Greenwich Village Shows Manhattan’s Calm, Artsy Side

By ANNA SNISARENKO and EVELYN YAO

If you want an escape from the noisy, crowded, tourist filled streets of midtown Manhattan and a taste of a quieter and artsier community, visit Greenwich Village. With a rich history of protests for self-expression and LGBTQ rights, this neighborhood is historically known for its settlers’ creative talent.

10:30 a.m. - Stop at Debutea for a Quick Refresher and a Snack

If you’re in the mood to experiment, this sweet little cafe is just a quick walk from Washington Square Park and has a comfortable seating area with delicious drinks and snacks. Order a Strawberry Sunset for $7.50 and some macaroons for $2.50 each and sit back and enjoy your flavorful treats while staring out the beautifully-decorated window and listening to their relaxing jazzy tunes. You can also try out their drinks with cheese foam. For example, the cheese matcha latte ($7.50) provides a unique palette of flavors.

12 p.m. - Take a Stroll Through Washington Square Park

Just a few minutes away from Debutea, this gorgeous park is the perfect place to relax on a day off. The park is always decorated with street performers: singers, dancers, musicians, and oftentimes, artists. Just taking a stroll through the center unveils the blooming of the neighborhood’s rich artistic culture.

Anastasia Contos, a graphic design student at NYU, said, “It’s a younger crowd, more creative compared to downtown. Here it’s all students, so it’s very young and very creative.”

2 p.m. - Grab Some Pizza at Joe’s

Located on 7 Carmine St is the iconic Joe’s Pizza, which has remained a staple of Greenwich Village since opening in 1975. One slice starts at $3.

‘’We usually sell a few hundred pies on a good day,’’ said Alex, who has been working at Joe’s for almost 20 years. ‘’We know some people who eat our pizza every day. We have one customer who walks from Midtown to here, buys two slices, and then goes home. He’s done that every night for three years.’’

Hanging on the walls you'll notice the pictures of many A-list celebrities that have eaten there including Bill Murray, Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Alba, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Joe’s Pizza was even featured in Spider-Man 2, starring Tobey Maguire.

Part of the reason why Joe’s pizza is so good is because, ‘’We've never changed our recipe, and most of our guys have been making pizzas for us for at least a decade,’’ Alex said.

8 p.m. - Catch a Cult Film Screening

Located right next to the West 4th St / Washington Sq station is the IFC film center, a theater known for screening foreign, classic, and indie films. On the Saturday I visited, the theater was screening both classics and new, well-reviewed movies like It’s a Wonderful Life, Parasite, Marriage Story, and The Irishman. The theater was also screening Eraserhead (1977) for Waverly Midnights, where cult movies are screened every Friday and Saturday.

Marissa Hudgins, who was there for a third viewing of Parasite, said, “I’ve been coming here for a while, and I would recommend this place for anyone who wants to watch lesser-known and hard to find films. They’ve shown some amazing films over the years that you won’t get to see anywhere else in the city.”

Another moviegoer said, “Although the theater is small, I love how homey and intimate the theater is, which makes sense because this is a really old theater. There is definitely a genuine and classic feel that comes with it.”

Your best bet is to buy tickets online as they sell out quickly in person, and be prepared to line up outside of the small theater for popular movies and opening nights.