1st Ave Between 7th St and 9th St

   

A block away from the tree-filled oasis of Ave A and Tompkins Square, the decidedly different First Avenue shares only a handful of things in common with it's eastern cousin. While much of the "indy" village feeling it present, the overdevelopment of the past decade or so has left this stretch of blocks looking like a battered line of trendy storefronts, each catering to another fad of the past 10 years.

Cutting right through St. Mark's Place, the street is lined with a rainbow of colorful storefronts–mostly restaurants. A few surprises along the way, such as a used record store, help to remind you that you're in the east village, where a premium is placed on impractical businesses simply for the sake of nostalgia and authenticity.