9th Ave Between 44th St and 46th St

Somewhere between Hell's Kitchen and the Theater District is this interesting wasteland which houses a liberal combination of bars, restaurants and corner shops alongside the traditional sleaze of the 1970s. Long since marginalized out of the "Family-friendly"/Disneyland of Times Square, these old porn shops are now few and far between, but their character remains strong- and it's especially interesting to see them mixed in with the pre-theater dinner crowd who venture over for a burger before Jersey Boys.

Looming in the distance above the low-rise buildings of the surrounding neighborhood peek the gleaming office towers of midtown; their multi-colored glass and unusual profiles showing a stark contrast to the squat, square buildings in the foreground.

Over here, one is never at a loss for finding a place to eat or drink – practically every cuisine is covered. This isn't a surprise as Restaurant Row is but a few steps from this block (see tomorrow's post). Of course, along with restaurants come great signage, and this blog is no different. I'm always impressed with the variety and general creativity exhibited along this avenue.

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