In a message dated 9/16/98 9:34:20 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

<<Elizabethan back alleys are the best .
...I can site several in England, France and Germany not to mention some of
the notorious back alleys
of  the Muslim world; Turkey and the North African coast come to
mind.....There in the din of humanity one has the oppurtuinity to experience
 a perspective worlds away  from  the Disney Mcdonalds ,Mall culture..and give
thanks that we have a food inspection program..other great alley cultures are
Glasgow Scotland  and Edinburgh; and Vancover
 and most certainly Hong Kong...
 certainly Pompey offers  the ultimate classical example
..but lets talk USA...and the examples afforded here...Chicago, New York  have
authenic alleys of comericial renoun; their Chinatowns are proably  the most
real; alleys are always unique until "discovered"
 So Ho was unique until discovered; The Mews in Greenwich Village were unique;
Brooklyn water front .Georgetown D.C..the fishing shacks in Bilioxi were
unique until developed..
.so whats new ? From a blue collar perspective I will vote for Phila.Penn;(
little Italy.but all over) Providence Rhode Island; of having the most
thriving alley culture..
.if we can call small colonial steets "alleys..
. on a small scale Hoboken, "On the waterfront" alley.... Newarks Iron bound;
Cleavland ohio ....Jersey City New Jersey;Cincinatti; Castro Street S.F.
Lexington Kentuckey Sausalito and Memphis all having one or two unique alleys
..well worth the visit..
New Orleans French Quarter is proably the most famous  "alley"historicaly if I
can strech the word..Key West has palm tree alleys..
criteria for me  is vernacular architecture; preferably masonry;cobblestone
that is primarily pedestrian; at least one blue collar restuarant where a hard
hat can go;
and alley usually has no parking; and a famous watering hole;
the historic ones have built parking; and to some extent  there is a vibrant
steet scene; and  " creative" steet pedlers; to delight and entertain us ..
..well heeled alleys  can be found on Nantucket (straight Warve) Marblehead;
Hilton Head; Laguna; Santa Barbra; and Taos and Sante Fe  no fortune tellers
or seedy book stores here...but the clam chowder and mequite grill is
memorable..as well as a $20,000 piece of art....Good Luck ..Michael>>


Sheesh.  I'm jealous.  All we do in our alleys in Chicago is dump the garbage
and shoot up crack.