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Chelsea: Then and Now | East Village 101
The Genius and Elegance of Gramercy Park | The Multiethnic Eating Tour
Offered several days a week, this tour covers a lot of ground—more than 300 years’ worth—even if it only spans about four city blocks. Along the way, fourth-generation East Villager Eric Ferrara explains how, generations ago, anything below 14th Street was considered the Lower East Side, and makes a convincing case that the E-Vill, once the stomping grounds of the Astors, is returning to its aristocratic heyday. (Who knew Tom Cruise and Christy Turlington own condos in the Tower Records building?)
But well-rounded locals may see this as something of a refresher course: Certainly the arrival of the Beats in the ’50s, hippies in the ’60s, and punks in the ’70s is common knowledge. And finding out that Mondo Kim’s video store (6 St. Marks Pl) was once the headquarters for Emma Goldman’s Mother Earth is pretty cool but not exactly earth-shattering news. Still, when you’re showing out-of-towners around, it’s a better option than riding one of those double-decker nightmares.—Monika Fabian
Contact tour companies for the next available tour or consult daily listings.
Mikey
Sat, Dec 01, 07, at 12:07am
For all newcomers and old NYawkers alike who like this site and the tours. Might I recommend you read a little of Pete Hamill's
My Downtown , Manhattan
We grew up reading Pete along
with Jimmy Breslin born and bred rough and tough NY writers. They made you feel you were at the scene, whether a disco or local bar.
NY is always revolving into a new a vibrant city. Eric Ferrara is correct in his post, you should google people who made NY and The NY who made the people.
Mikey
Fri, Nov 30, 07, at 11:09pm
Shout out to Montel who touted
this web site on his TV show today
Thank you Montel
Eric Ferrara
Thu, Nov 29, 07, at 5:49pm
I just want to say that the review may have missed the point of this tour. I am
concerned that "Tom Cruise andChristy Turlington" are what made an impact. On this
tour, we cover the "melting pot", the immigrant experience, tenement life, Yiddish
Theater, Vaudeville; the rise of the American gangster, labor unions and women's
rights; the birth of radical arts, activism and politics in America; and the demise
of Lower East Side mom and pop meat markets, tailors, and bakeries in the face of
gentrification. And so much more.
Earth shattering, no. But in my opinion, the subject matter is very important for
any New Yorker (or any American for that matter); The arts, ideas, and politics
which spawned from the Lower East Side have changed the world.
