2 Ave, Yorkville

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.

This major thoroughfare, ferrying passengers from the East River to Fifth Avenue, may not be the most scenic of thoroughfares - especially given the proximity of quieter, more picturesque cross-streets and brownstones elsewhere on the Upper West Side, but what it lacks in aesthetics (and it's certainly perfectly pleasant on that account, if less quaint than other areas) it makes up for in convenient. There is a bus route running crosstown both directions along 79th street, making getting to and fro a breeze. Likewise, the street runs the gamut of neighborhoods and areas - start at Fifth Avenue but a few blocks from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then head East, towards the charmingly low-key enclave of Yorkville. This area boasts quite a few amenities, among them the proximity of All Souls Church and a number of the city's best restaurants, including Candle 79, Quatorze Bis, Il Riccio, and Yorkville Restaurant. From the elegant shops of Madison to the quiet parkside street at Fifth, E 79 Street is a pleasant and useful street - even if it lacks the Old World charm of some of its less centrally situated neighbors.

The crosstown stretch of 86th Street between Lexington Avenue and York is one of the most convenient places to shop on the Upper East Side. While the boutiques on Madison Avenue offer haute couture at decidedly "haute" prices, 86th Street offers a range of retail chains - from Barnes and Noble to Best Buy - that make the street a decidedly easy place to pick up, for example, a new CD or microwave. While the area is more convenient than charming - there's plenty of blaring traffic and more fast-food places than there are proper restaurants (although the presence of a Tasti D-Lite chain between 1st and 2nd Avenue is a major redeeming feature), the neighborhood feel is vibrant and mixed. Swank Park Avenue matrons mingle with more laid-back Yorkville types; students from nearby private girls' schools Brearley and Chapin, with their tailored uniforms, hang out alongside a more diverse crowd than seen elsewhere on the UES. In Casablanca, "everybody goes to Rick's" - but on the Upper East Side, everybody ends up on 86th Street once in a while - whether to go to one of the many cinemas, grab a snack at Papaya King, shop at Best Buy or the Gap, or read a book and browse and Barnes and Nobles.

Eli’s Vinegar Factory is on this street – and sure, it’s way over on the very east end, but if you like food you have to check it out. (Well, I recommend it mostly for people who have access to a kitchen during their stays since it is really a grocery store.) This is my most favorite specialty grocery shop in all of Manhattan – they have an awesome selection of cheese, bread, and wine, and I can’t really think of anything I love more.

The only thing that would make this street better would be a slightly shorter walk to the subway - it's just in between the 86th and 96th St. stops. Otherwise, it's got it all without the busy-ness of downtown (yes, the West Vill is fab, if you can afford it, but for what it is, 91st is a great area (btwn Lex & 3rd). Within stumbling distance: post office, 92nd St. Y, NYSC, 24hr CVS, and good restaurants.

The Rupert and Yorkville Towers give this area a king of housing projecty (is that a word) a little bit further to the East. A large NYSC with a pool is a plus and great star dining at Elaines is also. Be prepared to encounter residents of the marginal areas north of 96th St on the East Side. It also seems like this area loses power frequently when there are sectional blackouts due to power consumption.

With the cenral park lake and 92nd street Y this street is exercise paradise. With the Carnegie hill street patrol the area is the safest in the city. Very neighborly and only blocks from the 86th street express stop and cross town bus!