NEW YORKER ON THE GO
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UPPER WEST SIDE

+ UPPER WEST SIDE +

The Upper West Side stretches from Lincoln Center, all the way up towards 110th St. In this neighborhood, you’ll find a mix of family life, old timers, and young professionals who call this home. It is a perfect escape from the downtown pandemonium, but you will still find plenty to see and do. There are unparalleled cultural institutions, along with an influx of stores and restaurants lining Broadway (once known as upper Grand Boulevard) and Amsterdam. You’re not only by the West side of Central Park, but Riverside Park is a hop, skip, and a jump away too. The reason I adore this neighborhood is because of the charm and character of the surviving townhouses. The UWS has seen various demographics over decades of years, but today it is known as one of the more affluent neighborhoods of New York City.

SHOPPING

  • HOUSING WORKS THRIFT SHOPS - 306 Columbus Ave: Hit or miss second hand items in fairly good condition

  • OLIVE & BETTES - 252 Columbus Ave: Casual, fun women’s boutique on the pricier side

  • DOWN & QUILT SHOP: 527 Amsterdam: Long running shop that sells home accessories, and you guessed it - quilts and blankets too

  • CURATED BY GOODWILL - 217 West 79th St: Second hand pieces that are curated by Goodwill in an attempt to draw a younger crowd

  • PAIGE - 245 Columbus Ave: Denim apparel by Paige Adams-Geller

  • BOOK CULTURE - 536 W 112th St: Charming bookstore with a good selection

  • DSW - 2220 Broadway: Chain store selling shoes and accessories

  • PINKYOTTO - 2060 Broadway: Trendy and feminine styles of clothing

 

LANDMARKS

  • STRAUS PARK MONUMENTS @ STRAUS PARK: Statue dedicated to a couple that died on the Titanic

  • REVSON FOUNTAIN @ LINCOLN CENTER: Fountain donated by the Revlon Foundation in honor of Charles Revson

  • THE ANSONIA - 2109 Broadway: Extravagant hotel turned neglected apartment building turned condominium. It once was the home of the Continental Bath, where they also had cabaret. Bette Midler and Barry Manilow were popular performers there - see here.

  • THE DAKOTA - 1 W 72nd St: Former home of John Lennon

  • THE ASTOR APARTMENTS - 235 W 75th St: From the priciest rentals in 1900 to drug dealings and prostitution in the 1970s to newly developed condos today, this building has been through a lot

  • POMANDER WALK - 265 West 94th St: Hidden co-op complex that is not accessible to the public

  • CAFE LALO - 201 West 83rd St: Coffee shop where You’ve Got Mail was filmed

 

NIGHTLIFE

  • AMSTERDAM ALE HOUSE - 340 Amsterdam Ave: Typical dive bar that serves up a decent menu

  • BEACON BAR - 2130 Broadway: Lounge/bar nestled between the Beacon Hotel and the Beacon Theatre

  • BODEGA 88 - 573 Columbus Ave: Latin sports bar

  • DIVE 75 - 101 W 75th St: Neighborhood bar with board games and good prices

  • THE EMPIRE ROOFTOP - 44 W 63rd St: Rooftop with panoramic views

CULINARY

  • TESSA - 249 Amsterdam Ave: Mediterranean menu with a mellow atmosphere

  • CARMINE'S - 2450 Broadway: Flagship restaurant that opened on August 14, 1990 and serves family style Italian food

  • ARTE CAFE - 106 West 73rd St: Italian restaurant with a great lunch special

  • FLOR DE MAYO - 484 Amsterdam: Casual Chinese-Peruvian restaurant with down to earth staff

  • JACOB'S PICKLES - 509 Amsterdam Ave: Southern style eatery

  • MAISON PICKLE - 2315 Broadway: An extension of Jacob’s Pickles

  • SERAFINA - 2178 Broadway: Chain Italian restaurant that often seems to end up on the corner

  • 5 NAPKIN BURGER - 2315 Broadway: Higher end than your typical burger joint chain

  • IZAKAYA IDA - 141 W 72nd St: Japanese restaurant serving ramen and other dishes

  • HUMMUS PLACE - 305 Amsterdam Ave: Great hummus to stay or go in a quaint, low key restaurant

  • BABETH’S FEAST - 309 Amsterdam Ave: Similar to Dig Inn with a home-cooked feel

 

EVENTS

ENTERTAINMENT

  • MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - Central Park West & 79th St: One of the largest museums in the world, focusing on natural history

  • AMC LOEWS - 2310 Broadway: Movie theater with comfy seating

  • BEACON THEATER - 2124 Broadway: Large scale theater with famous comedians, musicians, etc

  • THE PAINT PLACE - 243 West 72nd St: Paint classes and parties where you can bring your own beer and/or wine

  • FLOATING MOUNTAIN - 239 W 72nd St, 2nd Fl: Tiny, serene teahouse to enjoy traditional teas from China

  • NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY - 170 Central Park West: Museum filled with New York history

  • WEST SIDE COMEDY CLUB - 201 W 75th St: Comedy club with a full menu

  • MUGI STUDIO - 993 Amsterdam: Pottery shop that offers classes

  • GRAND BAZAAR - 100 West 77th St: Outdoor market occurring every Sunday from 10am-5:30pm