I decided to ‘take my life in my hands’ today and do the double of Hell’s Kitchen followed by Harlem.
I needn’t really have worried. As I walked up to the edge of Hell’s Kitchen which is situated south of Central Park on the west side, I was greeted by all the Manhattan car dealerships getting progressively posher as I walked. First up was Mercedes, quickly followed by Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini.
I wandered the streets, but apart from the occasional alleyway it didn’t look that different to many other parts. I think the heyday or if you like the infamous days are long gone, 
I saw the Intrepid an old US aircraft carrier and checked out a proper dive bar called Rudy’s bar and grill right in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen since 1923. There is a giant pig outside, but a warm welcome inside. I bought a beer from a great selection of craft ales on draft and asked if they had any food. We have hotdogs, the lady owner said me and they are free. Would you like one?
She held court from behind the bar espousing on every topic to the gathered locals. Dispensing advice and admonishing those that merited it.
The restrooms stink of Germoline, unless someone is peeing neat Root beer. For those of you not in the know, Root beer tastes exactly like Germoline smells. They used to sell it in Macdonalds in the UK when I was a kid, but it has not been on the menu for a long time. I think the flavour was so shocking to our English palettes that it never caught on. I remember a story about a lady who ordered it thinking it was like coke and when her son spat it out after tasting it, strode up to the manager demanding to know why they were trying to poison her child! Personally, I like it!
Suitably fortified, I moved on to the Lincoln centre where Juilliard is based and many other of the performing arts in New York.
Then it was time for Harlem. I hopped on the subway going uptown much further than I have been before. I got out at west 125th street which is about the centre. Here there is definitely a bit more of an edge, noticeably poorer and more colourful. Lots of different characters were about. 
I went to have a look at Paris Blues club, a Harlem icon since the 60’s, which was one of the first things I added on to my list to do back in October last year when I decided to come to New York. Sadly it is currently shut.
I had a look at Strivers row which has brown stone houses on one side of the street and much nicer yellow stone houses on the other side. 
There are from time to time little areas of green around trees which appear to be growing some sort of odd cabbages. I’m sure my sister or aunt will be able to tell me what they are.
Full of parks, markets, churches and hustle and bustle I enjoyed my walk, but I can imagine that after dark it might be wiser to avoid bits of it. 
Lots of references to hot and sexy etc in Harlem. The jeans shop for example. I hopped on the subway heading south just as the light went.
I’m off to do the whole Central Park experience tomorrow, so I grabbed a bite to eat and a beer and had a reasonably early night.
24,297 steps today.