I wanted to show my daughter more of the real New York where the residents and locals hung out versus the touristy Times Square and Statue of Liberty from the previous day. Greenwich Village is a great place to start.

We met my brother-in-law and his family for lunch at Monte’s in Greenwich Village. As owner and chef, Pietro Mosconi greeted his friends in Italian at the bar, an older, robust waiter seated us. One wall boasts framed photographs of famous people who have dined here since it opened in 1918. In the back corner, a group of 12 people gathered for the Foods of New York Tour.

If you haven’t tried this, you’re in for a real treat. We did this back in 2001 with their original Greenwich Village Tour and loved every minute of it. Now the company has grown to offer five different food tours in various neighborhoods. Monte’s is the starting and ending point for their Heart of the Village Food Tour.

After the meal, we enjoyed the sunny Saturday afternoon in nearby Washington Square Park where people played chess and rode skateboards. Walking up Greenwich Avenue to Seventh Avenue, we entered Chelsea Market. Once the home of National Biscuit Company until 1958, the building was transformed in the 1990’s by making it a shopping and food destination. The day we went, it was crowded so we just walked through.

On the back side of Chelsea Market is the High Line – a 2-mile walking path that used to be an elevated train track. The views were outstanding, but again it was crowded due to the weather and the time of day. Even crowded, it’s fun to walk on for a little while and definitely a must-see if you haven’t been before.