5th Ave Between 18th St and 16th St

    

Equidistant from both the East River and the Hudson and lacking a subway line with which to escape, it's not unusual to feel a bit stranded on 5th Avenue. While there are still plenty of opportunities to shop, this segment of the avenue is not nearly as commercially-decadent as it is in midtown. Washington Square Park vaguely looms in the distance, though it's still a ways off.

For me, the real attraction in this area is the architecture. Harkening back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the buildings are endlessly impressive with their rich detailing and imposing stature. Unfortunately, to see most of these works of art, you have to direct your sights upward. The bases of these buildings are merely the beginning of more sculptural elements to come several stories above.