East 57th St, Sutton Place

57th in Sutton Place starts off with quite a bang in the famous people department. This is the sort of clientele, if you will, that started putting this neighborhood on the map. The corner building (300) housed JD Salinger just after Catcher in the Rye was published. Paulette Goddard lived next door at 320 and Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford lived next door to that at 322. These are some serious Manhattan apartments in a pretty serious neighborhood.
Across the street from all of these fancy (and stuffy) apartment buildings is the Queensboro Bridge. This is the prettiest steel bridge in my opinion and it is referenced in a lot of artsy things like Woody Allen's Manhattan and numerous Simon and Garfunkel songs. It's quite a sight to see at night from your sprawling Kathie Lee Gifford apartment, I imagine.
There's a little cafe on the corner at 1st which is one of the few eating establishments you will find on this street or in this entire neighborhood, for that matter. Lillian Gish lived next door at 430, and writer William Saroyan and actor George Jessel lived at the end of the block at 2 Sutton Place. Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller lived at 444 East 57th while they were married and Marilyn kept an apartment in the same building until her death -- though, as well all know, she died in Los Angeles. Tallulah Bankhead and Bobby Short both lived at 447 and on the same side of the street of this block there's a lovely townhouse that looks small next to all of the big buildings but is actually massive for a single residence in Manhattan. That's one lucky duck that lives there . .. or just a rich one.
The end of the street, at Sutton Place, ends with just as much of a name dropping bang as it started: J Paul Getty lived right here in the 1930's in a very opulent house just before the East River.
57th is a really swanky block. And, even though it doesn't have quite the celebrity cache that it had early to mid-20th century, it is still gorgeous, very expensive and very exclusive. There's no bar, restaurant or art scene around here, but these rich as all get out people seem to prefer it that way. It's very quiet and feels much more like a family neighbor if ever an elite one.

Tiffany's! Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend! Blue Box! This is where the magic happens.

I tell you, entering this store is like candy for the superficial. I saw SO many tourists in fanny packs walking through, buying the cheaped thing they could find just to acquire a coveted blue box. Diamonds aren't really my thing, but they actually have a lot of other merchandise.

In terms of bags you'll find Louis Vuitton here. I don't know why you'd want to buy one (personal taste) but it's filled with little girls with daddy's credit card looking to score some LV signature pieces. Once again, not my thing.

For food, you can go to Norma's Restaraunt at La Parke for some nicely dressed American dishes. Food... so my thing!

East 57th Street is close to several metro stations and is close to many buses. Foot traffic is heavy and I recommend the street to EVERYONE!