A look at Manhattan's retail neighborhoods.

New York City is quite possibly the greatest city in the World at this time. However, since the disasters of almost two years ago, it seems that there is a feeling that the city has declined -- that something has been lost.

We lost two buildings and thousands of human lives and that can never be forgotten, but it wasn't the end. This also must not be forgotten. This is a city that roars awake every day and continues with such intense vitality that the air tingles. There is a pause of about a half hour, just before dawn, when it does become quiet -- one can actually awaken from a sound sleep because of the silence, but it doesn't last.

It is a city built on dreams, with a goddess of Hope holding her flaming torch at its entrance, lighting the way. It is a city that delivers. Very often hopes and dreams do come true. New York is exciting, thrilling, exhilarating, and any other superlative in that category you can think of.

New York is the Capital of the World to which the World gravitates. None of this has changed; nothing has been lost. New York is growing and becoming even more of a "Wonderful Town."

Let's start with Fifth Avenue -- from 48th Street to 60th, Luxury Walk, the most pedestrian traveled boulevard in the world. A boulevard whose name is synonymous with elegance and glamour. It is transversed by 57th Street, also filled with glamour and elegance. Used to be called the crossroads of the four jewels, now, known as Crossroads of Luxury...

Stores that are coming to Fifth or have recently arrived: Badgely Mischka Bridal and the jewelry to go with it: Garrard, who has opened a shopping suite across from the new Asprey. Piaget, expanding their boutique and redefining its style. While this is going on, Piaget will be staying at Cartier's old digs in the Trump Tower. On East 57th Street, a branch of the luxurious crossroads, there will soon be a Dior Homme and an Yves Saint Laurent, next store to the new, much heralded LVMH Headquarters and Store, which will probably open in about a year.

Madison Avenue, the stretch from the upper 50's, at present, pushing through the 90's, known as the Golden Mile. A street where the boutiques and stores are international, many designer-owned. Each shop a successful advertisement; each shop an advertisement for success. Newcomers to Madison will be Bruno Magli, Jimmy Choo, and Kaufmann de Suisse. Expanding to larger: Mont Blanc and Talbots.

The Flatiron District is named for the landmark building that stands in its midst. Designed by Daniel Hudson Burnham, the Flatiron Building was the city's first skyscraper in 1902. At that time, the area around was devoted to the performing arts, stylish shops, and excellent restaurants. Today, although the theaters and music halls are gone, the shopping and dining have returned. Arden B., Molton Brown, and Morrell will soon be in this fashionable part of town.

The Meatpacking District was an area of the city where the major industries were meatpacking and wholesale food, until a few years ago. Then -- within the last decade -- beginning with the store, Jeffrey, hyper-chic boutiques began to open, followed by restaurants, bars, and galleries. Shoppers love it, it is said, because it has an "edge." New arrivals will be Pringle, Rescue Beauty Lounge, E. Vogel, Ted Muehling, Benjamin Cho, Design Within Reach.

Chelsea and Ladies' Mile -- Over 100 years ago, Ladies' Mile, which is part of Chelsea -- mostly Sixth Avenue in the 20's -- was the shopping area of the city. The first department stores lined the Avenue on either side. When the stores moved farther uptown, the shopping palaces remained, forgotten until the end of the 20th century, when a new generation of retailers moved in. Old Chelsea is a largely residential neighborhood, made up of row houses, which date back to the 1850s and have been beautifully restored.

Chelsea proper, with West 23rd Street as the main street, is presently the newest and most stimulating art district in the city, filled with galleries, chic shops, and restaurants. It is also home to Fashion -- the Fashion Institute of Technology is in Chelsea. New to Chelsea are: Balenciaga and Portico, and yet another branch of Barneys Co-op.

The Upper Eastside stretches from Fifth Avenue to the East River. It is largely residential, having a dense population possessing the highest incomes in the country. Of late, more and more retail has been moving there. Ralph Lauren Baby and Cantaloup have just arrived and Miss Sixty is on its way.

The Upper Westside is also residential, mostly a well-to-do family population who likes to shop in the neighborhood. The incredible AOL Time-Warner Center, with its stores, offices, theaters, hotels, and apartments will soon be completed on Columbus Circle, bringing thousands of new residents, employees, and tourists to the area.

Northface opened on Broadway and will be joined by the ever-growing tenant list at the Center: Morganthal Frederics and 4 You are the latest to sign on. Midtown includes the Grand Central Terminal area, the United Nations, The Midtown Library (the one with the Lions) and Times Square, which we'll talk about next.

It is a mixture of offices, stores, residential, and international diplomacy. More banks are gravitating to Midtown: Wachovia, Atlantic, and Independence, all of which will be open very soon.

The new Times Square -- Broadway and 42nd Street -- crossroads of the World.

An entertainment capital that has little of the grime and grunge of the old days, and a lot of glamour, wealth, and old-fashioned glitz. Times Square Brewery is opening across the street from its old location and Quiksilver Boardriders Club will be arriving soon.

The West Village, or Greenwich Village, is a lovely section of the City, with old houses, charming shops, winding streets, and a history of Arts, Artists, free-love, intellectuals in coffee shops, Bohemia -- the closest thing we had to Europe. The aura still lingers. It is also home to New York University. Vieux Carre and Chocolate Bar are newcomers to the Village.

The East Village is also part of the New York University campus and Cooper Union. It reminds one of a far-out, punk college town. However, it's becoming gentrified... The Museum of Contemporary Art is opening in the East Village, on the Bowery.

Union Square was so named, because at that square, several roads from all over the city met. In the early 20th Century, it was a moderate- income shopping center, (S. Klein's on the Square). After Klein's went out of business, there was a period of stagnation, but now the Square is coming back, with new stores, theaters and cafes. New on the Square will be Forever 21 and Whole Foods, joining the debut of Mavi Jeans.

Soho is the cast-iron historic landmark district which, until about ten years ago, was the art center of the city. The Arts attracted shoppers, the galleries moved out, stores moved in and it was on its way to becoming the expensive chic down town version of Madison Avenue until September 11th, when things took a down turn. Now it's on its way back up, with some changes. Now, everybody's coming to Soho: Barry Cord and Levi's have already opened and Charles Worthington, is on his way.

Nolita is just across Lafayette Street from Soho, going east. It is the northern part of Little Italy. The shops and stores there are chic, eccentric, less expensive, cozier. There is an old world charm about Nolita. Gracie is returning to Nolita after 100 years. Femmegems Nolita, Natuzzi, and Objets du Desir are newcomers.

The Financial District is just that: Home to the stock exchanges, bond markets, a financial center of the world. It is also a residential area, and where one finds the Museum of the American Indian, Fraunces Tavern, Federal Hall, Trinity Church, St. Paul's, where George Washington attended, and Century 21. It took the worst of September 11th, but is well on its way to recovery.

The World Financial Center is up and running. Its Winter Garden is completely rebuilt. Soon, the new World Trade Center will start of rise out of the ground. Ann Taylor and 9 West have already opened. Borders is under construction.

There you are, a very short synopsis of what's going on in "The Greatest City in the World."