uptowngirl

  • Local Expert 34,251 points
  • Reviews 25
  • Questions 0
  • Answers 3,219
  • Discussions 198

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"In a flux"

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.
Pros
  • Elegant architecture
  • Good transport connections
  • Good dining and shopping options
Cons
  • Often crowded and busy
  • Noisy as it is a main thoroughfare
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"John Lennnon Boulevard"

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.
Pros
  • Fabulous architecture
  • Good eating houses and shopping
  • Trader Joe's
Cons
  • Busy and bustling
  • Primarily residential
  • Huge crowds most of the time
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5
Just now

"So Near Yet So Far"

When people refer to the neighborhood of Long Island City they generally seem to be talking about the fast developing neighborhood of Hunters point which is in fact just one of the many neighborhoods of Long Island City in Queens. This neighborhood which is located one stop away from Midtown on the number 7 train is essentially an industrial neighborhood which is currently undergoing rapid gentrification.
This favored area of Long Island City is actually known as Hunters Point and a couple of years ago we spent many a weekend there as we were considering buying into one of the many new condominium developments which are coming up at the edge of the East River. Many of these developments are actually old time warehouses which are being redeveloped into swanky loft type residences with all the necessary accouterments like gyms, swimming pools and party rooms. Since we were exploring the neighborhood on the weekends we had a chance to get a real feel for the neighborhood which actually seemed rather desolate in spite of all the hectic construction activity.
I am sure this is not the case during the work week for the neighborhood actually hosts quite a few important buildings like the Citibank Tower on Court Square, the mixed use Queens West Towers and the Long Island City Court House along with famed landmarks like Silver Cup Studios , the P.S.1 art space which an outpost of the MOMA museum, the Socrates Sculpture Park and 5 Pointz which is an artist outdoor exhibit space.
During our expeditions in Long Island City we actually came across a real cool speakeasy called Dutch Kills which served some amazing cocktails in a fantastic old world ambiance . This bar alone would give us reason enough to come back to Long Island City even though at the end of our meanderings we had decided we didnt really want to move to Long Island City in spite of the fact that proceeds from the sale of our Manhattan apartment would probably fetch us more living space and even a car parking allotment in one of the swanky new towers which are being erected all over the neighborhood.
Pros
  • So close to Manhattan but devoid of the buzz
  • Famous landmarks
  • Great museums in the area
  • Mixed bag
Cons
  • Industrial looking in spite of the gentrification
  • Rather desolate and dead on the weekends
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"As prestigious as they come"

East 66th Street is a quiet tree lined street which is considered to be one of the prettiest streets on the Upper East Side. This street which hosts mainly pre-war buildings and townhouses used to until recently lie within one of the most prestigious zip codes in the USA- 10021 believed to be home to some of the richest people in the country. This changed in 2007 when the US postal service divided this zip code and placed E 66 in zip code 10065. All this may sound trivial to someone who doesn’t live in New York City but if you are a New Yorker you would understand the snob value attached to this particular zip code.
E. 66th street extends from York Avenue to Central Park on 5th Avenue. There is an entrance to the Park on 66th street and the M66 bus which traverses the length of the 66th Street from the East to the West Side and back uses the 65th traverse road through the park.
Some of the major landmarks on East 66th Street include buildings like the historic Carrie Astor House on 3 East 66th Street which houses the Indian consulate( the visa section of the consulate however is located in the basement of the building and is anything but grand), the newly constructed Sloan Kettering Breast and Imaging center which is located on Second Avenue and the Manhattan House apartment block which is a post war building on 200 East 66th Street which has recently been cited by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as a NYC landmark. East 66th also houses the Seventh Regiment Armory or the Park Avenue Armory which is run as a non profit organization and is a venue for major art and antique fairs in NYC.
The street also hosts several commercial businesses like branches of major banks( TD bank at 66 street and third avenue), coffee shops – the popular Alice’s Tea Cup II is located on E 66 between third and Lexington avenues, art galleries, restaurants, outlets of major retailers like Banana Republic, Gap, Coldwater Creek, Club Monaco, American Apparel, Sephora and many mote.
Pros
  • Very quiet and pretty especially near Madison and Fifth Avenue
  • Landmark buildings
  • Close to the 68th street subway station
Cons
  • Primarily residential though more commercial between Third and Lex
  • No real nightlife scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Busy and Bustling -Just as I like it"

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.
Pros
  • Good dining options
  • Hosts a large outpost of the US post
  • Close to the subway
Cons
  • Frat bars dominate the nightlife scene
  • Its far from downtown
  • Gentrification changing the character of the street rapidly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Pretty as a picture"

East 84th Street is in my opinion one of the prettiest streets on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This street which extends from a cul de sac bordering Charles Schurz Park on East End Avenue to Central Park on Fifth Avenue, has a real estate landscape which is made up of tall rental buildings like the Strathmore on First Avenue and the Continental East Apartments, graceful pre-war properties like 7 Gracie Square and several low rise buildings along with numerous stately town houses that house both single and multi-family units.

Most of the town houses on East 84th Street date back to the early 20th Century or even earlier but there is one renovated townhouse that is located between East End Avenue and York Avenue which counts as my favorite building of the locality as its owner has gut renovated it and given it a total modern look with a tall glass fronted façade- not the best idea if you value your privacy but great if you want to show off your contemporary art collection to all and sundry.

Additionally East 84th Street also hosts the Chapin School which is located at 100 East End Avenue and is widely regarded as one of the top private schools for girls in the city. As for dining options East 84th Street like many of its siblings hosts several neighborhood restaurants like Yorkville Creperie at York Avenue, Hummus Kitchen at Second Avenue, Italianissimo-Ristorante between First and Second Avenue that cater to the needs of the residents who wish to dine within the neighborhood rather than venture out to other parts of the city.
Pros
  • Leafy, quiet and tranquil
  • Safe
  • Decent dining options
Cons
  • No nightlife to speak off
  • expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Its about the money honey"

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
Pros
  • Wide, tree lined street
  • Served by the M72 bus of the MTA
Cons
  • Can be a bit busy at times
  • No nightlife scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Pretty, Tree Lined 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.
Pros
  • Quiet, tranquil, tree lined street
  • Good dining options
  • Convenient subway access
Cons
  • Dead at night
  • Expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Home of 'the Whitney'"

East 75th Street stretches eastwards from the East River Drive to Central Park. This street hosts a huge Con Ed Steam generating plant on York Avenue (505 East 75 Street) which is easily identified by its three 80 feet tall steam generators.
Also located on York Avenue and 75th Street is Lycée français de New York (LFNY) or the French International School of New York which is favored by French Expats in NYC, celebrities ( it is rumored that Lourdes , the daughter of Madonna studies at the Lycee along with children belonging to the Jolie-Pitt brood) and those New Yorkers who want their off-spring to grow up to be bilingual.
The real estate mix of East 75th Street is dominated by pre-war co-ops, spectacular townhouses and luxury condominium buildings. The street also houses the Whitney Museum of American Art which is located at 945 Madison Avenue and is commonly referred to as ‘the Whitney’. This museum which hosts a magnificent collection of contemporary art will however be soon relocating to the Meatpacking district in downtown Manhattan after having spent more than 40 years on the Upper East Side. The museum’s board believes that the future downtown location of the museum will help it attract a younger audience who don’t usually frequent the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
East 75th Street also hosts some great restaurants like the legendary Orsay at Lexington Avenue, Baraonda( a popular party spot) on Second Avenue and Per Lei located next door.
Pros
  • Quiet, tranquil, tree lined street
  • Magnificent architecture
Cons
  • Disfigured by the Con Ed Plant on York Avenue
  • Quite stuffy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Storm in a tea cup"

East 76th Street extends from John Jay Park which kisses the East River Drive to Central Park and Fifth Avenue. This typical Upper East Side Street offers a real estate landscape that is littered with historic pre-war co-op buildings, magnificent townhouses and relatively newer luxury condominium buildings like the Impala which is located on First Avenue and the Promenade Apartments located near York Avenue.

Also located on 76th Street is the 980 Madison Avenue building which is known as the Carlyle Galleries that houses the Parke-Bernet auction house along with art galleries like the Gagosian gallery. This building was recently bought by famed developer Aby Rosen who has since then wanted to redevelop it by adding floors to the building and utilizing the ‘air rights’. Rosen has also brought in world famous architect Lord Norman Foster for the effort.

However this proposed redevelopment which was initially going to add 22 floors to the building has caused a lot of controversy and has evoked massive protests as 980 Madison Avenue building lies within the Upper East Side Historic District and the Madison Avenue Preservation Special District, which limits the height of new buildings to 210 feet. Moreover in addition to violating the norms of the neighborhood it is believed that this redevelopment will block the vistas offered by the legendary Carlyle Hotel located nearby as well as alter the character of the neighborhood but in spite of all this vociferous opposition the Landmarks Preservation Commission seems to have recently given the developer the go-ahead for a modified version of the redevelopment plans.

Other prominent buildings located on 76th Street include the Surrey Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel which has housed famous guests like JFK, Bette Davis. Claudette Colbert down the years and which today houses the popular restaurant Café Boulud which belongs to the David Boulud stable of restaurants, the Hewitt School for Girls( a private school), the MS 167, Robert F. Wagner Middle School,( public school) and the gorgeous St Jean the Baptiste Catholic Church on Lexington Avenue.
Pros
  • Stunning architecture
  • Peaceful and quiet
  • Elegant and refined
Cons
  • Poor dining options
  • Stuffy
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Mixed Use in Character"

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.
Pros
  • Quiet, tranquil, tree lined street
  • Stunning architecture
  • Good Schooling Options
Cons
  • Street is usually blocked and very crowded when there are parades on Fifth Avenue
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Not only for the sick and the infirm"

East 77th Street on the Upper East hosts a valuable chapter of New York City’s history. This street stretches from John Jay Park (which houses the only public access swimming pool of the area) that borders the FDR to Central Park and Fifth Avenue. 77th Street is also home to the historic Cherokee Place which lies between John Jay Park and York Avenue. Cherokee Place hosts a complex of four low rise buildings which have a definite European air, adorned as they are with wrought iron balconies, central courtyards and floor to ceiling windows.

These buildings of Cherokee Place were built in the early 20th century and were christened as the Shively Sanitary Tenements for they were meant to house poor New Yorkers who were suffering from the deadly white plague -tuberculosis. The money for the complex was put up by Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt as at that time it was believed the only treatment for TB was fresh air and light and the location of the apartments near the East River was thought to be ideal. Moreover the wrought iron balconies that were built for the apartments were not merely ornamental for they served an important purpose as they encouraged and enabled the sick to enjoy the outdoors quite easily. However soon after these apartments were built in 1912, they were declared a failure as rents were too high for the poor, TB stricken New Yorkers. Today the buildings of this gorgeous complex have been converted into co-op apartments which are highly coveted in New York City.
My husband and I actually looked at buying one of these Cherokee place apartments but were deterred by the fact that buildings are six floor walk ups which don't have facilities like a gym and doorman service that our apartment building which is located in the vicinity offers.

East 77th Street continues eastwards from York Avenue and hosts a mixture of gorgeous townhouses, condominiums and luxurious co-op buildings along with other prominent buildings and establishments of the neighborhood like the Lenox Hill Hospital at Lexington Avenue, the Housing Works Thrift Shop at Third Avenue and The Birch Wathen Lenox School which is located between Second and Third Avenues. 77th Street also hosts a wide array of dining establishments like Sant Ambroeus, Vero, Vermicelli, Café Buon Gusto, Le Pain Qoutidien, Bar Italia and Mxco along with the popular gourmet marketplace, Butterfield Market which is located on Lexington Avenue.
Pros
  • Home to the Lenox Hill Hospital, a state of the art medical facility in NYC
  • Houses a main subway station of the Upper East Side
  • Largely quiet and peaceful street
Cons
  • No nightlife to speak off
  • Busy and crowded around the subway station
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Quiet, Residential Street"

East 83rd Street is another quiet, tree lined street of the Upper East Side that is home to prominent fixtures like the Brearley School for girls which is located on East End Avenue and is often regarded as one of the best private schools in the city.
This street which extends from East End Avenue to Fifth Avenue is populated with stunning townhouses, co-ops, luxury condos and walkups and is essentially residential in character. However East 83rd Street does host many commercial establishments as well like the iconic Lexington Candy Shop which is an old world diner located on 83rd Street and Lexington Avenue which continues to serve retro eats like ice-cream sodas, frosted malts and other typical diner eats and is renowned for its window display of Coca Cola bottles sourced from around the world. Also located on East 83rd Street( at Third Avenue) is Soul Cycle which is the Upper East Side outlet of the immensely popular and trendy spinning studio.
Other popular establishments located on 83rd Street include restaurants like Nica Trattoria and Erminia Italian Restaurant which are choice locations for romantic dinners on the Upper East Side and the Tony’s di Napoli restaurant which serves gargantuan portions and thus is a big hit with families.
Pros
  • Good restaurants
  • Great school options
  • Pretty, tranquil and peaceful
Cons
  • Far from downtown
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"The Educational Arm of the Upper East Side"

East 82nd Street extends from East End Avenue to Fifth Avenue, where it hosts the magnificent Metropolitan Museum of Art which is affectionately referred to as ‘the Met’ by New Yorkers. This street which is essentially residential in character is littered with walkups, condos and co-op buildings though this street also hosts some of the best schools in the city like P.S.290 or the Manhattan New School which is located between First and Second Avenues and is a highly ranked establishment that is a prominent fixture on this street.

82nd Street also hosts, the relatively unknown but also highly ranked St Stephen of Hungary Catholic school which is attached to the St Stephen Parish that is also located here between York and East End Avenues.
The St Stephens Greenmarket which is held during the summer months is yet another major landmark of East 82nd Street though the street also hosts many restaurants and bars like Brady’s Bar, Wasabi Lobby, Gina La Forinaria and Flex Mussels(an excellent seafood restaurant) which provide residents of the area with several diverse dining options.
Pros
  • Leafy and quiet street
  • Great schooling options
  • The St Stephens Green Market
Cons
  • Area between First and Second Avenues is often shut during the daytime for school crossings
  • No real night life scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Madonna's new abode"

East 81st Street is a quiet street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This street which stretches from a cul de sac on East End Avenue all the way to Fifth Avenue is home to a mixture of townhouses, red brick co-ops and condominium buildings as well several old world walkups.
This largely residential street hosts a few commercial establishments like the historic Gracie Inn which is a bed and breakfast located on 81st Street and York Avenue, Sandro's which is a fantastic Italian restaurant that is located between First and Second Avenues as is Designer Resale Corp which is a popular designer consignment store and Alice’s Tea Cup Chapter II which is located on 81st Street between Second and Third Avenues and is an outpost of the popular tea salon chain .
Also located on 81st Street between Madison and Park Avenues is P.S.6 the Lillian Deveureaux Blake school which is reputed to be one of the finest public elementary schools in the city that is but naturally highly coveted by the residents in the area even though most of them can afford to 'go private' for their children.
Such is the quiet allure of East 81st street that pop singer/actor Madonna has recently invested in a townhouse on the street at 152, 81st Street which she is currently converting into a mansion by undertaking extensive renovations and adding a floor for the necessary celebrity accouterments like a gym, a hair salon luggage closet, and a wine cellar
Pros
  • Quiet and tranquil
  • Home of the highly coveted P.S.6 school
  • Offers access to the Met and Central Park
Cons
  • Far from Downtown Manhattan
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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Editors Choice

"A roti and a prayer"

The only time that I head to the Richmond Hill neighborhood in Queens is when I need to visit the Gurdwara or the Sikh temple( which is usually once a year during the birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak the founder of the Sikh religion).

Richmond Hill is yet another ethnically diverse neighborhood in Queens which is home to Indo-Caribbean, Sikh, African- American, Hispanic populations. This neighborhood which lies close to JFK airport and near the Jamaica Bay Wildlife preserve is served by the A, J, Z and E lines of the New York City subway.

I usually take the A train to get to the Ozone Park, Lefferts Boulevard station which transports me to the area around Liberty Avenue which is commonly known as South Richmond Hill. It is here that the Gurdwara of the Sikh Cultural Society is located at 118th street. A visit to the Gurdwara is usually followed by a meal at one of the area’s many ‘Trini’ Trinidadian restaurants like Singh’s Roti Shop and Bar and Anil’s Roti Shop and Bakery where we usually gorge on Indo-Caribbean delights like doubles, roti(with rarely found in NYC goat meat), chana, curry chicken and more. A visit to the Little Guyana Bakeshop is also usually included in our expedition.

The real estate landscape in Richmond Hill( South) features small single and multi-family homes while the northern part of the neighborhood which is known as North Richmond is populated by larger, more expensive Tudor style homes which are located within close proximity to the neighborhood’s main patch of green,Forest Park.

South Richmond Hill apparently is known for its raucous Phagwah celebrations and parades which is the Guyanese celebration of the Hindu festival of Holi but I have yet to witness these celebrations first hand.
Pros
  • Great Diversity
  • Good for Indo-Carribean eats
  • Close to JFK airport
Cons
  • South Richmond Hill is always bustling and busy
  • 40 -50 minutes away from Midtown
  • Poor schooling options
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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"Around the world in eight plates"

Elmhurst in Western Queens is another ethnically diverse neighborhood that attracts me for its myriad shopping and dining options. Elmhurst has its northern boundary Jackson Heights and Roosevelt Avenue and Queen’s Boulevard as its limit on the south while Corona at Junction Avenue and Woodside Avenue, form its Eastern and Western limits.
Elmurst which is populated by detached wood frame multi-family houses and brick co-op apartments is home to a diverse population that is made up of Asian, Latin Americans Italian and Jewish folk. The main commercial drags of the neighborhood are located along Broadway, Whitney Avenue and Queens Boulevard. This largely ethnic working class neighborhood is well connected to midtown Manhattan via the G, 7, E, R, V subway lines and the travel time to midtown is usually 20-25 minutes.
As Elmhurst is home to an ethnically diverse population it is renowned for its fantastic restaurants like the Malaysian- Singaporean joint, Taste Good that provides cheap but delicious Singaporean fare and also caters for functions at the Singaporean consulate in Manhattan. Yet another great Elmhurst restaurant is Mie Jakarta which is a home-style Indonesian joint on Whitney Avenue that serves up great Indonesian fare like Nasi Campur and Mie komplit.
The neighborhood is also populated with many great ethnic grocery stores( the huge Hong Kong Supermarket which retails some of the freshest fruit in the city and also stocks Thai sweets made of sago) though it also offers much mid-range retail at its two big malls, Queen’s Plaza Mall and Queen’s Center Mall at Queen’s Boulevard.
Pros
  • Its great diversity
  • Fantastic ethnic restaurants and mall shopping options
  • Good subway connections
Cons
  • Poor schooling options
  • Hardly any green spaces
  • Downright Ugly in parts
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Tidy Suburb at the end of the F train"

I tend to visit the neighborhood of Jamaica Estates when I visit my friends who live in the neighborhood of New Hyde Park in Long Island which is located close by. Jamaica Estates is located on the last stop of the F train from Manhattan at the 179th street and we usually get the subway from Manhattan to get to this stop, after which our friends come and get us and drive us to their home.
Jamaica Estates is bounded by the main highway of the Union Turnpike to the north and it has Hillside Avenue as its Southern Boundary though the area around the subway station is downright grotty(unpleasant) as drunks and layabouts seem to hang out there perennially. Hillside Avenue which is home to yet another Little India of NYC is populated by several South Asian restaurants, sweet shops and salons which offer reasonable beauty services.
The neighborhood of Jamaica Estates has much history associated with it as it was developed in the early 1920s as an enclave for wealthy New Yorkers. Tudor-style homes which were built during this time continue to dominate the real estate scenario of this neighborhood which has a typical suburban feel with clean, tidy streets and well tended front-yards.
Jamaica Estates also offers good schooling options as it is home to several well regarded public, charter and private schools like P.S. 131 Abigail Adams, P.S.86, P.S.95 Eastwood, P.S. Is 268, Jamaica High School, Merrick Academy- Queens Public Charter School and the Queens outpost of the United Nations International School which is located on Croydon Road.
Aside from the F train which serves stations at 179th Street and 169th street, the neighborhood is also served by Queens buses and express buses which are used by commuters who need to travel to Midtown Manhattan everyday though if you are planning to live in Jamaica Estates you would most likely have to invest in a car to get around.
Pros
  • Clean and tidy
  • Good schooling options
  • Quiet and tranquil
Cons
  • Dead at night
  • A hike from the heart of the city
  • Area around the main subway station decidely unpleasant
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Fantastic Ethnic Food Options"

The neighborhood of Woodside which is located near Sunnyside in Western Queens is another multicultural neighborhood which is home to diverse immigrant population. It is believed that 49 nationalities call Woodside home though the area was initially overwhelmingly Irish in character and does continue to host a whole bunch of raucous Irish pubs which are concentrated around 61st street and Roosevelt Avenue. In recent years however Woodside has come to host various Asian populations and the neighborhood now has a significant Filipino population. So much so that Woodside now hosts an outlet of the popular Filipino fast food chain, Jollibee which is yet to be found in other parts of the city
Woodside like its neighbor Sunnyside is favored for its proximity to Midtown Manhattan, low crime, affordability and good schooling options. The neighborhood is also well served by the number 7, R, V trains of the New York City subway as well as the LIRR which makes a stop at Shea Stadium. MTA buses like the Q32, Q18 and Q53 also serve the neighborhood which is favored by young professionals who are priced out of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The main reason I choose to head to Woodside is for to partake of its many excellent ethnic restaurants. The neighborhood hosts one of the best Thai restaurants in the city- Sripraphai which is located on 39th Avenue near 64th Street and serves some of the spiciest and most authentic Thai food in the city. Other good restaurants in the neighborhood include Spicy Mina which serves Bangladeshi food and El Sitio which serves home-style Cuban food.
Pros
  • Close to Midtown Manhattan
  • Good public, private and parochial schools
  • Diverse population
Cons
  • Nightlife centers around Irish pubs
  • Has a gritty, industrial feel especially around Roosevelt Avenue
  • Lack of green spaces
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Affordable living close to Midtown."

Sunnyside is a safe, affordable and quiet neighborhood that is located in western Queens. This neighborhood was established after the building of the Queensboro Bridge in the early 20th century. Sunnyside is easily accessible from Manhattan via a 15 minute ride on the number 7 subway trains which serves the neighborhood at the 33rd and 40th street stations.
The boundaries of Sunnyside are loosely defined as the Long Island Expressway which lies to the South of the neighborhood, the New Cavalry Cemetery which lies to the east, the Sunnyside shipyards which lie to the north and the western side of the neighborhood and Northern Boulevard. The busy Queen’s Boulevard traverses the length of the neighborhood which is dominated by low rise red brick apartment buildings which are a combination of co-ops and condos. The defining landmark of the neighborhood is the kitschy Sunnyside arch which is located at 46th Street and Queen’s Boulevard and welcomes visitors to Sunnyside.
However the neighborhood also encompasses the mini-neighborhood of Sunnyside gardens which was developed in 1924 and was influenced by the garden movement. This seven block enclave of Sunnyside gardens is populated by single and multi-family homes which have small individual gardens with shared interior courtyards. The neighborhood which has a distinct suburban feel to it and it is also home to the verdant Sunnyside park which like Manhattan's Gramercy Park is accessible only by residents of the area. However unlike Gramercy Park Sunnyside Park offers affordable membership to people who are not residents of the area. The Park offers facilities like
a grass playing field, basketball courts, swing and sand play areas for small children, a bocce court and a wading pool and picnic areas.
Sunnyside was initially settled by Irish immigrants but today it is a multicultural neighborhood that is is home to various diverse immigrant communities like the Armenians, Romanians, Indians, Bangladeshis, Chinese, Koreans, Colombians, and Ecuadorans. This multi-cultural character of the neighborhood is also reflected in dining scene that offered by the neighborhood which is populated by some good Korean, Peruvian, Irish, Turkish, Italian and Mexican restaurants.
Another notable aspect of Sunnyside is its annual all inclusive St Pat’s for all Parade which is the only NYC parade that welcomes gays and lesbians from the Irish community to take part in the festivities.
Pros
  • Very close to Midtown Manhattan
  • Affordable rents
  • Multicultural neighborhood that offers a wide array of diverse restaurants
Cons
  • Nightlife consists mainly of Irish pubs and can be a bit boring
  • Cabs are hard to come by
  • The commercial area around Queen's Boulevard is quite grotty
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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"The other Chinatown"

Most tourists are extremely familiar with the Chinatown in Manhattan but New York City is in fact home to several other Chinatowns and Main Street in downtown Flushing , Queens is one such neighborhood that can also wear the crown of Chinatown in New York City for the area is home to a substantial number of Far East Asian populations especially the Chinese and the Koreans.

Like Manhattan’s Chinatown Main Street, Flushing hosts countless Chinese restaurants, grocery stores, bubble tea shops, Chinese bakeries, bookstores and herbalist stores and more. Main Street, Flushing which is the last stop on the number 7 line of the New York City subway line is a bustling, perennially busy neighborhood which is also served by the LIRR and several public buses that serve the borough of Queens.

The real estate scenario in Flushing is a mixture of old co-ops and condo buildings as well as single and multi-family homes and the neighborhood also offers some great shopping opportunities as it is home to several mainstream stores like Old Navy, Macy’s and the Flushing Mall which is located at Prince Street and is populated by many small stores and restaurants.

Aside from being a major transportation and shopping destination in New York City, Flushing is also well known as the home of major Hindu temples and religious centers like the Ganesh Temple ( the Hindu Temple society of North America), the Hindu Center and the Om Sai Mandir.
Pros
  • Flushing is home to a slew of Asian restaurants and stores and if you like Asian cuisine you will thoroughly enjoy the neighborhood
  • The neighborhood is well connected by public transport
  • affordable rents
  • central location
  • central to everything
  • close to major transport
Cons
  • Always busy and bustling, crowded and noisy
  • The number 7 subway is the main subway line that serves the area and it is not very reliable.
  • far from downtown
  • dingy apartments
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Smells like Money"

Central Park is New York City’s iconic patch of green which is located in the heart of Manhattan. This green lung extends from 59th Street to 110th Street from Eighth Avenue to Fifth Avenue. The park has several entrances at Columbus Circle, at East59th Street, at East 79th Street etc. The Park also has traverse roads at 65th, 79th, 86th and 96th streets which connect the West Side to the East Side and vice-versa.

The real estate that surrounds Central Park constitutes some of the most, exclusive and expensive real estate in Manhattan. On the East side towards the south end of the park, the neighborhood is littered with luxurious hotels like the Plaza and the Pierre both of which offer expensive residences as well as hotel accommodation. Also located within the neighborhood are some of the bastions of high end retail in Manhattan like the Bergdorf Goodman store, The FAO Schwartz Children’s store and the glass cube which contains one NYC’s most famous and heavily tourist trafficked Apple stores. As you head along the park on the East side ,the Park is bordered by elegant co-op buildings which have spacious apartments that house some of the city’s most prominent and moneyed residents like ex-NY state governor Eliot Spitzer.

Also located within this neighborhood are some of NYC’s world renowned museums, The Museum of Metropolitan Art (the Met), The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, The Frick Collection, El Museo del Bario, The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Museum of the City of New York etc. Many of these museums are concentrated along a stretch of Fifth Avenue which stretches from 82nd Street to 105th which is commonly referred to as Museum Mile.
The stretch of Fifth Avenue which borders the park is well served by the city’s public buses like the M1, M2, M3 and the cross town buses like the M66, M72, M79, M96 and M106.

On the west side of the Park on 59th Street lies Columbus Circle which is home to mixed use Time Warner Center which has within in upscale retail, dining ( the renowned Per Se restaurant) and accommodation options( high end condominiums and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel). North of Columbus Circle is area known as Central Park West. This highly coveted neighborhood has the American Museum of Natural History located within it as well as some of New York City’s most high profile real estate in the form of buildings like the Dakota which was home to the Beatle John Lennon, 15 Central Park West which is home to Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and the stately Beresford building which houses Vikram Pandit the current CEO of the Citigroup.
Pros
  • The Central Park area of New York City is the main verdant spot in the concrete jungle of Manhattan
  • The neighborhood can be described as being elegant and refined
  • A boon for culture lovers
  • Beautiful
  • everyone dressed so well
  • central location
Cons
  • The area around Central Park is not very well illuminated at night and can seem a bit spooky
  • No street parking near the park if you need to park you have to put your vehicle in a parking lot
  • Extremely expensive neighborhood
  • boring
  • crime rates
  • dead at night
  • expensive
  • far from downtown
  • terrible grocery stores
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Rough and Tumble Neighborhood"

East Harlem which is also popularly known as El Barrio or Spanish Harlem extends from 96th street to 125th street from Fifth Avenue to the East River. The area is called Spanish Harlem for it is one of the city’s largest Hispanic enclaves. The real estate scenario of this area is made up of row houses, pre-war and post war co-op buildings that house relatively large one and two bedroom apartments as well as old time tenement buildings and low income housing projects.
During the real estate boom years, this area which is chock a block with discount stores, bodegas, mom and pop supply stores and beauty salons also saw much hectic construction activity as new luxurious condos like 1200 Fifth Avenue, Aura (330, East 109th Street) and Observatory Place condo on First avenue and 104th street were constructed to primarily target those home owners who were priced out of the downtown Manhattan. However the recession has now slowed sales in these luxurious developments though the neighborhood continues to evolve. In fact the neighborhood has recently acquired a brand new huge retail development in the form of the East River Plaza mall which hugs the FDR drive on 116th street and has within its massive bowels Manhattan’s first Costco. Other big retailers set to occupy the Plaza include Best Buy, Marshall’s and Manhattan’s first Target store.
The star attraction of the area is however the El Museo del Barrio museum which is located on Fifth Avenue and 105th Streets which is New York City’s leading Latino Cultural institution which is included in the list of Museum mile museums. The rough and tumble neighborhood actually has many great restaurants like the original Patsy’s Pizzeria which opened in 1933 on 118 th street and first avenue and the iconic Rao’s restaurant which is located on 114th Street and Pleasant Avenue which was founded in 1896. Other popular restaurants include ethnic food eateries like Sister Caribbean Cuisine on 124th Street and Madison Avenue, One Fish Two Fish on 97th Street and Madison Avenue and the Moustache Restaurant on 102nd Street and Lexington Avenue.
Pros
  • the new shopping mall at 125th which has the city's only Costco outlet and Manhattan's first Target
  • East Harlem hosts the bulk of the city's Charter schools
  • affordable rents
  • excellent restaurants
Cons
  • crime rates
  • dingy apartments
  • Dirty
  • far from downtown
  • terrible grocery stores
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Stunning River Vistas and Verdant Parks"

The neighborhood of Riverdale which is located at the northernmost tip of the Bronx is a community which has a suburban feel though it is located within close proximity to Manhattan. The boundaries of Riverdale are largely defined by the city of Yonkers which lies to its north, the Harlem River which flows on its southern border and the Hudson River which frames it to the west and the expansive Van Cortlandt Park which forms its eastern border. (Riverdale extends roughly from W240 Street to W262 Street). This largely middle class neighborhood has within its folds three elite New York private schools, Horace Mann, Riverdale Country and Fieldston though also located within Riverdale is the renowned NYC public school, the Bronx High School of Science.
The main shopping districts in Riverdale are located along Mosholu, Riverdale and Johnson Avenues which are dominated by small mom and pop stores, Irish bars, and Italian and Japanese restaurants like Beccofino, Palace of Japan, and Salvatore’s of Soho. Though other popular eateries located here include dinner spots like the Riverdale Steak House and the Riverdale City Grill.
Riverdale is also known for its green lung for the neighborhood has within it the gorgeous Wave Hill public gardens which are located on 252nd Street and provide stunning vistas of the Hudson River and the Palisades. These historic gardens offer flower and aquatic gardens as well as a woodland trail as their main attractions. The eastern front of Riverdale is occupied by the large Van Cortlandt Park which offers organized sports and horseback riding as well as hiking trails and an oak forest. The Riverdale Park is smaller piece of heaven in the neighborhood which overlooks the Hudson River and is located on 254th Street. Riverdale is connected to Manhattan via the Metro-North Hudson Line and the No. 1 train that travels along Broadway and terminates at the 242nd Street Van Cortlandt Park Station
Pros
  • Great public and private schools
  • Public access parks like Van Cortlandt , the Wave Hill Gardens and the Riverdale Park
  • Good transport connections to Manhattan
Cons
  • Far from Downtown Manhattan- about 25 minutes by train
  • Quiet neighborhood
  • Has been targeted by terrorist plots in recent times
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Country Lovers
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"A neighborhood in transition"

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.
Pros
  • The Whole Foods outlet has revitalised grocery retail in the area
  • Good, reasonable restaurants abound
  • Live music bars provide much entertainment
  • affordable rents
  • close to Columbia
Cons
  • crime rates
  • Pretty far from everything
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Quiet but with a huge 'hipness' factor"

NoHo is yet another acronym for the term ‘North of Houston’. This small neighborhood which is located in the midst of Lower Manhattan is extremely popular with professionals, celebrities, artists and writers who enjoy the easy accessibility it offers to other ‘trendy’ neighborhoods of New York City like the East and West Village. Noho is bounded by Houston Street to the south, Bowery and Third Avenue to the East, Broadway to the West and East 8th street to the North.
The real estate landscape of this neighborhood features the much coveted and generally very expensive airy lofts, 19th century historic townhouses and low pre-war buildings though in recent times the neighborhood has also witnessed the construction of glitzy condominium buildings especially along Bond Street . In fact Bond Street is known in real estate circles as ‘condo row’ as it is home to several luxurious buildings like 40 Bond Street, 25 Bond and 48 Bond Street.
Aside from residential buildings the area is also populated by swanky shops and restaurants like Chinatown Brasserie, BondStreet Sushi, Mercat and the perennially popular café Noho Star. Some of the trendy stores located in Noho include the New York outpost of the Florentine fragrance and beauty company Santa Maria Novella, the renowned vintage store Screaming Mimis and the clothing and accessories store which belongs to Patricia Field , the NYC stylist responsible for creating ‘the looks’ on SATC a.k.a Sex and the City.
Pros
  • Chic, stylish and very New York
  • central location
  • close to major transport
  • everyone dressed so well
  • excellent restaurants
  • great bar scene
Cons
  • Expensive to buy and rent because it is so desirable
  • Crowded
  • expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Mixed Use in Character"

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.
Pros
  • The area is home to some great restaurants like Tabla and A Voce
  • Excellent shopping located nearby along Fifth avenue
  • good transport connections
  • Shake Shack
  • Trees
Cons
  • The lines at Shake Shake can be unbearable at times
  • Not many grocery stores in the area but small delis abound
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Away from the Madding Crowd"

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.
Pros
  • Great bars
  • Great restaurants
  • Very pretty
Cons
  • Crazy expensive
  • Tiny apartments
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Home of the San Gennaro Festival in Manhattan"

Little Italy in Manhattan is located adjacent to the city’s vast Chinatown district. The boundaries of Little Italy are loosely defined as Canal Street to the South, Broome Street to the North, Baxter Street to the West and Elizabeth Street to the East. This area which was once home to the city’s large Italian population is now a major tourist attraction which is chock a block with rather mediocre and expensive ‘Italian’ restaurants whose pushy maitre d’s stand outside as they try to lure unsuspecting tourists in with their so-called ‘specials’.
Most of the neighborhoods’ restaurants like Il Cortille, Il Palazzo and Ferara Bakery and Café are located on its main drag of Mulberry Street, which is also populated by many stores that sell souvenirs, leather goods and various other knick knacks. This busy and bustling neighborhood which is always packed with tourists becomes the cynosure of all eyes during its annual San Gennaro festivities . During the festival which is usually celebrated every September , the streets of the area sport brightly colored decorations as they are pedestrianized for the event. At this time nearly 300 vendors descend on the area for the festival as they sell a wide array of goods like religious statues, jewelry, accessories clothing as well Italian delicacies like pepper and sausage sandwiches, zeppoles and gelatos from temporary stalls erected for the event. Carnival games, parades and live entertainment also feature in the celebrations of this festival which is known to attract more than 2 million visitors annually.
Pros
  • close to major transport
  • affordable rents
  • central to everything
Cons
  • pushy, in your face restaurant folk who try to lure unsuspecting tourists into their establishments
  • noisy at all times of the day and night
  • Fakey tourist trap with bad food
  • Crowded
  • expensive
  • Dirty
  • everything's overpriced for tourists
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Tony New York"

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.
Pros
  • The neighborhood has some great restaurants il Riccio, Candle, Bella Blu, Terra Mare, Fred's at Barneys,Alice's Tea cup
  • Populated with wonderful cultural institutions -the Asia Society, the Whitney, the Frick Collection
  • The Lenox Hill Hospital
  • Shopping
  • The Park
Cons
  • Geriatics abound
  • A bit snooty
  • Dead at night
  • Expensive
  • Stuffy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Gentrification in process"

Located north of the Upper West Side of Manhattan is the yet to be completely ‘gentrified’ neighborhood of Hamilton Heights which extends north from West 123rd Street to West 155th Streets and east from River Side drive to Edgecombe Avenue and Nicholas Avenues. The neighborhood is named after Alexander Hamilton who was an economist and the first treasury secretary of the United States. His home is now a museum in St Nicholas Park located on 141st Street within the neighborhood.
The real estate landscape of this neighborhood which is largely inhabited by students, young families and young professionals who have been priced out on Manhattan is made up of Romanesque and beaux arts fixer upper townhouses which are located along a section of the neighborhood known as ‘Strivers Row’. This three row stretch of townhouses is concentrated between West 138th and West 139th streets between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard though the neighborhood also has several as pre-war apartment buildings which house relatively large apartments.
In the late 1920’s, Hamilton Heights attracted several wealthy African-Americans and the area where they were concentrated between Amsterdam and Edgecombe Avenues from W 145th street to W 155th street came to be known as Sugar Hill,” after the lifestyle that they pursued. Notable residents of the area at that time included luminaries like jazz great Duke Ellington, eminent Jurist Thurgood Marshall and several other African- American middleclass professionals and civic leaders.
Hamilton Heights which is served by the express A and D and the local B, C, 1 and 9 subway lines is also home to several other cultural hubs like the City College, the Harlem School of the Arts, the Jackie Robinson’s Conservatory, and the Riverbank State Park. The neighborhood in recent years has also witnessed much construction and condo conversion activity in the form of spanking new condos like Hamilton Lofts at 117 Edgecombe Avenue and Aqueduct Court on West 152nd Street which were built to lure young professionals up from Midtown Manhattan which can be easily accessed via 15 minute ride on one of the two express lines that serve the area. However the recession has stalled the upward march of this area which unfortunately also continues to experience relatively higher crime rates than other parts of the city.
Pros
  • No great restaurants though cheap food abounds
  • affordable rents
  • close to Columbia
  • quiet
Cons
  • Crime rates have skyrocketed especially crimes against young women
  • crime rates
  • dead at night
  • far from downtown
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
judithv1
judithv1 lived here 13 years. it just can't gentrify because of the amount of city housing.
2yrs+
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5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Old World New York"

The Gramercy Park neighborhood in Manhattan is a verdant, leafy enclave which has within its boundaries a private park –the Gramercy Park which is not usually accessible to the general public. This small slice of heaven can only be accessed by the residents of the many largely co-op apartment buildings and gorgeous historic townhouses that dot this quiet, safe neighborhood. Each of the residents of these buildings have their own key which gives them access to this exclusive park though keys are also given to guests who chose to stay at the area’s tony recently Ian Schrager refurbished Gramercy Park Hotel. The boundaries of the Gramercy Park neighborhood can be loosely defined as extending from 17th Street until 23rd street to the north and from Park Avenue South in the west to First Avenue.

The neighborhood has within it several historic buildings like Theodore Roosevelt’s Birth Place which is located at 28 East 20th Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway and which has been declared a National Historic Site which is open to the public, the National Arts Club which is housed in the historic Tilden House at 15 Gramercy Park and is known for nurturing young artistic talent and The Players Club which was once strictly a men’s club for artists, writers, journalists and men of commerce but which now admits women as well. The Players Club is housed in a townhouse at 16 Gramercy Park. Also located within this lovely neighborhood is yet another historic edifice, the Inn at Irving Place which encompasses two townhouses and offers accommodation options for those New York City visitors who wish to experience a bit of old world New York
Pros
  • the lovely Inn at Irving Place one of NYC's most romantic hotels
  • Beautiful
  • central location
  • excellent restaurants
  • exclusive neighborhood
  • Garmercy Park
  • gorgeous apartments
  • Gorgeous browntones
  • quiet
  • The park
  • Tons of history
Cons
  • expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Caught in the eye of a storm"

Stuyvesant Town or Stuy Town is a residential complex located in lower Manhattan. This complex along with its sister complex of Peter Cooper Village was planned during the time of the Second World War to accommodate middle income New Yorkers. These two complexes occupy a large area of lower Manhattan and extend from 14th Street to 23rd Streets from First Avenue to Avenue C in Alphabet City. Together they are composed of 56 residential buildings which house large apartments and are built in a fashion which is similar to low income housing developments. The only difference is that many of these buildings (which are declared to be eyesores by many New Yorkers) host hoardings that declare them to be ‘No Fee Apartments.’ Rentals here are exclusively managed by the leasing offices of the two complexes.
Both the complexes have parks and leafy alleyways within their boundaries and are served by many delis, supermarkets and restaurants which are largely located on their periphery. The complexes are also well connected by public transport as they are served by public buses like the M15, the M9 and the cross town buses like M14 and M23. They are also accessible by the L train which connects the complexes to the rest of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Initially these residential complexes which were owned by the Metlife Corporation housed middle income New York families of firemen, policemen, and teachers but in 2006 the Metlife Corporation sold the development to property developers Trishman- Speyer and the property arm of the BlackRock Investment group. These two entities believed that the burgeoning demand for real estate in Manhattan would enable them to convert these rent stabilized apartments into market rent apartments by pricing out the original tenants. However the ongoing recession put paid to their plans and in January 2010 they gave up control of these properties to their creditors. Currently the tenants of these complexes can continue to remain in their rent stabilized apartments for about another five to six years until the real estate benefits granted to the complexes by the city of New York expire.
Pros
  • Stuyvesant Town is very centrally located close to good shopping and entertainment
  • Good transport connections
  • spacious apartments
Cons
  • Scary at night
  • ugly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Medical Facitity dominant neighborhood."

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.
Pros
  • Kips Bay is home to some good restaurants like Alibaba and Ethos
  • Great views
  • Movie theatre proximity
  • Nice Buildings
Cons
  • No distiinct ambience, can be best described as a mish mash
  • Dive bars along First Avenue can be a bit of a nuisance at night
  • No personality
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
  • Students
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"A drug called New York City"

People all over the world aspire at least once their lives to visit or to live in New York City, which is often described as the ‘center of the universe.’ New York City (The Big Apple) has an aura all of its own which helps it attract the world’s best talent. A leader in the spheres of finance, fashion and media, New York City is a vibrant and energetic city where people work hard and party even harder.
New York City which is also known as ‘the city that never sleeps’ always appears to be busy and bustling as its inhabitants are always rushing around at a frantic pace. Nevertheless they almost always find time to stop and take in all the myriad forms of entertainment that it has to offer in the form of the many Broadway and off-Broadway shows that are staged at its numerous theatres, the various diverse restaurants that dot every neighborhood, the fantastic stores that offer almost every conceivable product ever produced, the art galleries and world famous museums and the many cultural institutions like the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall which provide a stage for various global artists.
New York City casts its spell on almost everybody that visits its shores so much so that once they succumb to its magic; they almost never want to leave this, the greatest city in the world.
Pros
  • New York City is one of the most enigmatic cities in the world, a city that is a trend setter that recognizes and awards meritocracy
  • Home to diverse people from all over the world, New York City is truly a global city
  • New York City has the most extensive public transport system in all of America and this system is a real boon for the people who live within its borders.
  • everyone dressed so well
  • excellent restaurants
  • great bar scene
Cons
  • High rents and prices of all goods and services make New York City quite unaffordable for many people
  • Schooling is also quite challenging in New York City as only a few of the public schools pass muster while the private school fees are stratospheric.
  • For all its liberalism, New York City has yet to pass a law allowing same sex marriages to be preformed though it does recognize those which have been preformed in other jurisdictions.
  • crime rates
  • expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
hhusted
hhusted You mean it is self-proclaimed the "center of the Universe." What is so special about it. It is just another overcrowded city in the U.S. I really don't see the hype around it. A lot of the city is disgusting looking. There are a few bright spots, however, like Times Square and Central Park. Otherwise, it may be a nice place to visit, but not to live at.
2yrs+
uptowngirl
uptowngirl @hhusted say what you want , hate NYC as much as you want , you can't believe the allure the city has the world. I have lived and traveled extensively outside the US and whenever I tell folks that my home is NYC , they get all excited and want to know/ talk about all their experiences or even desire to visit NYC.
2yrs+
hhusted
hhusted That's because for the last 50 years the city has received so much hype. It has been a marketing ploy to get people to the place. Before the 16th century, NYC was just a barren wasteland. Then the white man stole it from the Native Indians for trinkets. Then construction began after that. The only reason developers bought this land was because it was a quick route from Canada for shipment of coal and wood by boat.

About the 19th century, a bunch of egomaniacs wanted to have one place to house all the financial concerns of the United States. They chose NYC because of it being so convenient to get to. The Federal Government later decided to place the United Nations in NYC, only because it was easily accessible by car, boat, and plane.

I've been to many cities in this country and have found many that were nicer looking, more pleasant people, cleaner, and even bigger in size and population than NYC. If you look at the map, NYC is the size of a pin head compared to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver. I talked to a number of my clients, who live in those cities and they all tell me one thing. When they visit NYC, they say it is a nice place to visit but not to live. Face facts. NYC is a pressure cooker. Why do you think 3/4 of the population are alcohols and drug addicts.

The allure you speak about was started by one man. I can't recall his name right now. But in the early 19th century, one man wanted NYC to be the primary focal point for everything. So he began marketing NYC as the greatest city in the world. I'll bet you didn't know this. When I was in San Francisco last year, a number of the people who lived there told me San Fran was the best city. I told them about NYC and they agreed it was just hype.

It doesn't matter where you go in this country, there will always be the one consistency. People will always say their city is the best. They live there so they should know. They are merely defending the place they live at. Plus, they take pride in where they live. I don't know if you heard about Cherry Hill, NJ. I grew up in the area. Cherry Hill makes NYC look like a second class city. Cherry Hill has a lot more going for it than NYC. And the people there believe their city is number one.

The only two things that NYC has that no other city has is a historic landmark and more theaters. Although, Philadelphia has NYC beat when it comes to historic landmarks. If you talk about being number one. Philadelphia is the only place where the Declaration of Independence was created, signed, and ratified.

By the way, I am entitled to my opinion.
2yrs+
uptowngirl
uptowngirl @hhusted with all due respect you commented on my opinion. I am entitled to my opinion as well and it gets really tiresome to read all your NYC bashing comments. If you hate it so much you really should move as Uraniumfish has often said. A friend of mine made the move from NYC to San Francisco last year and it was not that tough for her- the move I mean.
NYC is the fourth largest city in the world in terms of population-http://www.worldatlas.com/citypops.htm and like any big city it has its ills. You talk of it being a pressure cooker but many people who live here thrive on that fast paced atmosphere including me. Cities like Hong Kong and Mumbai two other big cities that I have lived in are even more stressful than NYC and they don't share its universal allure.
Say what you want but the city attracts the country's best talent and if you say its all hype then the city's PR companies have done a great job promoting it.
2yrs+
hhusted
hhusted Actually, LA attracts the best talent. NYC may be second but not first. By the way, you talk about many people who thrive on pressure. I hear from many people in NYC who don't like the pressure, so I do not know who you talk to. I hate pressure. I am a laid back person. As for bashing, I have my legal right to. It is called Freedom of Speech. If you don't like reading it, don't.

Oh, by the way, you are not a true New Yorker. You are Indian, right. So why like NYC when India is your home.
2yrs+
uptowngirl
uptowngirl @hhusted people who are in the movie business are attracted to LA but NYC attracts the best who want to make in the worlds of fashion, finance and media. The headquarters of most of the publishing houses and banks are in NYC not LA or even San Francisco. Moreover America's most recognized fashion week is New York Fashion Week not LA Fashion Week. Anyway I dont have to justify anything to you, you don't have an exclusive right to freedom of Speech and I am curious why choose my review to post your vitriolic comments when even the promoters of this very site have posted extremely favorable posts on the desirability of the city and they are Australian by the way.
Yes I was not born and brought up in New York but that doesn't prevent me from loving it .. it is a city with a great openness and acceptance. It has historically been extremely welcoming of Immigrants .Ellis Island and the Lower East Side's Tenement museum are landmarks that stand testament to that nature of NYC, but sadly people like you will never get it.
2yrs+
hhusted
hhusted I am a full time writer and author. I know where the publishing companies are located. Only a handful are here. The rest are in LA, and other cities around the country. And how do you get by saying NYC is where the banks are. Are you dreaming. Most of the major banks are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and in other places. Only the branches are here. You need to learn your history better.

Anyway, no one wants to continue reading our babble. If you wish to comment further, send me a private message.
2yrs+
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4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Grub Street"

New York City with its millions of restaurants is a city that caters to foodies. Being one myself, I am always on the lookout for new and interesting restaurants and some of my current favorites are located along a relatively quiet street in the East Village- East 10th Street.

East 10th Street extends from Fifth Avenue to Avenue D in the Alphabet City section of the East Village where it borders the famous Tomkins Square Park. This street like several other streets in the Village is lined with typical New York City walk ups and row townhouses but aside from these residential dwellings this street which I have nicknamed ‘grub street’ (especially the section of street between 2nd Avenue and Avenue A) is home to many fantastic restaurants which are owned and operated by innovative and adventurous New York City restaurateurs.

Some of my favorites that are located here include establishments like David Chang’s Momofuku Noodle Bar, the almost subterranean Italian restaurant, Dieci and the always satisfying Moustache restaurant which is renowned for its delicious Zattar bread.

If you have a sweet tooth then East 10th street is the place for you for located here are some of New York City's best desert places like Pastry Chef Jehangir Mehta’s Graffiti, the Italian coffee house Taralluci e Vino and the legendary Chikalicious desert bar which is known for its mouth watering confections.
Pros
  • Great restauarants and bars
  • The historic Russian and Turkish bath house
  • Close to the Tompkins Square park
Cons
  • Noisy at night because of revellers who stay out on the street until the wee hours
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Gracious living in the interior design district"

The Flatiron District which named after its renowned triangular shaped, steel building which stands at the junction of Fifth Avenue and Broadway is commercial as well as residential district which is home to great shopping, dining, and the verdant Madison Square Park.

The Flatiron District which extends from 14th to 23rd street and has as its boundaries Park Avenue South and 6th Avenue is also home to New York City’s interior design district for located here are some of New York City’s premier home design stores like ABC Carpet and Home, Restoration Hardware, The Sliding Door Company, The Murphy Bed Center, the Home Depot and many more.
Residents of the Flatiron District also have a plethora of shopping options available to them at the many stores that line the Fifth and Sixth avenue area of the district like Ann Taylor, Innovation Luggage, Kate Spade, Barnes and Noble along with the treasure trove of nature’s goodies that are always available at the year round green market hosted at Union Square.

As for dining choices, they can also avail of a wide array of diverse cuisines at the area’s various excellent restaurants like Tabla(Indian fusion) Beppe ( Italian), Eleven Madison Park(New American), Markt ( Belgian) and ilili(Lebanese).
The Flatiron district may cover a relatively small area of Manhattan but it seems to pack quite a punch with the many great lifestyle choices that it offers.
Pros
  • Home to the distinctive Flatiron building, a veritable landmark of NYC
  • central location
  • close to major transport
  • Shopping
Cons
  • Crowded
  • expensive
  • No personality
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"The capital of cool"

Located on the Westside of Manhattan between the Garment district which is centered on 34th and Greenwich Village is the perennially ‘cool’ neighborhood of Chelsea which is home to numerous art galleries, eclectic restaurants and clubs, the gourmet Chelsea food market and the sporting hub of Chelsea Piers which is located between 17th and 23rd streets along the Hudson River and offers a whole host of sporting activities like golf, ice hockey, gymnastics, soccer, basketball and much more.

The real estate scenario in Chelsea features rows of charming brownstones as well as iconic buildings like the Hotel Chelsea which is located on 23rd street between 7th and 8th avenues. This hotel which has hosted several famous artists, musicians and writers like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and the Ramones through the ages is infamous for the 1978 murder of Nancy Spungen by Sid Vicious of the punk rock band, the Sex Pistols on its premises.
The Antiques Garage flea market is an indoor antiques market which is another popular attraction of Chelsea. This market which is held over two floors of a building located on 25th Street between 6th and 7th avenues has been a permanent feature of the neighborhood since 1994. It currently features more than 100 vendors who sell a wide array of products like prints, paintings, rugs, vintage accessories and clothing and silver knick-knacks.

Despite its reputation as a neighborhood of cool, Chelsea continues to be a favored abode of families as the neighborhood is home to some good schools like the P.S. 11 ( which has an indoor swimming pool and a gifted program)as well as colleges like F.I.T(New York’s premier fashion school) and the School of Visual Arts and many green spaces like the Hudson River Park and the newly inaugurated elevated Highline Park
Pros
  • Great discount shopping at the Housing Works and Angel Thrift Stores
  • The Chelsea Market and the Chelsea Piers
  • Art galleries abound
  • affordable rents
  • close to major transport
Cons
  • Ant- Gay crime is marring the neighborhood
  • New luxury developments are changing the character of Chelsea
  • If you are looking to buy then expect to shell out an arm and a leg in Chelsea
  • too many people
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"To shop, play and stay"

The West Village which is located between 14th Street and Houston Street, from Seventh Avenue to the Hudson River is yet another coveted neighborhood in New York City. The West Village which is populated by several quiet tree lined streets is home to several historic townhouses and low-rise coops which count as some of the most expensive residences in the city.

The Village as it is popularly referred to, has always been the domain of writers, actors, intellectuals and students but now its residents also include professionals, Hollywood celebrities, and young families who relish in its quiet charm and decidedly European ambiance. Even though the West Village is essentially residential in character it has within its environs many restaurants, cute cafes, bookstores and various other shopping haunts.

Some of highly ranked restaurants of the West Village include establishments like the immensely popular British themed restaurants, A salt and Battery and the Spotted Pig, the Brazilian Casa, the New American gems Commerce and Perry Street and the Australian themed Kingswood.
Pros
  • Beautiful
  • Beautiful brownstones
  • excellent restaurants
  • great bar scene
  • Lots of trees
  • quiet
  • Tons of history
Cons
  • Heavily tourist trafficked especially on weekends
  • A little stuffy
  • expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"You can't get anymore posh than this"

Fifth Avenue which divides New York City into the Eastside and the Westside is one of the most famous streets in New York City as it offers some of the world’s best shopping and sight-seeing opportunities. Fifth Avenue starts off at Washington Square Park (located close by at 1, Fifth Avenue, is celebrated Chef Mario Batali’s excellent pizzeria called Otto which is fashioned on train station) and traverses the city as it continues upward until 142nd Street in Harlem.

Located along the length of Fifth Avenue are some of New York City’s most well known landmarks like the Empire State Building, St Patrick’s Cathedral, the stunning New York Public Library( which featured as Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding venue in SATC the movie), Rockefeller Center ,the Plaza Hotel, the Frick Collection and Central Park. As Fifth Avenue continues its route into the Upper East Side it is bordered by the residences of some of the wealthiest New Yorkers whose apartments and homes offer stunning views of ‘the Park’. Fifth Avenue from 82nd Street to 104th Street is known as Museum Mile for located along this stretch of Fifth Avenue are 11 world famous museums namely the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met), the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, El Museo del Bario , the Jewish Museum and the rest.

Fifth Avenue( especially in the 40’s and 50’s) which is touted to be the world’s most expensive street is also home to several upscale stores like Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Lord and Taylor (both of which are famous for their end of the year holiday displays), Tiffany &Co, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Harry Winston, Louis Vuitton, the Apple Store and many more though Fifth Avenue is also the city’s favorite destination for the numerous parades that it hosts every year.
Pros
  • Great Architecture and some of New York's best known landmarks- the Empire State Building
  • Museum Mile
  • Fantastic but expensive shopping
Cons
  • The area has great shopping not many grocery stores
  • On the weekends the area is usually extremely crowded with tourists and very busy
  • When there are parades on Fifth Avenue the entire Avenue is out of bounds and that can be highly inconvenient
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"A shopaholic's paradise"

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.
Pros
  • Great shopping
  • Celebrity residents
  • great designer shopping
  • central to everything
  • gorgeous buildings
  • great bar scene
  • Incredible architecture
Cons
  • artists who were the original inhabitants of Soho are being shut out of the neighborhood which has been bought over by wealthy financiers.
  • Crowded
  • expensive
  • Lots of tourists
  • packed on weekends
  • Pretentious Euros
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"The lifeline of the city"

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.
Pros
  • Well served by buses and trains of the New York Subway network
  • Reasonable hotel district located alon the avenue in the 40's
  • Cheaper than shopping on Madison
  • One of the few places on the UES with a large concentration of chain stores
  • Some nice restaurants in the 70's and '60s
Cons
  • Always busy and bustling
  • Few charming/aesthetically pleasing buildings
  • Little to no nightlife
  • Noisy and crowded, especially around 86th Street
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"For the young and the young at heart"

The Williamsburg (Willyburg) neighborhood of Brooklyn which is located one stop away from Manhattan on the L train was initially the domain of city’s Hasidic Jewish community though over the years it came to be occupied by the city’s Puerto Rican, Dominican and Polish communities as well. Since the 1970’s however the neighborhood has increasingly been occupied by artists and beatniks who were forced out of the Lower East side due to its gentrification. This accounts for the bohemian ambiance that pervades the neighborhood especially around the ‘party central’ district of Bedford Avenue and Lorimer Street.

The boundaries of Williamsburg as it is known today are the East River, Greenpoint, Bushwick and Bedford Stuyvesant. The Williamsburg Bridge connects Williamsburg to Lower Manhattan though it is also accessible via the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Grand Street divides Williamsburg into the north side and the south side. The north side of Williamsburg is a hub of artistic activity and the domain of hipsters as well as the Italian and Polish communities while the south side is home to the area’s Latin community.
The neighborhood of Williamsburg has in recent years witnessed much hectic construction activity as rezoning laws have allowed for the development of several high-rise luxury residences along the Greenpoint and North side waterfronts where once stood derelict industrial warehouses.

Vintage fashion stores like Vice Versa, Buffalo Exchange and Beacon’s Closet abound in Williamsburg keeping in tune with the neighborhood’s ‘boho’ vibe as do several art galleries like the Galapagos art space and the Black and White gallery which mainly display the work of local artists.
Bedford Avenue is the main entertainment hub of Williamsburg which populated by countless bars and restaurants of which perhaps the cultural institution of Pete’s Candy Store on Lorimer Street is the most famous. As far as restaurants go, Williamsburg’s most famous restaurant is the renowned Peter Luger steak house which is located on Broadway near Marcy Avenue.
Pros
  • The neighborhood is populated by a diverse population
  • Many good restaurants and bars abound
  • Home to artists and art galleries
Cons
  • Area near the water is littered seemingly deserted new condo developments
  • Crime continues to be a worry
  • Noisy at night due to late night revelers who take their party out on the street
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Foodie Heaven"

The neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen which is also sometimes known as Clinton is located within the larger neighborhood of Midtown West and extends roughly from 34th Street to 57th Street from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River.

This neighborhood has historically be known for its gritty, rough and tumble character for it was initially home to the city’s Irish-American working class population. The character of the neighborhood underwent a transformation in the 1950’s when it began to be inhabited by Puerto Rican immigrants who clashed with the original inhabitants of the neighborhood. Today however Hell’s Kitchen has cleaned up somewhat as it is now home to several tall modern condominium buildings that house largely young professionals who work in the many office buildings of Midtown West and enjoy the convenience of walking to work. However many of the original residents of the neighborhood continue to reside in the older buildings of the neighborhood which are also home to actors and artists who ply their craft in the theater district located between 42nd and 54th Streets between 6th and 8th Avenues.

Located along the neighborhood’s main artery 8th avenue and extending into 9th avenue, is Hell’s Kitchen’s famous restaurant row which offers a smorgasbord of diverse cuisines. Many of the restaurants that are located here like Chez Josephine, Le Rivage and Lattanzi offer a prix-fixe pre-theatre dinner menus that are extremely popular with theater-goers. Though the area also has some other great restaurants which are worth trying like Taboon( Mediterranean) located at 10th Avenue and 52ndStreet, Sosa borella( Argentinean) located on 8th Avenue between 50th and 51st street and Bali Nusa Indah( Indonesian) located on 9th Avenue between 45th and 46th streets.

Hell’s Kitchen other claim to fame is that it is home to the largest urban permanent flea market in New York City which is held every weekend on 39th street between 9th and 10th avenues. This Hell's Kitchen Flea market features nearly 170 vendors who come from all over the tri-state area to hawk their wares. These vendors include antiques dealers; vintage housewares hawkers, local-produce stands, and street-food vendors.

The Ninth Avenue International Food Festival which is held on the weekend after Mother’s Day is a major food fest that is held in Hell’s Kitchen every year. This event in known to attract huge crowds from all over the city and beyond who enjoy coming to the festival to sample the wide array of diverse foods that it offers.
Pros
  • Many diverse restaurants along 9th avenue
  • The Flea Market on 39th street between 9th and 10th avenues
  • The Annual Ninth Avenue Food festival
  • cheap rent stabilized apartments
Cons
  • dingy apartments
  • Dirty
  • crime rates
  • Crowded
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"An idyllic street in the West Village"

Bank Street is a quiet residential street which is located in New York City’s iconic Greenwich Village. This typical West Village Street which runs from West Street to Hudson Street and continues on to West 8th street is lined with expensive prewar co-op apartment buildings and historic townhouses many of which are populated by celebrities and other A–listers. At the junction Bank Street and Hudson Street is a small children’s playground which is popular with the residents of the area.
Being primarily a residential street, Bank Street has few commercial establishments like the excellent Thai restaurant, ‘Toons’ which is located on the corner of Bank Street and Bleecker Street and the highly overrated but extremely fashionable Waverley Inn. Luckily for the residents of Bank Street ,the many delights of Bleecker Street like the restaurants Café Angelique, the August Restaurant, the world famous Magnolia bakery and upscale stores like the Marc Jacobs store, the Ralph Lauren store, Intermix and Reiss are located right at their doorstep as Bank Street is also intersected by Bleecker Street.
Bank Street is well connected to the rest of the city as it is located just a few blocks away from two subway stations, one of which is located at 8th Avenue and 14th Street (which hosts the A, C, E and L trains) and the other which is located in party district of Christopher Street and Sheridan Square( host of the no.1 train).
Pros
  • Charming architecture old world brownstones and historic co-ops
  • Good transport connections
  • Quiet and tranquil
  • Beautiful
  • Lots of trees
Cons
  • Expensive to buy and rent because it is so desirable
  • Bank Street which is primarily residential in nature doesn't host any major grocery stores
  • No nightlife and thus can be dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Your own private garden"

Jackson Heights is an ethnically diverse and vibrant neighborhood located in the New York City borough of Queens. Jackson Heights is bounded by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway on the West, Junction Boulevard on the East, Roosevelt Avenue on the South and Northern Boulevard on the north.
Not only is Jackson Heights well known for its cultural diversity, it also has within its bowels, the historic Garden City district which stretches between Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard, from 76th to 88th Street. Developed in the 1920’s by Edward A MacDougall’s Queensboro Corporation, this area was part of the global Garden City movement.
Hence the Garden City district of Jackson Heights consists of many picturesque co-op buildings and homes which are exponents of various forms of architecture such as Romanesque, Neo- classical, and Tudor. Most of these buildings have well tended gardens some of which are the size of Gramercy Park . Additionally many of the buildings located here have typical English names like Buckingham Hall, Windsor, Carlton, and Warwick in keeping with the Garden City movement which had its origins in England.
The co-op apartments of these buildings are mostly ownership properties and access to the building's gardens is also restricted to the owners of the apartments. Once a year the gardens are thrown open to the public by the Jackson Heights Beautification group, a local organization committed to the upkeep and preservation of the district. There are sign boards on lamp posts located all along the Garden City district trail that point out the unique and noteworthy individual features of the various buildings.
Jackson Heights has over the decades has largely been inhabited by New York’s Latin American and South Asian communities though the district also is home to smaller Russian, Polish and Irish populations however today this historic Garden district is also becoming popular with young families and professionals who are being priced out of Manhattan.
The restaurants and stores which are located within Jackson Heights reflect the ethnic makeup of the locality. Along 74th street and Roosevelt Avenue are stores that cater to almost all the needs of the South Asian community of New York. Supermarkets like Patel Brothers, Apna Bazar, Sabzi Mandi carry vast varieties of South Asian spices, nuts, vegetables, frozen and prepared foods, toiletries and magazines and newspapers which are imported from the subcontinent.

Trade Fair on 37th Avenue caters to the Latin American community while New York Hap Chong Market which is a Korean Supermarket located on Broadway caters to the needs of the area’s Korean community. Along 73rd street is the little Bangladesh area of Jackson Heights which has stores that sell fruits, vegetables, condiments, spices, and ‘Halal’ meat. Near 72nd street and Broadway is the little Pakistan section of Jackson Heights which has some wonderful Pakistani restaurants like Shaheen and Kebab King which are famous for their succulent kebabs.

The Latino Flavor of the neighborhood can be experienced at restaurants such as Pio Pio which is located on Northern Boulevard and serves Peruvian cuisine, La Porteña which is located at 37th Avenue and serves typical Argentinean Fare. Other popular Latin American restaurants located here include joints like Novo and La Nueva.

Jackson Heights is also well equipped with great schooling opportunities and the district has within it a number of top ranked public, private and parochial schools. The Renaissance Charter School is an excellent school located within Jackson Heights while some of the other public schools that are located here like the P.S.69, P.S.2, I.S 230 and I.S 145 all offer gifted programs. The Garden School is a good private pre-K-12 school of the neighborhood while Saint Joan of Arc, Our Lady of Fatima and Blessed Sacrament are some of the good parochial schools that are also located here.

Jackson Heights is well served by a plethora of subway lines and bus routes. In fact six subway lines( E,F, R, V, G and 7 trains) come into the area’s main Jackson Heights station which is located at 74street and Roosevelt Avenue. The E and F trains which run express from this station provide convenient links with Manhattan while the G train runs local and connects the area with Brooklyn.
Pros
  • Jackson Heights is well served by nearly all of New York City's subway lines and hence getting into the city is an absolute breeze.
  • If you love ethnic foods then this is the neighhborhood for you as it is home substantial Latin American and South Asia populations and thus is equipped with many ethnic restaurants and grocery stores.
  • The Garden district is really quite pretty and reminiscent of England
Cons
  • Though the Garden district is populated with lush private gardens the area lacks good public access green spaces, the neighborhood has only one public access green space in the form of Travers park
  • While ethnic groceries abound, Jackson Heights doesnt have the regular groceries of Manhattan like Food Emporium, D'agostino's
  • Residents often complain that the main streets like 74th street are very messy and not very clean and in fact the main subway station of the area, Roosevelt Avenue/ 74th Street has often been voted as the dirtiet subway station of the entire network.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"For all things South Asian"

A Little India can today be found in almost every major western city and New York City is no exception, in fact it boasts of not one but two ‘Little India’ districts one of which is located along 37th Avenue and 74th Street in an area known as Jackson Heights in the borough of Queens. This area can be easily accessed from Manhattan and Brooklyn via a plethora of subway lines (E, F, G, R, V, 7) which come into the Roosevelt Avenue and Jackson Heights station.
The Little India located in Jackson Heights is populated by several stores and restaurants all of which cater to the diverse needs of the city’s South Asian populations and accordingly located here are several stores that retail 24 karat intricately carved gold ornaments which are generally favored by this community, unlocked GSM phones, VOIP phone cards and Bollywood CDs and DVDs, and colorful, heavily embellished saris and other native costumes. Also located along this street is the gargantuan Indian grocery store, Patel Brothers which sells a wide array of prepared foods, spices, fresh produce, sauces, curries which are sourced from India and elsewhere. Like any other ethnic area, Jackson Heights also has several Indian restaurants, like the Zagat rated but not very good Jackson Diner and Delhi Palace where you can sample some hearty Indian cuisine.
Pros
  • Very good transport connections
  • Great ethnic grocery stores
  • Colorful and Vibrant
Cons
  • Can be messy at times
  • Loud and noisy as it is heavily trafficked
  • Very commerical in nature and hosts no nightlife
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Bryant Park- a green oasis in the heart of Midtown"

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.
Pros
  • Byrant Park
  • The Grand building of the New York Public Library
  • Proximity to the retail corridor of 34th Street
  • beaux-arts architecture
  • Transportation
Cons
  • Absence of good grocery stores in the area
  • Petty crime remains a problem
  • Devoid of character
  • Crowded
  • Tourists
  • Ugliest streets in Manhattan
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • LGBT+
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"If music be the food of life..."

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.
Pros
  • Lovely restaurants like La Lanterna Cafe and the cheap and cheerful Mamoun's Falafel,
  • Good transport connections
  • Small boutiques and stores abound
  • Bar scene
  • Cute streets
Cons
  • Not very clean
  • Large student population
  • Crowded
  • Loud all the time
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Home to the swish set"

Park Avenue is one of Manhattan’s best known streets, which has featured in several Hollywood movies (79, Park Avenue). This two way thoroughfare which extends from 32nd street all the way until 132nd Street is one of the best streets to drive on if you want to get from uptown to downtown quickly as traffic constantly moves on this wide avenue and is rarely gridlocked.
Park Avenue in the 30’s is known as Park Avenue South and this section of the avenue has a distinct commercial feel as it is home several offices and banks like the investment bank Morgan Stanley. This commercial character of Park Avenue continues well into the fifties as the avenue hosts several iconic buildings of New York City like the Metlife building (the former PanAm building), the Hemsley Building, the gorgeous Grand Central Terminal which is one of the major transport hubs in the city and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Also located along Park Avenue are the headquarters of several of the giants of corporate America like J.P.Morgan Chase (housed in a gargantuan glass fronted building at 270 Park Avenue), Blackstone, and Colgate Palmolive.
Towards the 60’s, Park Avenue becomes more residential as it is lined with grand co-op building on either side. Most of these buildings don’t have names and are identified simply by a number like 635 Park. These understated edifices house some of the largest, most luxurious and needless to add most expensive apartments in New York City which are occupied by some of New York City’s oldest and wealthiest families. Accordingly the upkeep of Park Avenue is quite impeccable and its central divider is punctuated with well maintained flower beds whose blooms change with the seasons.

Park Avenue which is considered to be one of the most prestigious addresses in Manhattan also plays host to the Asia Society and Museum which is located on 70th Street, the Seventh Regiment Armory which is located on 66th street and is used as a popular event space as well as car dealerships of luxurious and expensive cars, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari and Maserati.
Pros
  • Fabulous architecture that includes grand mansions and historic pre war co-ops
  • Very well maintained floral accents are a highlight
  • Elegant and refined
Cons
  • Extremely expensive
  • Devoid of grocery stores
  • Dead at night as it is primarily residential in the 60's and the 70's
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Not for locals"

Last year when I was traveling on a long haul flight out of JFK to Asia, I got talking to my seatmate, a portly gentleman who was also on his way to Asia for a six month sojourn. My seatmate went on to tell me that he was retired and since he could no longer bear the bitter New York City winters, he spent the months between October and April each year in Asia where the temperatures were comfortably warm during that period. He also went on to tell me that he owned an apartment in one of the new condominium buildings in the heart of Times Square which he sublet for the period that he was away. While he was relating all this I couldn’t help but wonder why had he decided to invest in an apartment that was located in the most tourist infested neighborhood of the city when he had the rest of the city and its many enchanting residential neighborhoods at his disposal?
Times Square according to me is strictly for tourists who are enthralled by its ‘bright lights big city feel’ illuminated as it is by hundreds of neon signs. This area which lies at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue extends from W42nd to W47th streets between Sixth and Eighth Avenues. It is home to several tall office buildings, mega stores (Toys R Us, Hershey) theaters, hotels, cheesy souvenir stores and several restaurants (Carmine’s, Ruby Foo’s) that serve mediocre fare at highly inflated prices.

Times Square features on every tourist’s ‘visit to the Big Apple map’ and as a result is one of the most heavily trafficked districts of New York City which seems perennially busy and congested. More so on the last day of the year when it becomes the epicenter of the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations which are duly televised around the nation and the rest of the world.

The only saving grace of this intensely commercial area according to me is the fact that it is well connected to the rest of the city as it hosts a plethora of subway lines ( N, Q, R, W, S, 7, 1,2,3) at its Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street station. Additionally it also hosts several long distance bus services and the A, C, E, subway lines at its decidedly seedy Port Authority Bus Terminal which is located at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue.
Pros
  • Fabulous signage so identifiable with New York
  • The kitschy but typically New York Naked Cowboy
  • Well connected by the NYC subway
  • at least it's iconic
  • central location
  • Proximity to theatre district
  • It's Times Square!
  • some big theaters nearby
Cons
  • Too crowded and busy at all times of the day
  • Tourist infested
  • Chain restaurants
  • few authentic, non-tourist bars
  • Noisy, crowded, dirty
  • nothing but fast food joints
  • everything's overpriced for tourists
  • You're the only New Yorker there
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Raging bulls and growling bears"

Located at the southernmost tip of Manhattan, is the Financial District which is almost synonymous with New York City for it has within its folds its very own ‘boulevard of dreams’ - Wall Street which is home to the New York and American Stock Exchanges.

Actually the Financial District is much more than the abode of wheeler dealers and power brokers, the area which extends from the West Side Highway to the East River and from the tip of Manhattan to Brooklyn Bridge and Park Place is also known as the birth place of New York City as it was the first area that was settled by the Dutch settlers who established a New Amsterdam in lower Manhattan in 1624. History continues to live on in the Financial District’s many quaint cobble stone streets and museums (Museum of American Finance, Museum of Jewish Heritage) and the area is also home to the magnificent Federal Hall National Monument, where George Washington took the oath of Presidency in 1789. The Financial District was especially devastated by the terrorist attacks of 9/11 which flattened its iconic World Trade Center buildings so much so that the site on which the towers stood is today one of most visited tourist attractions in New York City. In fact the area hosts several other attractions like the South Street Seaport which boasts of a network of shops, restaurants, bars and antique ships and the Century 21 discount designer department store located on Fulton Street which is especially popular with European tourists.

The Financial District which is currently being revitalized and rebuilt and is today home to several luxurious condominium buildings like The Setai, 99 John, 3, Hanover Square, and 20,Pine the collection as well as several upscale restaurants like Sho Shaun Hergatt, Delmonico’s Steak house, Harry’s Steak , Trinity Place and Les Halles which ensure that the area continues to be busy and buzzing long after the traders and office folk have gone home.
Pros
  • The Century 21 designer discount store is a huge draw in the financial district
  • Well served by good bus and subway connections to the rest of the city
  • A lot of historical sights
  • affordable rents
  • Beautiful
  • great bar scene
  • quiet
Cons
  • The WTC continues to be heavily tourist trafficked
  • Fast food restaurants abound though the district now has the highly ranked SHO Shaun Hergat restaurant as well
  • boring
  • dead at night
  • Not a ton to do after sightseeing
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Convenience and Affordabilty"

Murray Hill which stretches from 23rd Street to 42nd street from the East River to Park Avenue South and Fifth Avenue can be described as a mix-use neighborhood which is home to several commercial establishments as well as residential townhouses and tall, full service condominium buildings. In fact the area of the Murray Hill which is located along First Avenue is commonly referred to as ‘Hospital Way’ as it hosts several doctor’s practices (the Murray Hill medical group, Murray Hill OBGYN LLP) as well as hospitals and medical centers like the Bellevue Hospital Center, the NYU Langone Medical Center and the NYU college of Dentistry.

Actually Murray Hill has within its boundaries several other mini-neighborhoods like Kips Bay whose boundaries roughly extend from 23rd street to 33rd Street from the East River all the way to Lexington Avenue. Kip’s Bay is home to the towering Kip’s Bay tower complex which was designed by renowned architect I.M.Pei in the early 1960's . This complex which consists of two towers also hosts a multi-screen cinema house, restaurants and outlets several popular stores.

Also located within Kips Bay is ‘Curry Hill’ or Big Apple’s Little India neighborhood which is located along Lexington Avenue from 26th to 29th Streets. This area is home to several good South Asian restaurants like Sarvana Bhavan, Tamil Nadu Bhavan, Dhaba, Haandi along with specialty grocery stores like Kalustyans and several other ethnic stores that sell saris and other knick-knacks. The well respected City University of New York, Bharuch College is also located nearby as is imposing building that houses the historic 69th Armory which is now used as an event space.

Aside from these ethnic restaurants, the neighborhood of Murray Hill is peppered with various other restaurants like the Vezzo Thin crust pizza, Primehouse Steak house, Il Trulli, Sushi Samba, Meli Melo, Dos Caminos and Artisanal all of which are the regular haunts of the young professionals who favor the neighborhood for its relatively affordability, convenience and myriad entertainment options.

The only drawback to living in Murray Hill is the fact that you have to deal with the constant roar of traffic as it moves towards the Queens-Midtown Tunnel whose entrance is located on E34th street .
Pros
  • Good medical facilities
  • Home to one of Manhattan's 'Little Indias'
  • Many good restaurants and bars
  • middle class NYC rents
  • reasonably quiet
Cons
  • Not very clean in certain pockets
  • Dead at night
  • No personality
  • boring
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Partying Diplomats"

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.
Pros
  • A Landmark neighborhood in New York City
  • excellent restaurants
  • luxury buildings
  • very safe
Cons
  • Gridlocked traffic when dignitaries are in town for the U.N. sessions
  • high prices
  • nightlife is lame
  • nothing but diplomats
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Mommy and baby heaven"

Park Slope, located in South Brooklyn is one of the most culturally vibrant and ethnically diverse neighborhoods of New York City. The borders of Park Slope are loosely defined as Prospect Park West, Fourth Avenue, Flatbush Avenue and the Prospect Expressway. Park Slope( popularly referred to as ‘the Slope’) has been historically inhabited by the New York City Irish–American, Italian-American and Hispanic communities though today this charming neighborhood is much sought after by young families.

The real estate scenario in Park Slope is made up of rows of townhouses and brownstones which line the streets all the way up to Prospect Park West. Near the park however are some Victorian mansions which are now considered to be a part of the Park Slope historical district.

The main commercial avenues of Park Slope are Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue, which are dotted several quirky restaurants, stores and myriad cafes. Trendy boutiques such as 4playbk, Brooklyn Industries, Bird, and Flirt add to the style quotient of the area. Since Park Slope is home to many young families and it caters to this demographic by hosting several children’s boutiques such as Lolli, Peek a boo Kids and Area kids. Other popular stores located here include Artesana, a home furnishing store located on 7th Avenue which offers goods from all over the world, Lion in the Sun, a designer paper store, and El Milagro a gift store which is a treasure trove of global goodies.
The Park Slope Food Cooperative which is located on Union Street between 6th and & 7th Avenues is a membership co-op which makes organic food and other standard supermarket fare available to its 12000 members at a discount in exchange for membership dues and volunteer service.

The Slope is equally renowned for many fantastic restaurants such as Al di la, Blue Ribbon which are located on 5th avenue. Magnolia and Barbes which are located on 6th avenue are known for their weekend brunch and live entertainment and Café Steinhof which is located on 7th avenue offers Austrian inspired fare and late night film screenings though these are but a few of the many excellent restaurants that are located in Park Slope.

Park Slope is a family-centric neighborhood and offers great schooling opportunities at its many public, private and parochial schools like the P.S.154, P.S. 321, P.S. 39 and P.S. 230 and P.S. 282. Some of the good private schools located here include the Brooklyn Free School and the Berkley Carroll School while Holy Name of Jesus and St Savior School are some of the better parochial schools.

Park slope can be reached by the F train from Manhattan and Queens though the area is also served by the M,R, B and Q trains at its various stations.
Pros
  • Lovely old world architecture brownstones and Victorian Mansions that border Prospect Park
  • The green lung of Prospect Park
  • The Park Slope Food Cooperative
  • Cool bar and off-the-beaten-track music scene
  • Odd Twin, boutique clothing stores
Cons
  • Could do with some more subway connections
  • Lots of strollers
  • Next to no parking
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
ChickenUnderwea
ChickenUnderwea Park Slope is also serviced by the 2/3 trains at Grand Army Plaza.
2yrs+
uptowngirl
uptowngirl Thanks for the addition.
2yrs+
Add a comment...
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Highly coveted and serene"

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.
Pros
  • Hosts some of the best private schools in the city
  • Stunning architecture
  • Easily accessible by subway
Cons
  • Dead at night
  • Primarily residential
  • Boring
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"The heart and soul of Manhattan's Chinatown"

Mott Street is often considered to be the main artery of New York City’s Chinatown. This street which extends from St James Place in the south to Bleecker Street in the north is decidedly Chinese character as it hosts several excellent Chinese restaurants like my personal favorites Singapore Café( delicious Hainanese chicken rice, Singapore chili crab), Fay Da Bakery(red bean buns and jasmine tea), Shanghai Café( juicy pork dumplings) , Ten Ren’s Tea time( teas from the famous Taiwanese tea store-Ten Ren) and Ajiichiban (which sells preserved and dried fruits which constitute Chinese candy).
Mott Street which lies both north and south of Canal Street is also home to several Chinese fruit and vegetable sellers who carry various exotic Chinese fruits and vegetables like young ginger, Chinese winter melon, bak choy, bean sprouts and fruits like star fruit, rambutans, litchis, longans, durian and mangosteens. In this respect Mott Street mainly caters to the needs of Chinatown’s residents who are often seen shopping for fruits and vegetables on their way home from work. Aside from fruit and vegetable sellers, Mott Street is also home to good Chinese optician outlets like Mott Street Opticals and Eye Solutions which offer eye exams, designer frames and contact lenses at prices which are substantially lower than elsewhere in the city.
Pros
  • Extremley fresh and reasonably vegetables and fruits are available at Mott Street's many vendors
  • Many Good Optician stores that offer reasonably priced services and eye glasses
  • Chinese food
  • Slightly dodgy handbag shopping (more on Canal St)
  • Where else can you buy Chinese medicinal herbs?
Cons
  • Heavily Tourist trafficked and busy
  • Quite boring at nighttime
  • Crowded and noisy
  • Dirty
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"East is east and west is west"

… and never the twain shall meet states the poet and author Rudyard Kipling in his work titled the Ballad of East and West, but both these worlds co-exist along Manhattan’s Mulberry Street which hosts the city’s Little Italy district as well as a section of New York City's Chinatown. The main thoroughfare of Chinatown, Canal Street separates these two very distinct sections of Mulberry Street.
The Chinatown section of Mulberry Street is home to some excellent south East Asian grocery stores like Asia Market located at 71, Mulberry Street which carries almost all the various exotic ingredients which are required for Asian cooking as well as several Chinese bakeries, Chinese medicine shops, fishmongers and fruit sellers . The Chinatown end of Mulberry Street terminates at Chinatown’s only patch of green, Columbus Park which is extremely popular with both the young and old residents of the area.
The Little Italy section of Mulberry Streets extends onwards from Canal Street onwards onto E.Houston. Little Italy is a major tourist attraction in New York City and it is littered with souvenir stores, gelato and desert shops and seemingly authentic Italian restaurants like ( Il Cortille, Paesano of Mulberry Street, AmiciII) whose maitres d’ wait outside their restaurant as they try to entice the crowds to sample their wares. Little Italy is always busy and bustling but more so during the annual feast of San Gennaro which is celebrated over eleven days in September during which the street is shut to vehicular traffic. This celebration features many parades, live entertainment, a cannoli- eating competition and all kinds of vendors who set up shop on Mulberry Street solely for the celebration of the feast.
Pros
  • The Chinese side of the street hosts great Asian grocery stores
  • Site of the San Gennaro festival
  • Cannoli
  • The last remaining street in Little Italy
  • Tourist interest
Cons
  • pushy, in your face restaurant folk who try to lure unsuspecting tourists into their establishments
  • Busy and crowded with tourists
  • Expensive eateries which can be best decribed as tourist traps
  • Are there any Italians in Little Italy anymore?
  • Italian-American food is not Italian food.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"For the sporty,the scholarly and the pious"

Morningside Heights which extends from 110th Street to 125th Street from Riverside Park in the west to Morningside Park in the east is a neighborhood in New York City that is renowned as the home of Columbia University though aside from this world famous university, Morningside Heights is also home to other academic institutions like Barnard College, the Bank Street College of Education and the Manhattan School of Music. Due to the preponderance of these academic institutions the area’s many prewar co-ops and row houses are largely occupied by students as well as faculty and staff of Columbia University.
Aside from being the home to these many institutions of higher learning, Morningside heights also hosts two of New York City’s most famous churches namely the gothic Riverside Church which overlooks the Hudson and has within its folds the world’s largest church bell and the world’s largest gothic cathedral, the magnificent Cathedral of St. John the Divine which hosts a popular albeit eccentric annual event for biking enthusiasts in New York City in April every year. This event which is known as the Blessing of the Bicycles kicks off the annual biking season in New York City and features the sprinkling of bicycles with holy water in an effort to keep them safe for the entire duration of the cycling season.
In order to cater to the needs of its resident student population, Morningside Heights also features many lively stores, cafes and restaurants like the relatively upscale organic café Community Food and Juice which is located on Broadway between 112 and 113 streets and the excellent children’s book store, Bank Street books which is located nearby on 112th street.
Pros
  • Home to the stunning Cathedral of St John the Divine
  • great bookstores
  • feels like a college town
  • Buildings are beautiful
  • family-friendly
  • Great coffee shops to write a novel in
  • Proximity to Columbia
Cons
  • Most restaurants located here cater to the student population and are not very good
  • bars are full of students
  • dominated by the university
  • Noisy and crowded, especially if you're not a student
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Garden Living in Bococa"

Garden Living in Bococa” (visited the area)
Carroll Gardens which is located in South Brooklyn is an utterly charming neighborhood. This area which is named after Charles Carroll, who was a signatory to the declaration of Independence, is today clubbed along with Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill to make up a district of Brooklyn which is popularly known as “Bococa”.

Caroll Gardens was initially settled as an Italian neighborhood but is now favored by young professionals and families who occupy its many brownstone homes.Most of the brownstones that are located here are equipped with gardens and give the neighborhood its name- Carroll Gardens, even though Charles Caroll never really owned any property here.
The boundaries of Carroll Gardens are defined as Cobble Hill, Degraw Street, Hamilton Avenue, the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the Gowanus Canal though the most desirable section of Carroll Gardens is believed to be the area that lies between First Place and Fourth Place.

The gradual gentrification of Carroll Gardens in recent years has seen Smith Street being established as its main shopping and dining drag. The traditional mom and pop stores of yesteryear which once dominated this street are now being replaced by “chi chi” boutiques like Dear Fieldbinder, Bird ,Lily and Lucia and stylish lifestyle stores like Andie Woo, Haskar and Environment 337. Aside from its shopping opportunities, Carroll Gardens is well known as popular dining destination in Brooklyn as it is home to many affordable and not so affordable restaurants like Buttermilk Channel, Zaytoons, Cubana Café, the Grocery and the Sunday brunch time favorite, Café Luluc.

The F train connects Carroll Gardens to Manhattan as it serves the area's Bergen, Carroll and Smith and 9th street stations while the G train connects Carroll Gardens to Queens. Aside from these subway lines, Carroll Gardens is also well served by the Brooklyn buses B65, B71, B75 and B77.
Pros
  • Fantastic restaurants and boutique along Smith Street
  • Great architecture which is dominated by historic brownstones
  • Lots of trees and a distinct neighborhood feel
Cons
  • Subway connections are not often reliable especially on the weekends
  • No large supermarkets in the area but gourmet delis abound
  • Supposed to be one of the safest neighborhoods but petty crime is on the rise
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Hark back to the ages past"

The enclave of Yorkville is located within the Manhattan larger neighborhood of the Upper East Side. Yorkville has long been associated with New York City’s Eastern European populations as the area was settled as a village in the late 19th and 20th centuries by the city’s Albanian, Czech, German, Hungarian, Irish, Polish, and Slovak immigrant populations. Many of the descendants of these populations continue to reside in Yorkville until today though the boundaries of this neighborhood are loosely defined to extend from the East River to Third Avenue, from 72nd to 96th street.
To cater to the needs of its ethnic population, Yorkville was once populated with several Hungarian, Czech and German business of which only few remain namely the Hungarian Meat Market which is located on the corner of 80th Street and Second Avenue, and which continues to sell Eastern European delicacies like smoked meats, canned and jarred fish, pickles, cold cuts and wursts , Andres café which is also located on Second Avenue between 84th and 85th street and offers its patrons a wide array of Hungarian pastries, strudels and palacsintas and the Heidelberg Restaurant which is a faux German Beer Garden located on second avenue between 85th and 86th street.
Yorkville which enjoys the reputation of being a relatively affordable section of the Upper East Side has in recent times also become home to some of the most uber-expensive luxury condominium buildings in New York City like the Georgica , the Brompton and the Lucida which now tower over the area’s original low rise walk-ups and townhouses
Pros
  • The neighborhood also hosts some good public and parochial schools like P.S. 290 and St Stephens of Hungary school
  • Tree lined streets
  • Quiet and peaceful neighborhood
  • Cheaper than the UES proper
  • Great family environment
  • Near some of the city's best private schools
Cons
  • Nightlife scene is dominated by raucous frat bars
  • The neighborbood is served by several bus routes but the closest subway is a block away on Lexington Avenue
  • Prices in the new luxury buildings are some of the highest in the city
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Convenience at your doorstep"

When you look for an apartment in New York City, one of the first factors you tend to consider is its proximity to a subway line. In that respect the folks who reside on East 86th street, a major thoroughfare of the Upper East Side couldn’t be happier as the street plays host not one but three subway lines namely the 4, 5, 6 lines which rumble along Lexington Avenue. Additionally E 86th also has its own cross town bus, the M86, which runs along the 85th street traverse of Central Park as it connects E 86th to its counterpart on the west side
Aside from subway lines, East 86th Street which features a mix of high rise co-op and condo residences also hosts several popular retail outlets like Best Buy, P.C.Richard’s, Barnes and Noble, H&M, Banana Republic, The Children’s Place, Orva and Victoria’s Secret as well as grocery stores like the Mega Gristedes store, and a Food Emporium .The street also has many small neighborhood restaurants like the popular Viand Coffee Shop, Soto Cinque, Tokubei86, Pizzeria Uno, Itahaka, Maz Mezcal Mexican and the charming M.Rohr’s coffee house.
The Neue Galerie New York, a component of New York City’s Museum Mile which has a fabulous collection of German and Austrian art is housed in an imposing beaux-arts building on E 86th Street at the corner of Fifth Avenue while the street is also equipped with a multi screen City cinema house which is located on 86th Street and third avenue. All in all E 86th could be described as a self-contained mini-neighborhood.
Pros
  • Well served by three main subway lines one local and two express lines
  • One of the main shopping drags of the Upper East Side
  • Wide tree lined street
Cons
  • Crowded and busy at all times
  • Dead at night
  • No nightlife to speak off
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"London-like"

Sutton Place which is located between the East River and Second Avenue from 52nd Street to 59th Street can be described as New York City’s little piece of London as the area is peppered with stucco pre-war co-ops and townhouses which are reminiscent of the tony area of Belgravia in London. Sutton Place has some of the most sought after addresses in New York City and the co-op boards of the luxurious and expensive pre-war buildings that dominate its real estate scene are notorious for being extremely picky about who they let in.
Most of these buildings located within Sutton place are equipped with amenities like round the clock doormen, well manicured lawns, roof top decks and gyms as the area has historically been associated with New York City's old money set. Accordingly the area is also equipped with two public parks, a dog run and the Sutton East and Town Tennis clubs. Sutton Place is o well served by two New York City bus routes namely the M31 and the M57 bus routes but the nearest subway is located a few blocks away on Lexington Avenue.
As far as shopping and dining is concerned Sutton Place is located within walking distance of many upscale shopping destinations that lie along 57th Street and Fifth Avenue and 59th Street and Lexington Avenue and numerous restaurants like Fusha, Rosa Mexicana, Aja and Jubilee which are located along First and Second avenues. However this area which is thought to the preferred abode of mature New Yorkers does not hold much appeal for young families for it lacks good schooling options.
Pros
  • Beautiful
  • Quiet
  • Gorgeous
  • Luxurious
  • luxury and beauty all around
  • Tranquil
Cons
  • Very snooty co-op boards rule most of the buildings and don't let outsiders in easily
  • An eldery population dominates the neighborhood
  • The neighborhood doesnt have any good schools
  • Stuffy
  • Very very expensive
  • Hard to get to by public transportation (but to live here, you'd probably have a car and driver)
  • Not much nightlife
  • One of the most expensive areas in Manhattan
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Quiet Residential Enclave"

York Avenue is an essentially residential avenue located on the outer limits of the Upper East Side. This relatively short avenue extends from 59th street to 91st street and offers two- way traffic access. York Avenue hosts the university hospitals of Columbia and Cornell , the Rockefeller research university as well as the New York outpost of the Sotheby’s auction house which is housed in gargantuan building situated between 71st and 72nd streets on York Avenue.
The real estate landscape of York Avenue consists of relatively modern rental and ownership buildings as well as typical New York City walkups. One of the most well known developments of York Avenue is the Cherokee Place apartments which are located on 77th street between York Avenue and John Jay Park. These picturesque apartments which sport ornate wrought-iron balconies, central courtyards, and large French windows were originally known as the Shively Sanitary Tenements which were constructed in 1910 to house poor New Yorkers who were suffering from the white plague i.e. tuberculosis.
As a neighborhood, York Avenue quite fits the bill as it is well equipped with grocery stores, restaurants and eateries like Saucy, Beanochio’s, David Copperfield, and good schools like the public school P.S.158 and the private York Avenue preschool and the Lycee Francais de New York which is much coveted by ambitious New York City mum’s who want their children to have a bilingual education. The only downside of living on York Avenue is its distance from the nearest subway line which is on Lexington Avenue though it is well served by the M57, M66, M72, M79 and M86 cross town buses and the north south traversing M31 bus service.
Pros
  • Tree lined , wide avenue which is quiet peaceful and tranquil
  • Affordable rental buildings with good amenities
  • Affordable, family-owned restaurant scene
  • close to good private schools (Chapin, Brearley), etc.
Cons
  • Far from the subway
  • Few period/aesthetically pleasing houses
  • Sporty/preppy bar scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"In the Heights"

The Washington Heights area which along with Inwood is considered to be the new Upper Manhattan extends upwards from 155th street on the West Side. The area’s boundaries are thought to be Hamilton Heights in the south, the Hudson River in the west, the Harlem River in the East and Inwood in the north. Many upper West side residents who were forced out of their nabe ( neighborhood) due to rising rents have now begun to move to the neighborhood of Washington Heights which was traditionally a Latin American neighborhood inhabited mainly by immigrants from the Dominican Republic .
In fact this area of Washington Heights has been recently immortalized in Broadway production called “In the Heights” which is based on a book written by Lin – Manuel Miranda a Washington Heights native and the playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes who has been a lifelong resident of Inwood. Washington Heights is also famously associated with musicians like Duke Ellington and Alicia Keys who hail from the area though today the neighborhood has found favor with young professionals and families who are desirous of having more space at affordable prices.
Most of the apartment buildings located in Washington Heights are built in the Art Deco style and are situated along its main streets of Pine Hurst Avenue, Fort Washington Avenue, Cabrini Boulevard, Lafayette Place and Haven Avenue. Many of the buildings that are located here are organized as co-ops and some of them like 250, Cabrini are known for their gorgeous lobbies.A development of five co-op buildings known as Castle Village which is located on Cabrini Boulevard is one of the most sought-after developments of the Heights. The rental properties of the neighborhood are located in the old tenements that lie between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.
Though most of the main stream New York City stores have not yet made their foray into the Heights, the area has vibrant retail scene which is dominated by local Mom and Pop stores and beauty parlors that line its commercial main drag of 181st Street. The Heights also possesses a lively dining and restaurant scene though its most well known restaurant is the romantic but expensive New Leaf Café which is located in a stone cottage setting in the neighborhood’s stunning Fort Tyron Park.
Washington Heights is actually renowned for its verdant parklands like the Hudson River Park which offers magnificent views of the Hudson River, the High bridge Park and of course the Fort Tyron Park which has within it the medieval Cloisters which is an outpost of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The area is also well served by the A, 1 and C subway lines. Since the A train is an express service Midtown Manhattan is easily accessible via a twenty minute journey from the Heights. Additionally Washington Heights also hosts many bus services which come into and depart from its George Washington Bus station which is located at 178th and 179th Streets between Fort Washington and Wadsworth Avenues.
Pros
  • Gorgeous architecture lines streets like Pine Hurst Avenue, Cabrini Boulevard etc
  • Many verdant parks abound
  • Stunning views of the Hudson River
  • affordable rents
  • close to Columbia
Cons
  • Crime rates continue to be a problem
  • far from downtown
  • loud hospital sirens
  • terrible grocery stores
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
lulup
lulup Washington Heights was "traditionally Jewish." Look up the history. yeshiva University was built there for a reason. That musical was utter nonsense and I was born and raised there during the period if time it takes place. Lin Manuel actually grew up Inwood not the Heights and did not go to Washington Heights schools. We resent the gentrification, the "blanquitos" usually from other states who want to take over our neighborhood, while those of us born there are being driven out by rapacious landlords. It's still a hell hole.
2yrs+
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3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"A verdant heaven located at the edge of Manhattan"

Inwood which is located on the northern most tip of Manhattan is the last stop on the A train which stops at 207th street and Dyckman. Inwood which is bordered by the Hudson and Harlem Rivers is known for its many parks and green spaces like the verdant Inwood Hill Park which spreads over several acres and offers opportunities for walking, hiking, biking and pick nicking.
Inwood for decades has been the abode of Latin American immigrants but now it’s many affordable art-deco co-op buildings and individual single family homes are being occupied by those New Yorkers who don't wish to leave the city but have been priced out of Manhattan’s more expensive neighborhoods.
Inwood which has a distinct small community feel is well served by a large CTown super market which is located on Broadway between 204 and 207 streets and the newly opened Antillana Food Plaza which is located on 216 Street and Broadway. The neighborhood also has few good public schools like P.S. 152 Dyckman Valley School located on Nagle Avenue and the Amistad Dual Language school which offer dual language instruction to cater to the needs of the local community.
Inwood’s restaurant and dining scene is similarly dominated by several excellent Latin American restaurants like 809, Cachapas y Mas, El Rancho Jubilee, Indian Road Café and Mamajuana Cafe though the neighborhood also possesses some raucous Irish bars like Keenans and Piper’s Kilt.
Pros
  • Good dual instruction public schools
  • Inwood Hill park is a boon to the neighborhood
  • affordable rents
  • close to Columbia
  • quiet
  • The Cloisters and the park
Cons
  • The grocery stores could be better
  • boring
  • dead at night
  • far from downtown
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Safe and secure"

Midtown east which stretches from 30th street east to 59th street is a mix of commercial and corporate enterprise as well as distinct residential neighborhoods such as Murray Hill, Sutton Place, Beekman Place and Tudor city.

Some of New York’s most famous buildings are located within this neighborhood like with the beaux art Grand Central Terminal Building which is located on 42nd street and Park Avenue, the iconic Chrysler Building which is located on 42nd street and Lexington Avenue, the beautiful Hemsley building which overlooks Park Avenue from its position between 45th and 46th Streets, the MetLife building and of course the tallest building in North America the Empire State Building which is a major tourist attraction that is located on 34th street and 5th Avenue. The United Nations which is located on 45th street and First Avenue is the most important institution in the area which also has several other diplomatic missions located within its boundaries. The presence of U.N and these diplomatic missions renders the area as an extremely safe and secure neighborhood.

Since the area also hosts numerous offices within its environs it is populated by several after-work bars and r eateries like the Smith and Wollensky steakhouse, P.J. Clarks, Le Colonial, Megu, Emma, Dos Caminos and several business centric hotels like the Courtyard Marriot which is located on 54th Street and 3rd Avenue, The Grand Hyatt which is located next to Grand Central Hotel, The Four Seasons Hotel which is located on 57th street and Fifth Avenue and the uber-stylish Pod Hotel which is located on 51st street between 2nd and 3rd avenues though the area also has some of the most iconic hotels of New York City like the Plaza, the Waldorf Astoria, the Sherry Netherland and the Pierre. Additionally the area also hosts some of the most well known upscale retail heavens of New York City like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Henri Bendel which are all located along its section of Fifth Avenue.

Despite its profile as a commercial neighborhood in New York City, Midtown East is home to countless full service condominium buildings like the Corinthian and the opulent Trump World Tower which are populated by young families, couples and single professionals.
Pros
  • Landmark buildings dominate the neighborhood
  • Safe
  • Convenient equally close to uptown and downtown Manhattan
Cons
  • The nightlfe scene is dominated by the after work crowd
  • This is a mixed use neighborhood and it doesnt have a distinct identity
  • Some pockets of the neighborhood are very pricey
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
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"Distinct International Feel"

Astoria is a multicultural enclave of New York City which was once essentially Greek but today is populated by several different ethnicities including Irish, Middle Eastern, Latin American, Pakistani and Bangladeshi peoples. The main boundaries of Astoria are thought to be the East River, Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City. The area is believed to have been founded and developed by the famous piano manufacturing company, Steinway and sons in the late 19th century as the company provided accommodation for its German craftsman in the neighborhood of Astoria. In fact the Steinway mansion is still located in the heart of Astoria on 42nd street and 19th Avenue.

The real estate landscape of Astoria is largely dominated by one and two family frame and brick houses and this essentially working-class neighborhood is also known for its many good schools, several of which are attached to churches like the St Frances Assisi church school on 45 the Street which is considered to be an premier parochial school of the neighborhoods. The Immaculate Conception school on 29th Street and the Grace Lutheran School are the other prominent private schools that are located in Astoria while the neighborhood also has excellent public schools like the P.S. 84 Steinway School which is known for its visual arts and music program, the P.S. 122 which has a program for gifted students and the Baccalaureate School of Global Education which is a public school that offers the International Baccalaureate program to students residing in Astoria. To cater to the needs of its multiethnic populations the area also hosts several Islamic schools like the Ideal Islamic School and the El-Ber Islamic school.

The principal shopping areas in Astoria are along Ditmars Boulevard, Steinway Street, Broadway and along 30th avenue though the neighborhood is especially well known for its many diverse restaurants which offer a smorgasbord of word cuisines. Some of my personal favorites include restaurants like Agnanti Mezze which overlooks the verdant Astoria Park and serves excellent Mediterranean fare and the delightful Kabab Café which is owned and operated by the El Sayed brothers in the Little Egypt section of Astoria along Steinway Street.

Astoria is well connected to Manhattan by the N& W subway lines. The G line comes into the Steinway street station and connects the area to Brooklyn. The R and V also stop at the Steinway Street Station and provide an alternate connection to Manhattan and the rest of Queens.
Pros
  • Many good schooling options
  • Fabulous ethnic restaurants in the neighborhood's many diverse ethnic enclaves
  • Good subway and bus connections
Cons
  • Far from Downtown Manhattan
  • No real nightlife scene
  • Few big supermarkets though the neighborhood does have many small grocery stores and delis that sell a large variety of international foods and eats
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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"The Politicaly Incorrect Fur District"

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.
Pros
  • Historic distric which was once home to New York's buzzing garment industry
  • Some of the old buildings host huge loft like apartments
  • central to everything
  • close to major transport
Cons
  • Burgeoning rents in the neighborhood have led to the demise of many garment factories, a loss of New York's history.
  • Certain areas of the neighborhood are downright ugly
  • boring
  • crime rates
  • Crowded
  • dead at night
  • dingy apartments
  • impersonal place
  • overrun by tourists
  • terrible grocery stores
  • Ugly
  • very expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Gorgeous River Views"

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
Pros
  • Neighborhood feel
  • Gorgeous views of the water
  • Good schools located nearby
  • Great Park
  • On the Water
  • quiet
Cons
  • Not too many shopping options
  • dead at night
  • expensive
  • boring
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Effortlessly Edgy"

The East Village which lies downtown on the East Side of Manhattan and extends from 14th Street to Houston Street and from Bowery Street to the East River . The real estate scenario of this vibrant and somewhat artsy neighborhood is dominated with old world walkups which are today slowly being replaced by the seemingly ubiquitous glass towers which are springing up all over the city. Located within the boundaries of the East Village are several distinct neighborhoods like Alphabet City, the Bowery and St Marks Place as well.

The vibe in the East Village is definitely ‘young and restless’ as this neighborhood which has long been associated various underground movements like the Punks and the Hippies continues to be favored by students, artists ,creative folk and young families who enjoy its unique ambiance and its relative affordability while compared to other neighborhoods in the city.

The East Village is also renowned as a dining locale in Manhattan as it is home to a plethora of diverse restaurant which can easily accommodate all kinds of budgets. Some of my personal favorites include the excellent Sri Lankan restaurant Sigiri( located between 5th and 6th streets and 1st avenue), the cheap and cheerful Lebanese joint Moustache( E10st between 1st Avenue and Avenue A), the divine Momofuku Noodle Bar( 10th Street and 1st Avenue) and the historic Veniero’s coffee house(E11th street between 1st and 2nd Avenue) which never fails to delight with its wide array of many mouth watering treats.
Pros
  • Very lively and vibrant at night
  • Artsy boutiques
  • center of hip culture
  • Cheap, great restaurants
  • fantastic bar and restaurant scene
  • Great bohemian legacy
  • legendary downtown music and theater venues
Cons
  • crowded and busy especially around St Mark's Square
  • Messy and dirty in certain areas
  • alphabet city is far from transport
  • loud bar scene
  • more for singles than for families
  • Noisy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
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"Quality living in the Heights"

The neighborhood of Brooklyn heights is often likened to Manhattan’s Upper East Side peppered as it with Greek revival and Italianate style red brick and brownstone row houses many of which cost millions. In fact the neighborhood rivals Upper Manhattan not only in prices but also in the beauty and grandeur of the edifices. Brooklyn Heights was in fact one of the fist districts in New York City to be declared as a historical district by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Some of the area’s most prominent public buildings include the Queen Ann style, Brooklyn Historical society which is located on Pierre Point and Clinton streets and Borough Hall which is an exponent of the Romanesque style as is the US post office building and Court house.

The boundaries of the Brooklyn Heights area extend from Fulton Street near Brooklyn Bridge to Atlantic Avenue in the South and from the East River to Cadman Plaza Park. Some of the area’s most prestigious addresses are located along its most prominent streets like Montague Street, Columbia Heights and Pierre Point Street. Brooklyn Heights also has within its folds the grand Hotel St George which is located on Hicks Street and which once was a 1000 room hotel with a ball room and a salt water swimming pool but which has now been converted into a complex of co-op buildings.

The star attraction in Brooklyn Heights is of course its water-front promenade which has featured in countless Hollywood movies as it affords breath taking vistas of lower Manhattan. In fact some of the most expensive properties in Brooklyn Heights command the price that they do because of the spectacular views that they offer.

Yet another reason which contributes to the Height’s popularity is the excellent schooling facilities that it offers. PS 29(pre-k -5) which is located on Henry Street is a much sought after public school while St Ann’s has its various campuses at Willow, Henry and Pierre Point streets is regarded to be one of the best private schools in the city. Aside from these top ranking schools the area also has other good schools like the Brooklyn Heights Montessori school , the Brooklyn Friends School and the Packer Collegiate as well as the St Francis College which is located on Remsen Street.
Pros
  • Landmark buildings and gorgeous townhouses abound
  • Very good schooling options
  • Stunning views of downtown Manhattan
Cons
  • Not much of a dining or nightlife scene
  • Very, Very Expensive
  • Needs to have better supermarkets
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
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"Robert De Niro's hood"

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.
Pros
  • Good schools
  • Quiet and peaceful
  • Celebrity residents
  • Loft apartments
  • World class restaurants
Cons
  • Not too many subway connections
  • No nightlife scene
  • Expensive
  • Pretty far from everything
  • Traffic off the Holland tunnel, and down the West Side Highway and Hudson Street
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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"For Scenesters and Hipsters only"

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.
Pros
  • The annual New York Food and Wine Festival which is hosted in the area
  • cobblestone streets
  • Boutique shopping
  • Busy bar scene
  • Tons of restaurants
Cons
  • Now attracts the 'bridge and tunnel' partycrowd
  • expensive
  • flashy area
  • loud
  • Awful people
  • Drunken wailing hipsters
  • Nightclubs
  • Pasts its prime
  • Wannabe Carrie Bradshaws
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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"Affordable Tailoring Services on Rivington 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.
Pros
  • Has the ambience of old world New York
  • The Economy Candy store, one of the best retro candy stores in NYC
  • Bar scene
  • Music
  • Restaurants
Cons
  • Rising rents are pushing out the original tennants of the street
  • Dirty
  • Crowded all the time
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
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"The original Immigrant enclave"

Being an immigrant in NYC , it’s hardly surprising that one of my favorite neighborhoods in the big apple is the gritty and somewhat grotty neighborhood of the Lower East Side. This historic neighborhood has an important place in the history of the melting pot that is New York City for it has traditionally always been occupied by immigrants. From the Italian, German, and Ukrainian immigrants who came here from Europe at the turn of the century to the Latin Americans who were then followed them to the present-day occupants of the neighborhood who seem to hail from Bangladesh in South Asia, the Lower East Side has always been welcoming of foreign peoples.

The neighborhood, whose boundaries stretch west from the East River to the south of East Houston Street, was initially a Jewish enclave and evidence of this exists until today in the form of the sizable Orthodox Jewish community that continues to reside here. Several historic kosher delis like the renowned Katz Deli (well known for its melt in the mouth pastrami) and Russ and Daughters which sells a large variety of Jewish specialties like smoked fish, lox, bagels and excellent pastries like babka, halvah and rugalach cater to the various needs of this old and established community. Additionally the neighborhood also has within its folds several historic synagogues like the Bialystoker Synagogue Beth Hamedrash Hagadol, the Eldridge Street Synagogue and Kehila Kedosha Janina.
Aside from these synagogues, the Lower East Side has several other historic sites like the Tenement Museum which is a fascinating institution located on Orchard Street that catalogs the lives and history of the immigrants who once called this section of New York City home. Guided tours of the neighborhood are offered by the museum help tourists and even locals explore the neighborhood better.

The Lower East Side was in fact once known as the original 'Bargain district' of New York as it was filled with discount retail stores that were owned and operated by these hard working and industrious immigrants. These retail stores essentially catered to the diverse needs of the various immigrant communities who lived there. Some of these discount retail stores continue to exist along Stanton, Ludlow and Rivington Streets and sell a wide variety of merchandise like competitively priced leather goods, household goods, luggage and discounted apparel.

However, over the past few years the neighborhood like many other old enclaves of New York City has been undergoing a rapid gentrification and now in addition to its historic sites, the Lower East Side is also well known for its many hip boutiques, bars and eateries like Pala, the Clinton Street Baking Company, Café Charbon, Verlaine, Kampuchea Noodle Bar, WD*50, Stanton Social and Teany (a tea lounge owned and operated by the musician Moby) which have helped to transform this historic neighborhood into a much sought after party district in New York City.
Pros
  • A wonderful sense of history
  • Home to the Tenement Museum which catalogues the history of NYC's immigrants
  • The Essex Street Market
  • great bar scene
  • great music venues
  • nice mix of old and new
  • Great restaurants
  • Lots of energy
Cons
  • Rapid gentrification is destroying the soul of the neighborhood
  • Rising rents
  • dingy apartments
  • far from subway
  • some poor areas
  • Loud all the time
  • Punk hipsters
  • Ugly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Shop till you drop"

Before I relocated to New York City, I used visit the Big Apple annually as a tourist on shopping expeditions. My preferred locale for all my shopping used to be the retail corridor along 34th street. This retail corridor which continues to be popular with tourists until today extends all the way along 34th street from Fifth Avenue until Eighth Avenue and has within its environs outlets of almost all the major brands in the USA like Banana Republic, the Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, Forever 21, H&M, Foot Locker, Payless and Victoria’s Secret. However the star attraction of this retail corridor is of course the gargantuan, flagship store of the Macy’s chain of department stores which stands tall on Herald Square located on the intersection of Broadway and the Avenue of the Americas.
Macys which extends over two buildings and has several diverse departments which are filled to the brim with inventory is a favorite with international tourists as it offers them a Visitor’s card which entitles them to an 11% discount on a wide array of merchandise. This Visitor’s card can be acquired from the Macy’s Visitor’s center located on the 1 and a half floor within the store. Aside from these main retail outlets, the 34th Street retail corridor is also home to several discount retailers like Daffy’s , K mart and Conway and a whole host of souvenir stores so it’s a extremely convenient spot for a shopaholic tourist who needs to buy gifts for friends and family back home. Moreover this area is also well connected to the rest of the city as it hosts the B, D,F, V, N,R, W, Q trains at the 34th Street station at Herald Square, the 1,2,3, trains at the station on 7th avenue and the A,C,E trains at the Penn Station subway station which is located at 34th Street and Eight Avenue.
However the only significant drawback of this area is that it is perennially crowded and busy and it lacks decent eating places populated as it is with outlets of prominent fast food chains
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Roosvelt Island- The Big Apple's little Apple"

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.
Pros
  • Gorgeous views of Manhattan
  • good or families
  • quiet
  • Cool haunted stuff
  • safe
Cons
  • Small town atmosphere
  • Poor retail options
  • boring
  • isolated
  • no nightlife
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"The heart of New York City"

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.
Pros
  • Excellent transport connections by subway and bus
  • Great grocery stores the area hosts a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's
  • The Union Square Green Market
Cons
  • Busy and crowded at all times of the day and night
  • Not much of a neighborhood feel rather it can be described as a commercial enclave located in the heart of NYC
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"Bastion of high end retail"

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.
Pros
  • Luxe shopping enclave
  • Ease of public transport
  • Elegant
  • Possibly the best blend of upscale elegance with a lively restaurant/bar scene in Manhattan
Cons
  • Boring at night
  • Snooty sales people man the stores that populate Madison Avenue
  • Expensive
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Trendy & Stylish
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now
Editors Choice

"The Silk Stocking District"

New York City’s Upper East Side is the original “chi –chi” neighborhood of the Big Apple which has also been known as “Gold Coast” or the “Silk Stocking district” through the ages. The Upper East Side is home to some of New York City’s priciest real estate which hosts some of the city’s oldest and wealthiest families. A favorite of the celluloid world, the Upper East Side has featured as a background in various TV shows and movies, for instance Carrie Bradshaw of Sex in the City fame is believed to have resided in a brownstone located on East 73rd street of the Upper East Side in New York City.

The Upper East Side encompasses an area that extends from the East River to Central Park, from 59thstreet to 96thstreet. The real estate palette of the Upper East Side is made up of a mix of huge prewar co-ops, town houses and mansions that line Park, Madison and Fifth avenues though from Lexington Avenue onwards to the East river the area is populated with several post and prewar co-ops, modern condo buildings and typical New York City old-world walkups. This neighborhood which is littered with many elite private schools like the Dalton School, the Spence School, the Rudolph Steiner School, the Lycée Français de New York and some of the city’s best public schools, P.S 6 (The Lillie Devereaux Blake School) and P.S.290( The Manhattan New School) is also referred to as “stroller heaven” for a sturdy “Bugaboo” stroller is often spotted on its many wide tree-lined avenues and streets, as more families relocate to the area to take advantage of its excellent schooling facilities.

Located within the broader expanse of the Upper East Side are several distinct neighborhoods like Lenox Hill, Yorkville and Carnegie Hill and the renowned Museum Mile which extends along Fifth Avenue from 82nd Street to 104th Street and has within its folds some of the grandest cultural institutions of New York City like the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 82nd Street, the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum on 88th Street, the Neue Galerie of New York on 86th Street, the Jewish Museum on 92nd Street and the El Museo del Barrio of 104th Street.

These fine institutions of culture and art are celebrated annually during the Museum Mile Festival which is generally held during the month of June. In honor of this festival all these museums throw open their doors to the public for one evening as they celebrate the arts with a mile long block party and a visual arts celebration which features much live entertainment.
Pros
  • clean, tree lined streets and avenues
  • Good schooling options both private and public
  • Reasonable rentals east of Third Avenue
  • Gorgeous apartments
  • Grand apartments
  • Luxurious shopping
  • Safe - most buildings have doormen
  • The park
Cons
  • Needs better subway connections with the rest of the city
  • Dead at night
  • Expensive!
  • Not much nightlife
  • Staid, a bit stodgy
  • Stuffy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
Just now

"Oriental Odysssey"

The always busy and bustling Chinatown in Manhattan is one of my favorite neighborhoods in New York City. Rumored to be the biggest Chinatown in the USA, the boundaries of Chinatown roughly extend from Canal Street in the North to Worth Street in the South and from Baxter Street in the West to the Bowery in the East.
Manhattan’s Chinatown is a favorite with bargain hunting tourists who enjoy shopping at its countless little stores for copycat designer handbags, watches and fragrances, feng shui knick knacks, jewelry, ethnic foods and clothes. In fact as soon as you exit any of the subway stations that transport you to Chinatown you are almost always accosted by touts who offer you fake brand name handbags and pirated copies of latest Hollywood blockbusters. For New York City dwellers Chinatown is the place to shop for fresh fish, exotic fruits and vegetables at the numerous Chinese groceries and supermarkets that line the main streets of Chinatown, like Mott Street, Mulberry Street and Center Street.
Chinatown also offers a smorgasbord of diverse cuisines from Asia at its various restaurants like cavernous the dim sum spots Jing Fong, Golden Unicorn and Dim Sum Go Go which offer Hong Kong style dim sum, Pongsri Thai which serves delicious Thai food, Jaya Malaysian, New Malaysia and Singapore Café which serve the hawker stall delights from Malaysia and Singapore and the traditional Chinese bakeries like Fay Da, Dragon Land and Taipan which serve a wide array of typical Chinese buns, breads , savories, sweets and teas.
Pros
  • Affordable
  • affordable rents
  • Dumplings and massage places galore
  • Great cheap merchandise
  • Great cheap restaurants
  • Knockoff Fendi bags
  • Reasonable prices on most regular items like groceries and household stuff
Cons
  • Hard to fit into the community if you're not Chinese
  • Some gang violence regarding the Canal Street knockoffs industry
  • dead at night
  • Dirty
  • No nightlife
  • Smelly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now

"Vibrant ,Artsy Neighborhood"

The Upper West side of Manhattan is a locale, which has long been popular with the “intellectual” and “cultural” set of New York. Luminaries from the celluloid world such as Diane Keaton, Dustin Hoffman, and Michael Douglas have called the Upper West Side home at some time or the other. Perhaps the area’s most famous resident was John Lennon who lived at the Dakota, a land marked building which is located on 72nd street and Central Park West near the 72nd Street traverse.
The Upper West side stretches from 59th street to 110th and has Central Park and Riverside drive as its borders. The real estate landscape of the Upper West Side consists of rows of charming brownstones especially in the 80’s between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues and several magnificent buildings located along Central Park West which are known for their grand balustrade balconies that afford gorgeous views of the Park.
The Upper West Side like its counterpart the Upper East Side is essentially a residential neighborhood which also boasts of a vibrant arts and culture scene for located within this neighborhood are several legendary cultural institutions of New York City like the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Alice Tully Hall for Chamber Music, the Beacon Theater, the Julliard School of Music, The Walter Reade Theater, the Metropolitan Opera House, the New York Philharmonic and museums like The American Museum of Natural History and Planetarium and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan.
This neighborhood is also immensely popular with New York City families as it has excellent schooling facilities. Some of the most famous and much sought after schools that are located here include the Anderson School (PS 334) which is public school for gifted children, the Hunter College High School for Sciences (M541) and The Collegiate School for boys which is located on 78th street and West End Avenue and has the distinction of being the oldest school in the USA founded as it was in 1628.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now

"A quiet piece of heaven"

East End Avenue is a quiet tree lined avenue which overlooks the East River and borders the FDR drive in Manhattan. This primarily residential avenue which extends from 79th street to 90th street is populated by some of the most magnificent pre-war co-op buildings in New York City like 1, East End Avenue and 25, East End Avenue both of which afford gorgeous views of the fast flowing East River. Aside from these splendid dwellings, which seem to scream ‘old money’ East End Avenue is also home to the Carl Shurz Park which has within its environs, two dog runs, a playground, a grassy knoll, a concrete walking and biking promenade and the historic Gracie Mansion which is the official residence of mayor of New York City. This relatively isolated stretch of Manhattan which is located four blocks away from the nearest subway line at Lexington Avenue is in fact much coveted by affluent New York City families for it has within its folds two of the city's best private schools for girls, namely the Brearely School at 83rd Street and the Chapin School at 84th Street. Perhaps the only downside of living on East End Avenue is its considerable distance from the nearest subway line though it is does have convenient bus links with the rest of the city as it served by two cross town buses at 79th street and 86th streets respectively. However subway access to and from East End is bound to improve in the future with the completion of the Second Avenue subway line which is currently under construction.
Pros
  • Great views of the East River and the Carl Shurz park
  • Two of the best Private Schools for girls are llocated on East End Avenue, the Brearely School and the Chapin school
  • Wide tree lined avenue which is quite spotless and lined with grand co-op buildings which host families who have lived there for generations.
  • affordable rents
  • everyone dressed so well
  • quiet
Cons
  • The biggest con of East End Avenue is that it is four blocks away from the nearest subway though it is served by the M79 crosstown bus.
  • Street parking is quite impossible on weekend nights though expensive parking garages abound
  • The cold winds from the East river can lower the temperatures by a few degrees on East End Avenue
  • boring
  • dead at night
  • expensive
  • far from downtown
  • terrible grocery stores
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students

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