New York City 2023 | Weekday Walk | The Upper West Side

I am going to be controversial here and come out and say that the Upper West Side is the prettiest part of Manhattan. Should you disagree with that statement, you are going to have to show your workings. 🙂

This neighborhood sits between Central Park and Riverside Park and stretches from 59th to 110th Street. It is filled with culture, history, and (like most of Manhattan) money. The UWS is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city. Many visitors recognize the UWS from TV shows and movies. You’ve Got Mail, Seinfeld, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were all filmed here. The brownstone-lined streets, towering Central Park West residences and historic restaurants make this an iconic neighborhood.

My walk began at the Museum of Natural History at 79st Street, because there is a subway station there, and ended at the Lincoln Center at 66th Street, because there is another subway station there as well. 

On W80th Street, Zabar’s is a neighborhood institution. This specialty grocery store first opened in 1934 and they started out as a modest grocer and coffee shop. Now, 80 years later, Zabar’s spans almost the entire block. It is a massive grocery store filled with deli meat, smoked fish, bagels, and other NY classics. It might not look like much from the outside, but it is worth going inside for the cheese selection alone.

Riverside Park sits between the Hudson River and Riverside Drive. It stretches from 72nd Street up to 125th. If you want to spend a lot of time exploring this park, consider trekking up to 122nd to see Grant’s Tomb. (This is the burial place & monument honoring the 18th U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant). You will also find a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt, the only US First Lady to have received this honour.

Eleanor Roosevelt was an American diplomat, activist, and delegate to the United Nations. She was the wife of the 32nd U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She is the longest-serving First Lady (1933-1945).

Although now she is widely celebrated, she was controversial during her time. She was outspoken and held radical opinions. She held regular press conferences and contributed to a newspaper column. Even after FDR’s passing, she continued to maintain an active political career.

At 167 W 74th St (cross streets | 74th & Amsterdam Ave) you will find Levain Bakery. Their cookies are the stuff of legends, apparently. But I can confirm that they are delicious. I bought two, one to eat there and then, the Two Chip Chocolate Chip, and one for breakfast the next day, the Oatmeal Raisin.

The last stops on my walk were Juilliard and Lincoln Center. Juilliard is the famous performing arts school that trains students in dance, drama, music and other arts. Robin Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, and Jessica Chastain are just three of the hundreds of notable Juilliard alumni. It began in 1905 as a small musical institute and has grown to be one of the most prestigious art schools in the world. The acceptance rate is just around 7%.

The Lincoln Center is a performing arts complex that is home to the New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera and Metropolitan Opera. In the 1950s, John D. Rockefeller III helped fund and revitalize the Lincoln Center.

Step count that day | 27,724.

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