Street Art and Lots of Food: Spring Street between Lafayette and Mulberry

This is a short block in the Nolita neighborhood but it has a lot going on. Here's a look down it from across the intersection at Lafayette Street, facing east:

Near this corner is Petrosino Square, which was featured in a previous post.

There are 3 works of street art placed on different buildings on our block. All 3 are by an artist called Kai Aspire, who is from Los Angeles.

I like them, and also how each one is in a frame.

This next one is probably my favorite of the three. It's just to the right of a subway entrance on the block:

The 6 is the local train on the 4-5-6 green line. It is, maddeningly, the only line that runs along the east side of Manhattan, and it also has smaller subway cars that hold fewer people. These factors combine to often make for jam-packed subway rides on the 6. Possibly on the 4 and 5 too, but my personal sardine experiences are on the 6. Anyway, it's fun stuff.

Perhaps you're saying Hey, why not make another subway line on the east side that runs along, say, 2nd Avenue? Funny you should say that. 

The Second Avenue Subway has been an off and on project in the city for many decades. In fact the idea was originally brought up in... 1919. There has been construction for it in recent years, and apparently a first portion, uptown, is planning to open by the end of this year. All New Yorkers together now: "I'll believe it when I see it." 

Anyway, if you want to visit this block, the 6 train to Spring Street will take you right there. Just try to take the first car or last car to make sure you can squeeze onto the train.

Let's get to some of the food places. If street art will stimulate your mind, then the art of crepe-making is sure to stimulate your taste buds! ... I'm thinking of becoming a writer for the local news, was that a lame enough transition?

There is a French crepe shop called Vive la crepe! The exclamation point is part of their name, but I suppose I'm excited about it anyway.

Normally I wouldn't feel the need to describe a crepe shop as French, but there is another crepe place on this block that makes Japanese crepes. That's right, you heard me. It's called Eight Turn Crepe.

Does the name Eight Turn have to do with how they make the crepes? Because it's also the number of double takes I did when I saw the term 'Japanese crepes.' Maybe this is a well-known thing and I'm just out of the loop. 

To one side of the Japanese crepes is a patisserie, Ceci-Cela.

Ooh la la. Ceci-Cela looks like a good bakery, and the name looks like a little kid trying to spell Coca-Cola. At least he used C's instead of K's.

And on the other side of the Japanese crepes is Gatsby's, a place for food and drink. It is underneath a building that is oddly at an angle. 

I wonder why it's at an angle. Maybe it heard that it was directly next to a Japanese crepe place and turned to say "I beg your pardon?"

On the same side of the street, at the Mulberry Street corner, is Pomodoro Ristorante and Pizzeria.

I understand why they have a big sign saying they have pizza by the slice, since "high-end" pizzerias often just serve pies, but it still looks odd to me since most pizza places in the city serve by the slice. Maybe I'm just a pizza snob. It's part of being from New York. 

Directly across from Pomodoro, on the other Mulberry Street corner, is the Spring Lounge. And diagonally across from Pomodoro is DeSalvio Playground.

Next to the Spring Lounge is an empty space, followed by a liquor store.

 Further up on that side of the street is a salad place called Chop't.

At Chop't you first order your salad at one station and the person puts it all into a big bowl. Then the person at the next station dumps it all out onto a big cutting board, chops everything up nice and small, and it's all put back into the bowl. Hence the name Chop't. Gimmick or great idea? Umm... you decide. 

Next to Chop't is a beauty shop called Browhaus. Across the street is also Rituals Cosmetics on the Lafayette Street corner, and a health and beauty place called Fresh, which is a good name for a health and beauty place. 

On the other corner at Lafayette Street is a Duane Reade, which I mentioned in my post on Petrisono Square as not seeming like the original occupant of that building. 

No offense to Duane Reade but the building does seem a bit too majestic. Here's a look inside:

It turns out that it was the East River Savings Bank Building, built in 1927 in a style called Beaux-Arts. Its architect was Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Woolworth Building and the United States Supreme Court building. I guess things change. Now you can get a jumbo pack of Q-tips here at a very reasonable price. And it's open 24 hours!

Here's another look down our block, from the Lafayette corner area:

Along with all the other food on this block, there was also an halal food cart.

As the post title says, there are many eating options. 

I think that's most of what this block has to offer, however...

Bonus street art: I'm cheating a little because these works are not on this block, but I thought I would share some other street art I saw nearby.

Actually some of these works are associated with neighborhood businesses and I don't know if that qualifies as street art, but I'll include them anyway. At Kenmare and Mott is a nice tribute to David Bowie. The Graffiti Room is a restaurant on Mott Street.

Next to L'asso pizza across the street is a lighter image that features Mugatu from Zoolander:

Here's an image that is actually connected to our block because it is around the corner on the same building as the Spring Lounge. It's a beer-drinking shark, of course. The Spring Lounge's website says it is also called the Shark Bar because it features stuffed sharks. 

There were a few pieces at Kenmare and Mulberry that didn't seem connected to businesses.

This one seems to be by an artist called Mr. Renaissance:

And here are two separate pieces by different artists:

The left one is by a Brooklyn duo called ASVP. 

The one on the right is signed by Hanksy, an anonymous New York artist who started out by combining works by Banksy with images of Tom Hanks. Someone apparently is not a fan:

I guess the street art game can be tough.

Hopefully I'll come across more street art to share in future posts, and maybe even some art in 'museums' too. Stay tuned.

Pier 45 and Pier 46 at Hudson River Park

"Nice guys finish first. If you don't know that, then you don't know where the finish line is." 

--Garry Shandling, in a 2007 Esquire article called 'What I've Learned.'

I'm still very sad about the recent passing of Garry Shandling. He was a great comedian and seemed like a very genuine, deep person. The Larry Sanders Show is just incredible.

The two piers in this post are at the western edge of the West Village, in Hudson River Park. Here is a panorama of them, with 45 on the left, and some of the park area at the waterfront:

At the far right above is just a piece of an apple sculpture nearby.

It is in a nice little garden area.

It is late March and everything isn't quite in bloom yet, but there are signs here and there, including in this apple area and in other nearby sections.

Actually the berries didn't look too fresh, to be honest. 

I thought that was a fitting image of a city park: flowers next to some pipes. Or whatever those things are. 

Pier 46 is just to the north of Pier 45 and it doesn't jut out quite as far into the Hudson River. As you first enter it, there is a nice area with circular benches around trees:

Its field is artificial turf but still nice to walk on. Here is a shot facing west towards the water and New Jersey beyond it:

And facing south, towards Pier 45 and the Financial District in lower Manhattan:

Here's a panorama view at the western edge of Pier 46:

There are nice views in every direction while out on this pier, including facing back towards Manhattan... 

And north along the Hudson River and New Jersey:

 And south again:

I'm not good with being near ledges, even if the drop is short, but I took this photo:

I know, I'm quite the daredevil. 

The wall where the pier meets Manhattan was covered in moss that was a very bright green. It was pretty trippy, man, and this photo doesn't quite do it justice:

Maybe I'm easily amused, but that's okay, it saves money.

Back at the Manhattan waterfront, between the two piers, is this area:

You can spot some dogs in that photo, and this whole waterfront is definitely prime dog-walking territory. 

I think I've walked across that bridge before but I was hesitant this time because it seemed a bit scary. Again, quite the daredevil. But many people were going across it so I figured no big deal. It turned out to be really wobbly while I was walking on it! Maybe that was in my head but I really don't think so. Anyway I survived, and it is a cool bridge and little river nook.

I liked seeing the water occasionally hit up against the wall:

Too bad there was a lost ball floating in there. 

Pier 45 also has a field, and this one is real grass!

I'm not sure what that row of posts and their attachments are for, but it does look a bit odd.

Anyway, artificial turf seems good enough until you step on the real thing. Ah, so soft. 

There was some occasional poop on this field, which I thought might be from geese, especially because I didn't see many dogs around the field in general. I'm not a poop expert, though. 

Then I saw these folks and my suspicions increased.

I'm not saying the poop was from them specifically, but the geese population seems to be a strong suspect here.

Those two geese were just hanging out, doing their geese thing.

They certainly didn't seem to be afraid of people:

They actually looked like people should be afraid of them. I think they could've messed me up if they wanted to. 

Here's a look facing back towards Manhattan:

Out near the edge of the pier was this cool tent structure:

In the distance to the south, you can make out the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and Statue of Liberty:

Along with the nice views, the western edge of the pier is pretty quiet and gives a feeling of being out on the water, which you are I guess. Unfortunately the quiet is occasionally disrupted by helicopters, just to remind you that this is still the city, after all.

It was an overcast day but the sun would shine through now and then, creating some interesting light.

 

Here are some more looks at Pier 45 from Manhattan, including more coverings on the eastern part of the pier:

You can see that there are street markers along the waterfront to tell you where you are as you travel either north or south along Manhattan. The next block north after West 10th Street is Charles Street, which has a marker closer to Pier 46:

Back near Pier 45, right in front of it at the park is a cafe that seemed closed. I thought maybe it was only open in warmer months, but an online search tells me that unfortunately it is closed permanently. Oh well.

At least there is a big seating area open to the public between the cafe and the apple sculpture.

Just south of the former cafe is this building:

Why are there separate information areas for men and women? Oh, those are bathrooms. I see. 

You can see some of the walkway along the water in this panorama:

And between the walkway and the West Side Highway is a path for bikes, the Hudson River Greenway.

There are other areas along the water without walkways where that path is for both biking and walking. The Hudson River Greenway is part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, which stretches 32 miles around Manhattan. 

There's a place to cross the highway at Charles Street:

And another just south of West 10th at Christopher Street:

In this area, the other side of the highway, which is also called West Street, seemed to be mainly apartment buildings, a bicycle shop, and some graffiti. 

I did see some more birds during my visit to the piers. Along with the usual pigeons was this one that had its own interesting look.

Oh the things I show you!

I also saw a man and lady duck swimming close to each other right up against the park walkway. They seemed to be looking for food, as animals tend to do.

Maybe the two of them were a couple. Aww. Hey, maybe the two geese were also a couple. I don't know, I'm just speculating.

Anyway, Piers 45 and 46 and the nearby park areas are great for visiting, whether you're one of a number of bird species, a dog, or even a human. It's a relaxing spot in the West Village, and especially inviting when the weather is nice. Don't forget that it is possible to catch an occasional breeze off the water in Manhattan. It's an island, after all.