uptowngirl

I usually use the M79 cross town bus to go across the park to the West side. The M 79 uses the 79th traverse road to cross Central Park from where it connects onto 81st Street along Columbus Avenue before once again turning on to W 79th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenue.
W 79th Street actually stretches from Central Park West ( the American Museum of Natural History) up to the west side highway where it hosts the 79th Street Boat basin which is an especially popular summertime haunt. The real estate topography of W 79th street includes high several rise buildings that date from before and after the war and include stately edifices like the Apthrop which in my opinion is one of the prettiest buildings in New York City which actually has the appearance of an old world palace and the imposing structure of the First Baptist Church which is located on Broadway and 79th Street.
The various buildings that line West 79th Street also host diverse commercial establishments like doctor’s offices, restaurants like the popular brunch spot Nice Matin which is located on the ground floor of 201, West 79th Street, Ducale on Columbus Avenue and, Bettola on Amsterdam Avenue along with an outpost of the popular discount retailer, Filenes Basement which located on the corner of W 79th Street and Broadway. West 79th street also used to host an outpost of old-world NYC butcher Ottomanelli Brothers but it recently shut shop due to rising costs and untenable rents.

W72nd Street which extends from Central Park West to Riverside Drive has always been a rather well known street in New York for it hosts one of the most famous co-ops in New York City, the Dakota. The Dakota which is located on the corner of Central Park West and 72nd Street is a huge fortress like building which is an architectural marvel what with its balconies, balustrades and other trimmings.This magnificent edifice which was home to John and Yoko Lennon has also hosted other famous New Yorkers like Leonard Bernstein, the composer and conductor, Lauren Bacall, the actress, Judy Garland, the singer, William Inge, the playwright, Jo Mielziner, the stage designer and Rex Reed, the columnist. Aside from Dakota, the street also hosts several other impressive buildings(high rise) like the beaux arts Chatsworth building at Riverside drive and the Corner a glass and tower edifice which now houses the Upper West Side location of NYC’s a favorite food store, Trader Joe’s.
W72nd Street also hosts many restaurants and commercial establishments like the Upper West side outpost of my favorite cupcake store the Buttercup Bake Shop, Seven’s Turkish Grill, the shoe heaven of Tip Top Shoes( where I once dropped $70 on a pair of flip flops) and Dallas BBQ Upper West Side.
This street which is one of the traverse roads of Central Park is served by the M72 Cross town bus and also hosts a rather elegant subway station that receives the #1,2 and 3 trains.
The Verdi Square is yet another landmark of West 72nd Street, this small patch of green which is located on West 72nd Street at the junction of Broadway and 72nd Street is equipped with a few benches that beckon you to take a break and rest while you soak in the buzzing atmosphere of New York City as it rushes around you.

East 85th Street is a busy street located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This street which extends from Carl Schurz Park on East End Avenue to Central Park on Fifth Avenue hosts a mix of commercial and residential establishments. The real estate scenario of this street features townhouses, low rise walk-ups which coexist with several amenity filled and luxurious condominium buildings. The street's newest builds include lavish properties like the Lucida which is located at 151, 85th Street at Lexington Avenue and is touted to be New York's 1st LEED Certified Green Condominium and the Georgica which is located on 305, 85th Street on third avenue.
Aside from residential properties, 85th Street hosts a large outpost of the US post called the Gracie Post Office which is located between second and third avenues and is usually my go to post office of choice especially on tax day i.e. 15th April as it is large enough to accommodate the laggards. Also located on this street are several bank branches including the one I bank at as well as many great restaurants like Jacques Brasserie between Second and Third Avenue, Dean and Deluca at Madison Avenue, Andres Café between Second and Third Avenue, Panorama at 3rd Avenue and Energy Kitchen on 84th and 85th Street.

East 72nd Street
It’s the money honey
East 72nd Street is a main arterial street of the Upper East Side. This street extends from East End Avenue to Central Park. East 72nd Street then transforms into the East 72nd Street Transverse Road through the park and continues on to the west side as West 72nd Street. One of the main land marks of East 72nd Street is the huge building on York Avenue that hosts the world headquarters of the renowned Sotheby’s Auction House.
The rest of the street is populated by a mix of pre and post war construction that includes luxurious condominium buildings like The Oxford, the Belaire,( which was the site of a plane crash in 2006 when a small passenger plane went into the building and killed its occupants baseball player Cory Lidle and his co-pilot/flight instructor along with injuring several people on the ground) One East River Place and Miraval Living, a full service building that is a favored spot for pied-a-terres as it offers various amenities like a fitness center, a pool, a café, a spa and a private 20,000-square-foot park.
East 72nd Street is served by the M72 cross town bus which is quite a boon for residents as the nearest subway station 9which is served by the number 6 local train) is located a few blocks away on 68th Street and Lexington Avenue at Hunter College. Though if you are a resident on this street it is generally believed that you are probably affluent enough to afford a cab, a car or even car service.
72nd Street offers a few neighborhood dining options like the 72nd Street Deli,Cafe Greco and Cafe Mingala amongst others along with good shopping options like a Talbots store, a Bath and Body Works Store, a Runners World Store and the flag ship Ralph Lauren Store that occupies the grand Rhinelander Mansion on 867 Madison Avenue. East 72nd Street also hosts a multi-screen AMC Loews Cinema which is one of the main sources of entertainment on this street

East 78th Street is an exceptionally pretty street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that I love walking on. This street which is an access street to the 77th Street subway station extends from East River Drive to Central Park and offers a real estate mix of condos, pre war co-ops and historic townhouses. In fact the street hosts the East 78th Street houses which are a row of identical brick attached houses that date back to the late 19th century. These houses which are five in number are the remnants of a row of eleven town houses which were originally built during the period. These historic and gorgeous townhouses are situated between Lexington and Third Avenues and are today worth millions.

East 78th Street also hosts several commercial establishments like doctor’s offices which are generally located on the ground/basement floors of the various condo or co-op builders, brokers offices and restaurants like Bandol Bistro ( a pretty French restaurant that serves Provencal cuisine), Lusardis, Lenox Hill Grill and Lenox Hill Pizza which cater to the needs of the folk who work at the Lenox Hill Hospital close by and gourmet dessert shops like Lady M confections which is located between Park and Madison Avenues and the renowned French chocolate store, La Maison du Chocolat which is located at Madison Avenue and 78th Street.

East 80th Street extends eastwards from East End Avenue until Fifth Avenue and Central Park. This street like many other streets of the Upper East Side features a real estate landscape of historic pre-war co-op buildings, condominiums that feature luxury and rentals and stunning, expensive townhouses (especially the 80th Street houses which are a row of attached townhouses that are situated between Lexington Avenue and Park Avenue).

80 th street which is a mixed use street also hosts many commercial and educational establishments like an outpost of the City University of New York, the Caedmon Montessori School, The York Avenue Preschool, An Enterprise car rental outlet, parking garages and popular restaurants like the Divino wine bar and restaurant, Brasserie Julien, Cascabel Taqueria, H&H Midtown Bagels East and Le Rendezvous Wine Bar. In fact Le Rendezvous Wine Bar ranks as one of my favorite bars in the city for its friendly service and great selection of wines from around the world. So happy that there such an elegant but casual, adult place like this my neck of the woods which otherwise offers a preponderance of loud, frat bars which offer barrels of beer, live sports telecasts and sickeningly sweet, weird colored cocktails. Also located on the junction of East 80th Street and Second Avenue is the Lester's clothing store whose stocks of apparel are especially popular with pre-teens and tweens.
The M79 which is one of main transport options of the Upper East Side has its last stop on East 80th Street.

Manhattan Valley is small neighborhood which is located immediately north of the Upper West Side. The boundaries of Manhattan Valley extend from 96th street in the south to 110th Street in the north. The neighborhood occupies the area that lies between Central Park West and Broadway and is populated by both condo and co-op buildings as well as brownstones and townhouses. Since the area is located quite close to Columbia University it is favored by students and faculty alike.
Manhattan Valley which started out as a working class neighborhood is now slowly being ‘gentrified’ for the neighborhood now has its own outlet of the upscale Whole Foods Market at Columbus Avenue between 97th and 100th Streets. The neighborhood in fact is quite self sufficient as it has quite a wide array of diverse bars and restaurants that are mostly concentrated along Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues. Some of the popular eateries located within the neighborhood include Mama Mexico, Angan, Thai Market, Voza and , Regional along with dive bars and live music venues like Ding Dong Lounge, the Village Pour house and the Underground Lounge.
The neighborhood is quite well served by New York City’s public transport as it hosts the # 1, 2,3 A, C, B and D trains along with the M96, M116, M104, M11, M10 and M7 MTA buses.

Madison Square which is located within the Flatiron District in Manhattan has a rich history associated with it. This area was originally designated as a public space with the creation of Madison Square Park between 23rd and 26th streets and Fifth and Madison avenues in the mid-19th century. The area around the park was essentially a residential area at that time which soon began to be populated with several commercial establishments and shops. In fact the area of Broadway that lies between Madison Square and Union Square was once known as Ladies’ Mile as it was filled with retailers who specialized in women’s wear.
Today the area continues to be a mixed use neighborhood which has within it various kinds of retail establishments as well as offices of advertising agencies, publishing houses, web- based companies, hotels and restaurants. The Madison Square area is also renowned for its many famous buildings like the landmark, beaux art Flatiron building which is located at 23rd street at the junction of Broadway and Fifth Avenue, the Metlife Tower which houses the offices of the Swiss bank Credit Suisse, the New York Life Insurance building and the luxury condominium building One Madison Park which is a 51 storey tower that houses expensive residences and is also known as ‘the Saya’. However the most famous landmark of this neighborhood is its verdant, statue filled Madison Square Park which until ten years ago was crime ridden and neglected but which today has been rejuvenated by the tireless efforts of the Madison Square Conservancy, a nonprofit organization which now is responsible for its upkeep.

NoLiTa which is an acronym for North of little Italy is located as its name suggests to the north of the tourist infested district of Little Italy. The boundaries of this small downtown Manhattan neighborhood extend from Houston Street in the north to Kenmare Street in the south and Broadway in the west to the Bowery in the east.
This neighborhood which was demarcated as a separate enclave in the late 1990s is today home to many young New York professionals who enjoy its relatively quiet streets which are populated by small, chic restaurants, stores and boutiques like Bread, Rice, Public, Mcnally Jackson Books, Café Gitane, BioNYC and Lord Willy’s.
The real estate landscape of NoLiTa is made up of 5-6 story pre-war walks and newer condo constructions and conversions like the Spring Street condominiums and the Candle Building on 11 Spring Street which was originally a 19th century carriage house which has now been converted into three extremely expensive, stylish condo properties.

The Lenox Hill neighborhood extends from 60th street north to 77th Street and lies within the larger neighborhood of the Upper East Side in Manhattan. This neighborhood is one of the city’s most coveted and affluent neighborhoods, which is home to some of the wealthiest residents of the city. The eastern and western boundaries of this neighborhood are defined as Fifth Avenue and Lexington Avenue. The real estate mix in this area consists of apartment buildings which include both luxurious condos and pre-war co-ops as well as expensive townhouses and mansions.
Lenox Hill is named after a Scottish immigrant Robert Lenox who farmed 30 acres of the area in the early part of the 19th century. Today this neighborhood reeks of sophistication and elegance as it is populated by many chic restaurants and shops( Barneys, Fred Leighton, Prada, Dolce &Gabbana, Ralph Lauren) especially along Lexington and Madison Avenues. The neighborhoods also hosts several prominent cultural institutions within its boundaries like the Asia Society( 70th and 71st Street and Park Avenue), The Frick Collection( 70th Street and Fifth Avenue), The China Institute( 65th street between Park and Lexington Avenue) The Park Avenue Armory(66th Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue)
and The Whitney Museum of American Art( 75th Street and Madison Avenue). Also located within the boundaries of this neighborhood is the Lenox Hill Hospital which was the former German Hospital that was renamed due to anti-German sentiment during World War I. The Lenox Hill neighborhood is well connected by public transport as it served by the number 4,5,6 , N,R,W trains which call at the 59th street and Lexington Avenue station though the number 6 train also makes stops at the 68th Street and 77th Street subway stations . Lenox Hill is also served by a plethora of public buses like the M101, M102, M103, M1, M2, M3, M4 as well as the M66 and M72 cross town buses.

Kips Bay is a neighborhood located on the east side of Manhattan. This neighborhood lies between Lower Manhattan and Midtown Manhattan and its boundaries are generally considered to extend from 23rd Street to 34th Street from Lexington Avenue to the East River and it is bordered by other neighborhoods of Murray Hill and Gramercy Park. This neighborhood can be best described as a mixed use neighborhood as it is home to several commercial and residential buildings.
One of the most prominent residential developments located here between 30th and 33rd Streets is the Kips Bay Towers block which is made up of two buildings. This complex was designed in the early 1960’s by renowned architect I.M.Pei and has 1118 apartments along with a three acre private garden for residents. The neighborhood also has a mini-mall in the form of the Kips Bay Plaza which is located between 30th and 33rd Streets on Second Avenue which has cinemas, stores, restaurants and a fitness facility. The neighborhood is also home to several hospitals and medical instruction centers like the Tisch School of the Arts, NYU College of Dentistry, NYU School of Medicine, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center teaching hospital which are all located along First Avenue. The neighborhood is also well served by international schools like the United Nations International School which is located on a pier facing the East River and the British International School which is locate on Waterside Plaza . Other schools located in Kips Bay include the Churchill School for Learning disabilities and the Public school P.S.116. Kips Bay is well served by New York’s public transport system and has buses like the M15, the M16 and the M34.

Trendy Soho (south of Houston Street) is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in New York City. The boundaries of Soho are loosely defined so as to include the area that lies south of West Houston Street and north of Canal Street while its eastern and western limits are described as Lafayette Street and Sixth Avenue.

Soho is home to some of the city’s shops, bars and restaurants and it accordingly packed with hordes of tourists who want to experience a bit of classic New York City magic on the cobble stone streets of Soho. This is the main reason that I wouldn’t want to live in Soho though I do adore and appreciate the area’s many cast-iron fronted buildings which house huge super expensive loft apartments which are much coveted by celebrities, artists and all the other beautiful and affluent people of New York City.

Nevertheless I do enjoy going to Soho to browse and drop serious change at its many shops that line Broadway and its surrounding streets. My trips to Soho almost always include trips to stores like Topshop, Uniglo, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Muji, Pearl River Mart , the Moma Store and if I am in a mood for some serious retail therapy then also stores like Kirna Zabete and the flagship Longchamp store. When I am tired of shopping and need a rest I tend to take a break at the area’s many stylish cafés like Dean De Luca or Café Angelique which offer good coffee and scrumptious baked goods.

Soho like many other neighborhoods in New York City is renowned for its great dining and entertainment options as well and some of my favorite haunts in the area include establishments like Kittichai at the Thompson Hotel, the bar at the Soho Grand hotel and the fabulous Mercer Kitchen located within the stylish Mercer Hotel on Prince Street.

Lexington Avenue which is popularly referred to by New Yorkers as ‘Lex’ is one of main arteries of New York City. This east side avenue extends from east 21st street until east 131st street and is home to several shops, restaurants and various other commercial establishments.
Lexington Avenue hosts one of the most crowded and busy subway lines of the city, the green line which has the local no 6 train and the express 4 and 5 trains. Additionally this one way avenue on which traffic moves from north to south also hosts the M98, M101, M102 and M103 buses which link uptown to downtown.
All along its 5.5 mile length, Lexington Avenue plays host to numerous New York City institutions like the famous community center of the Upper East Side, the 92nd Street Y, the Lenox Hill Hospital, The Bloomingdales department store(59th and Lex), Hunter College ( 68th and Lex ), Hunter College School of Social Work(79th and Lex) and several business hotels like the W New York( 46th and Lex, popular for its Whiskey bar), the Roger Smith and the Radisson Lexington Hotel New York.
Lexington Avenue can be described as a commercial nerve center of New York City and though it also hosts residential buildings it is primarily favored by those folk who value the convenience that it offers over the constant traffic din.

Some years ago I had the chance to spend a few months at cousin’s apartment that was located in Midtown on W38 Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Though the apartment building ( The Atlas) was quite nice as it had many coveted amenities like a roof deck and a gym , the area of Midtown where it was situated was quite characterless dominated as it was by office buildings that housed showrooms of garment manufacturers, bead and bauble stores and beauty salons that offered waxing and threading services.
What I did however enjoy was the apartment’s proximity to the city’s 34th Street retail corridor and its ease of access to Midtown’s premier patch of green, Bryant Park. Bryant Park is an oasis of calm located in the heart of the perennially busy neighborhood of Midtown West . This park which has the largest patch of green after Central Park provides a welcome refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city.
In fact the park is a favorite of office goers who work in the various office buildings that surrounded and are located near the park as they enjoy kicking back in its lush green environs during their lunch hour or having an after-work drink at the park’s raucous open air bar at the Bryant Park Café.

Bryant Park which hosts New York City’s foremost fashion event, the New York Fashion Week twice a year is a center for much activity in Midtown for during the summer months when it is the choice location for concerts and movie screenings while in the winter months it offers free ice skating on 'The Pond' and a holiday market.

Moreover Bryant Park is also equipped with enough seating, free Wi-fi access and reasonably clean restrooms if you ever fancy working in the park on a beautiful New York summer’s day.

MacDougal Street which lies in the heart of Greenwich Village (between W8th and Prince Streets) is an exceptionally lively street which is favored hang out of the NYU student population and local foodies who enjoy the many cheap but delicious eats the street has to offer.
This street which stretches over nearly 6 blocks and has the celebrated Washington Square Park located on its southern corner hosts the dorms of the NYU law school as well as several trinket shops, tattoo parlors, restaurants and bars some of which are legendary like Café Wha which is known as a premier destination for live music in New York City.
Other popular musical enclaves on MacDougal include the La Lanterna Caffe which offers delectable deserts at its street level restaurant and live music in its subterranean lounge and the famed Blue Note Jazz club which is located close by on West 3rd Street. My personal favorite hang outs on MacDougal Street include Mamoun’s Falafel which is also reputed to be a New York City taxi driver haunt and the relatively upscale Minetta Tavern Restaurant which is housed in the 1950’s cafe which has been restored to its former glory by celebrated New York restaurateur Keith Mcnally of Balthazar and Pastis fame.
As a residential neighborhood, MacDougal Street is suitable for young students and creative folk who specially relish the neighborhood’s pulsating nightlife options and can be tolerant of the accompanying noise levels.

Turtle Bay is a sub section of the Midtown East neighborhood and its boundaries extend roughly from 43rd street to 53rd from the East River to Lexington Avenue. The United Nations Plaza is located within the neighborhood of Turtle Bay on 1st Avenue between 42nd and 48th streets. Surrounding the UN, are several consulates and the diplomatic missions of various countries as a result of which the neighborhood is an extremely safe, high security zone.

Located within the confines of Turtle Bay is yet another mini-neighborhood which is known as Tudor City Place. This self contained neighborhood which has its own post office, hotel and park has been built atop a granite cliff that overlooks First Avenue and can be accessed by walking uphill on a slope from Second Avenue or by climbing up the steps which lie within the Ralph Bunche Park located on First Avenue and 42nd street. Tudor City consists of 12 co-op buildings which were built in Tudor style by the Fred French company which transformed the former squatters village area located between 41st and 43rd street and First and Second Avenue into a pristine , green neighborhood which is today home to approximately 5000 people.

The rest of Turtle Bay is peppered with several high rise buildings of which perhaps the most well known is the opulent and super luxurious Trump World Tower which is located on 48th Street and First Avenue. Apart from apartment buildings and diplomatic residences, the area is also home to several good restaurants and bars like Megu, Zarela, Smith and Wollensky, Verro Wine Bar, Turtle Bay Grill and Lounge, Sutton Place, Calico Jack’s Cantina which are usually packed to the gills with revelers on weekend nights.

The only downside of living in this safe and secure area is that residents are often inconvenienced with road closures and traffic diversions when the U.N. is in session. For instance when Colonel Gadaffi of Libya attended the 54th session of the U.N. General Assembly in September 2009 , he was accommodated in a residential building located on 48th Street between First and Second Avenues. The other residents of the building then experienced great hardship as they were subjected to intense security measures for the entire duration of the controversial leader's stay.

West End Avenue like its counterpart on the east side is quite a coveted residential neighborhood of the upper west side of Manhattan. West End Avenue extends from 59th street to 107th and is located just one avenue away from the verdant water front Riverside Park which stretches along the Hudson River from 72nd Street to 158th Street.
West End Avenue is populated by several prewar co-op and redeveloped condominium residences which are housed in gorgeous ornate buildings several of which are exponents of the renaissance style of architecture. Many of these grand and large multi-room residences like their siblings on the east side often figure in the lists of the most expensive residences in New York City. However unlike, East End Avenue which is located at a considerable distance from the nearest subway line, West End Avenue is located just one block away from the no 1 train that traverses north and south on Broadway. Additionally West End Avenue is well served by several cross town buses like the M96,M86, M79, M72 and the M66 which connect it to the east side and other streets and avenues of the west side
West End Avenue is also conveniently located near all the shopping and dining establishments like Fairway Market, Zabar’s, Citarella’s, Harry’s Shoes, H & H Bagels, Loehman’s, Fatty Crab, Filene’s Basement, Big Nicks, Manhattan Diner all of which are on located Broadway which is just a block away from West End Avenue. The location of several good New York City schools like the private Calhoun School and the parochial St Agnes Boys High School on West End Avenue further adds to its desirability.

In spite of loud protests from the anti fur lobby and the growing popularity of faux fur many New Yorkers still prefer to use coats fashioned out of animal fur to ward off the biting chill of the bitter New York City winters. The best place to buy these warmth inducing minks, shearlings, silver foxes and more is along a nondescript stretch of W29th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues round the corner from the transport hub of Penn Station.
This section of W29th is known as the fur district of New York City as it continues to host outlets and factory stores of several well known furriers like Konstanine Leathers, the Fur depot, Rafael Shearlings, Peter Duffy Furs and Ritz Furs who offer a wide variety of furs for sale at prices which are generally much lower than those charged by department stores and designer fur salons. Moreover these stores also custom create fur coats and also provide other invaluable services like cleaning, repairing and storing of fur coats as furs are generally quite expensive and do require a certain amount of care if they are to last you a lifetime. The Fur district is essentially a commercial district which is populated with warehouses and factory stores and doesnt have much appeal as a residential neighborhood.

Battery Park City is a relatively small neighborhood which lies on the southwest tip of Manhattan between the financial district and Tribeca. The real estate landscape of Battery Park City consists of several high rise luxury condominium buildings which line its quiet avenues like South End Avenue and afford gorgeous views of the East River. Battery Park City is in fact the choice residential location for several Wall Streeters who enjoy the convenience it offers by being close to their workplace.
Battery Park City has been constructed on land that is owned by a local public entity, the Battery Park City Authority which maintains its 1.2 mile river front promenade with the real estate taxes that it collects from its residents. During the initial years of its development Battery Park, lacked certain amenities like good grocery stores but this problem has now been eliminated with the opening of a Whole Foods Market in nearby Tribeca. In fact Battery Park City is today quite a self contained neighborhood which has within its folds various entertainment options like the luxe Ritz Carlton Battery Park City( whose Rise bar is a favored summertime hang out ), the 11- screen Regal Cinemas Battery Park Stadium 11 which is located on North End Avenue and shows a whole host of domestic and international releases and the gorgeous Battery Gardens waterfront restaurant which affords offers panoramic views of the New York Harbor, the statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. In fact if you want to visit any of these icons of New York City or just go on a joy ride around New York City’s harbor you can easily get on one of the many tour boats that depart regularly from the marina located within Battery Park City

The term Tribeca is an acronym that is commonly used to describe an area located in downtown Manhattan that encompasses a space that lies in the Triangle below Canal Street. This area which was once the manufacturing and warehouse center of the city now is one of the most coveted neighborhoods of the city which is populated with gargantuan loft residences that have been fashioned out of converted abandoned factory and industrial buildings and quaint cobbled streets.
The boundaries of Tribeca extend down south from Canal Street until Versey Street and from Broadway until the Hudson River. The area is home to several celebrities but perhaps its most famous patron is Hollywood actor Robert De Niro who revived the neighborhood after the devastation of 9/11with a string of ventures like the Tribeca Film Festival, the Tribeca Grill and the beautifully restored Greenwich Hotel which is located on 377, Greenwich Street and hosts the excellent Locanda Verde restaurant. In fact Tribeca is home to several fantastic (and expensive restaurants) like Megu, Nobu, Bouley, Upstairs at Bouley , Bouley Bakery, Blau Ganz, the Harrison and many more.
Aside from its many fine dining, shopping and entertainment options, Tribeca is also known for its excellent schooling facilities and the area hosts schools like the P.S. 234 which is a highly ranked elementary public school in New York city and the H.S. 475 Stuyvesant High School which is renowned as Manhattan’s most competitive high school that specializes in Math and the Sciences.

The Meatpacking district covers a twenty block area on the extreme Westside of Manhattan. The boundaries of this achingly hip and trendy district extend roughly from the Chelsea Market which is located between W 15th and W 16th streets down to Gansevoort Street.
This gritty and grimy area which has a distinct industrial feel to it was the domain of slaughterhouses and meatpacking outfits ever since 1949 when the Gansevoort Meat Market was established here. Since the late 1990s, however the area has cleaned up somewhat so that it now functions as New York’s premier party district which has within its environs countless designer boutiques and stores as well as many hip and happening restaurants and clubs which are exceedingly popular with tourists and locals alike.

Located in the heart of the Meatpacking district is the stylish, boutique Gansevoort Hotel which is favored by celebrities and the beautiful of New York City, whose rooftop bar is an especially popular hangout spot during the balmy New York summer evenings. Some of the most popular restaurants of the Meatpacking district include joints like Pastis, Bagatelle, Budakkan, Fatty Crabs and Spice Market which are known as much for the food that they serve and the good looking and stylish patrons that they attract. However the newest attraction of Meatpacking district is the newly opened Highline Park which has been created along an old elevated freight rail line that used run from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street.

Rivington Street which lies within the Lower East Side can be counted as one of my regular haunts in New York City. The reason why I tend to visit it regularly as it is the only street in the city that hosts affordable tailoring shops which can carry out a variety of alterations for a fraction of the price that you would normally pay at your neighborhood dry cleaner elsewhere in the city. My establishment of choice is Felix Tailor which is housed in a tiny hole in the wall at 97 Rivington Street but I have also tried the Express Tailor shop located on 92, Rivington Street.
Most of the tailor shops that are located here are manned by immigrants from Latin America who have provided these valuable services for decades though now they are being forced to increase their extremely affordable prices as their rents have gone up exponentially. All these Rivington Street tailors offer to fix your garments while you wait. Luckily the street also hosts several excellent bars and cafes like Inoteca, Teany, Spitzer's Corner and the modern glass tower of the Hotel on Rivington along with the fascinating candy store, the Economy Candy Corporation all of which offer ample entertainment and dining opportunities for you as you await your alterations.

Roosevelt Island is a two mile long island that lies between the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens. This island was originally purchased by the Dutch settlers of New York City from the Canarsie Indians. They then went on to change the name of this island from “Minnahononck” to “Varcken”. Over the years it was also known as Blackwell’s Island and Welfare Island as located here was a prison, lunatic asylum and a small pox hospital (the ruins of which still stand on the southern point of the island) on the island. It is believed that the sick and the insane were once sent to Roosevelt Island however today the occupants of the high rises on Roosevelt Island are mainly U.N. staff given its proximity to Midtown Manhattan which is the location of the U.N. The initial development on Roosevelt Island consisted of subsidized living as developers were given tax breaks by the City to build on the island. Today the real estate scenario on Roosevelt Island consists of high rise co-ops and luxury rental buildings which afford gorgeous views of Manhattan and the East River. However the island’s developments surprisingly don’t have much individual character. They are built in a standard, uniform almost soviet-like pattern. Prices of apartments located here are also not much less than Manhattan even though the island is rather insulated.

Roosevelt Island is accessible by tram way from Manhattan's 60th street and 2nd avenue, by car through a bridge on 36th avenue and Vernon Boulevard in Queens and one subway line, the F train. The ride on the tram makes all the sights and sounds of Manhattan easily accessible from Roosevelt Island. New York City’s transit card – the Metrocard can be used on the tram that links Manhattan and Roosevelt Island.
A shuttle bus service called the Octagon express which is operated by the Roosevelt Island Operating Cooperation provides public transport the island for the nominal charge of 25 cents a ride though the island is also connected to Queens via the Q102 bus service.

The atmosphere on the island is reminiscent of a small town as the island has only one main drag appropriately called the Main Street. All shops and businesses are located on this street which is enclosed to protect residents from the elements. Dining options are severely limited as there are few restaurants on Roosevelt Island. A Gristedes mega shop is the only super market that is located on the island. The lack of choice of dining and shopping options makes trips into Manhattan a necessity in fact the atmosphere on the island is rather desolate when compared to either Manhattan or Queens.

Union Square according to me is the heart of New York City. This historic square which is located between Broadway and Fourth Avenue is actually situated between 14th and 17th Streets on the East Side of the city and not in Midtown where you would probably expect the heart of the city to be located. Union Square Park which is dotted with statues of famous folk like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi is a popular spot in the city for demonstrations and rallies though all kinds of buskers also tend to use it as their private stage as they are almost always guaranteed a ready made audience with the number of people who continuously throng the area.
The square in itself is surrounded by several buildings that house the dorms of NYU and several big name chain stores like Filenes Basement, DSW, Babies R US, Staples and Barnes and Nobles. Also located here is an outpost of the immensely popular natural and organic grocery, Whole Foods though a branch of the more competitively priced California based organic grocery, Trader Joe's is located close by at 14th Street and 3rd Avenue.
Union Square Park which is administered by a local governing body, the Union Square Partnership in fact hosts one of the most widely patronized green markets in New York City. This green market which is a favored source of top New York City chefs, home cooks, restaurateurs and foodies is held four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8am to 6pm all throughout the year. The market features a large variety of bursting with goodness seasonal fresh produce, meats, freshly baked breads and other confectioneries, juices , syrups, cheeses, jams, honeys, butters, plants and flowers all of which produced at farms and local artisan businesses in and around New York City. Aside from the green market, Union Square is also well known for its annual holiday market which is usually held for a month before Christmas and features vendors of jewelry, candles, pottery and other exotic tchotchkes which make ideal gifts for the holiday season.
Aside from these markets and stores, Union Square which is easily accessed from nearly all parts of New York City by Subway lines (4,5,6, L,N, R,Q,W) which come into 14th Street and Union Square station. Moreover Union Square is a well known dining locale as it has within its folds some of the best restaurants in the city like the Union Square Café and Blue Water Grill.

New York City like many other global metros is full of shopping haunts but perhaps its most famous and luxe shopping district is located along an avenue known as Madison Avenue. Madison Avenue is located on the east side of Manhattan and it stretches upwards from Madison Square which is located on 23rd Street all the way up to 138th Street in Harlem.
Before it came to be known as the district of luxe shopping the term ‘Madison Avenue’ was often used to describe New York City’s vibrant advertising industry as some of the city’s most famous advertising agencies like Young and Rubicam and TBWA were located here . Today however many of these agencies have departed for the more ‘hip and happening’ neighborhoods located in downtown Manhattan and Madison Avenue has now become the domain of the who’s who of the design world as the world’s most famous and well known brands make sure that they have a representation along this avenue.
The main shopping district of Madison Avenue actually starts in the 40’s and continues well in to the 90’s and includes outposts of high end retail like Brooks Brothers, Johnston and Murphy, Calvin Klein, Furla, Coach, Ralph Lauren, Mulberry, Missoni, Gucci, Longchamp, Tom Ford, Oliver Peoples and many more.
The Barney’s Department store is also located along Madison Avenue at 60th Street. The store has a wonderful restaurant called Fred’s which makes for an ideal lunch spot if you plan to spend your day window shopping or even dropping big bucks at the many fabulous stores located along Madison Avenue.