Greenwich Village

New York City is a classic collection of great neighborhoods filled with wonderful restaurants, unique shops, innovative theatre companies and rich history. Greenwich Village is
one of the City’s most renowned neighborhoods. The
following is just a sampling of what you will find in this
area that has always been at the forefront of music, art
and social change.

Theater

The Minetta Lane Theatre, 18 Minetta Lane, between MacDougal Street and Sixth Avenue is currently showing Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads featuring six of Mr. Bennett’s one act, solo pieces group into three programs, which are performed on alternating evenings. The Programs are a combination of three or four plays from the following list. The Hand of God, performed by Brenda Wehle; Waiting for a Telegram, performed by Frances Sternhagen; Bed Among the Lentils, performed by Kathleen Chalfant. Program; Her Big Chance, performed by Valerie Mahaffey; A Chip in the Sugar, performed by Daniel Davis; Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet, performed by Lynn Redgrave and A Lady of Letters, performed by Christine Ebersole. The Package deals may be purchased to see the entire series. For more information on this show please go to their web site, www.talkingheadsoffbroadway.com.

The Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street between Hudson and Bleeker Streets is considered one of the best Off-Broadway theaters for its intimate space with perfect viewing from any seat. The upcoming production of The Summer of the Swans, A coming-of-age story about a young girl grappling with adolescence, her changing relationship with her older sister, and her ongoing responsibilities for her disabled brother begins on July 23 with an anticipated closing date of August 20. This new play by Julia Jordan is a sympathetic look at a non-traditional family based on the book by Betsy Byars. For more information on this and other productions please go to their web site, www.lucillelorteltheatre.com.

The Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street between Bedford and Barrow Streets opened seventy-five years ago in this magnificent 1817 building. Through the years, the theatre became prominent as a showcase for the early plays of Edward Albee, Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, David Mamet, Harold Pinter, Lanford Wilson and Sam Shepard. It currently features new works by emerging writers as well as established names. For a current schedule of performances please go to their web site, www.cherrylanetheatre.com or call the theatre at (212) 989-2020.

The Actors Playhouse, 100 Seventh Avenue between Grove and Barrow Streets is currently showing Naked Boys Singing now in its third smash year. This new musical revue featuring an original score and a handful of hunks displaying their special charms as they celebrate the splendors of male nudity in comedy, song and dance may make you blush, but will certainly put a smile on your face. For more information on this show please go to their web site, www.nakedboyssinging.com.

Movie Theaters

The Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston Street at Mercer Street presents the best of alternative, independent and foreign Cinema. For information and film schedule please go to their web site, www.angelikafilmcenter.com of call (212) 995-2000.

Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, between University Place and Fifth Avenue presents independent documentaries and hard to find foreign films. For information on current films please go to their web site, www.cinemavillage.com or call (212) 924-3363.

Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, between Sixth Avenue and Varick Street is New York City’s leading film house for premiers of independent films. The theater also features film classics both foreign and domestic and an impressive array of documentaries. For information and film schedule please go to their web site, www.filmforum.com or call (212) 727-8110.

Dinning

Babbo, 110 Waverly Place, between MacDougal Street and Sixth Avenue is one of Chef Mario Batali’s Italian restaurants. His creative pasta dishes have no equal in the city and his other heavenly creations have garnered him extensive praise from patrons and the press. A reservation is a must at this intimate yet pricey restaurant. For reservations please call (212) 777-0303.

One If By Land, Two If By Sea, 17 Barrow Street, between West 4th Street and Seventh Avenue serves up a delectable menu of contemporary American fare in what has been voted to be the city’s most romantic setting. The restaurant resides in the 18th-century carriage house once owned by Aaron Burr. The menu is well suited for any palette and features many exciting new creations from Chef Brian Goode. The cost is a bit high, but well worth it for a special evening. For reservations, please call (212) 228-0822.

For a moderately priced yet remarkable contemporary American fare try Home, 20 Cornelia Street, between Bleecker and West 4th Street. This cozy restaurant features home-style cooking with flair and ingenuity. The dinner menu changes regularly but each new creation is worth the trip. Be sure to also visit for Saturday or Sunday brunch when classics such as pancakes and scrambled eggs take on a new and delicious dimension. Reservations are a must so please call (212) 243-9579.

Lupa, 170 Thompson Street, between Houston and Bleeker Streets is another wonderful, yet reasonably priced creation of Chef Mario Batali. Lupa is a wining Roman-style trattoria with exquisite pasta creations and an antipasto selection that alone is worth the visit. Reservations are only taken for the back room and that is always a good choice as the front room can be crowded and loud. For reservations, please call (212) 982-5089.

Moustache, 90 Bedford Street, between Barrow and Grove Streets is the kind of exotic neighborhood spot that is perfect for anyone with an adventurous palette. The food is fabulous with delicately seasoned authentic Middle Eastern dishes that won’t break the bank. This reasonably priced restaurant is small with no fan fair or pretension and is a great spot to just drop in. They do not take reservations, but for questions please, call (212) 229-2220.

Walking Tours

The Historic Greenwich Village Walking and Tasting Tour offers an educational stroll through this neighborhood's many fascinating streets. Also discover the unique restaurants, specialty food shops, and sights of new and old time Greenwich Village. The tour will take you to 15 unique food establishments and many fascinating Village landmarks. Everything, including the food tasting is included in the $35.00 per person fee. Tours are year round Tuesdays - Sundays from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Reservations are required for this tour presented by Foods of New York. For a reservation or information, please call (212) 334-5070 or go to their web site, www.foodsofny.com.

The New York City Cultural Walking Tours organization features the tour The Landmarks of Greenwich (Central) Village which focuses on the history and architecture of the central part of Greenwich Village along with interesting pictures and stories that join us with the area's past. They also offer tours of most New York City neighborhoods with an emphasis on the culture of the past and present. For more information please call (212) 979-2388 or go to their web site, www.nycwalk.com.

Discover New York, Architectural and Historical Walking Tours is sponsored by the Municipal Art Society, a membership organization which champions excellence in urban design and planning and the preservation of the best of the city's past. The fee for most of the tours is $10.00 weekdays ($8.00 students, seniors and Municipal Art Society members) and $15.00 on the weekends ($12.00 students, seniors and Municipal Art Society members.) Also, private walking and bus tours of New York City are available and can be tailored to suit your specific areas of interest. For information or to make a reservation, please call (212) 935-3960 or go to their web site, www.mas.org.

Big Onion Walking Tours has led innovative and exciting tours through New York's ethnic neighborhoods and historic districts for over ten years. Their knowledgeable guides will take you on a journey of adventure, history and current events that will delight even the most seasoned New Yorker. For information on their tours please call (212) 439-1090 or go to their web site, www.bigonion.com.

Joyce Gold Tours are conducted by Joyce Gold herself. She is an Instructor of Manhattan history at the New School for Social Research and New York University and she offers a myriad of unique and educational tours on the different neighborhoods around the city. She is author of From Trout Stream to Bohemia: A Walking Guide to Greenwich Village History. For information on her tours please call (212) 242-5762 or go to her web site, www.nyctours.com.

History

Greenwich Village’s recorded history dates back to the early 17th Century. The Dutch settled on this former native American marshland and quickly began to fill in the land for crop pastures. It was the English, who later took over the area, who first called it “Grin’wich”. An eight acre spot right in the heart of the village once served as a potters field and later was designated as a parade ground. It now holds the village’s most recognized symbol, the Washington Arch. The original arch constructed of wood was erected in 1889 for the centennial celebration of Washington’s inauguration. A marble arch which we see there today designed by lead architect of the time, Stanford White, was dedicated in 1895.

Outbreaks of yellow fever, which threatened other more populated areas of the City caused a tremendous growth in the population of the West village. Housing quickly developed and drew middle class merchants. Many 19th century structures still survive today adding to the picturesque charm of Greenwich Village. Along with the population came, churches, clubs, picture galleries and the founding of New York University.

By the turn of the century the village had changed. The establishment of breweries, warehouses, coal and lumberyards along the Hudson brought in Irish and Italian workers, causing the middle class to move north. The village remained quaint and ethnically diverse – a bohemian Mecca that attracted artists, writers and others who sought a remote and liberal community that would embrace their work and ideology. From the late ‘50’s through the early ‘70’s Greenwich Village was the hub of American pop culture that defined the era. Today, it continues as a center for culture, education and progressive thinking.