I know so very little about this area of NYC, and would like to take my daughter and friend shopping there just prior to Christmas. Anyone in the know -- please provide where to get dropped off by a cab, what areas to shop, where to go for lunch? Thanks!

The main shopping area is the section bounded by West Houston, Broadway, Grand and West Broadway. Check out Yahoo Maps or something to see all of the streets (put in Zip Code 10012 and zoom in to street level). Lots of shops on Prince and Spring. there are also some small boutiques on the other side of Broadway on Layfayette, Mott, and Elizabeth. While many of the stores are now often found in malls, there are still a lot that aren't.

You could take a cab to Houston and Broadway or Houston and West Broadway to start.

I like the cab to West Broadway and Spring St myself. Then you feel like you have been dropped down right in the middle of everything! There are so many boutiques and great small places to eat, you can just wander from there in any direction and have a great time!
On Spring Street is a place called Penang, Malaysian food, chicken sate and sweet rice, that sort of thing, with a waterfall in the back and little thatched roof areas to sit in.
The Cub Room on Prince and Sullivan, excellent food, great atmosphere, always lines.
Across the street, Il Corallo, small Tuscan, woodburning oven pizza, Fab salads, very nice owner who is always there.
Around the corner on McDougal is Provence..yummmm.
Up towards Broadway on Prince is Zoe-very nice, very good food, lines usually.
You won't be able to get a table but stop by the Balthazar bakery and grab a bit of bread or pastry to eat while browsing the shops on Broadway.
Sephora, Armani EX, so much shopping, so little time~
Happy shopping!

Thanks so much for the information -- what an incredible help it will be!

A few hours in Greewich Village can make interesting shopping also; the shops are mostly privately owned, not big chains, so it's a different experience..... more charming and quaint. If you have time for that also, I would recommend it.

for omlettes try the cupping room.
Dont forget to check out canal street
for faux designer hand bags and there is a great store for bags on Prince st.,right off of west broadway.The shops in soho are great.enjoy