McNally Jackson now has a new location in Soho about 6 blocks west of the old store.

McNally Jackson is another fabulous independent bookstore in NYC. I love this bookstore! And the musician Beck loves it too! When I find 2 books that I want I immediately go to the cash and pay! Sometimes that only takes about 15 minutes. I need to restrain myself when I'm here. Their selection of poetry, literature, art books and nonfiction books is amazing. As well they sell books about New York City, chapbooks and much more. They also have a very busy café and the food and café lattes are really good. They are situated next to Soho and just above Little Italy. If you love books this store is highly recommended. And if you love to support local businesses like I do. . .

McNally Jackson - 134 Prince Street near West Broadway

It’s important to have your camera in control so you can respond spontaneously to opportunities. Observation is the name of the activity.

The theme of my photography and workshops is seeing with new eyes. Slow down, observe and see things that you hadn’t noticed.

Update - At the moment, the bookstore/café is closed. It seems hopeful that they will reopen when the pandemic slows down.

I regularly visit the Housing Works Bookstore Café. They sell secondhand books which are donated by people who care! "Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts." So by shopping and donating to Housing Works you are also giving to those in need! I often find books to buy there and it certainly feels good doing so!

Housing Works Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street.

Rapha is a bicycle for the serious cyclist. They have very cool bikes and biking gear. It's also on the pricey side. I'm not a cyclist, but you don't need to be a cyclist to visit the Rapha store in Soho. I found it my accident.

Cyclists bring their bicycles into the shop and hang them on a rack while shopping, watching bicycle races and ordering something to drink. They have a very good café latté and they have a few seats indoors and a really nice outdoor seating area. It is often difficult to find a seat in a cafe in this city. I've always found one at Rapha. Open daily from 8am.

Rapha - 159 Prince Street near West Broadway

Fanelli Cafe isn't really a cafe at all. It is a restaurant and bar and it's considered to be "the city's second-oldest food-and-drink establishment in the same locale, having operated under various owners at 94 Prince Street since 1847." It has quite a history including the fact that The Beats were regulars there as was Bob Dylan and also most of the artists who lived in Soho in the 1980s frequented Fanelli's and discussed their work there.

I've had drinks and food at Fanelli's on a few occasions and it is typically filled with locals and a few tourists or shoppers. If you're looking to explore some of NYC's history while having food and drink, this is a great place to do it! During prohibition they operated as a speakeasy!

Fanelli Cafe, 94 Prince Street at the corner of Mercer Street

New York City diners are very cool. Many of them are disappearing because their rent is too high to stay in business. Landmark is fabulous and I am always happy when I walk by and see it still there. Cuisine is standard American food and a small selection of Greek food. You can't go wrong with breakfast and burgers there. When you eat here you can feel like you are in the New York City of the past and at the same time support a local family owned business. They've been in business since 1962! 

Landmark Diner, 158 Grand Street

Alas, The City Bakery is no longer in this space. There’s another bakery there now that I haven’t tried yet.

So the photo of The City Bakery and the facade of this location is the old location for Vesuvio Bakery. Vesuvio opened its doors in 1920 and had the most amazing bread and pastries. They closed in 2009. It's likely that they couldn't afford the rent anymore though the facts were left a mystery. 

However, the new bakery in that location has left the facade intact out of respect for its history. The City Bakery has fabulous muffins, scones and cookies. I haven't tried their lunch specials yet. Perhaps in the future. The City Bakery has 7 locations throughout New York City.

The City Bakery also called Birdbath Bakery -  160 Prince Street near West Broadway