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The Borough of Manhattan:  Little Italy
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Miscellaneous

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An overview - Nestled in lower Manhattan between SoHo, Chinatown, and the East Village is the small but lively neighborhood of Little Italy.  Made famous over the years because of wiseguy movies and the notorious New York Mafia, Little Italy attracts tourists and locals alike to the authentic Italian atmosphere.

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The boundaries of Little Italy are as follows: Canal street to the south, Spring Street to the north, Centre Street to the west, and Elizabeth Street to the east.  It has shrunk over the years as Chinatown threatens to engulf it the "old neighborhood" as many of the people who remember the "old days" have long since moved out of the area.  Still, Little Italy manages to retain its flavor with its festas, cafes, restaurants, grocers, delis and artisans.  Streets are very narrow as in any lower Manhattan neighborhood while the architecture beautiful old brick buildings with apartments and lofts occupying the upper floors and authentic Italian restaurants occupying the ground and some sub-basement levels.  Flags and banners in the colors of the Italian flag (red, green, and white) are strewn from lines that tie off from building to building so as to dangle down across the street overhead and the façades of the shops follow the color theme with little white Christmas lights twinkling along their awnings and potted shrubs and trees at their entries.

Streets are jammed packed, especially in the evenings and on the weekends, as the area's Italian cuisine and atmosphere is a temptation that many can't resist.  Restaurateurs send out their most charming young men who sound like they are fresh from the old country out to the sidewalks to stand in front of restaurants greeting those who pass by in a classic bold Italian manner, making an often times successful attempt to coax potential customers inside. 

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The biggest time of year for the community is during September 13th through the 23rd.  This is the time of the annual Feast of San Gennaro (pictured above).   It's been a tradition in Little Italy since 1926 and, over the ten day period, it attracts over 3 million people.  This ten day street party shuts down traffic which is rerouted to make room for the booths which house carnival games, food, and crafts as well as the thousands of revelers who party all day and night in the city that never sleeps.

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