The Wildcard offices are located in downtown Manhattan, where what’s left of Little Italy blends into Chinatown. I’ve worked in a lot of neighborhoods in New York City but this one is by far my favorite of them all. It’s got the best blend of historical character and the widest variety of authentically prepared cuisines in Manhattan—deciding on where to eat lunch each day is an embarrassment of riches. Also, the neighborhood is deeply urban, full of all the quirkiness of congested, ad hoc populations of people trying to get ahead in life.
There are infinite ways for artists to capture a place this interesting, but photographer Lisa Weatherbee, who lives in Chinatown, has one of the most novel. Her series “Chinatown in $5” documents what can be bought in Chinatown for a five dollar bill. The results are extremely charming.
See more in the series at chinatowninfive.com.
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