City Views: You should so go to SoHo, the place to be this season

SoHo, is becoming an increasingly popular weekend destination for Schreiber students. The area gets its name from its location, South of Houston Street.

Traditionally, SoHo has been associated with its many art galleries and large community of artists, but today, the lower Manhattan neighborhood is more famous for its trendy stores and unique restaurants.

“SoHo is one of my favorite places to go in Manhattan.  I especially love the shops and cafes,” said junior Saige Gitlin.

Both art aficionados and shopping enthusiasts are drawn to SoHo. The neighborhood boasts a variety of clothing stores, from expensive boutiques to mass market chain stores. You can find a number of familiar brands, including Urban Outfitters, North Face, J. Crew, Victoria’s Secret, and Forever21.

“I generally don’t go to SoHo for the chain stores, since you can shop at them elsewhere.  Instead I enjoy looking in some of the boutiques which are unique to SoHo,” said junior Celia Christake.

Brandy Melville, a Californian-inspired clothing shop, is a popular destination for many shoppers, as are Babel Fair, Ina, and Opening Ceremony. Window shopping also seems to be common in SoHo. Kira Zabet, for example, is a high-end clothing store where clothes can fetch prices of thousands of dollars.

“I enjoy looking around in some of the fancy shops even if I don’t buy anything,” said Christake.

When you’re all shopped out, there is a wide variety of interesting restaurants and cafes where you can grab a bite to eat.  The Cupping Room Cafe on W Broadway, for instance, is popular for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and the Two Hands Cafe on Mott Street is known for their breakfast menu.

Lately, foodies have been flocking to the Two Hands Cafe to sample their açai bowls.

“I have heard good things about Two Hands Cafe so I have been wanting to go there, but when I went the lines were too long,” said junior Lucy Hurt.

If you’re in the mood for dessert, SoHo also has a variety of wonderful bakeries.  Ferrara Bakery and Cafe is known for their Italian desserts, especially their cannoli. Baked By Melissa and Georgetown Cupcakes are also popular.

“The cupcakes at Baked By Melissa are expensive but quite delicious,” said Christake.

If you’re not in the mood for shopping, there are several museums worth visiting.  The New York City fire Museum shows the evolution of fire fighting from the bucket brigades to modern firefighting techniques and equipment.  There is also a special memorial to firefighters who died on 9/11.

The Drawing Center, which, as the name suggests, features exhibits of drawings, is another interesting destination.  In addition, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, with its unusual architecture, presents contemporary art from around the world.

There is something for everyone from SoHo, from shopping to eating to art. It is also easily accessible from Penn Station by subway.  Next time you’re looking for a good place in Manhattan to spend a Sunday, consider traveling to SoHo.