Why I Love the Upper West Side

I’ve always liked the Upper West Side.  It’s special and unique, a place and space where you get a sense of history and cutting-edge, all within a few blocks.  Take architecture, for example. Even for the uninitiated like myself, this can be eye-opening. A pair of good sneakers and a simple walking tour are all you need to peek into a different era or a rapidly evolving world. Landmark buildings, cultural institutions, museums, synagogues, prewar co-ops and brownstones dot the landscape. There they stand, side by side with all kinds of modern residential high rises, eclectic restaurants, contemporary coffee houses, novel dive bars, and established chain stores. Something, as they say, for everyone.

Then, there are the parks. Some might say the green space alone in this part of Manhattan is what makes it a standout. Bordered by Central Park to the east, Riverside Park, and the Hudson River to the west, these beautiful locations offer recreational areas, corners for sunbathing, children’s playgrounds, dog runs, ball fields, and places just to be.

Today’s Upper West Side is very much a living breathing organism, a place that offers both opportunity and challenge. You see the grit and the glamour, walking these streets. Yet, as over centuries past, multitudes pass through in search of a taste of life here, whether briefly, or to stay. Through centuries of innovation and discovery, openings and closings, celebrations and protests, diseases and weather disasters- this neighborhood, like the city itself, enjoys, endures, and keeps it moving.

Whether you live here or are just visiting, we aim to highlight some of the unique pleasures this part of the city offers.  I hope that by circling back to the posts and content you find here, you too will recognize and enjoy a real slice of NYC life, in all of its Upper West Side glory.  Welcome!!!