Before I lived on the Upper East Side, I was under the impression that it was pretty lame.
And if not lame, then stuffy, full of old rich people, and definitely not for a fun someone who was just out of college and looking to have a good time.
But I was wrong.
Living here is great. It actually might be the best neighborhood in Manhattan to live.
Why, might you ask?
Read on and find out exactly what rocks about the Upper East Side, and what awesome things you don't know about it-- unless you actually live there.
1. It’s fun
Whoever thought you had to go downtown to have a good time has never partied on the UES. Yeah, sure, downtown is fun too, but there are awesome, bumping bars on the UES.
Like the Supply House, Penrose, Heidelberg and The Stumble Inn-- which are all super fun, but all have a totally different vibe.
Supply House is amazing for weeknight drinking if you want to witness a totally amazing live band.
The Stumble Inn is excellent if it’s a Saturday night and you want to drink among a really fratty crowd, and give yourself the best shot possible to get laid.
And the Heidelberg is great if you like beers served in glass boots.
There are other really great bars I didn’t even get to mention, like Pony Bar which is amazing because they have millions of beers on tap. Or The Met rooftop bar which is absolutely glorious, because... well, do I really need to explain why a rooftop bar would be amazing?
2. It’s not that expensive
My two roommates and I, and lots of my other friends, live here.
One of my best friends lives on 95th, and another one of my best friends lives on 91st, and someone I hooked up with one time and don’t even like that much lives on 90th.
Lots of young "adults" have taken up residence in this part of town, and can strangely afford it.
I was pretty taken back that the Upper East Side was one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Manhattan's real estate market, because I was so used to seeing Carrie Bradshaw and Serena Van Der Woodsen running around in their Jimmy Choo's and living in expensive brownstones.
Why doesn’t it cost that much to live here? Well, the further east you live, the further you are from the subway. I, personally, have a ten-minute walk to a subway in either direction, but I don’t mind.
,3. It’s artsy
Again, I thought the artsy parts of New York City were strictly relegated to the East Village and Brooklyn.
I never expected to find eclectic coffee shops with doors for tables and light bulbs jutting out from all the walls, and yet, they exist.
I spend a lot of days their slurping lattes and writing poems amidst a full coffee shop of people reading books, writing stuff, typing on their computers, and drinking coffee.
It’s relaxed, and we’re all friends-- even though none of us have ever talked. (That’s actually not true – one guy bought me a beer in Dtut once.)
Also, Café Jax exists, on 84th Street, and it’s probably even more artsy in there than Dtut. I mean, come on. They have an outdoor garden.
We also have this really adorable bookstore called Corner Bookstore on 93rd and Madison, and the 92nd Street Y for whenever we want to watch an impromptu poetry reading.
4. Parks
concentrichealthexperience Home opener for the #NYMETS today. Get out there and enjoy #nycparks. Photo by @boomthatjusthappened #NYC #randallsisland #baseball #newyork #parks
I never knew about Randall’s Island until I moved to the UES-- and it's is gorgeous.
It’s a giant sprawling park with a riverside view of the Manhattan skyline. I also, obviously, love the East River Promenade, and living so close to it is totally worth living a ten-minute walk from the subway.
I love running, riding my bike, and just strolling along the East River. Although, does anyone not enjoy walking up and down the East River?
Roosevelt Island is cool too, and riding the tram is fun. Also, there are a lot of parks on the UES, and I feel like that is not common knowledge. Until now, that is.
5. Museums
sawwaki What is the purpose of Art? To give us the brief, dazzling illusion of the camellia, carving from time an emotional aperture that cannot be reduced to animal logic. How is Art born? It is begotten in the mind's ability to sculpt the sensorial domain. What does Art do for us? It gives shape to our emotions, makes them visible and, in so doing, places a seal of eternity upon them, a seal representing all those works that, by means of a particular form,have incarnated the universal nature of human emotions. #Metropolitan #museum #art #elgreco #travel #gucci #armani #intellectual #paint #будниодногобездельника #путешествие #путешествия #америка #сша #штаты #музей #искусство #NYC #NY #ues
The Guggenheim and The Metropolitan Museum of Art are both on the UES ... and no, I didn’t know that before I moved here.
Those museums are both pretty fun to spend a day visiting, especially if you’re with people you really like. Or maybe a really great date. But don’t go there with someone lame.
The Natural Museum of History is just a crosstown bus ride away, too, and that’s probably my favorite one in the entire city. And, while we’re debunking rumors, can we please talk about how excellent the crosstown bus is?
If you enjoyed this article, check out The Comprehensive Guide to NYC’s Upper East Side!
[Featured Image Courtesy: Andrew Mace/Flickr]