlett, but Ratners has been closed for a few years.

Also keep in mind that further east of Orchard Street (closer to Houston St) the neighborhood is changing--half bodegas, half trendy bars and boutiques.

Ok everyone please help. Is it worth my time to go over to Orchard and Delancey. Can I find the same things on Canal.Its been 15 years since I was on Orchard with a friend that knew where we were.I'm very familiar with Canal,all the way down to the bridge.By the way what the bridge is at the bottom of canal street.thanks for all your help.
at the bottom

The bridge at the east end of Canal is the Manhattan Bridge.

Personally, I think Orchard Street has lost lots of its interest. Perhaps because it seems less shabby, less like the Casbah. Perhaps because some of my favorite fabric stores moved away. I go there for a different experience now--to explore the new trendier places slowly infiltrating the area.

LOL, that is funny that I am still recommending Ratners..guess it has been longer than I remember since we got hungover and needed a big breakfast!
Sorry for the mis-information~
My next recommendation would be Soho

You can still go to Katz's deli.

This area is getting trendier and trendier and less of a discount shopping haven. There are still a lot of small discount stores, but their merchandise is less "designer labels for less" and more like cheap merchandise for cheap prices.

There are still quite a few leather stores, a few shoe stores, a few lingerie stores and a few fashion stores -- most of the fabric stores have gone. In general, though, the neighborhood is a shadow of its former self. I enjoy walking around and going into the newer boutiques and cafes, though. They're young, fun, much more upscale and unusual. Not your typical "mall store" at all.

Also, if you walk all the way down to Grand Street, you can walk across into Chinatown for lunch.