Ave B Between 5th St and 3rd St

Alphabet City feels like no other part of Manhattan. Sure, it shares many of the same features, there aren't any individual elements that necessarily make it stand out – but there's a undeniable feeling. Once you pass Avenue A and especially Tompkins Square Park it's like a different world. Perhaps it's the overall lack of chain retail stores or restaurants...though that's becoming less true by the year. Perhaps it's the artist-fed culture and the fact that the "melting pot" mentality is still alive-and-well in this part of Manhattan. Or perhaps it's the disconnect the avenues have from the rest of the grid. Whatever it is, this truly is a city within a city.

This particular block is dominated by part of The Earth School (P.S. 364) - which feels very much out-of-place. The majority of the surrounding buildings are low-rise apartments with local stores filling the ground floor. Of course the highlight of this area are always the quirky details strewn about...and this block doesn't disappoint. On the corner of 4th Street, a seemingly simple bodega is topped off with a colorful paint job which looks simultaneously out-of-control and restrained.