Visit 9 in '09:
EXPLORE NYC'S DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
By Lynn Yaeger
NYC & Co.
Pinocchio Palace in Astoria. Photo: Phil Kline.
Whether you're a lifelong New Yorker or just visiting the City for the day, 9 in '09 is the perfect opportunity to explore a wide array of the City's expansive and exciting dining, shopping and cultural opportunities. Plan a day trip to one of these nine diverse neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs and experience a wealth of international tastes, sights and sounds.
In Queens, have a Greek frappé coffee at an outdoor café on one of the tree-lined streets of Astoria—and linger past dusk for a serving of fresh seafood and a belly dance performance. In Jackson Heights, decorate yourself with mehndi or stock up on ornate jewelry, colorful fabrics and Bollywood classics. In Brooklyn, the borough's many personalities are defined as much by the Caribbean cuisines and reggae beats of Flatbush as they are by the bathhouses and booming nightlife of Brighton Beach. In Koreatown, start the evening with a traditional Korean barbecue followed by some K-Town karaoke. Farther uptown in Manhattan, El Barrio/Spanish Harlem offers great ways to spend the day, including a trip to the exciting art collections at El Museo Del Barrio. The Bronx showcases its many flavors in the fresh pastas, meats and cheeses on Arthur Avenue in Little Italy, as well as in the perfectly poured Guinnesses and Celtic jam sessions on Katonah Avenue in Little Ireland. On Staten Island, the cultures of a very different island come to life in Little Sri Lanka.That means there's more to the free 25-minute ferry ride from Manhattan than breathtaking panoramic views of the City—you can also be transported by the delectable Sri Lankan cuisine (not to miss are the dosas, crepes and rice with curry.)
The best part of it all? You don't have to go far— take a train, ride the bus, hop in your car or bring your bike. Know where to go and what to do in all 9 in '09 neighborhoods with these featured maps.
 Astoria
Boasting one of the largest populations of Greeks outside of Greece, many of Astoria’s businesses are bilingual, and conversations in Greek are the norm in this quaint Queens neighborhood. Outdoor cafés, grapes growing in backyards and soccer on every television during the World Cup make Astoria one of the more European-flavored neighborhoods in the City. Children who grow up here often stay in the neighborhood after marrying, buying or renting down the street from their parents. The annual Easter midnight mass brings hundreds of candle-carrying families into the streets. Greek cuisine, famous for fresh seafood and grilled lamb, is plentiful here, and many restaurants trot out a belly dancer in the evenings. Even the local parks boast replicas of Greek statues and amphitheaters. After dark, DJs at local hotspots and watering holes play popular European and American dance-club tracks, entertaining young Astorians and other visitors who gather at the neighborhood’s fun and vibrant bars.
 Brighton Beach
Home to a vibrant Russian and Eastern European community, Brighton Beach might be less famous than Coney Island— the neighborhood and carnival showcase next door—but the area still beckons those eager to settle on the shores of Brooklyn. Brighton Beach is named for its eponymous counterpart in England, and the locale’s art deco–era buildings, charming bungalows (originally built as summertime beach homes) and narrow residential streets speak to its small-town feel. The bustling strip of Brighton Beach Avenue presents a cornucopia of shopping, dining and entertainment (usually involving some combination of vodka, borscht and dancing). In this “Little Odessa,” with the subway rolling overhead, the stores’ Cyrillic signs boast delicious foods and Russian arts and imports. Even if you don’t speak Russian, the allure of pirozhki (stuffed buns) and Matryoshka dolls transcends the language barrier. When the City extended an existing boardwalk from Coney Island into Brighton Beach from 1938 to 1941, it created one of NYC’s finest stretches of ocean-side strolling; day-trippers and longtime residents heartily enjoy the scenery.
Ro yal Palace in Brighton Beach. Photo: Alex Lopez.
 El Barrio/Spanish Harlem
Tito Puente grew up there. Bob Dylan and Carlos Santana wrote songs about it. El Barrio/Spanish Harlem is home to a vibrant mix of Latin cultures—not to mention restaurants and nightclubs that rival those of the Caribbean. Stretching from the East River to Fifth Avenue and from 96th to about 116th Streets, the area used to be referred to as Italian Harlem until after World War II, when tenements housing Italian immigrants were destroyed to make room for public housing projects and Latino immigrants began moving there. Now, El Barrio/Spanish Harlem has the highest concentration of Nuyoricans (a term for Puerto Ricans living in New York) in the City and is home to El Museo del Barrio, NYC’s only museum dedicated to celebrating Latino art. Just a half-hour subway ride from downtown Manhattan, the neighborhood teems with Spanish diners (where the signature dish arroz con pollo is always on the menu) and some of the liveliest Latin-music venues in the City.
La F onda Boricua in El Barrio/Spanish Harlem. Photo: Phil Kline
 Flatbush
A bustling neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn, Flatbush has long been a homestead where new waves of immigrants settle as part of the ever-continuing story of New York City’s evolution. Flatbush is comprised of a number of different sections that include Ditmas Park, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Prospect Park South as well as the campus of Brooklyn College on its southern edge. Each locale has its own character, architecture and sense of community. The area is primarily populated now by Haitians, Jamaicans and people from all over the Caribbean and the West Indies who have made Flatbush their home and are weaving many of their traditions into NYC life. Along Flatbush Avenue, the main concourse in the neighborhood, small, family-run shops that offer anything and everything imaginable sit alongside national chain stores. Restaurants specializing in West Indian food like goat curry and jerk chicken are a common sight; most Flatbush residents you meet will have a strong opinion as to exactly which restaurant has the neighborhood’s finest roti.
De Island in Flatbush. Photo: Alex Lopez.
 Jackson Heights
New York’s South Asian population is scattered around the City, but Jackson Heights, in Queens, is a gathering point for the Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities to shop for groceries, grab a bite to eat or pick up the latest Bollywood DVD or sound track. Numerous grocery stores around the area import a variety of fresh and packaged foodstuffs that are necessary for the family’s favorite home-cooked dishes. (Plus, mango lovers know that these grocery stores are the best place to find ripe and hardto-find varieties when they are in season.) The area is a delight for the senses and a great neighborhood for window (or actual) shopping. Clothing and jewelry stores—displaying ornate necklaces and earrings, salwar kameez outfits or magnificent bejeweled fabrics draped into saris—dot the streets, and delicious smells of curry, tandoori meats and freshly made sweets waft out of local restaurants.
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P atel Brothers in Jackson Heights. Photo: Alex Lopez.
 Koreatown
In the heart of midtown, within sight of Macy’s and Herald Square, Koreatown—or K-Town, as it’s affectionately known—is a few blocks of neon-lit storefronts and karaoke parlors offering a taste of Seoul in the middle of the Big Apple. A few Korean restaurants opened here in the 1980s, and the area has since grown into a full-fledged enclave of authentic cuisine, stores and entertainment. Upscale karaoke lounges with private rooms are popular with the late-night birthday-party crowd, while nearby office workers often escape to 32nd Street for a bowl of bibimbap (and a frozen yogurt to go) at lunch. Sought-after specialties at the eateries include the bulgogi marinated beef that patrons can barbecue on grills at their tables and the wide assortment of Korean tapas—including kimchi—served along with meals. Stop by one of the popular restaurants or coffee shops for a bite to eat, or just spend an afternoon browsing the small storefronts selling cell-phone accessories, cute stationery and other knickknacks.
Juvenex in Koreatown. Courtesy, Juvenex.
 Little Ireland
With four-leaf clovers and kelly-green signs sprinkled throughout the neighborhood, you’d half expect to see a pot of gold at the end of Katonah Avenue in the Bronx. But in Woodlawn, Irish culture runs far deeper than funny green hats on St. Patrick’s Day. Irish immigrants have been settling in Little Ireland, as it’s known to locals, for years, carrying with them time-honored traditions that permeate the quaint, row house–lined streets. If you’re craving traditional Irish breakfast, Celtic jam sessions and more perfectly poured Guinnesses than you can shake a shillelagh at, Little Ireland should be your first stop in the Bronx. NearbyVan Cortlandt Park is ideal for a picnic or a round of golf, and at the end of the day, stop by one of the area’s many pubs to throw back a brew with the locals.
Rambling House in Little Ireland. Photo: Phil Kline.
 Little Italy
Here’s how to find the Bronx’s Little Italy: travel to Arthur Avenue and 187th Street in the Belmont neighborhood and follow the scent of fresh-baked bread, wood-fired pizza and just-ground espres so. This epicurean bazaar initially started as an informal marketplace where the local Italian community sold its wares and edibles from street pushcarts, and the area is now a beacon of culinary adventuring for those interested in savoring bona fide Italian cuisine. Longstanding old-world traditions are on display all through out the neighborhood: the Arthur Avenue Retail Market opened in 1940 as an homage to the food halls of the home country, and it continues to f eature prepared delicacies and authentic Italian items (a gargantuan sandwich at Mike’s Deli is de rigeur). Both Arthur Avenue and the surrounding streets are rich with bakeries, cafes, groceries, restaurants and retail shops that cater to the tightly knit local community as well as international travelers on the hunt for an age-old New York City experience.
Enrico Fermi Cultural Center inside Belmont Public Library in Little Italy. Photo:Alex Lopez.
 Little Sri Lanka
It used to be that Sri Lanka and Staten Island shared nothing in common…except for the fact that they are both islands that start with the letter “s.” But over the years, the South Asian country’s rich culture and delectable Indian-, Dutch- and Portuguese-influenced cuisine have made their way to Staten Island—and the free, 25-minute ferry ride from Manhattan makes it easy for both visitors and locals to take part in the experience. A 15-minute walk from the St. George Ferry Terminal, the hub of Little Sri Lanka is located between Bay Street and Victory Boulevard, where most of the neighborhood’s restaurants and shops are clustered. Be sure to arrive hungry to taste Sri Lankan food like crepes and rice and curry. If the closest you’ve gotten to Sri Lanka is buying an M.I.A. album, Staten Island’s version of the country is well worth the trip.
New Asha in Little Sri Lanka. Photo: Phil Kline.
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