Nolita

The brainchild of Real Estate agents hungry for another "brand name" neighborhood like SoHo, Nolita stands for North of Little Italy. Bounded by SoHo to the West, Houston Street to the north, and the formerly seedy and increasingly upscale Bowery to the East, Nolita boasts some of New York City's hippest boutique stores, restaurants and cafes.

If you are in town to shop, you definitely want to spend a day here and in adjacent SoHo. The vintage style maven and shopaholic will feel quite at home in Nolita, with its many expensive and tony boutiques. Sigerson Morrison is chic shop with known for its handbags and accessories. Resurrection is another recommended stop on your search for the perfect vintage find. After a day of hardcore boutiquing, stop and treat yourself to lunch or dinner. Great places to people-watch and grab a bite to eat include Café Gitane on Mott Street, Caffe Falai on Lafayette Street, and the famous Lombardi's on Spring St.

You might choose to peruse the many great titles at McNally Jackson Booksellers on Prince Street, directly across from the noted Do Kham Tibetan boutique, with beautiful jewelry, fashions, accessories and antiques from the Himalayas. Perhaps finish your Nolita visit on Spring Street with a local treat, the many creative flavors of rice pudding at Rice to Riches.

If you'd like to spend your stay in New York in this trendy neighborhood we recommend booking a hotel in nearby SoHo, as options are few and far between in the tiny and primarily retail and residential Nolita. The Mercer Hotel is amongst SoHo's most luxurious hotel options as is the SoHo Grand Hotel.