6th Ave Between 52nd St and 50th St

This wide canyon of corporate media towers is imposing as much as it is expansive. The lineup of repetitious buildings and street lamps create for a dizzying optical illusion befitting M.C. Escher. Sitting right between Times Square, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center (and to a lesser extent, Grand Central), this stretch of 6th Avenue always has plenty of tourists bustling through.

In my post on 50th St Between 6th Ave and 5th Avenue, I didn't say much about what is potentially the most noteworthy landmark on the block: Radio City Music Hall. I could argue that it was because I had so much else to write about on that block. I could also claim that the real "front" of Radio City resides on 6th Avenue, and didn't warrant mentioning on a side street. Pick whichever suits you best.

Opened in the 1930's during the height of The Great Depression, Radio City is so iconic as to almost be a caricature of what many people imagine to be Art Deco. The beautiful theater inside is nothing short of breathtaking. If ever given the opportunity, do not pass it up. It's a bit off-putting to see them using LCD TVs on the front and side of the theater to advertise upcoming performances- somehow it undermines the classic marquee above. 

50th St Between 6th Ave and 5th Ave

Have you ever been down to central Florida, driving around on a regular highway...when all of a sudden it transforms into some private Disney expressway? The signs change, the grass is trimmed, everything becomes different. The same feeling can be had here between 6th and 5th Avenues. The massive complex of buildings that make up Rockefeller Center immediately transport you to a strange, privatized New York City. This isn't to imply that it's a bad vibe...just a strange one.

The beautiful long lines that make up the art deco towers here seem to be lost on most visitors. Sure, it's a heavily photographed area, but many seem focus solely on 30 Rock, while a lot of the equally beautiful side buildings get ignored. 

Of course the center of attention here is the sunken plaza which is home to the famous ice rink. Rockefeller Plaza, the thin, vehicle-less road that cuts down the middle of the Center almost perfectly bisects all the streets between 48th and 51st. 

The final stretch to 5th avenue is no less crowded than the plaza itself. Hoards of shoppers make their way around the various barricades which prevent you from crossing wherever you please. Disney, indeed.