Flatiron District - New York, NY

If you lived here in the 19th and 20th centuries, you would have called the neighborhood Ladies' Mile, a name it received after notable shops and department stores flooded the area. By the late 1980s, it was renamed the Flatiron District in honor of the centrally-located, highly recognizable building, which the National Park Service named as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The Flatiron houses an array of galleries, design studios and museums, including a replication of Theodore Roosevelt’s childhood home on East 20th Street. Check out the Tibetan art and décor at Tibet House US on 15th Street. Neighborhood festivals include the Big Apple BBQ Block Party on Madison Avenue and 23rd Street, The Coffee and Tea Festival NYC, on Lexington Avenue, or the NYC Beer Craft Festival Autumn Harvest.

The Flatiron's combination of destination restaurants, sandwich shops, coffee houses, lounges and music venues keeps this neighborhood hopping. Not only is it a mecca for foodies, but the variety here provides something for everyone, whether you prefer a three-course meal or cocktails with friends.

Try to stop yourself from having more than one piece of bread at Gramercy Tavern. From the soft, crusty bread to the extensive drink menu, you're sure to have a memorable experience at this iconic New York restaurant, the oldest and most revered of Danny Meyer's food empire. Plan ahead with reservations in the formal dining room, or snag a last minute table in the restaurant's tavern room. Both menus treat simple and decadent ingredients with equal aplomb, serving appetite-awakening appetizers such as raw oysters or lobster salad with spring shallot custard, as well as entrees such as poached halibut, sea bass with vegetables, or tender lamb loin and shoulder. Top your meal off with palate-cleansing sorbet, the restaurant's signature cookie plate with milk or strawberry cream pie.

Get your brunch on at Petite Abeille on West 17th Street. Groups can order a large pitcher of mimosas or Bellinis while perusing the menu, which has a separate section devoted just to waffles. The menu also includes such savory choices as frittatas, Croque Madame sandwiches and eggs Benedict. Come back for dinner to try Belgian-style mussels served four different ways, including in a fennel and pastis sauce.

Those in the mood for international tastes and a relaxed, gastropub atmosphere must check out the Korean fusion cuisine at Barn Joo. Start your meal with an appetizer, such as noodle soup, scallion pancakes or Korean-style fried wings in soy garlic sauce. For the main course, check out the uni bibimbap, Barnjoo burger or fluke ceviche. Diners lucky enough to hit happy hour should try Barn Joo's refreshing sangria or dollar oysters served at the bar.

For consistent quality and fresh, local food, ABC Kitchen serves as the go-to spot. Jean-Georges's farm-to-table restaurant seats diners in a beautiful country-chic atmosphere. From phenomenal starters like crab toast, beet or carrot and avocado salads to pizzas and entrees such as raw sliced scallops with crunchy vegetables or pork confit with bacon marmalade, ABC Kitchen has something to please every palate.

The Flatiron District comes alive when the sun goes down, drawing people from all over the city. The Flatiron Room on 26th Street is the perfect spot to start or end your evening, although you really need reservations unless you don't mind standing at the bar. Enjoy live jazz music and nibbles such as flatbread pizza, Blue Ribbon bone marrow or Scotch eggs. The extensive cocktail menu features one of the largest whiskey lists on the eastern seaboard, as well as artful cocktails such as blackberry gimlets or gingery Moscow mules.

When you walk up to what appears to be the unassuming law offices of Raines Law Room, knock on the door to gain entry to a candlelit speakeasy with an intimate atmosphere and a substantial menu of handcrafted cocktails with a focus on fresh ingredients. If you get there early, you might get a table right away, but anyone arriving after 8 p.m. can expect a wait. For a more laid-back experience, check out The Grain, located below Barn Joo. Enter the speakeasy through a bookshelf door and grab a table. The Grain serves up live jazz, tasty nibbles, craft cocktails and an extensive whiskey list.

If you enjoy hearing live music, this neighborhood hosts several options. Check out the up-close-and-personal vibe at Gramercy Theatre on East 23rd Street or the Metropolitan Room on West 22nd Street. Or get a concert hall experience at Irving Plaza on Irving Place in nearby Union Square.

Walking and taking the subway are the most common transportation forms in the Flatiron District, although you can also step to any curb to hail a taxi easily. Like most New York City neighborhoods, a high demand for street parking exists, and parking garages do not come cheap. Thankfully you’ll have plenty of access to public transportation, which can take you anywhere you want to go in the city. Catch the N, R and 6 trains at the 23rd and 28th Street stations. Alternatively, the F and M trains stop at the 14th and 23rd Street stations. If you need to take the 1, 2 or 3 train, you'll have to walk one block west to too 14th Street and Seventh Avenue. You can feel relatively safe walking and biking in the Flatiron, with its crosswalks, ample pedestrian space and bike lanes.

Tons of green space and great views of the Flatiron Building are just a few of the reasons to visit Madison Square Park. It also has attractions such as the General Worth Monument, The Star of Hope and the Eternal Light Memorial Flagpole. Kids can blow off steam at the Police Office Moira Ann Smith Playground, and you can bring your pup with you to Jemmy's Dog Run located on the park's western side near 24th Street; CBS New York named this among the city's best dog runs. You can also catch free concerts on Wednesday evenings during the summer and free art and sculpture installations that rotate several times a year.

Grammercy Park, located along the eastern border of the Flatiron District, is a lush, well-maintained private park open only to residents and guests of the Grammercy Hotel. If you’re looking to get involved in the community, a trip to Union Square Park can get you started. Often the site of political protests and gatherings, Union Square also houses art, playgrounds for children and space for walking your dog. The park gets very busy and crowded, particularly when the farmers' market opens.

Living in the Flatiron District carries an above-average cost of living. Among the most expensive neighborhoods in the city for renters, the median monthly rent sits at $4,200. The good news is that a subway ride only costs $2.00. Gas prices are approximately 10 to 20 cents lower than the national average, and you can grab a pint of beer for $6 to $10 depending on where you go, although you can save a few bucks by stopping in during happy hour times.

The Flatiron District has always been a shopping destination; after all, it was once known as Ladies' Mile, home to major stores such as Lord & Taylor, Siegel-Cooper and Arnold Constable. Today you'll find the corporate headquarters of Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue, Brooks Brothers Flatiron Shop on 20th Street and chain stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Trader Joe's and the Container Store on Sixth Avenue.

If you're looking to stock your kitchen with bakeware, water bottles, clay pots and other accessories, check out Whisk, located on Broadway, a more reasonably priced alternative to stores like Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table. For a trip back in time, peruse the vintage clothing at Shareen Vintage on West 17th Street. Shareen Vintage stocks high-quality designer clothing and many one-of-a-kind pieces to help you accent and build your wardrobe. For more high-end shopping, stop into Maison Kitsune, a high-fashion boutique on Broadway that combines an eclectic mix of travel bags, music, stationary, menswear, footwear and more. Grab your groceries at Fairway Market on Sixth Avenue, or shop at Greenmarket, a year-round farmers' market open on Mondays at Union Square Park's north and west sides.