City Walk #16

I got this great deck of cards called "City Walks" from my friend Kristen. It's a set of about 50 cards that detail interesting walks through New York, and most of them are a little off-the-beaten-path. Although they do point out the traditional tourist attractions, they are focused more on the local charm and some of the historic beauty of the city. Today I did several walks through Greenwich Village, SoHo and NoLIta. Walk #16 concentrated around Washington Square and New York University. I began at Sixth Avenue and West 11th Street and went east on 11th Street through one of the Village's most beautiful blocks. Close to 5th Avenue, there is one townhouse that stands out as much more "modern" than the others (see photo). A bomb built by members of the Weather Underground exploded in that spot in 1970, killing 2 people and destroying the original building. Going further to University Place, I strolled into Washington Mews, an cobblestone lane with charming converted carriage houses, now mostly owned by New York University. Then, down 5th Avenue to the Arch and Washington Square Park. The Arch was built to mark the centenary of George Washington's 1789 inauguration and has been a major landmark in the Village for many years.