East 97 St, East Harlem

97th Street between 5th and Madison is one of the city's most gorgeous blocks. Right near the park, with tree-lined sidewalks and pre-war buildings, it's the ideal "Upper East Side" - not quite as pretentiously sterile as the Park Avenue buildings, but just as elegant! Granted, the Dunkin Donuts on Madison and 97th is irking some neighborhood owners - bright purple and enormous plastic coffee cup doesn't exactly scream "Blair Waldorf" - but the block does have a gorgeous Russian Orthodox church to make up for it! 97th between Mad and Park also has one of the city's best, and cheapest, Mexican eateries. And best of all, the M96 stops right at the corner - making the block a very convenient one for travelers going crosstown.

The surrounding block is an interesting one: a mix of eateries catering to upscale ladies who lunch on the Upper East Side, students from the local Hunter College High School, and young professionals from Mount Sinai to the north. Hanratty's on 97th and Madison is a proper "pub" for the hospital crowd, with exposed brick walls and a hearty menu. 3 Guys Diner on 96th and Madison tends to attract private school students and local families, while Champignon, Bagels on Madison, and Salata cater to anyone having lunch on the go. Less pleasant are the bog-standard Dunkin Donuts and Subway, as well as a falafel place where I swear I've seen a roach crawling up the wall! But with such a wealth of choice here, these can be easily avoided.

This is the kind of street you’d expect from New York – the deli, the church (okay, it’s Russian Orthodox, but still a church), the preschool, and the AT&T store. This isn’t Midtown anymore (or even close), so don’t expect too much if you’re visiting for the first time.

I walked up this street for the first time today and I won’t again. It’s really dingy and it looks like it would be a sketchy area at night. Although, it looks pretty safe during the day. There is a Public Housing Complex “projects” a block away. They tend to be unsafe. On the other hand you have Mount Sinai Hospital a block away. So, if you’re in need of medical attention no need to worry.