Lower East Side (LES)

The Lower East Side is the neighborhood that has been flourishing with new bars and restaurants, where the young and hip (and not so young and hip) go for night time entertainment. Of course there's also Williamsburg in Brooklyn, which is a little farther East, across the river.

The LES still holds the look of an older, more "authentic" New York, only we don't know for how long. (And of course this is the view of a photographer in search for more interesting sites than your usual big-city, standardized, modern architecture).

The LES is where mostly Jewish immigrants have settled and it goes roughly East from the Bowery to the East River Park and North from Houston Street to South at Canal Street. Amongst the trendy bars and restaurants you will find synagogues and Jewish food vendors, and the Tenement Museum, which can only be seen by guided tour.

The LES is home to the traditional Katz Delicatessen (200 East Houston St. at Ludlow St.). Remember the line "I'll have what she's having!" in the movie "When Harry Met Sally"?

While I have been to a few places in the LES, my number one destination there is The Living Room (154 Ludlow St., bet. Stanton and Rivington).

The Living Room is a bar that usually has free live-music acts every hour on Fridays and Saturday nights. All you pay for is, at least, one drink for every act and, hopefully, feel grateful about the experience and contribute to the red bucket that is passed around after each act. This is one of my favorite activities after dinner on a Saturday night. It's guaranteed fun for the music-curious types. It goes from folk-rock to occasional theatrical acts. (Norah Jones played there in the beginning of her career). Fabulous!

For harder-core music, you can hop to Arlene's Grocery (95 Stanton St.), which is also fun, depending on your mood.

If you're in the mood to dance to some 1980s music, La Caverna (122 Rivington St.) is your place. Literally a cave, the underground club is worth checking, if only for its decor.

A few restaurants that I have been to and recommend (there's a whole lot more to explore):

'inoteca (98 Rivington St.) [Tapas]

1492 Food (60 Clinton St.) [Tapas]
Epicerie (170 Orchard St.) [French comfort food]

Falai (68 Clinton St.) [Fantastic Italian]

Frankie's 17 Spuntino (17 Clinton St.) [super-cozy Italian]

Regate Bistro (198 Orchard St.) [French]
Schiller's (131 Rivington St.) [Continental food]

(Photo: The Living Room, Aldo Perez)