This used to be my favorite place in NYC and has moved down to 2nd behind SoHo. Home to amazing basketball pick up games from NBA players to awesome people, shopping, food and general coolness. You can also easily walk to SoHo.
http://www.villagealliance.org/

SoHo in New York City is the coolest zip code to live in the world in my opinion. It is constantly bustling, trendy, cool, exciting, expensive, fun, cool and did I mention cool? Has amazing everything, stores, food, people. An average apartment in SoHo will run minimum $2500/month.
http://www.sohonyc.com/

This is the most upscale part of Manhattan and really doenst have a TON of stores all over (it kinda does but you need to go and experience it all to follow my logic here. Home to Museum Mile and tons of awesome places to visit, and all right on Central Park West which is the best park in the world. Living on CPW will cost you minimum $3500/month.
http://nymag.com/realestate/vu/2006/17312/

This area is very quaint and smack in the middle of the mod to lower part of NYC. There are tons of restaurants and shops all walking distance and very safe. The park is home to countless celebrities.
http://nymag.com/realestate/articles/neighborhoods/gramercypark.htm