99 Avenue B

Images of the East Village when it was a countercultural epicenter in the 1960s and ’70s cast a long shadow. The neighborhood today, however, is far from the gritty one seen on screen in Taxi Driver. Even the once-infamous Avenues A, B, C, and D — the far eastern edge of the East Village — are now dotted with storefront galleries and restaurants serving artisanal cuisine. Still, some elements of the past live on in the form of the area’s decidedly young atmosphere and nightlife that extends into the early-morning hours. Wander the blocks around Tompkins Square and you’ll find more independent boutiques than flagships from international brands. A number of institutions, including the Anthology Film Archives, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the New Museum, help the East Village maintain its status as a vital center of the city’s cultural life.