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Adventures in Midtown: A Look at New York City's Most Iconic Neighborhood

Midtown is not only the center of Manhattan, but also the center of many visitor trips to New York. This area of Manhattan is home to many of the city's most iconic destinations. The 102-story Art Deco masterpiece the Empire State Building (Fifth Ave. & 34th St., 212-736-3100) is the city's tallest building, and undoubtedly its most famous. As fans of Sleepless in Seattle, King Kong, and An Affair to Remember know, its observation deck is one of the most romantic places in the city. It's also home to NY SKYRIDE (888-SKYRIDE), an "aerial virtual tour simulator."



The Empire State Building is located near the park at Herald Square, an area that includes Macy's 11-floor flagship store (34th St. & Broadway, 212-695-4400), while 34th Street is home to a number of stores, including discounted men's fashion shop Prato (28 W. 34th St., 212-629-4730). Seventh Avenue is also known as Fashion Avenue, and for good reason: anything involving fashion can be found from West 36th to 40th Streets between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. This is a fashion mecca, housing everything from buttons, to fabrics, and even furs. Fur shops can be found all around 29th St. & Seventh Ave. The Garment District is located between Fifth and Ninth Avenues from 34th to 42nd Street, and is considered the center for fashion design and manufacturing in the U.S. A good place to stop is M&J Trimming (1008 Sixth Ave. btw. 37th & 38th Sts., 800-9-MJTRIM), a premier resource for designers and decorators. The Fashion Walk of Fame runs along the east side of Seventh Avenue from 35th to 41st Streets. Honorees include Marc Jacobs, Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Oscar de la Renta, and Ralph Lauren.

In the area west of Herald Square, you'll find many other NYC icons. The fourth incarnation of Madison Square Garden is located atop Penn Station at 34th St. and Seventh Ave. Madison Square Garden is home to the Knicks, Rangers, and Liberty, and hosts numerous concerts and staged performances, including one every holiday season. Backstage tours are also offered seven days a week (212-465-5800). Penn Station is the busiest train station in the U.S., serving Amtrak, the MTA (NYC's buses and subways), New Jersey Transit, and the Long Island Rail Road,. Across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station and the Garden is James A. Farley Post Office, NYC's General Post Office. The building, bearing the inscription, Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds, is a National Historic Landmark, and occupies eight acres.

If you're looking for a quick bite, lunch, or dinner while you're in the neighborhood, be sure to check out the beautiful turn-of-the-20th-century architectural touches at the high-end Brendan's Bar & Grill (42 W. 35th St., 212-564-5405), the traditional Irish pub with live horse racing The Playwright Tavern (27 W. 35th St., 212-268-8868), or the elegant Irish bar setting at Tir Na Nóg (5 Penn Plaza, Eighth Ave. & 33rd St., 212-630-0249).

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