New York Songlines: Little West 12th Street

South:

56: London Meat

High Line Park

Bridging the street here is a disused elevated railroad that was used to transport freight along the Westside waterfront, replacing the street-level tracks at 10th and 11th avenues that earned those roads the nickname "Death Avenue."

Built in 1929 at a cost of $150 million (more than $2 billion in today's dollars), it originally stretched from 35th Street to St. John's Park Terminal, now the Holland Tunnel rotary. Partially torn down in 1960 and abandoned in 1980, it now ends here--at the end of a block, unusually; through most of its length, it runs mid-block to avoid dominating an avenue with an elevated platform.

In its abandonment, the High Line became something of a natural wonder, overgrown with weeds and even trees, accessible only to those who risk trespassing on CSX Railroad property. Activists saved the tracks from demolition and successfully advocated for it to be turned into a park, on the model of Paris' Promenade Plantée. Opened in 2009, the rail line was largely relandscaped using seeds from the wild plants that had colonized the tracks on their own.

44 (corner): Hector's Place, diner in the shadow of the High Line, largely unspoiled by the glitzification of the neighborhood.

L
I
T
T
L
E

W

1
2
T
H

S
T
R
E
E
T

North:

55: Brass Monkey, bar opened in 2004 with a roof deck that overlooks the Hudson. Describes itself as "the only neighborhood bar in the neighborhood."

High Line Park

The stretch to the south of here is known as the Gansevoort Woodland, planted with birch and serviceberry; to the north is the Washington Grasslands.

South:

Corner (833 Washington St): Royale Prime Meats. Also the address of the Motel Deluxe.

38-40: Tory Burch, boutique

32-34: Ted Baker

26: STK, loungey steakhouse

18: Cielo, a dance club featuring electronic music and "a timelessly stylish take on the '70s aesthetic." Opened in 2003 by Ibiza dj Nicolas Matar.

10: Revel, beer garden

8: Vadim Ponorovsky, the owner of Provencal restaurant Paradou, is a nasty piece of work.

Corner (7 9th Ave): From 1980-2003, this was the Rio Mar Restaurant. More recently it was The Inn LW12, a Canadian-themed pub/dance club--wonder why that didn't catch on.

L
I
T
T
L
E

W

1
2
T
H

S
T
R
E
E
T

North:

Corner (835 Washington St): Sea, stylish, affordable local Thai chain, was Highline, stylish three-level bar/restaurant "with a theme of luxury travel." Was the site of The Mineshaft, a hardcore gay sex club that opened in 1976 and was shut down in 1985 in the name of the AIDS epidemic. In the 1960s, a gay disco called The Fawn was here.

31: Arium is a gallery-like tearoom--attached to Tela Design Studio, a hair salon.

25: Ajna Bar, formerly known as Buddha Bar, is the New York outpost of a stylish Parisian Asia-themed restaurant that has its own series of lounge/electronica music compilations.

17: Fresh Baby Lambs, baby clothes; Zoop Soups

11: Jussara Lee, designer boutique

Corner (9 9th Ave): Pastis, fashionable Provencal bistro owned by Keith McNally, noted for its big communal table. Carrie has lunch here on Sex and the City.

L
I
T
T
L
E

W

1
2
T
H

North:

1 (block): A club here went by the name One Little West 12, then The Collective. Had a lot of attitude, apparently. Previously there was a restaurant called One here.