Living in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York City - whats it like?

There are some things about Chinatown that are great, but I'm still not sold on the neighborhood. It smells all the time and it's dirty and crowded. Traffic is a nightmare and the buildings all look like tenements (because they used to be). It is getting more hip as the youngsters and scenesters trickle in from the Lower East Side but it's still not great. There are a couple of highlights, like Les Enfants Terribles, but I barely ever go down there. There is some fantastic food in Chinatown -- you can get five dumplings for a dollar that will change your life. But, we usually go there for that sort of endeavor and then get out. Plus, I think it's sketchy at night. It's desolate and dark and I just don't trust it yet.