Third Avenue (L)
This is a Taco Bell accessibility stop!
This area is a bit of a no-man’s-land. It’s a little bit NYU, a little bit East Village, a little bit big churchy, a little bit fast-foody, and generally eclectic. The stop brings you right to a Trader Joe’s, giant Mt. Sinai buildings, and discount drinking.
The area is a bit of a head-scratcher, but it breaks down like this.
South is where you get your cheap bars, movie theaters, a Taco Bell, fun thrift stores, and cozy Asian restaurants.
For a thrift store that spans very weird to very normal, try Cure Thrift. When I went, they were selling everything from a grand piano to vintage typewriters and camera lenses to animal statues and jewelry and sweaters.
If you are looking for a Bart Simpson head, it might still be at Cure Thrift.
A plate display at Makari Japanese Antiques and Fine Art.
Next to Cure Thrift is a beautiful Japanese store, Makari Japanese Antiques and Fine Art.
To get drunk fast, the Memory Motel NYC (it’s a bar) has you covered with a giant banner out front advertising 5 shots for $13. The online reviews are terrible, but I don’t think that’s going to deter the target customer. For a relatively elevated, but still pretty cheap drinking experience, try The Penny Farthing, a wood-paneled sports bar across the street. Or any of the other bars that swamp the area.
5 shots for $13? What could go wrong?
If you’re looking for a cafe to work in, try Sammy L Coffee or Plantshed Cafe.
For a mainstream new release movie, go to the AMC Village 7. For an indie film, check out Village East by Angelika, which bonus points, has a beautiful Art Deco interior.
The view from within the western division of Stuyvesant Square Park.
North, you’ve got midtown vibes and Stuyvesant Square Park. It’s cleaved in half by 2nd avenue, so it’s kind of like two separate parks, each big and gated, and you’ll only find entrances mid-way through each of the perimeters. The fact that it’s not very permeable (you have to intentionally navigate to an entrance) means that the park is quiet. It’s a good place for a somewhat peaceful stroll (compared to the general chaos of Union Square Park just a few blocks west), and I imagine it’s kind of like what Gramercy Park might be like.
East/southeast brings you to East Village, and the First Avenue L Train Stop guide will help you out there.
West, you’ve got Union Square, which is covered by the Union Square Stop Guide.
This is the vibe on 14th street right outside the station, which probably explains why this entire stop guide is about what to do north/south/east/west of the station … because there’s not a lot happening immediately outside of it.
What did I miss? Scroll past the map and let me know.
