The Art of Walking Manhattan Sideways

Book excerpt: Betsy Bober Polivy has been celebrating the side street businesses since 2011 when she began her journey across the original Manhattan grid - from 1st Street to 155th. Her first book, Walking Manhattan Sideways, was published during the pandemic in 2020. It shined a light on places that she discovered over her six years of criss-crossing the city from the East River to the Hudson.The flood of gratitude and appreciation for this book inspired her to begin working on another. There was no question that there was plenty more to showcase, but the true impetus was to highlight the hidden not-for-profits that she had happened upon as well as pay tribute to the arts on the side streets. This new title celebrates dance, museums, music and theater, while also drawing attention to many more scrumptious restaurants, splendid neighborhood bars, and one-of-a-kind shops.