Within only a quarter of a square mile, SoHo has an estimated 250 art galleries, four museums, nearly 200 restaurants, and
100 stores.
The blocks south of Houston (pronounced HOW-ston) and north of Canal streets are home to the city's
largest concentration of the cast-iron fronted buildings, built as warehouses and manufacturing spaces, but converted to living
spaces, called "lofts," for artists and sculptors who appreciated the larger spaces. These huge, 19th-century architectural
gems (Victorian Gothic, Italianiate, and neo-Grecian among them) are prized by preservationists and the well-heeled
bohemians of SoHo who call the neighborhood home.
The Museum for African Art, New Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Alternative Museum are all in SoHo.
The New York Fire Museum on Spring Street displays a nostalgic and inspirational collection of hand-pulled and horse-drawn
apparatus, engines, sliding poles, uniforms and fireboat equipment from the 18th through the 20th centuries - a good place
to pay respects to our heroes from 9-11.
Robert Lee Morris sells jewelry that is wearable art; Canal Jean Company
sells authentic Levi's, cutting-edge shoes, and sportswear at discount prices; Vintage New York features only wines and
food from New York State; The Scholastic Store sells Scholastic brands including Clifford the Big Red Dog and Harry Potter -
in an interactive, multimedia environment; and the Ward-Nasse Gallery has the largest selection of original art in SoHo.
If you work up an appetite after all the shopping, head to the Cub Room or Zoë for dinner, and afterwards to NV/289 Bar
Lounge, S.O.B.'s (Sounds of Brazil) for a little samba, or the SoHo Grand Hotel for a drink in an international and sophisticated
environment.
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