In 1884 New York City created a two acre food market named after a Revolutionary War hero, General Peter Gansevoort, who was Herman Melville's grandfather. In 1949 the Gansevoort Meat Market was established. Today the Meat Packing District is a 20 block, 24 hour restaurant and shopping neighborhood. It is located on the West Side between 15th and Horatio Streets, and west of and including Hudson Street.

The West Village is less clearly defined. For the purposes of this fine guidebook, it is bounded by the Hudson River and Sixth Avenue, extending from 14th Street down to Houston Street.

Both neighborhoods are filled with an extraordinary number of fine shops and art galleries. This comprehensive directory includes descriptions and contact information for the many stores, hotels, restaurants and other services. The guide contains a large fold out map that makes it easy to plot a course through the riches here.

The Little Bookroom has produced a beautiful guide, and Sarah Caplan has filled it with excellent content. Example:

"Geppetto's Toy Box
Children's Toys
10 Christopher St. (at Gay St.)
212 620 7511 * Mon-Fri 11:30-7, Sat 10:30-6:30, Sun 12:30-5:30
nyctoys.com
Geppetto's is an apt name for one of downtown's best toy stores. Children and adults will delight in the enormous selection of high-quality toys. (A recent customer came in with the unusual request for a stuffed squirrel and left minutes later with one in his hands.) Top picks include Steiff animals, collectible Madame Alexander dolls, handmade rag dolls (in different skin tones), handmade paper mobiles, Ketler tricycles from Germany, and wall art by Eeboo. The owners stock many New York-themed toys and books, such as a 3D Empire State Building puzzle, as well as great kits, books, and puzzles. Lego, Brio, and Playmobil make an appearance (though the collections are not extensive), as do Siku die cast trucks from Germany."

Stores are marked "Recommended" and "Must See" in the directory and on the map. There is simply no better guide to these interesting areas of New York City for the hard core shopper.

Robert C. Ross 2008

In 1884 New York City created a two acre food market named after a Revolutionary War hero, General Peter Gansevoort, who was Herman Melville's grandfather. In 1949 the Gansevoort Meat Market was established. Today the Meat Packing District is a 20 block, 24 hour restaurant and shopping neighborhood. It is located on the West Side between 15th and Horatio Streets, and west of and including Hudson Street.

The West Village is less clearly defined. For the purposes of this fine guidebook, it is bounded by the Hudson River and Sixth Avenue, extending from 14th Street down to Houston Street.

Both neighborhoods are filled with an extraordinary number of fine shops and art galleries. This comprehensive directory includes descriptions and contact information for the many stores, hotels, restaurants and other services. The guide contains a large fold out map that makes it easy to plot a course through the riches here.

The Little Bookroom has produced a beautiful guide, and Sarah Caplan has filled it with excellent content. Example:

"Geppetto's Toy Box
Children's Toys
10 Christopher St. (at Gay St.)
212 620 7511 * Mon-Fri 11:30-7, Sat 10:30-6:30, Sun 12:30-5:30
nyctoys.com
Geppetto's is an apt name for one of downtown's best toy stores. Children and adults will delight in the enormous selection of high-quality toys. (A recent customer came in with the unusual request for a stuffed squirrel and left minutes later with one in his hands.) Top picks include Steiff animals, collectible Madame Alexander dolls, handmade rag dolls (in different skin tones), handmade paper mobiles, Ketler tricycles from Germany, and wall art by Eeboo. The owners stock many New York-themed toys and books, such as a 3D Empire State Building puzzle, as well as great kits, books, and puzzles. Lego, Brio, and Playmobil make an appearance (though the collections are not extensive), as do Siku die cast trucks from Germany."

Stores are marked "Recommended" and "Must See" in the directory and on the map. There is simply no better guide to these interesting areas of New York City for the hard core shopper.

Robert C. Ross 2008

This little shopping guide is fabulous. It includes a wallet-sized folder with a skinny booklet outlining details of all the best shops, bistros, bars, coffee shops, designer boutiques and anything else you might need. Also included is a detailed map of the area with every business shown on the map in rainbow colors. Some friends and I are going to New York soon for a ladies only shopping trip. This little guide looks to be very user friendly. Also check out the Pratique guide to Greenwich Village shopping.