Originally Posted By: pizzaboy
Originally Posted By: Alfanosgirl
I told them I have no idea to enjoy your time on these few blocks because when you get older and come here to visit who knows if the Italians will still be here.

But you do realize that the Italians that you pointed out to your kids don't actually still live there, right?

2010 Census: Not a SINGLE Italian born resident left in the 10012 zip code. And the populace itself was less than ten percent Italian American. And that was almost five years ago.

You know I make my living in New York City real estate these days, so I pay very close attention to demographics. Now some people might thing that's being bigoted, but any intelligent landlord does the same thing.

Anyway, a studio on Mulberry and Grand will run you about $2500 a month today. A fucking studio. If you doubt that, take a gander at Craigslist or one of the big real estate sites like Elliman or Corcoran. What immigrant can afford that? And when you couple that with the fact that there aren't really Italians moving to the United States anymore, is it any wonder that things have changed?

Originally Posted By: Giacomo_Vacari
Little Italy in Manhattan is just that "Little".

Smaller every day. Even restaurant row has shrunk to Mulberry between Canal and Kenmare. And Kenmare is honestly stretching things.


It sickens me to know that not a SINGLE Italian born resident is living in Little Italy. Who could afford it at those prices. Things have sure changed.
Honestly, my kids really appreciated being in Little Italy even though it wasn't what it used to be. They wanted to go into the dairy market, take pictures of where my great grandpa lived on Mulberry St, listen to the young kid sing Sinatra songs, and eat at a different restaurant for each meal just so they can experience the neighborhood. They got really into it for young kids.
When we were in Queens, I showed them the bocce courts and the old Italian men who gathered in the park to play cards and shoot the breeze. I was so excited to show them what little is left of our culture.