Why You Should Visit the West Village of New York City

The West Village is a chic, sophisticated area where many of the most famous celebrities in New York City make their homes. If you want to enjoy the unique blend of highbrow chic and edgy downtown style that make New York City unique, you'll definitely want to make time for a stroll through the West Village. Whether you're interested in some top-notch shopping, grabbing a stellar snack at a neighborhood eatery, or just soaking up the atmosphere, this guide to the West Village will help you get the most out of this unique neighborhood. Read on to learn some highlights of this special part of New York City.

Famous Faces And Tasty Treats
The West Village is home to a charming mixture of young adults and families, and among its mixed population are many celebrity residents. Among the famous names who mark their addresses with a West Village zip code are Sarah Jessica Parker, Natalie Portman, Liv Tyler, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Keifer Sutherland. The area's chic restaurants often draw well-known faces from other New York City neighborhoods, so if you're up for a little celebrity spotting, the West Village is a promising place to go. Try a leisurely walk down a major pedestrian thoroughfare, like Greenwich between 6th and 7th avenue. If you don't happen to rub elbows with a local celeb during your trip to this New York City area, you can still have something to write home about: try visiting the famous "Magnolia Bakery." This bakery's cupcakes have been featured on "Sex and the City," and "Saturday Night Live" among other shows, and have been mentioned in movies including "The Devil Wears Prada." You can get directions, read reviews, and check the hours for when you can sample the wares at the Magnolia Bakery's page on Citysearch, online at http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7117258/

Browsing On Bleecker
Shopping in the West Village runs the gamut from designer fashions to secondhand record bargains. No matter what you're looking for, you're sure to find it in this area of New York City, if you can figure out where to look! For a great stroll and some top-notch browsing that will help you get to know all the different sides of the shopping in the West Village, take a walk down Bleecker Street between 6th Avenue and Abingdon Square. This vibrant stretch of sidewalk will take you past a great array of stores. Once you've strolled Bleecker, you'll have a great sense of the ins and outs of this special New York City neighborhood, so set aside a few hours to browse some of the windows and the stores that make the West Village unique. You'll make your way past everything from a specialty cheese shop (Murray's Cheese, http://murrayscheese.com/) to one of the most chic Marc Jacobs (http://www.marcjacobs.com/) locations in the country.

Tea Time
One of the distinct cultural flavors of the West Village comes from the U.K. There is a large population of transplants from Great Britain who make their homes in the West Village, and there are several British-run businesses in the area, including the cozy local tea shop "Tea And Sympathy." This popular neighborhood spot offers hungry New York City patrons a chance to sample authentically English tea-time delicacies like sticky toffee pudding, and treacle tart. Although the atmosphere and most of the patrons are of British origin, the funky aesthetic, which includes one of a kind teapots, has the distinct flair of New York City. The devoted crowd of in-the-know locals who frequent this very special spot make for long lines on the weekends, so avoid the crowds and plan a weekday visit if you can. You can check the hours, and browse the menu, for this beloved West Village Institution online at http://www.teaandsympathynewyork.com/home.ph